Multi-Level Governance in MSP throughout the Baltic Sea Region

The ambition of the PartiSEApate project was to develop a pan-Baltic approach to the topics whose spatial dimension crosses national borders.

Partners engaged national & transnational bodies, other PACs & flagships, sectors & researchers in a dialogue on a pan-Baltic level. Through a sequence of workshops, the project sought to increase stakeholder understanding of what MSP means to them and the transnational nature of their topic.

Bodies responsible for drafting MSP plans tested and developed models for how multi-level and transnational governance mechanisms can be realised in MSP in three pilot case areas:

• Pomeranian Bight (SE, DE, PL),
• Lithuanian Sea (LT, LV, SE, RU)
• Middle Bank (SE, PL).

Moreover the project provided for the first overview on the MSP systems in each Baltic Sea country, which has subsequently been agreed by countries to be used for their yearly update (VASAB country fiches).

Partners developed a concept for the pan-Baltic MSP institutional framework and governance model. These recommendations provided the basis for the guidelines adopted in Feb 2016 by the HELCOM-VASAB MSP WG on transboundary consultation and cooperation and public participation (see practice).

Project partners

• Maritime Institute in Gdańsk (PL) – Lead Partner
• Maritime Office in Gdynia (PL)
• Maritime Office Szczecin (PL)
• VASAB Secretariat (LV)
• Baltic Environmental Forum Latvia (LV)
• Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology (LV)
• Klaipeda University Coastal Research and Planning Institute (LT)
• Region Skåne (SE)
• Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (SE)
• German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH)
• Institute of Marine Research of Norway (NO)

Sub-contractors

• s.Pro sustainable-projects GmbH
• University of Liverpool