EU Baltic Sea Strategy and the Internal Market

The EU member states around the Baltic Sea have made their first steps towards the implementation of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. This strategy, which should help to abolish the obstacles of the internal market, including enhanced cooperation in customs and taxes, is for Estonia to coordinate. The Nordic countries have already worked for years in allowing people and services to move – if not entirely without resistance, then more freely – across their borders.

To discuss the endeavours concerning the internal market, border impediments, EU digital agenda (e-services) as well as further plans, the Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Estonia, in cooperation with the Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Representation of the European Commission in Estonia is organising an expert conference of high standards in Tallinn. Among others there are speeches by:

- Michel Barnier, European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services;
- Mario Monti, former European Commissioner and expert on the domestic European market;
- Ole Norrback, President of the Border Impediments Forum in the Nordic Council of Ministers;
- Juhan Parts, Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications in Estonia.

Additional information regarding the event can be found here and the programme can be found here.

NB! Participation in the conference is only possible by invitation and by being pre-registered!

Date & time: 16-17 September 2010. Welcome Reception from 19.00-21.00 on 16 September 2010; conference from 9.30-17.00 on 17 September 2010.
Venue: Welcome Reception at the Nordic Council of Ministers Office in Estonia (Lai 29, Tallinn); conference at Swissôtel (Tornimäe 3, Tallinn).
Registration: by 27 August 2010.
Language: English
Contact: Madis Kanarbik, Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Estonia, head of Tartu branch: telephone +372 742 36 25; GSM +372 50 46 570 or e-mail: madis.kanarbik(at)norden.ee.