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In 2012, Lithuania will be a centre of joint Nordic-Baltic activities. On 1 January, Vilnius takes over the coordination of the cooperation between eight Nordic-Baltic countries (NB8). “The year 2012 marks the 20th anniversary of cooperation between the eight countries. The Nordic-Baltic region is the region focused on stability, competitiveness, success and high quality. We have to build on earlier achievements and make the most of new opportunities”, stressed Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis.  Lithuania has set the following priorities for its coordination of activities of the Nordic Baltic Eight: the strengthening of cooperation between the Nordic Council of Ministers and the Baltic countries, the development of common information space in the Nordic-Baltic region, raising awareness of the region and strengthening economic and business ties, as well as relations with the EU’s Eastern partnership countries and with the U.S.A. During this year, Lithuania plans to host about 50 meetings and events at different levels that will be attended by officials of varying levels from ministries of foreign affairs, finance, economy, social affairs, national defence, justice, transport, and public agencies, as well as by heads of state and members of parliament. It is expected that decisions will be taken on accelerating regional integration and strengthening the region’s competitiveness. The biggest planned event will be the NB8 summit in Vilnius on 23 April. Presidents and Prime Ministers from the Nordic and Baltic countries are invited to attend the summit. Consultations of Foreign Ministers from these countries and other important events are due in the autumn. According to Ažubalis, eight Nordic and Baltic countries not only share the coast line along one sea; the countries also have similar values, history and traditions.

“Our region became increasingly integrated economically and financially over the last decade, and now we are even closer politically. Even the reaction to the economic crisis was similar - the NB8 region survived it best in Europe”, says the Minister. “According to GDP volume, together we are the 5th largest economy in the European Union (after Germany, the United Kingdom, France and Italy), and, perhaps, the 11th largest economy in the world. Moreover, the population of our market is approximately 32 million. We all create GDP of over a trillion Euros”, stressed the head of the Lithuanian diplomacy.

According to the Minister, Lithuania’s key objective is to further improve the effectiveness of regional cooperation and to take advantage of each other’s assistance when dealing with the problems that are important for Lithuania and the region. Lithuania’s key interest is to maintain and strengthen the attention that NB8 dedicates to the Eastern European neighbourhood. “It is our ambition to increase the role of the Nordic and Baltic region in Europe and in its neighbourhood, and to strengthen cooperation with our strategic partners in developing the Nordic-Baltic cooperation”, says Ažubalis. The coordination of the NB8 activities is rotated among the eight countries on an annual basis. Lithuania will take over the coordination from Finland, and in 2013 will pass this role on to Sweden. The coordinating country shapes the multilateral cooperation agenda that includes all the key meetings. The NB8 consists of eight Nordic and Baltic countries - Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia - which have regularly cooperated in various areas and at different political levels since 1992. Meetings of representatives from these countries discuss important international policy issues, current events and various practical cooperation issues. Because these countries share the approach to security problems and to the importance of the transatlantic link, the e-PINE initiative was launched in Washington, D.C., in 2003 and laid on strengthening the U.S. cooperation with the eight Nordic and Baltic countries. Meetings of officials from foreign ministries and of various experts are held on a regular schedule as often as two or three times a year. In 2012, Lithuania will also chair the Enhanced Partnership in Northern Europe’s meetings (e-PINE) and will organize the consultations of the Nordic-Baltic countries and the U.S.A. In 2012, Lithuania will also chair the Baltic Council of Ministers. This institutional framework for cooperation between the Governments of the Baltic States was established in 1994, in Tallinn. An informal meeting of Prime Ministers of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia will take place in March 2012. An official meeting of the Prime Ministers’ Council of the Baltic Council of Ministers is due in autumn. The 18th Baltic Council is due on 8-9 November. The focus at these meetings will be on the priorities of Lithuania’s chairmanship that are of vital importance for Lithuania and for the entire Baltic region: the development of the Baltic energy market and integration into the EU’s energy system, further cooperation in implementing international transport projects ‘Rail Baltica’ and ‘Via Baltica’, strengthening of joint defence cooperation between the Baltic and Nordic countries, and the development of knowledge-based economy.