22.04.2026
CPMR delegates focused on sustainability and energy transition in Stockholm
The CPMR Baltic Sea Commission's Marine Working Group and the Working Group on Energy and Climate met in a joint meeting in Stockholm on 14-15 April. The theme of the meeting was the sustainability and resilience of the coastal areas of the Baltic Sea and the energy transition of maritime transport.
The two-day meeting included several speeches on the European Commission's strategies in preparation, as well as on current projects in the Baltic Sea regions.
Representative of the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE) of the European Commission Manuel Pleguezuelo presented the EU Strategy for Coastal Communities. The EU’s coastal regions are home to around 90 million people and face not only climate change-related problems, but also accessibility challenges. The strategy is currently being prepared by the Commission and will be finalised in June.
The EU's Affordable Energy Action Plan was also discussed. It was presented by a representative of DG ENER Renatas Mazeika.
The aim of the action plan is to reduce the price of energy sold and production costs, and to ensure a functioning fuel market and energy efficiency in the EU. Energy poverty affects 46 million Europeans and the gap in energy prices between the EU and its competitors has widened. Energy prices have been pushed up, in particular, by dependence on fossil fuel production and increased system costs.
Highlighting the specificities of the northern regions in contributing to the EU
"The Regional Assembly of Oulu Region, together in cooperation with the CPMR and other Baltic Sea Commission member regions, has actively sought to Influencing the European Commission's preparations to ensure that the strategies take into account the specificities of the northern regions, in particular the needs of security of supply," says the Member of the Regional Board of Northern Ostrobothnia, who chairs the Baltic Sea Commission's Maritime Working Group. Sari Nurro.
Clean transition projects for maritime transport are underway in several ports in the Baltic Sea region. Projects related to electricity and alternative fuels are underway in ports such as Oulu, Helsinki and Helsingborg.
The Sustainable Flow project related to the electrification of maritime transport is underway in Satakunta. The project promotes the adoption and electrification of digital solutions in the ports of Pori, Mariehamn, Norrköping, Oxelösund, Tallinn and Riga.
"Some ports in the Baltic Sea Member States are already developing as energy hubs, but at a time of geopolitical uncertainty, the support of the European Commission as an enabler of investment through various financial instruments, such as the Connecting Europe Facility, is very important," Nurro continues.
CPMR - International Network of Territorial Cooperation
Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) It is an international cooperation organisation for 150 regions in 24 countries. The Regional Assembly of Oulu Region is a member of CPMR.
The CPMR is divided into six regional commissions. The Baltic Sea Commission consists of the member regions of the Baltic Sea Region from Finland, Sweden, Germany and Estonia.
Its aim is to increase the participation of regions in the debate on EU integration and to reduce competitiveness gaps between key EU regions and peripheral regions. Its areas of activity include the EU's regional development policy, issues related to accessibility and climate change mitigation, maritime and fisheries policy, and energy policy.
