Joint Nordic-Baltic mobility programmes in the fields of public administration, business and culture for the period 2009-2013 are now being launched by the Nordic Council of Ministers and the governments of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
An annual budget of approximately DKK 15 million (corresponding to EUR 2 million) has been allocated to the programmes, which are open to Baltic and Nordic participants. The launch of the three programmes will take place at the beginning of 2009.
“With the new joint Nordic-Baltic mobility programmes, co-operation between Nordic and Baltic countries has entered into a new phase. The programmes will underpin the political co-operation between the eight countries and contribute to the deepening and strengthening of our relations”, says Vygaudas Ušackas, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, which will hold the Presidency of the Baltic Council of Ministers in 2009.
“Nordic-Baltic co-operation will help promote a strong Baltic Sea Region, ‘Top of Europe’, that is attractive to citizens, companies, investors and labour. Together these areas can positively affect growth, welfare and competiveness in the region”, says Halldór Ásgrímsson, Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers.
The Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Public Administration gives financial support to civil servants and other staff in the public sector to carry out study visits, internships, training or network activities. It aims to facilitate the harmonisation of more efficient working methods for the public sector. Some DKK 2 million have been allocated to the programme for 2009. It runs from 2009 until 2013 and is administered by the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Estonia, www.norden.ee.
The Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Business and Industry gives financial support to different stakeholders in the fields of business and industry to carry out study visits, internships, training or network activities. It aims to strengthen co-operation and to promote economic co-operation, entrepreneurship, regional cluster co-operation and innovation opportunities. Some DKK 2 million have been allocated to the programme for 2009. It runs from 2009 until 2013 and is administered by the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Latvia, www.norden.lv.
The Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme in the field of Culture
The Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme in the field of Culture support long- and short-term network building, artists’ residencies and mobility for professional art and culture practitioners in all artistic fields. The artistic goal is to create a platform for an innovative, dynamic Nordic-Baltic art and culture life. Some DKK 11 million have been allocated to the programme for 2009. It runs from 2009 until 2011 and is administered by the Nordic Culture Point in Finland, www.kknord.org.
The new joint programmes build on the experience from the already existing Nordic-Baltic programmes on education NordPlus (http://www.nordplusonline.org/) that were launched in 2007, as well as experiences from previous Nordic-Baltic exchange and mobility programmes. The programmes are financed by the Nordic and Baltic countries on an equal footing based on the relative size of the economies of the countries.
