THIRD BSR INTERREG III B PARTNER SEARCH FORUM

GDAŃSK, POLAND, 15-17 JUNE 2003

Final Announcement

This information is providing you with
the Final Programme, the Registration Form and all practical details
for being able to register as participant at the Forum.

There are only 100 places available.
Deadline for the registration is 16 May.

A special opportunity
for participants from the BSR-Russia and Belarus
are offered by the organisers in order to support to cover travel costs
for a number of participants from these two countries.

The organisers, The Baltic Sea Region INTERREG III B Joint Secretariat in close co-operation with the Government Centre for Strategic Studies and the Pomerania Region in Poland invite interested project owners to:

• meet potential partners,

• develop their project ideas,

• exchange experiences,

• obtain professional inspiration and

• collect basic information on funding options from the various EU instruments for
  trans-national cooperation in the BSR.

Four Baltic Sea Region’s countries are “on the eve” of EU accession. This means, inter alia, new perspectives for the transnational cooperation on spatial planning and regional development in the BSR in general and for the BSR INTERREG III B Initiative in particular.

Seen in this light and to better prepare new project ideas promoting a high quality and transnational-oriented approach, the fifth call for BSR INTERREG III B main applications is postponed till the end of January 2004. Thus, new projects, which are expected to appear in coming months, will hopefully be characterized by stronger and deeper involvement of partners from the New Member States. 

The purpose of the Third Partner Search Forum (PSF) in Gdańsk is to enhance integration of experiences from the southern part of the BSR and promote new initiatives, north-south and east-west, in the preparation of joint projects on spatial planning and regional development in the Baltic Sea Region.

The focus during the one and a half-day PSF will be on Project Idea presentations in parallel with thematic workshops, tangible to the programme and its following measures:

• Measure 2.1:     Polycentric settlement structures (urban/rural relations);

• Measure 2.2:     Transport and communication (ICT);

• Priority 3.0:       Institution and capacity building.

Further on the different funding options for projects will be explored and practical advice will be given by experts from the EU Commission as well as INTERREG, PHARE and TACIS offices, on project application conditions.

For further information see the attached Final Programme.

Projects related to the focus of the PSF are invited to present their project ideas. To facilitate the project presentation and the partner search, it is important that participants present and update their project ideas by using the interactive BSR INTERREG III B Project Idea Database.

Out of all Project Ideas interactively submitted (updated) to the Joint Secretariat
till 16 May, a Project Idea Catalogue will be produced for dissemination among participants.

To add or update you project idea please go to the interactive Project Idea Database at www.bsrinterreg.net/projects.html in “Project Ideas” section and follow the ”Add idea” in the left navigation bar. If you have any further questions please contact Mattias Alisch at the Joint Secretariat: mattias.alisch@balticinstitute.se

Please note that project owners and institutions submitting project idea(s) to Project Idea Catalogue should constitute the vast majority of PSF participants.

The PSF will take place on 15-17 June 2003, with possible arrival on Saturday the 14^th (apex tickets) and departure on Tuesday afternoon the 17^th.

Gdańsk is easily accessible from all BSR countries:

The venue for the entire event will be Hevelius Hotel located in Gdańsk city centre.

For further information on the hotel, please visit: www.orbis.pl/polish/hot_hev_p.html.

At Sunday afternoon (15 June at 13:00) a guided sightseeing tour to the famous and largest brick-made Medieval Castle, located in Malbork, will be arranged.

The sightseeing ends with Medieval Dinner at the Castle.

For further details concerning Malbork Castle, please visit: www.zamek.malbork.pl

Registration Form is attached to this Final Announcement

The Pomerania Development Agency is running a PSF Secretariat, to which all Registration Forms must be sent by:

• e-mail:      psf_gdansk@woj-pomorskie.pl or

• fax:      +4858 301 13 41

 Responsible contact person is Robert MAZURKIEWICZ (tel. +4858 323 31 24).

Deadline for the registration is 16 May. Maximum number of participants is 100.

Participation at the PSF is free of charge.

The PSF organisers will cover for meals, according to the PSF Programme, and all technical arrangements at place in Gdańsk.

Accommodation costs have to be covered by participants themselves.

Travel costs for participants from Belarus and BSR-Russia could be covered.
A limited number of participants (up to 15) will be selected with assistance of Belarusian and Russian representatives in BSR INTERREG III B Programme.

See you in Gdańsk! Welcome!

On behalf of the organisational working committee,