The Baltic Metropoles network's long-term goal is to make the region one of the most competitive ones in the EU. The major cities in the Baltic Sea Region have launched the "BaltMet Inno" project in 2005. The goal of the project is to draw up innovation strategies for the member cities and to network the cities with each other within the next three years.

The unique dynamism of the Baltic Sea area lies in the high growth potential of the new EU member states, in the huge market potential of North-Western Russia and in the best innovation systems of the old EU member states. This combination gives the region an advantage in the global competition for international investments and for high-quality resources such as labour force and know-how. Competition among the Baltic metropolises is encouraged, because it improves their individual performances.

The member cities are:

The cities share a vision of the Baltic Region as a knowledge-based, wealthy and integrated economic region. They aim to develop innovative ways of cooperation with the focus being on science, business and administration.

The Chair City takes on the responsibility of functioning as the secretariat of the network during the chairmanship period. The Chair City regularly convenes the Officials' Meeting, which consists of representatives from the member cities, to prepare the Mayors' Meeting and to implement the decisions of the Mayors' Meeting.

The future and past Vice Chair Cities support the Chair City in the preparation work for the meetings. Hosting of the meetings rotate.
The City of Helsinki acted as the Chair City 2003-2005. For 2006-2007 City of Riga is the Chair of Baltic Metropoles, hosting the Secretariat of the Network.

Through the project co-operation the network develops innovative approaches to involve actors especially in the fields of science, business and administration.

BaltMet Inno aims at accelerating the local innovation strategy processes in the metropolitan areas in co-operation with the city officials, academia and business partners. As the final result, the project intends to develop a joint innovation strategy framework for the Baltic Sea Region. The project was started in January 2005 and will end in December 2007.

BaltMet Invest intends to create a coordinated approach to investment planning and management in the metropolitan areas. The project deals with designing the strategies, improving the investment management processes, working with the different stakeholders as well as increasing availability and accessibility of information to support the implementation of the developed approach. The project was started in September 2004 and will be finished in November 2006.

The network operates through initiating and coordinating concrete co-operation projects between the member cities, and by advocating the interests of metropolises in the context of the Baltic Sea Region and the European Union.

The main areas of focus are described in the Action Plan every second year. The Action Plan 2005-2007 was accepted in the Mayors' Meeting in Berlin 10-11 February 2005.

Mayor's Office, City of Helsinki
Finland
Mr. Matti Ollinkari, tel. +358 9 169 2357

Baltic Metropoles Network Secretariat 2006 - 2007
Riga City Council Amatu Str. 4
LV-1050 Riga, Latvia
secretariat@baltmet.org
Ms. Julija Berkovica (Head of Secretariat), tel. +371 7105569

network

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