Executive Committee

Minutes of the 32nd Executive Committee Meeting on 21st March 2003, Middelburg, The Netherlands

NSC Executive Committee Participants:
President  Cllr. Bent Hansen (Viborg)
Vice-President Cllr. Gunn Marit Helgesen (Telemark)
Belgian Representative Cllr. Lous Coppoolse, (Euregio Scheldemond)
Danish Representative Cllr. Harry Jensen (Ringkjøbing) accompanied by Jacob Bisgaard
Dutch Representative Represented by Toine Janssen (SNN)
English Representative Not represented
German Representative Represented by Friedhelm Budde and Peter Wieland, (Niedersachsen)
Norwegian Representative Cllr. Gisle Handeland, (Hordaland)
Scottish Representative  Cllr. Audrey Findlay (Aberdeenshire). 
Swedish Representative Cllr. Annelie Stark (Västra Götaland) accompanied by Jörgen Niemann

NSC Executive Secretary Henrik M Jensen
NSC Assistant Executive Sec. Karen Greve Somerset

CPMR Sandra Mezzadri

Observers Bruce Manson (Fife), Walter Blondeel and Piet Klip (part) (Zeeland)

NSC Thematic Group Co-ordinators present:
Business Development Vivien Collie, (Fife)
Transport & Communications Jon Halvard Eide (Vest-Agder)
Culture & Tourism Geir Sør-Reime (Rogaland)
Education & Research Due to other meetings not represented
Environment Due to sudden illness not represented
Fisheries Ann Bell (Aberdeenshire)

The President started by welcoming everyone to the 32nd Executive Committee and he thanked Zeeland for hosting this meeting.

Vice-President Ann McGovern had sent her apologies due to illness but said she was looking forward to being at the General Assembly. The President wished her a speedy recovery.

1. Minutes of the 31st Executive Committee meeting
The minutes were approved as a true record of the meeting.

As mentioned in the minutes, Scottish regions would like to write to Minister of State (Environment) Michael Meacher regarding Sellafield. Many things have happened within this field and Audrey Findlay asked if the task could be handed back to the Environment Group for help with the drafting of the letter. Gunn Marit would liaise with the Environment Group and it was hoped it could be sent by mid April, which would be before the Scottish elections on 1st May.

2. Summary of Thematic Meeting on 20th March 2003
Henrik M. Jensen gave a brief update of the meeting on the previous day, which had dealt with the EU structural funds beyond 2006. It had become apparent that there are big differences between national and regional views on this subject. The regional level does not want a re-nationalization of the structural funds, so there is a huge challenge ahead. The regions are very keen on keeping the structural funds, so that, in particular, interregional co-operation can continue.

The NSC Secretariat will compile a list of the views from around the North Sea in order to try to find a common position. It is the intension that it will result in a resolution for the NSC General Assembly.

The CPMR is also involved in many activities relating to the structural funds including meetings and seminars. A CPMR note will also be forwarded to the participants of the Political Meeting.

3. Financial Matters

3a. Annual Accounts for 2003
Henrik M Jensen presented the annual accounts for 2002. The auditors had not found any courses for remarks and the accounts and remarks were approved by the Executive Committee.

The income was higher than budgeted, which was due to more members. Travelling expenses continue to be a major part of the NSC expenses, although savings are made whenever possible. Despite having budgeted with a deficit of 4022 Euro, the accounts for 2002 finished with a surplus of 2394 Euros, which means the NSC has 28.449 Euros at its disposal.

3b. Financial Statement up to 28th February 2003
No comments to the financial statement, as not many items had been entered yet.

3c. Application for membership
The NSC had received a request from Nord-Trøndelag, Norway, for membership of the NSC. The CPMR had accepted them as members at its Political Bureau meeting in December 2002, and so did the NSC Executive Committee at this meeting.

3d. Membership Up-date
With Nord-Trøndelag as a member, the NSC represents all the regions, except one Dutch region, all the way from North Norway to Belgium, which is something the NSC can be very proud of. However, there is still a large gap on the English coast, which the NSC would like to see filled.

The NSC had also received a request from the Scottish Borders Council asking for information about membership. Halland in Sweden has been re-organised and a decision on membership will be taken this spring by the new region.

It was decided to produce a press release in light of the continuous representation along the eastern coast of the North Sea in connection with the Culture & Tourism meeting in Norway in May. It was felt it would get more attention if it were published at the same time, as when an event in Norway was taking place. Geir Sør-Reime will liaise with the NSC Secretariat.

4. Thematic Groups

4a. Recent and future activities

Culture & Tourism Group
Geir Sør-Reime presented the report of the Culture & Tourism Group. However, no meeting had taken place since the last Executive Committee meeting. The next meeting will be on 8-11 May in Sogn og Fjordane in Norway. The group has realised that the NSC does not have much money for special events, so it has decided to try to become more politically orientated. The next meeting will therefore deal with the revision of the Culture 2000 programme and the future Interreg programme will also be dealt with by the group.

Geir is also involved in a Council of Europe project in the Baltic Sea. He will follow the work closely and it may result in experiences on how to promote the North Sea.

Environment Group
As Per Hörberg had suddenly been taken ill, the Chair of the Environment Group, Gunn Marit Helgesen presented the report. The Environment Group had had a meeting in Blankenberge in November 2002 at which more then 100 people attended. It has been decided to continue the topic of wind energy at a joint meeting in Esbjerg, Denmark, in April together with the Fisheries Group. The conference also resulted in a statement at which the Environment Group asked for support from the Executive Committee to continue the work in the field of wind energy and that was granted. It is also envisaged that the Group will produce a resolution for the NSC General Assembly on wind energy.

The EMRLGA in England had dealt with the Blankenberge statement at its Environment Committee and subsequently written a letter supporting the statement. The NSC was very pleased with the involvement of the EMRLGA.

Gunn Marit also mentioned a long list of Interreg projects, which has had their origin in the Environment Group. The Environment Group also continues to work closely with the other Thematic Groups.

Henrik M Jensen suggested that the Environment Group considers the possibility of making an Interreg application dealing with the production of a set of criteria for the planning and development of wind farms around the North Sea involving national governments and OSPAR (see also item 13).

Transport Group
Jon Halvard Eide presented the report. The Transport Group has had two ordinary meetings and one joint meeting since the last Executive Committee meeting. The recent joint meeting was together with the Business Development Group and took place in Norway, where the two groups looked at ports and shipping. The two groups are working in different ways with the transport group concentrating on policy and the Business Development Group on projects, so by working together they have the advantage of increased synergy. They anticipate producing a catalogue of relevant ports and to encourage ports/shipping partnerships. The President mentioned the advantage of concentrating on medium sized ports as they play a large role in the development of a region.

The Transport Group also continues to work with the CPMR on transport policy issues and some group members are involved in projects. As a follow-up from the sustainable transport conference in Aarhus, the groups would like to find out from regions how they are implementing best practice examples.

The next meeting of the group will take place in Groningen, the Netherlands, on 8-9 May 2003.

Business Development Group
Vivien Collie presented the report from the Business Development Group. She had attended the wind energy conference in Blankenberge in the autumn and had run a workshop. This has resulted in a sub-group being established dealing with renewable energy and business opportunities. Vivien had also attended the Transport Group meeting in Heide, Germany, in order to increase co-operation between the groups

In December the group held a meeting in Aberdeenshire at which, in order to become “more political”, they had a presentation on how the Federation of Small Businesses lobby on the EU Green Paper on Entrepreneurship.

As mentioned earlier, the Business Development Group had a joint meeting in Norway in March together with the Transport Group. The next meeting has not been decided yet, but may be a seminar in Aberdeen on renewable energy, or in Wilhelmshaven in connection with the North Sea Commission General Assembly. The group also plans a political meeting in Brussels in the future.

Education & Research
Due to other meeting commitments, Ann Brown was unable to attend the Executive Committee, but had written a report, which was tabled and briefly outlined by Toine Janssen.

The last meeting took place in Blankenberge at the same time as the wind energy conference, at which Education & Research Group members also participated. This may result in a further joint seminar in the future.

The group has also had a meeting in Groningen, the Netherlands, in February, which, among other things, included a presentation from Professor Pieter Pellenbarg of the University of Groningen’s Faculty of Spatial Sciences. The research, which he had carried out was very interesting and showed how entrepreneurs in the Netherlands and Germany tend to turn their back to the North Sea when they consider where to locate their businesses. A list of possible research projects were also given, which included many issues of interest to the NSC Thematic Groups.

An Education & Research conference is planned for 11th–12th December 2003, but the venue has not been decided upon yet. The conference theme is “learning from the North Sea” and it will take forward the outcomes and findings of other North Sea projects through to an education context. Many of the finding will come from the other NSC Thematic Groups.

Fisheries Group
Ann Bell began by giving an update of the NSC Fisheries Partnership. The quota cuts in December 2002, had shaken the Fisheries Partnership and there were indeed some friction between the fishermen and the scientists at the last meeting in February. However, they all realize that the only way forward is to continue to communicate with one another.

An ICES joint study group has been formed, which has been approved by all ICES members.

The NSC Fisheries Partnership is in addition helping set up a Fisheries Partnership in the Baltic and it may do the same for the Atlantic.

The Fisheries Partnership is also applying for additional funding from Interreg to establish a pilot Regional Advisory Council (RAC) for the North Sea, as proposed by the European Commission. If approved, it will be a very big task to manage.

The next meeting of the Fisheries Partnership will take place in Hamburg on 23rd-24th June 2003.

The Fisheries Group itself is also busy. It is planning a conference on 25th-26th September with involvement by several of the other Thematic Groups. The conference will look at the changing role of women in fishing and rural communities. The Fisheries Group also organised a conference in January in Sweden, which looked at responsible inshore fisheries and some innovative measures. The conference resulted in a resolution, which was dealt with under agenda item number 7.

Ann Bell is also working with the European Commission on the content of the 2nd pillar of the CFP. If anybody has any views as to what should be included in this strand, they can send their views to Ann by 29 April.

The President thanked all the co-ordinators for all their hard work and for presenting the reports. He stressed the importance of involving so many people in the work of the Thematic Groups and outlined the importance of making things happen.

4b. Proposed changes to the financial contribution to the NSC Co-ordinators
It has become quite a burden to administer the money, which the co-ordinators get each year from the Executive Committee, so it was suggested that they would receive the 50.000 dkr. up front each year. The money can be spent on development work for the Thematic Group, on projects, speakers etc. At the end of each year, the co-ordinators will be required to present a report stating on what they have spent the money. This was accepted by the Executive Committee.

5. NSC General Assembly 2003
Karen Greve Somerset gave a brief status of the preparations for the NSC General Assembly so far. Everything is going to plan, with registrations coming in at a steady flow. Similar to the last 3 years, a Scottish student will come and help with the preparations for 4 months as part of her study. The invitation brochures were sent out earlier in the year and an invitation letter from the German Minister President, Christian Wulff, has recently been sent out together with an agenda for the Political Meeting. 180 regional politicians from Germany have been invited to the Political Meeting.

The study tours are all well organised. Karen recommended that people register early, as some study tours have limited places. She also reminded members of the Executive Committee that it is election year and that nomination for President, vice-presidents and members of the Executive Committee will have to reach the NSC Secretariat no later than 19 May 2003.

Peter Wieland pointed out that the two German members of the Executive Committee had not been re-elected at the recent elections in Niedersachsen, but he hoped two new members could be found before the General Assembly. He also hoped the Political Meeting would encourage more interest in the NSC.

Audrey Findlay asked what the President’s view was on him continuing for 2 more years following his closing remarks at the last General Assembly. Bent Hansen replied that having had the post of President for 8 years, it may be good to change, however he could not leave unless he could be sure that the high political level and activity could continue. If that was not forthcoming, he would be willing to continue for two more years. He would, however, be willing to discuss the issue, if anybody felt it would strengthen the position of the NSC with a new President. Harry Jensen encouraged Bent Hansen to continue for two more years.

6. Reports following the Predators Conference organised by the Fisheries Group
The reports from the Fisheries Group’s conference in Vedersø Klit in October 2001 were tabled and noted. The Group continues to work with the issue of predation.

7. Resolution from the Fisheries Group Conference “Who Owns the Sea ?”
At the conference in Tjärnö in Sweden in January 2003, a resolution was drawn up in which it is suggested that local advisory groups are consulted on issues, which can have an impact on local inshore fisheries. It is envisaged the resolution will be presented at the NSC General Assembly. It was accepted by the Executive Committee.

8. Actions relating to Maritime Safety
Following the Prestige accident, the Transport Group had decided that the NSC should write to all North Sea ministers dealing with maritime safety stressing its concern over the potential disasters, which may happen in the North Sea. The NSC also asked them if they are considering increasing the rate of control beyond the 25% and whether they are considering reducing the interval of inspection from 12 to 6 months, as stated in the EU directive 95/21/EC on Port State Control. So far, a reply from the Danish minister had been received and it was tabled. Jon Halvard Eide encouraged regions to produce a press release on the subject. This had been done in Denmark and it was the main news on the local radio one morning.

Gunn Marit Helgesen mentioned that she had had a meeting with Loyola de Palacio, EU Commissioner for Energy and Transport, regarding maritime safety. It is evident that the regions have a role to play together with the European Community. There is a European law from 1995 (95/21/EC Port State Control) but it has not yet been implemented by all countries or it has been implemented but is not enforced. The NSC finds this subject very important as every ship going to the Baltic Sea will have to go through the North Sea and many of the Russian tankers are old and not in a very good condition. However, the NSC has various bodies, which it can work through, such as CPMR, Helcom/Ospar and CONSSO and it was decided to continue the work whenever appropriate.

9. EU legislation relating to the work of the Thematic Groups
It is a wish of the NSC to make the Thematic Groups aware of what goes on in Europe and how decisions can be influenced. Details of how decisions are made within the field of Transport had been circulated. The Transport Group had also produced lists of useful contacts in the EU Commission, Committee of the Regions and the Parliament. It was hoped that the other Thematic Groups could use this as inspiration and look up their own contacts, as it is crucial to know whom to influence.

10. North Sea Conference/CONSSO
The work has now started in preparation for the next Ministerial Meeting taking place in 2006. Two issue groups have been formed dealing with sustainable shipping and fishing. Per Hörberg and two experts from Västra Götaland represents the NSC in the issue group dealing with sustainable shipping. The Fisheries Issue Group is not likely to be operational until the autumn 2003, but Ann Bell pointed out that if it were to have an effect, it really ought to have its first meeting in the very near future.

Per Hörberg had produced a report following the first meeting on sustainable shipping. In the report it was pointed out that the NSC may run into difficulties trying to promote short sea shipping as an environmentally friendly means of transport, as ships tend to go faster and hold less cargo whereby decreasing their energy efficiency. Jon Halvard Eide, however, pointed out that the NSC needs to find a balance as shipping is still a good alternative and that the NSC should continue to promote it.

11. Interreg IIIB North Sea Programme – Update
Henrik M Jensen encouraged delegates to participate in the Directoria in connection with the NSC General Assembly.

The third call for Interreg projects closed at the beginning of March, at which point 19 applications had been received, asking for a total amount of funding of 33 mill. Euro. Many of the projects originate from the Thematic Groups. 37% of the funding has been spent in the first two calls, so money will now start being moved from one priority to another. The Steering Committee meeting will take place on 12th-13th May in Belgium. The 4th call will close at the end of September 2003.

12. CPMR activities of particular interest to the NSC
The CPMR has been very busy with the writing of proposed amendments to the EU Treaty. On 7th February the plenary session of the Convention was devoted to the local and regional dimension, which was addressed for the first time. A wide consensus was reached on most points put forward by organisations representing local and regional authorities. The CPMR hopes the proposals will be included in the wording of the first articles of the Treaty. The CPMR is now working on the democratic chapter. It is also hoped that the role of the Committee of the Regions will be better defined, thereby giving it a stronger role.

In addition, the CPMR continues its work in the Intercom Groups and has a meeting on 31st March in the Transport Intercom Group and on 6th May in the Rural Development Intercom Group.

The President stated that everybody is aware of the heavy work involved to influence the Treaty and thanked Sandra for her work and update on current activities.

13. Correspondence to and from the NSC
- NSC application for observer status in OSPAR

The NSC has, through the CPMR, applied for observer status in OSPAR (Oslo & Paris Convention). OSPAR is having a Heads of Delegations meeting during the week commenting 24th March at which point it will be decided whether the NSC application will be passed on to the official OSPAR meeting in June.

A paper dealing with the preparation for the HELCOM*/OSPAR Ministerial Meeting in June 2003 was tabled. It was agreed that co-operation with the Baltic would be useful and should be encouraged.

A long list of proposals for issues for consideration by the Ministerial Meetings relating to shipping will be sent out with the minutes.

14. North Sea Forum
At the initiative of Magne Hauseng from Tees Valley in England, a meeting has taken place in Brussels in order to discuss the possibilities of establishing a North Sea Forum. It was agreed that such activities, which he has in mind would best be carried out within the aegis of the North Sea Commission. This part of England is not a member of the NSC and it was decided to try to encourage them to become actively involved in the work of the NSC and thereby reach their goals. If they have a strong desire to involve national governments or a particular network on spatial planning, this could possibly also take place within the NSC. Henrik M Jensen would try to arrange a meeting with Magne Hauseng in connection with the next Interreg Monitoring Committee meeting in May. It was felt important to have an open contact with this part of England.

15. Date and location of next meeting
The next meeting will take place in connection with the NSC General Assembly in Cuxhaven, Germany, on 18th June 2003 at 12 noon. The meeting will be in Ritzebüttel Castle, Cuxhaven.

16. Any Other Business
It was agreed that papers for future Executive Committee meetings will from now on be available for downloading from the NSC website. An agenda will be sent out by e-mail with a message that the papers are now available. This is done in order to save postage and to be more environmentally friendly.

Karen Greve Somerset
North Sea Commission

* The Helsinki Commission, or HELCOM, is the governing body of the “Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea area” – more usually known as the Helsinki Convention.