SUMMER NIGHT CITY

SUMMER NIGHT CITY
THE NORWEGIAN CBSS PRESIDENCY INTERVIEW
WITH AMBASSADOR DAG BRISEID CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE OF SENIOR OFFICIALS (CSO)
The CBSS Norwegian Presidency (2010–
2011) is nearing culmination at the 16th Ministerial Session in Oslo. What in your opinion
would be the main achievement, and what
was the biggest challenge you have encountered over the year?
The main achievements are in the areas
of our two operative priorities: maritime
policy and the fight against trafficking in
human beings.
The Expert Group on Maritime Policy
(EGMP) has succeeded in placing maritime issues more prominently on the
agenda of the region’s cooperation. It has
contributed to an increased understanding of the importance of shipping as an
efficient mode of transportation for the
economic development of the region.
Shipping has to remain competitive and
at the same time be “greener”; this can
be done by introducing more environmentally friendly fuels for the propulsion
of vessels operating in the Baltic Sea; the
Norwegian Presidency has had a strong
focus on this.
Trafficking, a modern form of slavery,
unfortunately plagues the region which
BALTICNESS ~ SUMMER 2011
Team Oslo – from left: Merethe Luis, Senior Adviser,
Amb. Dag Briseid, Chair of the CSO, Jan Lundin,
Director General of the CBSS Secretariat, Stockholm.
continues to be an area of origin, transit
and destination for victims. We are content that we have succeeded in increasing
attention on combating trafficking for
labour exploitation. This has principally
been achieved through the launch of the
Task Force against Trafficking in Human
Beings (TF-THB) Data and Education on
Forced Labour Exploitation and Counter
Trafficking (DEFLECT) project.
Though we are on the right track the
CBSS as a whole still has a long way to
go when it comes to participation in
projects;, for instance, it is disappointing
that so far it has not been possible to build
a project fund within the organisation.
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The Norwegian CBSS Presidency has seen a
lot of activity when it comes to parliamentary
and sub-regional relations, Norwegian State
Secretary of Foreign Affairs addressed the
Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC)
in late August 2010, you addressed their Enlarged Standing Committee in January 2011
and then the Norwegian Parliament hosted
the Northern Dimension Parliamentary Forum in February 2011 where the CBSS also
took part.
In addition the BSPC has two working
groups operating in close cooperation with
the CBSS bodies on respectively countertrafficking and maritime policy – How do
you see these increased synergies?
For Norway it is important to underline
that the intergovernmental cooperation in
the region needs the support of the parliamentarian side. Such support backs our
work. When we decided to have maritime
policy and the fight against trafficking in
human beings as our two main operative
priorities we knew that this was also high
on the agenda of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference. It is not a must that the
priorities should be the same. However, it
signals that the two areas are most important for the region. At the European Maritime Day in Gdansk this year the expert
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groups on maritime questions within the
CBSS, the BSPC and the BSSSC had a
joint meeting; such cooperation should be
encouraged.
Do you see Norwegian policy priorities, in
particular in maritime policy and countertrafficking, being furthered in the context of
the CBSS and what does Norway pride itself
on when handing over the presiding chair to
Germany?
We are proud that we have contributed to
an increased understanding towards having both maritime issues and trafficking
as clearly focused areas for the CBSS cooperation in the years to come. We hope
the incoming German Presidency will follow up, as well as the Russian Presidency
after Germany.
Talking about Maritime Policy for a moment
could you say a few words about your hoped
for outcomes in terms of impact of the joint
event held by the Baltic Sea Organizations
(CBSS, BSPC, BSSSC) on Maritime Policy at
the European Maritime Day in Gdansk just
two weeks ago and previously the event held
in Oslo in March on Liquefied Natural Gas
(LNG) which was organized by the CBSS Expert Group on Maritime Policy.
The purpose of the joint event was to promote the significance and visibility of maritime policy in the Baltic Sea Region and
stimulate good governance and exchange
of best practice. In particular, efforts to
foster sustainability in dealing with maritime policy will be focused. We hope the
event demonstrated common maritime
policy interests and the potential of effort
linkage for the three organisations.
The workshop on LNG in Oslo gathered more than 90 participants, from
national authorities, ports and the maritime industries in the Baltic region. The
backdrop was the new requirements on
sulphur content on maritime fuel in the
Baltic Sea from 2015.
The workshop provided insight to the
participants on the advantages of LNG as
fuel by eliminating or significantly reducing emissions (Sulphur, Particles, NOx
and CO2). The technology is available
and well proven. Additional investments
on the vessel are required, either through
new buildings or retrofitting. The investments are likely to be profitable over the
long-term as the price of LNG is lower
than for other fuels, though it is difficult
to predict the development of future fuel
prices. Some challenges for LNG to be-
BALTICNESS ~ SUMMER 2011
come a commercial option for operators
were also identified and discussed, in
particular related to infrastructure and
distribution of LNG. Governments can
play an important role in promoting and
facilitating a distribution infrastructure,
including development of a harmonized
regulatory framework for LNG.
In general, Norway supports introduction of all types of technologies that
can reduce emissions from shipping, of
both local pollution such as sulphur and
NOx as well as green house gases. We are
therefore pleased to understand that maritime issues and eco-friendly shipping will
continue to be a focused topic during the
German Presidency period 2011–2012.
The Task Force against Trafficking in Human
Beings (TF-THB) has just launched its Handbook for Diplomatic and Consular Personnel
on how to assist and protect victims of human trafficking – what is your view on the
role of consular officers and embassies in
the fight against trafficking and do you see
this as something that will be highlighted
in the training curriculum for diplomats in
Norway?
It is obvious that consular officers can
play a key role in combating trafficking by
identifying victims and referring them to
the right people and organisations. They
BALTICNESS ~ SUMMER 2011
must therefore have an overview of what
human trafficking is, why it takes place
and of the existing international legal
framework in this field.
In March Norway hosted an expert seminar
on a model Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) between police and NGOs – in the region the KOM project is seen as a best practice for coordination of assistance to victims
of human trafficking – could you say something about how Norway sees this developing? Do you for instance see that Norway
will start to collect data on traffickers and
court cases as part of a holistic approach to
counter-acting trafficking in human beings?
It is evident that Norway should build on
the work done by the (TF-THB) with regard to Memoranda of Understanding.
Cooperation between police and other actors in our country is based too strongly
on personal contacts, making cooperation
vulnerable. When people change their jobs,
there must be in place a certain structure
for those that follow in their position. Cooperation is also challenging, so it can be
useful to point to a written agreement when
disagreements take place. MOUs have not
been used to the degree they should in the
region, so here the CBSS is influencing all
countries in a positive direction.
The Norwegian Coordination Unit
for Victims of Trafficking – the KOM
project – has now been made permanent.
The main effect of this is that dedicated
personnel at the Directorate of Police
will continue bringing together relevant
authorities and organisations in antitrafficking efforts. We are pleased that
KOM is seen as an example of best practice, but this is also what we must demand
from ourselves given the level of trafficking in Norway and our political goals – to
be in the forefront.
Data collection will be improved. The
Council of Europe is now evaluating how
Norway is implementing the Convention
on Action against Trafficking in Human
Beings. We expect advice on how to improve our data collection, and we will follow such recommendations.
Human trafficking has for a long time been
only associated with sexual exploitation but
there is growing awareness and media attention in Norway and the wider region of
the problem of trafficking for labour exploitation. At the same time as the Ministerial
Session the TF-THB has its kick off for the
DEFLECT project which focuses on trafficking for forced labour do you see increased
cooperation between national authorities,
trade union and civil society organisations in
Norway on this issue?
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The broad new project on labour exploitation that The Task Force against Trafficking in Human Beings has managed to initiate is in line with our political priorities.
The first phase of the DEFLECT project
is underway, and will result in knowledge
based regional trainings. We have recently
exposed cases of extremely bad working
conditions in areas that were thought to
be well regulated and under good control.
This suggests that working conditions
in the fringes of society include cases of
forced labour. We have included labour
inspectors in the KOM cooperation, and
will involve relevant trade unions and
other actors as we gain more knowledge
about ongoing labour exploitation.
Trafficking has been one of the priorities of
the Norwegian presidency and children in
trafficking are the subject of a conference
held in late June in Oslo. The cooperation on
children at risk however also covers other
topics. Do you see these addressed by future
presidencies?
I take for granted that the child perspective
is already and will be included in wider
CBSS work against trafficking also in the
future. The CBSS Expert Group on Cooperation for Children at Risk (EGCC) is of
course engaged in several areas in addition
to trafficking. The other areas of concern
are certainly important, for instance, under the forthcoming German Presidency,
a conference will be organised by the Ger-
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man ministry for children’s issues on early
intervention and early prevention. This is
an example of broader areas of concern in
the region when it comes to children at
risk. Another EGCC project ROBERT,
looking at young people coming to harm
via information and communication technologies will come to a close in 2012.
Even though the work of the EGCC has
not been specifically highlighted during
the Norwegian presidency, the important
work of the group regarding the rights of
children in alternative care, as well as the
developing work regarding children left
behind by parental work migration, have
been much appreciated by the presidency
and the Committee of Senior Officials
alike. In terms of future presidencies Germany will also be chairing the EGCC during the German CBSS Presidency which
could make the work of the EGCC more
prominent.
Moving to other parts of the organisation
– you said in your opening words at the Expert Group on Nuclear and Radiation Safety
(EGNRS) Topical Day just before Easter that
“It goes without saying that the theme of this
Topical Day could hardly be more topical. I
know that this is a coincidence and that the
theme was chosen long before the Fukushima disaster. But a theme which to me
sounded important but rather expert oriented when I first time learnt about this event,
has suddenly become a major issue in public
debates.” What were your impressions of
that event?
The meeting gathered around 30 experts
from most Member States and the European Commission. The EGNRS is a
well functioning group of experts where
relevant issues are systematically discussed
and concrete common goals are reached.
This was the first time I attended any of
their meetings and my impression from
the Topical Day supports this view. I recognise from the discussions at the meeting that monitoring of radioactive materials in the environment can be made better
and more effective in the CBSS region
and thus contribute to fulfilling stated political goals. It is also with pleasure I recognise that the Topical Day is a part of a
regional process that can serve as a model
also for other regions in Europe.
Norway also hosted the IX Baltic Sea States
Civil Protection Directors General Meeting &
High-level Experts Seminar in mid-May under the auspices of the CBSS how would you
see this cooperation continue – especially in
relation to project development?
We think that especially in the field of
civil protection and emergency planning
the CBSS is well placed to add value as
a project organisation. In such a context
Member States will have a platform from
which to explore and further expand
relevant venues of cooperation. During
the Norwegian Presidency issues such as
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regional risk analysis and even closer cooperation in the field of fighting forest
fires have been debated and it seems feasible that this line of exploration will continue after our presidency has ended.
The current CBSS EuroFaculty project phase
in the Russian city of Pskov was recently
evaluated, how do you see the results
achieved so far and what are the next steps
planned by the CBSS?
The EuroFaculty project in Pskov is developing well and the evaluation report
just published is clear in its recommendations to carry on the project into a second
phase. Norway is prepared to participate
financially in a second phase provided
that a certain number of other donors also
contribute, including the Russian Federation. Hopefully the CBSS Committee of
Senior Offcials will be able to make a decision on a second phase for the project
during the Norwegian Presidency.
The CBSS understands that the intergovernmental level is only one of the levels
where regional cooperation takes place and
regional cooperation has great value. This
cooperation however does not take place in
isolation, we must be mindful of the existing structures, frameworks and processes in
our region, of which there are plenty. One of
them is the EUSBSR. How should CBSS position itself in the ongoing implementation
process of the strategy?
The Norwegian Presidency does not see
any contradiction between the long-term
BALTICNESS ~ SUMMER 2011
priorities of the CBSS and the aims of the
EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. We
consider the Strategy to be an expression
of genuine and increasing interest from
the EU side. The CBSS is not formally
linked to the Strategy; however, we see a
potential for the CBSS in participating in
projects under the Strategy provided these
projects are in areas of mutual interest
and in line with CBSS priorities.
CBSS is working in a more and more project
oriented fashion, generating and implementing its own projects within its defined longterm priorities. Could you tell us a bit more
about the CBSS project approach?
For the CBSS to be successful in building
a project portfolio it must be open to cooperation with structures like the Northern Dimension with its Partnerships, with
the EU Strategy and with other regional
organisations in the northern part of Europe. At the same time, the organisation
must gradually build up its own project
fund and also set apart in its future budgets sufficient financial resources in the
form of seed money. In parallel, the Secretariat needs to have flexible guidelines
for preparing projects and for joining
partners in carrying them out. We are
proud that the Committee of Senior Officials under the Norwegian Presidency has
adopted such flexible guidelines for the
Secretariat.
Taking into account the multitude of regional
organisations and councils in the BSR where
do you see CBSS’ unique niche, where can
it bring clear added value to regional cooperation in relation to conversations about
regional architecture and how important do
you think it is for CBSS as an organisation
to retain it’s position as a natural hub for
the various networks in the region vis-à-vis
other arrangements such as the Northern Dimension Policy Framework?
The CBSS is the most representative
intergovernmental organisation in the
Baltic Sea Region and we should continue
developing it as such. When new partnerships under the Northern Dimension are
established we must look into our own
portfolio, with an open mind, and be
prepared to accommodate. There are already several areas where the CBSS used
to be active but has left the work to others; public health and social well-being is
a good example. However, the CBSS has
a clear niche in providing political guidance for the intergovernmental work in
the region. In the operative area there is
no doubt that that the CBSS plays a most
central role in a number of areas, such as
the fight against trafficking, sustainability, nuclear and radiation safety and will
become gradually more important in the
maritime sector.
The fact that the CBSS Secretariat in
Stockholm has been provided with most
functional premises at a central address,
thanks to the generosity of the host country Sweden, lays a platform for the Secretariat itself to be a hub for the future
cooperation in the region.
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