During the hard times of responding to coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic in the World, the Red Cross national societies are continuing to work in providing support to people in need locally and also by working on international projects. One of such projects where activities are ongoing is “BALTPREP” – its goal is to increase the emergency preparedness and response in the Baltic Sea Region.
The project “BALTPREP- enhancing regional preparedness and response capacity for major accidents in the Baltic Sea region” has been granted flagship status by the EU Strategy for Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR). The decision was made on February, 5 by the National Coordinators of the EU Strategy for EUSBSR. Projects and processes named Flagships of the EUSBSR demonstrate especially well the progress of this EU Strategy. 
The flagship status demonstrates the importance of the good work the project has been doing in strengthening the regional response capacity and collaboration between the Red Cross and the civil protection authorities in the Baltic Sea region, explains Eeva Maijala from the Finnish Red Cross. Together with other RC national societies in Baltic Sea region, also Latvian Red Cross is active in participating in this project.
By the end of the project Civil Protection Authorities, communities and the Red Cross National Societies benefit from improved coordination, quality and interoperability of response capacities and more efficient and standardized assistance in case of an emergency.
The EUSBSR is the first Macro-regional Strategy in Europe. The Strategy is an agreement between eight member states of the European Union and the European Commission to strengthen cooperation between the countries bordering the Baltic Sea in order to meet the common challenges and to benefit from common opportunities facing the region.
The Strategy is divided into three objectives, which represent three key challenges: 1) saving the sea, 2) connecting the region and 3) increasing prosperity. Each objective relates to a wide range of policies and has an impact on the other objectives. There are 13 policy areas within the strategy, the BALTREP project being under the project area Secure.
There are no new funding or institutions to support the implementation of this Strategy, as it is based on effective and more coordinated use of existing funding sources, and the promotion of synergies and complementarities. The EUSBSR is implemented in concrete joint projects and processes.
BALTREP gathers Red Cross National Societies from Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany and Denmark to strengthen collaboration and regional preparedness. Russian and Swedish Red Cross Societies also participate in the project activities. The project is funded by the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.
The project will end in 31 December, 2020.
To learn more about the project, please see information in Finnish Red Cross webpage HERE or in Latvian Red Cross webpage HERE.
The project is funded by European Union within Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid program.