Helsinki-Tallinn Euregio Charter Agreement 22.06.1999

The following parties in the Helsinki and Tallinn regions have resolved, by this agreement, to establish the Helsinki-Tallinn Euregio:

The City of Helsinki

Uusimaa Regional Council

The City of Tallinn

The Harju County Government

The Union of Harju County Municipalities

1. Introduction

The Helsinki and Tallinn regions have long been – and continue to be – areas of close mutual collaboration, exchange and complementarity. The course of future events will require more diversified co-operation, in terms of both the local and regional poliy framework and making the region visible in the European and global arenas. The Helsinki and Tallinn regions, centered as they are on two neighbouring capitals, possess considerable development potential.

Establishment of the Euregio marks a step forward in promoting development through partnership – planning and realizing joint projects, and exploring and developing joint initiatives and matters of mutual importance. The purpose is to develop co-operation across national, sectoral and administrative borders in the region. Over the long term, the Euregio will also exert influence outside its geographical area.

The parties have agreed to establish an international co-operative structure, Euregio, in order to promote further co-operation and enhance positive regional integration through a variety of regional and cross-border activities.

2. The legal standing and competence of parties

Euregio is an established operation format created by the Council of Europe for cross-border co-operation. It is also recognised by the Eureopean Union as an organisation for regional co-operation taking place across internal and external borders.

The Capital Cities of Helsinki and Tallinn are competent to carry out cross-border co-operation in most of the Euregio operating sectors mentioned below.

In its capacity as the regional development authority for the Helsinki region, the Uusimaa Regional Council is by law assigned the task of planning and implementing cross-border projects with the neighbouring regions in the Baltic rim countries.

The Union of Harju County Municipalities, was founded in accordance with the Local Government Organisation Act. The union’s articles of association assign it the tasks of representing the interests of its member local authorities and promoting co-operation both nationally and internationally. On the region level, the same obligations are assigned by law to the Harju County Government.

Together, the parties are in a position to participate in and agree on cross-border co-operation (CBC) projects at the regional and interregional level.

3. Objectives and common areas of interest

The Helsinki-Tallinn Euregio will establish gateway and networks for regular and comprehensive information change.

The main objective of the Euregio is to provide an umbrella organization for planning and implementing regional development projects, and co-ordinate local and regional activities in the following areas of joint interests.

3.1. Co-operation between political bodies

- Arranging meetings and conferences for decision-makers in the region.

3.2. International Co-operation

- Enhancing further co-operation in the Baltic Sea Region;

- Initiating programmes, formulating and implementing CBC projects in the areas hereinafter mentioned;

- Advancing the Helsinki-Tallinn Euregio-s brand and status in Europe;

- Supporting the preparation efforts for EU-membership at the sub-mational level in Estonia.

3.3. Economy

- Advancing of economic interests of the parties by encouraging foreign investments, co-operation between SME’s, etc;

- Promoting tourism, creating and implementing tourism-development plans.

3.4. Education

-Advancing of education and vocational and adult training, as well as exchanging in the above fields;

- Co-operation between universities, research institutes and centres of knowledge.

3.5. Culture

- Supporting the cultural exchange between the participating regions, strengthening the regional dimension within the European context.

3.6. Environment

- Expansioning of co-ordination and harmonizing measures aimed at sustainable development;

- Promoting of environmentally acceptable waste management practices;

- Protecting and developing of waterfront areas.

3.7. Spatial Planning, Development Policies and Infrastructure

- Promoting of local and regional development and spatial planning by taking advantage of the know-how and resources of the parties;

- Co-operation in spatial planning within European context;

- Creating of joint development strategies;

- Promoting of infrastructure matters, with reference to regional traffic flows as a factor favouring economic development.

3.8. Rescue Service

- Co-operation in personnel training;

-Experting assistance and joint practices.

4. Organization of the Helsinki-Tallinn Euregio

A simple, versatile, efficient organization will be established for the Helsinki-Tallinn Euregio, with the following basic structure:

4.1. Helsinki-Tallinn Euregio Forum

The Forum will consider the Euregio’s objectives, principles and general lines of co-operation. The Forum is consisted of political representatives of the parties.

4.2. Management Committee

From among its high-ranking civil servants, each party will name one representative and one deputy representative to the Management Committee. The Management Committee will be convened by its chair, whom the committee will select from among its members. The committee will prepare the working programme, guide the work of the secretariat, call the conferences of the Forum and make proposals to the parties with respect to finances.

4.3. Secretariat

Each party will name one representative to the Secretariat. The tasks of the Secretariat will be to implement the Euregio’s operational policy on the basis of the general policies established by the Forum and the Management Committee, and to make proposals to the Committee with respect to the improvement of operations. The Secretariat will also prepare matters concerning the Euregio’s finances. The Management Committee will select the Secretariat’s chair, who will serve as the Committee’s rapporteur.

4.4. Working Groups

An appropriate number of Working Groups will be established, in accordance with the tasks and approved joint measures. The Working Groups will comprise representatives and civil servants from the parties involved. The Management Committee will decide about the establishment of working groups.

5. Finances

Each party will decide about the payment of expenses that it incurs from its participation in the Euregio co-operation. Each party will decide separately about its participation in joint projects. Decisions respecting financing will be taken when the project in question is being established.

6. Validity and termination of agreement

The initial term of the agreement will be from 22 June 1999 to 31 December 2001. Thereafter, the agreement will always be in force for three years at a time, unless one of the parties terminates it no later than one year before the end of each term of the agreement. The Euregio Management Committee is to be notified in writing of such termination.

This agreement is prepared in English, Finnish and Estonian. In case of disagreement the English version is valid. This agreement is signed in ten equally valid copies. Each party will receive one copy in native language and one in English.

In Helsinki 22 June 1999

Eva-Riitta Siitonen, Lord Mayor

City of Helsinki

Aimo Lempinen, Executive Director

Uusimaa Regional Council

Peeter Lepp, Mayor

City of Tallinn

Jaan Mark, in power of County Governor

Harju County Government

Arvo Pärniste, Chairman of the Board

Union of Harju County Municipalities