Balkans & Black Sea Forum logo
Balkans & Black Sea Forum 2017
Stability | Growth | Cooperation
May 25-26, 2017 | Serres, Greece

CPMR Welcome Message

1CPMRYour Excellencies,
Dear delegates,
Dear participants,

The Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) is delighted to take part in the 1st Balkans & Black Sea Cooperation Forum and wishes this positive initiative every success for the future.

As an organisation that brings together some 160 Regions from 25 States from the European Union and beyond, and represents about 200 million people, the CPMR campaigns in favour of a more balanced development of the European territory and neighbouring regions.

This Forum complements the vision and ambition of the CPMR and its Balkan & Black Sea Commission (BBSC) to encourage cooperation and dialogue between the different actors and stakeholders in the region.

We would like to thank the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), official partner of the Forum, for our long-standing sectoral dialogue partnership. This important partnership has now been further developed through our recent Memorandum of Understanding, which will ensure that the two organisations can work closely together to boost prosperity in the Black Sea area.

At a particularly challenging period for the Balkans & Black Sea area, the CPMR and its Member Regions are glad to be actively involved in this endeavour. We look forward to taking part in exchanges with all States and the different actors involved, and paving the way for further collaboration in the future.

The future is changing and challenging, so Regional and Local Authorities need to take action to establish a robust policy agenda to promote collaboration and growth in the area. The CPMR will use its knowledge, networks and expertise to support its member Regions in these crucial steps forward.

 

Eleni Marianou
Secretary General of the CPMR