" YOU can help make a difference, get involved... "
PCO Press Room
Sponsors
Past Events
COP15
Link to PCO
Background
last update: Feb 17, 2009 02:27 PM
BEAC was established in 1993 to support and promote regional cooperation in the northernmost parts of Sweden, Norway, Finland and north-west Russia. The primary goal of BEAC is to promote sustainable economic and social development in the Barents Region and thus contribute to peaceful development in the northernmost part of Europe.
During the Soviet era, regional and crossborder contacts were restricted. With the political changes in the beginning of the 1990’s cooperation increased rapidly between neighbouring countries. On 11 January 1993, the intergovernmental cooperation in the Barents Region was formalised when the Foreign Ministers of the Nordic countries, the Russian Federation and a representative of the European Commission signed a Declaration that created the BEAC at a Foreign Ministers Conference in Kirkenes, Norway. The Barents Euro-Arctic Council was established as a forum for intergovernmental cooperation in the Barents Region. Also on 11 January 1993, representatives of the Barents Region county governors and their equivalents, together with a representative of the indigenous peoples, signed a cooperation protocol that established the Barents Regional Council, with similar objectives as the BEAC: to work together to promote the development of the Barents Region.
On 11 January 2003, the Prime Ministers of the BEAC member countries, the EU Presidency and the European Commission met in Kirkenes to celebrate the 10 Year Anniversary of the Barents cooperation. The Prime Ministers agreed on a Summit Declaration giving support and guidance to the continued cooperation in the Barents Region.
