Organised in cooperation with the Polish Presidency of the European Union and the European Commission

GDANSK 24–26 OCTOBER 2011

Baltic Development Forum Summit 2011

Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea RegionFor the fi rst time, Poland will be hosting the annual Baltic Development Forum Summit. The next BDF Summit will take place in the city of Gdansk 24–26 October 2011, and it will be organised in cooperation with the Polish Presidency of the European Union, Pomorskie region and the city of Gdansk. Coinciding with the BDF Summit 2011, the European Commission and BDF will organise the second Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. This will be a unique opportunity to connect with business leaders and decision-makers as we shape the future of the Baltic Sea Region together. Welcome to Gdansk in October 2011 to exchange ideas and build relationships!

3rd version, May 2011

Baltic Development Forum Summit Coming to Poland

The agenda of the Baltic Sea Macro-region in 2011 will be to• Bridge European and Regional integration • Develop regional partnerships between the EU and Russia and Eastern Partners• Bring public and private interests together• Assess and update a common strategy for the future

The 2011 event will be a demonstration of how to combine top-down political guidance with bottom-up enthusiasm and entrepreneurship.

The Baltic Sea Region will be setting new standards for regional cooperation in Europe and beyond. We hope you will join us in showing how Top of Europe works!

For the fi rst time, Poland, Pomorskie region and Gdansk will be hosting the Summit of Baltic Development Forum. The 13th BDF Summit will be setting new standards for regional cooperation in Europe by bringing all relevant stakeholders together in connection with the 2nd Annual Forum for the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region.

Baltic Development Forum will work closely together with the Polish Government’s EU-presidency in the second half of 2011 and the European Commission, Directorate General for Regional Policy.

The BDF Summits offer you unique opportunities to• Infl uence European Policies concerning the Baltic Sea Region• Meet high-level decision-makers from business, politics and

academia• Receive up-to-date information on regional and European

facts and trends• Brand and promote your company, organisation or project• Expand your international network• Discuss topical issues

al audience. EU-funded projects will also have an excellent opportunity to present their achievements and results. If you buy an exhibition stand, you will get access to a larger scene for panel discussions. By exhibiting in Gdansk you will contribute to making this an exciting and informative event. For more information please contact Jørgen Christensen, Deputy Director, at jc@bdforum.org, (+45) 60 21 85 80.

Networking is an essential part of the BDF Summit and the Annual Forum. Networking lunches, contact breaks and social events form a perfect setting for meeting new business partners and discussing issues of common interest with decision-makers. The exhibition area, the Networking Village, provides you with an excellent opportunity to demonstrate that you are a stakeholder in the Baltic Sea Region. Showcase your company or organisation to an internation-

Networking Village – Become an Exhibitor

Summit VenueThe Summit will be held in Gdansk Music and Congress Centre, on the Ołowianka Isle in the heart of Gdansk. The Centre is the seat of the Polish Baltic Philharmonic and offers excellent and very modern conference condi-

tions. The harbor and the famous shipyard are nearby – a cradle of the political re-birth of the Baltic Sea region that is celebrating its 20th anniversary along with the Baltic States who regained their independence in 1991.

The Baltic Sea Award is assigned to an indi-vidual or organisation that has made an ex-traordinary contribution to the development of the Baltic Sea Region. The Award was es-tablished in 2007 in order to highlight and encourage positive progress in the Region.

The Baltic Sea Award 2010 was given to Cruise Baltic, a network of 27 cruise destina-tions in the Baltic Sea uniting ten countries. Anyone will be welcome to nominate candi-dates for the Baltic Sea Award 2011.

We are closely aligned with the European Commission, the EU Presidency, the Nordic Council of Ministers, the Council of the Baltic Sea States, the European and Nordic Invest-ment Banks and other key regional players.

Our network consists of more than 5.000 decision-makers in the Baltic Sea Region.

BDF offers different membership and partner-ship programmes:• Full year engagement (Summit Partner-

ship, Strategic Partnership, Membership)

We work in close cooperation with our Stra-tegic Partners and Members. National gov-ernments are involved at top level. Large companies and business associations contribute and get access to a platform for debate and exchange of ideas and visions. Major cities and regional governments take part. Universities and academia deliver infor-mation and research.

Becoming a BDF Member or Partner

• Summit 2011 engagement (Summit part-ner, Sponsor, Exhibitor, Service provider)

If you wish to join BDF or the 2011 Summit, or if you need more detailed information, please contact

Hans Brask, Director E-mail: hb@bdforum.orgPhone: (+45) 60 21 85 81 (direct)

Baltic Sea Award

“Business Centre Club looks forward to taking part in the forthcoming event. The Baltic Sea Region is very important to business in Gdansk and we are sure that the meeting will create great opportunities for the local business lead-ers to join forces with new partners thereby contribute in shaping the future of the Region.”

Maciej Dobrzyniecki, Chairman, Business Centre Club, Gdansk

Business PartnersThe Summit/Annual Forum in Gdansk will gather business partners and organizations in Poland and in the Region. We work to-gether with Baltic Sea Chambers of Com-merce Association, Scandinavian-Polish Chamber of Commerce and Business Cen-tre Club in Poland (the Gdansk Board).

Midterm Review of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region

Coinciding with the BDF Summit 2011, the European Commission and BDF will or-ganise the second Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. It will be an important rendezvous during the Polish EU Presidency, since the midterm review of the Strategy will be made. Has the right formula for the macro-regional strategy in the Baltic Sea Region been found and can it serve as a wider European model? Before the fi nal evaluation report is presented to

About UsBaltic Development Forum (BDF) is an in-dependent and high-level network for deci-sion-makers from business, politics, aca-demia and media in the Baltic Sea Region.

Our mission is to create a prosperous Bal-tic Sea Region through regional integration, sustainable growth, innovation and com-petiveness.

We achieve our mission by• shaping the regional agenda by publish-

ing reports on topics vital to the devel-opment of the Region and proposing priorities for action

• bringing together decision-makers by providing a platform for cross-border, cross-sector and cross-level networking

• Positioning and promoting the Baltic Sea Region in Europe and globally

• Infl uencing the regional agenda by initi-ating regional strategies for sustainable growth, innovation and competiveness

• Acting as a catalyst and facilitator of specifi c partnerships and projects

One of our main activities is the annual Summit, where more than 500 decision-makers from business, politics, academia and media meet to exchange ideas and

formulate strategies for the future develop-ment of the Region.

Baltic Development Forum is founded and chaired by former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Denmark Uffe Ellemann-Jensen. Director of the Secretariat is Hans Brask.

Baltic Development ForumNygade 3, 5th fl oorDK-1002 CopenhagenDenmarkE-mail: bdf@bdforum.orgPhone: (+45) 70 20 93 94www.bdforum.org

EU-ministers, the Annual Forum will give all regional stakeholders a chance to give in-puts and assess the many projects aiming at sustainable development, prosperity, bet-ter accessibility and increased competitive-ness in the Baltic Sea Region. The Forum will include discussions and presentations of the Strategy as well as updates of the various Priority Areas. All stakeholders are invited to join this open exchange of views on the status and future of the Strategy.

Members

Strategic Partners

Summit Partners 2011

Cooperation Partners

CITY OF HAMBURG

Exhibit at the Baltic Development Forum Summit

Baltic Development Forum Summit offers a possibility for projects of the Baltic Sea Re-gion Programme to present their ongoing work to a wider audience.

The Networking Village is the place to dis-seminate results of your project, engage new partners for current projects, and fi nd inspira-tion and partners for future ones. An active and dynamic atmosphere favours to meet

Take full advantage of the Baltic Development Forum Summit and buy an exhibition stand in the Networking Village. Inform the partici-pants about your project and your business.

The Networking Village is the right place for professionals to present new projects, ex-pand networks and fi nd innovative solutions through international partnerships. Being a part of the Networking Village is a chance for

companies, organizations and international fi nancial institutions to promote their activities.

The most essential purpose of the Networking Village is to engage all Summit participants in an open dialogue and thereby shape future decision-making. Apart from the usual activi-ties in the Networking Village such as parallel sessions, seminars, roundtables, interviews, project café, company briefi ngs, this year the

GDANSK 24–26 OCTOBER 2011

new partners, discuss issues of common interest and share knowledge with other par-ticipants. The Networking Village is a place where the formal and the informal parts of the Summit meet, whether you participate in some of the activities or simply enjoy your coffee, lunch and a stroll around the Village.

Baltic Development Forum has for years modernized and developed the networking concept into a dynamic place for participants

to acquire new insights, fi nd inspiration, de-velop ideas and fi nd common solutions. In order to support networking, the Networking Village offers an open and interactive plat-form to explore different activities.

Baltic Development Forum will help you equip and organise your stand. Baltic Devel-opment Forum will also help make presenta-tions, project displays panel discussions etc. on a special dedicated scene.

For more information on opportunities and prices please contact:

Jørgen P. T. ChristensenDeputy Director+45 60 21 85 80jc@bdforum.org