Project "Baltic Euroregional Network - East" (BEN-EAST)

Project "Baltic Euroregional Network - East" (BEN-EAST) is financed by the European Union "Baltic Sea Region INTERREG III B Neighbourhood" Programme and aims at promoting cross-border cooperation utilizing Euroregion concept between 13 partners in the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Lithuania. The Lead partner of the project is Information Office of the Nordic Council of Ministers in Saint Petersburg.

The 18 months project (09 May 2007 - 09 February 2009) was designed to accelerate transfer of knowledge and experience between partners as well lessons learnt in the BEN ("Baltic Euroregional Network") project. The overall objective of the project is to strengthen CBC structures in Russia and Belarus, so they would become valuable partners for national and transnational institutions in sustainable development of the Baltic Sea Region. In addition, project activities will promote "triple helix" partnership public, private and research sectors, as well as dialogue within each of these sectors.

The project was launched on the 24-25th May, 2007 in Moscow in the Ministry for Regional Development of Russia by the international conference "Legislative base and practice of cross-border cooperation in the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus and the European Union".