Cooperation with the Baltic Council of Ministers

During the first years of the Baltic Assembly's activities the need for closer links between the Baltic Assembly and the governments of the Baltic States arose.

On 26 January 1992, the Baltic Assembly adopted the Final Document of the First Plenary Meeting by inviting the governments of the Baltic States to prepare interstate agreement with aim of creating a legal basis for mutual cooperation. On 31 October 1993 in Tallinn, the Baltic Assembly adopted Resolution on the Baltic Council by asking the governments of the Baltic States "to draft, as soon as possible a respective tripartite agreement providing for the formation of the Council of Ministers of the Baltic States and its budget." On 25 April 1994, the governments of the Baltic States agreed about the draft Agreement on Baltic cooperation and cooperation formats between the Baltic Assembly and the Baltic Council of Ministers. On 15 May 1994, the Baltic Assembly adopted Resolution concerning the Draft Agreement on Baltic Cooperation between the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Latvia and the Republic of Lithuania by recommending to sign this Agreement as soon as possible.

On 13 June 1994 in Tallinn, Agreement on Baltic Parliamentary and Governmental Cooperation between the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Latvia and the Republic of Lithuania was signed. The Agreement defined the responsibilities of the Baltic Assembly and the Baltic Council of Ministers; and designated the Baltic Council as the main forum of both organizations.

As of 2003 the same country holds the presidency in both organizations for one year, thus enabling the Baltic Assembly and the Baltic Council of Ministers to identify common priorities and tasks more efficiently and to coordinate the work of their organizational units more successfully. In accordance with the Protocol Amending the Protocol on Cooperation between the Baltic Assembly and the Baltic Council of Ministers, adopted by the 10^th Baltic Council on 18 December 2004, the key cooperation forms between both organizations are the following:

Annual meetings of the Baltic Assembly and the Baltic Council of Ministers are held during the Baltic Council
Joint meetings of the BA Presidium and the Cooperation Council of the BCM, which is composed of foreign affairs ministers
Report of the Chairman of the Cooperation Council of the BCM about the work accomplished during the year of presidency
Answers to the questions submitted by the members of the Baltic Assembly provided by the Chairman of the Cooperation Council of the BCM
Cooperation among committees and secretariats of both organisations

Cooperation between the Baltic Assembly and the Baltic Council of Ministers in 2021:

In 2021, Lithuania is holding the presidency in the Baltic Assembly and the Baltic Council of Ministers.

The Baltic Assembly and the Baltic Council of Ministers joint priorities for cooperation in 2021:

Regional security, including the Eastern Partnership and transatlantic relations;
Cyber cooperation;
Connectivity, including regional energy and transport projects, and digital cooperation;
Climate change and environmental issues;
Cooperation in culture and healthcare.

The 27^th Baltic Council will take place on 4 - 5 November 2021 in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Basic documents regulating joint cooperation

Declaration on Unity and Co-operation by the Republic of Estonia, Republic of Latvia and Republic of Lithuania on 12 May 1990	(download)
Agreement on Baltic Parliamentary and Governmental Co-operation Between the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Latvia and the Republic of Lithuania on 13 June 1994	(download)
Protocol on Co-operation between the Baltic Assembly and the Baltic Council of Ministers on 14 April 1996 in Vilnius, Lithuania	(download)
Protocol amending the Agreement on Baltic Parliamentary and Governmental Co-operation between the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Latvia and the Republic of Lithuania on 28 November 2003 in Vilnius, Lithuania	(download)
Agreement on Baltic Parliamentary and Governmental Co-operation Between the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Latvia and the Republic of Lithuania (unofficial consolidated text)	(download)
Protocol Amending the Protocol on Co-operation between the Baltic Assembly and the Baltic Council of Ministers on 28 December 2004 in Rīga, Latvia	(download)
Protocol on Co-operation between the Baltic Assembly and the Baltic Council of Ministers, 28 December 2004	(download)

During the 25th BCM on 29 November 2019 in Riga, Latvia. Photo by the Chancellary of Saeima (Author: Ieva Ābele)

During 24th BCM on 26 October 2018 in Vilnius, Lithuania. Photos of the Seimas Office (author: Olga Posaškova)