Three Seas Initiative

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Three Seas Initiative
Map of Europe indicating the twelve member states of the Three Seas Initiative
Map of Europe indicating the twelve member states of the Three Seas Initiative
Membership
Establishment 2016
Area
• Total
 1,218,975 km2 (470,649 sq mi)
Population
• Estimate
 112,194,126

The Three Seas Initiative, also known as the Baltic, Adriatic, Black Sea (BABS) Initiative, is a forum of European Union countries in Eastern and Central Europe. It aims to create a north-south dialogue on a variety of questions affecting the member states. The twelve members, mostly former Eastern Bloc countries, met for their first summit in Dubrovnik in 2016.

Description[edit]

The Three Seas Initiative has twelve member countries along a north-south axis from the Baltic Sea to the Adriatic Sea and the Black Sea:[1] Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. All, except neutral Austria, are formerly communist countries.[2]

History[edit]

The initiative held its first summit in Dubrovnik on 25–26 August 2016. The two-day event ended with a declaration of co-operation in economic matters, particularly in the field of energy as well as transport and communications infrastructure.[1] Polish President Andrzej Duda called the initiative "a new concept to promote Europe's unity and cohesion, it is an idea of cooperation among 12 countries located between the Adriatic, Baltic and Black Seas, the three seas of Central Europe."[3] Guest speakers included Chinese Ministerial Assistant for Foreign Affairs Liu Haixing, who talked about the interconnectedness with the New Silk Road, and former US National Security Advisor, General James L. Jones, who stressed the initiative's role in European development and security.[4][5]

The initiative's second summit was held 6–7 July 2017 in Warsaw. US President Donald Trump attended the summit.[6][7] The participating countries set up a Three Seas Business Forum.[8]

Summits[edit]

Date Location Hosting leader Notes
1st 25–26 August 2016 Dubrovnik, Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović
2nd 6–7 July 2017 Warsaw, Poland Andrzej Duda U.S. President Donald Trump attended
3rd 2018 Bucharest, Romania[9] Klaus Iohannis

Projects[edit]

The initiative is closely related to two major infrastructure projects in the region:[10]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Dubrovnik Forum adopts declaration called "The Three Seas Initiative"". EBL News. 2016-08-25. Retrieved 2017-07-04. 
  2. ^ "The Baltic-Adriatic-Black Seas Region - Visegrad Plus". Visegrad Plus - Forum for Visegrad+ studies. Retrieved 2017-07-04. 
  3. ^ "President of the Republic of Poland / News / Minister Szczerski: Three Seas initiative to boost European unity". www.prezydent.pl. Retrieved 2017-07-04. 
  4. ^ "The Three Seas Initiative: Central and Eastern Europe takes charge of its own destiny | Visegrád Post". visegradpost.com. Retrieved 2017-07-04. 
  5. ^ Ansley, Rachel. "Making the Three Seas Initiative a Priority for Trump". Atlantic Council. Retrieved 2017-07-04. 
  6. ^ "Trump trip to Poland forces 3 Seas summit change". Fox News. 2017-06-13. Retrieved 2017-07-04. 
  7. ^ CNBC (2017-07-04). "FACTBOX-Three Seas Initiative summit in Warsaw". Retrieved 2017-07-04. 
  8. ^ "President Rumen Radev in Warsaw: the Joint Projects and Investments of the Central and Eastern European Countries will Make the European Union Stronger". President.bg. Retrieved 11 July 2017. 
  9. ^ "Romania to host in 2018 'Three Seas Initiative' Summit (sources) – AGERPRES". www.agerpres.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 2017-07-06. 
  10. ^ "Poland hopes to tap Trump's business acumen at regional summit". Business Insider. Retrieved 2017-07-04. 
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