The European Commission, the Finnish National Rural Network and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland would like to invite you to the seminar “Common Rural Development Measures for the Baltic Sea Region” on 28-29 September 2011, in Helsinki, Finland. The objective of the seminar is to find synergies as well as areas for further cooperation between the European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) and the EU co-funded Rural Development Programmes. The seminar aims to bring together the Managing Authorities and the National Rural Networks of the Rural Development Programmes as well as the flagship projects and other stakeholders of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region working with rural development.

Enclosed to this message you will find the programme of the seminar and the map of the seminar venue. You are welcome to register at the seminar through the link below: www.webropol.com/P.aspx

The participants are kindly requested to make their own arrangements for the accommodation.

Please forward this message also to the Managing Authorities of the Rural Development Programme and other relevant organisations of your country. We would especially like to reach the Managing Authorities and other organisations who work with the Rural Development Programme measures (vocational training, modernisation of agricultural holdings, agri-environment, basic services) and the themes (environment, young people, rural tourism, local energy) covered by the workshops.

The seminar will be arranged back-to-back with the fourth joint seminar of the EUSBSR Priority 9 (to reinforce sustainability of agriculture, forestry and fisheries), which takes place on 27^th September 2011 at the same venue. A joint dinner for the participants of these two seminars will be arranged on 27^th September onboard in a cruise-boat at the Helsinki archipelago. The cruise begins at 18:30 hrs.

In case you have any questions concerning the seminar, please do not hesitate to contact Ms. Leena Anttila (leena.anttila@mmm.fi ) or Mr. Hans Bergström (hans.bergstrom@maaseutu.fi ).

Leena Anttila

Senior Advisor

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

Rural Development Unit

P.O. Box 30

00023 Government

FINLAND