The € 3,7 m project BaltSeaPlan (2009-2012) accompanied the EU Maritime Policy by supporting the introduction of Integrated Maritime Spatial Planning and preparation of National Maritime Strategies within Baltic Sea Region. It also contributed to the implementation of the HELCOM recommendation on broad-scale Maritime Spatial Planning & the VASAB Gdańsk Declaration.BackgroundThe Baltic Sea is a unique inland sea: It is a dynamic economic area & at the same time characterised by special geographical and environmental conditions. The different sea uses such as shipping, fishery, wind farms or mineral extraction are increasingly competing for the limited sea space. On top of this the fragile Baltic ecosystem and the threats of climate change call for a balanced multi-sectoral approach. A wise, pro-active maritime spatial planning (MSP) can not only avoid conflicts, but also create synergies and thus lay the basis for a sustainable maritime development. MSP has therefore become a widely acknowledged and necessary tool for co-ordinating spatial use and balancing of interests in the sea.At the time, when the BaltSeaPlan project was initiated, MSP was far from being established practice. Hardly any country within the Baltic Sea region had established the necessary legislation and/or appointed the institutions in charge for MSP. This was the challenge but also the chance for the BaltSeaPlan project, which aimed to create the basis for developing, introducing and implementing maritime spatial planning throughout the Baltic Sea in a coherent manner.Activitiesa) Improve the information basis for MSP• Dialogue forum: spatial planners & scientists• Compilation of current uses, conflicts and natural values of the Baltic Sea • Fill some data gaps for MSP Pilots • Collection of suitable modelling tools for MSP • Create model for BSR wide data exchangeb) Include Spatial Planning in National Maritime Strategies• assess national frameworks and sectoral strategies influencing the sea space use (e.g. energy, fishery, transport, tourism, as well as nature conservation)• prepare recommendations on spatial issues within National Maritime Strategiesc) Develop a Common Spatial Vision for the Baltic Sea• develop jointly a BSR wide spatial vision on how the BSR would look like in 2030 in case MSP is put into practice from now on - taking into account transnational interdependencies and cumulative impactsd) Demonstrate various steps of MSP in 8 pilot arease) Lobbying and capacity building for MSP• Stakeholder involvement & participative planning methods• BaltSeaPlan series of guidelines & policy recommendations• Workshops & conferences for decision-makers Achievements: The BaltSeaPlan project has received a lot of attention within & outside the BSR with its recommendations, principles, models & methods being in focus of MSP discussions at national, transnational & European level. The VASAB CSPD has for instance already acknowledged the BaltSeaPlan Vision 2030 & the revised EUSBSR notes that “transboundary, ecosystem-based MSPs should be drawn up throughout the Region by 2015." Most importantly BaltSeaPlan has achieved its basic ambition: namely to bring the BSR closer to turning MSP into practice. By now Sweden has established a new Marine Agency responsible for MSP; Lithuania is developing its first MSP; Latvia & Poland have passed the relevant legislation that will allow them to begin the formal MSP process. Moreover, in autumn 2010 HELCOM & VASAB established the joint working group on MSP. During the course of the last three years the staff & experts of the 14 BaltSeaPlan PPs have explored new methods relatedto MSP in the 7 demonstration projects.Each of them emphasised a different aspect within the complex MSP cycle: In the Danish Straights new methods were tested on seabed & habitat mapping & research undertaken about the relationship between shipping noise & distribution of marine mammals. The Pomeranian Bight–a busy maritime area situated west of Bornholm between Germany, southern Sweden & the Western Coast of Poland–was instrumental to showcase cross-border governance issues including criteria for offshore wind parks. The Middle Bank pilot demonstrates on how a strategic MSP can be prepared for an offshore area with the purpose of preventing possible future conflicts rather than mitigating current ones. The Lithuanian case was used in order to raise awareness on MSP in general, whereas the Latvian PPs emphasised the work with stakeholders. For the Estonian MSP pilots a new open web tool was developed, which makes it easier to show the of different use priorities for the planning area. Last but not least activities for theWestern Gulf of Gdansk were devoted to assessing the consequences of the MSP prepared for this area on the environment.Furthermore BaltSeaPlan developed a series of reports& recommendations, which are an expression of the joint knowledge, experience & opinion of the whole partnership & are of particular significance if MSP is to be understood as a transnational, information led activity. A comprehensive data model shows the detailed type of data required for MSP & gives recommendations on how such infrastructure should be developed in the course of the coming years. The “Vision 2030–Towards sustainable planning of the Baltic Sea space” stipulates that maritime spatial planners & all parties involved have to regard the Baltic as 1 planning space & ecosystem with spatial connectivity & efficiency being the underlying principles for any kind of planning decision to be made.The experience & lesson to be learned from BaltSeaPlan are published in more than 30 reports (www.baltseaplan.eu).