The 17th Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) gathered more than 500 experts and decision-makers in Tallinn on 11–13 May 2026, hosted at Tallinn Creative Hub. Tallinn is holding the Forum for the third time, after 2010 and 2018. This year’s central theme is resilience, reflecting the geopolitical, climate and demographic pressures increasingly shaping the region.
The programme covered three core areas: regional security and the current geopolitical situation, the state of the Baltic Sea environment, and economic competitiveness alongside the demographic challenges facing the region. A Day of Cities and Regions on 11 May preceded the main Forum, focusing on how local and regional authorities can strengthen resilience in practice.
Tallinn’s Mayor Peeter Raudsepp underlined the role cities play: “Security, continuity and competitiveness in the Baltic Sea Region are not shaped at national level alone. Cities are no longer the end point of policies. They are where practical solutions and forms of cooperation are born that affect people’s daily lives most directly.”
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna framed the agenda within Estonia’s ongoing EUSBSR Presidency: “Due to changing security and economic environments, increasing resilience in all these areas is now more important than ever. Through the Forum discussions, we aim to contribute to the safety, connectivity and well-being of the Baltic Sea Region.”
Gustav Lindström, Director General of the Council of the Baltic Sea States Secretariat, broadened the definition: “Resilience is much more than recovering quickly after a crisis. It is about building trust, cooperation, sharing good practice, and preparedness across borders, sectors, and communities.” The Forum was jointly organised by the City of Tallinn, the Council of the Baltic Sea States Secretariat, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia and the Baltic Sea Strategy Point, with support from the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme.
