Members' Meeting in Stockholm on 26 May 2003
"Business Ethics in the Baltic Sea Region - from Corruption to Transparency"
Corruption and sleazy business have no place in the new Europe shaping up after EU-enlargement. It is, however, still a fact of life in parts of the Baltic Sea region, including Russia. A strategy to fight corruption can only be made after taking into account the nature of the problem, exploring the opportunities and constraints for addressing it. Baltic Development Forum wants to take up this challenge.
In general terms, corruption arises from institutional attributes of the state and societal attitudes toward formal political processes. Possible responses to causes of corruption include institutional reforms to limit authority, improve accountability, and realign incentives, as well as societal reforms to change attitudes and mobilize political will for sustained anti-corruption interventions.
Opportunities for reform often stem from reformists' tendencies within the government, a change in government, public outrage over sleaze, an opposition movement, an economic crisis or external pressure. Thus, the business community needs to know the current nature of the corruption problem, the work to overcome it and the tools to address it in order for the region to meet an adequate level of transparency.
Despite the positive developments, there is still much room for improvement in the business environments of the Baltic Sea region. Baltic Development Forum wants to initiate a business-to-business dialogue based on past experiences and future prospects of doing business in the region. However, to initiate the dialogue, one needs to take a hard look at the political commitment for improving the Baltic Sea region's business ethics and anti-corruption reform in governments and civil societies. The Members' Meeting in Stockholm will do just that.
The conclusions from the Members' Meeting will be included as an important part of the final programme for the fifth annual summit in Riga, 5-7 October 2003.
Programme for the Members' Meeting 26 May at the Tekniska Nämndhuset, Flemminggatan 4:
15.00
Uffe Ellemann-Jensen, Chairman of Baltic Development Forum
Introduction
15.05
Ainars Šlesers, Deputy Prime Minister of Latvia
Opportunities for Reform: Latvia as a Test Case
15.20
Toomas Luman, President of Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Commitment for Anti-corruption in the Candidate Countries
15.35
Ugnius Trumpa, President of the Lithuanian Free Market Institute
Opportunities and Constraints for Addressing Corruption in the Baltic Sea area
15.50
Göran Carlander, Director of Scania, St. Petersburg Office
Doing Business in the Baltic Sea Region
16.05
Helle Degn, Commissioner of the Council of the Baltic Sea States
A Transparent Northern Region – The New Dimension
16.20-17.00
Q&A
After the Members' Meeting, the City of Stockholm will host an informal networking reception in the City Hall (Stadshuset).
