ScanBalt recommends Master Plan on Health for the Baltic Sea Region

Nearly 250 participants at the ScanBalt Forum “Healthy Future” in Tallinn 22 – 24 September discussed activities in life science and health relevant for the Baltic Sea or Nordic-Baltic region. Key topics included population ageing in Europe, healthy nutrition, the food industry’s future and cross-border patient mobility in the EU. The Forum was also an endeavour to implement the flagship project “ScanBalt Health Region” as part of the EU strategy for the region.

On the occasion the not-for-profit association ScanBalt fmba held its annual General Assembly which confirmed the chairmanship composed of Wolfgang Blank, CEO of BioCon Valley GmbH (Chairman) and the vice chairmen: Jaanus Pikani, Estonian Biotech Association, Tero Piispanen, HealthBio, Finland and Katarina Gårdfeldt, Center for Environment and Sustainability, Göteborg.

As new vice chairman was elected Ewa Lojkowska, who is dean at the Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdańsk - Medical University of Gdańsk.

Wolfgang Blank, Chairman of ScanBalt says “ScanBalt BioRegion is a model macro-region for promoting interactions between universities, industries and public authorities. In addition it is a tool for developing and implementing EU policies. However, we still need to enhance our efforts towards removing barriers for the free mobility of people, knowledge and ideas and reduce regional disparities. A balanced regional development is a necessity and a master plan on health would be a major benefit”.

Jaanus Pikani, Vice Chairman of ScanBalt and one of the organisers adds ”We should promote a similar development in other European regions and strengthen interactions with for example Asia for mutual benefits. Thereby macro-regions will be an efficient tool to enhance European competitiveness. Estonia is happy to take an active role in this process”.

For more information please contact:
Wolfgang Blank, PhD
mob + 49 171 76 10133,
e-mail: wb@bcv.org

or
Jaanus Pikani, PhD
mob +372 505 6213
e-mail: jaanus@biopark.ee

Weitere Informationen:
http://www.scanbalt.org
http://www.scanbaltforum.eu