Mixed commission Estonia-Flanders continues close bilateral relations

On 26 and 27 January, Tallinn welcomed the Mixed Commission between Flanders and the Baltic state of Estonia. Koen Verlaeckt, Secretary General of the Flemish Department of Foreign Affairs headed the delegation from Flanders. Both delegations evaluated the previous working programme and agreed to draft a new one for the coming years.

The previous working programme boasts a number of interesting results, such as the wonderful Ensor and De Bruycker exhibition in the KUMU Art Museum of Estonia and the Bosch and Bruegel exhibition in the Kadriorg Art Museum, which was visited by the delegation. Estonia and Flanders also exchanged expertise on environmental education; the Flanders Investment & Trade agency conducted several successful missions.

Mrs Malle Talvet-Mustonen, Director General of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Mr Verlaeckt signed the new working programme on 27 January. It identifies a large array of important points of cooperation, ranging from eGov training, CO2 emission trade, and job recruitment over port cooperation and road transport consultation to cooperation between museums and the protection of cultural heritage. Finally, the delegation from Flanders also visited the Estonian Centre of Eastern Partnership, which provides capacity building courses for these country's civil servants.

Estonia and Flanders have enjoyed excellent bilateral relations for a number of years now. This was emphasized by the solemn 15th anniversary celebration of the signing of the Flanders-Estonia cooperation agreement in September 2011. Bilateral trade between Flanders and the Baltic state has been steadily rising as well, topping off at € 260 mln in 2010.