The Northern Europe Initiative (NEI)

Through the Northern Europe Initiative (NEI), the U.S. government provided assistance funding to help Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia overcome the legacy of Soviet rule and achieve their stated objective of integration with major Euro-Atlantic institutions. NEI also provided a policy framework for developing cooperative and mutually beneficial relationships between the US and the states of the region. The following are a few of the success stories stemming from this policy.

Cooperative Security

The United States shares with its Nordic and Baltic Partners a commitment to counter the threat of terrorism, control the spread of weapons of mass destruction, strengthen border security and deter international financial crime.

Under the Partners for Financial Stability program, the United States has provided training and technical assistance designed to strengthen capital and financial markets. PFS experts have worked with Latvian banks and government authorities to detect, deter and prosecute financial crimes. PFS has organized multiple anti-money laundering seminars for the Latvian Association of Commercial Banks and provided related technical assistance on know-your-customer procedures to interested banks and Latvia's financial services regulator, the Financial and Capital Markets Commission. PFS has also sponsored a regional conference, which included banking and government representatives from all three Baltic States, on compliance with the U.S. Patriot Act and combating terrorist financing.

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Partners for Financial Stability has also worked in Lithuania. The Financial Crime Investigation Service of Lithuania (LFCIS) greatly benefited from a study visit to the US to develop professional knowledge and improve analytical skills in dealing with money laundering prevention. Relying on international experience, LFCIS made the thorough analysis of laws of the Republic of Lithuania on the prevention of financial crimes, particularly regarding financing of terrorism, and drafted two new legal acts and passed them to the Parliament of Lithuania (Seimas) for enforcement. First, the Seimas enforced the Amendment to the Law on Criteria to define Suspicious Money Transactions on May 15, 2003. Second, the draft Amendment to the Law on Prevention of Money Laundering, including new measures for prevention of financing terrorism, was passed to the Government of Lithuania on September 4, 2003.

Healthy Societies

We are committed to work with our Nordic and Baltic neighbors to confront global problems such as trafficking in persons, infectious diseases and environmental degradation that straddle national borders and have a profound effect on the health and well-being of individuals and nations. Under NEI initiatives focused on public health, trafficking, environment and strengthening civil society.

An Estonian NGO used $11,000 to conduct a unique project called "Theater in Education: Promoting Behaviors That Reduce the Spread of HIV/AIDS." They produced an interactive theater performance that reached an impressive audience: 7500 people have already seen the play, and it has garnered critical acclaim. In addition to the plays run in Tallinn, 21 performances of the play have taken place or will take place outside of big cities, including the final seven performances, which will be in Russian-speaking areas of Estonia, with translation.

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The Tuberculosis Center of Excellence in Latvia, run in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control, is producing an ever more highly trained cadre of physicians capable of helping countries of the region tackle the challenge of MDR-TB. The Center recently opened a new laboratory that the CDC views as on par with any available in northern Europe and will offer immediate clinical advantages for targeting and combating tuberculosis. The Center is now competing for regional training grants to begin exporting what they have learned in an effort to develop a sustainable, long-term business plan. The Center has already offered training to health care professionals from other Central and Eastern European states, and from states as far away as the Philippines.

Vibrant Economies

Promoting vibrant economies is a central goal in our relationship with the Nordic-Baltic region. The U.S. government has supported innovative partnering/mentoring programs to increase American familiarity with the Nordic-Baltic markets, encourage entrepreneurship and foster greater individual business links.

The Helsinki Women Business Leaders Summit of 2003 brought together 50 American women CEO's with businesswomen from the Baltic States and Northwest Russia. They met with officials from the Department of State, Department of Commerce, the Small Business Administration and the White House. Presidents Tarja Halonen of Finland and Vaira Vike-Freiberga of Latvia, among many others, spoke to the women. Most importantly, they spoke with one another, swapping business ideas and business cards. They shared best practices on accessing capital, secrets for success, surviving failure and being a good corporate citizen.

The benefits of this program have been astounding. Leila-Mari Ryynanen, a Finnish participant, told us, "I have already started cooperation negotiations with one of the participating companies. My mentor introduced me to several important people and they are helping me to find new customers.... I saved months and months of work with the help of my mentor.” One of the American CEO's, Ann Jackson, said, "I will start looking at more importing and exporting... I learned that there are resources to help with this, more than I thought were available."

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This academic year, 2003-2004 is the first year that the Ron Brown Fellowship Program has been implemented in Lithuania and Estonia. $70,000 of SEED funding allowed one Lithuanian fellow to be engaged in a two-year MBA program at the University of California at Berkeley. Next year, $140,000 has been allocated for Lithuania, allowing us to send three successful applicants on a two year study program. Ron Brown Fellows are able to enhance their education and professional experiences and act as catalysts for positive change in their home regions.

For additional information, please visit www.state.gov/p/eur/rt/epine.