During the latest 10-15 years the negative effects on rural areas on both settlement and social structure have been evident. Questions have been raised about possibility to maintain a living countryside, which can be attractive for both living and work. Can the depopulation be stopped? And can we guarantee a continuous agriculture management? What happens with nature and culture values in rural areas? Today both spatial planners and decision-makers understand that the countryside must be regarded as a vital part of the society, but strategies, policies, models and tools are not adjusted to start a change of the situation. One of the most fundamental conclusions from analyses of the situation is that rural and urban areas are connected to each other and dependent on each other. The Baltic Balance project aimed to start a discussion about the necessity to elaborate and test methods and tools to be tested in a municipal spatial planning process and from which the results could be transported to other planning levels.All countries around the Baltic Sea have mote or less the same problems with unbalanced structure for living and working. It seemed important to start a contemporary process with focus on planning laws, infrastructure policies, flexible service solutions and differentiated labor market. The process to establish contact links for cooperation to share experiences was important as well as to give input for concrete changes in administrative systems and regulations and conditions for different kinds of public support. Achievements: Considering the results of the Baltic Balance project, it is important to stress that the focus has been given to how to find models for including the rural-urban interdependence in municipal spatial planning, to show that rural and urban planning cannot function as isolated from each other. An underlying hypothesis is of course that there exists a common willingness from all parts to secure both economic growth and preservation of valuable nature and culture interests in the entire municipality and to provide a balanced settlement structure Our experience from the project is that the understanding of the rural-urban interdependence and how to use it in spatial planning, does not always exist among planners and decision makers. The interest to secure urban growth tends to take over.The first step may be to analyse what kind of effects as to labour market, infrastructure, other kinds of services and settlements-new and older ones- the interdependence gives in both rural and urban areas. Planners and political decision makers have to take care of this information as a platform for spatial municipal planning. Economic aspects, related not only to the public sector but also to local interests have to be involved in the planning.As the urban representation always seems to be the stronger part within a municipality, efforts must be forwarded to strengthen the rural part. We have learned that it is important to achieve a stronger village identity. To achieve this, we have found some important ingredients.Understanding by local people of the role of cooperation locally to reach results.The value of personal engagement as the only way to change the situation ”No one else will do it for us.”The impact of broad support on which are “public interest amenities” in the village.Elaboration of a common strategy for development of the rural area as a tool both to relate individual activities to keep within the strategy platform and to manage the planning process forward.Necessity to have a good process leader for the local groups.A manual as tool to fulfil the planning process in a competent way.Education program and training courses for local people can be a good help get quality in the planning.But engaged local groups couldn’t reach results without coming in clinch with municipal administration and government. This process has to be formalized to give effects. Here we have met a crucial point. We have a legal planning system for spatial planning, built on a representative democracy. How can this system be combined with influence from local groups and even an initiative right? How can we give legitimacy to local influence on spatial planning? Baltic Balance has tested a model, but has not reached a constructive discussion with central national levels to go to open up for legitimacy. This process must go on.However, the Baltic Balance model for local engagement in spatial planning can be spread to other rural areas. The municipal comprehensive plan can be a central instrument for achieving balanced settlements between rural and urban areas, but the general physical approach must be completed with research and inventories of how the interdependence between rural and urban areas can be influenced by different development strategies as to labour market, living conditions and services. In this field we need more pilot activities. It can also be a good idea to include the rural urban perspective in the education programs for planners, both from the physical and economic side. Baltic Balance has produced outputs, which can be used translational for further development and tests.