The BSR is characterised by various Hinterland areas in a distance of 50 km and more to coastal zones and to metropolitan areas and larger cities. Most of these Hinterland areas suffer from a long-term decline in population, Europe has not experienced for hundreds of years. Decreasing demand of employment in agriculture and in lesser competitive SME structures with an increasing mobility makes people move away from Hinterlands additional, leading to lesser active and over-aged population, lesser economic and social activities and waste of houses and infrastructure. This process might create a "downward spiral" accelerating and combining several decline processes with waste areas, loss of central functions in neighbouring towns and decreasing attractiveness and competitiveness of whole regions.The project aims to manage the process of decline in the Hinterland region by modern, innovative spatial development approaches. Decline has to be organised even where no or only few potentials can be found or expected, affecting a stronger consciousness about decline and its long-term character. Potentials usable in spite of decline must be bundled and mobilised most effectively - using bridges to neighbouring "Vorderland" regions for wider co-operations. Exemplary investigation involves more than 100 villages in the whole BSR leading to decline scenarios and typology. With the enhancement of knowledge about the facets of decline the project partners will be able to develop foresights and development strategies for future settlement structures, rural-urban business relations, transport and infrastructure matters as well as landscape and agriculture aspects, and apply them in their pilot activities. The Hinterland Transnational Network will accompany this process and sustain close co-operation with the European and BSR development visions and policies.