The main objective was to solve concrete local ICZD problems and to generalise experience acquired in this process into pan-Baltic actions such as changes of national legislation, elaboration of best practices and recommendations. The goal of the project was to accompany the implementation process by different international experts in the field of ICZD and to develop a common strategy based on the implementation process worked out in the regional subprojects. Jointly worked out recommendations for an ICZD should facilitate introduction of the project findings into the real BSR planning practice.The growing number and intensity of both land- and sea-side activities and uses of coastal areas require a coordinated procedure for conflict resolution between the various stakeholders. Of special importance are those coastal regions, which are strongly effected by structural change, and the management of conflicts between nature protection and economic development (esp. tourism). Achievements: Joint recommendations have been elaborated on the role of spatial planning within ICZM based on numerous ICZM case studies carried out in the framework of the BaltCoast project, which have been compared with other ICZM projects and recommendations. The recommendations have been presented to the governments and relevant authorities of Baltic Sea countries involved in the project and play now an important role in the initiatives started in Germany, Sweden and Finland on introducing Sea-Use-Planning (are integrated into major international, national and regional policy documents on ICZM and spatial planning in Germany, Sweden, Finland and Poland). The transnational “Joint Study on Use Conflicts and use Coordination” in the Baltic Sea Region has been elaborated based on national reports and joint analysis.First integrated maps of BSR offshore uses resulting from transnational cooperation of coastal regions have been created. Procedures have been established for the continuous exchange of GIS formatted information beyond the duration of the BaltCoast project.The BaltCoast recommendations (Part A: Sea-Use-Planning / Part B: The role of spatial planning within ICZM) have been passed by all project participants as well as all relevant transnational organisations during the final conference held in Sellin/Rügen (Germany) in April 2005.The BaltCoast recommendations and results have been presented to the VASAB 2010 and they form part of the VASAB document “Connecting Potentials”. The BaltCoast recommendations and results have been also analysed by Baltic 21 in order to integrate them into the new Triannial Report to be prepared in Spring 2006. The project was one of the Bakltic 21 Lighthouse projects.BaltCoast has shown the strength of spatial planning in integrating different sectoral policies. The main conclusion of BaltCoast is to use the strengths of spatial planning for a successfully implementation of ICZM and for cross-sector coordination of offshore development in national 12sm zones and beyond, in the EEZ.The BaltCoast recommendations and results form the basis for a new project “PlanCoast” (CADSES Programme), which covers besides the Baltic Sea also the Adriatic Sea and the Black Sea, in order to foster the implementation of the BaltCoast recommendations in all these coastal and maritime zones.