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EU Strategy for the Danube Region

A new challenge - new opportunities

Belgrade 29 April 2010

Nathalie Verschelde

DG Regional Policy

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• Political demand from the Member States

• Test a new working method - new form of governance : macro-regional cooperation on a voluntary basis (e.g. Baltic Sea Strategy)

• Aim: better cooperation and coordination on addressing common issues and jointly realising the regional potential

Danube Region Strategy – why ?

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Ingredients

•Move from political statements to action;

•Integrated approach;

•Stakeholder involvement essential

•Principles – the three “NO” : no new EU institutions, no new EU funding and no new EU legislation

Danube Region Strategy – how?

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EU Strategy for the Danube Region is not a new funding instrument… but

•Better use of existing resources (principle of re-alignment)

•Better cooperation between funding instruments natioanally and across the region

•Renewed partnership with funding institutions

ALL this only possible if there is a broad consensus on top priorities for the Region

Danube Region strategy – how?

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Geographical coverage (flexible…)

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Top Priorities (on-going identification process might evolve)

• Transport, energy and ICT systems and connections, incl. renewables and efficiency

• water, biodiversity and risk prevention• Socio-economic, human and institutional

development, incl. innovation• culture, identity and social inclusion• Safety and security

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Dialogue with Danube countries

• Most countries have submitted position papers with their general opinion

• Most agree on priorities but with different emphasis

• Now we ask them all to present concrete ideas for projects and actions

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Concrete proposals• Actions and projects (included in evolving

Action Plan)

• macro-regional dimension and impact

• agreed by all and supported politically and financially

• e.g. joint planning of transport needs on Corridor 7 (Danube IWT), including multimodal nodes, ports, economic zones

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Timing

• Sep 2009 – Jan 2010: start up phase and informal discussions

• Feb-June 2010 : stakeholders events : Ulm (1-2 Feb), Budapest (25-26 Feb), Vienna-Bratislava (19-21 April), Ruse (10-11 May), Constanta (10-12 June)

• Public web-consultation : 70 submissions, currently being analysed

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The next steps

• June 2010-Sep 2010: drafting of the strategy for further consideration by all countries

• Sep 2010-Dec 2010: submission of strategy documents to the College (Communication + Action Plan)

• December 2010 : Adoption by the Commission

• Spring 2011 : endorsement by Council under HU Presidency in first half 2011

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The next steps

• 2011 – beginning implementation phase • 2012 - First annual monitoring + revision

action plan

• 2014 : new financing period....• Onwards – continuous improvement of

living standards across Danube Region

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Further information

http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/cooperation/danube/

Thank you for your attention.

Nathalie.verschelde@ec.europa.eu