Map of the Danube Region

The European Commission adopted a Communication on the EU Strategy for the Danube Sea Region on 9 december 2010.
This followed a very precise request from EU Member States asking – in its conclusions of 19 June 2009 – for:
“an EU strategy for the Danube region before the end of 2010”.
Finally, in its conclusion adopted on23 Junethe European Council stated:
European Council Conclusions of 23 June 2011, other points – third : “The European Council: (…) endorsed the EU Strategy for the Danube Region and called on all relevant actors to
implement it without delay, as outlined in the Council’s conclusions of 13 April 2011;
Member States are invited to continue work in cooperation with the Commission on possible
future macro-regional strategies, in particular as regards the Adriatic and Ionian region;”

The Danube Strategy aims at coordinating action by Member States (National Contact-Points), regions, the EU, pan-Danubian organisations, financing institutions and non-governmental bodies. It is NOT an EU internal strategy as amongst States around the Danube area, having the responsibility to take the lead on an integrated approach to identify needs, solutions and match them to available resources,6 States are NOT Members (Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Ukraine and Moldova) while other 8 are EU Members (Austria, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Germany, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria).

Targets will apply to Member States; non Member States will be encouraged to strive towards them in the light of their specific circumstances.

The Governance and Implementation system includes:
i) Action Plan mainly EC/Member States-led, based on 11 priority areas
ii) Policy orientation and prioritisation up to a High Level Group of all Member States. Non Member States should be invited to the Group as appropriate
iii) Strategy and Action Plan to be updated by the Commission, in consultation with the Group
iv) Policy-level coordination to the European Commissionassisted by the Group
v) Implementation on the ground up to:
– Member State (together with non Member States or regions, except for topics which the EU addresses at State level, such as security, serious and organised crime), in consultation with the Commission to coordinate Priority Areas;
– relevant EU agencies and regional bodies;
vi) reports and monitoring to the Commission, in consultation with the Group. Annual Forum, to discuss the work, to consult on revised actions, and to develop new approaches. Countries, the EU institutions, and the stakeholders (especially inter-governmental bodies, the private sector and civil society) participate.
vii) facilitation role of the Commission is assisted by National Contact Points. These ensure co-ordination in each country, identify the relevant contacts, and above all advance practical aspects of the work

On 3 February 2011 in Budapest, Commissioner for Regional Policy, Johannes Hahn, together with Hungarian Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi, announced which countries and regions will coordinate the priority areas of work for the EU Strategy for the Danube Region.

The main 6 challenges this Strategy is supposed to face are:
1) environmental threats (water pollution, floods, climate change)
2) untapped shipping potential and lack of road and rail transport connections
3) insufficient energy connections
4) uneven socio-economic development
5) uncoordinated education, research and innovation systems
6) shortcomings in safety and security

The concept set up by the Commission within the launching and implementation proccess was:
A) No new structures. The implementation is through existing bodies, whose complementarity must be maximised. No overall impact is envisaged on Commission resources
B) – No new EU funds, no new EU legislation.The Strategy provides no new EU funds. There could be additional international, national, regional or private funds, although better use of existing funds is emphasised. Furthermore the Strategy requires no changes to EU legislation, since the EU legislates for the EU27 and not for a macro-region alone. If agreed, there could be changes at national or other levels, to address specific objectives;
C) Consistency with EU legislation and policies is at the core of the Strategy. It addresses implementation gaps, and practical or organisational difficulties leading to lack of results. It supports better implementation of EU legal obligations, especially in relation to the Single Market and the environment. It also contributes to policies such as transport (TEN-T currently under revision, as well as the future transport policy for countries), energy (TEN-E) networks, the strategy for the Single Market (Single Market Act) and the Digital Agenda.
D) since the Danube flows into the Black Sea, it should be coherent with Black Sea perspectives
E) “Priority Area Coordinators” have to deminstrate Danube-wide commitment, acceptance and expertise, ensure implementation (e.g. by agreeing on planning, with targets, indicators and timetables, and by ensuring wide contacts between project promoters, programmes and funding sources, providing technical assistance and advice). This work will be trans-national, inter-sectoral and inter-institutional.
F) Implementation of actions is the responsibility of all, at country, regional, urban and local level. Actions (which state the objective to be reached) must be transformed into concrete projects (which are detailed and require a project leader, a timeframe and financing). These should, while respecting the autonomy of programme decision-making, be actively facilitated in submitting proposals.
G) One example of activity to carry one within the new context is the drawning up of effective management plans for all Natura 2000 sites;
H) Other exemples mentioned are:
– The establishing of benchmarks for e-government and reducing excessive bureaucracy by 2012;
– Maximum 4 weeks for business start-up permissions by 2015;
– Efficient exchange of information between relevant law enforcement actors by 2015 with the aim of improving security and tackling serious and organised crime in the 14 countries;
– Effective co-operation between relevant law enforcement actors by 2015.
I) Particular attention is needed, since the Danube Region includes Member States, which have joined at different moments, as well as countries applying for EU membership, and other third countries. Most face similar problems, but with different resources available