EU STRATEGY FOR THE DANUBE REGION Veronica Ionescu Ministry of Foreign Affairs Romania

WHY DO WE NEED AN EU STRATEGY FOR THE DANUBE REGION? We have to improve the dialogue between regional stakeholders. We have to increase the economic potential of Danube region and to efficiently use our share of responsibility and solidarity. Danube River is a connector of Europe with Black Sea and Central Asia.

CHALLENGES Different levels of economic and social development among the riparian countries Increased transport traffic Threats to the environment and bio- diversity Climate change Cultural diversity

OPPORTUNITIES Transport  “Trans-European corridor VII” - Danube is a priority axis for inland waterway traffic across the EU  Renewal of the harbors Investments in environmental protection  Cleaner Danube waters  Protection of biodiversity – national parks, a treasure and a legacy  Risk management Building Prosperity in the Danube Region  To develop the knowledge society through research, education and information technologies  To support the competitiveness of enterprises  To invest in people and skills Good governance and security  Bottom-up approach  Security and cooperation

THE OBJECTIVES OF THE DANUBE STRATEGY To make the Danube Region prosperous To make the development of the Danube Region sustainable To make the Danube Region attractive – “the Danube label” To make the Danube Region safe and secure

THE ADDED VALLUE A macro-region approach with a coordinated and integrated framework for all projects in the region Greater mobilization of actors and investments across the region Growing economic integration of the EU and the countries of the region An important external dimension, offering a strengthen dialogue with the non-EU states within the Danube region and beyond.

THE BALTIC SEA EXAMPLE “The process of creating the Baltic Sea Strategy has resulted in an increased awareness of the importance of transnational co-operation and of working together in the wider context. Moreover, this visibility has extended beyond the Baltic Sea Region itself to other parts of Europe, and this is one reason why it is important that the idea of the Danube Strategy moves forward rapidly today and remains at the forefront of this macro-region process.” Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission

ROMANIA‘s PROPOSALS to connect Bucharest and Constanta to the high speed railway network which links Paris – Strasbourg – Bratislava – Budapest; to readdress the project of connecting Bucharest to the Danube through waterworks on the Argeş River; to modernize the river ports and their related infrastructure; to develop and modernize the water monitoring program to maintain the quality of the Danube waters and an early warning system in case of accidents with trans-boundary impact; eco-tourism development; strengthening cooperation in the domain of heritage; to support SMEs to increase their productivity by decreasing their energy consumption

ROMANIA‘s PROPOSALS  Setting up of The Danube – Danube Delta – Black Sea International Center for Advanced Studies, to perform activities and integrated research and multi-disciplinary projects regarding the sustainable management of wetlands from the River – Delta – Coast – Sea systems in Europe.

A CONNECTION WITH THE BLACK SEA? The EU Strategy for the Danube Region will substantively contribute to enhancing the cooperation in the region and will become an effective connector within Europe and towards its strategic outpost of the Black Sea region. We can only achieve our objectives by enhanced cooperation, agreed action plans and common efforts.

NEXT STEPS By the end of 2010, the European Commission will publish the strategy 2011, the European Council will adopt the strategy (under the Hungarian Presidency) 2011 forward – the implementation of the strategy

THANK YOU!