Following the Launch Conference (Brussels, 18 November 2014), the governance and management structures of the Strategy have been put in place.  Representatives of the eight participating countries have now a stable platform where they gather together to define the priorities for their joint work in the four thematic pillars of the Strategy: 1) Blue Growth; 2) Connecting the Region; 3) Environmental Quality; 4) Sustainable tourism.

The Foreign Ministers and the national authorities responsible for EU funds of the States involved, as well as the EU Commissioners for Regional Policy and for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries will be among the speakers of the conference.

The event provides ample possibilities for networking, and represents a great opportunity to reach out to a wide range of stakeholders from the Region, including national, regional and local administrations, the business sector, the academia and the civil society at large.   We are keen to hear their views and ideas on how to move forward!

The programme is organised around two high-level Plenary sessions:

1. 1) For a resilient and innovative Adriatic and Ionian Region – tackling the social and economic challenges
2. 2) Unlocking the potential of the Adriatic and Ionian Region – the added value of multi-level governance

and three parallel sessions, targeting the practitioners, and providing a space for interactive exchange of experiences and opinions around the following issues:

1. 1) Reconciling conflicting  interests in a shared  maritime space
2. 2) Seeking enhanced  cooperation in the transport and energy sectors
3. 3) Smart approach for a sustainable and attractive region

Home to more than 70 million people, the Region plays a key role in strengthening geographical continuity in Europe. The Strategy builds on the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative, which concern eight countries.

EU Member States:

• Croatia
• Greece
• Italy
• Slovenia

Non-EU Countries:

• Albania
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Montenegro
• Serbia

Informations about the Strategy: EUSAIR

Source: Info Regio