Moderator: Miroslav Veskovic, Professor and Former Rector, University of Novi Sad, Serbia and Former Senior Expert at the EC JRC

All the panellists set the ground for common action in shared goals, despite the differentiated level of progress in the region towards sustainability and green economies’ goals.  They all stressed the need for such an activity, where European Partnerships and regional actors could meet so that they would exchange their needs and expectations about possible cooperation in the future.

Marv Barbullushi saw the importance of enhanced cooperation and synchronized efforts at different levels: the local, the national and the regional, in order to achieve just and efficient green transition despite the uneven progress in the region and external factors contributing to energy insecurity in the region. Danijela Bozanic stressed the lack of sufficient capacities and ability for long-term planning from each of the economies, conflicting at times with international engagements and obligations, and the importance of cooperation to overcome these matters. Margherita Cappelletto presented the Blue Economy European Partnership and stressed the need to act together on common aims; the fact that EU partnerships are there to contribute to that mission, including mechanisms bringing together countries with the EU commission. Fiona Imami stressed the need to clarify the buzzword around green transition and the misconceptions around it in order to give the concept operability and a strategic direction. Ariane Blum presented the Water4all European Partnership Initiative and the specifics of cooperation in this initiative.

Orsolya Kuettel presented the European Cities Mission and the global Urban Transitions Mission in line with SDG goals and the European Green Deal.

The participants then exchanged on the modalities of applications to European Partnerships, the process of approving, monitoring and reviewing applications, as well as their implementation.

If you are interested in discussions that served as inputs for this panel session, visit our event report entry on the word cafe discussions on green topics in first parallel session.

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