Stronger cooperation to unlock potential As an idea, the EU Strategy for the Danube Region came from the countries in the Region themselves. Problems which know no borders, like floods or cross-border transport links or the flow of ideas, are best addressed in cooperation and opportunities which should know no borders and are best shared for the benefit of all. The Region is facing various challenges – untapped shipping potential, lack of road and rail connections, few coordinated efforts in education, research and innovation, and environmental threats. The countries in the Danube Basin have very different historical, geographical and political backgrounds. But equally, countries in the Danube Region share many opportunities.

There is immense development potential especially in the countries most affected by the transition since 1989. The Region has many areas of outstanding natural beauty. It has a rich history, heritage and culture. There are creative ideas, and a quality labour force.

The aim of the Strategy is a better coordination of the individual efforts of the participating states. By establishing a framework for long term cooperation on a wide range of issues, the Strategy brings together topics that can not be dealt with in isolation. It introduces a modern

cooperative way of working, bringing policies together in line with the Europe 2020 objectives.

Ships, fish, ideas and borders – four pillars with concrete targets

 But how to turn the ideas into reality? The Strategy establishes four pillars which are the overall goals:

• Connecting the Danube Region (e.g. improving mobility, encouraging sustainable energy and promoting culture and tourism)
• Protecting the environment in the Danube Region (e.g. restoring water quality, managing environmental risks and preserving biodiversity)
• Building prosperity in the Danube Region (e.g. developing research capacity, education and information technologies, supporting the competitiveness of enterprises and investing in people’s skills)
• Strengthening the Danube Region (e.g. stepping up institutional capacity and improving cooperation to tackle organised crime)

 Becoming more concrete, the way to achieve these goals is set out in an Action Plan which lists what must be done on the ground. To prioritise efforts and focus work, the Strategy proposes a number of time-limited targets, including:

• increasing cargo transport on the Danube by 20% by 2020
• reducing nutrients to restore eco-systems of the Black Sea to 1960 levels by 2020
• bringing broadband fast-speed internet access to all EU citizens in the region by 2013
• securing a viable population of Danube sturgeon by 2020

 The Action Plan will also make an important contribution to achieving the broader Europe 2020 goals for sustainable and smart growth.

The Danube area, as defined by the EU Strategy. (Source: DG Regio)

The Knowledge Society in the heart of the Strategy

In a specific chapter, the EU Strategy for the Danube Region addresses the potential of the Knowledge Society in the Region and calls for its further development through research, education and information technologies. The Region encompasses the extremes of the EU in economic and social terms. From its most competitive to its poorest regions, from the most highly skilled to the least educated, and from the highest to the lowest standard of living,

the differences are striking.

Targeted support for research infrastructure will stimulate excellence and deepen networking between knowledge providers, companies and policymakers. The Region must use national and regional funds better, and benefit fully from the European Research Area. Existing bilateral agreements should lead to multilateral coordination. Developing regions downstream can benefit from the leading − indeed world-class − innovative regions upstream.

 Whose Strategy is it? – The implementation of the Danube Strategy

 With the endorsement of the Strategy by the Council, preparations for the implementation of the Strategy start immediately. Each of the eleven Priority Areas is coordinated by two Danube States; to give an example, the Priority Area for the Knowledge Society is coordinated by Slovakia and Serbia. It is now the responsibility of these coordinators and the other Danube countries, regions and stakeholders to agree on a work programme, to explore sources of finance and to identify the most immediate actions to help the region flourish and fully exploit its economic potential. The Commission supports the process by facilitating implementation and playing a leading role in the strategic coordination.