3Rd Steering Group Meeting of the Priority Area 10(PA 10) of the EU Strategy for the Danube
1
REPORT
3rd Steering Group Meeting of the Priority Area 10(PA 10) of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region(EUSDR)
Vienna, 5 - 6 December 2012
Attended by Irena Lukač, Project Manager, EUSDR PriorityAreaCoordinator (PAC 10)
Main elements / Action items / points of attentionTHE OBJECTIVES OF THE MEETING:
- provide feedback to SG members about the first year of implementation of the EUSDR, and more specifically results of the PA10;
- SG tooutline guidance for the work of the PA10 working groups in 2013 and beyond. / It was by far the best attended meeting of the SG PA10 so far: 25 participants from 12 countries (out of 14 EUSDR countries).
SG members’ turnover (as opposed to working groups) has so far been manageable.G. Belette (EC, DGRegio) who succeeded Sollgruber appeared focused and hands-on person.
PACs briefed SG members about the 1st Annual EUSDR Forum + workshop organized by PA10.Reflection Paper on the implementation of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region was circulated for comments by the European Commission (EC). PA10 activities improving institutional capacity and its special project (Danube Financing Dialogue and Danube Investment Framework) are referenced among main EUSDR achievements. / Reflection Paper was circulated among SG members who are free to provide input to the PACs and / or EC (by end Dec 2012).
Funding sources for EUSDR – 2014+ Territorial Cooperation Program (ETC):
- proposed 11 thematic objectives (along EUSDR issues), including enhancing institutional capacity and efficient public administration
- thematic objectives will be chosen by each ETC program individually;
- it is up to the program to define thematic objectives in their area (maximum 4);
- one program covering Danube macro-region? / Possibly some ETC programs will be able to fund PA10 themes, others not. There may be opportunities for CEF – also outside the scope of EUSDR. Stay informed.
Interact (EU sponsored initiative providing communications and similar services for ETC programs) gave amore clear-cut overview of the EUSDR – benefits, concrete projects and challenges:
- benefits: clustering of knowledge, creating / accelerating cross-sector initiatives and planning for the region, aligning of funding sources, local initiatives are tackled at a transnational level;
- challenges: complex funding structures for projects (different rules for ERDF, IPA and ENPI programs), lack of technical preparation skills, prefinancing and cofinancing becoming difficult in the times of crisis, lack of political commitment (in certain countries).
A background paper done by PACs outlining PA10 progress to date and suggestions for work in 2013 was circulated to SG members. All SG members reported on their inputs to the implementation of the EUSDR and PA10 in particular.
Some constructive comments by SG:
- PA10 to be even more cross-cutting, e.g. include / coordinate civil society initiatives across all PAs;
- while policies / initiatives/ projects etc. on a national level are well covered, we should put more emphasis on regional / municipal level;
- SG members should work closely with their EU funds Management Authorities in order to assure programming (and thus availability) of EUSDR funds in their respective countries through ETC programs (EU semester!!). / Background paper received very positively. PACs should continue with this approach as it provides motivation to SG and makes discussions more productive.
Follow-up re ETC (EUSDR) with SI NCP.
MEETING CONCLUSIONS:
-the background paper is a useful basis for further discussions of PA10 activities in the next year (at the level of countries, PACs and SG);
-there is a need to better communicate the EUSDR to national policy makers;
- the working groups should concentrate on the improvement of a PA10 knowledge base and a few deliverables (proposals);
- In the next year primarily focuson inclusion of existing networks, organizations and knowledge hubs that support, multiply and implement the EUSDR. / The goal of PACs is to increase the ownership and involvement of the SG.
SG members should contribute (by end January):
- concrete suggestion for WGs that would lead them to accomplish concrete end results (e.g. procedures, projects)
- identify multipliers for PA10 2013 stakeholders conference
NEXT STEPS
- informal meeting of NCPs (11 Jan in Vienna)
- 2nd Danube Financing Dialogue (24 – 25 Jan in Belgrade)
- PAC and NCPs meeting (30-31 Jan in Brussels)
- 4 WG meeting (March 2013, Ljubljana and Vienna)
- 4th SG meeting (May 2013, Ljubljana)
- Joint EUSBR (Baltic Region) and EUSDR event (Q2 2013)
- Stakeholder meeting (October, tbc) / Comments by SG members + other inputs (by end January)
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input paper for next Working Groups meetings (mid February)