Brussels, 26/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - How do things stand when it comes to preparing the European strategy for the Danube region? On the strength of the mandate conferred upon it by the European Council in June 2009, the Commission had said it was ready to adopt a European strategy for the region in question. The European Parliament and the Committee of the Regions said they were in favour of swift implementation of the strategy. In February 2010, Regional Policy Commissioner Johannes Hahn and Hungarian Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai had come to an agreement to ensure that, at the end of 2010, the Commission might present this strategy. That has now been done.
How do things stand? During the first half of 2010, the Commission (with DG Regional Policy in charge of coordinating the strategy) consulted people of the region. Taking their suggestions into account, the Commission proposed a draft communication and action plan that will be discussed by the relevant Commission services during the autumn. Both documents should be adopted by the Commission in December 2010 and ratified by the European Council during the first half of 2011, under Hungarian presidency of the EU Council, as announced last year by Danuta Hübner (see EUROPE 9931).
Next steps. Once the documents have been adopted and ratified by the Commission and the European Council, the implementation of priority measures and projects can start. Coordination will be by one or two member states and, if possible, with the cooperation of a non-EU member state.
Priority aims include improved links and communication systems, protection of the environment and the prevention of natural risks, as well as strengthened economic development.
Countries concerned: Fourteen countries in the Danube basin are concerned by the strategy: eight member states (Germany, Austria, Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania) and six non-member states (Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Ukraine and Moldova). The River Danube crosses 10 countries, four of which have a European capital. It is 3,000 km long and its basin covers 20% of EU territory and around 115 million people. (G.B./transl.jl)