Brussels, 03/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - Over the six months of the Hungarian Presidency of the EU, EU member states will learn about the EU's strategy for the Danube Region, unveiled on 9 December 2010 by EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn (see EUROPE 10274) and will enter negotiations in order for it to be formally adopted by the June 2011 European Council. This is the aim of the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU. The cooperation of the eight EU member states (Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria) and the six non-EU countries (Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Montenegro, Moldova and the Ukraine) that were involved in drawing up the strategy can be used to boost cohesion in the region and hence harmonisation of interests is an important task, according to the Hungarian Presidency. Following the EU strategy for the Baltic, adopted under the Swedish Presidency in the second half of 2009 (see EUROPE 10010), the Danube strategy is the second such macro-regional development strategy in the EU. On 1 July 2011, Poland will take over the presidency of the EU - it was involved in the EU strategy for the Baltic and has close ties with the EU's Eastern Partnership and Danube Region partners. Further information: http://www.eu2011.hu (G.B./transl.fl)