Brussels, 27/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - A decision was made last week which is likely to have a positive impact on the lives of 150 million people living along the River Danube. On 24 June, the European Commission adopted the strategy for the Danube region, which brings together member states and third countries. What is involved is a macro-region and the result will be that all of the money available under European funding will be the subject of improved cooperation.
We will have four areas of action, Ton van Lierop told the press on Monday: the environment, transport, culture and education and, finally, economic aspects. Each time, the spokesperson to Commissioner Johannes Hahn stressed, two countries or two regions will have a coordinating role for actions in 11 areas. The countries will make proposals to make better use of the funding available. This has been carried out by initiative of the member states, which asked the Commission to take on a coordination and cooperation role, the spokesperson continued. We have already seen good results with macro strategies of this kind because, for example, early last week, the Commission received a progress report from the Baltic region. Eight member states are working together within this region to reduce water pollution, which is a matter of direct interest for the citizens, and we have seen better project planning, better mutual knowledge of the people. The experts are getting to know each other, which means that they can plan projects better, Ton van Lierop added, explaining that if, for example, you wish to improve navigability on the Danube, it is important not only to increase the navigation capacity, but also to ensure that the member states are making the best possible use of the funds available to improve navigation.
The spokesperson also referred to something that, in the view of the Commission, constitutes good use of the cohesion funds. Commissioner Johannes Hahn was in Londonderry last week, where he opened the “peace bridge”. This bridge will bring together two communities which have traditionally been divided, thanks to funding in excess of £10 million towards a project costing over £14 million in total.
In a press release, Johannes Hahn welcomed the progress made at the level of EU policy for micro-regional strategies. As regards the Baltic Sea, the progress report paves the way for a revision of the strategy, which is likely to take place under the Polish Presidency of the EU. This report is the result of a broad consultation of all parties concerned and includes an analysis of the current state of its implementation. The progress concerns (1) the Baltic Deal (reducing leakage from fertiliser), (2) the Baltic Transport Outlook (planning transport infrastructure for the region), (3) integrating the three Baltic states into the European energy market, (4) the Baltfish Forum (more regional approach to fisheries management). The report recommends that: - the competent European ministers regularly discuss the strategy at meetings of the Council; - objectives be laid down to determine the priorities of the strategy; - everything possible is set in place to bring the structural funds and other sources of funding into line with the strategy's objectives. As for the EU's strategy for the Danube, it is worth noting that the European summit of 24 June approved it and its implementation can therefore now commence.
The Commission will also be responsible for monitoring the state of progress of the implementation of these two strategies and will publish an initial report at the end of 2012. (G. B./transl.fl)