Regular cooperation actions have taken on a sense of solidarity in the wake of the war in Ukraine, says the European Commission. This is a finding that the institution draws from its fourth report on the implementation of the EU’s macro-regional strategies (MRS), adopted on Monday 16 January.
Requested by the EU Council since 2016, this biennial report aims to assess the four EU MRS: the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR), the Danube Region (EUSDR), the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR) and the Alpine Region (EUSALP). Together they concern 19 Member States and 10 third countries.
For the period from mid-2020 to mid-2022, the Commission notes that the Danube Region Strategy has played an important role in consolidating relations between the EU and Ukraine. On the one hand, activities focused on the integration of Ukrainian refugees and the establishment of safe freight corridors. On the other, Ukraine has increased its participation in all priority areas of the strategy, despite the war.
As for the Baltic Sea region, following the suspension of cooperation with Russia and Belarus (see EUROPE 12904/10), the strategy is dedicated to establishing itself as a framework for strategic meetings to strengthen cooperation between the Member States, Iceland and Norway.
Furthermore, the Commission underlines the capacity of MRS to coordinate European funds and to carry out ambitious objectives in the realisation of the ‘European Green Deal’ and the digital transition. However, the European Court of Auditors has warned the Commission about implementation delays and possible challenges in the cross-border cooperation programmes for 2021-2027 (see EUROPE 13082/25).
To read the report: https://aeur.eu/f/4wd (Original version in French by Hélène Seynaeve)