Interconnecting Europe's Regions: the
Territorial Perspective
COTER – Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy
Iaşi - September 18, 2014
Macroregional strategies
a post-enlargement approach to the EU
Cohesion Policy
Carmen PODGOREAN
EUSDR National Coordinator
What does the EU Cohesion Policy
do?
 support states and regions that are less developed
 “narrow the gap”
 strengthen competitiveness
 develop cross-border, transnational and inter-
regional cooperation
What is the EU Strategy for the
Danube Region (EUSDR)?
 Romanian-Austrian initiative
 EU mechanism to foster economic and social
development in the region
 A cooperation exercise among 14 countries
 A platform of expanding and deepening
cooperation among states (cross-border,
transnational and interregional cooperation)
 A consistent support for the EU ascension of
non-EU member states
Relevance of EUSDR under the
Juncker Commission
 The Juncker Commission is grouped in “clusters”
with the goal of highlighting the connection between
Europe 2020 Strategy and the EUSDR
 The “cluster” approach improves coherence among
operational programmes.
What does the EUSDR cover?
 11 priority areas, grouped under 4 pillars (connect
the region; protect the environment; strengthen the
region; build prosperity)
 9 EU and 5 non-EU member states
 The entire surface of Romanian territory, not only
regions bordering the Danube
EUSDR Priority areas
EUSDR Governance
 Report of the European Commission regarding the
Governance of Macroregional Strategies (20 May
2014) highlights:
 Macroregional strategies – new opportunity for
Regional Development, since they consolidate
existing horizontal EU policies and have a clear
added value.
 Involvement of political entities in ensuring necessary
conditions and resources for the consolidation
EUSDR governance mechanisms
 Involvement of all levels of administration (national,
regional, local), parliaments and civil society
How EUSDR sections interact
Annual Forum of the EUSDR
(Vienna, 26-27 June 2014)
 Participation: representatives of 14 states, European
institutions, local/regional authorities, civil society
 Title: „We grow together – together we grow –
Empowered for a prosperous and inclusive Danube
Region”
 Focus on: strengthening governance, social
inclusion
 Joint declaration of foreign affairs ministers
highlighting their support to non-EU member states
2014-2020 Financial Framework
 efforts to include EUSDR objectives in Partnership
Agreements and Operational Programmes for the
2014-2020 financial framework
 essential to coordinate national priorities of EUSDR
participating states in order to secure adequate EU
funding
2014-2020 Financial Framework
 337 billion Euro allocated for EU cohesion (2014-
2020), out of which Romania has:
 23 billion for social, economic and territorial cohesion
 450 million for territorial cohesion
 Increase in funding allocated to EU territorial
cooperation:
 2007-2013: 2.52% of EU budget (7.7 billion Euro)
 2014-2020: 2.75% of EU budget (8.9 billion Euro)
Budget allocations per Member State
(2014-2020)
Total EU allocations of cohesion policy 2014-2020* (billion €, current prices)
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
AT
BE
BG
CY
CZ
DE
DK
EE
EL
ES
FI
FR
HR
HU
IE
IT
LT
LU
LV
MT
NL
PL
PT
RO
SE
SI
* breakdown by category of allocations subject to transfers between categories at the request of the Member States
SK
UK
Romanian priorities for the future
 develop mechanisms so that Operational
Programmes “favour” EUSDR-labelled projects
(separate calls/horizontal approach)
 continue to support the increased access of non-EU
member states to EU funding for 2014-2020
 promote cross-border cooperation and regional
development, by taking full advantage of the EUSDR
Thank you for your attention!
Contact:
E-mail: suerd@mae.ro
Tel.: (021) 431 18 16
Web: http://www.mae.ro/strategia-dunarii
Ministerul Afacerilor Externe
Biroul Strategia UE pentru regiunea Dunării