1

An EU Strategy for the Danube Region :Transport Working Group meeting

Transport priorities

Brussels, 16 September 2010Johann Sollgruber, DG REGIO, European Commission

2

Content

• Why ?

• What ?

• How ?– Making it happen : Who does what?

3

Why ?

• There are a number of issues in the Danube Region which absolutely require working together, across borders and national interests

• Political commitment to do this needs to translate into Action

• Actions need to be coordinated and carried out together

4

What ?Some of those key issues :• Mobility : movement of people and goods, notion of corridors across Europe, e.g. Danube for inland navigation, sustainable transport in general• Energy : secure sources, diversification, esp. renewables, reduction in emissions, efficiency• Water : quality (pollution, ecosystems) and quantity (navigation, risk prevention and management)• Biodiversity : precious natural heritage (source of well-being and prosperity)

5

What ?

• Socio-economic development : jobs, welfare, framework for creativity and investments, IT potential• education and general capacity : schools and unis, training, modern administration, inclusion of all citizens• Culture and identity : we belong to the Danube Rich cultural heritage, potential for positive tourism• Safety : personal safety and protection,organised crime, corruption

6

Reaching a decision

• The Strategy is an EU Strategy

– 27 Member States have to agree– Commission has to ensure compatibility with

EU policies

– Partners in region have to agree to implement

– Wide consultation process at the root

• No one is compelled to participate [the whole exercise is based on voluntary cooperation]

7

How ?1. National Contact Points

– Coordinate national administrations– Provide advice and especially information

2. Priority Area Coordinators– Volunteers from national or regional level– Encourage and coordinate project leaders &

partners– Report to Commission on progress and

possible difficulties

8

How ?

1. Project leaders– Partner willing to lead a project– finds others to cooperate with– Seeks out funding opportunities– Reports on progress, difficulties and

blockages

Who are they ? Institutions, associations, NGOs, municipalities, networks

9

Territorial coverage of the Danube region strategy

10

The significance of the Danube waterway for theDanube region countries

• The Danube river directly connects 10 out of the 14 Danube region countries

• Furthermore the Danube also connects to the regional hinterland via its navigable tributaries (Sava, Drava, Tisa and the Danube-Black Sea canal) and more than 70 ports (40 of international importance)

11

Strategic actions

Sonstige

• Implement the agreed TEN-T priority Danube waterway infrastructure projects on time and in an environmentally sustainable way

• Develop Danube Ports into multimodal logistics centres

• Improve the environmental performance of Danube navigation

• Implement harmonised River Information Services on the Danube

• Invest in jobs and qualifications in the Danube navigation sector

• Improve comprehensive waterway management of the Danube (ecology, navigation and flood protection)

• Examine potential effects of climate change on Danube navigation

• Coordinate national transport policies in order to promote Danube navigation

12

The Danube river in the context of the European policy framework

• EC Guidelines for the Development of the Trans-European Transport Network TEN–T (Priority project 18 - Waterway axis Rhine/Meuse-Main-Danube)

• EC Transport White Paper (Mid-term review 2006)

• NAIADES – European Action Programme for inland waterway transport (2006) and its implementation platform PLATINA

• EU enlargement and European neighbourhood policy: EC guidelines for transport in Europe and neighbouring regions (´Building bridges´ 2007)

• The new Europe 2020 strategy (20/20/20 climate/energy targets – low carbon economy)

13

Who pays ? Existing EU Funds, including territorial

cooperation programmes [cross-border, transnational], Research, Erasmus, LIFE – all based on networks and cooperation

IFI Donors

EU financial cycle means we start planning now for the period 2014-2020 – link future programmes to existing actions and projects

14

Thank you for your attention

Johann.Sollgruber@ec.europa.eu