Annual Meeting of the Priority Area Coordinators and National Contact Points of the EUSDR

Priority Area Coordinators (PACs) and National Contact Points (NCPs) of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region convened in Vienna from March 11 - 12, 2014 for the fourth time since the inception of the strategy. This year the emphasis of the discussions was on future governance of the strategy.

European Council recognized the advantages and value added of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region and macro regional strategies in general, yet it has also become clear that roles of most visible strategy stakeholders - the PACs, NCPs, steering groups, ministers and the high-level group need to be redefined and adapted in order to improve the impact and effectiveness of the strategy implementation.

NCPs presented the programming process for the upcoming multiannual financial framework 2014 – 2020 and provisions related to the EU Strategy for the Danube Region their respective countries included in their Partnership Agreements and operational programmes. The programming of the new transnational cooperation Danube programme sharing the regional focus with the strategy is in the final stages, however the discussions on interrelation between the transnational programmes and the PACs are sill open and ongoing.

The future governance of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region will also be the spotlight of the 3rd Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region taking place from June 26 – 27, 2014 in Vienna.

For more information about the EU Strategy for the Danube Region and the role of the CEF as Priority Area Coordinator for institutional capacity and cooperation please visit www.danube-capacitycooperation.eu.