EU Strategy for the Danube Region
The EU Strategy for the Danube Region was established as the second macro-regional strategy following the Baltic Sea Region Strategy. It was developed by the European Commission in 2010, at the request of the European Council, based on consultations with all partner countries. The implementation phase began in 2011. The strategy involves both EU Member States (Germany, Austria, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria, and Croatia) and countries aspiring to EU membership (Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Moldova, and Ukraine).
The key document for implementation is the Action Plan, which defines four main pillars—connecting the region, protecting the environment, building prosperity, and strengthening the region—and twelve priority areas for enhanced regional cooperation. It also identifies challenges and issues to be addressed through projects under the strategy, including transport, energy, education, environment, competitiveness, research, security, and civil society. The Czech Republic, through the Ministry of Industry and Trade, participates in coordinating Priority Area 2 – Sustainable Energy. The Action Plan is a “living” document that may evolve during implementation based on practical experience.
Governance
The strategy is managed by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO), which also coordinates it at the political level. This is done through a High-Level Group composed of representatives from all participating EU Member States and non-EU countries. The group assists the Commission in coordinating all macro-regional strategies and is consulted on monitoring and reporting.
Each country’s participation across the twelve priority areas is overseen by National Coordinators. Their role is to coordinate, further develop the strategy, and inform national stakeholders about ongoing developments.
Each priority area is coordinated by two to three participating countries or regions, in consultation with the European Commission, relevant EU agencies, and regional authorities. Each coordinating country appoints a Priority Area Coordinator. For each area, an Action Plan is defined with objectives, indicators, and a timeline. Coordinators are responsible for implementing the plan and ensuring effective cooperation among project implementers.
Link to the Danube Programme
Macro-regional strategies, such as the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, are not financial instruments. They are integrated cooperation frameworks endorsed by the European Council, which can be supported through European Structural and Investment Funds to address shared challenges in the region. These strategies aim to create synergies and foster alignment between existing policies, funding instruments, and initiatives.
Financial instruments, on the other hand, include transnational cooperation programmes such as Interreg, including the Danube Programme, which contribute to the implementation of various EU policies and strategies, including macro-regional strategies. These programmes and strategies operate under different political and legal frameworks, with distinct governance structures, administrative procedures, and thematic priorities. Macro-regional strategies do not have their own funding nor do they provide preferential access to EU funds.