Prime ministers from eight EU countries – Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia – agreed to "create an attractive, secure and prosperous Danube region along our common values, principles and fundamental objectives," reads a declaration made in Budapest (25-26 February).
However, concrete proposals were thin on the ground, with governments taking a broad brush approach to outlining the priorities of the initiative.
No new financial resources
The declaration also confirmed the European Commission's claim that no additional EU money would be freed up for the strategy. Instead, the declaration reiterated that "the strategy is financially neutral and relies on a coordinated approach, synergetic effects and on a more efficient use of existing EU instruments and funds, as well as other existing resources and financial instruments".
According to the declaration, neither the Baltic nor the Danube Strategy can count on direct subsidies from regional funds in the future, as the needs and solutions have to be matched to the "available territorial resources,without prejudice to the negotiation on the future cohesion policy".
In other words, Brussels is happy to back these regional blueprints, but they will have to be self-financed.
Direct funding for the strategy is not possible because the current budget period (2007-2013) does not allow separate funding of any new macro-regional cooperation, said the head of the European Commission delegation in Hungary, Tamás Szűcs.
However, the first details of the new budget period (2014-2020) will emerge during the Hungarian EU Presidency, in the first half of 2011. "It could be legitimate for Hungary or any other country to propose that the Danube or Baltic Strategy be allocated a bigger amount [in the EU budget]," said Szűcs, cautioning, however, that any common decision would require the approval of all EU member states (EurActiv.hu 24/02/10).
Conference saves details for later
"Today we get down to the business of discussing concrete projects that will deliver lasting results. I welcome in particular the high level of political representation. This demonstrates the commitment to find shared solutions to our shared challenges," EU Regional Policy Commissioner Johannes Hahn said ahead of the conference.
In reality, the discussions were light on detail, with no concrete projects outlined, though the participating countries agreed on possible fields of cooperation. These agreed fields were presented to the European Commission so that it can cherry pick the topics for its final proposal.
The EU executive will have quite a free hand, however, as the list is wide-ranging and open. The declaration states that the eight EU countries concerned will "take cooperative action aiming at finding common solutions to the challenges the region is facing".
This will include action in a wide range of fields, including: environment, nature, transport infrastructure including inland navigation and railway routes, energy security, rural development, tourism, sport, good governance, food safety, migration, demography, climate changes, global crises and effects of economic transition.
Transport and water issues are key, says minister
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Balázs emphasised that the strategy would "inevitably" focus on transport issues in the Danube valley. These include not only inland shipping but existing and future bridges, roads, railways and air traffic lines, and other transport infrastructure requiring inter-regional solutions, he said.
Balázs also highlighted the fields of environment protection, water management and water clarity – no surprise given the Danube's strategic and environmental importance to the region.
Meanwhile, a stakeholders' conference, which was held in parallel to the prime ministers' meeting, stressed the importance of R&D and the strengthening of the common market in the region.
According to Romanian MEP Peter Luhan, the Danube Strategy has to become one of the basic pillars of economic growth in the region, and also it has to serve as a primary energy resource for the people.
Strategy seeks input of non-EU Danube nations
"Currently there are six member states on the banks of the Danube. These are Germany, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria. On the other hand, another two countries – Slovenia and the Czech Republic – indicated that they feel like part of this region," said Balázs.
Their common declaration has been left open to the other six non EU-countries that host the Danube on their territories. These are Croatia, Serbia, Ukraine, Moldova, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Montenegro, which were also represented at governmental level at the Danube summit.
"The Danube connects people," Bozidar Delic, Serbia's deputy prime minister, said at the stakeholders' summit.
