“Today the EU General Affairs Council adopted the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR). This is the result of long months of cooperation, with the ultimate goal of putting the Adriatic and Ionian Region onto the European map of Macroregions, along with those of the Danube and the Baltic. We worked intensively for this Strategy, together with Italy, the presidency following ours, Slovenia and Croatia, with the assistance of the European Commission, as well as with Albania, Montenegro, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
This new Strategy is designed to capitalize on and link the horizontal and individual EU policies in the sectors of blue growth, maritime security, protection of the environment, and promotion of tourism. More specifically, it is aimed at utilizing the advantages provided by the EU’s horizontal and sectoral policies to improve the region’s competitiveness and flexibility, safeguard the natural environment, and boost employment through the creation of new jobs.
To achieve this goal, we have funding in the amount of €50 billion at our disposal for the years 2014-2020, as was announced at the high-level Conference on EUSAIR, which we hosted in Athens, as the Presidency of the Council of the EU, in February 2014, together with the European Commission. The Athens Conference substantially promoted the adoption of the EUSAIR and brought us a step closer to today’s decision. We will soon begin implementation of the Strategy, to which – in addition to the governments of the participating countries – Regions, local administration and other public, private and social agencies are called up to contribute.”
September 29, 2014