EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR)

The Adriatic - Ionian Initiative (AII) is an international intergovernmental organization with a permanent Secretariat headquartered in Ancona, Italy, led by the Italian Ambassador Giovanni Castellaneta as Secretary-General. It is a regional cooperation framework that focuses on addressing common issues of the countries in the Adriatic and Ionian regions, with a particular emphasis on environmental protection and sustainable development. Following continuous expansions, it currently consists of 10 countries, including 4 EU member states: Greece, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, as well as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, the Republic of North Macedonia, and San Marino.

The AII is managed by the Committee of Senior Officials (CSO), which consists of representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the participating countries. The CSO coordinates thematic working groups, roundtables (in areas such as blue growth, small and medium-sized enterprises, transportation, energy, culture, tourism, inter-university cooperation, environment, and civil protection), and various networks and forums such as the Forum of the Adriatic Ionian Chambers of Commerce (Forum AIC), the Adriatic Ionian Forum of Cities and Towns (FAIC), and the Adriatic Ionian network of Universities (Un iAdrion). This aims to contribute to the more effective operation of the EU's macro-regional Adriatic-Ionian strategy.

In 2014, the European Commission developed a new "EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region" (EUSAIR), primarily focusing on protecting the marine environment from pollution and innovative, sustainable, and inclusive regional development. The establishment of this EU macro-region was a significant achievement for the AII, showcasing effective cooperation among AII countries and closer collaboration with the European Commission. Following the adoption of this European Strategy, cooperation with the EU evolved, and the AII now serves as the intergovernmental-political base for the EUSAIR, aligning its activities with those of the EUSAIR.

Greece assumed the dual presidency of EUSAIR/AII from June 1st, 2024, to May 30th, 2025, succeeding Croatia.