International Cooperation with the countries in East and Southeast Europe

EU Strategy for the Danube Region

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The Ministry of Environment, Climate and Energy Baden-Württemberg is committed to the EU Danube Region Strategy (EUSDR). The goal of the engagement for international cooperation is better environmental conditions in the Danube region. We want to help ensure that the countries of the Danube Region achieve the environmental objectives of the European Union in a short time. That is why we maintain a regular exchange of experience and knowledge transfer with partners and institutions in the Danube region.

Modern environmental technologies contribute to better energy and resource efficiency. In this way, a future-oriented environmental infrastructure can be created economically and sustainably. Baden-Württemberg wants to support the countries of the EU Danube Region Strategy. Baden-Württemberg also works with Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, Romania and Hungary in Joint Governmental Commissions.

Through many years of growing contacts in the course of the EU- Strategy for the Danube Region, a large number of successful and promisingprojects have been established between Baden-Württemberg and the regions in Eastern and Southeastern Europe. Regularvisits by experts from the various regions here in Baden-Württemberg allow us to work even more closely and efficiently with the competent authorities and institutions in the regions of the Danube Region.

Particularly effective is thebioenergy partnership between Serbia and Baden-Württemberg, which was launched in 2014. In addition to the scientific and business cooperation, this partnership enables a lively dialogue and transfer of knowledge on the political level. This will improve the political framework for laws and funding programs and facilitate the establishment of bioenergy projects.

Objectives

The EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) is intended to make the Danube region more prosperous, promote the implementation of European law in the participating countries, and, in this way, bring candidate countries closer to EU membership.

Key issues

The EUSDR establishes four main key issue areas: "Connecting the Danube Region", "Protecting the Environment in the Danube Region", "Building Prosperity in the Danube Region" and "Strengthening the Danube Region".

Baden-Württemberg is a member of the priority area "Sustainable Energy", which is coordinated by Hungary and the Czech Republic. The Ministry of the Environment, Climate Protection and the Energy Sector regularly participates in the meetings of the working group.

Priority Areas

Background

The EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) was endorsed by the European Council on 24 June 2011. The strategy encompasses the entire Danube River Basin and a total of 14 countries: the nine EU Member States of Germany (Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria only), Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia, the EU candidate countries of Montenegro and Serbia, the potential candidate countries of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine (the regions on the Danube only) and the Republic of Moldova.

Contact

Johanna Bamberger
Europe, International Cooperation Section 
Phone: +49 711 126-2663
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