North Macedonia presented progress in their Presidency priorities and main topics and programme outline of the 11th EUSAIR Annual Forum, while Italy shared its initial priorities as the next incoming Presidency. EU enlargement remains high on the agenda of current and incoming Presidencies and of the 11th EUSAIR Annual Forum, taking place in Skopje on 19-20 May 2026.
Macro‑regional strategies will continue contributing to EU policies after 2027, therefore it’s essential to maintain sufficient governance capacity, include macro‑regional priorities early in national planning, and treat the strategies as key partners in implementation.
Key highlights included the presentation of the 5th EESC report on macro-regional strategies and the EUSAIR Youth Council initiatives contributing to improvement of youth situation in the region. In 2026 there will be a new call open for some countries for membership in EUSAIR Youth Council replacing the members ending their mandate. The Interreg IPA ADRION Programme provided news on implementation and preparations for the next programming period.
Pillar Coordinators outlined recent thematic achievements and cooperation ideas, supported by governance support projects.
