17. September, 2019
In line with the Mediterranean Coast and Macro-regional Strategies Week, which started today in Portorož, Slovenia, EUSAIR Facility Point organised a meeting among EUSAIR key implementers and ESIF/IPA Programme Authorities, also called as the "Laboratory for a new region".
EUSAIR Facility Point used the opportunity of Mediterranean Coast and Macro-regional Strategies Week, which attracts many stakeholders and organised back-to-back the first dialogue among the key programming and implementing bodies in the region to jointly ensure the involvement of the identified macro-regional priorities into ESIF Partnership Agreements and IPA Strategy Papers and in relevant programming documents addressing post 2020.

The event  aimed to answer concrete practical questions: Could constant dialogue in the Adriatic Ionian region bring the value added in order to efficiently address the common territorial challenge? What are the tools and mechanisms needed, what are the opportunities / threats? What concrete steps should be taken at earliest convenience and what are the responsibilities of the key bodies? How shall EUSAIR serve as a platform for a constant dialogue, not just for limited scope of actions, but in general when addressing the common (natural, societal and other) challenges region is facing and exploit opportunities?

Beside the EUSAIR key implementers and ESIF/IPA Programme Authorities representatives of EUSBSR and Interact were invited as well to add Cross-Macro-regional Strategies’ concrete inputs as innovative instruments for cooperation and present good examples of establishing the so-called Managing Authority (MA) networks. 

Interreg ADRION  presented its efforts towards boosting synergies with other cohesion, IPA and ETC programmes, with JRC S3Platform adding to the complexity as well and showed the potential for future investments.

The representatives of the European Commission pointed out some important aspects:

– encouraging multilevel governance and cooperation for the added value each level contributes to the Macro-regional Strategies,

– engaging the youth for fresh and innovative ideas,

– involved countries must not view their inputs as lost money but as an investment in the common future of the entire Adriatic-Ionian region.

The first event of such kind with minimum 70 participants from more than 12 different countries was a success and proved added value of a constant dialogue in the region for effectively addressing common territorial challenges, which require to be addressed from various perspectives.

A need for efficient stakeholders mapping, raising the awareness on the impact of the Strategy at a national level and establishing relevant task forces was recognised in this respect and EUSAIR Facility Point offered its support in terms of providing an opportunity to network among the pre-defined key stakeholders.

Dialogue’s necessary continuation and stronger cooperation among EUSAIR / mainstream partners was unanimously confirmed by its participants.