At the conference on the EU Strategy for the Danube Region held on 25-26th February 2010, Mr. Rudolf Virág the state secretary of the Hungarian Ministry of Local Government held a presentation during the workshop of "Institutional development and municipalities – euroregions and municipalities”, in which he highlighted:

  • The Ministry of Local Government devotes a particular attention to the institutional framework of EGTC. We are proud that Hungary is the first member state, who formed the national regulation of EGTC. The EGTC provides a new dimension because it allows the creation of an independent entity in the wide range of functions. As an advantage EGTC has legal personality, has its own decision making body, property and budget. We are convinced that the EGTC will undoubtedly be one of the preferred legal instruments in the implementation process of the Danube Strategy.
  • The Commission was scheduled the regulatory review process in 2011 and the Hungarian EU presidency takes place in 2011, too. It is important to connect these events. It is a particular advantage that the countries of the current trio presidency (Spain, Belgium and Hungary) are forerunners in the field of EGTC regulation and in practical experiences as well.
  • The EGTC gives a new dimension for co-operations in the continent. This institution can be situated on both sides of borders, it can link far-away islands, local governments and universities, it can create a “development corridor” on both sides of a river or an international highway.
  • The EGTC can provide a suitable framework for the common development of border regions. Naturally we are not only interested in border co-operations. The Danube Strategy is a great opportunity for every Hungarian stakeholder as Hungary situated in the middle part of the river. From the responsible areas of the Ministry of Local Government there are other fields, like tourism which are also interested in a deeper cooperation.
  • It is really important to create workshops, which can collect experiences, proposals for the development of the regulation and provide methodological assistance for the formulating and the already existing EGTCs. The EGTC task force and website of the Ministry are serving the same aim.

During the “Institutional workshop” Gianluca Spinaci the member of the Cabinet of the President, Committee of the Regions held a presentation and he also sees a great opportunity in the cooperation of the countries of the trio presidency. The collection of the experiences in connection with the EGTC framework and their analysis is also a priority task for the Committee of the Regions, therefore they are willing to co-operate in the interest of the successful fulfilment of the common work.

Gianluca_Spinaci_CoR_Danube_River_Strategy_Budapest_20100225.pdf
VR_Duna_Strategia.ppt