General information

 I.                Danube Region Strategy

The Danube Region Strategy was adopted during the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The aim of the Strategy is to ensure sustainable development of the Danube Region, as well as protection its nature, countryside and cultural values. Eight EU member states and six countries outside the EU participate in implementation of the Strategy along 11 priority areas.

More information can be found on the Hungarian references of the Strategy at this link and you can find the official website of the Strategy here, while you can download the list of priority areas at the following link.

II.                Priority Area 10   

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade represents Hungary in Priority Area 10 “Stepping up Institutional Capacity and Co-operation”.

The main purpose of the priority area is to strengthen co-operation between the institutions and civil organisations, by analysing the administrative obstacles occurring in the field of cross-border co-operation and enhancing co-operation in the border regions. Digital infrastructure and the goal of the development of the digital state appear more and more intensively.  

The Steering Group meetings are held twice a year either in Ljubljana or in Vienna, organised by the two Priority Area Coordinators (PACs).

In the beginning of 2012 four PA10 Working Groups were established to support the activity of the Steering Group. The Working Groups worked on the main topics addressed by PA10 (Capacity building – WG1; Civil society – WG2, Regional cooperation – WG3 and Financing – WG4). Based on the new strategic direction that has been launched within PA10, the Working Groups will follow their activities in the framework of the so-called Advisory Committees. The Advisory Committees will be made up of the experts who have worked in the Working Groups earlier. Further experts will be requested to join the Advisory Committees as well. The main topics of the Advisory Committees are:

1.       Advisory Committee for D-CAP (capacity building)

2.       Advisory Committee for D-LAP (civil society)

3.       Advisory Committee for UPDR (urban development)

4.       Advisory Committee for D-FIP (financing and investment)

Stakeholder Platforma in the same topics will work in parallel with the Advisory Committees, giving floor for local stakeholders to participate at a wide range in the activities of PA10 and assuring representation of bottom-up initiatives.

III.                Budapest Danube Contact Point

The Budapest Danube Contact Point is the initiative of the European Investment Bank and the Hungarian Government. It was established in 2012 to support projects that are implemented in the framework of the Danube Region Strategy. The seat of the Office is on the premises of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Its activities include: the support of preparation of cross-border projects in the field of energy, transport and water management related to the Danube Region Strategy; fostering EIB and other sources of financing; applying EIB’s technical assistance instruments to generate projects that are suitable for financing.