Ukraine speeds up cooperation within the framework of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region

"The active participation of Ukraine in the EU Strategy for the Danube Region will contribute to improving competitiveness of the regions, accelerating the processes of European integration and the approximation of standard of living of the population of border regions to the average European level", said First Deputy Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine Vyacheslav Nehoda during a joint round table with European partners dedicated to participation of Ukraine in the EU Strategy for the Danube Region and synchronization of priorities.

According to him, the Ministry of Regional Development is making every effort to renew the coordination mechanism, to update the joint priority projects, to determine a joint medium-term action plan of Ukraine's participation in implementing the Strategy, including in the framework of the existing EU instruments, in particular the Danube Transnational Programme.

The European side welcomed the increased participation of Ukraine in joint activities aimed to implement the Strategy and improve coordination of joint actions that took place starting October 2016, and stressed the importance of practical implementation of joint projects, within responsibility of sectoral ministries.

The parties exchanged information on the priorities of cooperation for the development of transport infrastructure, innovation, efficient specialization, prevention of environmental risks in the Danube region and agreed on further actions for implementation of joint projects in these areas.

According to the First Deputy Minister, June 2017, it is planned a meeting of the Ukrainian coordination center, in what those issues being priority for the Ukrainian side – projects, draft medium-term action plan and persons responsible for the directions of the Strategy – will be approved.

"We welcome the decision of the European Commission to grant € 5 million to finance the participation of Ukrainian partners in the joint projects of the Danube Transnational Programme. Together with the European Commission we are working on preparing the international agreement for the participation of Ukraine in the implementation of this program. We believe that the collaboration in the framework of the Strategy will contribute to the economic development of the countries of the Danube region and creation of better conditions for its people", summed up Vyacheslav Nehoda.

In the roundtable meeting there were participating representatives of regional state administrations, ministries responsible for implementation of priority projects in the framework of the EU Strategy for the Danube region, non-government organizations and associations. From the European side the event was attended by representatives of the European Commission, joint research centre and countries coordinating the priority directions of development of transport infrastructure, development of knowledge, education and innovation, prevention of environmental risks of the EU Strategy for the Danube region (Hungary, Slovenia, Belgium, Serbia).