“Today we celebrate the final adoption of this macro-regional strategy. It is not just an emotional day because of the long and strong work done for a lots of years, but today we are proud because we are conscious that we created a great project that will be able to give more power to the EU”, so mr. Gian Mario Spacca, president of the Marche Region (Italy), spoke concluding the conference for the launch of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian macro region.
The Adriatic Ionian Macroregion area is finally a reality. Its date of birth is on 18 November 2014 at Bruxelles (‘Le Square’ Conference Centre) and the launch conference of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR) was organised by the italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, in cooperation with the European Commission and together with the Adriatic and Ionian Initiative and Marche Region (as Presidency of the Adriatic-Ionian Interregional Group in the Committee of the Regions).
The Adriatic-Ionian macroregion is an important example as European Territorial cooperation because the cohesion policy encourages regions and cities from different EU Member States to work together and learn from each other through joint programmes, projects and networks.
It includes Italy (Abruzzo, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Veneto, Emilia Romagna, Marche, Molise, Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria e Sicily Regions), GREECE, Albania, Bosnia, Serbia-Montenegro, Slovenia and Croatia.
It’s the third macroregion in Europe, after Baltic macroregion and Danubian macroregion, and its creation will support a shared economic cooperation and a shared governance about some subjects (e.g. environment, energy, transports, fishing, agricultural development, tourism, culture, universitary cooperation, civil protection...); in other words, the aim of the Adriatic Ionian macroregion is to gather all key actors to create the framework for its implementation.
The governance and management structures of the Strategy, currently under development, will be organized around its four pillars, namely ‘Blue Growth’, ‘Connecting the Region’ (Transport and Energy), ‘Environmental Quality’ and ‘Sustainable Tourism’.
The European Grouping for Territorial Cooperation (macro-regions) is a new European legal instrument designed to facilitate and promote cross-border, transnational and interregional cooperation and to support the democratic process of the EU integration.
The birth of the Adriatic-Ionian macroregion is a very important starting point: now it’s the right time to act with concrete projects to use the various chances in the best way that the Strategy can offer to the involved Countries that have two years to draw actions for that.
On the occasion of Launch Conference of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian Region, some prominent national, local and international authorities were present and spoke about this important event.
There was also the EU Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Creţu, who said: "The Strategy aims at revitalizing the Adriatic and Ionian macroregion. It will enhance its economic development through four priorities: the first seize the opportunities offered by the Blue Growth, i.e. by the assets of this large maritime area. The second connects the Macroregion and facilitate exchanges by land and by sea. The third protects the biodiversity and safeguard the natural areas of great values. The fourth promotes sustainable tourism. In order to address these priorities, there is a need for appropriate governance; this is why the Commission, with its national partners, is setting up a framework for effective governance and management. But I want to stress that this Strategy is far from being only about socio-economic development, or governance. It is about reinforcing the process of European integration. It is about strengthening the ties between the Member States and also about bringing the participating candidate and potential candidate countries closer to the EU. The European Structural and Investment Funds in general, and Cohesion Policy in particular, are ready for supporting the Strategy."
The EU Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella said on the same occasion: “This is a key moment for the prosperity of the Adriatic-Ionian region. A clean and innovative use of the Adriatic Sea will allow both the people and the environment to thrive. The potential for coastal cooperation in the region could become an example across the EU. A coordinated strategy will ensure Blue Growth built on a commitment to good environmental standards. Our action plan would include measures such as reducing marine litter, promotion of the guardians of the sea initiative, and allow the pooling of cutting-edge ocean research.”
Of course, Greece will be an important player in this macroregion and a fundamental role could be played by the Ionian Islands!
in the pictures
1) the Adriatic-Ionian macroregion area;
2) the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, mr- Paolo Gentiloni and the president of Marche Region, mr. Gian Mario Spacca;
3) the conference;
4) the local, national and international Authorithies at the Conference;
5) the conference.
reportaz Elisabetta Giudrinetti
