EUROPEAN UNION STRATEGY FOR THE DANUBE REGION
REPUBLIC OF SERBIA
Scientific support to the EUSDR
Miroslav Vesković, Scientific support coordinator for EU
macro regional strategies and
Pavle Sekeruš Vice Rector for international relations
Sarajevo, 7th May, 2015
EU macro-regional policies
A 'Macroregional strategy' is an integrated framework,
which may be supported by the European Structural and
Investment Funds among others, to address common
challenges faced by a defined geographical area relating
to Member States and third countries located in the same
geographical
area
which
thereby
benefit
from
strengthened cooperation contributing to achievement of
economic, social and territorial cohesion.
1. EUSBR - EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region
2. EUSDR - EU Strategy for the Danube Region
3. EUAIR- EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region
4.EUAR - EU Strategy for the Alpine Region-under
elaboration
THE DANUBE REGION
Danube River Basin
The Danube River Basin is Europe’s second largest river basin,
with a total area of 801,463 km². More than 115 million people
from 14 countries share the Danube Catchment area, making it
the world’s most international river basin. Based on its
gradients, the Danube River Basin can be divided into three
sub-regions: the Upper, Middle and Lower Basins (the latter
including the Danube Delta). The Upper Basin extends from the
source of the Danube in Germany to Bratislava in Slovakia. The
Middle Basin from Bratislava to the dams of the Iron Gate
Gorge. The low-lands, plateaus and mountains of Romania and
Bulgaria form the Lower Basin of the River Danube.
Socio-economic diversity
• The Danube countries all depend on the Danube waters as
an economic resource. Despite this uniting feature, the
Danube rivers flow through countries with very different
social and economic conditions.
EU MACRO-REGIONAL STRATEGY
FOR THE DANUBE REGION
The Strategy provides a sustainable
framework for policy integration and
coherent development of the Danube
Region. It sets out priority actions to make it
an EU region for the 21st century. It must be
accompanied by sufficient information and
publicity to ensure its objectives are widely
known.
Policy Framework
EU Strategy for the Danube Region
• The European Council endorsed the EU
Strategy for the Danube Region in June
2011 and called on action
7
PILLAR C- BUILDING PROSPERITY IN
THE DANUBE REGION
Priority 7 as a horizontal priority
EUSDR PA7 Working groups
1. WG for Higher Education and Mobility
2. WG for Information and Communication Technologies
3. WG for DRRIF and Coordination of National Funds
within the Danube Region
4. WG for Communication with Joint Research Centre with
special emphasize on RIS3
(Research and information for smart specialization strategies)
5. WG for Research and Innovation
EUSDR PA7 Flagship projects
1. DRRIF (Danube Region Research and Innovation Fund)
2. DREAM (Danube River Research and Management 3. DANUBIUS (DANUBE INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR
ADVANCED STUDIES FOR RIVER-DELTA-SEA
SYSTEMS".
4. DANUBE:FUTURE (Dianet school…
5. DUAL EDUCATION (Germany, Austria and Slovakia project, vocational schools…)
6. H.I.N.O. (Health Impact of Nanotechnology)
Important projects aiming at receiving FS label:
1. DANUBE-INCO.NET (Fp7 Austria, Serbia, Ukraine, Hungary…coordination and support action
2. DO-IT (Danube Open Innovative Technologies (DO-IT, spin offs, incubators…)
Horizon 2020 and EUSDR
The biggest EU Research and Innovation program
ever with nearly €80 billion of funding available
over 7 years (2014 to 2020).
The financial instrument implementing the
Innovation Union, a Europe 2020 flagship
initiative aimed at securing Europe's global
competitiveness.
Danube Region
Scientific support to the Danube Strategy
Launched by the JRC in 2011
•In close collaboration with key scientific partners of
the Danube countries:
• Science Academies (LoI with 11 partner Academies)
• Universities (LoI with Danube Rectors' Conference
representing almost 70 universities of the region)
Conclusions
JRC initiative Scientific Support to the EU Danube
Strategy is a cross-boarder research cooperation based on concrete
projects supports the EU Strategy for the Danube Region
• Potentials
- Provide technical assistance
to policy for the Danube
Region as a whole
- Strengthen transnational
cooperation in science and
research
- Knowledge spill-over
• Challenges
- Ensuring impact to policy
- Matching expectations of
stakeholders
- Providing European dimension
in design and implementation
For the programming period 2014-2020 concerning
Regional Policy:
JRC smart specialisation platform for
greater efficiency in the use of
EU regional funds
oriented to science, research and innovation
(Element of conditionality in the proposal for the
13
regulation)
JRC and EUSDR
JRC (Joint Research Center within the EC) Scientific Support to the EU Danube
Strategy based on concrete projects.
4 thematic flagship clusters:
1. Danube Water Nexus
2. Danube Land and Soil Nexus
3. Danube Air Nexus
4. Danube Bioenergy Nexus
3 horizontal flagship clusters:
1. Danube Reference Data and Service Infrastructure/DRDSI
2. Support to research and innovation strategies for Smart
Specialization/ RIS3
3. Danube Innovation Partnership/DIP
NEXUSES
Coherent view on air, land and soil through integrated
assessments.
The Danube Land and Soil Nexus
(DLSN):
This flagship cluster aims
to study various issues
related to the state and
use of land and soils in
the
Danube
Region,
including land and soil
availability and quality,
land and soil-related
risks
and
the
preservation
and
restoration of above- and
belowground ecosystems
and biodiversity.
The Danube Air Nexus (DAN):
The Danube Bio-energy Nexus
(DBN)
This flagship cluster addresses
challenges related to energy in
Danube Region.
the
the
The four thematic clusters are
complemented by three horizontal
activities:
• The Danube Reference Data and Service
Infrastructure (DRDSI)
• Smart Specialization
• Danube Innovation Partnership (DIP)
Smart Specialisation
• Due to its unique experience, the JRC – via its
Smart Specialization Platform – supports the
designing and implementation of Research and
Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialization
in the Danube Region, taking into consideration
the regional assets and opportunities but also the
broader macro-regional dimension.
EUROPEAN UNION STRATEGY FOR THE DANUBE REGION
REPUBLIC OF SERBIA
Thank you for your attention!
University of Novi Sad