Hungary will play a key role in the Danube Transnational Programme, which aims to foster regional integration within the highly diverse Danube region, Minister of State for the Utilization of EU Funds Balázs Rákossy told Hungarian news agency MTI, following the conference that marked the official opening of the Programme.
The Programme has been jointly formulated by 14 countries of the Carpathian basin. Besides the coordination of the long-term development concepts of participating countries, the Programme will also prepare transnational economic development projects in the field of transport, energy, and flood prevention, the Minister of State stressed.
Until 2020, the Programme will provide EU funding of some HUF 70bn to be disbursed for cooperation and support projects within the Danube region, for the implementation of projects facilitating joint economic development, research and development and institutional cooperation as well as for the support of transport development, energy security and low-emission economic growth.
Balázs Rákossy pointed out that the 14 participating countries have decided to entrust Hungary with the coordination of programme implementation and to establish the international managing authority and a joint secretariat at Hungary’s Ministry for National Economy.
At the two-day conference, participants are to adopt the Programme and publish calls for applications. The conference also brings together more than 600 stakeholders, decision-makers and potential partners representing countries, regions and local institutions, he emphasised.
Programme organizers are expecting transnational cooperation to effectively complement the implementation of other EU regional development projects in the Danube region through elaborating and realizing framework programmes, instruments, services and concrete investment projects.
(Ministry for National Economy)
