ASSOCIATION OF CROSS BORDER COOPERATION „LOWER DANUBE EUROREGION„ ASSOCIATION OF CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION “LOWER DANUBE EUROREGION”

Lower Danube Euroregion at a glance (I): Context: Context: Europe is in the process of shaping its structure in order to reach the objectives of sustainability structured within the Europe 2020 Agenda. Building a good-neighbourly relations and and increasing the level of cooperation at local and regional level across national borders is a leverage that can and will create opportunities for development especially at the euro-regional level. Lower Danube Euroregion is a success story of regional development that is building bridges of sustainability for over 15 years.

ASSOCIATION OF CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION “LOWER DANUBE EUROREGION” Lower Danube Euroregion at a glance (II) The Association of Cross border Cooperation “Lower Danube Euroregion” (ACT EDJ) is the managing structure of the Euroregion, a non- governmental entity, founded in April 2009, by public institutions from Romania: Galati County Council, Braila County Council and Tulcea County Council, from Ukraine: Odessa Regional Council, Odessa Regional State Administration and Reni District Council and from Republic of Moldova: Cahul District Council and Cantemir District Council, The President of the Association is Mr. Horia Teodorescu, President of the Tulcea County Council. The GOAL: to assist the sustainable development of the administrative- territorial units of the Association, through the enlargement of the cooperation between members and the development of the profitable relations in all areas of common interest.

ASSOCIATION OF CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION “LOWER DANUBE EUROREGION” OBIECTIVES (I): Sustainable development of all the administrative- territorial units that constitute the Association The integrated cross-border economic development The promotion of public and private investments and increased access to resources Continuous improvement of the transportation and communication infrastructure within and between the border regions The development, modernization and improvement of public services The objectives assumed:

ASSOCIATION OF CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION “LOWER DANUBE EUROREGION” OBIECTIVES (II): The development of cross-border tourism and of the third sector The efficient and integrated management of the area’s potential The elaboration of specialty strategies, programs, studies and investigations with cross- border impact Providing consultancy and counseling to the interested persons, in the field of cross- border cooperation, human right observance, the development of civic conscience, sustainable economic development, environmental protection and also other fields of general interest The efficient and integrated management of issues related to environmental protection

ASSOCIATION OF CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION “LOWER DANUBE EUROREGION” Romania Commission for regional development and cross-border cooperation Commission for facilitating the activities concerning people’s safety and fight against crime Commission for environmental and exception situations The expertise capitalised (I):

ASSOCIATION OF CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION “LOWER DANUBE EUROREGION” Republic of Moldova Commission for local economic development and strategic planning Commission for education, science and sportive activities Commission for cultural activities and interethnic relationship The expertise capitalised (II)

ASSOCIATION OF CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION “LOWER DANUBE EUROREGION” Ukraine Commission for the development and the promotion of cross-border tourism Commission for transport, communications and energy Commission for health and social activities The expertise capitalised (III)

ASSOCIATION OF CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION “LOWER DANUBE EUROREGION” Steps made Inventory and analysis of the situation (public and private actors identified) Gathering of the stakeholders (building opportunities for sustainable development) Financing opportunities (experience and expertise in European funding) Project development (design, implementation and sustainability pillars identified )

ASSOCIATION OF CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION “LOWER DANUBE EUROREGION” Results- building sustainability pillars in the region throughout European funded projects

ASSOCIATION OF CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION “LOWER DANUBE EUROREGION” 1. Inventory, assessment and remediation of the anthropogenic sources of pollution in the “Lower Danube” Region of Romania, Ukraine and Republic of Moldova Total buget: 5,819,540 euro, the value of the grant is 5.181, euro Implementation period: 28 months Beneficiary: Odessa State Department for Environmental Protection, Ukraine; Partners: Romania: ACT EDJ, Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Authority Tulcea, Eco-Counselling Galati; R.Moldova: Environmental Pollution Prevention Office of the Ministry of Environment of Moldova; Ukraine: Ukrainian Scientific Centre of Ecology of the Sea of Ministry of Environmental Protection, Institute of Market Problems and Economic and Ecological Research, National Academy of Sciences; General objective: to reduce the environmental impact of chemical dumps and wastewater discharges in the Lower Danube region as well as enhance environmental monitoring of soil and water pollution and make the information publicly available.

ASSOCIATION OF CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION “LOWER DANUBE EUROREGION” 2. Regional Business Incubators’ Network “Black Sea BI-Net” Total budget: 644, euro, the grant value: 575, euro Implementation period: 18 months Beneficiary: Organization for Small and Medium Enterprises Sector Development; Republic of Moldova Parteners: Romania: ACT EDJ; Greece: European Regional Framework for Co-operation Inter-Regional Development Organization; Armenia: Small and Medium Entrepreneurship Development National Center; Ukraine: Regional Fund for the Support of the Entrepreneurship of Zaporîzhye region; Turkey: Middle Black Sea Development Agency; General objective: To accelerate the development of a productive and competitive economy and improve cooperation in the Black Sea region.

ASSOCIATION OF CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION “LOWER DANUBE EUROREGION” 3. Innovative instruments for environmental analysis in North Western Black Sea Basin (Black Sea E-eye) Total budget: 769,265 euro, the grant value is 692,340 euro Implementation period: 18 months Beneficiary: Galati “Lower Danube Euroregion” University, Romania; Parteners: Romania: ACT EDJ, Danube Delta National Institute for Research & Development; Armenia: European Integration Organization; Republic of Moldova: Cross-border Cooperation and European Integration Agency; Ucraina: Agency for Sustainable Development and European Integration “Lower Danube Euroregion, Izmail; General objective: Supporting the development of durable environmental policies by deploying innovative research initiatives focused on the analysis, monitoring and investigation of physical-chemical and biological parameters of surface aquatic systems in North Western Black Sea Basin.

ASSOCIATION OF CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION “LOWER DANUBE EUROREGION” 4. Citizen engagement in the prioritization, design and implementation of local development policies (SolveNet) Total budget: 498,020 euro, grant value is 448,213 euro Implementation period: 18 months Beneficiary: SMART Development Center, Romania; Parteners: Romania: ACT EDJ; Republic of Moldova: The Institute of Public Policy; Armenia: European Integration Organization; Ukraine: Agency of Sustainable Development and European Integration “Lower Danube” Euroregion; General objective: Capacity building for organizations of civil society in order to strengthen their role in the prioritization, design and implementation of local and regional development public policies.

ASSOCIATION OF CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION “LOWER DANUBE EUROREGION” 5. Sustainable Tourism Development in the Lower Danube Region of Ukraine, Moldova and Romania Total budget: 2,215,000 euro, grant value is 1,809,000 euro Implementation period: 24 months Beneficiary: Regional Development Agency, Ukraine; Parteners: Romania: ACT EDJ; Eco-Counselling Center Galati; Republic of Moldova: Republican Environmental Association for Quaternary Research "INQUAMoldova”, ECOMOLDTUR; Austria: Friends of Nature International; Serbia: Danube Competence Centre; Ukraine: State Department for Environmental Protection in Odessa Oblast, Department of Culture and Tourism, Odessa City Council, Agricola, Odessa Oblast Branch of Association for Promotion of Rural Green Tourism in Ukraine, “Odessa-Basket” Sports Club for Disabled People; General objective: To improve the economic performance of the border area through the diversification and modernisation in a sustainable manner of cross-border tourism in the Lower Danube region of Ukraine, Romania and Moldova.

ASSOCIATION OF CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION “LOWER DANUBE EUROREGION” An opportunity for the “Lower Danube” Euroregion Public Private Partnership (PPP) and Public social private partnership (PSPP)– solutions for sustainable development PPP is a government service or private business venture which is funded and operated through a partnership of government and one or more private sector companies. PSPP are methods of co-operation between private and government bodies. A PSP partnership is thus related to a specific field of activity and has the explicit purpose of assuring long-term financing and generation of resources for products and services in order to fulfill purposes of social protection, support and improvement of opportunities for disadvantaged people or groups of disadvantaged people.

ASSOCIATION OF CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION “LOWER DANUBE EUROREGION” PPP opportunities “Actors”: central/regional/ local authority and the private companies Financing Leading partner Demand Private sector as stipulated in the PPP contract, Public sector The technical and operational risks are assumed by the private company Public utility service that is included in the management of the public authority: transport, environment, social sectors

ASSOCIATION OF CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION “LOWER DANUBE EUROREGION” PSPP opportunities “Actors” : “Actors” : central/regional/local authorities, social economy entities, NGO and private enterprise Financing Leadership Demand The infrastructure for implementation of social products and services, i.e. Financing of development of social products and services From both public and private sector Research / analysis of needs, ideas, coordination from planning through set-up and operation Public sector Assurance of cash flow by agreeing to buy the products and services Public utility

ASSOCIATION OF CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION “LOWER DANUBE EUROREGION” Opportunities for development in the Lower Danube Euroregion: -transport infrastructure: roads, railroads, intermodal terminals, maintenance services, railroads, -economic development: clusters, excellence centers for innovation, -environmental infrastructure: waste-water treatment facilities, waste management, -social infrastructure: schools, hospitals, prisons (construction, rehabilitation, management), -energy: generation, transport and research.

ASSOCIATION OF CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION “LOWER DANUBE EUROREGION” ” CHALLENGES in the right context are OPPORTUNITIES!” Thank you!