1. An overview The EU Strategy for the Danube Region -
Governance of EU macro-regional strategies
PA 8 7th Steering Group Meeting April 2014
Presentation by Csaba HENDE , DG REGIO
An overview

2. 1 2 3 3rd Annual Forum for the EUSDR DANUBE transnational programme
Report on Governance of MRS 2
3rd Annual Forum for the EUSDR 3
DANUBE transnational programme

3. Nov. 2012
1st Annual Forum of the Danube Strategy
April 2013
First Report on the Implementation of the Danube Strategy
June 2013
Report on the added value of macro-regional strategies
Oct 2013
Council Conclusions adopted by the General Affairs Council
Oct 2013
2nd Annual Forum of the Danube Strategy
May 2014
Report on the governance of macro-regional strategies
June 2014
3rd Annual Forum of the Danube Strategy

4. 1 1
Report on Governance

5. Report on Governance Background Aim: concrete progress on the ground
Implementation of Baltic and Danube show weaknesses with regard to the "governance" system, i.e. who does what
Recommendations and options for existing & upcoming MRS, then translated into Danube context.
Demand for a review of the governance process
Weakness identified in EC Report on Added Value of MRS
Council Conclusions (22/10) asked the Commission to review governance systems by end 2014
Timeline: Adoption of Communication before June 2014
Discussion in Annual Forums in June 2014

6. Better governance is not about new funds
Better governance is not about new funds. It is about rechanneling and re-organising existing possibilities, and making better use of existing institutions

7. Strengthening of Leadership and ownership of MS/regions concerned
Recognition of macro-regional strategies as horizontal responsibility of governments concerned
Strengthening of Leadership and ownership of MS/regions concerned
EC will continue to play a key role; however, its support should be better balanced by effective leadership within MS/regions
Monitoring and evaluation of the approach should be based on realistic indicators and targets as well as an overview of priority area activities, etc.
Alignment of policies and funding should be systematic and sustainable

8. Governance of macroregional-strategies: Main needs
1 Stronger Political leadership & decision making
2 Greater clarity in the organisation of MRS

9. Working hypothesis: four levels of governance
Political leadership
support
Coordination
Implementation
Political and strategic leadership: Who gives strategic direction, and in which configuration?
Coordination: How to manage overall and pro-active administrative coordinations at participating country (or region) level? This includes tasks such as overall operational guidance, reporting and evaluation of performance, national/regional coordination, facilitation of major events, and practical links to existing funding sources.
3. Implementation:
Who leads day-to-day implementation, who is associated, how can it be supported? How can full participation of non-EU countries be ensured?
4. Ownership
How to ensure identity, communication and accountability?
Ownership

10. 1. Political and strategic leadership:
Recommendations and options(1)
1. Political and strategic leadership:
general strategic direction: Ministers hosting NCP as regular decision making formation; options: rotating chair, special representative. Thematic cooperation: sector-ministers driving cooperation forward; National Contact Points as interface for key implementers. EC overall stratetic support ensuring EU dimension.
2. Coordination:
HLG: overall macro-regional "board"; Group of NCP: agenda setting, steering, monitoring implementation, etc. with the support of EC; Support by the transnational programme and INTERACT

11. Recommendations and options (2)
3. Implementation:
Minister is responsible for conditions offered; Steering Groups for all Priority Areas, Horizontal Actions, Pillars; Support by the transnational programme (platform, point) and INTERACT; PAC: interface between project and policy level
4. Ownership:
Strengthening the role of national parliaments; Stronger involvement of regional and local authorities; civil society
Better communication of results and concrete activities to ensure public debate on the approach

12. 1 2
3rd Annual Forum

13. SAVE THE DATE: The 3rd Annual Forum of the EUSDR, jointly organised by the COM, the Austrian Government and the City of Vienna will take place in Vienna on 26/27 June 2014
With the working title “We grow together – together we grow", the forum shall encourage a debate on:
Social inclusion as focus of and pre- condition for Prosperity
Governance
as success factor for the EUSDR
Governance for Social Inclusion
&
Competitiveness

14. Ministerial Meetings &
Structure of the Event 4
Plenary sessions
Danube Cosmos
Parallel thematic activities
Ministerial Meetings &
Numerous Side Events

15. 3
DANUBE transnational programme

16. Final OP until end of September
Financial support for the Danube Strategy:
Support for PACs
Seed Money
Technical Focal point (to be further elaborated)
Thematic focus

17. Thank you for your attention !
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