Assembly accepted town of Ulcinj in the Adriatic Euro-region – Video

June 18, 2012   | Bota

Adriatic-Ionian regional strategy discussed at the 7th Assembly of the Adriatic Euro-region

The Assembly of the Adriatic Euro-region, which was attended by representatives of the Government of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton ( HNC), was held in Trieste. President of the Adriatic Euro-region, Angelo Michele Iorio, at the beginning of the session said they were pleased that at this seventh General Assembly representatives of all region members arrived, i.e. from Albania, Italy, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Greece.
In the extensive discussion session participants discussed the Adriatic-Ionian regional strategy, the IPA CBC, and a joint project of the members SE Biennial Habitat 2012 relating to the Adriatic world heritage. As part of this project in November this year in Mostar workshop on the Adriatic-Ionian macro region will be held. Also, members of the Assembly unanimously accepted the admission of the Montenegrin town of Ulcinj in the Adriatic Euro-region, says the statement issued by the Herzegovina-Neretva Cantonal (HNC) Government.

Source: FENA
http://video.zoover.nl/media/play/2010/01/20100125130811_025.flv

TIMING OF THE ADRIATIC- IONIAN MACROREGION 

Since the beginning of 2010, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Adriatic- Ionian Initiative, the Marche Region started a series of initiatives aimed at raising awareness among the main European Institutions on the acknowledgment of the Adriatic- Ionian Macroregion.

On  March 3, 2011, in Brussels, the COTER( Territorial Cooperation) Commission of the Committee of the Regions entrusted the Marche Region with the drafting of an opinion on “ Territorial Cooperation in the Mediterranean basin through the Adriatic- Ionian Macroregion”.

The opinion approval process involved a first step on July 4, which has a successful outcome, and wasl completed on October 12 when, during the plenary assembly of the Committee of the Regions, the final validation was given.

Council of  June 23 and 24: in the Conclusions, member States were invited “to keep working, in collaboration with the Commission, at possible future Macroregions, with the particular reference to the Adriatic- Ionian Macroregion”.

The procedure for the final approval of the Adriatic Ionian Macroregion should be concluded by 2013, in order to benefit from the financial interventions included in the new EU programming 2014- 2020.

ADVANTAGES OF THE FUTURE ADRIATIC- IONIAN MACROREGION

The added value stemming from the institution of a Macroregion lies in the integrated and coordinated approach by a different institutions, committed to solve shared  problems; a common initiative, involving various stakeholders, different policies and several funding programmes.

This common initiative implies an actual will to collaborate of different power and the possibility to coordinate different funding sources.

The Macroregion, as cooperation mode, is peculiar because is capable of strengthening the coherence and the coordination of political actions, of strengthening the use of financial resources and of enhancing the role regional ad local bodies, strongly involving civil society organizations.

A further added value of the Adriatic- Ionian Macroregion is the new attention of the EU as regards the western Balkans.

In this regard, the Macroregion may also facilitate the accession to the EU of the Countries interested in the pre- accession procedures; furthermore, it represent an opportunity to realize and promote the strengthening of democratic process among the territories belonging to the wider Mediterranean area.

ACTORS INVOLVED IN THE INSTITUTION OF THE ADRIATIC- IONIAN MACROREGION 

The relevant geographical area for the Adriatic- Ionian Macroregion includes three Member States( Italy, with Adriatic- Ionian regions, Greece and Slovenia), and the countries on the Adriatic Sea, i. e. Croatia will become part in July 1, 2013, Bosnia- Herzogovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Albania, which are undergoing procedures to become part of the EU. All those countries are connected not only by the shared historical, economic and culture features, by also by long standing, important integration and cooperation  initiatives. The Adriatic- Ionian basin around which it revolves is almost a “ closed area” and, in the future perspective, an “ inland sea” of the EU. A circumscribed sea, which connects( now) member states and other countries and, at same time, represent the natural access to the sea of the Danube Macroregion.

In view of an accession of western Balkan countries, the Adriatic and Ionian Seas will be even more affected by the circulation of people, good and services which be added to the sharing of the common heritage.

The Macroregion goes beyond the sea basin and, thanks to its very nature of territory connector, of joining links of people and  institutions, it is an ideal instrument to foster an exchange of ideas, people, goods and services, with a natural control of migration flows.

For its characterizing features and, in particular, for the attention of its member states to the protection of sea water and coast, the Adriatic Ionian Macroregion may undertake a more strictly Mediterranean dimension, fostering the stabilization process in the area.

Source: http://www.aii-ps.org

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