Workshop “Towards a EU Strategy for the Carpathian Region”, Committee of the Regions (CoR)

The Workshop took place on 28 May 2013 at the Committee of the Regions (CoR) in Brussels and was co – organized by UNEP Vienna – ISCC and EURAC in cooperation with the AEM (Association of Elected Representatives from Mountain Regions), AEBR (Association of European Border Regions), with the patronage of the President of the CoR, Mr. Varcacel  Siso

The Workshop aimed at promoting the development of a EU Strategy for the Carpathian Region (Carpathian Strategy) in order to further strengthen the cooperation and the coordination between stakeholders at different levels and to further reinforce the role of the Carpathians in Europe.

It was a follow – up event to the Consultative Workshop “Moving towards a Carpathian Strategy – Implementing the EU Strategy for the Danube Region in the Carpathian Area”, which has been organised in Brussels in January 2011. Within this Workshop the Strategic Action Plan for the Carpathian Area, including priority actions and projects to be developed and implemented in the Carpathian Area, has been finalized, before having been adopted at the Third Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Carpathian Convention (COP 3) in May 2011.

The Strategic Action Plan for the Carpathian Area and the parts of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) and of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) relevant for the Carpathians have been presented as a basis for the development of a possible future Carpathian Strategy.  Possible Priority Areas and actions/projects of the Strategy, other related projects initiatives, and next steps, such as a possible Opinion of the CoR supporting a Carpathian Strategy, were discussed among the Workshop participants.

Representatives from the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Committee of the Regions, Carpathian countries, regions, local authorities, NGOs and public associations acting in the Region participated in the Conference.