In December 2012, the “European Council” called on the “Commission” to bring forward an “E.U. Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region” (“EUSAIR”) before the end of 2014, following the example of other existing  macro-regional Strategies, for the “Baltic Sea Region” (“EUSBSR”) and the “Danube Region (“EUSDR”).

It has, now! Indeed, on November 18th., in the “Square – Brussels Meeting Center”, since Italy has the Presidency of the Council of the European Union”, the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Paolo Gentiloni, hosted this Conference, having invited Ministers of the seven “EUSER” countries to join the discussions.

Commissioners Corina Cretu, for Regional and Urban Policy, and Karmenu Vella, for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries did represent the “European Commission”, reflecting on the important experience gained from other macro-regional and sea-basin strategies.

So, the “EUSER” will promote economic growth, job creation and prosperity in this Region, by improving its attractiveness, competitiveness and connectivity. It also aims at protecting the sea, coastal and inland environment and ecosystems. Moreover, the Strategy is expected to better integrate, into the “Union”, the participating countries wich are candidates for “E.U.” membership and the potential candidate countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia.

These four countries were represented by some of their Ministers. At least one of them, for each country, joined one Minister of each one of the four “E.U.” Members States being part of the “EUSAIR”: Croatia, Greece, Italy and Slovenia, to come on stage and sit in front of a great number of important guests, coming from 21 European Countries. Each one of the eight people, sitting on stage, spoke about the importance of this “Strategy Project” for their own countries, with Tvrtko Jakovina, Professor at the “University of Zagreb”, as moderator.

The audience reacted quite a lot when the Representant of Serbia said: “Becoming a Member of the “E.U.” would give us what we really need since the end of the war: one access to the Adriatic”. We understood him but the most important is well to be stronger in economy and other fields, when the eight countries will be, all together, full Members of the “E.U.”, wich is a great hope for their future.

For them all, its necessary, by example, to develop the railways betwwen these eight “EUSAIR” countries, where some of them, being now, in 2014, are with a poor railway organsation, wich is not good for the tourism industry and the commercial exchanges between the “EUSAIR” countries, in relation, also, of course, with the other European countries, wich have to understand our values and the importance, for them, to have business relations with our eight countries. But on the Adriatic and on the earht other communications have to be also developped

“Our Economy would be better if we would work better together. All of us we have a great Cultural Heritage, but we have to coordinate our actions between us and with the rest of the “Union”. It’s important to have same rules for the visas, if we wil have more people from China, Japan or Russia visiting our countries, for business’ reasons or just for tourism. Also, we have to place the Education as the most important for the future”, said different speakers. As a conclusion of this conference, the President of the Marche Region said: “We have to place all our energies together and we have to find some finances. Our project, in respect with our different cultures, is perfectly democratic. We have one ambitious program but we have to do it”.

More informations on: www.adriatic-ionian.eu

Text: Yves Calbert.

Photographies: www.onlycroatia.com