Implementation of EU macro-regional strategies

Background

In January 2023, the Commission adopted its fourth report on the implementation of the existing EU macro-regional strategies (MRS), highlighting achievements and cooperation actions taken between 2020 and 2022 in the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR), the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR), the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR) and the EU Strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP). The EESC, in a new opinion, reviews this report and acknowledges that MRS play an important role in the social, territorial and economic cohesion of the regions, and contribute to the European integration of neighbouring countries. However, the Committee also believes that more efforts should be made in order to strengthen MRS so that they can be leaders for change, inspire confidence and promote European values.

Key points

In the opinion, the EESC:

• believes it is relevant to address disparities between the various MRS, especially with regard to the regions most disadvantaged, to prevent turning economic competitiveness and social cohesion into something problematic that will lead to bigger gaps between regions that are more "developed" and those that are less so;
• proposes establishing a system for the short- and medium-duration exchange of civil servants between the regions of the MRS, similar to the Erasmus programme;
• proposes organising forums with the representatives of civil society and social partners in MRS Member States;
• calls on all MRS to explore the possibilities for reversing the lacking involvement of local key drivers for development, and of multinational corporations and international financial institutions and banks.

Additional information 

- EESC section: Economic and Monetary Union and Economic and Social Cohesion (ECO)
- opinion type: Optional
- rapporteur: Stefano PALMIERI (Workers-Group II / Italy), Dimitris DIMITRIADIS (Employers-Group I / Greece)
- reference: ECO/609-EESC-2023
- referral: COM(2022) 705 final
- date of adoption by section: 30/05/2023
- date of adoption in plenary: 14-15/06/2023

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