Since 2016, as requested by the Council, every second year the Commission publishes a report on the implementation of the existing macro-regional strategies (MRS). This is the fourth report, covering the period from mid-2020 to mid-2022. It assesses the state of play and progress on implementing the MRS and examines ways forward especially in the context of the war in Ukraine and the COVID-19 crisis.
Download — Mnenje EESO: Implementation of EU macro-regional strategies
The aim of this proposal is to better explore how project-oriented policies and smart specialization strategies can be directed towards development of transnational networks involving local authorities, SME's and research institutions. These partnerships are essential for the realization of transantional projects, with the EU funding, eventually under the umbrella of the EU macro-regional strategies.
Download — Mnenje EESO: Economic convergence and competitiveness within macro-regions-transnational clusters (Exploratory opinion at the request of the Romanian Presidency)
The EESC appreciates the strong political backing behind the EUSAIR and believes that this is crucial to sustaining effective integration between the Europe 2020 Strategy, European enlargement policy and the regional development strategies.
The EESC maintains that during the different stages of the EUSAIR's implementation, public and private economic stakeholders, the social partners and the various components of organised civil society ought to be ensured adequate guidance through ad hoc training programmes and organisational and technical support.
Moreover, ad hoc indicators should be identified to enable the monitoring, implementation and evaluation of the EUSAIR's programmes and measures.
Download — EESC opinion: EU strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR)
The EESC welcomes the special attention devoted to drawing up a European Union Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR), in order to support cohesion and competitiveness in the light of challenges that cannot be satisfactorily resolved by single regions or countries through the usual means. The EESC believes that EUSAIR must adopt a comprehensive programme with an action-oriented list of projects and schemes, and strongly recommends that better use be made of the private sector's potential to attract investment (both local and international) and to create business opportunities. Simultaneously, the strategy should include a stronger social dimension, in order to better support inclusive growth in the Adriatic and Ionian region.
Download — EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR)
