Danube Strategy Flagships are projects or processes that contribute to the implementation of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR), have a clear macro-regional dimension and a multi-level governance approach. They are of high importance for the Danube Region’s economic, social and territorial cohesion and for improving the quality of life in the Danube Region.

Danube Strategy Flagships strengthen internal and external communication of the Strategy and the visibility of the topics, initiatives and prospects in the Danube Region. They illustrate the progress achieved in implementing the EUSDR and demonstrate exemplarily significant improvement in the Region that is induced by cooperation.

EUSDR National Coordinators and Priority Area Coordinators with the respective Steering Groups, in their capacity as representatives and key implementers of the EUSDR, as well as the Danube Strategy Point, are committed to contribute to and promote Danube Strategy Flagships in accordance with the Guidance Paper for identifying and listing Danube Strategy Flagships.

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List of Danube Strategy Flagships 2025-2026

RIS Corridor Management Initiative

Project, ongoing

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 1a Waterways Mobility

COMEX² succeeds the international RIS COMEX project (2016-2022) and the CoRISMa project (2013-2015) and, with 20 partners from 13 countries and three cooperation partners from Switzerland, Serbia, and Ukraine, will take up the baton for the harmonised implementation and optimisation of River Information Services (RIS) in Europe over the coming years. With a focus on the future-oriented further development of the transnational portals (EuRIS and CEERIS) as well as national systems and services, COMEX² also includes improving the resilience of the systems and services. Within the CEERIS portal, administrative processes are digitalised such as the reporting via the DAVID forms in the context of border control procedures.

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Danube Region Multimodal Corridors

Process; ongoing

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 1b Rail-Road-Air Mobility

The development of an interconnected and integrated transport system in the Danube Region is a challenge of macro-regional relevance and consistent with national priorities as well as with the EU objectives of a more connected, greener and low-carbon Europe. It aims at strengthening transport infrastructure networks relations by identifying multimodal corridors alongside the TEN-T network, including connections between the EU and non-EU member states. In addition, the network shall improve connections between the Northern Adriatic and Black Sea and intermodal connections with the river and seaports of the macro-region.

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Danube Region Transport Days (DRTD)

Stakeholder conference, network, platform; ongoing

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 1b Rail-Road-Air Mobility

Since 2012, EUSDR PA 1b assembles its valued stakeholders e.g. from the European Commission, academia, financing institutions, business representatives and interested general public to collect input across the diverse participants, advance standards of best practice and enable networking.

The purpose of the annual Stakeholders’ Conference is to identify guiding principles for selected topics in transport, ascertain the current performance in these areas, and determine how the implementation of EUSDR PA 1b towards its mission can be further improved.

With this information, PA 1b can make effective decisions on its implementation plan. The conference outcomes also provide valuable input for the participants who are able to learn what are the most needed research and project activities for enhanced mobility and multimodality in the Danube Region.

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X4ITS – Central European Cross-border Cooperation for ITS

Project; ongoing

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 1b Rail-Road-Air Mobility

Activities within X4ITS are broadly described in four categories covering information management from collection of data in Central and Eastern Europe to the provision of information services for end-users:

  • Measures to improve detection of incidents/conditions/status etc. on the corridor (through road side and mobile devices)
  • Measures to manage collected data and making it available for neighbouring countries and management measures
  • Measures to improve provision of services to end-users
  • Measures to implement/upgrade National Access Points as foreseen in the Delegation Regulation
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Diversification of gas supply in the EUSDR

Project, process, network; ongoing

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 2 Sustainable Energy

The Russian gas import in many EUSDR countries lays well above 60%, which makes this part of Europe even more exposed than the EU average. The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and the resulting energy crisis raise the security of supply concerns as never before. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to assess how to reduce gas import dependence in the Danube Region, how to diversify the energy supply of the Region’s countries, accelerate the use of untapped renewable and other alternative energy sources.

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Enhancing hydrogen economy in the EUSDR

Project, process, network; ongoing

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 2 Sustainable Energy

The Danube Strategy Flagship will coordinate actions to foster the development of hydrogen economies in the EUSDR countries at a macro-regional level, building on synergies of the national actions and the favourable natural/geographical conditions of the EUSDR (e.g., areas of excellent potentials for green hydrogen production from renewables, tremendous transport facilities: either natural, such as the Danube River, or artificial such as the extended gas infrastructures, etc.). It will analyse the entire hydrogen value-chain (production, transport/storage, end-uses) at a macro-regional level in a comprehensive way in order to make policy recommendations on how to adjust the different strengths/opportunities (e.g. production and transport capacities) and visions (e.g. various end-use development scenarios) at national levels into a transnational context, thus facilitating the development of a fully operational macro-regional hydrogen economy.

The Danube Strategy Flagship will also foster project generation (including IPCEI projects) in the hydrogen topic, and label selected successful projects as flagships (e.g. HyEfre, Danube Indeet projects).

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NRGCOM - Creating appropriate operational conditions for renewable energy communities in the Danube Region

Project; 01.01.2024 – 30.06.2026

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 2 Sustainable Energy

The Danube Region relies heavily on imported, fossil-fuel energy sources, which raises environmental, efficiency and security concerns. The concept of renewable energy communities (RECs) is not widely known in the Region, and their operation is often hampered by legal, internal operational, infrastructural or technical barriers. The overall goal of NRGCOM is to enhance the spread of energy communities by creating an appropriate environment for their proper functioning in the Danube Region.

Within the project, the partners review the legal frameworks, analyse the operation systems and governance techniques of existing RECs and collect best practises in the subject, in order to develop policy recommendations to remove the bottlenecks encountered, and jointly design a model and prepare a strategy for the creation of proper conditions for RECs establishment in the Danube Region.

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CultHeRit – Identifying Solutions for Labour Market Imbalances in the Cultural Heritage Sector in the Danube Region by Improving Its Accessibility to Young Professionals

Project; 01.01.2024 – 30.06.2026

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 3 Culture & Tourism

CultHeRit is an initiative of 13 cultural heritage institutions and their associations from 10 countries in the Danube Region that gathered to identify and test solutions for the brain drain of young talents and professionals from the cultural heritage sector. This phenomenon manifests on both sectoral (from the cultural heritage to more lucrative sectors), and territorial (from East to West) level. To reverse this, the multidisciplinary partnership from the Region aims to induce positive changes of the current employment practices in the cultural heritage institutes and museums in the Region. By increasing the accessibility of the sector for young professionals, the project will contribute to slowing down and reversing migration of highly educated young people and to retaining skilled labour, while increasing diversity of the sectoral workforce. Ultimately, CultHeRit strives to ensure that the sector becomes and remains an attractive workplace which offers a rewarding career and professional development to its young employees.

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IBC – Inclusive Border Cycling

Project; 01.01.2024 – 30.06.2026

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 3 Culture & Tourism

Several transnational cycling trails have been developed in the Danube Region as innovative instruments for promoting sustainable tourism and mobility, while simultaneously valorising the Region’s rich and diverse natural and cultural heritage. However, trail sections traversing peripheral and border regions often encounter complex socio-demographic challenges, including outward migration, population ageing, elevated shares of vulnerable groups, and structural economic disadvantages. These challenges, compounded by infrastructural and service-related deficiencies, frequently result in less attractive trail offerings that are not competitive in international cycling tourism markets.

The effective valorisation of local tangible and intangible heritage along these trails remains limited, primarily due to a lack of inclusive, community-based initiatives and insufficient coordination among existing efforts. The Inclusive Border Cycling (IBC) project seeks to address these issues by promoting the sustainable development of cycling trails in disadvantaged border regions, with a particular focus on the inclusion of vulnerable local populations.

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New European Bauhaus on the Danube (The NEBoD Initiative)

Project, process, network, platform; in preparation

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 3 Culture & Tourism

NEBoD is a think-and-do tank acting as an enabler for the green transition in the Danube Region through establishing a functional cooperation of public authorities, civil society, and the private, investment, and financial sectors to improve capacities of cities and regions for triggering and implementing investments into more responsible land use practices as a basis for new green and just economy. The initiative is also an innovative force, inventing and testing new methods and formats to involve different stakeholders in this transition and foster life-long education on all levels.

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Flagship Process on Adaptation to Climate Change

Process; ongoing

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 4 Water Quality

Climate change is a global challenge and it is a crosscutting issue. PA 4 supports a number of related actions in which water availability and water quality are key issues to climate change adaptation as stated in PA 4 Action 6 of the EUSDR Action Plan. Moreover, climate change issues are also part of PA 5 activities.

Among others, PA 4 organised a conference on adaptation to climate change in Budapest, HU, (2023) to showcase good practices and innovative, new approaches. The Priority Area supports a number of international projects on small water and nutrient retention measures (OPTAIN), local water retention measures (LIFE LOGOS 4 WATERS). PA 4 is assisting in the Danube Water Balance project, creating a water balance mode for the whole Danube River Basin. It actively supports the innovative water management initiatives of the DALIA project, DanubeSediment_Q2 in improving the management of sediment quantity and quality, RESTORIVER in the restoration of river banks and riparian areas and facilities other projects related to climate change.

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Flagship Process on Emerging Substances

Process; ongoing

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 4 Water Quality

PA 4 has been very active in the field of emerging substances as they represent a significant risk to the water environment. Although by Watch List of Directive 2000/60/EC (Water Framework Directive – WFD; Annex X – the substances are specified in detail in Directive 2013/39/EU), there is an obligation to monitor hazardous and emerging substances in surface water and for groundwater it is not compulsory. Since this list is continually enlarging, currently there is not enough relevant data available on their occurrence as well as on their impacts on ecosystems and humans.

PA 4 organised data collection on microplastic at WWTPs and is supporting international projects and project proposals on plastic and microplastic like Aquatic Plastic and MicroDrink.

Moreover, PA 4 in 2019 prepared a study on the pharmaceutics occurrence in surface water and groundwater, which had a positive impact on policymaking and development. As A continuation to this topic, in the future PA 4 plans to organise a conference on pharmaceutics occurrence in water when the respective legislation will be in place. The established cooperation with the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region in hazardous substance issues is promising to solve the challenges jointly.

PA 4 also strongly supports the implementation of the Thetys project, a coordinated Danube action to tackle water pollution by hazardous substances.

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Flagship Process on Migratory Fish

Process; ongoing

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 4 Water Quality, PA 6 Biodiversity, Landscapes and Air & Soil Quality

Submitted by: PA 4

PA 4 in cooperation with PA 6 is very active in increasing the knowledge base on migratory fish species, including the sturgeon – the Danube endemic fish species – and is looking for possibilities of re-establishing their migration routes. PA 4 supports international projects like the Monstur project to establish, test, and launch a transboundary system to monitor sturgeon species for the management and protection of migratory fish in the Danube basin or We Pass I and II and Living Rivers projects to enable fish migration at the Iron Gates and Gabčíkovo Water Structure. PA 4 presented a brochure “Promoting Measures to Enable Fish Migration in the Danube River Basin” summarising the current knowledge, carried out a study on the effects of noise and waves on fish species and a fish migration restoration document, prepared an animated film about sterlets, and organised a working meeting regarding fish migration “From Iron Gates to Gabčíkovo Water Structure”. PA 4 is also continuously promoting hydro-morphological measures to achieve a good ecological status of the waters needed for fish migration.

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Disaster Management Working Group

Project, process, network, platform; ongoing

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 5 Environmental Risks

Extending the cooperation and joint efforts of the countries in the Danube Region presents an opportunity for reaching a common understanding and for developing standards regarding the management of environmental risks. Developing recommendations for the involvement of civil protection organisations and fire and rescue services involved in disaster management would encourage standardised response activities.

The Disaster Management Working Group (DM-WG) was established in 2019 to concentrate on emergency response and preparedness elements of managing environmental risks which are within the scope of EUSDR PA 5.

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Nature-based Solutions for Flood Risk Reduction in the Danube Region

Platform; ongoing

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 5 Environmental Risks

Nature-based solutions (NBS) for flood risk reduction are interventions inspired and supported by nature, providing cost-effective environmental, social, and economic benefits while building resilience. These solutions enhance urban and rural landscapes by integrating natural features and processes, often allowing nature to self-sustain (e.g., river restoration). In flood risk management, NBS involve managing erosion and flood risks by leveraging natural regulatory functions of catchments and coasts, promoting human well-being and biodiversity.

Recent decades have seen a push for flexible, multifunctional solutions in flood risk management, leading to the rise of NBS. These solutions mitigate flood impacts like erosion and sedimentation, reduce drought risk, and offer other benefits. NBS can be purely natural (“green”) or hybrid, combining natural and engineered elements, embodying the concept of “making more space for rivers” and necessitating basin-level flood protection planning.

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Enhancing Environmental Safety through Public Awareness and Local Government Involvement in the Danube River Basin

Network; ongoing

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 5 Environmental Risks

These actions and targets align with the proposal’s goals of raising public awareness and involving local governments in environmental safety initiatives. By focusing on these areas, the proposal supports the broader objectives of the EUSDR Action Plan, enhancing the Region’s resilience to environmental risks and promoting sustainable development.

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Danube WILDisland Ramsar Regional Initiative

Network; ongoing

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 6 Biodiversity, Landscapes and Air & Soil Quality

The Danube WILDisland RRI is intended as the first river-focused Ramsar Regional Initiative in Europe to foster international and cross-sector cooperation and natural river and island protection, at the world´s most international river. The Initiative is intended as a long-term collaborative effort between countries and entities for the entire Danube Region, the Ramsar Convention Secretariat, intergovernmental institutions, international non-governmental organisations, and national institutions specialised in wetland issues, and finally, Danube protected areas, which aims to ensure the effective conservation of wetlands and the wise use of their resources, values, and services within the framework of the Ramsar Convention. It will strive to provide practical means for international cooperation and support for an effective implementation of the Ramsar Convention and its Strategic Plan in the Danube Region, for improving the visibility of the Ramsar Convention and wetland-related issues of common concern through voluntary international cooperation at the regional level and, in particular, involving all relevant national and regional stakeholders.

It will assist the participating Member States to further advance the goals and adhere to their obligations related to wetlands conservation in the frame of the Ramsar Convention. The RRI will strive to mobilise political support, to strengthen the Danube as an ecological corridor connecting more bio-geographic regions than any other corridor in Europe, and to act as an example of best practices for the establishment of European Green and Blue Infrastructure.

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GeoNetSee – An AI/IoT-based system of GEOsensor NETworks for real-time monitoring of unStablE tErrain and artificial structures

Project; 01.01.2024 – 30.06.2026

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 7 Knowledge Society

GeoNetSee, a project that integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT), aims at creating a “geosensor” network for real-time monitoring of unstable terrain and artificial structures in the Danube Region. Central to this effort is the creation of the Danube Collaborative Center (DCC) – a digital platform that connects researchers, geodetic engineers, public authorities, and decision-makers, providing real-time data for precise measurements, infrastructure monitoring, and risk assessment. The DCC will act as a hub for cross-border collaboration, fostering knowledge exchange and supporting coordinated responses to geohazards. The project also includes pilot actions in Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Montenegro, which will demonstrate the effectiveness of real-time geodetic monitoring, generate valuable data for risk management, and showcase scalable solutions for the broader Danube Region, helping to bridge the innovation level gap and promote a smarter, more resilient future.

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HARMONMISSIONS – Harmonisation of Missions in the Danube Region

Project; ongoing

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 7 Knowledge Society

The main objective is to harmonise the implementation of the European missions on the Danube Region level.

We observe significant disparities in the level of understanding, setup, and implementation of the European missions among European regions.

Within the proposed project, we aim to minimise these disparities in Missions 1 and 4 and help set up an effective Missions governing model on the Danube Region level and thus reinforce the position of the Danube Region in the implementation of the EU environment.

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TiCCA4Danu – Transformative Innovation for Climate Change Adaptation in the Danube Region

Project; ongoing

Project; 01.06.2025 – 31.05.2028

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 7 Knowledge Society

TiCCA4Danu proposes a novel and comprehensive transformative innovation framework to accelerate just climate change adaptation (CCA) at the level of cities and their surrounding administrative regions. In order to address the structural barriers for CCA implementation at the city-region level, TiCCA4Danu proposes a systems-level approach, which requires effective governance changes, introduction of directionality, and a different use of policy instruments favouring discovery and experimentation processes. TiCCA4Danu directly relates to the EU Cities- and Adaptation Mission frameworks and builds on the emerging literature discussing the opportunities and limitations to governing socio-technical change for addressing grand challenges, such as climate change, through novel transformative approaches.

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DRWO4.0 – Danube Region Wood Industry Transformation Models towards Industry 4.0

Project; 01.01.2024 – 31.12.2025

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 8 Competitiveness of Enterprises

The DRWO4.0 project aims at transforming the forest-based industry across the Danube Region by closing the digital gap between Western Europe and South-eastern EU regions. While some parts of Europe have surged ahead in embracing Industry 4.0 technologies, many geographical areas still struggle to keep pace. DRWO4.0 is here to change that. Recognising the vast potential of the forest-based sector as a driver of sustainable development, DRWO4.0 brings together a dynamic consortium dedicated to fostering innovation, promoting cross-border collaboration, and building institutional capacity throughout the Danube Region. At the heart of the project is the creation of an innovative, adaptable, and scalable Industry 4.0 transformation model designed specifically for the forest-based sector. This model will not only serve as a blueprint for modernising industry practices but also act as a catalyst for economic growth, environmental stewardship, and technological advancement. Through transnational cooperation, DRWO4.0 empowers regions to take collective action on shared challenges and seize new opportunities for development in the digital era.

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SpinIT - Advancing Smart Specialization and Digital Transformation in the Danube Region / Boosting smart specialisation and encouraging Spin-offs in IT across Danube Region

Project; 01.01.2024 – 30.06.2026

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 8 Competitiveness of Enterprises

The SpinIT project is a transnational initiative co-funded under the Interreg Danube Region Programme, aimed at promoting digital transformation, Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3), and IT-driven innovation across the Danube Region. It combines structured project implementation with process-oriented stakeholder engagement, activating Local Discovery Groups (LDGs) in 10 regions, developing Local Action Plans (LAPs), and launching pilot projects aligned with regional S3 priorities. SpinIT functions as a collaborative platform and network, bringing together over 230 stakeholders from public authorities, SMEs, academia, and civil society to co-create solutions that enhance digital skills, cross-sectoral cooperation, and competitiveness in the IT sector.

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TEX-DAN – Moving forward with circularity in textile and fashion value chains

Project; 01.01.2024 – 30.06.2026

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 8 Competitiveness of Enterprises

TEX-DAN aims at the uptake of technologies at SMEs for improved circularity in the textile and fashion (T&F) value chains through transnational collaboration in the Danube Region. The Danube Region is characterised by large differences in the use of circular solutions in the textile and fashion value chains. The TEX-DAN partnership agrees that there is a need for improvement in knowledge, approaches, know how about innovative technologies, support measures, and policy change that will lead to successful embedding of circularity in the textile branch. There is a need for awareness raising activities, connecting market participants and education. The project will test technology solutions along four key segments of the T&F value chain: 1) bioeconomy clothing, 2) circular design, 3) circulation production processes, and 4) recycling. The project aims at upgrading local, regional and national policies that promote circularity, boosting transnational collaboration and knowledge exchange and will set up various sustainable transnational collaboration forms.

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Skills4Life – Supporting the socio-economic integration of youth leaving child protection systems by developing their skills and capacities through more inclusive leaving care policies in the Danube Region

Project; 2025 – 2028

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 9 People & Skills

The project aims to improve policies and support systems for young care leavers across the Danube Region. It will develop and test an innovative educational programme – Skills4Life – focused on building personal and professional skills, improving employability, and supporting independent living. Activities include mentoring, counselling, internships, and training programmes tailored to the needs of vulnerable youth.

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TransAC - Establishing a Danube training academy as measure against brain drain from rural and crisis regions

Project; 2025 – 2028

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 9 People & Skills

The TransAC project aims to address the negative impacts of brain drain and social stress in rural and crisis areas. The project focuses on young learners, who are most likely to emigrate, as well as vulnerable learners, who are most affected by social stress. Both groups will receive training to improve their future prospects. The project’s focus is on training in additive manufacturing due to its economic potential for rural and crisis regions, as well as the high demand for trainees in this field.

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WIN – Improving the position of Women in labour markets of peripheral INdustrial regions

Project; 2024 – 2026

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 9 People & Skills

The WIN project addresses challenges faced by women in peripheral industrial regions across the Danube Region by means of building capacities and breaking down institutional barriers in these regions, and implementing social innovations for better labour market outcomes. It aims to drive meaningful change by promoting gender equality, improving women’s access to labour markets, and fostering socio-economic resilience in traditionally male-dominated sectors.

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Caring Communities – Transnational multi-level approaches for transformative changes in the Homecare Sector and Community-based Development of the Danube Region

Project; ongoing

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 10 Institutional Capacity & Cooperation

The projecttakes a clear macro-regional approach. The aim is to improve the quality of life of care-dependent people in rural and urban areas of the Danube Region:

  • by building innovation capacities on home- and community-based services
  • and interregional cooperation between various public and private stakeholders
  • supported by scientific monitoring.
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Cross-border Emergency Healthcare

Process, initiative; ongoing

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 10 Institutional Capacity & Cooperation

Smooth cross-border emergency healthcare is a major contribution to better quality of life, in particular for people living in border regions. Thus, this initiative reconciles legal, administrative, technical and cultural aspects of cross-border cooperation. In doing so, the initiative benefits from a strong political will and dedicated partners.

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Danube Participation Day

Platform; ongoing

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 10 Institutional Capacity & Cooperation

The Danube Participation Days are a format that brings together representatives of local, regional and national public administrations, civil society, the EU and Danube Region Strategy governance as well as further interested stakeholders of the EUSDR. In doing so, the Participation Days promote cross sectoral cooperation, exchange know-how and experience and facilitate better coordination between the EUSDR and projects. The objective of Participation Days is to strengthen trust between public and private stakeholders for participatory governance and to co-create sustainable solutions for regional development in the Danube Region.

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Follow-up EUSDR Workshop on the “Impact of the war in Ukraine on Arms Trafficking and other Security Threats”

Project; ongoing

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 11 Security

In 2023, an OSINT report from the GLOBAL INITIATIVE AGAINST TRANSNATIONAL AND ORGANIZED CRIME on the effects of the Russian war against Ukraine was published. The content of this report highlighted current and potential future flows of illicitly traded weapons. A first workshop by law enforcement agencies (LEAs) from around Europe on the topic in April 2024 has identified 14 recommendations on how to improve the fight against illicit firearms arms trafficking. In the next step, the applicants aim to build on these recommendations and to conduct an in-depth workshop to facilitate their implementation.

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For the previous Danube Strategy Flagship lists, please click the respective links below:

Danube Strategy Flagships 2024
Danube Strategy Flagships 2023
Danube Strategy Flagships 2022

Download the pdf-versions of the Danube Strategy Flagship lists here:

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