State Secretary Metelko-Zgombić participates in 10th EUSDR Annual Forum

State Secretary Metelko-Zgombić participates in 10th EUSDR Annual Forum

The 10th Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) is taking place 26-27 October in Bratislava under Slovakia’s presidency. The Forum was opened by Slovakian Prime Minister Heger, who underlined the importance of green and digital transformation. Commissioner for Regional and Urban Policy Ferreira stressed in her video message the role of innovations and the embedding of the EUSDR priorities into the operative programmes of member countries. She also noted that the embedding process had kicked off during Croatia’s EUSDR presidency in 2020.

State Secretary for Europe Andreja Metelko-Zgombić addressed the panel via video link, saying that we are in an important period when we need to tie in the EUSDR programmes with the funds available from the cohesion policy. Once macro-regional priorities are embedded into the relevant programmes, we need to ensure their adequate implementation in the future.

Metelko-Zgombić welcomed the taking over of EUSDR presidency by Ukraine, as a non-EU member state. This not only confirms that the EUSDR belongs to all countries and regions, but that the enlargement process and neighbourhood policy are growing stronger and that synergy is being created between the values and policies of these processes and the EUSDR.

As part of the Forum, a meeting of innovation and digitalization ministers also took place, at which Croatia was represented by State Secretary of Economy and Sustainable Development Ministry Nataša Mikuš Žigman. She reflected on the ministry’s role as one of the Priority Area 8 coordinators and on its activities in the fields of innovation and digitalization. Mikuš Žigman also presented the ministry’s future activities, underscoring that the National Recovery and Resilience Programme contained a green and digital component, and that Croatia would continue to stimulate innovation and digitalization. The ministers also adopted a joint statement.

 

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