Current questions of financing the Danube strategy

The European Council adopted the European Danube Strategy in 2009. The strategy contains a far-reaching system of intentions and it covers many member states (Germany - Baden-Wurttemberg and Bavaria - Austria, the Slovak Republic, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania and Bulgaria) and neighbouring countries (Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine). In the study we identify the financial possibilities of the strategy both in connection with the multiannual financial frameworks of 2007-2013 and 2014-2020. All participating countries can use moneys from the Structural Funds, from the Cohesion Fund, from various political financial initiatives and they can also receive project grants as well as loans with preferential interest rates from international financial institutions. This study tries to sum up the potential financial possibilities for each group of the participating countries (e.g. "old member states", "new member states", candidate countries, etc.) Also each country's contribution (co-financing and fund matching) plays a big role in the implementation of the strategy. The study tries to examine the proposed changes regarding the Danube strategy which are suggested to be part of the next multiannual financial framework. The proposals for using the financial resources more effectively are analysed - such as improving the preparation of projects and increasing the subsidisation of interregional co-operations. Currently there is no territorial unit to distribute EU subsidies which would cover the whole territory of the Danube strategy, because one group of countries is part of the Central Europe Programme, another group of countries is part of the South East Europe Programme (the Slovak Republic and Hungary are part of both programmes). The study therefore deals with the idea of creating a new transnational development area within the framework of European territorial co-operation. The study outlines the challenges for the decision takers, especially with regard to the negotiations about the multiannual financial framework of 2014-2020.