The Danube river basin covers one fifth of the area of the EU and is home to 100 million people. As important contributors to the EU Strategy for the Danube region, Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia are keen to explore the potential for greater economic development and cooperation throughout the middle and lower Danube region. They have therefore welcomed the opportunity to host a regional conference at which the six countries of the region can improve their existing cooperation while discussing implementation of the EU strategy. The talks will focus on tourism, including the development of sustainable services and infrastructure and the establishment of a strong brand for South-Eastern European destinations.

The event has been planned as a ‘floating conference’ to be held on a boat, the MS Elegant Lady, while it cruises from Belgrade in Serbia to Vidin in Bulgaria, via Drobeta Turnu Severin in Romania. It is being organised by the Bulgarian Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism, Romania’s Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism, and Serbia’s Ministry of Economy and Regional Development. Among the expected results will be the signing of a declaration by all the ministries of the middle and lower Danube region, asserting their neighbourly collaboration in the field of sustainable tourism.

To promote cross-border cooperation and the development of sustainable tourism in the Danube region, the ministries involved have given strong support to the creation of the Danube Competence Centre (DCC), a regional platform for cooperation between the relevant stakeholders. The DCC receives a grant from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), channelled through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The Centre will act as secretariat for the conference, and will provide logistical and financial support for the event.

To coincide with the conference, the first ever cross-border Blue Danube Festival has been arranged in the Iron Gate region. This is being organised by the DCC together with the communities of Majdanpek and Kladovo in Serbia, and Dobreta Turnu Severin and county Mehedinti in Romania. Running from 22 – 29 June 2011, this will help attract tourists while cementing the cross-border cooperation.

Veranstaltungsort/Zeit

Danube ‘floating conference’
24 – 26 June 2011

Ansprechpartner

Mr Nebojsa Matijasevic
E-Mail: nebojsa.matijasevic@giz.de

Weitere Informationen

Danube Competence Center – the regional tourism cooperation platform
http://www.danubecc.org

eingetragen am: 5/2/2011