Panorama

PANORAMA / SUMMER 2020 / No. 73
EU strategy for the Adriatic
and Ionian region
EU areas
Other areas
© EuroGeographics Association for the administrative boundaries (Nuts regions)
Marc Lemaître
The inclusion of North Macedonia
in the EUSAIR reinforces its political
dimension and strengthens its
role in the convergence and enlargement
processes, setting it up as the ‘enlargement’
macro-regional strategy, covering
five IPA (Instrument for Pre-Accession
Assistance) countries and four EU Member
States. Cooperation on an equal
footing contributes to the mutual learning
process and to extending relevant EU
policies to North Macedonia, while supporting
the priorities of the new Commission,
with a special focus on a
‘Stronger Europe in the World’ and the
‘European Green Deal’.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
has been devastating in Europe and
worldwide. While the EU itself has been
heavily affected by coronavirus, it is providing
essential and unparalleled support
to the Western Balkans. It has secured
over EUR 3,3 billion to address the
region’s immediate health and humanitarian
needs and to support medium- and
long-term socio-economic recovery plans.
Sustainable and inclusive
Furthermore, on 27 May 2020, the Commission
set out a bold and comprehensive
plan for European recovery driven by
three core values: solidarity, cohesion, and
convergence. In this context, I am convinced
that EUSAIR’s cooperation framework
can play a unique role, not only to
better respond to the most urgent needs
on the ground but also to establish the
basis for more sustainable and inclusive
growth in the Adriatic-Ionian Region.
The inclusion of North Macedonia has
come at the right moment, when
the Commission, Member States and
the IPA countries are engaged in the
programming of the 2021-2027 funding.
The time is ripe to ensure that
EUSAIR priorities are well reflected in
all relevant EU funds and implemented
through cooperation. I am sure that
North Macedonia, supported by administrations
in the other EUSAIR countries,
can capitalise on the opportunities provided
by macroregional cooperation.
I invite North Macedonia to participate
actively in all EUSAIR governing structures,
to bring its own experience as an
EU candidate country in all relevant
sectors and to use it together with all
countries across the region. All positive
energies will be required to help kickstart
EUSAIR economies towards recovery,
boost their twin digital and green
transitions, and make them fairer, more
resilient and more sustainable for
future generations.
FIND OUT MORE
http://www.adriatic-ionian.eu/
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