Danube Strategy of the European Commission
The Danube region covers parts of 9 EU countries (Germany, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Croatia, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Romania) and 5 non-EU countries (Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Ukraine and Moldova). The region is facing several challenges: environmental threats (water pollution, floods, climate change), untapped shipping potential and lack of road and rail, transport connections, insufficient energy connections, uneven socio-economic development, uncoordinated education, research and innovation systems, shortcomings in safety and security.
Better coordination and cooperation between the countries and regions is needed to address these challenges.
Committee of the Regions
The Danube Civil Society Forum (DCSF) will be the platform for civil society dialogue and networking in the Danube basin under the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR). It will function as the interface for structured consultations between civil society and public and private authorities on the regional, national and EU level as well as to international and intergovernmental organisations active in the region. The Danube Civil Society Forum is dedicated to support civil society organisations in the Danube basin. It aims to promote and enhance civil society participation and networking in the framework of the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region.
Committee of the Regions
The mission of the Committee of the Regions (CoR) is to involve regional and local authorities in the European decision-making process at the earliest stage through: mandatory consultation by the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers on key policy areas of regional concern, own-initiative opinions enabling the CoR to put issues on the EU agenda. The 344 members of the CoR carry out this work through six thematic commissions and five plenary sessions, consultations with national and European associations as well as networks and platforms of regions and cities set up to exchange information on EU priority issues.
The Young Citizens Danube Network (YCDN)
The Youth Citizens Danube Network (YCDN) is an international non-governmental non-profit youth organisation aimed at promoting diversity among young people from the Danube region by providing them with opportunities to exchange their knowledge, experience, opinions and views. The YCDN functions in line with the principles of equality, tolerance, inclusion, solidarity and active participation as the European Commission stated in 2003.
Main goals: Facilitate and promote exchange of ideas and experience among Danube Youth, Provide Danube Youth with means of voicing their opinion and influencing national and regional policies, Advocate for mutual understanding, diversity and respect of human rights, Contribute to minority inclusion policies, Promote the idea of European integration and cooperation, Increase the participation of Danube Youth in society.