DRAFT

EUROPEAN UNION STRATEGY FOR DANUBE REGION AND CARPATHIAN CONVENTION

Synergy paper and Memorandum of cooperation

A. Joint synergy paper

This Joint Synergy Paper and Memorandum of Cooperation between the Carpathian Convention and the relevant Priority Areas (PAs) of the European Strategy for Danube Region (EUSDR) aims at enhancing synergies between processes and mandates of the Carpathian Convention and the EUSDR to the benefit of the Region, and at ensuring the further strengthening of the ongoing Danube - Carpathian collaboration.

1. THE PARTNERS

1.1. Carpathian Convention

The Carpathians, Europe's largest range of mountains, extending over 450,000 km2, are an important biodiversity reservoir and a recreational and living ecosystem in the heart of Europe. The Carpathians are situated to a large extent within the Danube region, while the part of the Carpathians in Poland and some smaller part in Ukraine are bordering the Danube region. Similarly, other European regions (Alps, Dinaric arc, Balkans for example) are also covered by or shared between several other macro-territorial strategies and cooperation schemes.

At the Summit on Environment and Sustainable Development in the Carpathian and Danube Region, Bucharest, 2001, the participating Heads of State and High Representatives declared1 their support to “international and regional co-operation with a view to maintaining and rehabilitating the natural assets and to 1 Declaration on Environment and Sustainable Development in the Carpathian and Danube Region, Bucharest, 30 April 2001

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improving the state of environment in the Carpathian region and the Danube River basin”. In 2003 an international multilateral agreement – the Framework

Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians (Carpathian Convention) was signed by seven countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovak Republic, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine) and entered into force in 2006.

The Carpathian Convention provides a legal framework for cooperation and multi-sectorial policy coordination, a platform for joint strategies for sustainable development, and a forum for dialogue between all stakeholders involved – from the local community and various NGOs up to the regional and national Governments, institutions of the European Union and the United Nations.

The sustainable improvement of the quality of life, the strengthening of local economies and communities and the protection of natural values and cultural heritage are among the most relevant issues that are tackled by the Convention.

According to the text of the Carpathian Convention, the Parties shall pursue policies aiming at promoting:

Conservation, sustainable use and restoration of biological and landscape diversity throughout the Carpathians;

Sustainable and integrated water/river basin management; Sustainable agriculture and forestry; Sustainable transport and infrastructure; Sustainable tourism; Preservation of the cultural heritage and of traditional knowledge of the

Carpathians Cooperation on Environmental assessment/information system,

monitoring and early warning among Countries; Increased environmental awareness and improved access of the public to

information on the protection and sustainable development of the Carpathians.

Coordinated spatial planning in bordering areas; Introduction of environmentally sound methods for the production,

distribution and use of energy.

The Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention acts as main reference and service point for the Parties to the Carpathian Convention. It supports the work of the different bodies of the Convention, is responsible for the coordination of the

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Programme of Work of the Convention and assists in project development and implementation2.

The Carpathian Convention has eight thematic Working Groups (WG):

WG on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological and Landscape Diversity;

WG on Spatial Development;  WG on Agriculture and Rural Development; WG on Sustainable Forest Management; WG on Sustainable Industry, Energy, Transport and Infrastructure; WG on Sustainable Tourism;  WG on Cultural Heritage and Traditional Knowledge;  WG on Adaptation to Climate Change.

To this date, the following Protocols have been adopted under the Carpathian Convention:

Protocol on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological and Landscape Diversity: in force;

Protocol on Sustainable Tourism: in force; Protocol on Sustainable Forest Management: in force; Protocol on Sustainable Transport: adopted.

Protocols on Cultural Heritage and Traditional Knowledge and on Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development to the Carpathian Convention are now under elaboration.

The Carpathian Convention is also strongly involved in strengthening territorialcooperation in the Carpathians at different levels and plays an important role in the implementation of the EU Strategy of the Danube Region (EUSDR) in its reference geographical area (the Carpathians).

Partnerships are important in order to merge forces and to establish synergies that facilitate the implementation of the Convention's aims. For this reason, the Carpathian Convention establishes partnerships with other Conventions, organizations and initiatives whenever synergies are possible and reasonable.

2 For details on the organisational structure of the Carpathian Convention and its organs, as well as the text of the protocols : www.carpathianconvention.org

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Some of these partnerships are based on an official agreement (Memorandum of Understanding, Memorandum of Cooperation); others are established on a more informal level. To this end, the Carpathian Convention has entered in several partnerships such as for example those with the Alpine Convention, the Convention on Wetlands, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the European Environmental Agency, among others.

Note: The limits of the Carpathians range must be considered approximate.

1.2 European Union Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR)

The EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR)3 is a macro-regional strategy adopted by the European Commission in December 2010 and endorsed by the European Council in 2011. The Strategy was jointly developed by the Commission, together with the Danube Region countries and stakeholders, in

3 European Commission, Communication to the European Parliament, the Council, the EuropeanEconomic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. European Union Strategy for the Danube Region, 8 December 2010, COM (2010) 715 and its accompanying Action Plan, SEC (2010) 1489. For details: http://www.danube-region.eu/

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order to address common challenges together. The Strategy seeks to create synergies and coordination between existing policies and initiatives taking place across the Danube Region.

The Danube Region is a functional area defined by its river basin. Geographically it concerns primarily but not exclusively: Germany (Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria), Austria, the Slovak Republic, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine (the Region along the Danube). The Strategy remains open to other partners in the region4. In the case of the Carpathians, this flexibility can therefore be used in order to involve other regions in specific initiatives (namely, from Poland and Ukraine).

The Danube Region Strategy addresses a wide range of issues; these are divided among 4 pillars and 12 Priority Areas. Each Priority Area is managed by 2 Priority Area Coordinators (PACs).

1A. "To improve mobility and intermodality of inland waterways" 1B."To improve mobility and intermodality - rail, road and air" 2. "To encourage more sustainable energy" 3."To promote culture and tourism, people to people contacts" 4. "To restore and maintain the quality of waters" 5. "To manage environmental risks" 6. "To preserve biodiversity, landscapes and the quality of air and soils" 7. "To develop the Knowledge Society (research, education and ICT)" 8. "To support the competitiveness of enterprises" 9. "To invest in people and skills" 10. "To step up institutional capacity and cooperation" 11. "To work together to tackle security and organised crime"

The EUSDR is a framework that facilitates and strengthens cooperation, which supports existing institutions, helps Member States to better implement EU legislation and supports Member States, candidate countries and neighbouring countries in programming and effective use of EU funds and other financial mechanisms. In this sense, it facilitates accession to the EU and deepening of cooperation with neighbouring countries.

The Priority Areas are organized on the basis of Steering Groups (SG) whose members represent the governments and experts of the participating countries. The European Commission and its relevant Directorate Generals (DGs) also

4 COM (2010) 715, Communication from the Commission on a EU strategy for the Danube Region.5

participate in Steering Groups, fulfilling its leading role in strategic coordination of macro-regional strategies. Since 2015, a Danube Strategy Point, operational unit located in Brussels and hosted by the Regional Government of Baden Württemberg is active in facilitating the implementation of the EUSDR.

The most important tasks of the Steering Groups of the Priority Areas are to ensure implementation of the action plan by appropriate measures of planning, coordination, facilitation and monitoring, especially through the following activities:

prepare roadmaps (implementation plans) to the Actions listed in the Action plan for the EUSDR, facilitate and monitor their implementation, make adjustments to implementation measures as necessary;

facilitate the alignment of funding where relevant by promoting the incorporation of EUSDR priorities into the documents and operational programs of the European Structural and Investment Funds as well as other financing frameworks;

coordinate cross cutting measures with sectorial administrations and other Priority Areas;

support projects and partners, issue labels and letters of recommendations for project proposals in line with the Strategy, facilitate to find project partners for project proposals, follow project results and incorporate them to the EUSDR framework and provide visibility for the outputs.

liaise with other relevant organisations in order to promote and exploit synergies

2. KEY SYNERGETIC ACTIVITIES IMPLEMENTED BY THE CARPATHIAN CONVENTION AND EUSDR

The EUSDR includes in its Action Plan several actions and project examples that are also relevant to the Carpathians.

These actions and project examples are also listed in the Strategic Action Plan for the Carpathian Area5, which has been adopted by the Parties to the Carpathian Convention at its Third Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 3) in 2013. The aim was to better coordinate the efforts of stakeholders at different levels

5 The Strategic Action Plan for the Carpathian Area is available at http://www.carpathianconvention.org. The Action Plan for the EUSDR is available at http://www.danube-region.eu/about/key-documents

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acting in the Danube-Carpathian Area. This document shall be reviewed and updated by 2017.

The synergies and areas recommended for strengthened coordination, from which could all the Parties to the proposed draft Memorandum of cooperation benefit, are outlined below.

[TO BE FURTHER DEVELOPED IN COOPERATION WITH THE PAs]

2.1. Connecting the Danube region

Priority Area 1: .To improve mobility and multimodality

EUSDR Action Plan

Action – "To improve the regional/ local cross-border infrastructure and the access to rural areas”. The regional and local cross border transport links should be reinforced by cross border transport infrastructure (small bridges, crossing points, public transport connection). Another relevant reality is that, in the Danube Region, the percentage of the population living in rural areas is much higher than in the rest of Europe which makes the need for access to these areas of primary importance.

Carpathian Convention

Through the development of the Protocol on Sustainable Transport, the Convention has become more involved in the implementation of concreate solutions, measures and strategies for safer and environmentally friendlier road and rail networks, and in the safeguarding of migration corridors and tackling the landscape fragmentation caused by transport infrastructure. Strategic Action Plan on Sustainable Transport is to be developed and implemented as well as projects with the focus on the ecological corridors along EU TEN-T road and rail projects located in the Carpathians. The experience is to be shared also with other mountain ranges in the Danube Basin and elsewhere.

Priority Area 2.To encourage more sustainable energy

EUSDR Action Plan

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Action - “To reinforce the Carpathian Convention to share best practices on using biomass for energy purposes”. The Carpathian Convention includes a provision that Parties shall pursue policies aiming at introducing environmentally sound methods for the production, distribution and use of energy, which minimises adverse effects on biodiversity and landscapes, including wider use of renewable energy sources and energy-saving measures, as appropriate.

Carpathian Convention

Parties engaged to pursue policies aiming at introducing environmentally sound methods for the production, distribution and use of energy, which minimises adverse effects on biodiversity and landscapes, including wider use of renewable energy sources and energy-saving measures, as appropriate. Parties engaged also to pursue policies aiming at enhancing the role of the forestry sector in mitigating climate change, with particular attention to finding the right balance between increasing carbon stocks in forest ecosystems, promoting the use of renewable wood energy, and the sound use of wood products as substitutes of rough materials derived from non-renewable resources.

The exchange of best practices, best available technologies, environmental and social know-how, also between the Alps the Carpathians and in cooperation with the PA2 for would create further synergies relevant for the entire Danube region.

Priority Area 3. To promote culture and tourism, people to people contacts

EUSDR Action Plan

Presentation of the issue. As the most international river basin in the world, the Danube features numerous touristic and heritage highlights. These include world class cities along the Danube River as well as attractive landscapes (e.g. the Delta as a UNESCO World Heritage Site). They range from the developed tourism destination of the Austrian Wachau to emerging destinations such as the Iron Gate, the Carpathians and the Delta. Measures should secure the long term competitiveness and sustainability of the tourism sector- reinforced through cooperation- as well as regional benefit from new developments and investment.

Action - “To establish the Danube Region as important European tourist destination” by developing an environmentally-friendly tourism strategy for the whole of the region (including cities and communities, cultural heritage, nature and economy). In particular, a Danube Region label (building on the "brand"

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being developed more generally) could open up the international tourist markets (e.g. in the USA, Asia). This could also include managing tourist destinations jointly through joint marketing, joint events and internationally recognised quality certification (especially in ecological terms). It can promote international tourist projects such as cycle and hiking trails from the Black Forest to the Black Sea. Using modern means of communication such as the Internet can help to make the Danube better known as a tourist destination and to develop it for a new clientele of tourists. The Carpathians should also be promoted as a destination with tourist infrastructure and services to be further developed.

Carpathian Convention

The implementation of the Protocol on Sustainable Tourism and its strategy will be mutually supportive with the establishment and promotion of the Danube Region as an important European sustainable tourist destination, by developing an environmentally-friendly tourism approach in mountains and protected areas, relevant for the whole of the region (including cities and communities, cultural heritage, nature and economy). This could also include managing tourist destinations jointly through joint marketing, joint events and internationally recognised quality certification (especially in ecological terms).

In 2014, Ministerial Declaration on Cultural heritage of the Carpathians noted with concern that the cultural heritage of the Carpathians, in particular its intangible manifestations, are increasingly threatened. It also expressed the conviction that efforts to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of the Carpathians require international and regional cooperation. The Danube – Carpathian cooperation in the field of cultural heritage, with its rich groups of stakeholders might thus be particularly fruitful.

2.2. Protecting the environment of the Danube region

Priority Area 4. To restore and maintain the quality of waters

EUSDR Action Plan

Presentation of the issue. The Danube Basin covers an area of over 800,000 km2, stretches over 19 countries, 14 of which are contracting parties to the Danube River Protection Convention (DRPC) signed in Sofia in 1994. Besides the Danube itself, the Basin includes other major European rivers such as the Sava, Tisza, Drava and Prut as well as smaller ones such as the Inn, Morava, Váh, Velika

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Morava and Siret. The drainage area of the Danube is also influenced by two major mountain chains: the Alps and the Carpathians. A specific cooperation mechanism has been enacted between PA 4 of the EUSDR and the ICPDR in 2014.

Carpathian Convention

Following a preparatory action "Climate of the Carpathian Basin" launched in 2010, three major projects on the Carpathians’ regional climate variability, change studies, and applied climatology were carried out. They encompassed an analysis of the vulnerability of water and ecosystems of the Carpathians and downstream regions to climate change impacts and other man-made pressures and on identifying potential adaptation measures, focusing on adaptive water management and ecosystem-based approaches.

The Carpathian Convention is actively working with the ICPDR and its Tisza Group in order to use the outcomes of their reciprocal work at basin and sub-basin levels, for example by assessing the impacts of climate change on water quality, water quantity, drought and soil. At the 4th Annual Forum of the Danube Strategy on 29 October 2015 in Ulm, the Joint Declaration of the ICPDR Tisza Group and the Carpathian Convention on the sustainable development of the Tisza River Basin within the Carpathians was signed.

Priority Area 5. To manage environmental risks

EUSDR Action Plan

Presentation of the issue. As the industrial accident spills (arsenic, cyanide, alkaline sludge) of 2000 in Baia Mare and Baia Borsa and of 2010 in Ajka show, severe pollution incidents are a concern. In particular, various mining activities which take place in the Carpathians present serious danger.

Action - “Anticipate regional and local impacts of climate change through research”. Initiatives in this research field should address specific concerns in the Danube Region. Research projects on the impacts of climate change on infrastructure, health, food security and the environment should be initiated. Furthermore, the international scientific cooperation in this field should be supported, while ensuring close coordination with overall action at EU level. A preparatory action "Climate of the Carpathian Basin" will be launched before the end of 2010. This action will contribute to regional climate variability and change studies, and applied climatology. It will also encompass an analysis of the

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vulnerability of water and ecosystems of the region to climate change impacts and other man-made pressures and on identifying potential adaptation measures, focusing on adaptive water management and ecosystem-based approaches. This work should be used at basin level.

Carpathian Convention

Over 80% of the Carpathian waters drain into the Danube Basin and thus play an important role in its water regimes, floods and disaster risk management.

The Parties to the Protocol on Sustainable Forest Management engaged to carry out activities and cooperate on improving the protective forest functions such as preventing floods, landslides and in general water cycle regulation.

Weather extremes such as droughts and floods are one of the regional and local impacts of climate change and their impact and mitigation need to be analysed through focused research. Further projects to increase resilience to impacts of climate change on infrastructure, health, food security and the environment should be initiated. The work of the Carpathian Convention Working Group on Adaptation to climate change, in cooperation with the European Environment Agency (EEA), is contributing to the EEA Adaptation Clearinghouse mechanism and also developing climate risk related project ideas. Furthermore, adaptation policies are assessed at a pan-Carpathian level and experiences shared with the South East European region, aiming at climate –proofing new infrastructure.

The international scientific cooperation in this field should be supported, while ensuring close coordination with overall action at EU level. The Forum Carpaticum and the Science for the Carpathians initiative are important actors in the field of research and innovation.

Priority Area 6. To preserve biodiversity, landscapes and the quality of air and soils

EUSDR Action Plan

Presentation of the issue. The Danube Region is one interrelated and interdependent ecosystem, incorporating a rich and unique flora and fauna. It is diverse, including not only the immediate river Danube, its tributaries, lowlands and the remarkable delta, but also the major part of the Carpathian Mountains, the Balkans and part of the Alps.

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Action - “To manage Natura 2000 sites and other protected areas effectively”. Natura 2000 sites designated under the Birds and Habitats directives, as well as other protected sites should in principle have their own management plans or some other kind of contractual framework. But in practice, they often work in isolation and not efficiently enough. The effective management helped by transnational cooperation (networking) is necessary. The action should include exchange of experience and capacity building for protected areas/Natura 2000 sites administrations; community involvement; visitor management and tourism development; coordinated management planning, implementation and evaluation. It is also indispensable to increase public awareness about Natura 2000 sites and protected areas, with the help of e.g. the National Ecological and Rural Networks or the European Network for Rural Development. The action could be implemented e.g. through the existing Danube Network of Protected Areas and the Carpathian Networks of Protected Areas.

Action - “To protect and restore most valuable ecosystems and endangered animal species”. Enhanced protection of the remaining natural ecosystems, such as the Danube Delta or the Carpathians, wetlands restoration, afforestation of non-arable land, protection of marginal forests, bioremediation of highly impacted areas, supported by environmental research, are desirable. This is also crucial for endangered animal species protection, such as the Danube sturgeon, brown bears, wolves, lynx and wild horses living in the Danube Delta. Research, inventory, and monitoring of species and habitats of European and national importance is an important part of this.

Carpathian Convention

The BIOREGIO Carpathians project, financed by the by the South East Europe Programme promoted the regional development based on the conservation and sustainable use of the exceptional biodiversity in the Carpathians.

The Carpathian Network of Protected Areas exchanges experience, builds capacity for protected areas administrations, community involvement, visitor management and sustainable tourism development, coordinated management planning, implementation and evaluation.Joint actions can be implemented and experiences shared through a joint collaboration of the Danube Network of Protected Areas, the Dinaric Parks and the Carpathian Networks of Protected Areas.

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The Carpathian Convention and its stakeholders support the protection and restoration of most valuable ecosystems and endangered animal species in the Danube region. The enhanced protection of the remaining natural ecosystems of the Carpathians, the wetlands restoration, and the protection of the alluvial forests and virgin forests of the Carpathians are desirable. This is also crucial for endangered animal species protection, such as the Danube sturgeon, brown bears, wolves, lynx and wild horses living in the region.

Research, inventory, and monitoring of species and habitats of European and national importance is an important part of this. The current focus of Carpathian Convention is improving the ecological connectivity by restoring and managing ecological corridors, and at providing a platform for the joint monitoring and management of the Carpathian populations of large carnivores.

EUSDR Action Plan

Action - “To develop green infrastructure in order to connect different bio-geographic regions and habitats”. The habitats (including Natura 2000 sites) can better keep and enhance their value, if they are interconnected and this is the way to ensure that ecosystem services are being kept provided. The action could include scientific research to find new ways for connecting habitats, consultations with relevant communities and stakeholders, careful and integrated spatial planning to develop and apply practices and technologies for economic investments and infrastructural development benefiting biodiversity. Construction of e.g. eco-bridges, eco-ducts and ecological "stepping stones" should be part of a planning of infrastructure building.

Carpathian Convention

The Alpine-Carpathian Corridor was developed as a cross border project in cooperation between Austria and Slovakia. This project was considered as a flagship project of the EUSDR, and aimed to reconstruct and improve the function and permeability of the traditional wildlife corridor within the urban agglomeration Vienna-Bratislava for red deer, lynx, wolves or bears by means of “wildlife crossing support” and green bridges. The project shows the importance of the cooperation among different countries on ecological corridors, since the issue transcends national borders. The efforts to protect, maintain and sustainably manage these natural resources cannot be achieved by one country alone, but require transnational cooperation. The Carpathian Convention and its Parties have engaged in pursuing the cooperation on ecological connectivity improvement and also to exchange best practices with other mountain regions.

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2.3. Building prosperity

Priority area 7 (to be developed as relevant)

Priority Area 9. To invest in people and skills

Presentation of the issue. By investing in people and making best use of its human capital, the Danube Region can progress and grow in a smart and inclusive way. To arrive at a knowledge based and inclusive growth it requires empowering people through high levels of employment, investing in skills, fighting poverty and modernising labour markets, training and social protection systems.

Action - “To enhance performance of education systems through closer cooperation of education institutions, systems and policies”.

Action - “To enhance capacities of key stakeholders in education, scienceand research”.

Carpathian Convention

The Carpathian Convention acknowledges the importance of “Awareness raising, education and public participation” in Article 13, and the Secretariat coordinated several Education for Sustainable Development(ESD)-related activities in the past years. In addition, many Carpathian Convention partners in the Carpathian countries are carrying out numerous ESD activities.

A number of activities related to Awareness raising, education and public participation took place with support of the Carpathian Convention Secretariat. Among them:

● The Move4Nature initiative on teacher training in the Carpathians, which took place in Romania and resulted in Carpathian Mountain ESD Training Tool Kit (http://platform.bigfoot-project.eu/move4nature.html);

● Big Foot. Crossing Generations, Crossing Mountains – a project on Intergenerational Learning and sustainable development, which took place in Greece, Italy and Bulgaria and is now introduced to the Carpathian countries (http://www.bigfoot-project.eu);

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● Innovation in Rural Tourism (InRuTou) - a project Vocational training of rural tourism stakeholders in community-based sustainable tourism development and promotion, using ICT, with pilot sites in Austria, Italy, Poland, Romania and Ukraine (http://inrutou.eu)

● With respect to higher education and research, the Carpathian Convention has been supporting the Science for the Carpathians Initiative – a regional science network on mountain research in the Carpathian Mountains.

● Moreover, many Carpathian Convention partners engage in ESD-related activities, including NGOs and protected areas in all Carpathian countries

3. HOW TO REINFORCE SYNERGIES BETWEEN THE CARPATHIAN CONVENTION AND THE EUSDR

Cooperation between the EUSDR structures and those of the Carpathian Convention is already ongoing and should be further strengthened inter alia by firmly utilising the mandate, experience, past achievements and technical capacity of the Convention, its Protocols and relevant Working Groups on the one hand, and of the EUSDR and its various Priority Areas on the other hand. Due to the cross-sectoral nature of the Carpathian Convention, it is relevant to most of the priority areas of EUSDR. Synergies with the relevant Priority Areas are outlined in the previous section.

Further maximising the synergies, is a key benefit that will be achieved at all levels of cooperation. The momentum created by EUSDR will significantly boost progress in relevant processes by creating added value for both the Carpathian Convention and the EUSDR also by making better use of measures available for macro-regional cooperation.

4. CONCLUSION

It is expected that the Carpathian Convention – EUSDR coordination and this Joint synergy paper and the annexed draft Memorandum of Cooperation for the EUSDR Implementation will contribute to the implementation of already existing approaches and collaboration mechanisms informally established and will promote new practical elements for collaboration. This includes also better coordination in initiating and developing high quality project ideas to be submitted to the Interreg Danube or Central Europe and other relevant EU co-

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funded Programmes (e.g. H2020, LIFE, Cosme), bearing in mind that there is currently no territorial funding programme covering the entire Carpathians.

This Joint synergy paper and the annexed Memorandum of Cooperation follow the macro-regional approach in seeking more coherence between existing funds, institutions and policies in the Danube Region. Macro-regional strategies should maximise the utilisation of regional organisations and multilateral agreements by strengthening synergies and complementarities, and avoiding duplication or overlapping of activities. The Carpathian Convention, as an already existing legal framework of cooperation in the Danube Region on different EUSDR related priority areas, with experience and periodically updated political mandate, plays an important role in the Danube Area in its areas of competence.

The implementation of this Joint synergy paper and Memorandum of Cooperation for the EUSDR Implementation can be overviewed by the informal Danube – Carpathian collaboration meetings, with the support of the Danube Strategy Point.

Table1. Synergies between the Carpathian Convention Protocols and PAs activities

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EUSDR

PA

1B

Tra

nsp

ort

PA

02

En

ergy

PA

03

Cu

ltu

re a

nd

T

ouri

sm

PA

04

Wat

er Q

ual

ity

PA

05

En

viro

nm

enta

l R

isk

s

PA

06

Bio

div

ersi

ty,

lan

dsc

apes

, qu

alit

y of

ai

r an

d s

oils

PA

09

Peo

ple

an

d s

kil

ls

PA

10

In

stit

uti

onal

ca

pac

ity

and

co

oper

atio

n

The Framework Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Protocol on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological and Landscape Diversity

1 1 1 1 1

Protocol on Sustainable Forest Management 1 1 1 1 1

Protocol on Sustainable Transport 1 1 1

Protocol on Sustainable Tourism 1 1 1 1

Protocol on Cultural Heritage and Traditional Knowledge (under discussion)

1 1 1

Protocol on Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (under discussion)

1 1 1 1

Carp

athi

an co

nven

tion

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B. DRAFT MEMORANDUM OF COOPERATION BETWEEN THE CARPATHIAN CONVENTION AND THE EUROPEAN UNION STRATEGY FOR DANUBE REGION

1. Preamble

The report from the European Commission (EC) concerning the governance of macro–regional strategies6 as well as the EC report on the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR)7, have identified among various issues the need for strengthening synergies with existing bodies and initiatives.

The opportunity for cooperation and for mutual support of EUSDR and the Carpathian Convention in relevant fields has not been fully utilised yet. This comes despite the obvious potential for synergies between the objectives and the processes of the EUSDR on one hand, and the mandate, tasks and activities implementing the Carpathian Convention and its Protocols8 on the other hand.

It is agreed that an enhanced/strengthened cooperation will have a positive impact on the implementation of the objectives set up by the Carpathian Convention and the EUSDR. More specifically:

● Collaboration is needed to address the interdependency that characterizes the issues and challenges affecting the macro-region. Challenges originating in the Carpathian area impact strongly the Danube region, and vice versa.

● Collaboration is in particular needed to face the challenges faced by the Carpathians and other mountain areas within the Danube River basin such as demographic trends, characterised particularly by the combined effects of ageing, low population density in the mountain areas and new migration

6 Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic And Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions Concerning the Governance of Macro-Regional Strategies COM (2014) 284 final7 Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic And Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions Concerning the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region COM(2013) 181 final8 Protocol on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological and Landscape Diversity, Protocol on Sustainable Forest Management, Protocol on Sustainable Tourism, Protocol on Sustainable Transport

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models; and the high vulnerability to climate change and its foreseeable effects on the environment, biodiversity and the living conditions of its inhabitants. Challenges which have also an impact on the entire area.

● The character of the region is based on this interconnection between mountains and rivers. Among others, mountains delimitate the region, provide water to the river basin and host a great part of the macroregion´s natural diversity. The role of the Carpathians is highly beneficial for the state of the environment and particularly for positive impact on biodiversity, water regime, and water and air quality of the Eastern part of the Danube River Basin. Collaboration must aim at enhanced integration of the mountain issues into the EUSDR both from a conceptual and from an operational perspective.

● Collaboration may help to offer an adequate platform to enhance the participation of relevant stakeholder in the development of the strategic projects. In particular, it is also crucial to maximize the possibilities for inclusive transboundary cooperation of stakeholders from all the Carpathians, taking into consideration the already existing and long-time established networks in the area.

● Collaboration may strengthen the synergies with other EU Macro-regional Strategies like the EU Strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP) or the UE Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR), seen the already existing exchange of knowledge and good practices among these areas [and the invitation of the Council to ensure that adequate coordination is established among macro-regional strategies, in particular to ensure that projects and partnerships can be developed across macro-regional strategies as appropriate and where relevant9];

2. Mechanisms for Collaboration

To ensure the coordination of all relevant activities of the EUSDR and the Carpathian Convention, this Memorandum builds upon already existing approaches and proposes some new practical mechanisms for collaboration:

Strengthening networks: Carpathian countries shall strive to strengthen the network at national and relevant sub-national level through both the National Coordinators, Priority Area Steering Group members and the

9 Draft Council conclusions on EUSALP. Not yet adopted19

National Focal Points of the Carpathian Convention, relevant Working Group members and key stakeholders from private, academic and non-governmental sector. National coordination mechanism of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region shall strive to include the Carpathian Convention and vice versa. This would allow for a creation of a mutually supportive network of governmental, regional, local but also private, academic and non-governmental sector and stakeholders

Closer coordination: The regular information exchange between the EUSDR PA Coordinators and the Carpathian Convention and its National Focal Points, Working Group members and stakeholders will enhance the EUSDR implementation. The Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention shall be informed of and invited to the EUSDR PA meetings and relevant EUSDR PA Coordinators shall be informed of and invited to relevant Carpathian Convention meetings (Meetings of Working Groups, Carpathian Convention Implementation Committee, Conference of the Parties). Key documents (e.g. workplans, draft strategies or guidelines) shall be exchanged

Alignment of funding: The EUSDR can support measures and actions of joint interest inter alia through alignment of funding through Operational Programmes.

Danube – Carpathian projects: The enlargement of the Danube – Carpathian stakeholder and institutional network will enhance and stimulate the project ideas development and set up of different project consortia. There is also an urgent need to create administrative and financial pre-conditions for development of projects covering the entire Carpathians. This would require flexibility in order to include partners from regions neighbouring the Danube region (e.g. from Poland and relevant parts of Ukraine). The use of the so-called 20% rule into specific programmes such as the Interreg Danube shall be promoted in order to allow for the development of Danube-Carpathian-wide projects, supported by the Danube Strategy Point.

Cross-sectoral cooperation: The Carpathian Convention offers an important opportunity for strengthened facilitation of cross-sectoral cooperation between different PAs for implementation of EUSDR activities in the Carpathian area.

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