The Joint Steering Meeting of Priority Area 7 and Priority Area 8 of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (PA7 and PA8 EUSDR), took place on 8 July 2024 in the frame of the 4th event „The Danube Region at the Turn of Times – Economic Cooperation and Hydrogen Supply Chains along the Danube“  in Ulm, embedded into the International Danube Festival in Ulm (Baden-Württemberg) and Neu-Ulm (Bavaria).

In the committee meeting of the EU Danube Region Strategy, representatives of the economic ministries and science ministries in the Danube region came together to exchange ideas with experts and thus foster the transfer of knowledge and experience and also provide impetus for the development of new European projects. The aim of the cooperation is to produce outstanding projects and thus internationally developed innovations.

The meeting was chaired by the Priority Area Coordinators of PA 8, Carmen Hawkins and Nirvana Kapitan Butkovic, and of PA 7, Lubica Pitlova and Prof. Victor Nedovic.

DG Regio was represented by Karolina Jasinska-Mühleck and the Danube Strategy Point by Cristina Cuc.

PA 8’s six Working Groups updated the Steering Group members, Observers and Youth Council members about their work.

At the meeting four members of the Danube Youth Council were present and spoke about their work and how they wish to contribute and advise.

A highlight were the presentations of the new Danube Flagship projects DECIDE, PLAN C and WE.Circular of PA 8.  The international projects, funded by the Interreg Danube Region Program, have up to 16 partners in up to 12 countries. Specifically, the projects focus on the development of digital services for the circular economy for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), supporting the plastics and machinery industries on the path to a circular economy and promoting the digital and industrial capacities of female entrepreneurs in the Danube region for a sustainable circular economy.

The new flagship project of PA 7, HARMONMISSIONS was also presented.

State Secretary Dr. Patrick Rapp, Baden-Württemberg, and State Secretary Andreja Meltelko-Zgombic concluced the meeting and praised the interdisciplinary cooperation at a meeting of the EU Danube Region Strategy.

At the end of the meeting the Flagship Certificates were awarded to the Lead Partners of the Project.