Christian Gsodam’s Post

This week, Budapest hosted the Art of Cooperation conference, organized by the Széchenyi Programme Office and Hungary's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, in partnership with the European Committee of the Regions, the Central European Service for Cross-Border Initiatives, the Association of European Border Regions, and the Hungarian Development Promotion Office 🇭🇺🇪🇺. This event gathered Interreg representatives, decision-makers, regional development experts, and researchers from across Europe to discuss key priorities for the 2027+ programming period. ✨ Celebrating 35 Years of Interreg, the Interreg 35 Declaration was unveiled, highlighting Interreg’s transformative impact on economic, social, and territorial cohesion across Europe. The declaration emphasized Interreg’s role in fostering solidarity, building trust, and addressing challenges—while calling for a continued, independent regulatory framework beyond 2027. Romania was represented by Mr. Traian Ghilea, Deputy State Secretary at the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration. The event provided an excellent opportunity for him to meet and discuss with his counterpart, Mr. Péter Kiss-Parciu, Deputy State Secretary at Hungary's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Our colleagues, Livia Banu, Executive Director of BRECO, and Monica Terean, Head of the JS, also participated in the event. Engaging speeches and discussions highlighted the shared responsibility to secure the future of cross-border cooperation. Among these, we highly appreciated an insightful workshop led by Sławomir Tokarski, Director of DG Regio, focused on overcoming cooperation barriers. We were also delighted to meet Caitriona Mullan, AEBR b-solutions expert, whose collaboration is crucial in enhancing the performance of our strategic projects 🤝. 📌 New European Cross-Border Platform launched: This platform will provide a vital space for cross-border stakeholders to share insights and advocate for border communities' needs, directly connecting with EU institutions through the European Committee of the Regions. Special thanks to DG Regio for their support! #InterregROHU #Interreg #ArtOfCooperation #Interreg35

This week, Budapest hosted the Art of Cooperation conference, organized by the Széchenyi Programme Office and Hungary's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, in partnership with the European Committee of the Regions, the Central European Service for Cross-Border Initiatives, the Association of European Border Regions, and the Hungarian Development Promotion Office 🇭🇺🇪🇺. This event gathered Interreg representatives, decision-makers, regional development experts, and researchers from across Europe to discuss key priorities for the 2027+ programming period. ✨ Celebrating 35 Years of Interreg, the Interreg 35 Declaration was unveiled, highlighting Interreg’s transformative impact on economic, social, and territorial cohesion across Europe. The declaration emphasized Interreg’s role in fostering solidarity, building trust, and addressing challenges—while calling for a continued, independent regulatory framework beyond 2027. Romania was represented by Mr. Traian Ghilea, Deputy State Secretary at the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration. The event provided an excellent opportunity for him to meet and discuss with his counterpart, Mr. Péter Kiss-Parciu, Deputy State Secretary at Hungary's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Our colleagues, Livia Banu, Executive Director of BRECO, and Monica Terean, Head of the JS, also participated in the event. Engaging speeches and discussions highlighted the shared responsibility to secure the future of cross-border cooperation. Among these, we highly appreciated an insightful workshop led by Sławomir Tokarski, Director at DG Regio, focused on overcoming cooperation barriers. We were also delighted to meet Caitriona Mullan, AEBR b-solutions expert, whose collaboration is crucial in enhancing the performance of our strategic projects 🤝. 📌 New European Cross-Border Platform launched: This platform will provide a vital space for cross-border stakeholders to share insights and advocate for border communities' needs, directly connecting with EU institutions through the European Committee of the Regions. Special thanks to DG Regio for their support! #InterregROHU #Interreg #ArtOfCooperation #Interreg35

On October 3, Ārlietu ministrija | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia , in cooperation with Latvijas Platforma attīstības sadarbībai/Latvian Platform for Development Cooperation , is organising an international conference dedicated to 25 years of Latvia’s development cooperation. The conference will allow us to review what has been done and discuss future priorities for sustainable global development.   Why is this important? Development cooperation is a cornerstone of Latvia's foreign policy, providing assistance and expertise to partner countries in order to promote social and economic development. Latvia's development cooperation policy is determined by the Development Cooperation Policy Guidelines 2021-2027. The Guidelines includes both bilateral and multilateral goals, priorities and lines of action. Latvia's prioritises countries of the EU Eastern Partnership (Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova), the Central Asian region, African countries, as well as least developed countries. The main topics of the conference: 🌟 Latvia's 25-year experience in development cooperation - national and international influence 🌍 Overview of partners and partner countries: achievements and opportunities for further cooperation 💬 Panel discussions: On development cooperation as a tool of foreign policy and global challenges The role of digital technologies for sustainable development and resilience   Join the live conference on 3 October on our Facebook and learn how Latvia continues to promote global sustainability and development! #DevelopmentCooperation #SDG17  

#LatestPublished 🌍 New Insights into Cross-Border Cooperation: Polish-Ukrainian Border under the European Neighbourhood Policy 📘 Our latest article in the Central European Economic Journal The Role of the European Union’s Neighbourhood Policy in Developing Cross-Border Cooperation in the Polish-Ukrainian Borderland by Tomasz Studzieniecki, Monika Szyda and Katarzyna Szelągowska-Rudzka EU-funded cross-border cooperation in fostering socio-economic development at the EU’s external borders. This study focuses on the Polish-Ukrainian border and evaluates projects financed under the Poland-Belarus-Ukraine Cross-Border Cooperation Program (2014–2020), a key initiative of the European Neighbourhood Policy. With Ukraine facing the ongoing conflict, this topic gains critical relevance for understanding and enhancing future cooperation efforts. Key highlights: ✅ The evolution and impact of the European Neighbourhood Policy on cross-border initiatives. ✅ A detailed analysis of Polish-Ukrainian cooperation: project structures, partner dynamics, and collaboration areas. ✅ Practical recommendations for managing and improving cross-border cooperation programs. By addressing challenges and leveraging existing successes, the findings contribute to shaping the future of EU-Ukraine collaboration and other cross-border partnerships. 👉 Read more and gain insights into this crucial area of policy and development: https://lnkd.in/dTSNn3xM #CrossBorderCooperation #EuropeanNeighbourhoodPolicy #PolishUkrainianRelations #EconomicDevelopment #CEEJ

Cross-border cooperation as a factor of Ukraine’s European integration and reconstruction Today, it is a key aspect of modern international cooperation that promotes mutual understanding, exchange of experience, joint development and solidarity in interregionalism. The European Union, by supporting interregional partnerships, is strengthening its international status and establishing itself as a global actor. Ukraine, by participating in cross-border programmes, uses this as one of the available tools for implementing its European integration vector. The legal, economic and organisational framework for cross-border cooperation in Ukraine is implemented on the basis of international law and domestic legislation, including the European Framework Convention on Cross-Border Cooperation between Territorial Communities or Authorities and its Additional Protocols, the Laws of Ukraine “On Cross-Border Cooperation”, “On the Principles of State Regional Policy”, “On Stimulating Regional Development”, “On Local Self-Government in Ukraine”, and the State Strategy for Regional Development for 2021-2027. In today’s context, cross-border development will help improve the lives of regional populations, socio-economic levelling of regions, reduce social tensions among the population, increase support for the EU integration process, improve infrastructure, and many other areas. Cross-border cooperation is a factor of stability, an additional tool for achieving mutual understanding between states and developing good neighbourly relations. As part of the regional policy of European countries, considerable attention and financial support is paid to cross-border cooperation. The team of the Ukraine Rebuilding Alliance has extensive experience in cross-border programmes, including the EU Strategy for the Danube Region. This is an initiative aimed at overcoming common problems and challenges in the border areas of 14 countries united by the international river Danube. In particular, the Alliance implements such financial instruments of cross-border cooperation as Interreg and lobbies for the interests of Ukrainian communities at the international level.

Proud to be part of U-LEAD with Europe ! One of the most interesting parts of my job is supporting Ukrainian municipalities in establishing partnerships with their European colleagues. Read more about some examples of our activities in this field, as well as strategies and lessons that can help Ukrainian municipalities navigate the integration process effectively in the article below. A must-read for anyone interested in international municipal cooperation #Ukraine #EU #Integration #CommunityDevelopment #Partnerships #ULeadWithEurope

CoR proposes a local roadmap for the EU-Africa partnership 📣 In a draft report on the EU's Strategy with #Africa, guido milana (Olevano Romano, Italy) calls for the revitalization of EU-Africa relations, emphasizing the vital role that local and regional authorities (#LRAs) play in fostering economic growth, sustainable development, and shared prosperity between the continents. The European Committee of the Regions Opinion draws on both historical contexts and contemporary challenges to outline policy recommendations for a renewed partnership 👇

Ukraine seeks cooperation with the Western partners on all levels, including the level of municipalities. Denmark and Bulgaria are but a couple of many examples of how partnership between Ukraine and the EU countries grows stronger. I am proud to work for U-LEAD with Europe - an international programme responsible for facilitating such cooperation. How does it work and what mutual benefits it might bring - read in the article by NV: https://lnkd.in/gDA5BNwk

PRESS RELEASE || Guyana Signs Landmark OACPS-EU Partnership Agreement ‘Samoa Agreement’ The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation is pleased to announce the signing of the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS) - European Union (EU) Partnership Agreement, known as the "Samoa Agreement" by the Government of Guyana. This significant accord aims to strengthen ties, promote sustainable development, and enhance cooperation between OACPS member states and the European Union. Earlier today, His Excellency Dr. Rajendra Singh, Guyana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, signed the agreement on behalf of Guyana in a ceremony held at the OACPS Secretariat in Brussels, Belgium. The event was attended by high-level officials from the OACPS Secretariat and the European Commission. This landmark agreement succeeds the Cotonou Partnership Agreement, signed in 2000, and will govern relations among the signatories for the next twenty years. Negotiations concluded in December 2020, and the agreement entered into force provisionally in January 2024. The 27 EU member states and the 79 African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries collectively represent around 2 billion people and more than half of the seats at the United Nations. This new Agreement equips the Parties to better address emerging needs and global challenges, including climate change, inclusive and sustainable economic growth and development, migration, health, and peace and security. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation June 28, 2024

Celebrating 30 years of a stronger #Europe! 🎉 To mark #EuropeDay, we are highlighting the impact of the European Economic Area (#EEA) agreement which is turning 30 this year. 🎂 The #EEANorwayGrants are a key part of the #EEAAgreement, working to reduce economic and social disparities in 15 European countries and to strengthen bilateral cooperation between #Iceland 🇮🇸, #Liechtenstein 🇱🇮 and #Norway 🇳🇴, and the Grants' Beneficiary States in the #EU. 🇪🇺 This strengthens the internal market, leading to a more prosperous #Europe. Learn more about the 30 year anniversary and the Grants in the article below! EFTA