What we finance
While cooperation is part of everything we do, our activities focus on areas where transnational cooperation provides best opportunities for driving positive change of the Danube Region. The programme has four Priorities that are divided into ten Specific Objectives.
Smart - Priority 1: A more competitive and smarter Danube Region
Developing and enhancing research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies
Danube Region is characterised by large competitiveness gaps between the old, the new Member States and the non-EU countries, including their status within the regional innovation ecosystem. There is a low share of technology and knowledge-intensive activities. The RDI activities are overly concentrated within the western regions or the major urban hubs, including capital cities or university towns. Current scientific and technological transnational cooperation is hindered by different levels of knowledge transfers and innovations capacities. In addition, the spatially and structurally fragmented human resources and financial expenditures for innovation keep the transnational ecosystem badly functioning.
Improving transnational cooperation to support joint technology generation, uptake and upscaling in the following fields: nanotechnologies, advanced materials, advanced manufacturing and processing (production technologies) and health industry (establishing joint medicine research clusters/centres, usage of digitalization and artificial intelligence in medicine/health care, analysing big data sets in medicine, biotechnology).
- Support for transnational uptake of technologies alongside thematic value chains: specialisation in transnational Danube Region clusters for emerging industries, support for a higher level and new forms of collaboration within the quadruple helix to encourage co-inventions and innovation cooperation as well.
- Support for transnational circular economy collaboration forms, harmonisation of related policies and uptake of technologies in specific related domains (e. g. electronics and ICT batteries and vehicles, packaging, plastics, textiles, construction and buildings, food and nutrients).
- Support for technology generation and uptake of related technologies regarding smart, sustainable and green transport technologies and networks, as well as e-mobility solutions in relation to transnational transport networks and transboundary functional urban areas.
- Support for the uptake of advanced technologies in relation to smart infrastructure in Danube Region cities: integration of smart cities and smart regions solutions in the planning, management and development of the Danube Region cities and regions.
- With regard to the EUSDR this Specific Objective is expected to provide direct contributions especially to actions and targets defined under the EUSDR Action Plan for PA7 and PA8.
Key stakeholders for a successful transnational project with real impact in the field of
- research and innovation
- technology transfer
- sectoral and regional development
- research and development
- business support
- higher education and training
Developing skills for smart specialisation, industrial transition and entrepreneurship
Danube macro-region is characterised by countries with different economic and social development paths, performance convergence potentials or links to the European economic market. Whilst some regional economies of the Danube Region are heavily industrialised, most economies seem to be unprepared for the challenges arising from transitioning to industry 4.0 (i4.0). Support for transnational alignment of Smart Specialization Strategies (S3) and policies is of great importance.
Enhancing cooperation related to entrepreneurial skills in advanced technologies, industries of high Danube Region importance (i. e. owing to social impacts, market needs) to better combine existing capacities and competences;
- Building cooperation structures to obtain innovation capacity needed to be competitive at regional and EU level, identify niches within the EU market and become attractive as a partner within the Danube Region or towards other EU regions;
- Establishing platforms enabling transfer of knowledge and skills and building inter‐regional synergies for the development of regional smart specialisation strategies and policies with a special focus on the involvement of entrepreneurial actors and existing networks in discovering and exploiting promising areas of specialisation;
- Setting up and piloting measures for regions allowing for exchange of experience on implementation of smart specialisation strategies, e.g., networking of regions specialised in the field of industry 4.0 and related professional skills, support for related knowledge exchange between model regions and regions lagging behind in terms of elaborating and implementing industry 4.0 planning schemes.
With regard to the EUSDR this Specific Objective is expected to provide direct contributions especially to actions and targets defined under the EUSDR Action Plan for PA8 and partially for PA9.
Local, regional and national public authorities/institutions, bodies as key stakeholders for a successful transnational project with real impact.
Green - Priority 2: A greener, low-carbon Danube Region
Promoting renewable energy in accordance with directive (EU) 2018/2001, including the sustainable criteria set out therein.
The power systems of the Danube Region’s (DR) countries still heavily rely on fossil fuels. In some of those countries (e. g. Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary) the energy dependency is higher than the EU average (53,6%). The share of renewables in gross final energy consumption is low, and has never reached 50% in any of the DR countries. Energy dependency and lack of high energy safety triggered by underutilized renewable energy resources characterizes the current situation within the Danube region.
Strategy making and policy support in reaching low-carbon energy production and supporting the decrease of energy dependency in countries and regions most dependent on fossil fuels and resources from external (non-macro-regional) energy markets.
- Capacity building for sustainable energy planning especially in regions with high share of non-RES energy production or consumption.
- Support for harmonised actions and transnational cooperation in the buildings’ heating and cooling sector (e. g. decreasing carbon intensity in heating, RES integration in building sector combining it with storage and charging solution systems for e-mobility) with special attention to countries and regions with outstanding shares in energy consumption of the heating and cooling sector.
- Reduction of GHG emissions in the transport sector: introduction of alternative fuels and new technologies (e. g. electric vehicles) in transportation and innovative mobility solutions, support the shift towards environmentally friendly means of transportation, especially in public transport and freight transport, coordination between energy providers in relation to infrastructure elements of Danube Region relevance.
- Joint planning of infrastructure for the utilisation of renewable energy sources with the facilitation of knowledge exchange between regions of the lowest and the highest share of RES in the energy mix.
- Development of incentive policies to encourage the renewable energy production based on the Danube Region available resources.
With regard to the EUSDR this Specific Objective is expected to provide direct contributions especially to actions and targets defined under the EUSDR Action Plan for PA1a, PA1b and PA2.
national, regional and local public authorities and/or institutions and related bodies governed by public law
- regional development agencies
- energy suppliers, energy management institutions and enterprises
- regional associations and regional innovation agencies
- NGOs
- financing institutions
- education and training centres as well as universities and research institutes
- EGTC
- international organisations and private bodies
Promoting climate change adaptation capacities in the Danube Region and disaster management on transnational level in relation to environmental risks, taking into account ecosystem-based approaches
The Danube Region is forecasted to be exposed to climate change greatly by increasing annual mean temperatures, the wet regions becoming wetter, the dry regions drier in general, as well as increase in the intensity and frequency of heat waves, dry periods, and of heavy rainfalls on local, regional level. The frequency and severity of environmental disasters like floods, droughts, or forest fires are predicted to increase in the next decades. The impacts of the changing climate and of the more frequent and extreme related disasters affect the ecosystem, economic sectors and human life in the Danube Region also on a transboundary scale.
SO 2.2 support measures that strengthen cooperation of key stakeholders in order to improve policies and institutional capacities (e.g. by integrated strategies, action plans, policy and sectorial dialogs, trainings), harmonising management processes (e.g. management, contingency plans), elaborating and pilot testing joint solutions (e.g. monitoring, forecasting tools, data bases). More specifically:
- Harmonised, joint solutions and measures for climate change modelling, forecasting and vulnerability assessment on Danube Region / River Basin scale ensuring their application at policy and, or operational level.
- Integration of new research results into climate change adaptation practice for different types of territories in targeted thematic fields (e. g. floods, droughts) and improving skills and competences for policy makers and stakeholders.
- Coordinated, harmonised efforts on transnational river(basin) scale to prevent flood risks, or drought, including application of nature-based solutions (exploring the potentials of floodplain restoration measures can fit SO 2.2, if specifically focusing on flood management).
- Harmonised, joint planning, monitoring and alert systems, accident hot-spot inventories on industrial, mining and contaminated sites, improving operational cooperation, interoperability, institutional and technical capacities of emergency response authorities and non-governmental organisations to combat environmental risks, such as flood, drought or accidental pollution of transboundary river(-basin)s, or wildfires and climate-change related other disasters.
- Developing and implementing regional level climate change, environmental risks related disaster preparedness activities and establish standardised minimum requirements for disaster responders to achieve better and more effective transnational disaster response in the region.
- Projects financed in the framework of SO 2.2 are expected to directly contribute to the objectives of EUSDR, especially to the actions and targets of PA5.
National, regional and local public authorities and organisations responsible for water-flood management, or related environmental issues.
- Hydro-meteorological services.
- Disaster management authorities.
- Professional and volunteer civil protection and rescue organisations.
- Local/regional governments/municipalities.
- Regional development agencies.
- Interest groups including NGOs (e. g. international organisation, environmental organisations).
- Research institutions and universities.
Sustainable, integrated, transnational water and sediment management in the Danube River Basin ensuring good quality and quantity of waters and sediment balance
The Danube Region covers almost the entire water system of the Danube River Basin (DRB) and beyond the Danube River there are shared water bodies and water catchment areas of transnational importance, like the Tisa (TRB), Sava (SRB), Mura-Drava River Sub-basins. Pressures affecting the water quantity quality and sediment balance of these transboundary river(basin)s, surface and underground water bodies like contamination and water pollution or increasing water use, decreasing ground water levels, shrinking supplies, increasing periods of low water in transnational river systems can have serious impacts beyond country borders that make necessary the cooperation of key actors from upstream and downstream countries.
SO 2.3 support measures that strengthen cooperation of key stakeholders in order to improve policies and institutional capacities (e.g. by integrated strategies, action plans, policy and sectorial dialogs, trainings), harmonising management processes (e.g. management plans), elaborating and pilot testing joint solutions (e.g. monitoring, forecasting tools, data bases), which are:
- Ensuring harmonised data availability by more effective monitoring and modelling systems for improving transnational water management measures.
- Strengthening institutional, management and technical capacity to prevent and mitigate water pollution or to restore good quality of water with special regard to hazardous and emerging substances pollution, agriculture and waste water management, taking also into account the possible impacts of climate change on the quality of water.
- Improving sediment balance and related morphodynamics, or exploring the potentials of reconnection of adjacent floodplains / wetlands in order to improve water quality, in transnational water bodies.
- Developing harmonised, joint monitoring and modelling sytem(s) in order to better understand the transboundary groundwater systems of Danube River Basin.
- Defining joint strategies and harmonised measures, elaborating and adopting innovative solutions in relation to water exploitation and protection ensuring balanced use of water, taking also into account the impacts of climate change for future water demand.
- Ensuring harmonised data availability, adaptation of integrated strategies, plans and solutions in connection to climate change induced increase of low water periods on the main transnational rivers of DRB, affecting sediment transport, navigation, hydropower management and the ecosystem.
Projects financed in the framework of SO 2.3 are expected to directly contribute to the objectives of EUSDR, especially to the actions and targets of PA4.
National, regional and local public authorities and organisations responsible for water management, or related environmental issues.
- Hydro-meteorological services.
- Infrastructure and (public) service providers (e. g. for water supply, waste water treatment, hydro power plants, inland navigation).
- Interest groups including NGOs (e. g. international organisation, environmental organisations, farmer associations).
- Research and development institutions, universities.
Protecting and preserving the biodiversity in ecological corridors and eco-regions of transnational relevance in the Danube Region
The Danube Region is a colourful mosaic of different biogeographical regions resulting in high biodiversity. The major rivers, the Danube River and its tributaries and mountain ranges, Carpathians, Dynaric Alps, Czech Forest-Bavarian Forest, are also important transnational ecological corridors providing connectivity between key habitats. However, this rich biodiversity is endangered by many factors, human interventions, spreading of invasive alien species and the climate change impacting the conditions of ecosystems, which need solutions often on a broader territorial level, in which transnational cooperation can be essential.
SO 2.4 support measures that strengthen cooperation of key stakeholders in order to improve policies and institutional capacities (e.g. by integrated strategies, action plans, policy and sectorial dialogs, trainings), strengthening cooperation frameworks and networks, harmonising management processes (e.g. management plans), elaborating and pilot testing joint solutions (e.g. monitoring, decision making tools, data bases). More specifically:
- Harmonised, joint efforts to improve, restore, manage and monitor ecological connectivity along transnationally relevant ecological corridors, including examination of the potentials of green and blue infrastructure developments and solutions for effective defragmentation.
- Actions in revitalisation and rehabilitation of water habitats along major transnational river (systems), exploring the potentials of restoration and reconnection of floodplains, wetlands and their adjacent areas.
- Establishing (institutionalised) management and cooperation network(s) of ‘Danubian’ transboundary ecological regions, harmonised management strategies and solutions, conservation and preservation techniques, toolkits ensuring also sustainable use of natural resources.
- Increasing the resilience of habitats and ecosystems of transboundary ecological regions and their ability to adapt to climate change impacts by development of eco-friendly land use systems, landscape management and soil protection and restoration measures.
- Coordinated, joint solutions in prevention and control of IAS and management of their priority pathways.
- Joint and harmonised development and implementation of transnational monitoring, conservation and restoration and management plans for endangered umbrella species (e. g. sturgeons, large carnivores) of the Danube Region.
Projects financed in the framework of SO 2.4 are expected to directly contribute to the objectives of EUSDR, especially to the actions and targets of PA6.
National, regional public authorities and organisations responsible for environmental and nature protection issues, agriculture (farming, forestry, fishery).
- Spatial planners.
- Infrastructure and (public) service providers (e. g. water management, transport, hydropower).
- Interest groups including NGOs (e. g. international organisation, environmental organisations, voluntary association, etc.).
- Research institutions, universities.
- Education/training centres and schools.
Social - Priority 3: A more social Danube Region
Accessible, inclusive and effective labour markets
The Danube Region (DR) is affected by the interconnected challenges of persistent long-term unemployment, profound income inequalities, intensifying westward labour migration, skills gaps and a weak social economy. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic there had been significant improvements in overall national employment rates across large parts of the DR, particularly in large urban conurbations. However, there exist patterns of entrenched long-term unemployment throughout the DR which have not changed as significantly. It can be observed that these patterns are mostly evident amongst vulnerable groups, which include ethnic minorities (e. g. Roma), the aged and those persons with disabilities. It is also generally observed that the vulnerability is enhanced in rural areas and amongst those with relatively low levels of education. This is compounded in certain regions which have historically relied on employment in mono functional industrial and agricultural production facilities which over time have been subject to closure, downsizing or re-purposing. The persisting north-west versus south-east divide in spatial inequalities on the labour markets is resulting in depopulation, ageing, low population retention, unfavourable economic structures with the risk of unemployment but at the same time skills gaps and labour shortage.
SO 3.1 supports innovative jointly developed measures that strengthen the cooperation and effectiveness of key stakeholders in order to improve policy, planning and institutional capacity towards more accessible, inclusive and effective labour markets in the Danube Region.
- Joint coordination of policies and planning aimed at integrating disadvantaged groups (elderly people, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities, rural people, women, youth, etc.) to support inclusive employment in regions that display high proportions of disadvantaged populace;
- Support for designing innovative policies and planning to retain skilled labour and a more sustainable migration of educated people (e. g. by introducing transnational study and RDI programmes, promoting innovative employment schemes suitable for the needs of the tertiary educated living in rural regions or regions significantly affected by this type of migration);
- Creation of an information system and support for the provision of information and data about life events connected to periodic and permanent migration of workforce, caused by labour market inequalities; between the eastern and the western parts of the macro region;
- Coordinated policies and strategies to tackle active ageing (e. g. by social entrepreneurship) in regions and cities of the macro region affected by a high level of ageing;
- Developing cooperation and innovative planning between bodies responsible for labour market integration and the private sector towards enhancing the inclusion of the disabled in the labour market;
- Build-up of a âDanube observatory system” about labour migration and its impacts on cohesion; involving public bodies responsible for monitoring & evaluation, academia and civil society;
- Developing models to explore and demonstrate the effectiveness of remote working towards developing employment inclusiveness and meeting regional, social and economic goals;
- Restructuring and diversification of employment by the implementation of territorially integrated action plans for employment with a special focus on enhancing the spreading of innovative structures targeting mono-functional (e. g. agricultural, industrial) regions. This could include green jobs development.
Projects financed in the framework of SO 3.1 are expected to contribute to the objectives of EUSDR, especially to the actions and targets of PA9.
National, regional and local public authorities and organisations responsible for labour, employment and social welfare e. g. public employment services (PES).
- Social services providers.
- Labour market organisations.
- Non-governmental organisations.
- Social enterprises.
- Research and development institutions, universities with research facilities, higher education, vocational education and training providers.
- Employer organisations, business support organisations.
- Employee organisations e. g. trade unions.
Accessible and inclusive quality services in education, training and lifelong learning
The integration of an individuial into the labour market, their socio-economic well being, ongoing development and value to their society and region is highly dependent on their education and skills, vocational education and training and lifelong learning. There are good education models within the Danube Region to facilitate this but at the same time there are many regions that lack accessible, inclusive and effective structures and models to develop their human capital which contributes to regional imbalances and negative trends e.g. out migration, skills gaps and unemployment. It is fundamental therefore that the provider systems are accessible and inclusive and tailored to the level and background of individuals whilst at the same time providing relevant and recognised training and qualifications for the Danube Region employers and beyond.
SO 3.2 supports innovative measures that strengthen the cooperation and effectiveness of key stakeholders in order to improve policy, planning and institutional capacity towards accessible and inclusive quality services in education, training and lifelong learning.
- Development of joint innovative educational models, programs, practical tools and materials to support inclusive education for disadvantaged learners.The expected approach to develop on from model regions within the Danube region and with mutual learning developed from pilot regions;
- Developing best practices in education policy, gathering and disseminiating kowledge and advancing education and policy reforms at the national and regional level across the Danube Region;
- Establishment or development of existing scientific and educational networks to combat brain drain, whereby educated and skilled individuals leave regions for better prospects. Networks should bring existing knowledge and research together and develop concrete outputs;
- Innovative digital and remote education with e-solutions to mitigate rural disadvantage, provide employment related training and combat brain drain;
- Knowledge exchange and the sharing of experience in elaborating and developing inclusive vocational education and training models and systems. This should lead to concrete outputs e.g. the development of work based training schemes which better support relevant skills development to match the needs of the labour market.
Projects financed in the framework of SO 3.2 are expected to contribute to the objectives of EUSDR, especially to the actions and targets of PA 9.
National, regional and local public authorities and organisations responsible for education, labour, employment, inclusion and social welfare.
- Social services providers.
- Schools and non-tertiary education providers.
- Non-governmental organisations (including with a focus on disability; minorities; women; youth).
- Social enterprises.
- Research and development institutions, universities with research facilities, higher education, vocational education and training providers.
- Employer organisations.
- Employee organisations e. g. trade unions.
Enhancing the role of culture and sustainable tourism in economic development, social inclusion and social innovation
The Danube Region is characterised by an outstanding cultural diversity that over the centuries has left a rich legacy of intangible and tangible heritage that is often not recognised for its potential towards economic development, social inclusion and social innovation. Generally, major cities have, to varying degrees, acknowledged and sought to use this value, whilst smaller communities in rural and remote areas have not, even though they have a great potential in valorising their diverse heritage towards increasing the well-being of their communities. Many of the remote, rural areas and smaller settlements are confronted with a lack of in-depth recognition of the heritage and cultural assets value potential that they have and miss inclusive strategic planning to guide and coordinate its valorisation. Part of the problem lies in the historically limited access to cultural and heritage assets and initiatives, both in a geographical and a socially inclusive sense in the Danube region. Efforts should therefore be made to make these assets and initiatives available to all, even if this can be a challenging process for minorities and rural and remote areas. With experience across 14 countries, transnational cooperation can support this with jointly developed valorisation and touristic models and solutions in rural, remote areas and smaller cities. This based on the existing heritage and culture and underpinned from the strong involvement of all parts of the local community.
SO 3.3 supports measures that strengthen cooperation and effectiveness of key stakeholders in order to improve policy, planning and institutional capacities towards enhancing the role of culture and sustainable tourism in economic development, social inclusion and social innovation.
- Improving the accessibility of tourism and culture infrastructure, products and services for vulnerable groups, such as minorities, people with disabilities, the elderly and youth in regions with low levels of accessibility and high levels of vulnerable groups;
- Valorisation of joint natural and cultural heritage and cultural activities through the elaboration of new or improved thematic initiatives for example cultural, hiking, cycling or other thematic routes and initiatives across the macro-region with a special focus on rural or less visited areas;
- Capacity building and development of innovative models for community-based tourism to better secure the engagement of host communities by involving them in the planning, management and implementation tourism development in their respective regions;
- Capacity building in social innovation to better support valorisation of joint cultural and natural heritage, in particular for tourism and their heritage management schemes (study, collection, preservation, digitalization, exhibition and re-interpretation of joint tangible and intangible elements);
- Promoting quality products, services and transnational infrastructure in the tourism and culture sector to support the social inclusion of disadvantaged people via new employment forms and job opportunities. This especially in relation to regions with a high share of ethnic minorities and areas with a large share of population at risk of poverty including the youth, elderly or disabled;
- Promote sustainable and slow tourism concepts, planning methodologies, model regions, and management tools in the Danube Region, in regions of mass tourism as well as in regions having a weakly developed tourism sector. Actions should promote and safeguard employability and employment possibilities to vulnerable groups of host communities, and capitalise on EUSDR projects in the interconnected areas of culture, nature and tourism.
Projects financed in the framework of SO 3.3 are expected to contribute to the objectives of EUSDR, especially to the actions and targets of PA3.
National, regional and local public authorities responsible for culture, heritage and tourism.
- Sectoral agencies, tourist operators, tourist information centres (points), regional tourism boards/ destination management organisations.
- Museums and cultural institutions.
- Research and development institutions, universities and other education institutions.
- Business support organisation (e. g. chamber of commerce, business innovations centres).
- NGOs and civil society associations.
- Private enterprises including SMEs and social enterprises.
Cooperation - Priority 4: A better cooperation governance in the Danube Region
Increased institutional capacities for territorial and macro-regional governance
Comprising 14 countries - old and new Member States, candidate countries, a potential candidate and neighbourhood countries - the Danube Region is characterized by distinct administrative fragmentation and low level of institutional integration. Lagging behind legal harmonization and limited capacities of public bodies to engage into transnational cooperation, especially on sub-national levels, are substantially hindering integrated territorial developments along shared functional ties.
Integrated governance models for addressing challenges arising from demographic change (e. g. aging, depopulation, brain drain);
- Integrated urban-rural governance models including specific territorial development strategies for rural/remote areas as well as accessibility aspects and transport bottlenecks;
- Support for more and stronger inter-institutional relations for the integrated development of transboundary functional areas;
- Capacity building considering especially a better involvement of local and regional public bodies as well as civic actors in transnational policy making, territorial development frameworks and governance models;
- Support for the monitoring and analysis of territorial processes affecting the cohesion and cooperation of the Danube Region to assist capacity building and institutional capacity
With regard to the EUSDR this Specific Objective is expected to provide direct contributions especially to actions and targets defined under the EUSDR Action Plan for PA10.
Local and regional (public) bodies are expected to be at the core of each partnership, since those actors are the closest to their communities, offering many essential public services and having in-depth knowledge on the needs of civil society and businesses.
- Civil Society Organisations and private actors (e. g. SMEs, private service operators) as further indispensable pillars of the envisaged governance schemes.
- Support organizations (chambers of commerce, employment agencies, expert bodies in the field of urban or rural-urban development and similar).
- National public bodies, EUSDR-related actors and international organizations for adding policy-relevance and strategic momentum (to be involved either as financing or strategic PP).
- Academia as further knowledge providers.
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