Da net final brosure mttsz

JOINT DECLARATIONS
to EUSDR’s implementation

III
THE ONLY
CONFERENCE-
SERIES
OF
THE EUSDR’S
in 2011-2013
23 international forums
in 10 countries, 19 cities
in features all priorities area
with 1206 participants
Supported by
Network
web
http://danubenet.eu

IV
ABOUT ‘DANET’ CONFERENCE-SEREIES
RECORDS TO COMMISSIONER MR. HAHN TO THE MEETING
FIRST OF ALL
We are greeting the EUSDR for giving the historic
opportunity of macro-regional cohesion for the region
that was political and military fragmented in the
twentieth century. So, the Danube region regain its
identity, and its citizens could be proud to be as people
of the Danube basins be the part of the European
integration.
Requests:
1. Do not allow that the "macro-regionalism”
horizont disappear during the implementation
activities of the NCPs and SGs. So far these activities
and the practical implementation of the are mainly limited on the river Danube and the its coastal
area.
2. There are qualitative differences between the Baltic and other macro-regions in relation to what
should be taken into account in the design and practical implementation
 of the 20 most disadvantaged regions of the EU 15 (75%), while only three of the most
advanced 20 (7%) in the Danube macro-region. /EUSTAT 38/2012 - 13 March 2012 - Regional
GDP /
 here are the majority of the EU, 12 of them and the accession countries,
 the countries of the the Danube region are in the center part of the European continent and
compared with other European macro regions have significantly shorter sections of sea
coastal areas;
3. Instead of the administrative function (labeling) of the established government institutions (SG,
NCP, PAC), the following activities should dominate at least until the end of 2014:
 information disseminating and
 project generating,
 developing networks,
 a broad system of partnerships,
 stimulating bottom-up planning activities.
These should be better adapted to the communications of the Parliament and the Commission, to
the real needs. The obligation of reporting and the labeling without direct resource allocation,
makes the structure and its functioning dysfunctional, the negative feedback effect should be
reckoned with politically. This has already manifested on the 8 international DaNet conferences.

V
To do this resources should be provided to the SG on the Commission and member state levels, and
resources for cooperative and transnational, network-building NGO projects cshosen by the
Commission and the Parliament.
Distinct management of the NGOs
 the PACs and the SGs should cooperate on a closer partner level with the regional political,
space developer, vocational and think-tank NGOs dealing with the issues of the PAs, as it
already acheaved for example in the case of operative programs.
 Organizations invented purely on the river Danube or in occasion of EUSDR, could have
certainly their role in the process of information, but they should not take the place of the of
the professional interest groups, scientific institutions, think-tank organizations, in their
function in the organizational structure of the EUSDR. Especially the so called fun civil
organizations with hegemonic behavior, with name reservation, wanting to appear as the
representatives of all civil organizations of the Danube region, is in incompatible with the
politics of the EUSDR and with the partnership system of the EU confirmed in 2011.
 There is necessary the distinct management of the wide range, multileveled even with
hundred thousand members containing NGOs of the Danube region. Therefore we prepared
the network system Danubenet for NGOs with territorial coverage adjusted to the
professional and to the priority areas.
4. EU 2020 + Multi-annual Financial Framework Strategy + Common Framework and EUSDR the
planning of conditions of implementation of the actions contained in the ESDR action-program,
adopted by the SGs, at the member state level should start in the operational programs.
Proposal: the planning on the national level of including the conditions by the adopted measures of
the SG should start. By now the consistence in the relation between the measurs adopted by the SGs
and the parts of the national plans are questionable.
Question: Will the the draft regulations of the EU funds contain the integration of the EUSDR and
OP?
On behalf of the DaNet IOC
István Szilvássy
President
Asked some questions about the Danube Strategy, but the response was voluntary option. One
quarter of the participants responded.
yes
58%
no
42%
Do you know how and where to submit
project ideas related to the Danube
Strategy?

VI
CONTRIBUTION TO THE WHOLE IMPLEMENTATION
OF EUSDR
AFTER THE DISCUSS WITH EU DG REGIO
Brussels (BE) Joint Declaration to the EUSDR
Produced on the DaNet Conference devoted to the European Union's
Danube Macro-Regional Strategy
Brussels – DaNet Conference, 22 and 24. October 2012
Representatives of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) from countries of the Danube
region, who gathered in Brussels on 22 -24. October 2012 to exchange views about the European Union Strategy for the Danube
Region (EUSDR) and on problems and proposals for solving them in the field of involvement of CSOs:
Welcome the support of the Citizenship Program of
the European Union (EACEA) to create and
implement the DaNet Conference Program which in
its' framework enables NGOs and CSOs to get
broader insight in EUSDR, its' priority areas (PAs)
with opportunity to express their views and discuss
problems tackled at these conferences;
Declare the strongest interest of participating
organizations in the implementation of EUSDR and
in fulfillment of goals stated in the Action Plan for
all Priority Areas which were discussed during this
gathering, too, upon which they are
Pointing out
1. that participating organizations
represented at this gathering are fully
devoted and wish to contribute to the
successful implementation of EUSDR and
its' priority areas,
2. to share their concern about the absence
of information about the progress of
implementation of Danube strategy in
2012,
3. their expressed and common opinion that
the dissemination of EUSDR information
has not yet reached all potential
stakeholders but only a few governmental
bodies and NGO’s,
4. in concluding that some of the Steering
Committees work well, but others are slow
and inefficient,
5. support a horizontal program to be
designed for implementing measures that
contribute to the fulfillment of the Danube
Strategy Objectives, driven by the lowest
possible level to citizens and businesses;
Recommending open discussions with respective
officers of EUSDR about steps and actions they are
going to do in the future and how to formulate
budgets in the next programming period. During
their meetings in EU institutions the participants
insisted on:
1. giving more space and stronger position
for NGOsin project preparation and
selection, bearing in mind that CSOs could
help in project development with their
efforts in monitoring project execution in
different countries during planning, design
and execution stages,
2. to control how these Danube-Region
projects will be guided by the Authorities
in different countries in accordance
withEU-decisions and how could be
transparency enforced during the entire
procedure,
3. to establish an international monitoring
civil organization that would be able to
control the development of EUSDR
projects in the different countries of the
concerned region, and in the Middle and
of Lower Danube countries in particular,
during the next 2012-2020 budget of the
Danube Strategy,
4. for solving this problem particularly in the
area of flood protection they suggest to
allocate an international budget, which
should constitute separate financing from
national budgets for facilitating a
confirmed solution to prevent from floods
in the future,
5. placing special attention to appropriate
technical solutions of these arrangements
and execution works as a whole must be
realized by experts and manpower of the
interested countries, giving additional
opportunities to the people of the locality
in question to open new employment

VII
opportunities in this region.
Urging to
6. improve the existing monitoring system
over the progress of each priority area, as
in other operative programs is used, with
involving CSO's,
7. hold the project labeling within the
framework of monitoring the
implementation by the the institutional
system of the current EU's Multi-Annual
Financial Framework,
8. stop absence or insufficient
comprehensive communications with civil
society organizations and general public
that is characteristic for some of PACs and
Steering Group members,
9. improve the overview of activities on the
Internet, as some of Steering groups' and
their working groups' activities are not
sufficiently transparent,
10. to make public all information on activities
of Steering Groups and high level
committees also in phases of preparation
– on the base of EC' communication about
the EUSDR (Council conclusions on the
European Union Strategy for the Danube
Region 3083rd General Affairs Council
meeting).
International Organizing Committee of the DaNet Conference-Series

Verified by István Szivássy (HU) President of the International Organizing Committee, Prof. Dr. Edita Stojić Karanović (RS), Vice President
of the International Organizing Committee (HU), Prof. Dr. Pal Hajas, Vice President of the International Organizing Committee

VIII
TO THE FIRST ANNUAL STAKEHOLDER CONFERENCE REGENSBURG
Regensburg (DE) Joint Declaration to the EUSDR
Produced on the DaNet Conference devoted to the European
Union's Danube Macro-Regional Strategy
Regensburg – DaNet Conference, 27 – 28. November 2012
Representatives of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) from
countries of the Danube region, who gathered in Regensburg (DE) - 27/28. 11. 2012. - views about the
European Union Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) and on problems and proposals for solving them in the
field of involvement of CSOs –
Welcoming
 the support of the Citizenship Program of the
European Union (EACEA) to create and
implement the DaNet Conference Program
which in its' framework enables NGOs and
CSOs to get broader insight in EUSDR, its'
priority areas (PAs) with opportunity to
express their views and discuss problems
tackled at these conferences,
 the fact that the Danube River Basin
countries major national political factors
consider EUSDR as important and continue to
support its implementation;
organizations in the implementation of
EUSDR and in the fulfillment of goals stated
in the program of the Action Plan for all
Priority Areas which were discussed during
the whole DaNet Conference-series. Upon
that experiences and the debate at the 1st
Stakeholder Conference of the EUSDR the
following comprehensive, structural
recommendations are given to the EUDRS
2014-2020:
Recommend at the same time raising efficiency of
EUSDR's implementation, as:
1. The EU Danube Strategy and priority areas of
its' Action Plan have to be integrated with
a. the 2020 Action Plan, policies of cross-
cutting strategies of the European
territorial cooperation and
neighborhood programs that are
relevant to the Danube Basin, and
b. national development strategies and
national reform programs of interested
member countries.
About that in the legislation on Multi-annual
Financial Framework and on EU Funds have
to be provided regulations on the right place.
While in case of non-member countries they
should be included in regulatory documents,
work plans concerning their relations with
the EU.
2. Despite of political agreement, in the reality
begins to emerge an independent
institutional system (PAC, steering groups)
that results more duplication, dysfunctions
and increased bureaucracy, so that the
system is more characterized with
detachment, than integration. To put an end
to this, since the Danube Strategy Initiative
started from interested countries (!)
a. implementation and management of
the EUSDR should be included in
existing regional and national
development organizations and
b. in the next financial Multi-annual
Financial Framework's development
institutions and instruments: Territorial
Investments (ITI), the CLLD, CSF
(Common Strategy Framework), the
generation and implementation of
programs and projects of the EUSDR
should be integrated as the immediate
task of Regional Cooperation
c. the EUSDR social dissemination and the
evaluation of the implementation
should be rather the function of
Steering Groups, while the planning,
programming, project generation and
monitoring should be the responsibility
of states concerned, of theirs' existing
spatial development and general
development institution system,
professional policy organizations. This
would better serve not only efficiency
but the real implementation of the
EUSDR.

IX
3. The EUSDR' Action Plan and the EU 2020
Strategy contently must not beparallel, as
parallelism gives opportunity to bureaucracy
establishing unnecessary operations,
administration, institutional organizations
The adopted EU's Strategy 2020 already
include objectives and actions of EUSDR
Action Plan's priority areas.
If the special aspects of EUSDR would be
integrated into the 1st and 2nd points of the
existing structure in according sections, they
prevail and will be implemented in practice.
Therefore, it will be useful to re-define
EUSDR Action Plan for the pre-2020 period,
and only a few specialized and complex
priority areas should be identified in order to
link to them many local, regional, national,
crossborder and trans-national projects.
Along the EU2020 strategy the Danube basin
could be a complex special focus area
 Danube Basin identity
development in coherence with
ensuring sustainability of
natural resources, environment
and cultural diversity,
 providing infrastructure
development supporting
sustainable water governance,
disaster prevention, free
movement of goods, persons,
 economic and social cohesion
development in the direction of
the more developed regions,
It is necessary to make clear particularly to
governmental actors, Steering Group
members, as well as to stakeholders, the civil
society, media people, that the EUSDR Action
Plan, defined by EU Council and Parliament,
is not only for the Danube River and its'
coast, but to the entire geographical and
administrative areas of the Danube basin
affected 13 countries and two German
Federal states.
Therefore it is necessary to ensure in the
course of implementation of the EUSDR an
equal frequency in the future development
also to more remote areas of the Danube
macro region.
Urging to –
 inspect the practical implementation of the
Danube Strategy so that it must no longer
exist informal two-speed distinctions of
countries, regions, because this practice is
also against the substantive macro-regional
targets of EU regional strategies,
 review the labeling of all these projects
considering that a project, which takes place
in the Danube Basin and is in line with the EU
2020 strategy, represents also the project
implemented through the Danube Strategy,
 hold the project labeling within the
framework of the monitoring the
implementation by the the institutional
system of the current EU's Multi - Annual
Financial Framework , and in of within
projects should be classified,
 establishing labeling only for projects or
support issues on trans-national (including
minimum of 3-4 countries);
Regarding the implementation of the Danube
Strategy, it would be possible and necessary,
to tag projects of various topics and scope as
„best practices” - similarly to procedures
already established in the EU practice, which
have a propagandist effect (EU awards,
activities, competitions).
Regretting the absence of comprehensive
communications with the general public
about the Danube strategy, since the citizens
are the ones most interested in the
implementation of the Strategy. The same
problem exists regarding civil society
organizations.
Proposing that the governments of the countries
concerned enable international navigation on
the suitable Danube tributaries and provide
the necessary conditions. This would have
positive impact not just on the water traffic,
tourism, economy and employment in the
regions concerned, but also on the role of
Danube as a sustainable transcontinental
waterway.


X
AS THE RESULT OF THE OPEN MEETING OF DANET CONFERENCE-SERIES
Budapest Begining Joint Declaration to the EUSDR
Produced on the DaNet Open Conference devoted to the European Union's
Danube Macro-Regional Strategy
On the first DaNet Conference, Budapest (HU) 29-30 November, 2011
Representatives of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) of Austria,
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia, who
gathered in Budapest, Hungary on 29-30 November 2011 for a conference to exchange their views about the
European Union Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) hereby declare that their organizations are interested
in and devoted to the implementation of the EUSDR and wish to contribute to its success. Therefore they:
Welcome the support of the Citizenship
Programme of the European Union which enables
the NGOs and civil societies, in the framework of
the DaNet Conference Programme, that
− more and more of them can join
the actual implementation of the
EUSDR along its Priority Areas;
− they acquire adequate and up-to-
date information on the EUSDR,
its Action Plan, Priority Areas and
working mechanisms;
− personal contacts and
cooperation can be built in order
to generate and implement
projects.
Express their agreement with the content of the
Action Plan of the EUSDR highlighting
that: „…In addition civil society in some
countries remains relatively weak.
Cooperation with authorities, and even
communication remain limited. The
capacity of civil society to influence region-
wide decision making processes, policy-
making and implementation needs to be
developed further. One manifestation of
these weaknesses is that the capacity for
absorbing development funds in an
efficient and effective way varies
throughout the region. In practical terms,
this needs to be strengthened and better
coordinated, through know-how transfer
and other measures e.g. by providing
assistance to strengthen skills in designing
and implementing projects with cross
border impact.”
Welcome the „Action - “To improve the trust of
citizens and stakeholders in political
authorities” This action should open up a
discussion about the role of civil society in
this respect. An open dialogue with
different authorities and institutions, and
a better acknowledgement of civil society
expertise and views in public service is
needed. The communication skills of civil
society should be reinforced to promote
confidence building measures (inc. post-
conflict management) in the region. There
is a need to strengthen a networking
culture (e.g. regional, local or city
networks, links with the private sector as
well as religious and cultural
communities)”
Agree with the Action “To establish a Danube Civil
Society Forum” promoting the idea of a
Danube Civil Forum as a pillar of civil
society participation in the Strategy. Such
projects could offer experience within the
field of civil society vs. state dialogue as
well as cross-border and trans-national
networking.
Remind that the proper interpretation of this
cannot be limited to the activity of a
hierarchic organization of some people,
civil associations, institutions. It is also
agreed that in the implementation of the
EUSDR the networks of NGOs (among
them the civil organizations), involving

XI
already tens of thousands of organizations
and representing professional interests
can meet the requirements of efficient and
successful cooperation between civil
societies and state institutions.
Request that only the joint discussion forum of the
NGOs and civil societies, which are dealing
with and are interested in the
implementation of the EUSDR, can be
considered as the competent partner in
the institutional structure of EUSDR
coordination in cooperation with the
Commission of the EU and Member States
concerned.
Agree that the joint discussion forum of the NGOs
and civil societies, which are dealing with
and are interested in the implementation
of the EUSDR, should be organized in
different interested countries according to
annual rotation.
Urge the need from more comprehensive
information flow that following the
generalities should be directed towards
concrete actions and projects.
Point out the importance the information about
the EUSDR to reach the smallest NGOs and
CSOs in the entire Danube Region.
Propose adequate communication as soon as
possible about the planning of financial
resources of the EUSDR in the process of
discussing about the Future of Cohesion
Policy – EU Budget for 2014-2020 and well
placed funding mechanism for the entire
Danube Basin.
Request Member States governments and the
European Commission to create an
enabling financial mechanism which will
facilitate development and
implementation of projects that belong to
the 11 pillars listed in the Action Plan
targeting at high-level results during the
next budgeting period.
Dated in Budapest, on 30 November 2011


XII
THE RESULT OF THE BUDAPEST SUMMIT OF DANET CONFERENCES
Joint Declaration and
Draft on the formation of the Danube Basin Rural Development and Landscape Cluster (DBRDLC)
DaNet Conference, Budapest 12-14. December 2012
Representatives of municipalities, local governments, NGO’s and other
stakeholder organizations from the eligibility area of the EU Danube Macro-
Regional Strategy (EUSDR), from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia,
Hungary, Serbia, Slovakia and Romania have gathered in Budapest on 12-14. December , 2012 for exchanging
their views on EUSDR, and on the proposal for setting up the Danube Basin Rural Development and Landscape
Cluster (DBRDLC). Participants hereby unanimously declare, that their organizations are interested in the
implementation of EUSDR and DBRDLC and wish to contribute to its success.
I. General Suggestions
Stakeholders’ representatives of the above Forum are in full agreement to make all possible efforts to carry out
the following activities latest until the end of 2014:
1. Information sharing and dissemination
2. Foster project generating process,
3. Develop networks and a broad partnership,
4. Stimulate bottom-up planning activities.
Participants of the DaNet Budapest Conference
considered to communicate prevailing difficulties
regarding EUSDR and its implementation:
 Although it has been approved by EU
Forums in June 2011, since then the EU
Danube Strategy has no visible operative
and explicit legal and financial instruments
hence it makes difficult for citizens to
develop projects.
 The EU Baltic Strategy may be studied as
an operational model for EUSDR, however
the actual geography of the Danube
region is different from the Baltic’s. This
has to be considered when shaping
EUSDR.
 Currently there are too much emphasis
given to the Danube River itself, whereas
the potential area of the Strategy is much
wider since the territory of 14 stakeholder
countries (except Germany, from which
only two federal states Bavaria and Baden-
Württemberg) are actively involved.
 There is lack of communication to the
general public about EUSDR. Since the
citizens are the biggest stakeholders of the
Strategy, their ideas and active
cooperation is crucial, thus if real results
are to be achieved, they need to be well
informed.
 The National Development Programs of
Member States concerned should be the
ones that implement the Strategy because
they already have the institutional
background, operational possibilities and
the existing network that can
communicate their ideas, find partners
and bring the Strategy to operation.
 Regional and national development
organizations have to be integrated into a
common system, thus eliminating the
duplication of processes and the

XIII
parallelism of organizations and EU
institutions.
 Currently the Priorities of the Danube
Strategy are too broad and some of them
are being considered by the EU2020
Strategy, thus the focus should be on some
of the middle and long-term horizontal
questions of EUSDR, and the Steering
Groups should be focusing on these
questions.
 Participants are convinced that the
European Union should effectively
implement EUSDR with the leadership of
member-states (and the formed clusters
and NGO’s) with minimum involvement
and less possible bureaucracy from EU
institutions.
 A bottom-up information sharing
and the program/project development
should be the most important in the
process till 2014. If this is implemented
than there is a visible
involvement/commitment to participants.
II. Special Suggestions
EUSDR has to give more attention to multi-cultural
and multi-ethnic cooperation in the Danube Region
with an addition to religion and church, too. The
Danube Basin Region has colourful cultural
heritage and a lot of very positive examples of
living fruitfully together. Also it is important for the
integration of national minorities and
disadvantaged people in general.
With regards to Rural Development the local
customs and the heritage of the Danube Region
should be collected and further developed
according to existing good example methods as the
Hungarian “Táncház Model”.
Participants emphasized the importance of
cooperation and networking: “together we are
stronger”, with stressing the need for the core idea
of being equal partners in this process.
Participants stressed the importance of the water
level of the Danube River which causes economic
losses in business activities. There can be no
efficient blue way transport (waterways) if
possibilities are inefficient (151 days the waterway
is unusable, 16,3 % loss in capacity, efficiency
remains only 71%). The water management in
stakeholder countries should be a priority on
order to improve transport of goods at diversified
and green (environmentally friendly) way.
In the central part of the Danube Region there is no
transport of large containers on waterways
(causing losses and problems in transport) thus
increasing pollution, more cars and trucks on the
roads in the region, in addition to slower and more
expensive transportation. Intermodal transport
cannot be implemented without waterways.
The European Parliament confirmed the
importance of Non-Governmental Organizations
and Civil Society Institutions (NGO’s and CSO’s), in
the implementation of EUSDR which is understood
additionally on the 2014-2020 Multi-Annual
Financial Framework.
Participants stressed the important role of NGO’s
and CSO’s to support regional initiatives in
implementation of EU directives for the Danube
Region and the Western Balkan countries.

XIII
III. Danube Basin Rural Development and Landscape Cluster
Participants of the conference decided to initiate the formation of the Danube Basin Rural Development and
Landscape Cluster (DBRDLC) 1
and agreed in the following:
1. In the near future, if a truly operational and effective organization is wished to be created, a balanced
organizational structure has to be developed. The following issues need to be addressed before the
formation, so that EU incentives and policies, together with EU cohesion policy can be implemented
effectively and equally in the entire region.
2. A statute needs to be written so that all participating organizations have to get a clear understanding
about work practices, goals and structure of DBRDLC.
This statute shouldhave the following elements of its structure:
 Name and Purpose of the DBRDLC
 Membership requirements
 Rights and obligations of members
 Headquarters
 Decision making bodies
 Presidency and leadership
 Voting and other organizational procedures
 Financial organizing system and Membership fees
 Work plan should be prepared for the establishment (articles of status, elections), operation (annual
meetings, information systems, operational patterns, debates, publications, etc). for DBRDLC.
 The Danube Basin Rural Development and Landscape Cluster/Forum wishes to be a new dimension of
cooperation based on incentives of the EU Danube Macro-regional Strategy (EUSDR), with the aim to
create a Danube Basin-wide network of NGO’s.
Potential members of DBRDLC are:
 national rural development networks,
 landscape management organizations,
 small and medium sized businesses (farms, local services, commerce, tourism, industry,
handicrafts, etc.) in rural areas,
 institutes of integrated community spaces,
 local governments, etc.,
 governmental institutions,
 nature and national parks,
 water -, land and cultural heritage management institutions,
The new network should cover the entire geographical area of the Danube Basin.
1 Danube Basin Rural Development and Landscape Cluster (DBRDLC) which would be similar but
naturally not same as the Nordic-Baltic National Rural Networks (NRN) cluster or the Mediterranean macro-
regional NRN cluster.

XIV
Networking is one of the most crucial elements in development, thus the Danube Basin Rural Development and
Landscape Cluster/Forum has the aim to provide a stabil surface for these entities to communicate and
cooperate with each other, representing the interest of the Danube basin rural area.
For the purpose of creation a Danube Basin Regional Rural Development and Landscape Cluster the signatories
of this Declaration are in agreement that:
 the European Union’s Danube Strategy allows countries to set new common objectives and define new
dimensions of cooperation through their stakeholder organizations, linked by the historical Danube
Region,
 the EU Danube Strategy offers suitable platform for strengthening cohesion among Rural Development
stakeholders,
 planning of the 2014-2020 Multi Annual Financial Framework (MMF) requires careful coordination and
concerted efforts by EU Member States, candidate members and Non-EU Members of the Danube
Basin,
 the Danube Strategy served as an inspiration for founding the Danube Basin Rural Development and
Landscape Network/Cluster (DBRDLC). The beginning of establishment of DBRDLC in 2012
representnew dimensions of cooperation, and which aims to enforce the common representation and
advocacy of rural development organizations, farmers, public bodies and NGOs operating and living in
the Danube Basin.
Objectives of DBRDLC are to:
11. facilitate regional networking of rural organizations concerned,
12. develop common programs and projects for member organizations with similar challenges (agricultural
production adversely affected by climate change, heavy floods, increased demand for renewable
energy, heritage, etc.),
13. strengthen the role of the Danube river and its tributaries, channels, as a rural and eco-touristic belt,
respecting the conscious environment protection,
14. develop clusters of special interests and prepare investment projects for EU funding after 2014,
including coordinated training programs
15. organize and disseminate information of best practice examples and conduct rural conferences in order
to propagate common programs,
16. support the important role of LEADER local action groups (LAGs) and Community Led Local
Development (CLLD) in the preparation and implementation of rural development programs.
Participants of the Conference considers that economic cohesion is the engine of economic convergence and
competitiveness, which are to ensure the sustainable development of the Danube basin. Therefore they
willingly signed this document.
Participants of the conference propose communication as soon as possible, in addition to the forming of an
Organising Committee which will have the task of formulating the organizational background of the DBRDLC.
They commissioned the following persons to represent the DBRDLC initiative in countries of the Danube Basin
and towards institutions of EU. There persons became members of the international working group which
determine the details of the DBRDLC’s work plan:
Representatives of DBRDLC Countries e-mail
Ms Emina Ahmetović - Association for Development,
Advancement and Promotion of Ecological Agriculture,
Tourism and Environment Protection – EKOPOT
Bosnia-Herzegovina
+ Croatia and
ekopot@live.com

XV
Msc. Biljana Savic – Director of the Branch-office of
International Scientific Forum "Danube - River of
Cooperation"
Slovenia biljanasavicm@hotmail.com
Ms Mariela Savkova Valkova – Head of the Regional
Information Center, Vidin Bulgaria
+ Ukraine
valkovamariela@gmail.com
Ms Plamka Radoslavova - President of Wallachians
Association from Bulgaria
avb_bg@abv.bg
Mr. István Szilvássy - Member of the Hungarian National Rural
Network’s Council, president – Association of the Hungarian
Settlements’ and Regions’ Developers plus EUC Agri ENRD
Hungary
+ Austria
mttfsz@gmail.com
Prof. Dr. Pál Hajas – Director Euragro Agricultural & Rural
Development, LAG Cserhatalja LEADER, DAGENE Association
hajas@euragro.hu,
hajas@cserhatalja.eu
Mr. Zoltan Horvath – President of Hangya Association
Romania
+ Moldova
okofalu@yahoo.com
Prof. Dr. Marcel Matiuti – Banat’s University of Agricultural
Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, President of the
Transilvanian Rare Breeds
matiutimarcel@yahoo.com
Prof. Dr. Edita Stojic Karanovic – President of the International
Scientific Forum "Danube - River of Cooperation"
Serbia
+ Baden-Wurtenberg
+ Bavaria
+ Montenegro
forumdanube@yahoo.com
Mr. Robert Dobo – Spokesperson “UKROK” (Association of
Entrepreneurs) dobo.robert@gmail.com
mirjana.jocic@gmail.com
Ms Mirjana Jocic, Director of OMA Waters, Pancevo
Mr Michal Demes – Manager of Masek Mill Slovakia
+Czech Republic
michal.demes@centrum.sk
Dated in Budapest on the 13th
of December 2012.


16
PRIORITY AREAS (PA)’ JOINT
DECLARATIONS
PA1/A. – WATERWAYS I.
Rotterdam (NL) Joint Declaration
Produced on the DaNet Round Table Conference devoted to the European Union's Danube
Macro-Regional Strategy focused on the Priority Area 1a of the EUSDR:
‘To improve mobility and multimodality: Inland waterways’
Rotterdam – DaNet Conference, 23. October 2012
countries of the Danube region, who gathered in Rotterdam on 23. October 2012 in order to gain experiences
through visiting the Harbour of Rotterdam and exchanging their views on the problems and proposals for
solving them in the field of improving mobility and multimodality on inland waterways:
problems tackled at those PAs, and PA 1a in
particular;
organizations in the implementation of EUSDR and
in fulfillment of goals stated in the program of the
Action Plan for the Priority Area 1a (“To improve
mobility and multimodality: Inland waterways”)
Pointing out that participating organizations are
fully devoted and wish to contribute to
achieving a successful implementation of
EUSDR in all, and its' priority area
concerning improvement of mobility and
multimodality on inland waterways in
particular;
Recommending to give preferences to actions
defined in the Action Plan of the PA1a as
“To improve mobility and multimodality:
Inland waterways” so that the following
could be effectively implemented:
1. utilization of water-flows in an
environment-friendly manner,
launching the renewable energy
propulsion in shipping,
2. turning the road traffic onto rivers
and channels, and to realize a
totally equalized flow-rate in
different traffic modes,
3. having seen the giant water-works on the
territory of Rotterdam Sea-Port and the
establishing of new Liquefied Natural Gas
(LNG) Terminal, participants recommend to
decision makers of the Danube Macro
Region countries to consider developments
in their countries in modernizing inland
ports and prepare LNG infrastructure
projects mainly on areas with agriculture
and with city sewages and wastes,
4. being very impressed by the huge traffic of
the container terminal of Rotterdam, and
considering container transportation as
one of the most important part of the
efficiency of transportation in the near
future, this transportation system must get

17
priority in inland transportation as well,
5. international container transportation on
the road should be replaced with container
transportation on inland waterways,
6. renewable energy should gain much more
space of usage in the inland navigation,
therefore EU and EUSDR countries should
give priority in financing the engine-change
for all owners of shipping units having
propulsion units older than ten years;
Repeatedly
7. urging for realization of entries made in
Timisoara Joint Declaration and
additionally for building the Danube-Tisa
Canal in Hungary, and by that to prevent
the desertification in Homokhátság area,
and establishing rich agriculture place for
vegetables and fruits for the entire Eastern
part of Hungary, Serbia and Western
Ukraine,
8. joining to the “LIMES-Program” of the
upper Danube part, and excavate the
Roman remains and memories in the
9. South-East countries of the Danube Basin,
and building-up the chain of the whole
LIMES-Network on the entire territory of
EUSDR,
Expressing readiness to commit and involve in the
programming process, defying Port’s visions
and project implementation.


18
PA1/A.– WATERWAYS II.
Timisoara (RO) Joint Declaration to the
Produced on the DaNet Conference devoted to the European Union's Danube Macro-
Regional Strategy focused on the Priority Area 1a of the EUSDR:
‘To improve mobility and multimodality: Inland waterways’
Timisoara (RO) – DaNet Conference, 5. October 2012
countries of the Danube region, who gathered in Timisoara, Romania on 5. October 2012 for a conference to
exchange their views about the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) in general and on
problems and proposals for solving them in the field of improving mobility and multimodality on inland
waterways in particular
problems tackled at this conference;
EUSDR and in fulfillment of goals stated
in the program of the Action Plan for the
Priority Area 1a (“To improve mobility
and multimodality: Inland waterways”)
which were discussed, and upon which
they are living in the area of side-rivers
and channels of the Danube and Tisa,
deeply interested in their developments.
Pointing out that participating organizations
 are fully devoted and wish to
contribute to the achieving of
successful implementation of
concerning improvement of
mobility and multimodality on
inland waterways in particular,
 offering to establish an
international monitoring civil
organization what will be able to
control the development of
EUSDR projects, in different
countries of the region of lower
Danube countries during the
period of the next budget of the
Danube Strategy;
Recommending to give preference to actions
defined in the Action Plan of the PA1a as
“To improve mobility and multimodality:
Inland waterways” so that the following
could be effectively implemented:
1. the utilization of water-flows in an
environment-friendly manner,
2. launching the renewable energy
propulsion in shipping,
3. turning the road traffic onto rivers and
channels, and to realize a totally equalized
flow-rate among different traffic modes,
4. setting up networks and innovative pilot
activities, cooperation projects in order to
contribute in abolishing borders and
bringing regions together,
5. promoting international regional
cooperation, it was concluded that it is
necessary to develop the system of
international projects in connection with
main tributaries of the Danube - the rivers
Drava, Sava, Tisa, Ibar, Morava, and the
Danube-Tisa-Danube (DTD) canal;
6. to develop unified safe and secure
waterway traffic system under the control
of multimodal information tools what is
connected directly to an alarm-system in
case of any weather damages or
hooliganism, or destruction,
7. to achieve the decrease the social-
economic differences between the nations

19
in this region, by the utilization of local
resources, and the unused or wasted
agricultural possibilities;
Urge to
1. restore the original design of the DTD
Canal which represents a multi-functional
water management system encompassing
the Grand Bačka canal, the Sombor lock,
14 canals of 694,2 km in total length (with
Banat watercourses, DTD makes the
unique hydro-technical entirety of 929 km
long) 16 locks, 26 sluices and weirs and 5
pumping stations of high capacity,
2. implement a focused education and public
information about all problems and
proposals for solving them in the sphere of
PA 1a,
3. involve the independent civilian initiatives
for the implementation and control of
project activities focused on improvement
of mobility and multimodality on the
Inland waterways, particularly in the
Middle Danube basin.
4. restore the old traditions of the nations
who were living close the natural
waterway routes, and supported the
nearby cities with their products as
market-skippers,
5. renew the presentation of the old
heritages, monuments and history of
inland shipping on the shores of
waterways, together the education and
free time passions of water-sports for the
youth,
6. organize a unified rescue and technical-aid
system on the waterway, by working-out
an international cooperation of civil
organizations,
7. establish a simplified, paperless
international system for border-crossing
traffic both for passengers and freight-
forwarding purposes.


20
PA1/B. RAIL-ROAD-AIR I.
Lendava (SL) Joint Declaration to the EUSDR
Produced on the DaNet Conference Devoted to the European Union's Danube Macro-
Regional Strategy focusing on the Priority Area 1b:
‘Improving Mobility and Multimodality
’
Lendava (SLO) – DaNet Conference, 12. January, 2012
Croatia, Hungary, Austria and Slovenia, who gathered within the framework of the DaNet Conference Series in
the City Hall in Lendava, Slovenia on 12. January 2012 with special focus on the Priority Area 1b of the EUSDR –
created their views and suggestions, that is formulated in this Joint Declaration.
Participants and organizers of the Conference expressing their gratitude to the Self-government of Lendava and
to the lecturers of the Conference for enabling them to overview many questions in the field of Rail-, Road- and
Air Transport and of development possibilities of the Mura-Drava sub-region, and to discuss these issues after
the introductory presentations and in the framework of an Open Space session.
The Conference Participants
a. Finding it important to intensify
and brighten the communication of the
EUSDR to the entire geographical area of
the Danube River Basin, well beyond the
immediate River Danube strip.
b. Considering particular
importance for the success of EUSDR to
disseminate full and practical information
to citizens, local governments and social
partners in sub-regions concerned that are
beyond from the immediate Danube line.
c. Drawing attention to
establishment and development of the
Mura-Drava-Danube Trans-boundary
Biosphere Reserve (MDD-TBR) which five
countries (Austria, Croatia, Hungary,
Serbia, Slovenia) were adopting an
agreement aiming at the conservation and
restoration of the natural and semi-
natural status of their habitats and
ecosystems in the cross-border area,
signed in Maribor, 24 September 2008;
Appealing to EU institutions and Government
bodies of Member States concerned to
facilitate best possible synchronization of
the EU TENT-T programme and the Action
Plan of the Danube Strategy for the
development of the “CETC-ROUTE 65”
Central European transport corridor
connecting North Europe and Baltic States
with the Southern Mediterranean Region
crossing Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria,
Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia and create
flagship development projects under Priority
1/b of the Danube Strategy. Such projects
should include urgency for RO-LA type road
and rail development options in order to
reduce risks of fatal accidents, air and noise
pollutions in the concerned area and along
roads No. 86 and 70 in Hungary in
particular.

21
d. Calling attention to the
importance of new railroad constructions
in order to improve efficiency of regional
and trans-continental transportation.
e. Welcoming the decision of the
Hungarian Government which gives
particular importance to the development
of rail corridors 4 and 5.
Requesting the Slovenian and Hungarian
Governments to give high priority to the
railroad connection development for Rédics-
Lendava, and Beltinci-Lendava sections, in
order to establish efficient rail connections
between the Western part of the Carpathian
basin and the Adriatic areas...
Suggesting to concerned governments to
undertake elaboration of feasibility studies
covering new railroad directions, efficient
utilization of new rail networks and consider
involvement of effective rail companies (etc.
GYSEV.)
Calling attention to consider cross-border
importance for local utilization of small rivers,
establish local ferry connections (Mura-Dráva-
Duna) for improved transportation of
agricultural products and local/regional
tourism.


22
PA1/B. RAIL-ROAD-AIR II.
Ljubljana (SL) Joint Declaration to the EUSDR
Produced on the DaNet Conference
devoted to the European Union's Danube Macro-Regional Strategy
focusing on the Priority Area No1b:
‘To improve mobility and multimodality: rail, road and air transport’
Ljubljana (SI) – DaNet Conference,18-19. November 2012
countries of the Danube region, who gathered in Ljubljana, Slovenia on 18-19. November 2012 for a conference
to exchange their views about the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) in general and on
the problems and proposals for solving them in the field of mobility, multimodality, rail, road and air
transportation:
Programme of the European Union (EACEA) to
create and implement the DaNet Conference
Programme which in its' framework enables the
NGOs and CSOs to get broader insight in EUSDR,
its' priority areas with opportunity to express their
views and discuss problems tackled at this
conference;
Declare
 the strongest interest of participating
EUSDR and in fulfillment of goals stated in
the program of PA1b of the Action Plan
that were presented by lectures and
discussed first day at a round-table
gathering, second day joining the First
annual stakeholder conference
 organized under the title "The Danube
region transport days 2012";
 that participating organizations are
achieving of successful implementation of
concerning the goals of the Action Plan
concerning improvement of mobility and
multimodality in rail, road and air
transportation.
Support
 suggestions for improvement of travel
times for competitive railway passenger
connections between major
 cities,
 implementation of 4 rail freight corridors
crossing the Danube region as planned
 within 3 or 5 years and possible inclusion
of a new corridor with added value of
linking
 together EU and non-EU member states'
railway systems,
 the proposal developing efficient multi-
modal terminals at Danube river ports and
dry ports to
 connect inland waterways with rail and
road transport by 2020,
 bringing to completion the TEN-T (rail and
road) Priority Projects crossing the
 Danube Region, overcoming the difficulties
and the bottlenecks including
environmental,

23
 economic and political, particularly in
cross-border sections”
 implementation the Rail Freight Corridors
forming part of the European rail
 network for competitive freight,
 enhancing cooperation between air traffic
stakeholders in order to prepare a
 plan to implement shorter plane routes,
 ensuring sustainable metropolitan
transport systems and mobility”,
 improvement regional, local and cross-
border infrastructure and access to
 rural areas,
 developing further nodal planning for
multimodality,
 building-up further Intelligent Traffic
Systems by using environmental friendly
 technologies, especially in urban regions,
 closer regional cooperation in the air
transportation, particularly among
airports.
Request to governments of EUSDR countries to ensure balanced and continual participation in EUSDR.


24
PA2. – ENERGY I. + WATERWAYS
Drobeta-Turnu Severin (RO) Joint Declaration to the EUSDR
focusing on Priority Areas
No
1a: ‘To Improve Mobility and Intermodality:
Inland Waterways
and No
2: ‘To Encourage more Sustainable Energy’
Drobeta Turnu-Severin (RO) – DaNet Conference, 4 October 2012
Representatives of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) of Hungary,
Romania, Serbia and Bulgaria, who gathered in Drobeta Turnu-Severin, Romania, on 4. October 2012 for a
conference to exchange their views about the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR), hereby
declare that their organizations are interested in and devoted to the implementation of the EUSDR and wish to
contribute to its success. Therefore they:
Welcome the
support of the Citizenship Programme of the
European Union (EACEA) to create and implement
the DaNet Conference Programme which in its'
framework enables NGOs and CSOs to get broader
insight in EUSDR, its' priority areas with
opportunity to express their views and discuss
problems tackled at this conference.
Declare that
8. participating organizations have the
strongest interest in implementation of
EUSDR and in the fulfillment of goals
stated in programs of PA1a and PA2 of the
Action Plan that were presented by
lectures and discussed using the „Open
Space” method,
9. participating organizations are devoted
and wish to contribute to the achieving of
successful implementation of EUSDR in all,
and its' priority area concerning the goal
to improving mobility and inter-modality
on
10. inland waterways’ of the Danube macro-
region and encourage of production and
use of more sustainable energy in the
entire region.
Request
 the close integration of each priority areas
during the implementation of the Action
Plan on macro-regional level for the
success of EUSDR,
 the Steering Group PA1a to do more in the
field of renewable energy and not only in
the biomass, wind and geothermic energy,
but in the fields of hydro - and nuclear
energy sources,
 organizations of civil society and even
government organizations to explain to
EU Commission the importance of
development of a new cargo fleet for
Danube navigation taking into account
technical characteristics of waterways,
navigation on Danube representing an
economical way to transfer goods from
manufacturers to end-user and being
more green than road transportation,
 implementation of the River Information
System (RIS) as a necessity to increase the
level of traffic along the Danube Corridor
and the safety as well deployment of the
modernized waterborne traffic
management infrastructure.

25
Propose to
Member States of the Danube Strategy the
road mapping in a short (2 years) and semi
long (5-7 years) period in order to get real,
visible and indeed perceived results in the
everyday life of the implementation of
Action Plan.
Urge for
 improvement of the territorial
collaboration by raising the numbers of
participants and involving more
stakeholders’ levels into projects to
encourage more sustainable energy in the
Danube basin and to improve mobility and
inter-modality on the Danube shipping,
 more comprehensive information flow
that, following the generalities, should be
directed towards the public for informing
it about the use of nuclear energy, for
concrete actions and projects,
 establishing an appropriate framework to
optimize the internal market for inland
waterway transport, and to remove
barriers that prevent its increased use.
Suggested for the planning period of the European
funds 2014 – 2020:
f. Harmonization between the European and
national programs and inclusion of the
provisions regarding the priority of
programs in cross-border programmes
and the programmatic documentation;
g. Inclusion into cross-border cooperation /
national programmes of the provisions
regarding the changing of the nature of
eligible activities and costs; these being
necessary in projects implementation, it is
demanded the raise of the percent
representing the expenses with equipment
and integrated systems;
h. Inclusion of local partners (local councils,
county councils, organizations of civil
society into strategic projects developed
under the strategy.


26
PA2. – ENERGY II.
Brno (CZ) Joint Declaration to the EUSDR
focusing on the Priority Area No2:
‘Encouragement of Sustainable Energy Consumption’
Brno (CZ) – DaNet Conference, 3-4. April, 2012
countries of the Danube region, who gathered within the framework of the DaNet Conference Series supported
by the EU Commission in Brno (Czech Republic) on 3-4. April , 2012, with special focus on the Priority Area 2 of
the EUSDR formulated their views and suggestions concerning energy consumption problems and proposals for
switching on the sustainable use of energy-resources hereby declare:
Programme of the European Union which enables
NGOs and civil societies to debate and disseminate
relevant information in the framework of the
DaNet Conference Programme;
stated in the program of the 2nd
Point out that the organizations participants
are representing devoted and wish to
contribute to the achievement of the
and of the program of encouragement of
sustainable energy consumption. But for
that stakeholders need to get all essential
information from the coordinators of
priority areas and Steering group
members. Unfortunately during the Brno
conference participants from the Danube
Region faced with anunprecedented
rejection from one of the PAC2, which had
lead to the lessening results of the
conference, and in the same time
demonstrated that some of PACs don't
understand their obligation in the
dissemination process about their given
mandate and formal tasks.
Urge for more enclosure of CSOs in discussing
strategy issues for sustainable energy
consumption by respective governments of
Danube region countries, and where there is
not yet developed such a strategy to do
that, while in countries where it is done (for
example in Hungary) but due to legislative
barriers the implementation of it is
impossible, to solve this problem, otherwise
the energy strategy will face with inefficient
development in their national economy
Propose adequate communication among
governments of the Danube region, their
better communication with of civil society
organizations in Danube region countries
about prevailing problems, needs and
possibilities of implementation of an
efficient program of encouragement of
sustainable energy consumption.
Request for removing obstacles and reviewing all
possibilities for implementation of EUSDR
and those of PA2 in particular:
 Transparency and normativity, including
PACs and Steering Group members
Developing good relationships with financial
institutions and managing authorities
Inform and involve governments,in order to
facilitate better understanding about
technical matters of the energy strategy and
the sustainable energy utilization system
 Start to implement the renewable energy
strategy

27
 Restructure relevant funding systems
 Train staffs in relevant projects in order to
increase the efficiency of the strategy
 Use experts in professional matters
 Develop cooperation with legislative and
governmental institutions
 Increase opportunities for production and
use of biomass, solar energy, hydropower,
wind power
 Support the balancing of electricity and
gas prices with better use ofrenwable
energies.
 Urge that the European market of
renewable energies must be uniform and
should give similar supports for all
members of the EU.
 Special rules should help to all Member
States, to achieve the most efficient
utilization of energy sources which is the
best in their own resource potential, as it
could be different from the geothermia,
solar, to hydro power or wind strength.
 Carry out research for identification of
potential new energy sources, such as
algae technology, use of agricultural by-
products and solid wastes.
 Reduce the utilization of fossil fuels!
Support should be directed towards
renewable energy sources.
 Gigantic power plants based on biomass
use must not be supported, power
generating performance should be limited,
for example on 2 – 20 MW. Small plants
utilizing local raw materials should be
preferred.
 Power transportation generated from
renewable raw materials have to be from
the immediate region, in order to reduce
environmental impact and reach higher
efficiency.
 Climate change impacts should be taken
into account, e.g. in case of the use of
agricultural by-products
 Counterbalance the impact of the energy
lobby.
 Consider job creation in the renewable
energy production, installation and
servicing.
 Creation of new jobs in production,
installation and servicing renewable
energies.
 Creation of new professional activities by
training at all levels, incl. secondary
schools and universities.
 Improve waste management technologies
 Construct energy efficient buildings to
extend benefits to broader society.
 Promote biogas inclusion into the power
grid network should be promoted as green
energy.
 Pledge emphatic support to R&D, and the
production of bio-fuels.
 Initiateaction plan sets forth the
implementation of the program of
economic backgrounds and creation of
market mechanisms.


28
PA3. CULTURE-TOURISM-PEOPLE&PEOPLE I.
Vidin Joint Declaration to the EUSDR
focusing on the 3rd
Priority Area of the EUSDR:
‘To promote culture and tourism, people to people contacts’
Vidin (BG) – DaNet Conference, 21. September 2012
countries of the Danube region, who gathered in Vidin, Bulgaria on 21.September 2012 for a conference to
exchange their views about the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) in the field of
promotion of culture and tourism, people to people contacts, hereby:
NGOs and CSOs to get broader insight in the
EUSDR, its' priority areas with opportunity to
express their views and discuss problems tackled at
this conference;
stated in the program of PA3, this time
especially on the goals stated in the Action
Plan of PA3 under points that were
discussed using the method of „Open
Space”. From talks to actions,
stakeholders in Vidin have agreed to
define and implement an action plan for
2013 containing the elaboration of a
common vision for joint tourism
development of the Danube region and
preparation of the strategy for tourism
development with few immediate
actions/projects turning the goodwill of
participants into actions (namely the
Pearls project and multi-cultural festivals).
Pointing out that organizations present are
achievement of the successful
implementation of EUSDR in all, and its'
priority area concerning the promotion of
culture and tourism, people to people
contacts:
 Stakeholders from the Danube Region
who gained in Vidin have united to
address the Danube basin challenges and
its potential, and to reinforce the local
community efforts to overcome the
economic crisis in a sustainable manner in
particular. Only a sustainable tourism
development and intensifying people to
people’s tides can provide better socio-
economic development, competitiveness,
environmental management and resource
efficient growth in the region.
 Participants in Vidin have agreed to put
more efforts in order to open to its near
neighbors, and the Black Sea region. They
stated that an EU Strategy for
development of tourism of Danube Region
shall contribute to EU objectives policy
initiatives, especially the Europe 2020
strategy.”
 All Participants in Vidin have agreed that
it will be a key to achieve a high level
ownership on tourism development vision

29
and strategy and its specific strategic
objectives and the contribution of each
citizen in order to turn it into shared
sustainable progress for the region.
 Organizations in Vidin have agreed to
attract research institutions from the
Danube region for delivery of information
and expertise in order to support efforts
of local stakeholders in identifying joint
measures for tourism development and
local partnerships/project ideas that
contribute to better socio- economic
cooperation between people and
countries within the Danube basin;
Draw attention of the general public and
decision-makers in countries of the
Danube macro region to the fact that the
Danube basin countries compared with
the European average have a wide
number of citizens with minority status,
the majority of them had to flee from their
homeland because of local wars and
dictatorships, or their homelands came
under the authority of other states in the
past centuries, but at the turn of the XX to
XXI centuries as well;
Urge for this fact should be taken in account by
the Steering Group PA3, as the ethnic
status, identity preservation, autonomy is
an important issue, not only the EU
achievements but also the cultural
diversity of the population of the Danube
River Basin as well. Regarding this it is
proposed that the Steering Group PA3
addresses this issue and to encourage
multi-ethnic communities, areas for
fruitful co-existence of good practice
dissemination. Also the religious diversity
should be taken as a value of the Danube
macro-region, where the Western and
Eastern Christian churches for centuries
meet the diverse religious and cultural
manifestations.
Recommending to Steering Group PA3
11. to establish and pursue a Danube basin
tourism vision enabling and stimulating
sustainable development in the region.
The vision shall take into account the
history of considerable conflict in the
region and to support a positive, shared
perspective of the future of people living in
the region,
17. for elaboration of the common tourism
strategy for the Danube Region as part of
the European Union Strategy for the
Danube Region (EUSDR) in compliance
with the goals for the macro-regional
strategy adopted by the European
Commission in December 2010 and
endorsed by the European Council in June
2011. The Strategy for tourism
development will seek to create synergies
and coordination between existing policies
and initiatives taking place across the
Danube Region,
18. to give support to the development of the
project named The Danube Pearls which
aimed to make a network of castles, forts,
palaces and to renew the role of cultural
tourist attractions and no-motor
pathways along the Danube River,
19. to give support to the proposal to held in
Vidin, where many nationalities live
together, a Danube Multi-cultural Festival
for the first time.


30
PA3. CULTURE-TOURISM-PEOPLE&PEOPLE II.
Giurgiu (RO) Joint Declaration to the EUSDR
focusing on the Priority Area NO3 of the EUSDR:
‘To Promote Culture and Tourism, People to People Contacts’
Giurgiu (RO) – DaNet Conference, 18 September 2012
countries of the Danube region, who gathered in Giurgiu, Romania on 18 September 2012 for a conference to
exchange their views about the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) in general and on the
problems and proposals for solving them in the field of PA3 –
facilitate in creating and implementing the DaNet
Conference Programme which in its' framework
enables the NGOs and CSOs to get broader insight
in EUSDR, its' priority areas (PAs) with opportunity
to express their views and discuss problems tackled
at this conference;
Declare their utmost interest in the
implementation of EUSDR and in the
fulfillment of the goals stated in the Action
Plan, this time particularly on the goals
stated in the PA3 ;
Pointing out
• that participating organizations are devoted
and wish to contribute to the successful
priority area concerning promotion of
culture and tourism and people to people
contacts – bearing in mind the rich multi-
fold cultural heritage of the macro-region,
• that the potential of the tourism
endowments of the Danube basin are not
less relevant than those in other European
macro-regions, as absolute power attracts
many destinations in the region and the
European tourism offer can be found in all
aspect in every of the 14 Danube-basin
countries, and some countries are prominent
even at the world-scale tourism (Austria,
Croatia),
• they agree that the Intergovernmental
Steering Group of the PA3 calls for
construction and development of macro-
regional tourism brand.
Urge for
• attention and call the government and
local decision-makers' to recognize the fact
that all countries of the macro-regional
area have those potentials, conditions and
values (geographical, political, social) to
develop internationally competitive
tourism products, and not only in the
Danube upper reaches in high mountains,
sea coasts, main cities,
• therefore the national development
planning organs of governments must give
more opportunity to development and
implementation of tourism programs ;
Recommend to
1. previously treat as a priority for the EU
tourism destination management defined
for the entire macro-region standard
system and network design, as the whole
macro-region has the relevant potential
for tourism sector;
2. extend planning and management from
the Danube River on the whole macro-
regional space, such as
beaches, the mountains in the region
of tributaries
spas, visitors to the city, rural, cultural,
religious, sport and conference
3. local government and decision-makers to
pay attention, primarily prefer and
support complex projects like

1
the “Pearls of the Danube”,
− the tourist channel and tributaries
navigation or regional airports and
river ports...


31
PA4. WATER QUALITY I.
Komarno (SK) Joint Declaration to the EUSDR
focusing on the Priority Area No
4 of the EUSDR:
‘To restore and maintain the quality of waters’
Komarno (SK) – DaNet Conference, February, 17th, 2012
countries of the Danube region, who gathered in Komarno, Slovakia on 17. February, 2012 for a conference to
problems and proposals for solving them in the field of restoring and maintaining the quality of waters in
particular hereby declare:
Programme which in its' framework enables NGOs
and CSOs to get broader insight into EUSDR, its'
priority areas with opportunity to express their
views and discuss problems tackled at this
conference;
Declare the significant interest of participating
EUSDR and in fulfillment of goals stated in
the PA 4 of the program, with particular
emphasis on the goals stated in PA 4. of
the Action Plan under points that were
discussed using „Open Space”
Pointing out that organizations represented are
achieving of the successful
priority areas concerning of restoration
and maintenance the quality of waters;
Urge to give preference to the action defined in PA
4 of the Action Plan as “To strengthen
general awareness and facilitate exchange
of good practice inintegrated water
management issues in the Danube Basin
among decision-makers at all levels and
among the population of the Region”so
that the following could be effectively
implemented:
a. It is important to create local and regional
social base for EUSDR through transparency,
communication, involvement of population
in major decisions in all phases of the
process through civil organizations using
“think global-act local” principles.
Development of the Hungarian chapter of
EUSDR would be an essential asset.!
b. Dialogues should be promoted among 11+1
priority areas and identify connecting
points, synchronize horizontal views and
define independent thematic areas in order
to create a kind of pearl-chain of EUSDR. ;
c. Thematic areas in water management
should be well defined. These should include
issues of flood, water logging, drought,
hailstorms and many other interrelated
priority areas.
d. It is recommended to consider technical
matters in river regulation, planning and
implementing construction of dams, water
leveling, in order to support economic
improvement in the concerned area. Good
examples can be found in the upper
(German and Austrian) streams of Danube,
in the Loire Valley, along Sava and Moldva
rivers.
e. Create political agreement for the
promotion of best practice examples,
including hydrology, tourism and cultural

32
aspects. CSOs are well placed to take up
transparent local and regional
communication tasks of EUSDR towards the
wider public.
Recommend to review reasons of divided political
opinion of professionals and the wider public
on hydrology strategy of the Danube river and
eliminate unnecessary differences and
political barriers. Reconciliation of the Slovak-
Hungarian legal dispute on Danube
Hydropower is highly recommended.
Urge to implement the Action - “To promote
measures aimed at reducing knowledge
deficits, developing and transferring tools,
methods and guidelines concerning the
safeguarding of drinking water supply”:
The drinking water supply is becoming
strategical issue in the Danube
Region. Improvement is needed in
water saving and water transport
technologies. Quality and price
control mechanisms should be put in
place and best practices should be
disseminated
Awareness raising campaigns should
be designed and implemented in
elementary schools for explaining the
value of drinking water and water
saving methods in households.
Educational materials should be
produced and disseminated through
ITC for better information of the wider
public.
Call attention concerning the Actions of promoting
measures to limit water abstraction and to
foster and develop an active process of
dialogue and cooperation between
authorities responsible for agriculture and
environment to ensure that measures are
taken to address agricultural pollution”
that
Better cooperation required between
agriculture and environment protection in
order to reduce fertilizer and animal waste
pollution in water and soil. Urgent actions
are needed to promote best practice
examples in nitrate reduction and
emission control in large catchment areas.
Appropriate technologies should be
promoted to convert agriculture-origin
organic wastes into alternative energy
generation.
Agriculture by-products should be diverted
to biogas and energy production in a large
extent. Small-scale local energy producing
units must be promoted among farmers.


34
PA4. WATER QUALITY II.
Szarvas (HU) Joint Declaration to the EUSDR
focusing on the 4th Priority Area of the EUSDR:
‘To restore and maintain the quality of waters’
Szarvas (HU) – DaNet Conference, 13-14. June, 2012
countries of the Danube region, who gathered in Szarvas, Hungary on 13-14. June, 2012 for a conference to
exchange their views about the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) in the field of
restoring and maintaining the quality of waters hereby declare:
this conference;
organizations in the implementation of the
EUSDR and in the fulfillment of the goals
stated in the program of PA4, this time
Plan of PA4 under points that were
discussed using the method of „Open
Space”,
Pointing out that the organizations present are
achieving of the successful
implementation of the EUSDR in all, and
its' priority area concerning of restoration
and maintenance the quality of waters;
Draw attention of the general public and
decision-makers in countries of the
Danube macro region to the following
statements concluded after the
presentations and discussions:
1. Issues of fish farming, tourism and fishing,
along with water treatment and shipping
have to be consideredin their
interconnection and interaction, too;
2. There are concerns about the intensive fish
farming if it would mean the same as
happened with intensive poultry farming,
causing negative impact on meat quality;
3. Cross-border cooperation, coordinated
work, exchange of information among
stakeholders in all sectors concerned,
including research institutions of
neighbouring countries are of particular
importance.
Recommending in the framework of the Action
Plan for PA4 regarding actions No
5, 11
and 12 the following:
4. On the 5th
Action (“To establish buffer
strips along the rivers to retain nutrients
and to promote alternative collection
and treatment of waste in small rural
settlements”):
4/1. Forming buffer zones along watercourses to
retain nutrients; alternative waste and
waste water collection and treatment in
small rural settlements; designing bike
roads, green lanes along streams, rivers,
study trails, bird-watching places,
producing organic products. These have to
considered as public goods;
4/2. Ensuring exclusion of pollutants based on
monitoring;

35
4/3. To raise public awareness about dangers from
pollutants, and if possible achieve
complete exclusion of hazards by
engagement of local and higher-level
authorities;
4/4. Promote meetings and exchange of views of
environmentalists and economists on the
above issues in the framework of
additional conferences and symposia.
5. On the 11th
Action of the Priority Area 4
directed on the limit of water abstraction,
recommend the following measures:
5/1. To create a correct database on water
resources and their users;
5/2. To determine possibilities of water-use in
legislation, depending upon the quality of
water (drinking water should not be used
for any other purpose);
5/3. To determine by Law all priority water-
consumers (human population, some
branches of industries), agriculture etc.;
5/4. Impose strict control (monitoring) on
appropriate water-use in accordance with
the above mentioned points of legislative
decisions.
6. Concerning the 12th
Action of the Priority
Area 4:
6/1. Exchange of information on best practices in
promoting knowledge gained on the issues
of the Danube River Basin integrated
water management between policy-
makers on different levels, as well as
among the population of the region;
6/2. This activity must cover all fields of the
EUSDR's Action Plan;
6/3. Consistently it is needed to create a network of
smaller centers and intensive exchange of
information in all media channels: radio,
TV, Internet, publishing projects;
6/4. The already existing Info-network based in
Vienna center should give all kind of
support, assistance to the development of
several small info-centers;
6/5. Establishment of an Internet multi-lingual
Information Portal forum is needed.
Considering the possibility of special
publications to be printed in specific
thematic areas, and later creation of a TV
serial , that would show the cooperation in
the Danube region and its results by the
target areas.


36
PA5. ENVIROMENTAL RISKS I.
Kráľovský Chlmec & Pribenik (SK) Joint Declaration to the
EUSDR
devoted to the European Union's Danube Macro-Regional
Strategy
focusing on the Priority Area NO
5 of the EUSDR:
‘To manage environmental risks’
Kráľovský Chlmec & Pribenik (SK) – DaNet Conference, 20-21. June 2012
countries of the Danube region, who gathered in Kráľovský Chlmec & Pribenik, Slovakia on 20-21. June, 2012 for
a conference to exchange their views about the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) in
general and on the problems and proposals for solving them in the field of managing environmental risks in
particular:
facilitate in creating and implementing the DaNet
Conference Programme which in its' framework
enables the NGOs and CSOs to get broader insight
in EUSDR, its' priority areas (PAs) with opportunity
to express their views and discuss problems tackled
at this conference;
Declare their utmost interest in the
implementation of EUSDR and in the
fulfillment of the goals stated in the
program of PA5, this time especially on
the goals stated in the Action Plan of the
PA5 ;
Pointing out that organizations participants are
representing duly devoted and wish to
contribute to the successful
priority area concerning management of
environmental risks – bearing in mind that
in the concerned geographical latitudes
global surface temperature, extreme
temperature-differences in a short period
can cause so far unprecedented progress
of the weather: dry periods with deficient
rainfall are followed by periods
of excessive rainfall that is impossible to
be absorbed and accumulated by the
surface, which causes hydrological cycle
disruption in nature.
Recommend
a. to make synthesis of the current
protection of the
b. population, conducted in a relatively short
time, combined with systemic measures,
beneficially influencing the climate in the
affected area, mitigating
c. extreme weather events, with the long
term goal that is to change the method of
management particularly in countries of
the Eastern part of the Danube Basin,
d. to increase in forestry the accumulation
capability of forest vegetation through
“tailor-made” management for a
particular area,
e. to retain as much water as possible on the
upstream of river basins that is necessary
for slowing its flow,
f. to establish a fund within self-governing
regions that would help people and
communities, affected by floods, and that
could be used as financial
g. aid to municipalities and cities in taking

37
flood prevention measures.
Urge
a. to decrease the energy accumulating in
b. reservoirs and dams, because it is clear
that objects on upper rivers flows are
most affected by damage to real property
(including roads,
c. bridges), which are caused by water
erosion (washing out),
d. to stiffen on the central course all banks
by half, vegetation way, piling-up stones,
building water levels with a downstream
floor, where
e. the water brakes, rotates and following
the loss of kinetic energy gradually flows
into the lower parts of watercourses,
f. to build water protection earth levies to
the 100-year water level (one hundred
water levels) on the lower river course to
protect
g. municipalities’ urban areas in lowlands
and plains,
h. to prevent and stop the construction and
placement of buildings in areas that are
affected by floods,
i. avoiding unnecessary damage to property
of citizens as well as businesses,
j.
k. to find in agriculture the necessary
consensus between the cultivation of
today economically attractive crops and
the cultivation crops that prevent
l. soil erosion and its degradation by
nutrients washing out, and to find method
of cultivation of arable land and rebuilding
groves and baulks as natural seepage
paths slowing surface water run-off from
pastures and meadows, construction of
dams on small
m. watercourses.


38
PA5. ENVIROMENTAL RISKS II.
Satu Mare (RO) Joint Declaration to the EUSDR
focusing on the Priority Area NO
5 of the EUSDR:
‘To manage environmental risks’
Satu Mare (RO) – DaNet Conference, 23 -24. March 2012
countries of the Danube region, who gathered in Satu Mare, Romania on 23-24. March 2012 for a conference to
problems and proposals for solving them in the field of managing environmental risks in particular
Programme which in its' framework enables NGOs
and CSOs to get broader insight in EUSDR, its'
priority areas (PAs) with opportunity to express
their views and discuss problems tackled at this
conference;
Declare the strongest interest of our
stated in the program of the PA5, this time
Plan of PA5 under points 2 (“To support
wetland and floodplain restoration as
effective means of enhancing flood
protection, and more generally to analyze
and identify the best response to flood risk
(including “green infrastructure”), 6 (“To
develop rapid response procedures and
plans in case of industrial accidental river
pollution”) and 7 (“Anticipate regional and
local impacts of climate change through
research”) were discussed using the „Open
Space” method, upon which we are –
Point out that participating organizations we
are representing fully devoted and wish to
contribute to the achieving of the
and its' priority area concerning
management of environmental risks;
Recommend to give preference to actions
defined in the Action Plan of the PA5 as
“To support wetland and floodplain
restoration as an effective mean of
enhancing flood protection, and more
generally to analyze and identify the best
response to flood risk (including “green
infrastructure” so that the following could
be effectively implemented:
The preservation of “water living spaces” as an
asset in fight against flooding, as the most
appropriate answer to flood damages, also
defining and analyzing the “green infrastructure”.
a. According to the already existing
“Vásárhelyi” plan, the re-cultivation and
assistance to flood area farming practices
b. Organic production and the industrial
processing of goods.
c. Promoting agro- and eco-tourism through
forming of eco-paths (walkways)
d. Re-installation of the area specific – native
– green life.
e. Riverbank forests (as a defensive line).
Possibility of forming green infrastructure.
Wood processing in the area can become
industrialised. This can create new jobs.
The production produces biomass that can
be used in energy production.
f. The importance of communication,
informing local governments, also the
education of local farmers regarding the
new organic production through adult
training and education. Building a net out
of green-info-points. Grounding of “forest
schools” for youth, with the possibility of
aiding – partly financing - youth camps.

39
g. The development of organic farming
through the enhancement of production
of agrarian goods that are linked to flood-
area livestock breeding practices.
h. Possibility of the rehabilitation of Krasna
river – Ecsedi marshlands with the help of
EU funds (tenders) against the
desertification of certain parts of Hungary.
i. Rehabilitation and protection of side rivers
– branches - of the Tur river.
Urge to implement Actions formulated as “To
develop rapid response procedures and
plans in case of industrial accidental river
pollution” and “To anticipate regional and
local impacts of climate change through
research” by:
a. Focused education, informing the public,
finding appropriate financing and the
development of forecasting systems is an
important and linked together task.
b. There is a need to research and develop,
also to inform about novelties, organizing
of the different levels of education is a
must.
c. Involvement of independent civilian
initiatives for the implementation and
control of 1st
and 2nd
points can assure an
objective answer – outcome.
d. The local development activity must
consider the weather changing, the
possibility of floods and droughts, through
granting of financing needs of impact
studies.


40
PA6. BIODIVERSITY, LANDSCAPES, QUALITY OF AIR
AND SOILS
Osijek (HR) Joint Declaration to the EUSDR
focusing on the Priority Area No
6:
‘To preserve biodiversity, landscapes and the quality of air and soils’
Osijek (HR) – DaNet Conference, 26. January 2012
countries of the Danube region, who gathered in Osijek, Croatia on January 26th, 2012 for a conference to
problems and proposals for solving them in the field preserving biodiversity, landscapes and the quality of air
and soils in particular, declare that by considering the priority areas of the Danube Strategy (PA6) biodiversity,
and with the "Open Space" method some other Priority Areas relating to PA6, namely PA3: to promote culture
and tourism, people to people contacts, PA7: to develop the knowledge-based society, and PA9: human
resources and investing in people and skills – created their views and suggestions, that is formulated in this Joint
Declaration. Hence Participants
this conference;
Declare their strong interest of our
EUSDR and in the fulfillment of the goals
stated in the program of PA6, as well as
the other priority areas we exchanged
views on, the PA3, PA7 and PA9, too;
Pointing out that the organizations they
represent are devoted and wish to
contribute to the achieving of the
successful implementation of EUSDR in
all, and of its' priority areas concerning
preservation of biodiversity, landscapes
and the quality of air and soils, promotion
of culture and tourism, people to people
contacts, development of the knowledge-
based society, the human resources and
investments in people and skills;
Support and urge, as well as recommend to give
preference to those human interventions or
intentions which on the territory of the
Danube river basin serves to
1. Protect the natural state of the riverbed by
 retaining the free formation of the
riverbed
 minimization of control, while
holding attention on needs of
flooding and ice protection, and the
navigation needs
2. Preservation and revitalization of the
floodplain
3. maintaining the natural environment of
the floodplains and river basins and
providing consistent management of use
by taking into account the natural changes
in rivers
4. Sustainable resource management – in
respect of rivers, forests, floodplains,
agricultural areas in particular:
 reducing the use of chemicals in
agriculture and forestry,

41
 extending and intensifying waste water
treatment (industrial, municipal),
 carried out and promote the
replacement of intensive- with
extensive agriculture and forestry
management,
 favoring sustainable tourism and
leisure activities, preservation of
images of the landscape, villages and
the countryside, the use of the local
farmers' products and services in
catering industry and tourism.
5. Reduction of invasive species
 preventing the spread of new species,
 by removal, reduction of existing
species,
 preventing the spread of existing
species,
 to maintain and support the part of
native natural species and their
proliferation, as well as the
development of food processing.
Request from the governments of EUSDR countries
to ensure a balanced and continual
participation in EUSDR without impact of
personal and organizational changes in
governments;
Propose to consider
1.possibilities of developing joint touristic
projects for the entire territory of
EUSDR, as it was given in the example of
the project-system proposal “Danube
Pearls”,
2. constitution of the network of nature
parks and other protected areas, for that
as good practice examples could be used
the practices of Kopački Rit (Croatia) and
the Djerdap National Park (Serbia) and
the recently organized network of
DANUBEPARKS project.
Suggest to consider knowledge acquisition and its
availability and utilization in the Danube basin
as vital element for sustainable development. In
the same time with new knowledge and
vocational education of old occupations, old
traditions should be included.


42
PA6. BIODIVERSITY, LANDSCAPES, QUALITY OF AIR
AND SOILS II.
Ruse (BG) Joint Declaration to the EUSDR
Produced on the DaNet Conference devoted to the European Union's Danube
Macro-Regional Strategy focusing on the Priority Area No
6:
‘To Preserve Biodiversity, Landscapes and the Quality of Air and Soils
’
Ruse (BG) – DaNet Conference, 20 September 2012
countries of the Danube region, who gathered in Ruse, Bulgaria on 20. September 2012 for a conference to
problems and proposals for solving them in the field of preserving biodiversity, landscapes and the quality of air
and soils. They:
Welcome
 the support of the Citizenship Programme
of the European Union (EACEA) to create
and implement the DaNet Conference
Programme which in its' framework
enables NGOs and CSOs to get broader
insight in EUSDR, its' priority areas with
opportunity to express their views and
discuss problems tackled at this
conference,
 the “Action to work together for rural and
regional development”. This action
opened up a discussion about the role of
NGOs and other organizations to create
and develop the Danube Rural Landscape
Cluster,
 the Action “to establish a Danube Rural
Strategy Forum” promoting the idea of a
Danube rural development and landscapes
cluster as a pillar of the Action Plan of the
strategy;
Declare
the strongest interest of participating
organizations in the implementation of EUSDR
and in the fulfillment of goals stated in the
program of PA6 of the Action Plan that were
presented by lectures and discussed using the
„Open Space” method –
that participating organizations are devoted
and wish to contribute to achieving a
successful implementation of EUSDR in all, and
its' priority area concerning the goal of solving
them in the field of preserving biodiversity,
landscapes and the quality of air and soils,
confirmation of the need to ensure the Danube
Basin become a GMO-free macro-regional
area in the future, as by existence of the
indigenous genetic material with high
biological value, which ensures high-quality
care to the population and conditions for
competitive exports;
Draw attention of the general public and decision-
makers in countries of the Danube macro
region
 to the need for creation of DRLC (Danube
Rural Landscapes Cluster), for which
purpose they wish to prepare working-
groups, target-groups and to gather
members (NGOs, Natural Parks, Nature
2000, and Environment Protection
Agencies etc.) interested in promoting the
component elements of DRLC statute,
 to the need of forming more
comprehensive information flow that
following the generalities should be
directed towards rural development and
landscapes cluster, concrete actions and
projects,
 to the importance of considering the

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