The Danube Strategy is Still Young

Abstract

The paper draws lessons after 10 years of implementation of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) from the perspective of a national coordinator in Austria. Starting by highlighting the double-nature origin of macro-regional strategies – being both an instrument for both foreign relations and development policies – it elaborates on a few selected value-added dimensions of the macro-regional approach and consequently concludes that the EUSDR’s work has contributed to translating major EU strategic notions into concrete implementation activities in the region, has triggered flagship-type projects and initiatives which go beyond the typical EU-funded project logic, has been stimulating new types of inclusive partnership approaches in the regions by opening up to civil society and, last but not least, has also helped to stabilise transnational cooperation governance among Danube countries in times of crisis. Forward-looking, the article concludes that macro-regional cooperation is like drilling thick boards and requires a long breath. Thus, 10 years of the EUSDR can only be regarded the start of a longer-term process.