Harald Stranzl

The EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR), which covers an area of more than 800,000 km2 with a population of around 115 million people, is an important framework for strengthening regional co-operation at political and technical level among 14 countries between the Black Forest and the Black Sea - nine EU Member States and five candidate countries. Against the background of the new geopolitical situation, the EUSDR promotes prosperity and security in the Danube and Black Sea region with concrete projects in specific priority areas and also contributes to the gradual EU integration process of the candidate countries. Austria will chair the EU Danube Strategy for 14 months from 1 November 2023 and will focus its work on the current cross-border challenges in the Danube region and on strengthening cooperation with the future EU member states in the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe.