10th National Conference on European Territorial Cooperation Held in Novi Sad
The 10th National Conference on European Territorial Cooperation Programmes was held today in Novi Sad, presenting the results of Serbia’s cooperation to date with partners from the European Union and the region, as well as opportunities for future projects. Grants were also formally awarded to beneficiaries of the Serbia–North Macedonia and Serbia–Montenegro Cross-Border Cooperation Programmes.
Serbia’s Minister for European Integration in technical mandate, Nemanja Starović, said that European integration, in addition to reforms, the negotiation process and alignment with EU standards, also has a concrete everyday dimension, reflected in better services, improved infrastructure and new opportunities for citizens.
He noted that Serbia has been participating in European Territorial Cooperation Programmes since 2004 and is preparing for the new 2028–2034 programming period, with the aim of ensuring that future programmes respond even more strongly to the needs of the region and support competitiveness, innovation, the green and digital transitions, energy and transport connectivity, and the resilience of local communities.
Andreas von Beckerath, Ambassador and Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia, said that over the 22 years of territorial and cross-border cooperation, more than 1,400 projects have been implemented or are currently under way in Serbia, with a total value of around EUR 225 million.
He noted that over the past two decades, these programmes have supported the equipping of hospitals, schools and kindergartens, connected children from border areas through exchanges and sports activities, helped restore cultural heritage sites, modernised border crossings, and supported the construction of wastewater treatment plants and green transport routes.
Von Beckerath stressed that Serbia currently participates in 12 cross-border cooperation programmes with neighbouring countries and EU Member States, with the common goal of transforming borders from lines of separation into spaces of opportunity and cooperation.
According to him, the grant contracts awarded today under the Serbia–North Macedonia and Serbia–Montenegro programmes bring together 41 organisations from the three countries, with more than 5 millionEUR in European Union support. The projects focus on employment and mobility, public health, the social inclusion of vulnerable groups, sustainable tourism, and the preservation of cultural and natural heritage.
Mayor of Novi Sad Žarko Mićin said that the value of European Territorial Cooperation lies not only in institutions, funds and projects, but also in its ability to connect people and cities and enable joint solutions to challenges that transcend administrative borders.
Mićin noted that Novi Sad has practical experience with these programmes and that, since 2012, more than 20 projects have been approved for the city and institutions founded by the city in the areas of environmental protection, culture, tourism, transport, healthcare, and support for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Nouria Aldao, a representative of the European Commission who also addressed the participants, said that the conference represents a major opportunity for discussion, the exchange of experiences and continued cooperation. She noted that previous years had demonstrated the importance of partnerships established through the conference and that continuing such cooperation is important for the future of Europe as well.
North Macedonia’s Minister of Local Self-Government Ivan Stoilković stressed that the tenth, jubilee edition of the conference is an important indication of the continuity and connectivity of institutions and citizens, adding that European integration is of great importance to his ministry. He noted that daily work with municipalities provides an opportunity to understand the challenges and potential of local communities, while EU cross-border cooperation programmes create better conditions for residents of border areas to address common challenges.
European Commission representative Morey Gilland, who addressed the participants via video message, said that ten years of the conference demonstrate Serbia’s stable commitment to regional development, stressing that the success of cooperation should not be measured only in numbers, but also by its impact on people’s lives.
The conference also featured a panel discussion entitled “Global Europe”, as well as thematic sessions dedicated to European Territorial Cooperation Programmes, new opportunities for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, and the presentation of successful projects in Serbia.
Source: Tanjug
