In the frame of the 5th Annual Forum of the EUSDR (3-4 November 2016) Mr István Joó Ministerial Commissioner took over the Presidency of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region from Slovakia. In his speech Mr Joó acknowledged the work of the Slovakian colleagues and introduced the priorities of the upcoming Hungarian Presidency. He also outlined the main topics of the 6th Annual Forum to be organised in Budapest on 18-19 October 2017.

Mr Joó stated that the time has come to change our traditional theoretical approach towards the implementation of the Strategy to a more result-oriented, performance based approach. As such the Hungarian Presidency will discuss the infrastructural development (energy and transportation) needs of the Region through the lens of connectivity. This is not only a timely topic but has a strategic importance to it as well. ‘We must seize the opportunity and grab the initiative now to ensure that the Danube Region becomes a leading voice in defining the future direction of the European Union’ – said Mr Joó.

The Ministerial Commissioner indicated that the Annual Forum of the Hungarian Presidency will have two main approaches: on one hand it will provide a snapshot of the energy and transportation development needs of the Region pre 2020, and on the other it will provide the Region with a post 2020 vision, both in terms of energy and transportation, but also in terms of finding the strategic synergies between the two.

Mr Joó highlighted that environmental friendly transportation is not a distant utopia anymore, it can be realised in the next decade. In the frame of the Hungarian Presidency – given the existence of coordinated international initiatives – the possibilities are given to reach significant results along the identified topics.