Issue 2 (16), 2019 ITALY LOCAL

INSTRUMENTS

AUTHORITIES

REGION DECENTRALIZATION PARADIPLOMACY

LOWER DANUBE COUNCIL OF EUROPE EUSDR

BLACK SEAPROJECTS

EUROPE OF REGIONSMOLDOVAREGIONNESS PERIPHERY

EUROREGION MACRO REGIONCOORDINATION UKRAINE

• CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION • EU DANUBE STRATEGY • EUROPEAN REGIONS

UA: Ukraine Analytica · 2 (16), 2019 1

BOARD OF ADVISERS

Dr. Dimitar Bechev (Bulgaria, Director of the European Policy Institute) Issue 2 (16), 2019 Dr. Iulian Chifu Analysis and Early Warning Center) (Romania, Director of the Conflict Europe of Regions Amb., Dr. Sergiy Korsunsky (Ukraine, Director of the Diplomatic Academy under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine)

Editors Dr. Igor Koval (Ukraine, Rector of Odessa National Dr. Hanna Shelest University by I.I. Mechnikov) Dr. Mykola Kapitonenko Amb., Dr. Sergey Minasyan (Armenia, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Armenia to Romania) Publisher: Published by NGO “Promotion of Intercultural (Germany, Director of the Cooperation” (Ukraine), Centre of International Marcel Röthig Representation of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Ukraine) of the Representation of the Friedrich Ebert Studies (Ukraine), with the financial support Foundation in Ukraine, the Black Sea Trust. James Nixey (United Kingdom, Head of the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House, the UA: Ukraine Analytica Royal Institute of International Affairs) analytical journal in English on International is the first Ukrainian Relations, Politics and Economics. The journal Dr. Róbert Ondrejcsák (Slovakia, State Secretary, is aimed for experts, diplomats, academics, Ministry of Defence) students interested in the international relations and Ukraine in particular. Amb., Dr. Oleg Shamshur (Ukraine, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Contacts: France) website: http://ukraine-analytica.org/ e-mail: [email protected] Dr. Stephan De Spiegeleire (The Netherlands, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ Director Defence Transformation at The Hague ukraineanalytica Center for Strategic Studies) Twitter: https://twitter.com/UA_Analytica Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze (Ukraine, Vice- The views and opinions expressed in Prime Minister on European and Euroatlantic articles are those of the authors and do not Integration of Ukraine)

Analytica, its editors, Board of Advisors or Dr. Dimitris Triantaphyllou (Greece, Director of necessarily reflect the position of UA: Ukraine donors. the Center for International and European Studies, Kadir Has University (Turkey)) ISSN 2518-7481 Dr. Asle Toje (Norway, Research Director at the 500 copies Norwegian Nobel Institute)

UA: Ukraine Analytica · 2 (16), 2019 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS

EUROPE IS FACING BOTH INTEGRATION AND FRAGMENTATION ...... 3 Interview with Andreas Kiefer, Secretary General of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe

EUROPE OF REGIONS: DO STRONGER REGIONS LEAD TO SEPARATISM SENTIMENTS?...... 10 Dmytro Poble

ITALIAN PARADIPLOMACY IN ACTION: THE ENGINE OF CONTRAST OR PURE SELF-INTEREST?...... 18 Victoria Vdovychenko

FROM “EUROPE OF THE REGIONS” TO “THE REGIONS OF EUROPE”: DOES FRAGMENTATION IN THE BLACK SEA REGION MAKE THE EU SAFER? ...... 27 Sergii Glebov

MACRO-REGIONAL STRATEGIES IN THE EU...... 36 Rostyslav Tomenchuk

HOW CAN CHALLENGES BE TRANSFORMED INTO OPPORTUNITIES — LOWER DANUBE EUROREGION CASE...... 43 Florentina-Natalia Budescu

2 UA: Ukraine Analytica · 2 (16), 2019 HOW CAN CHALLENGES BE TRANSFORMED INTO OPPORTUNITIES — LOWER DANUBE EUROREGION CASE

Florentina-Natalia Budescu Association of Cross-border Cooperation “Lower Danube Euroregion”

In this article, the author analysed an algorithm of successful cooperation: 20-10 – the 20th Lower Danube Euroregion anniversary and 10th ACTEDJ anniversary. Twenty-one years passed since the Euroregion set up, which included eight members – public administrations from Braila, Galati, and Tulcea (Romania), Cahul and Cantemir (Moldova), Odessa and Reni (Ukraine), with a total geographical area of 53,460 km²; it benefited a community of four million inhabitants and implemented a project portfolio of over 500 million Euros in development funds. These projects have been dealing with issues of connectivity (rehabilitation of roads, airport infrastructure, etc.), tourism, health, cultural and economic development, and one common executive management structure was set up in 2009: the Association of Cross-border Cooperation “Lower Danube Euroregion” (ACTEDJ) with its headquarters in Galati, Romania.

Integration or Fragmentation? public administrations. From the Romanian side there were Galati, Braila, and Tulcea Following the next natural step of Counties, from Republic of Moldova – strengthening the existing cooperation Cahul and Vulcanesti Districts, and from in what was called a “challenging area”, Ukraine – Odessa Region and Reni District. The Lower Danube Euroregion was set up. The work started, focusing on identifying the Lowerleadership Danube of Euroregion Romania, (EDJ)Republic saga common challenges and designing common ofstarted Moldova, on 03 and July 1997Ukraine in Izmail,gathered when to solutions, building knowledge, and setting sign the Declaration Concerning the up a European road, as a sustainable Trilateral Collaboration, based on the solution for the future. A joint task force Treaty Regarding the Relations of Good was established, gathering experts from Neighbourhood and Collaboration between all three states, with expertise in different Romania and Ukraine and the Declaration Regarding the Promotion of the Cross-border Cooperation among the Local and Regional Cooperationfields and experience started, commonin interaction. projects for Authorities from Romania, the Republic development were implemented, but still, of Moldova, and Ukraine. On 14 August 1998, the Agreement of the Euroregion Romania became an EU member, and there Creation was signed in Galati by seven hasespecially been a after palpable 01 Januaryneed for 2007, something when

UA: Ukraine Analytica · 2 (16), 2019 43 more, a structure that would act as a of Cross-border Cooperation “Lower Danube catalyser of growth in the region, using the existent capabilities built since 1998. organisation, with headquarters in Galati (Romania).Euroregion” Its (ACTEDJ), members a nongovernmentalare those who EU membership provides broad opportunities. European funding, European shield, and also the European “status quo” are founded EDJ in 1998. key elements. Is it possible to keep sustainable is that it was the right time to have a growth using just these opportunities? “common”Why set up management ACTEDJ? A simplestructure answer of Among the members of the Lower Danube Euroregion, there was still a compulsory consolidate the stakeholders in the region need in terms of understanding, legislation butEDJ, also which acknowledge would be itself able as to one not of onlythe structure, ownership and responsibility stakeholders. One of the added values of the assumed when using the European funding. Euroregion will be creating a perfect setup At the end of the day, a constant effort was for sustainable partnership to reach the next needed for building a “mind set” and a certain level, to empower stakeholders in accessing “way of doing business”. that would build reliable bridges. specific tools (funding, partnerships, etc.) Another advantage was a “contamination” The Lower Danube Euroregion, effect: development was a catchy “disease” although a mix of opportunities, and sustainable development was even «is a proof that neighbourhood more so. We are able to learn from the best can be transformed into an effective practice, but we are certainly also able tool for reaching sustainable growth to learn from “bad practice”. Hence, the possibility of sharing knowledge, building partnerships is certainly an added value. “We are as strong as our neighbours”, although often found in public discourse, is not just in the same “boiling pot” all that makes a saying; it is the simple truth. Partnerships usEDJ different aims at buildingand all that sustainability, makes us puttingsimilar, are often guided by just a need, but in the

be served and will serve everyone at the is the precondition, strategic development is samethe result time beingand also a specific everyone “dish” individually. that can alsocase present,of EDJ partnerships, just because althoughvicinity is the a factor. need Therefore, strategic and sustainable are the words that represent the precondition for aTherefore, wider, common EDJ represents development a proof strategy of howin a neighbourhoodspecificity can be area. integrated and not lost in EDJShould partnership. Regions Be Stronger or What Is the Added Value of Should National Governments Euroregions? Control Them?

The Lower Danube Euroregion, although a mix of opportunities, is a proof that answers. Its structure is self-governed, and neighbourhood can be transformed into goalsThe EDJ include case the does following: not match any of these an effective tool for reaching sustainable • sustainable development of its members, development is still a natural process that • integrated development cross-border madegrowth. it possible After 21 to years establish of cooperation, the Association EDJ cooperation,

44 UA: Ukraine Analytica · 2 (16), 2019 • promotion of the private and public stronger by using all the opportunities to investments and provision of access to create a “professional business card” that will resources, combine the right words: professionalism, • continuous improvement of the transport accountability, responsibility, community, and communication infrastructure, green, etc. • development, modernisation, and improvement of public services, EDJ projects started with cultural • development of cross-border tourism identification, followed up by and the third sector, «environmental concerns and • then economic development, as a natural line for sustainable growth efficient and integrated administration of • development of strategies, programmes, the existent potential of EDJ, and studies, including the thematic ones, with cross-border impact, A community of over four million inhabitants, • favouring of the social, educational, governed by three sets of national legislation and cultural integration actions for the and rules, following the European and other inhabitants from the cross-border area, etc. its own identity and act as one. Therefore, theactors’ term rules “control” for funding, is perceived is compelled mostly to find as structural self-control by establishing and Romanian national law governs the NGO enforcing a commonly agreed set of rules Management of EDJ is assumed by ACTEDJ. that will guarantee further development. opportunitiesfunctionality. ACTEDJprovided was by setthe up European because What Do Stronger Regions Mean? fundingEDJ was that not ableappeared to entirely since capitalise2007. There the liability rules that would be enforced in the its established values are. The feeling casealso wasof attracting a need to European have clear funding. and specific The ofThe belonging stronger will EDJ becomes,also become the stronger, stronger creating common actions as a response to development of the public administration common challenges, enhancing common unitsgoal ofthat ACTEDJ form isthe to association, support sustainable through opportunities, and raising the sentiment of widening the cooperation between solidarity. Providing common solutions for its members and the development of sensitive issues, such as the rule of law, good advantageous relations within the context of governance, participation, human rights, the common interest domains. environment, connectivity, safety, health, education, etc., will enable all stakeholders to be active and also to learn how to “actively region, which is often characterised as hear” the other side, be it a representative of oneEDJ andof the ACTEDJ most are“volatile” actors butin theat theBack same Sea public or private sector. time one of the most promising in terms of opportunities for growth. A new strategy Learning not only by doing but also by for the Black Sea Region is currently being developed, shaping the context in which followedseeing and up feeling by environmentalhas a great potential. concerns EDJ andprojects then started economic with cultural development, identification, as a EDJ and ACTEDJ will grow. The question of executivehow EDJ canmanagement become stronger, will have in to our become case, projects were built on this foundation, has an easy answer: ACTEDJ as designated natural line for sustainable growth. ACTEDJ

UA: Ukraine Analytica · 2 (16), 2019 45 bringing together public and private sector, being complementary to the national focused on the same goal: sustainable development opportunities and other actors’ development offers. sustainable initiatives, therefore building trustgrowth. between ACTEDJ actors acted that asare a usually beehive apart of (especially public and private sector, both Florentina-Natalia Budescu is the Director of the Association for Cross-border Cooperation “Lower Danube Euroregion” since 2009. With profit and non-profit). experience of over 16 years in developing and represented by public administration implementing international-, EU-, and national- unitsAlthough from Romania, ACTEDJ Republic members of Moldova, are funded development projects, holding different and Ukraine, one-third each, the decisions positions of leadership in the national- and are made by consensus; therefore, EU international-based NGOs (President of Federation membership is not a decisive factor for of Romanian NGOs for Development this cooperation. At the same time, the fact [http://www.fondromania.org/en] and Vice- that some members are originated from president of UPIR [http://www.danube-ports.ro/]), the EU member states gives a “wild card” Mrs. Budescu holds a Master’s degree in for accessing different opportunities. Environmental Management and Monitoring and university degrees in both Public EU and non-EU funding opportunities, Administration and Law from the University bothACTEDJ being members integrated will parts have ofaccess the strategic to both “Dunarea de Jos” Galati. development plan, with EU funding

46 UA: Ukraine Analytica · 2 (16), 2019

ISSN 2518-7481 Issue 2 (16), 2019

48 UA: Ukraine Analytica · 2 (16), 2019