On 11 March, the 5^th meeting of the Chairpersons of the National Coordinators Groups (NCG) of the EU macro-regional strategies (MRS) took place. This time it was organised by the Lithuanian Presidency of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) and was part of a broad agenda of the 3^rd EU Macro-regional strategies week, organised by the European Commission.

The Trio Presidencies meeting gathered all four MRS: the EUSBSR, the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR), EU Strategy for the Ionian and Adriatic Region (EUSAIR) and the EU Strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP).

At the start, all the participants expressed their solidarity with Ukraine and its people tirelessly defending their sovereignty and territorial integrity from unprovoked and unjustified Russia’s military aggression.

The Chairpersons of the NCG discussed the ways to increase the efficiency of the MRS implementation further. They exchanged the best practices of organising the Annual Forums of the respective MRS as well as shared insights on the possibilities to make the organisation of these events more cost and time efficient.

Trio Presidencies also discussed the establishment and functioning of the support structures of the MRS. The experience and lessons learnt of establishment of the Danube Strategy Point and the EUSAIR (EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region) Facility Point were of great significance for the EUSBSR (EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region) and the EUSALP (EU Strategy for the Alpine Region), undergoing the setting of such structures.

“The challenges we have experienced recently encourage us to further strengthen the cross-border and cross-MRS cooperation. In order the MRS contribute to the implementation of the EU strategic agenda, they have to operate efficiently and be result-oriented. In these circumstances sharing lessons learnt and best practices among the MRS on the ways to increase the pace of MRS implementation becomes more significant than ever” - stated Robertas Bružilas, representative of the Lithuanian Presidency of the EUSBSR and host of this Trio Presidencies meeting. 

Meetings of the Chairpersons of the National Coordinators Groups of the EU Macro-regional strategies are being organised by all MRS on a rotating principle and are dedicated to increase cross-MRS cooperation and exchange of best practices.