On 1 January 2026, Bulgaria assumed the Presidency of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) for the second time. During this year, the participating countries will be brought together under the slogan “Bridging Regions, Building Cohesion: A Stronger Danube for All’.

The thematic workshop titled “EUSAIR Master Plan on Energy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region: energy outlook, priorities and prospects” took place in Trieste on 27 November, in conjunction with the 22nd meeting of the Thematic Steering Group on Energy.

The 26th meeting of the Thematic Steering Group for Pillar 4 – Sustainable Tourism (TSG4) under the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR) took place in Zagreb in a hybrid format.

On 6 November 2025, alongside the 14th Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR), national coordinators from both the EUSDR and the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR) gathered in Sarajevo. The joint meeting, titled “Enhancing EU Accession Support for Candidate Countries in EUSDR and EUSAIR,” convened representatives from EU Member States, candidate countries, the European Commission, and Interreg transnational programmes.

On 6 November 2025, a landmark moment took place during the 14th Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR), held under the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. For the first time ever, and at the invitation of the EUSDR Presidency, the four Presidencies of the EU’s macro-regional strategies — EUSDR, EUSAIR, EUSALP, and EUSBSR — came together within the framework of the EUSDR Annual Forum.

On 5 November 2025, in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Foreign Ministers of the Danube Region adopted the Sarajevo Danube Declaration, reaffirming their collective dedication to regional unity, stability, and a shared European future.

The 23rd meeting of the Thematic Steering Group (TSG2) on Transport was held on Friday, 17 October 2025, in Trieste, at the premises of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Autonomous Region.

The “Green and Smart Ports” workshop was held on 16 October 2025 in Trieste, at the Friuli Venezia Giulia Presidency Building. The event brought together a diverse group of participants—ranging from port authorities and academic institutions to European bodies, regional administrations, training centres, and research organisations—to discuss how innovation, coordinated policy efforts, and targeted skills development can accelerate the move toward sustainable and energy-efficient port systems.

A two-day workshop highlighting the Mediterranean Diet as a driver of sustainable tourism development took place in Bari, Italy.

The Mediterranean Coast and Macro-Regional Strategies Week concluded with a resounding call for stronger collaboration across Europe’s macro-regions to confront rural depopulation, workforce shortages, environmental pressures, and funding gaps.