The Conference of the Parties

1. Expresses its gratitude to the European Commission, especially the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) for given support and organization of the Expert Workshop on Macro-regional Strategies and Mountain Dimension, Brussels, 25 November 2015, notes the initiative of the Polish Government for the development of the EU Macroregional Strategy for the Carpathian Region, and requests the Secretariat to monitor the process;
2. Welcomes the ongoing cooperation with the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region (hereinafter EUSDR) and signed, in this respect, Memoranda of Cooperation between the Secretariat and EUSDR PA1b “Mobility I Rail-Road-Air” in June 2016, with EUSDR PA4 “Water Quality” in August 2016 and EUSDR PA2 “Sustainable Energy” in November 2016; and encourages further common activities;
3. Welcomes the “Workshop on balancing bioenergy production and sustainable forest management in Mountain Areas” organized by the EUSDR PA 2 “Sustainable Energy” on 17 May 2017 in Sopron, Hungary, back to back with the WG Forest meeting as a good example of common activities and strengthened cooperation between the EUSDR and the Carpathian Convention and appreciates the support given by the Sopron University and the Secretariat in this respect;
4. Requests the Secretariat to continue to promote the integration of Carpathian priorities into the related Transnational "European Territorial Cooperation" (ETC) Programmes (in particular the Danube Transnational Programme and the Central Europe Programme, as well as – to limited extent - Baltic Sea Region Programme) for the period 2014-2020, as well as other relevant funding programmes, and calls upon the Parties to further cooperate with European Union bodies in further promoting the Carpathian region within existing EU macroregional strategies;
5. Notes the inauguration of the interregional group “Carpathians” within the Committee of the Regions, and requests the Secretariat to coordinate with the group.