Background and goals

Background

The first step to organize a forum on decentralized cooperation between Romania and Belgium was launched in 2005. Since then 6 forums were organized:

Brussels (Belgium) – December 9, 2006
Slatina-Timis (Romania) – April 20-21, 2007
Arad (Romania) – November 5-6, 2010
Leuven (Belgium) – October 25-27, 2013
Iaşi (Romania) – November 5-7, 2015
Mons (Belgium) – October 12-14, 2017

For now 30 years Actiedorpen Roemenië Vlaanderen, Opération Villages Roumains and The Open Network for community development are the promoters of decentralized cooperation between Belgium and Romania.

The result of the 6th Forum was an ambitious 2-year agenda for Decentralized Cooperation Romania-Belgium. The purpose of the 2017-2019 agenda is meant to strengthen, to reinforce, to renew and to deepen the (existing) decentralized cooperation between Belgium and Romania.

Forum 2017

The main objective of the 2017 Forum in Mons was to build further on the conclusions and evaluations of the Forum in Iasi in 2015 and to strengthen the capacity of the local and regional actors in developing projects of decentralized cooperation.

The 7th Forum will be hold in a context of 30 years of decentralized cooperation. The 7th Forum aims to frame decentralized cooperation between Belgium and Romania within the Romanian EU presidency, the BREXIT, Europalia 2019 in which Romania is host country, 30 years after the revolution, 2021 Timisoara EU Cultural Capital and the post 2020 EU agenda. The 7th Forum wants to focus on the role of local decentralized action groups in implementing and realizing European and national priorities. This general topic will be further elaborated in working groups and focus meetings.

European Post 2020 agenda

EU budget for the future – 2021-2027

The European Commission presented to the Council its proposals for the 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework and ministers had a first round of discussions on this topic. The purpose is: “The EU budget is a vital building block for the future of Europe, and an expression of our values and aspirations.”

This is translated into 6 domains (the most relevant in bold):

Cohesion and values
Natural resources and environment
Single market, innovation and digital
Migration and border management
Security and defence
Neighbourhood and the world

For each domain, there are several subthemes and a proposed program and budget. Find here the sub themes.

We have tried to group the topics of the forum around this domains and subthemes to have a strong connection towards the European priorities for the future.

Sub themes

Cohesion and values (the most relevant sub theme for the Forum)

Regional development and cohesion – https://ec.europa.eu/commission/publications/regional-development-and-cohesion_en
Investing in people (social, education, volunteer and media programmes) – https://ec.europa.eu/commission/publications/investing-people_en
European Solidarity Corps – https://ec.europa.eu/commission/publications/european-solidarity-corps-legal-texts-and-factsheets_en

Natural resources and environment

Agriculture and rural development – https://ec.europa.eu/commission/publications/natural-resources-and-environment_en

Innovation and digital

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/publications/single-market-innovation-and-digital_en

Migration

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/publications/migration-and-border-management_en

Neighbourhood

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/publications/neighbourhood-and-world_en – Relevant for collaboration with Republic of Moldova

Decentralized Coorporation

Decentralized cooperation is a supportive partnership between foreign local and regional sub-national organizations. Its main aim is to promote common prosperity and consolidate local development and territorial governance.

Decentralized cooperation is considered as any project, initiative, or partnership between at least one Belgian and one Romanian sub-national organization (public authority, semi-public, NGO, educational institute, …) in order to promote sustainable local and regional development.

In 2019, the 7th Forum on Decentralized Cooperation Belgium-Romania will take place in Romania. The HQ of the Timis County Council / Timisoara in Romania will host this year’s edition from October 03 to 05, 2019. It will be a challenging opportunity to discuss the state of play of the decentralized cooperation in a changing Europe: Europe 2020 opportunities.

Timisoara will be for this 7th Edition of the Forum on Decentralized Cooperation Belgium-Romania a “mine of ideas” for future collaborations between local and regional groups. The Steering Committee, which includes ADR-Vlaanderen, OVR-WB, TON, the embassy of Belgium in Romania, the Embassy of Romania in the Kingdom of Belgium, the Timis County and Prefecture, and BEROCC is also welcoming contributions from Opération Villages Roumains Solidarités (France) and OVR Moldova.