ANSA news

(ANSA) - DUBROVNIK - The first EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region forum will begin on Thursday in Dubrovnik. Two days of plenary sessions and meetings organized by the European Commission and the Croatian government will take stock of the progress achieved thus far in the initiative launched in October 2014 by the European Council and dedicated to the region. Priorities will be defined for their joint work in the four thematic pillars of the strategy: 1) Blue Growth; 2) Connecting the Region; 3) Environmental Quality; 4) Sustainable Tourism. All the sectors are expected to play a crucial role in creating jobs and fostering economic growth in the area. Participants will include the foreign ministers and national heads of EU funds in the countries involved (Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia), as well as EU commissioners for regional policies an the environment, maritime affairs and fisheries. Promoters say that the event will provide extensive opportunities for networking between national, regional and local administrations as well as businessmen, the academic world and civil society. (ANSA).