HARMONMISSIONS project certified as Danube Strategy Flagship Project

On the Joint Steering Meeting of Priority Area 7 and Priority Area 8 of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (PA7 and PA8 EUSDR) held on 8th of July 2024 in Ulm, Germany, the Interreg Danube HARMONMISSIONS project has been certified as the Danube Strategy Flagship Project. 

Danube Strategy Flagships

Danube Strategy Flagships are projects or processes that contribute to the implementation of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR), have a clear macro-regional dimension and a multi-level governance approach. They are of high importance for the Danube Region’s economic, social and territorial cohesion and for improving the quality of life in the Danube Region.

Danube Strategy Flagships strengthen internal and external communication of the Strategy and the visibility of the topics, initiatives and prospects in the Danube Region. They illustrate the progress achieved in implementing the EUSDR and demonstrate exemplarily significant improvement in the Region that is induced by cooperation.

EUSDR National Coordinators and Priority Area Coordinators with the respective Steering Groups, in their capacity as representatives and key implementers of the EUSDR, as well as the Danube Strategy Point, are committed to contribute to and promote Danube Strategy Flagships in accordance with the Guidance Paper for identifying and listing Danube Strategy Flagships.

EU Missions 

EU Missions are a novelty of Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation programme for the period 2021-2027. EU Missions assign to research and innovation actors new responsibilities, which are combined with new forms of governance and collaboration, and put a strong focus on citizen engagement in addressing pressing societal issues. EU Missions aim at delivering concrete solutions to some of the greatest challenges we face today, having the ambition to achieve concrete results by 2030.  

The five EU Missions are: 

1. Adaptation to Climate Change: support at least 150 European regions and communities to become climate resilient by 2030 
2. Cancer: working with Europe's Beating Cancer Plan to improve the lives of more than 3 million people by 2030 through prevention, cure and solutions to live longer and better 
3. Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030
4. 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030 
5. A Soil Deal for Europe: 100 living labs and lighthouses to lead the transition towards healthy soils by 2030  

HARMONMISSIONS project is focused on Mission 1 - Adaptation to Climate Change: support at least 150 European regions and communities to become climate resilient by 2030, and Mission 4 - 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030.

HARMONMISSIONS – Harmonisation of Missions in the Danube Region

The primary objective of HARMONMISSIONS project is to facilitate new forms of cooperation within the Danube Region through creating channels for cooperation between partners in the areas of Mission 1 and Mission 4. The pressing need for cooperation is stemming from the fact that climate change cannot be tied to a specific country. The HARMONMISSIONS project is intended by its activities to be the beginning of setting up cooperation between the countries in the Danube Region in the field of Climate-oriented EU Missions.

The project will introduce a new governance model for the European Missions based on the Danube Region countries' specific needs to become an important element of the European Missions-oriented ecosystem.

Moreover, three platforms united under one website dedicated to EU Missions in the Danube Region will be established to share best practices and increase participation in the EU Missions.

Platforms: 

• SHARED platform: platform for sharing lessons learned at the regional level and best practices in the Climate oriented EU Missions
• EMO platform: European Mission Observatory platform - the EMO platform will continuously provide up-to-date information on current EU Missions, open project calls, events and relevant legislative changes.
• CCC platform: platform for sharing best practices toward Climate City Contract.

Other project activities are focused on capacity building, facilitating networking and formation of partnerships for setting up project consortia for future applications in the Horizon Europe Missions calls for proposals.