© TiCCA4DANU Bratislava, Slovakia | 5–6 May 2026
Strengthening cooperation across sectors, governance levels, and thematic priorities was at the heart of the joint meeting of the EUSDR Priority Area 4 “Water Quality” and Priority Area 7 “Knowledge Society” Steering Groups held in Bratislava on 5–6 May 2026.
The event brought together policymakers, experts, researchers, project representatives, and regional stakeholders from across the Danube Region to exchange experiences, discuss future priorities, and identify new opportunities for collaboration.
As an official flagship project of Priority Area 7, TiCCA4DANU actively contributed to these discussions. Represented by project coordinator Dr. Oliver Ziegler, the project presented its innovative approach to advancing just climate change adaptation in the Danube Region and shared first insights and results achieved during the initial 11 months of implementation.
Dr. Oliver Ziegler, TiCCA4DANU Coordinator
The meeting offered an excellent opportunity to connect with related initiatives, engage in dialogue with the wider EUSDR community, and explore future cooperation pathways around climate adaptation, governance innovation, and regional resilience.
European and Regional Perspectives for the Danube Region
Participants also received important updates from European and macro-regional institutions.
Updates from the European Commission’s DG REGIO focused on the latest developments surrounding the future EU budget framework and the potential implications for cooperation and funding perspectives in the Danube Region.
In parallel, a representatives of the 2026 Bulgarian EUSDR Presidency and the Danube Strategy Point outlined ongoing efforts to align the EUSDR with the future 2028–2034 EU programming period, particularly under Pillars 2 and 3.
The agenda further addressed:
Learning from Strategic Projects
A dedicated exchange session showcased how strategic projects are already contributing to cross-sectoral cooperation in the Danube Region.
Projects including Harmonmissions, Danube4All, Tethys, MonStur+Living Rivers, GeoNetSee, and LAREDAR presented their ongoing work and achievements, followed by an interactive discussion with participants.
The dialogue with the audience also highlighted one of the most pressing and widely discussed topics currently shaping climate adaptation and regional development efforts across Europe: financing. Particular attention was given to the challenge of mobilising sustainable financial resources for long-term climate adaptation measures and increasing the involvement of private sector actors in supporting resilience-building activities.
The discussions underlined that achieving meaningful transformation in the Danube Region will require stronger cooperation not only between public institutions, research organisations, and civil society, but also with businesses, investors, and financial actors capable of supporting the scaling-up of innovative solutions. In this context, projects exchanged experiences and ideas on how to better connect policy objectives, local needs, and investment opportunities in order to accelerate implementation and maximise impact on the ground.
From left to right: Ľubica Pitlová, Oliver Ziegler, Ondrej Zachar, Michal Kirchner, Felix Gajdusek, Andrea Vranovska
These exchanges reinforced the importance of connecting practical implementation with strategic policymaking — especially when addressing complex challenges such as climate adaptation, water management, and social resilience.
What’s Next for TiCCA4DANU?
The Bratislava meeting also opened new opportunities for future cooperation and networking activities for TiCCA4DANU.
Join our upcoming EUSDR Live Streaming Event on 12 May 2026 | 14:00–15:30 CEST
The project team looks forward to welcoming newly established contacts and stakeholders during the upcoming online event dedicated to climate adaptation cooperation in the Danube Region.
Join the livestream here: https://video.nti.sk/live?309641P4LTOJQP50
Ľubica Pitlová, Co-coordinator of PA7,
New funding opportunity in the Danube Region
The call for applications for 2027–2028 Joint Projects under the Multilateral Scientific and Technological Cooperation Framework in the Danube Region is now open.
More information: https://asp.sop.co.at/oead/antrag?call=2027_MULT
Deepening dialogue on just climate adaptation
TiCCA4DANU will continue strengthening bilateral exchanges with relevant stakeholders and newly launched initiatives, including the project POLICY ENLARGE, to explore how the project’s tested approaches to just climate change adaptation can inspire and support cities and regions across the Danube Region.
The TiCCA4DANU consortium would also like to congratulate the organisers of the joint PA4–PA7 meeting for delivering a highly engaging and well-coordinated event that created valuable space for dialogue, knowledge exchange, and future cooperation across the Danube Region.
Photo credit: EUSDR PA7
