The 11th annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian Region (EUSAIR) concluded in Skopje, representing one of the most significant institutional events in the calendar of European macro-regional cooperation. Held from 18 to 20 May under the theme “Accelerating EUSAIR: From Commitment to Impact”, the Forum brought together government representatives, European institutions, regional authorities, youth organisations, academia and civil society from the ten countries participating in the Strategy.

At the centre of the 2026 edition was the formal handover of the EUSAIR Presidency from North Macedonia to Italy, which will officially assume the Presidency from 1 June 2026, guiding the Strategy until May 2027.

The Italian Minister for European Affairs, the NRRP and Cohesion Policies, Hon. Tommaso Foti, attended the Forum representing Italy at this crucial transition. In his address, the Minister reaffirmed the Italian Government’s support for the European integration path of the Western Balkans, while stressing the need to accelerate reforms: “The aspiration to join the European Union cannot be postponed any further, otherwise we risk fuelling fatigue in the integration process, which would not be in anyone’s interest.” Minister Foti also underlined the importance of strengthening the administrative capacity of candidate countries, so that European funds can translate into tangible benefits for citizens and territories.

The coordination of the Italian EUSAIR Presidency is entrusted to the Department for Cohesion Policies (DPCoe), in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI). The Presidency programme is structured around four main priorities: supporting European integration and administrative capacity-building in candidate countries; strengthening connectivity, with particular attention to transport and energy sectors; promoting social, cultural and demographic cohesion, with a focus on younger generations and countering depopulation; and reinforcing SME networks and innovation ecosystems at macro-regional level.

The Forum’s proceedings offered a concrete preview of the challenges the Italian Presidency will face, ranging from infrastructural connectivity and energy integration – core themes of Pillar 2 and among the main priorities of Italy’s mandate – to demographic issues and youth entrepreneurship. These were highlighted by the sixth edition of the POPRI EUSAIR Youth Business Model Competition, where young entrepreneurs from the ten countries presented innovative ideas to address shared macro-regional challenges.

The Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia (ARFVG) was also present in Skopje as a Partner of the “EUSAIR Facility Point 23–27” Project and National Contact Point for EUSAIR Pillar 2 “Connecting the Region”. The Region participated in the Forum’s activities with the technical support of INFORMEST, which supports Friuli Venezia Giulia in its Adriatic-Ionian Strategy-related activities.

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