On 28 July, the launch event of the Italian Presidency of the European Union Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian Region (EUSAIR) was held in Rome at the headquarters of Unioncamere, marking the beginning of a new phase of macro-regional cooperation guided by the Presidency’s motto focused on identity, cohesion and European integration.

The President of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Massimiliano Fedriga, took part in the event through a video message. In his speech, he recalled the Region’s commitment to the governance of the Strategy, particularly through the EUSAIR Facility Point project, in which Friuli Venezia Giulia participates as a partner, supporting the Italian national coordination and the activities of Pillar 2, “Connecting the Region”, dedicated to transport and energy.

President Fedriga reiterated the Region’s role as a natural bridge between Central Europe, the Western Balkans and the Mediterranean, citing well-established territorial cooperation experiences such as the EGTC Euregio Senza Confini, as well as forward-looking initiatives such as Cyros, a project aimed at developing a green and intermodal corridor along the Adriatic in line with the Strategy’s objectives.

The President also announced that the Presidency will culminate in the 12th EUSAIR Annual Forum in Trieste, scheduled for May 2027. The event will provide an important opportunity to assess progress achieved, share experiences and contribute to shaping the future directions of macro-regional cooperation.

The launch event, which marked the political and operational start of the Italian Presidency year, was attended by the Italian Minister for European Affairs, the NRRP and Cohesion Policies, Tommaso Foti, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, confirming the Italian Government’s strong political commitment to the Strategy.

In their speeches, Minister Foti identified the accession of the Western Balkan countries as a strategic priority for the European Union, highlighting issues such as the right to remain, the protection of the rule of law and demographic challenges. Minister Tajani reaffirmed Italy’s support for strategic infrastructures such as IMEC, Corridor VIII, Corridor X and the Trieste-Ljubljana-Zagreb-Belgrade railway line, stressing the value of port cooperation between Trieste, Koper and Rijeka. He also underlined that the integration of the Western Balkans into the European family remains a priority, highlighting the important role played by EUSAIR in this process, together with Italy’s commitment through the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative and the Central European Initiative.

The European dimension of the initiative was further emphasised by the participation of Executive Vice-President of the European Commission Raffaele Fitto, who described macro-regional cooperation as a practical tool for connecting territories facing shared challenges and opportunities. He stressed how cooperation can transform borders into bridges, fostering joint projects, investments, growth and development. He also highlighted that the European Union becomes stronger when territories collaborate, share experiences and build common solutions.

The discussion revealed broad convergence on the main strategic factors for the future of the Adriatic-Ionian area: strengthening infrastructure and energy connectivity, supporting the European integration process of the Western Balkans and enhancing the ability of macro-regional cooperation to translate shared priorities into concrete actions. These themes will guide the extensive programme of meetings, thematic events and initiatives that the Italian Presidency will coordinate throughout the year to strengthen cooperation, connectivity and European integration across the Adriatic-Ionian Region.

Within this framework, Informest supports the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia in implementing the EUSAIR Strategy, helping to ensure the effective and efficient functioning of its governance structures. This activity includes administrative, operational and logistical support aimed at facilitating the coordination of activities, the organisation of meetings and initiatives, and the management of information and document flows, thereby contributing to the implementation of priorities and commitments related to the Region’s participation in the Strategy.

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