Danube Strategic Project Fund (DSPF)

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The Danube Strategic Project Fund is a new facility aiming at supporting the implementation of transnational strategic projects aligned with the objective of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR), with a specific added value at the interfaces between cohesion and enlargement/neighbourhood policy. It is co-financed with funds provided to the European Commission by the European Parliament and the City of Vienna and will be managed by PA 10 of the EUSDR (City of Vienna) in close cooperation with EuroVienna, affiliated entity to the City of Vienna. Background: The Danube Strategic Project Fund builds upon the experience gained during the implementation of the pilot initiatives START – Danube Region Project Fund and the technical assistance facility TAF – DRP, carried out by the City of Vienna in its capacity as Priority Area 10 “Institutional Capacity and Cooperation” of the EUSDR. Moreover, it refers as appropriate to the results, conclusions and recommendations of the “Socio-economic assessment of the Danube Region”, which was implemented by Priority Area 8 “Competitiveness” and finalised in November. 2015. General and specific objectives of the initiative. The Danube Strategic Project Fund (DSPF) focuses primarily on innovative pre-mature projects which could not be funded so far and respond to the actual needs in the Danube Regions functional area. Moreover, it will provide support for projects and initiatives which do not fit into a programme or funding scheme (or which need a combination of several funding instruments). The DSPF pays particular attention to projects that: - Have a strategic impact, especially in view of Enlargement and Neighbourhood policies. - Have connections and/or spill-over effects in the territory covered by the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region. - Include neighboring countries. - Include cross-cutting and/or horizontal measures covering several Priority Areas of the Strategy. - Follow a multi-level governance approach. - Support the establishment of economic and social cooperation. - Foster integration and reconciliation of Danube countries, with a particular focus on the training of young people.

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