The Regional Partnership
The Regional Partnership between Austria and her neighbouring countries Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia as well as the “cultural neighbour” Poland was established on 6 June 2001 by a meeting of the foreign ministers of the partner states in Vienna. It is an informally working forum for regional cooperation intended to create an added value for the region and for Europe as a whole. In doing so, it has become part of the European tissue of regional networks that contribute to further develop and consolidate relations between member states. Within this framework, the Regional Partnership enjoys a close affinity to the Visegrad Group (V4+2).
Since the accession of partner countries to the EU on 1 May 2004 the prime objective of cooperation is to define common interests both in internal EU-matters and CFSP issues and to feed them into the EU decision making process. To this purpose, the foreign ministers of partner states have so far convened in six annual meetings. In the field of internal security a very close cooperation has emerged in the framework of the Salzburg group of home affairs ministers.
A main focus of the Regional Partnership is an ongoing commitment to neighbouring regions. Within the European Neighbourhood Policy the regional partners have made essential contributions to the formulation of the EU plan of action for Ukraine. Partners are also united in their support for a European perspective of the countries of the Western Balkans. This interest was substantiated by a common paper on the future of the Kosovo and by the Western Balkans conference held in Budapest in October 2005. The conference established six working groups to assist the Western Balkans countries on their way of European integration. Within this Budapest forum Austria has taken over the field of environment.
Following the tsunami catastrophe in Southeast Asia partner states developed common proposals aimed at improving consular cooperation and mutual assistance for our citizens. These proposals were submitted to the relevant European institutions. An intensive consular cooperation in cases of crises and catastrophes and, with a view to the eventual Schengen - accession of partner states in visa matters, is emerging.
Another core element of the Regional Partnership is the cooperation promoting a common external cultural policy. The “Platform Culture Central Europe” has developed numerous projects showing present - day cultural achievements in partner countries.
