The fourth EcoDaLLi stakeholder engagement workshop was held on 25 October 2023 in Kranj, Slovenia, as part of the 12th Danube Region Strategy (EUSDR) Annual Forum. Co-organized by ICLEI Europe and ADRM, this final workshop in the series focused on the Middle and Lower Danube regions and brought together over 60 stakeholders from business, academia, governance, and civil society. The event was designed as a dynamic platform to discuss and shape the future of the Danube through the lens of EU Mission Ocean objectives.

The workshop was structured around two main sessions and three working groups, each dedicated to one of the following key topics under the Mission Ocean:

• Ecosystem restoration for increased biodiversity and resilience
• Reduction or elimination of water pollution
• Circularity, blue economy, and decarbonization actions

Discussions focused on pressing challenges and opportunities for the EcoDaLLi Living Labs in the Middle and Lower Danube, particularly in addressing:

• Climate Change: Exploring measures to protect local communities and ecosystems from extreme events and advancing climate change mitigation efforts.
• Water Systems: Advancing local economic activities and developing innovative solutions for wastewater management.

This workshop is a significant milestone in EcoDaLLi’s mission, aligning with the broader EU policy goals set forth by Mission Ocean and supporting the establishment of effective governance structures across the Danube.

On the first day of the EUSDR Annual Forum, EcoDaLLi coordinator Steinbeis Europa Zentrum organized the side event „Danube Transfer Centres (DTC) Network Ceremony“. The DTC Network is a dynamic transnational structure in the Danube Region dedicated to fostering innovation and knowledge transfer between academia and the economic environment.

The DTC Network can provide assistance and support to organisations seeking to improve their competitiveness and international dimension. In each country, a few gate centers are established, which then create their own local network of offices, in order to be as close as possible to the intended beneficiaries.

During the ceremony, Andreea Strachinescu from DG MARE presented the EU Mission Ocean & Waters including policy objectives as well as the concept of associated regions within the Mission to a wide variety of actors in the Danube region. Miljana Cosic from our project coordinator Steinbeis Europa Zentrum then introduced EcoDaLLi as CSA of the Danube Lighthouse and highlighted potential synergies with the DTC Network and the EUSDR itself.