On 30th and 31th May 2011 SEETAC's 7th Project Meeting took place in Trieste (Italy) , hosted by the Central European Initiative - Executive Secretariat, Lead Partner of the Project.
Welcoming speeches were given by the CEI Secretary General Amb. Gerhard Pfanzelter and the Regional Councilor for Infrastructure, Mobility, Territorial Planning and Public Works of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Riccardo Riccardi who expressed the full support for the SEETAC project, in particular in the light of creating a North Adriatic Port system (port of Trieste and Monfalcone) inter-linked with EU Priority Projects crossing the region. He also pointed out the importance of connecting the Friuli Venezia Giulia with the Baltic-Adriatic corridor.
The works were opened with a round-table debate on the topic "SEETAC and the EU strategies for cohesion", chaired by Carlo Fortuna (CEI). On that occasion, the presentation of the first SEETAC project results enabled a discussion on the contribution of the SEETAC analysis to the ongoing TEN-T revision process and to the inclusion of the Western Balkans in the EU infrastructure networks.
All partners participated actively in the debate and illustrated their positions.
The meeting was also attended by important actors - Ivan Curzolo, Head of SEE Project Management and Development Unit and Franc Zepic, Priority area coordinator for the Danube Strategy International Affairs Directorate, Ministry of Transport of Slovenia. Both gave their contribution to the discussion, while Alain Baron, Project Officer of the European Commission DG MOVE as meeting's special guest had the task to draw some conclusions.
The second day was reserved to administrative and financial issues as to the evaluation of the technical activities, the status of the works and to the next steps to be undertaken.
The next project meeting will take place in October in Belgrade (Serbia).