ADDENDUM TO THE COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS concerning the European Union Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region
Date: 2022-02-14
Institutions: Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, European Commission
Subjects: Adriatic and Ionian region, EU macroregional policy, San Marino, coastal region, economic cooperation, environmental cooperation, job creation, maritime area, regional cooperation, regional development

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 14.2.2022  COM(2022) 44 final  ADDENDUM TO THE COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS  concerning the European Union Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region  
 
 
INCLUSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF SAN MARINO IN THE EU STRATEGY FOR 
THE ADRIATIC AND IONIAN REGION 

1.  INTRODUCTION 

In December 2012, the European Council requested the European Commission to present an 
EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR) by the end of 2014. Following this 
request, the Commission extensively consulted stakeholders. On 17 June 2014, it adopted the 
EUSAIR Communication1 . 
As  a  result,  the  Council  endorsed  the  EUSAIR  in  its  conclusions  of  24 October 20142  and 
‘called on all relevant actors to implement it without delay’. The Addendum to the EUSAIR 
Communication  (COM(2020) 132  final  of  2 April  2020)  formally  included  the  Republic  of 
North Macedonia in the EUSAIR.  

The  general  objective  of  the  EUSAIR  is  to  promote  sustainable  economic  and  social 
prosperity in the region by: 

improving the region’s attractiveness, competitiveness and connectivity; 

  creating growth and jobs; 
 
  preserving the environment; and 
  ensuring healthy and balanced marine and coastal ecosystems. 

The EUSAIR also aids the EU enlargement process. It enables five Western Balkans countries 
to cooperate on a par with Member States while promoting the implementation of certain EU 
policies and strategies at macro-regional level.  
To achieve its objectives, the governments of the EUSAIR participating countries3 commit to 
align their priorities and to mobilise relevant EU and national funding to carry out the action 
plan4. This action plan aims to make the EUSAIR operational by identifying specific priorities 
(pillars and topics) and actions for the wider region.  

The EUSAIR remains open to other partners in the region. The Adriatic and Ionian Council / 
EUSAIR  ministerial  meeting5  of  11 May 2021  responded  positively  to  the  Republic  of  San 
Marino’s request to join the EUSAIR. The meeting’s Izola Declaration invited the Council to 
take  all  necessary  steps  to  include  San  Marino  in  the  EUSAIR  as  the  tenth  participating 
country.  On  15 June 2021,  the  four  EU  Member  States  participating  in  the  EUSAIR  sent  a 
letter to the Portuguese Presidency of the Council backing this request. 

In its conclusions of 18 November 2021, the Council welcomed and accepted the request by 
the  countries  participating  in  the  EUSAIR.  It  invited  the  Commission  to  take  the  necessary 
steps to include San Marino in the EUSAIR, to amend the strategy accordingly and to submit 
it to the Council6. 

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COM(2014) 357 final of 17.6.2014. 
Conclusions of the European Council of 23 and 24 October 2014 (EUCO 169/14). 
Four EU Member States (Croatia, Greece, Italy and Slovenia) and five Western Balkan countries 
(Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia). 
SWD(2014) 190 final. 
The Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the participating countries’ authorities responsible for EU funds 
represent the EUSAIR and the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative at political level. As of the first EUSAIR 
annual forum (Dubrovnik (Croatia), 2-13 May 2016), they form the Adriatic and Ionian Council / 
EUSAIR Ministerial meeting. 
General Affairs Council of 18 November 2021. 

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2.  INCLUSION OF SAN MARINO IN THE EUSAIR 

1.  Political background 

San  Marino  is  a  close  neighbour  and  partner  of  the  EU  and  shares  its  core  values. 
EU-San Marino relations, established in  1983, are based on  a range of bilateral  agreements. 
They  cover  areas  such  as  customs,  the  taxation  of  private  savings  income  and  monetary 
issues. Since 2015, the EU has been negotiating association agreements (AAs) with Andorra, 
Monaco and San Marino. Under such an AA, the three countries would be able to participate 
in the single market and cooperate with the EU on flanking policies.  

Given  its  dimension  and  geographical  location  in  the  Adriatic  region,  the  territory  of  San 
Marino  overlaps  with  the  area  where  the  EUSAIR  carries  out  its  projects,  actions  and 
activities. The government of San Marino fully shares the objectives of the EUSAIR and the 
principle of multilevel and multi-stakeholder cooperation.  

2.  San Marino’s participation in the EUSAIR 

This  Addendum  to  the  EUSAIR  Communication  sets  out  the  roles  and  responsibilities  of 
San Marino  in  the  multilevel  governance  of  the  EUSAIR  and  its  relation  with  other 
participating countries.  

For San Marino, participation in the EUSAIR entails cooperating and coordinating with other 
countries in the region in planning national, EU and other sources of funding to carry out its 
action plan.  

With  its  inclusion  in  the  EUSAIR,  San  Marino  will  have  the  right  to  participate  in  the 
EUSAIR governance structures including its political, coordination and operational levels7. 

3.  CONCLUSIONS 

The  inclusion  of  San  Marino  in  the  EUSAIR  will  step  up  cooperation  in  the  Adriatic  and 
Ionian region. It will also strengthen the EUSAIR partnership and the relations between San 
Marino and the EU.  

Participation  in  the  EUSAIR,  on  a  level  playing  field  with  all  participating  countries,  will 
enable San Marino  to  become better acquainted  with  the  governance mechanisms of  an EU 
macro-regional strategy. At the same time, San Marino will gain experience and involvement 
in implementing EU policies.  

A new map of the EUSAIR countries is enclosed. 

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Ministerial meetings (political level), EUSAIR governing board (coordination level) and thematic 
steering groups (operational level).  

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MAP OF THE COUNTRIES OF THE EU STRATEGY FOR THE ADRIATIC AND IONIAN REGION 

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