14:00-14:05

Welcoming remarks

Mr. Luc Devigne, Acting Managing Director for Russia, Eastern Partnership, Central Asia, Regional cooperation and OSCE, European External Action Service

14:05-14:40

14:40-14:55

Opening Session

General presentations focusing on the broader context and introducing the main thematic aspects - Black Sea regional cooperation; the EU Green Deal; impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Ms. Luminiţa Teodora Odobescu, Permanent Representative of Romania to the European Union, representing also the Romanian Chairmanship-in-office of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organisation;
• Mr. Thomas Ossowski, Representative to the Political and Security Committee, Germany, Presidency of the Council of the European Union;
• Mr. Luc Devigne, Acting Managing Director for Russia, Eastern Partnership, Central Asia, Regional cooperation and OSCE, European External Action Service;
• Mr. Vassilis Maragos, Acting Director for Neighbourhood East and Institution Building, Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, DG NEAR, European Commission;
• Mr. Tonino Picula, President of the European Parliament Intergroup Seas, Rivers, Islands and Coastal Areas (Searica);
• Mr. Christos Economou, Acting Director for Maritime Policy and Blue Economy, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, DG MARE, European Commission.

Moderated by Ms. Cristina Gherasimov, Research Fellow, Robert Bosch Center for Central and Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia, German Council on Foreign Relations.

Q&A Session

14:55-15:00

Coffee break

15:00-15:55

Breakaway Sessions

Room 1: Sustainable Blue Economy, jointly organised by the Directorate General of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE) and the Directorate General of Research and Innovation (DG RTD).

Moderated by Ms. Angela Grămadă, Project Manager "Building CSO Capacity for Regional Cooperation within the Black Sea Region”, FOND, Romania.

Room 2: Environmental Resilience, organised by the Directorate General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) in cooperation with the Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV).

Moderated by Mr. Michael Rupp, Team Leader, DG NEAR, European Commission.

Room 3: Cross-border Cooperation and Connecting with the Danube, organised by the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO).

Moderated by Mr. Giacomo Luciani, Contact Person for Sustainable Growth in Unit D1, DG REGIO, European Commission.

15:55-16:00

Coffee break

16:00-16:25

16:00-16:15

16:15-16:25

Concluding Session

Main takeaways from each breakaway session presented by respective moderators.

Concluding remarks and way ahead provided by:

• Ms. Petra Gombalova, Head of Division for Eastern Partnership, Regional Cooperation and OSCE, European External Action Service;
• Mr. Vassilis Maragos, Head of Unit C.2- Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus & Eastern Partnership, DG NEAR, European Commission.

Session moderated by Ms. Cristina Gherasimov, Research Fellow, Robert Bosch Center for Central and Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia, German Council on Foreign Relations.