– having regard to the own-initiative opinion of the Committee of the Regions of 11 October 2011 entitled ‘Territorial cooperation in the Mediterranean through the Adriatic and Ionian macroregion’,

Encourage therefore the exchange of best practices between partners to foster good governance, decentralisation and regional self-governance in the Adriatic and Ionian macro-region.

The Final Conference of the SUNBEAM (Structured University mobility between the Balkans and Europe for the Adriatic-Ionian Macroregion) project was held in Ancona, Italy on 20 September.

Endorses the Commission’s view that a centre for the prevention of natural and non-natural disasters should be set up for the Adriatic and Ionian macro-region;