Varna Forum 2.0: Thinking Together

A broad range of topics covering the collective experience in the on-going Black Sea cooperation process was addressed, inter alia the relevance of the region in the context of EU-Eurasia relations and the security landscape. Participants agreed that the 2018 Bulgarian presidency should encourage the European Council to develop a macro-regional strategy for the Black Sea Region by June 2020. The focal points of this strategy, according to the participants, should address infrastructure development, tourism and cultural exchange, maritime transportation, fishery management, energy, migration, environmental protection and climate change as well as Eurasian economic trade.  Participants expressed the view that the experience gathered by the BSR countries over the years constituted a useful foundation for the advancement of regional cooperation, emphasizing the EU Synergy Initiative and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) project as key-tools. An EU macro-region concept, which would be developed specifically for the BSR would be regarded as a creative contribution to that end. In conclusion, the participants agreed that this edition of the Varna Forum was a timely and action-oriented format and should evolve as a welcome venue for continued discussions on matters of Black Sea Cooperation.