In the context of creating GREEN DANUBE synergies, representatives of project partner ACTEDJ attended the 3 Seas Initiative (3SI) Business Forum in the period of 17th – 18th September 2018, the Forum https://3si-business.com being organized by Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry under the high patronage of the Presidential Administration of Romania.  The event, set up as a Business Forum, was focused on “enhancing European and Transatlantic economic cooperation”  within the context of expressed development partnership  between  12 EU member states located between the Adriatic, the Baltic and the Black Seas. The “business models” proposed by the Forum comprised three pillars of development: transport, energy and digital interconnectivity.

Within the Forum workshop “Increasing the role of civil society in the 3SI region and beyond “, Mrs. Natalia Budescu, highlighted the importance of civil society in fostering regional coherence and cooperation, as an equal partner, having both the experience and expertise in addressing the sustainability issues that implementing strategic projects to be funded through the 3SI are going to raise up. GREEN DANUBE project was presented as being one example in this regard. GREEN DANUBE is the successful story of a widen up consortium comprising public and private sectors representatives, committed and working together in the waterway transport field by identifying, putting into practice and building awareness in the greening technologies and promoting digital accessibility from 7 states (EU and non-EU).  3SI was the perfect set up to bring up not only the civil society organizations (CSOs) project results but also the CSO capability in developing strategic partnerships for reaching sustainable development therefore sustainable business. Also, CSOs represent a valuable resource in the region to be used in extending the reach of the projects beyond its current geographic scope by identifying the complementary initiatives in the region - Danube region and Black Sea Region.

The topics addressed were framed also from the perspective of the upcoming Romanian Presidency of the European Union Council (1st semester of 2019).