The Interreg IPA Romania–Serbia Programme organised three public consultation meetings in Romania (Timișoara, Reșița and Drobeta-Turnu Severin) from 13 to 15 October 2026. Over 170 representatives of public authorities, NGOs, structures responsible for border security and emergency response, and other local and regional stakeholders came together to discuss the needs, challenges and development opportunities of the cross-border region beyond 2027.
Discussions focused on the future of cross-border cooperation and how it can address shared challenges and create tangible benefits for communities on both sides of the border. Participants shared their views on cross-border priorities and explored ways to improve access to future funding opportunities and strengthen cooperation between Romanian and Serbian stakeholders.
These sessions are part of wider consultation and preparation process for the next EU funding framework dedicated to Interreg. Combining feedback from these events with questionnaire responses from participants will help ensure that future initiatives build directly on past experience and address key local and regional priorities.
The consultation process will continue in Serbia, with meetings scheduled for 27 October in Zrenjanin, 28 October in Veliko Gradište and 29 October in Donji Milanovac. Serbian stakeholders will have the opportunity to share their views and contribute to identifying priorities for the future of cross-border cooperation between Romania and Serbia.
