Η στρατηγική προσέγγιση της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης για την περιοχή του Εύξεινου Πόντου

- stresses that the region is currently marked by instability in security terms, disruption of maritime traffic and environment damage caused by Russia’s war against Ukraine;

- highlights that the Black Sea should not be seen as a peripheral area, but as a strategic centre of geopolitical importance, a key economic crossroads, connecting Europe with the Caucasus, Central Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean via transport, energy and digital-cable networks;

- encourages the application of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, decentralisation and multi-level governance, encompassing the role of LRAs in planning, policy design, access to funding and governance mechanisms, while safeguarding the European Commission’s responsibility for ensuring the efficiency and transparency of these actions;

- notes that the strategic approach must be cross-linked with existing EU frameworks – notably the Eastern Partnership, including CORLEAP as its local and regional aspect, facilitating port-city twinning and municipal capacity-building that supports regional security and resilience, the EU Maritime Security Strategy, the European Ports Strategy, the Global Gateway initiative and the EU Mission on adaptation to climate change;

- highlights that the geopolitical tension in the Black Sea region makes it a target for different types of cyberattacks, ranging from maritime infrastructure attacks, navigation system attacks and insider threats; recommends extension of the EU Cyber Solidarity Initiative to the Black Sea, integrating early-warning systems, training for municipal and port authorities and cross-border incident-response coordination; recommends emphasising linkage with the EU Digital Decade Strategy and infrastructure-resilience provisions;

- stresses that the EU’s strategic engagement in the Black Sea region should pursue security, energy transition and economic development objectives in a manner that is fully consistent with biodiversity protection, international environmental obligations and science-based decision-making, thereby ensuring long-term sustainability and public legitimacy.