On 5 June 2026, the official Kick-off Meeting of the international project “EcoCLUSTER – Increasing Capacity of LPAs in the Tulcea–Odessa Border Area by Developing Circular Economy Systems, Green Energy and Establishing a Cross-Border Innovation Cluster for Administrative Cooperation” (ID ROUA00501) was successfully held in the Commune of Luncavița, Romania. The initiative is being implemented under the Interreg VI-A NEXT Romania–Ukraine Programme 2021–2027.
The event brought together representatives of all partner organizations participating in the project consortium: the Commune of Luncavița (Romania) as the Lead Partner; the City of Isaccea (Romania); the Katlabuh Settlement Council (Ukraine); and the Association of Ukrainian Regions «EU Strategy for the Danube Region» (Ukraine).
The Association was represented at the event by Liliana Ivanova, Communication Manager of the EcoCLUSTER Project. During the meeting, project partners presented their communities, discussed the key areas of joint cooperation, reviewed the planned activities in detail, and outlined prospects for further strategic collaboration.
Special attention was given to the following topics:
• Development of circular economy systems in border regions.
• Practical implementation of green technologies, including the planned installation of a solar power plant in the Katlabuh community.
• Exchange of experience in municipal infrastructure management.
• Establishment of a joint cross-border platform for sharing best practices and innovative solutions.
Participants of the conference emphasized the critical importance of strengthening cross-border cooperation between Ukrainian and Romanian communities. Particularly in the current context of martial law in Ukraine, international cooperation and European investments create new and much-needed opportunities for sustainable territorial development and enhanced energy independence.
The Kick-off Meeting in Luncavița marked the official start of the practical implementation phase of the EcoCLUSTER Project and represents an important step towards strengthening good-neighborly relations and long-term partnerships between communities of the two countries in the Danube Region.
