The Satu Mare County Intercommunity Development Association has completed the acceptance of three development strategies prepared within the framework of the project Planning4U – Cooperation of Local Communities in the HU-RO-UA Border Region for Joint Development Planning, Capacity Building and Partnership Development, project code HUSKROUA/23/RS/3.1/037, funded by the Interreg VI-A NEXT Hungary–Slovakia–Romania–Ukraine Programme.
The development strategies cover the 2026–2032 period and target the communes of Vetiș, Lazuri and Urziceni. These strategic documents aim to support the sustainable development of local communities, strengthen economic and institutional relations with partners in Hungary and Ukraine, and assist local authorities in accessing European Union funding, which is essential for the implementation of future development projects.
Through these updated strategies, the communes of Vetiș, Lazuri and Urziceni aim to become more attractive to investors, improve the quality of life of their residents, and develop into important economic hubs along Romania’s western and northern borders.
Another strategic direction of the Planning4U project focuses on strengthening institutional capacity through professional training. Starting in September, training courses will be organised for 60 employees of local public authorities in Satu Mare County in the fields of public procurement and project management.
The project also includes an ongoing study on cross-border development and an assessment of the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war on Satu Mare County. Satu Mare County’s unique geographical position, at the tri-border area with Hungary and Ukraine, makes the region both strategically important and vulnerable. In this context, the project is financing an in-depth study focusing on two major areas: cross-border development and the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
The PLANNING4U project is coordinated by the Research Institute for National Strategy and brings together partners from three countries: the Satu Mare County Intercommunity Development Association (Romania), the Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County Government and the Tisza European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (Hungary), and the Association of Transcarpathian Border Local Authorities (Ukraine).
The main objective of the Planning4U project is to address the challenges facing the border region as a result of Ukraine’s administrative reform, the coronavirus pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian war. By developing strategic plans and impact studies, the project contributes to strengthening economic and social relations between the three countries and to preparing Ukraine for the European Union accession process.
The Planning4U project has a total budget of EUR 600,327.63 and is implemented between 1 January 2025 and 31 December 2026. It is funded by the Interreg VI-A NEXT Hungary–Slovakia–Romania–Ukraine Programme 2021–2027.
The content of this material is the sole responsibility of the Satu Mare County Intercommunity Development Association and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
