#U_Lakes From vision to action – launch of a Joint Working Group

On 19 February 2026, the first launching meeting of the joint working group on blue-green infrastructure was held in Ivano-Frankivsk as part of the UrbanLakes - Cross-border synergy for blue ecosystem preservation (U_Lakes) project, funded by the European Union through the Interreg Next VI-A Romania-Ukraine 2021–2027 programme.

The event brought together Ukrainian and Romanian experts to develop a vision for the development and implementation of a Joint Action Plan for biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of blue and green infrastructure in Botosani and Ivano-Frankivsk. Participants discussed the logic and structure of the strategic document, its key thematic areas, the current context and requirements, as well as the expected results of its implementation.

An important part of the meeting was the work in thematic groups, within which, together with Romanian colleagues, priority ideas and proposals were developed for inclusion in the Joint Action Plan in three areas:

- analysis of the current state of water bodies and major environmental challenges;

- education, community engagement and the development of citizen science;

- spatial solutions and the integration of blue-green infrastructure into urban spaces.

During the presentation of the results of the groups' work, there was a joint discussion of the developments, coordination of positions and identification of issues requiring further elaboration. Particular attention was paid to the institutional framework for the implementation of the Joint Action Plan, the distribution of roles and responsibilities, as well as the mechanisms for cross-border coordination and the format for the Working Group's further work.

The first working meeting was of an inaugural nature and laid the organisational foundation for further cooperation, thematic discussions and joint actions between Ukrainian and Romanian partners within the UrbanLakes project.

This publication has been produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the Executive Committee of the Ivano-Frankivsk City Council and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the European Union or the management structures of the Interreg VI-A NEXT 2021-2027 Romania-Ukraine Program. 

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