In September, Belgrade will host a meeting of the officials from the Danube countries and the European Commission which aims at setting the crucial projects and funding sources for the Danube Strategy of the Danube region, whose patron will be European Commissioner for Regional Policy Johannes Hahn.

The press learned this in Brussels on March 19 from Serbian Deputy Prime Minister for European Integrations Bozidar Djelic after meeting with Hahn, as well as the European Commission's Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas.

The Danube Strategy is being prepared by the European Commission, and should be finished by the end of 2010, while Hahn accepted to be the patron of the meeting in Belgrade, Djelic said.

He underlined that it is "a sign of great trust" in Serbia, which has not yet become an official candidate for EU membership, and it is about to work on one of the most important questions related to the Danube Strategy.

Djelic also reported that he and Kallas considered how to build and develop European transport corridors in the future, including the possibility for Serbia to join the discussion on the financing of large infrastructure projects, especially when it comes to European Corridors 7 and 10, which pass through Serbia.

He added that Serbia will take all steps to reinforce the idea about the construction of Corridor 11, from Romania to Montenegro via Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Djelic underlined that he and Kallas exchanged opinions on the construction of railway infrastructure, which will be given great priority in the EU, as a more eco-friendly and cost-efficient type of transport than road transport.

"This is where I see a chance for the ambitious projects Serbia has in the domain of railway Corridor 10," Djelic stressed.