Original text of the Joint Declaration

18.09.2018

The Presidents and their High Representatives from the 12 States participating in the Three Seas
Initiative (I3M / I3S) - the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Bulgaria, the Republic of Croatia, the Czech
Republic, the Republic of Estonia, Hungary, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic
of Poland, Romania and the Republic Slovakia, the Republic of Slovenia - meeting in Bucharest on
September 17-18, 2018, on the occasion of the third I3M Summit hosted by Romania:

By agreeing that I3S responds to the common interest of the I3S countries to act in a coordinated
manner in order to capitalize on their economic potential and to facilitate faster development in order to
increase economic convergence in the European Union;

Confirming that the fundamental pillars and objectives of the Initiative are tripartite - the strong
growth of economic development, the strengthening of the cohesion of the European Union and the
enrichment of transatlantic ties;

In line with the original purpose of I3S, an informal presidential platform to support pragmatic
cooperation among participating states, based on their membership of the European Union;

Emphasizing that the Initiative aims to contribute to the economic development of its states and
the region through improved connectivity in the transport, energy and digital fields, especially on the
North-South but not only, thus boosting economic relations, energy security , trade and investment flows
in the region, as well as other partners in the Euro-Atlantic community;

Emphasizing that increased regional connectivity and increased economic convergence will
strengthen EU cohesion and coherence and will contribute to the fullest integration of the EU, thus
supporting efforts to build a more prosperous, united and secure European Union;

Confident that the United States economic presence in the I3S region can contribute to
strengthening the transatlantic link and may be an additional catalyst for a strengthened transatlantic
partnership;

Aware of the potential of the Initiative to contribute to the substantiation of EU policies for the
Western Balkan and Eastern Partnership countries and to complement efforts to bring these two regions
closer to the European Union, including through increased interconnectivity;

Recognizing the importance of high-level political commitment to successfully implement the

main objectives of the Initiative, in full consistency with existing EU instruments;

Recognizing the role of national governments in advancing I3S objectives, in cooperation with
local and regional administrations, as well as with other public sector stakeholders;

Recognizing the critical role of the private sector and financial institutions in ensuring the success
of I3S objectives;

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 Building on the results of the previous Summits in Dubrovnik in 2016 and Warsaw in 2017;

Hereby:

1. Welcomes the short list of priority I3S interconnection projects in the three key areas - transport,
energy, digital, whose goal is to channel political support for these projects, and encourages
governments, companies and financial institutions to work together for their rapid and efficient
implementation. Invites all stakeholders to cooperate to attract the necessary financial means for I3S
projects, including the identification of all EU funds and other possible funds for their implementation;

2. Welcomes the organization at the Bucharest Summit of the first edition of the I3S Business Forum, as
decided by the Warsaw Joint Declaration of 2017, which brought together over 600 officials and business
representatives from the participating States, from other EU Member States, the US, non-EU countries in
the wider South East region, and encourages the I3S Business Forum to become a regular event,
preferably annually;

3. Welcomes the creation of the I3S Chamber of Commerce on the occasion of the first edition of the I3S
Business Forum through the Joint Declaration on the creation of the I3S Chamber of Commerce Network
signed by the Chambers of Commerce intending to participate in the network, support the upcoming
activities of the I3S Business Forum and facilitate contacts between business communities in the region;

4. I acknowledge the signing of the Letter of Intent on the establishment of the Three Seas Investment
Fund at the I3S Business Forum by the relevant financial institutions that intend to participate in the
Fund. Once set up, it will aim to facilitate, support and finance the priority interconnection projects
welcomed by the Summit as well as other future I3S projects;

5. Agreed on the need to monitor, stimulate and support the implementation of priority interconnection
projects and, to that end, encourage a more active involvement of the private sector;

6. Welcomes the launch of a website dedicated to I3S (www.three-seas.eu), with the administration of
the domain being taken over by the hosts of each of the future Summits;

7. I note that the First Forum of the I3S Regions in Rzeszów, Republic of Poland, of 3 July 2018, represents
a practical contribution, at regional level, to promote the I3S objectives. We also encourage other I3S
regions to follow this example;

8. Welcomes the involvement, support and interest of the partner countries and institutions, namely the
US and German Governments, the European Commission, the European Investment Bank, the European
Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank Group, including through participation at
their high level at the third I3S Summit, and agree to continue to invite them and other stakeholders,
subject to the consensual decision of the Participating States, at the upcoming I3S Summits as well as at
the upcoming editions of the I3S Business Forum;

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9. Welcomes the participation of government officials and companies from non-EU countries in the wider
South East region to the first edition of the I3S Business Forum and agrees to continue to invite their
officials and their companies to future editions of the I3S Business Forum.

Source: www.presidency.ro

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Joint Declaration of the Summit of the Three Seas Initiative

18.09.2018

A joint statement has been adopted at the end of the summit that establishes the basic
principles of the Three Seas Initiative, as well as the concrete objectives already achieved by the
Summit.

The declaration welcomes the short list of priority projects in the three key areas - transport,
energy, digital - to channel political support for these projects, and encourages governments,
companies and financial institutions to work together for rapid deployment and efficient use of
these. It also welcomes the creation of the Chamber of Commerce Networks at its first edition
of the I3M (Three Seas Initiative) Business Forum through the Joint Statement on the
Establishment of the I3M Chamber of Commerce Network signed by the Chambers of
Commerce intending to participate in the network with the objective of supporting future
activities of the I3M Business Forum and to facilitate contacts between business communities in
the region.

The joint declaration also acknowledges the signing of the Letter of Intent on the establishment
of the Three Seas Investments Fund at the I3M Business Forum by the relevant financial
institutions that intend to participate in the Fund. Once set up, it will aim to facilitate, support
and finance the priority interconnection projects welcomed by the Summit as well as other
future I3M projects.

Last but not least, it welcomes the launch of a website dedicated to I3M (www.three-seas.eu),
the domain management being taken over by the hosts of each of the upcoming Summits.

Source: www.presidency.ro