The Danube Transnational Programme is a financing instrument of the European Territorial Cooperation (ETC), better known as Interreg. ETC is one of the goals of the European Union cohesion policy and provides a framework for the implementation of joint actions and policy exchanges between national, regional and local actors from different Member States. The Danube Transnational Programme (DTP) promotes economic, social and territorial cohesion in the Danube Region through policy integration in selected fields.

In order to achieve a higher degree of territorial integration of the very heterogeneous Danube region, the transnational cooperation programme acts as a policy driver and pioneer to tackle common challenges and needs in specific policy fields where transnational cooperation is expected to deliver tangible results. Considering its geographical coverage, this highly complex programme provides a political dimension to transnational cooperation which is unique in Europe, successfully facing challenges such as ensuring good mechanisms to contract partners who receive funding from different EU instruments. The Danube Transnational Programme finances projects for the development and practical implementation of policy frameworks, tools and services and concrete small-scale pilot investments. Strong complementarities with the broader EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) are sought. The total programme budget is 274 578 077 euros, including the EU support (231 924 597 €) and the national counterpart (42 653 480 €). Selected projects are financed up to 85% of their costs. The EU support comes from three different funds: European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (202 095 405,00 €), Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance II (IPA II) (19 829 192,00 €), European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) (10 000 000,00 €). 

CD SKILLS project “Improving celiac disease management in the Danube region by raising the awareness, improving the knowledge, and developing better skills” is addressing existing challenges of healthcare sector in celiac disease management in the Danube region. 
About 80% of patients with celiac disease are diagnosed with long delay or remain undiagnosed, increasing a risk of complications, resulting in high morbidity and mortality, low school performance and high work absenteeism. This has important negative impact on sustainability of healthcare sector and society. Possible reasons are low awareness and knowledge about the disease, limited access to diagnostic tools, limited opportunities for innovative learning and inefficient information exchange.
CD SKILLS aims to overcome these shortcomings to ensure sustainable public healthcare sector, which will efficiently meet health related and social needs of patients and general public affected by celiac disease. Assessment of regional gaps in celiac disease management will be followed by introduction of innovative learning strategy combining traditional lectures and modern e-tools, development of efficient disease detection strategies, and by innovative pilot services. Multisector transnational network will enable knowledge exchange.

One of the main aspects of this project is the development of e-tools, particularly e-learning programmes for celiac patients but also for health care professionals in order to increase the knowledge about this chronic food intolerance. Learn more about CD SKILLS project and visit the project's website http://www.interreg-danube.eu/approved-projects/cd-skills.

The project CD SKILLS is addressing existing challenges of healthcare sector in celiac disease management in the Danube region. Project activities will raise the awareness, improve knowledge, skills and competences of all stakeholders involved in celiac disease management, effectively improving the capacity of healthcare and social service in the Danube region. Project capitalizes on projects CE Focus IN CD and SI-HU LQ-CELIAC.

Interreg Central Europe is a cohesion policy programme of the European Union (EU) and part of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). With a total funding budget of 246 million €, it encourages and supports cooperation beyond borders and between public and private organisations. Interreg CE projects fall into four different thematic priorities, comprising Innovation, Low Carbon, Culture & Environment, and Transport. 

The project "Focus IN CD - Innovative patient centered health care services - advantages of establishing a close CE network in celiac disease patient health care", No. CE111, belongs to the priority Innovation. With a funding of nearly 1.9 Mio € it aims to substantially improve and harmonize the care of people with celiac disease in Central Europe. Twelve partners from Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Italy and Slovenia are actively involved in this outstanding initiative. 

One of the main aspects of this project is the development of e-tools, particularly e-learning programmes for celiac patients but also for health care professionals in order to increase the knowledge about this chronic food intolerance. Learn more about Focus in CD and visit the project's website.