The first year of activity for the South East Europe Programme is coming close to an end. It has been an extremely busy, interesting and fruitful year, in which we have all been working hard to get the programme started and to ensure a smooth functioning of all its structures. We have officially launched the Programme in March and opened its first call in May. The unexpectedly high number of applications received gave us a clear sign that there is a huge interest and high expectations regarding this programme and that the need for cooperation in the South East Europe Area is higher than ever. On this occasion, we would like to wish all those who have been working for the programme, our applicants and our collaborators Happy Holidays and a very prosperous New Year, full of successful cooperation opportunities!

"Countries in South-Eastern Europe have always been of immense appeal for me. No wonder that I already visited some interesting places in this area - and I hope that I will even get in closer touch with this diversified and absorbing region"

The SEEnews is continuing its journey through the South East Europe area and is speaking to the National Contact Points of the countries participating in the SEE Programme. This time it has stopped in Austria, a country with an extensive experience in the management of territorial cooperation programmes. We are speaking with Kathrin Gruber, the national contact point of the SEE programme, and we ask her to introduce herself and her work to the SEEnews readers.

With the days getting shorter and the temperature dropping - on a background of financial turbulences - it's the perfect season to talk about promoting energy and resource efficiency in the South East Europe area; a special domain of the wider environment policy.

The second in a series of editorials dedicated to the SEE programme priorities, this article brings about some challenging questions: what are the environmental priorities now, in a period marked by the global financial crisis? Should we save money or save the environment? Or maybe through cooperation we can save both? And what is the perspective from the South East Europe?