Zagreb - Infrastructure Ministry State Secretary Blaž Košorok signed on Monday a letter of intent with his Croatian colleague Ivo Miletić and Massimiliano Fedriga, president of the Italian region Friuli Venezia-Giulia, to boost cooperation in building a cross-border hydrogen valley in the North Adriatic.

The plan is to establish a cooperation framework to promote the development of hydrogen technologies, prepare a pipeline of projects, and identify sources of funding for them.

This is to contribute to efforts to achieve the targets set out in the European Green Deal and the European Hydrogen Strategy, which are aimed at a reduction in emissions of at least 55% compared to 1990 and climate neutrality by 2050.

The collaboration will contribute to transitions into "an integrated energy ecosystem involving the energy, industry and transport sectors," the ministry said.

Moreover, the three sides will cooperate on research and innovation and projects of developing hydrogen-based solutions, such as building hydrogen filling stations and transporting hydrogen, and hence creating value chains.

A joint working group will be established, composed of state, industry and research representatives, to implement the plan, the ministry said.