Sharing INTERREG experiences
Sharing INTERREG experiences
Download this Workshop Fact Sheet (application/msword, 161kB)
| Title | Territorial Cooperation in Europa: Experiences from INTERACT and INTERREG. Contribution in the conference: "Die Zukunft der Grenzregionen in Europa" - by Staatskanzlei Saarland |
| Venue | Schloß Saarbrücken, Germany |
| Date | 5 July 2006 |
| Outline |
The conference was organised by the Staatskanzlei Saarland in order to discuss and reflect on the role played by border regions in improving cohesion. The main focus was on the future of the cooperation among border regions and in particular on the challenges and opportunities ahead. INTERACT Point MTEC was requested to present the INTERACT programme experiece with INTERREG III, in the view of preparing the future Cooperation Objective programmes. The commissioner Prof. Danuta Hübner and the Bundesminister des Innern Dr. Wolfgang Schäuble participated in the conference together with representatives of regions of the border area Germany/France/Belgium/Luxembourg/Netherlands and other EU regions. The participant’s were provided with an opportunity to ask questions. Number of Participants : about 150 Countries Represented : Germany, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands and other EU countries Contents: 10.00 Welcome address by Mr. Peter Müller, Ministerpräsident Saarland 10.30 Statements : 11.00 Experience from border regions. The point of view of politics - Otto Saurer Landeshauptmannstellvertreter der Autonomen Provinz Bozen-Südtirol, Italien - Zygmunt Meyer Marschall Wojewodschaft Westpommern, Polen - Karl-Heinz Lambertz Ministerpräsident der Deutschsprachigen Gemeinschaft Belgiens The point of view of institutions and organisation for border regions - Mauro Novello Interact Point (Wien) Territoriale Kooperation in Europa: Erfahrungen aus INTERACT und INTERREG - Huib Ernste Nijmegen Centre for Border Research Rauchzeichen aus der Wissenschaft – Die neuen und die alten Grenzen Europas - Frank Baasner DFI (Deutsch-Französisches Institut, Ludwigsburg) Das Modell der deutsch-französischen Zusammenarbeit: Anspruch und Wirklichkeit - Jens Gabbe AGEG (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Europäischer Grenzregionen, Gronau) Grenzüberschreitende Kooperation – eine Priorität der EU 14.30 Main speeches: - Prof. Danuta Hübner European Commission / Commissioner for Regional Affairs A new strategy for European border regions MAIN topics presented by Prof. Hübner: This is a key moment for the new framework to be set for territorial cooperation. On 4 July the second and last reading on the new regulations took place and on the 11 July ECOFIN will approve them. On the 20th July they will published and will enter into force. The new programming period should enhance INTERREG opportunities. Prof. Hübner outlined how cross-border co-operation can help border regions to tackle the challenges they may face and deliver more growth and quality employment. In the period 2007-13 European Territorial Cooperation will be not a Community Initiative Programme, but a real Objective of the European Union. The funds has increased 40% from the current 2000-06 period. There is a stronger political commitment for the new period. The Commissioner presented the framework of European Grouping of Territorial Co-operation (EGCT), which is part of the new Structural Funds regulation that Member States recently agreed to. The new rules to be applied in the new programming period 2007-2013 offer regional and local authorities the option of creating a cross-border grouping with legal personality. That grouping can be established directly without the need for a bilateral legal treaty between the Member States concerned. The underlying principle of the EGCT is to prevent any form of discrimination because of the existence of a border – co-operation between two authorities on either side of a border should be just as possible as between two authorities in the same country. Commissioner also reminded of INTERACT useful support provided to the INTERREG community and of the continuation also in the new programming period 2007-13. - Wolfgang Schäuble Bundesminister des Innern Grenzräume an der Schnittstelle regionaler, nationaler und europäischer Politik - Panel discussion For a new policy of European border Regions - Danuta Hübner, Wolfgang Schäuble Bundesminister des Innern, Peter Müller Ministerpräsident des Saarlandes, Otto Saurer Landeshauptmannstellvertreter der Autonomen Provinz Bozen-Südtirol, Italien, Zygmunt Meyer Marschall der Wojewodschaft Westpommern, Polen Moderation: Karl-Heinz Lambertz Ministerpräsident der Deutschsprachigen Gemeinschaft Belgiens - Greetings + "Saarbrücker Erklärung zur Zukunft der europäischen Grenzregionen" Material packs including the INTERACT Point MTEC documentation and PR materials were distributed. For the panel discussion participants, additional information on INTERACT Point MTEC activities was distributed. |
| Documents |
Agenda (application/pdf, 156kB)
Saarland declaration (application/pdf, 140kB) Presentations (application/pdf, 1.66MB) |