A L P I N E S P a C E P R O G R a M Me
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A l p i n e S p a c e P r o g r a m me INTERREG III B Community Initiative Final Version, November 2001 Alpine Space Programme Community-Initiative INTERREG III B CONTENT 1. STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAMME AREA........................................... 9 1.1 General characteristics.................................................................................................9 1.1.1 The Alpine Space in its European dimension ....................................................9 1.1.2 Experience of transnational co-operation in the Alpine Space .........................13 1.1.3 Coherence of the Operational Programme with other EU programmes and policies ...............................................................................................................15 1.2 The Alpine Space – an area of economic growth and regional disparities ..................23 1.3 The situation of transport and technical infrastructure ................................................31 1.4 Tourism in the Alpine Space – economic prerequisite for survival of several areas..........................................................................................................................34 1.5 The Alpine Space as a centre for education, research and development ...................35 1.6 Agriculture and forestry: tradition and globalisation ....................................................36 1.7 The natural and cultural heritage: expression of alpine identity ..................................38 1.8 Natural resources and risks - not only an inner alpine topic........................................40 1.9 The environment: an Alpine Space topic of European relevance................................40 2. FUTURE DEVELOPMENT TRENDS FOR THE ALPINE SPACE .......... 45 2.1 Change of Europe brings new challenges for the Alpine Space .................................45 2.2 Strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats for further development ..........46 3. PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGY .................................... 51 3.1 General programme objectives ..................................................................................51 3.2 Programme strategy...................................................................................................51 4. PRIORITIES AND MEASURES............................................................... 53 4.1 The way to define priorities and measures .................................................................53 4.2 Priorities and measures – overview and detailed description......................................54 4.3 Project selection strategy and organisation ................................................................71 4.4 Programme monitoring / Monitoring indicators ...........................................................73 5. INDICATIVE FINANCING PLAN ............................................................. 77 2 Alpine Space Programme Community-Initiative INTERREG III B 6. STATE AID TABLE.................................................................................. 79 7. JOINT STRUCTURES OF CO-OPERATION AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERREG III B ALPINE SPACE....................................................................................... 81 7.1 Organisational structures for programme implementation (functional organisation) ..............................................................................................................81 7.1.1 Administrative structures .................................................................................81 7.1.2 Monitoring Committee (MC).............................................................................82 7.1.3 Steering Committee (SC) ................................................................................83 7.1.4 Conference of the Regions..............................................................................84 7.1.5 Managing Authority (MA).................................................................................85 7.1.6 Paying Authority (PA) ......................................................................................86 7.1.7 Joint Technical Secretariat (JTS).....................................................................87 7.1.8 National Committees, National Co-ordination, National Contact Points ...........88 7.1.9 Transnational working groups..........................................................................89 7.2 Procedural regulations governing programme implementation (procedural organisation) ..............................................................................................................91 7.2.1 Co-ordination at the programme level..............................................................91 7.2.2 Administration of the programme at project level .............................................92 7.2.3 The Lead Partner (LP) principle.......................................................................92 7.2.4 Information and consulting...............................................................................94 7.2.5 Submission of co-financing applications ..........................................................94 7.2.6 Assessment of the co-financing application .....................................................95 7.2.7 Single co-financing decision regarding ERDF-funds........................................96 7.2.8 Co-financing approval/contract for EU- funding ...............................................96 7.2.9 Assessment of (interim and final) financial statements ....................................97 7.2.10Payment of ERDF funds..................................................................................97 7.2.11Financial auditing ............................................................................................97 7.2.12Financial responsibilities..................................................................................98 8. JOINT PROGRAMMING PROCESS....................................................... 99 3 Alpine Space Programme Community-Initiative INTERREG III B 9. REFERENCES ...................................................................................... 104 ANNEXES:..................................................................................................... 105 MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE (TABLE)....................................................... 105 EX-ANTE-EVALUATION ............................................................................... 105 4 Alpine Space Programme Community-Initiative INTERREG III B List of abbreviations ARGE ALP Arbeitsgemeinschaft Alpenländer ARGE Alpen Adria Arbeitsgemeinschaft Alpen-Adria CADSES Central, Adriatic, Danubian and South- Eastern European Space CAP Common Agricultural Policies CI Community Initiative CIP Community Initiative Programme CEMAGREF Centre National du Machinisme Agricole, du Génie Rural, des Eaux et des Forêts (France) CEMAT Conférence Européene des Ministres d’Aménagement du Terri- toire CERN Centre Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire COTRAO COmmunauté de TRavail des Alpes Occidentales DG Directorate-General EMAS Eco-Management and Audit scheme ERDF European Regional Development Fund EQUAL Community initiative in the field of transnational cooperation to promote new means of combating all forms of discrimination and inequalities in connection with the labour marketin order to ESDP European Spatial Development Perspectives EVED Eidgenössisches Verkehrs- und Energiewirtschaftsdepartement (Switzerland) EWG Europäische Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft GDP Gross Domestic Product IPPC Integrated pollution prevention and control ISPA Instrument for Structural Policies for Pre-accession LEADER+ Links between Actions for the Development of the Rural Econ- omy MERCOSUR Main trading bloc in Latin America comprising the countries of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay as full members and Chile and Bolivia as associated countries NARD National Agency for Regional Development NEAT Neue Eisenbahn-Alpentransversale (Switzerland) NGO Non Governmental Organisation NUTS Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development OP Operational Programme 5 Alpine Space Programme Community-Initiative INTERREG III B PHARE Aid programme for economic restructuring in Eastern Europe was agreed in 1989 by 24 countries (EC, EFTA, USA, Canada, Australia, Turkey, New Zealand, Japan), with the task of co-ordi- nation being given to the Commission. SAPARD Special Accession Programme for Agriculture and Rural Devel- opment SME Small and Medium-sized Enterprises SWOT Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats TEN Trans-European Transport Network UNECE United Nations Economic Commission for Europe URBAN Community initiative concerning economic and social regenera- tion of cities and of neighbourhoods in crisis in order to promote sustainable urban development WHO World Health Organisation WSL Eidgenössische Forschungsanstalt für Wald, Schnee und Land- schaft (Switzerland) 6 Alpine Space Programme Community-Initiative INTERREG III B Introduction “The characteristic territorial feature of the European Union (EU) is its cultural variety, concentrated in a small area. This distinguishes it from other large economic zones of the world such as the USA, Japan and MERCOSUR. This variety - potentially one of the most significant development factors for the EU – must be retained in the face of European integration. Spatial development policies therefore must not standardise lo- cal and regional identities in