THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF HUNGARY NORTH HUNGARY OPERATIONAL PROGRAMME 2007-2013 CCI number: 2007HU161PO006 Version: EMOP_070705_en.doc Total number of pages: 157 North Hungary Operational Programme Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY................................................................................................................................. 4 1 ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION.......................................................................................................... 6 1.1 PROVING THE STATUS OF FALLING UNDER COMMUNITY OBJECTIVES ................................................. 6 1.2 GENERAL GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION ................................................................................................. 6 1.3 SETTLEMENT NETWORK...................................................................................................................... 7 1.4. CONDITION OF THE ENVIRONMENT..................................................................................................... 9 1.5. THE INFRASTRUCTURE DETERMINING THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THE ECONOMY.............................. 11 1.5.1. INFRASTRUCTURE OF SETTLEMENTS, BUSINESSES............................................................................. 11 1.5.2. TRANSPORT ...................................................................................................................................... 13 1.5.3. ENVIRONMENTAL INFRASTRUCTURE ................................................................................................ 15 1.5.4. ENERGY SUPPLY SERVICE ................................................................................................................. 16 1.5.5 INFO-COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES............................................................................................ 16 1.6. COMPETITIVENESS OF BUSINESSES; STRUCTURE OF THE ECONOMY .................................................. 17 1.8. SOCIETY ........................................................................................................................................... 26 1.8.1. DEMOGRAPHY .................................................................................................................................. 26 1.8.3 EMPLOYMENT................................................................................................................................... 28 1.8.3 TRAINING-EDUCATION...................................................................................................................... 30 1.8.4 HEALTH CARE SERVICES ................................................................................................................... 34 1.8.5 SOCIAL SERVICES.............................................................................................................................. 36 1.8.6 RESIDENTIAL ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................................................ 37 1.9 THE ECONOMIC-SOCIAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN REGIONS HAVE INCREASED.................................... 38 1.10 EVALUATING FORMER PROGRAMS .................................................................................................... 39 2 SWOT ANALYSIS.................................................................................................................................. 45 3 STRATEGY............................................................................................................................................. 50 3.1 EXTERNAL FRAMEWORKS OF PLANNING ........................................................................................... 50 3.2 OVERALL OBJECTIVE ........................................................................................................................ 51 3.3 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES........................................................................................................................ 51 3.4 PROGRAMME-LEVEL INDICATORS ..................................................................................................... 56 3.5 PRIORITY AXES ................................................................................................................................. 56 3.6 CONTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES FROM COMMUNITY FUNDS TO THE OPERATIONAL PROGRAMME, BY INDICATIVE CATEGORY..................................................................................................................... 57 3.7 TERRITORIAL APPROACH; TERRITORIAL COHESION........................................................................... 58 3.8 LINKS TO CROSS-BORDER PROGRAMMES .......................................................................................... 59 3.9 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT........................................................................................................... 60 3.10 EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES, SOCIAL COHESION....................................................................................... 61 3.11 INNOVATIVE AND EXPERIMENTAL APPROACHES ............................................................................... 63 3.12 PARTNERSHIP PROCESS ..................................................................................................................... 63 3.13 SUMMARY OF EX-ANTE EVALUATION ............................................................................................... 66 3.14 OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON THE STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE NHOP.............. 69 4 PRIORITY AXES ................................................................................................................................... 75 4.1 CREATING A COMPETITIVE LOCAL ECONOMY ................................................................................... 75 4.2 STRENGTHENING POTENTIAL FOR TOURISM ...................................................................................... 80 4.3 SETTLEMENT DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................................................ 86 4.4 DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE .............................................................. 93 4.5 DEVELOPMENT OF REGIONAL TRANSPORT ...................................................................................... 100 4.6 PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OPERATIONAL PROGRAMME (TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE) ................................................................................................................................................ 102 5 IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS FOR THE OPERATIONAL PROGRAMME......................... 104 5.1 MANAGEMENT........................................................................................................................... 104 5.2 MONITORING AND EVALUATION..................................................................................................... 114 5.3 FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL ..................................................................................... 119 2/157 North Hungary Operational Programme 5.4 PROVISIONS RELATED TO INFORMATION SUPPLY AND PUBLICITY .................................................. 124 5.5 COMMUNITY POLICIES AND HORIZONTAL PRINCIPLES – SUSTAINABILITY, EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND PARTNERSHIP, STATE AID, PUBLIC PROCUREMENT ................................................................ 125 5.6 STATE AID...................................................................................................................................... 127 5.7 PUBLIC PROCUREMENT ................................................................................................................... 127 5.8 PROVISIONS RELATED TO ELECTRONIC DATA COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE COMMISSION AND THE MEMBER STATE ..................................................................................................................................... 128 6 FINANCIAL ALLOCATION .............................................................................................................. 130 7 MAJOR PROJECTS ............................................................................................................................ 132 8 ANNEXES.............................................................................................................................................. 133 3/157 North Hungary Operational Programme Executive Summary Taking the economic-social conditions of the region and the strategic frameworks of the period of planning for the period 2007-13 into account, the overall objective of the programme is: To improve the economic competitiveness of the region while decreasing territorial and social-economic differences within the region. In order to achieve the overall purpose, efforts should be based on the industrial, economic traditions and knowledge basis of the region; its natural, cultural conditions and peculiar settlement structure composed of small villages should be taken into consideration. To attain development goals, in addition to urging economic actors to cooperate, it is necessary to develop business infrastructure, to maintain sustainable utilisation of natural values, cultural heritage, to develop micro-regional centres, and to eliminate territorial differences in public services in order to create identical chances for living. On the grounds of the above, the programme formulates the following specific objectives for the period 2007-2013: 1. To improve competitiveness of the economy making use of local resources, cooperation; 2. Improving the capacity of tourism