Europe 2020: competitiveness, co-operation and cohesion for all regions - OPEN DAYS 2010 - Kreis Lippe

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Europe 2020: competitiveness, co-operation and cohesion for all regions - OPEN DAYS 2010 - Kreis Lippe
Europe 2020:
     competitiveness,
 co-operation and cohesion
       for all regions
LOCAL INTERMEDIATE AUTHORITIES
       ACTING FOR EUROPE
         OPEN DAYS 2010

          www.cepli.eu
Europe 2020: competitiveness, co-operation and cohesion for all regions - OPEN DAYS 2010 - Kreis Lippe
Interview

CEPLI: Recent History
of European Integration                                                                                                                                              Giuseppe Castiglione
In spite of its youth, we have just celebrated the   diate Authorities are efficiently managing large      Today, after the celebration of its 3th anual Po-         President of the Union of Italian Provinces, president of the Province of Catania (Italy), mem-
8th edition, the “European Week of the cities        amounts of European funding but at that time          litical Council in Berlin, CEPLI has turned into a        ber of the Committee of Regions’ Bureau and President of the European Confederation of
and regions - Open Days” has already become          they were neither participating in the determi-       first level actor on the European stage. CEPLI is         Local Intermediate Authorities (CEPLI).
a part of the history of European integration.       nation nor in the evaluation of the distribution of   the legitimate representative of the Local Inter-
                                                     those funds. Not only were they ignored on the        mediate Authorities of ten EU countries and the           The role of the Provinces for revival econo-      in Innovation and Research and Sustainable
It was on occasion of the fourth edition in 2007,    institutional floor but also their value was ques-    two international associations Arc Latin and Par-         mic and development of the Country. Cas-          Development and Energy, and this revitali-
when a group of 6 Local Intermediate Authori-        tioned. It was necessary to take action.              tenalia. A bridge between the European Union              tiglione: “In synergy with the BEI to give an     zes the synergy with the BEI by setting the
ties of the EU lead by the Assembly of French                                                              and its territories, CEPLI represents the adminis-        answer to the crisis”.                            calculation of new financial instruments in
Departments (ADF): Diputación de Badajoz (ES),       Lead by the ADF and with the Open Days as             trations that are closest to the citizens - a step                                                          next future.
Diputación de Cáceres (ES), Conseil général de       a platform, the national Associations of Lo-          forward to a more representative and democra-             “The economic crisis, that has cut strongly
l’Eure (FR), Conseil général de l’Hérault (FR) and   cal Intermediate Authorities reacted and in           tic Europe where Local Intermediate Authorities           the budgets of the Provinces, and the Sta-        Therefore, EU 2020 makes it clear that exis-
the Province de Liège (BE), coincided that so-       2008 the European Confederation of Local              have a voice and are taken into due account.              bility Pacts’ constraints, which prevent even     ting financial instruments will be reviewed
mething was missing in the decision-making pro-      Intermediate Authorities (CEPLI) was funded                                                                     spend available resources, require us to find     in order to promote innovation, research
                                                                                                                                                                     innovative solutions to give answers to our       and sustainable development at European
cess of the European Union. The Local Interme-       in Avignon (France).                                                                      www.cepli.eu
                                                                                                                                                                     communities, and to sustain the recovery of       level. The review will operate both in terms
                                                                                                                                                                     the Country with local investments.               of investment rate and thematic priorities
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       on the basis of new 2020 goals.
                                                                                                                                                                     The European Investment Bank, to give an
                                                                                                                                                                     example, is an institution that offers amazing    In order to achieve these goals, European
                                                                                                                                                                     opportunities to the local authorities, and it    local and regional authorities play an acti-
                                                                                                                                                                     allows us to react to the crisis, without ha-     ve role in the promotion of actions in the
                                                                                                                                                                     ving to resort to these creative financial ins-   Province’s field of competence, like envi-
                                                                                                                                                                     truments, such as derivatives, whose drama-       ronment, territory, employment policies,
                                                                                                                                                                     tic effects are now clear. Moreover, BEI funds    and energy in the context of European and
                                                                                                                                                                     programs on areas that are a priority for the     international territorial cooperation. Fina-
                                                                                                                                                                     provinces: I refer to the road and school in-     lly, innovation in Public Administration is
                                                                                                                                                                     frastructures, to new energy sources, or to       still one of the most important challenges
                                                                                                                                                                     sustainable development.                          we have to deal with and the idea that we
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       are launching it is an Erasmus for young offi-
                                                                                                                                                                     Presently, all these issues are for our ad-       cers of Public Administration.
                                                                                                                                                                     ministrations the core of regional develo-
                                                                                                                                                                     pments policies. But the same European
                                                                                                                                                                     strategy, EU 2020, asks us to rethink our
                                                                                                                                                                     policies to overcome the crisis by investing                                    www.upinet.it
                                                                                                                     II Political Council of CEPLI - Budapest 2009

Participants to the debates
On the occasion of the 8th European Week of Regions and Cities, the European Confederation of Local Intermediate Authorities (CEPLI) has
organized a series of 6 debates which have involved a large consortia of 25 European Local Intermediate Authorities. Complex and innovative
topics have been discussed, showing the commitment and also the importance of the involvement of local intermediate authorities in the
current top issues of the European Union.

The 6 debates took place in the emblematic Bi-       - Greek Prefecture: Prefecture of Kastoria.           palities. They share many similar competen-
blioteque Solvay in the heart of the European                                                              cies, working departments, projects and, above
                                                     - Hungary County Council: Borsod-Abaúj-Zem-
Quarter of Brussels. During three days, the Bi-                                                            all, the same objective of service close to the
                                                       plén County Council.
bliotheque Solvay became the House of the Eu-                                                              citizens and European spirit.
ropean Local Intermediate Authorities.               - Italian Provinces: Provincia di Alessandria,
                                                       Province of Catania, Province of Campobasso,        Together with CEPLI, other national and interna-
These were the participants by country:
                                                       Province of Isernia, Province of La Spezia, Pro-    tional associations of Local Intermediate Autho-
- Belgium Provinces: Province of Liège, Provin-        vince of Turin,                                     rities have co-organized the debates:
  ce of Limburg, Province of Namur, Province of                                                                                                                      5 October                                         6 October                                        7 October
                                                     - Luxembourg Province: Province of Luxembourg.        - Assembly of French Departments (ADF).
  Vlaams-Brabant.
                                                                                                                                                                     Theme: Local Intermediate Authorities -           Theme: Local Intermediate Authorities - Dri-     Theme: Local Intermediate Authorities - Key
                                                     - Romania Judet: Judet of Prahova.                    - Association of Walonian Provinces (APW).
- French Conseil General: Conseil Général de                                                                                                                         Mobilising Competitive Territories                ving Territorial Cooperation                     Actors for Cohesion
  Côtes d’Armor, Conseil Général of Deux-Sèvres,     - Spanish Diputaciones: Diputación de Bada-           - International Association PARTENALIA.
  Conseil Général of Eure, Conseil Général des         joz, Diputación de Cáceres, Diputación de                                                                     Debate 1: Territorial planning as a competiti-    Debate 3: Interterritorial cooperation, the      Debate 5: Innovative policies for territorial
                                                                                                           - National Union of County Councils of Romania
  Hautes-Pyrénées, Conseil Général du Nord.            Castellón.                                                                                                    veness strategy.                                  path to EU.                                      cohesion.
                                                                                                             (UNCJR).
- German Kreis: Kreis Dahme-Spreewald, Kreis         These 25 authorities have different denomina-
                                                                                                           - German County Association (DLT).                        Debate 2: Innovative policies essential for       Debate 4: Partnership mapping a new Europe.      Debate 6: Leading change through Social In-
  Hohenlohe-Odenwald-Tauber, Kreis Lippe, Kreis      tions but the same intermediate character; they
                                                                                                                                                                     sustainable growth.                                                                                clusion.
  Steinfurt.                                         are situated between the regions and munici-          - Union of Italian Provinces (UPI).

2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                3
Europe 2020: competitiveness, co-operation and cohesion for all regions - OPEN DAYS 2010 - Kreis Lippe
OPEN DAYS 2010
5 October 2010, 11:15-13:00

Partnership: Local Intermediate Authorities
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        The debate was opened to questions from
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              ties. This, he concluded, was very much a si-
                                                                                                                                                                      ‘New technologies’                                      tuation that he did not want to see repeated.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        the floor, an audience member asked the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        panel for their thoughts on ‘town-planning
                                                                                                                                                                      Mr. Fiasella, President of the Province of La

Mobilising Competitive Territories.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        tools’ – did they exist, and were they being
                                                                                                                                                                      Spezia, was next to speak, and he described             Chairman Ades interjected, stressing that,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        used correctly? President Destans affirmed
                                                                                                                                                                      his territory as having favorable living con-           while he agreed with Mr. Fiasella, citizens
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        the existence of ‘town-planning tools’, but
                                                                                                                                                                      ditions, and held an important geographical             nevertheless had to be assisted to return to

Territorial planning as a competitiveness strategy
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        explained that their true benefits would be-
                                                                                                                                                                      position. Historically, the Gulf of La Spezia,          such territories. Mr. Destans also intervened,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        come apparent only during the course of the
                                                                                                                                                                      between Genoa and Tuscany, ha held a stra-              stressing that whatever political decisions
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        next 10-15 years, which was again an exam-
                                                                                                                                                                      tegic role from a military point of view, as a          were taken, the geographical location of his
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        ple of the difficulties involved in reconciling
                                                                                                                                                                      Mediterranean Sea terminal. With the crisis             own province, between Paris and the coast,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        long-term aims and immediate expectations,
Chair: Didier Ades                                                                                                                                                    in state-owned industries and economy, the              was in fact far away from highly developed
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        while President Fiasella explained that a
                                                                                                                                                                      province has had to consider its own deve-              metropolises, and that this had led to a so-
Speakers: Jean Louis Destans, President of                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              “shared diagnosis” between territories was
                                                                                                                                                                      lopment model, and from this has emerged                mewhat unbalanced dimension.
the County Council of Eure, France, Mari-                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               very import concerning maintaining the sus-
                                                                                                                                                                      the true role of the provinces and all the in-
no Fiasella, President of the Province of La                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            tainability of farming territory.
                                                                                                                                                                      termediary bodies: to guard the territory, to
Spezia, Italy, Marco D’Acri, councillor for in-
                                                                                                                                                                      limit the abandonment of rural areas and to
ternational relations for the Province of Tu-                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           In conclusion, Chairman Ades said he felt
                                                                                                                                                                      provide services and accessibility.
rin, Italy (replacing Ida Vana) and Luigi Maz-                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          sure that the tools put in place in the pane-
zuto, President of the Province of Isernia.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             lists’ provinces were an excellent example of
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        the way forward. He added that it seemed
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        clear to him that territorial cohesion must
With competitiveness and innovation the key                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             indeed be seen as an integrated part of the
factors to enhance the new Lisbon Strategy,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             cohesion process since it deals with the te-
bearing in mind the 2020 objectives that will                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           rritorial dimension of social and economic
be set up in the near future, at a local level, te-                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     cohesion.
rritorial planning is a well-known tool that has
proven to provide real indicators regarding
these key elements. In that perspective, Local
Intermediate Authorities (LIAs), placed in bet-
ween the territorial and municipal level, have
a central position and competences regarding
these issues, amongst which territorial plan-
ning. The debate focus on putting together
local stakeholders with European experts in
order to shape a new bottom-up approach to
tackle local competitiveness by confronting
the current European approach with the real
local needs.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Marco D’Acri, councillor for international
Chairman Ades first stressed the importance                                                                                                                                                                                                relations for the Province of Turin, Italy
of involving inhabitants in creating a positi-
ve image for territories – to accentuate the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Stressing the situation in the south of Italy,
proud histories of provinces, and to create a
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Mr. Mazzuto, President of the Province of
sense of anticipation for the future.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Isernia acknowledged that there were in-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              deed provinces and provinces that had been
‘Social fabric’                                                                                                                                                                                                               largely abandoned in his country, and asked
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              how these areas could be encouraged once
To open proceedings, Marco D’Acri explained
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              again to play their part on the international
that it was important during a period of elec-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              scene? After all, he added, if citizens were
tions to consider his own province, Turin, as                                 From left to right: Marino Fiasella, Jean Louis Destans, Marco D’Acri and Didier Ades                            Marino Fiasella, President
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              deciding to leave rural areas, it was obviously
being an example of just how important it                                                                                                                                               of the Province of La Spezia, Italy
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              because they felt that there would be a bet-
was to keep the transformation of territorial
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              ter quality of life in cities. For this reason, it
needs as being sustainable, and that environ-                                                                                                                         This is what happened, Mr. Fiasella said, to
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              was very important to pay attention to the
mental objectives needed to be achieved in            EU policies and building cooperation with the         intermediate authorities’ power for territo-              the Province of La Spezia, who is trying to re-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              smaller provinces, he said, and to ensure
the overarching goal of creating a single terri-      local authorities and collective stakeholders         rial planning. The local intermediate authori-            concile the creation of a sustainable tourism
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              that the citizens living in these territories
torial plan. The social fabric of all territories     in other member states.                               ties’ role is however essential to correct this           model based on the recovery of traditional
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              were responsible for the supply chain.
needed to be taken into account, he added,                                                                  polarization’s trend and play the role of an              agricultural products and the development
and that it was vital to invest in vocational         Jean Louis Destans took the wider perspecti-          equilibrium local authority.                              of a widespread receptivity, with an im-
training for the youth. Mr D’Acri said that The       ve, highlighting the recent meeting between                                                                     portant economic sector, linked to the sea,
Province of Turin is one of Italy’s 110 Provin-       Chinese and EU authorities, and that this             His own Department of Eure in France, he                  based in particular on harbour and boating
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              ‘Longer-term vision’
ces, which represents an intermediate level           was a positive, noteworthy development. In            said, was only-too familiar with the problems             activities.                                             President Destans returned to the positive
of government between municipalities and              trying to define the 2020 Strategy, he explai-        being faced, and that it was very important                                                                       developments that were occurring in Eure,                                    Jean Louis Destans, President of
territories. The Province, lying in the north-        ned, competitiveness was vital, and how this          to avoid ‘no-man’s land’ areas, as some 80                Having previously been an industrial pro-               citing the negotiations under way on a high-                               the County Council of Eure, France
west of the Italian peninsula on the border           could be used in the fight against poverty.           per cent of the population lived in urban co-             vince, Mr. Fiasella acknowledged that the               speed train link from Rouen to Eure, the
with the south-east of France, is the Province        Destans stressed that the topic of territorial        nurbations and the remaining 20 per cent                  situation had changed, and that new tech-               creation of a world-leading pharmaceutical                The regional level, he said, offered greater
in Italy with the highest number of munici-           planning must be placed in the context of a           lived elsewhere. The ever-increasing popula-              nologies were the way forward, to develop a             centre, and that the involvement of all muni-             opportunities for spatial coherence when
palities, is one of the largest in terms of size,     general movement towards metropolisation              rity of city dwelling, he argued, meant that              multi-faceted economy and, like the previous            cipalities in fruitful co-operation and spatial           planning infrastructure and development
has one of the largest populations and has a          resulting of a concentration of economic ac-          the problems of territorial cohesion had not              speaker, highlighted the importance of activi-          planning were “absolutely vital”, along with              schemes and it can also secure more balan-
demographic density almost double than the            tivities and population in some major cities          been addressed at a political level, because              ties to encourage competitiveness, to avoid             encouraging innovation, territorial co-ordi-              ced rural-urban partnership and rural deve-
Italian average. The Province of Turin, D’Acri        which also tend to become places of referen-          economic problems held sway – employ-                     the situation that had recently occurred in             nation. It was difficult, he added, to develop            lopment – and competitiveness was key to
argued, plays a role in the social and econo-         ce for socialization. This metropolisation mo-        ment, quality of life, provision of services              Greece, namely where certain previously in-             coherence between long-term aims and im-                  this approach.
mic integration of the European Union, ba-            vement generates the emergence of a new               and childcare were obviously very important               habited territories had been left completely            mediate expectations, and that longer-term
sing its actions on the principles contained in       metropolitan power that competes with local           in Eure, he concluded.                                    abandoned in the rush to develop the big ci-            vision was required.                                                        More info: www.eustat.es

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Europe 2020: competitiveness, co-operation and cohesion for all regions - OPEN DAYS 2010 - Kreis Lippe
OPEN DAYS 2010
5 October 2010, 14,30-17:00

Innovative policies essential                                                                                                                                               make the difference, Mr. Pire argued, and pu-
                                                                                                                                                                            blic investment should prioritize longer-term
                                                                                                                                                                            impacts on productivity growth and combi-

for sustainable growth
                                                                                                                                                                            ne measures in an “integrated way”, which
                                                                                                                                                                            would mean an important role for regional
                                                                                                                                                                            policies in shaping growth and economic re-
                                                                                                                                                                            covery policies and challenging policy makers
                                                                                                                                                                            to implement policy reforms.

                                                                                                                                                                            ‘Growth and development’
                                                                                                                                                                            Giuseppe Castiglione, President of the Union
                                                                                                                                                                            of Italian Provinces, President of the Provin-
                                                                                                                                                                            ce of Catania, Italy, and new President of the
                                                                                                                                                                            CEPLI, said that he felt a sustainable growth
                                                                                                                                                                            rate – a growth rate that allows the economy
                                                                                                                                                                            to expand without compromising the equili-
                                                                                                                                                                            brium of the natural system – was one of the
                                                                                                                                                                            most important and stimulating challenges
                                                                                                                                                                            facing local authorities. As growth and deve-
                                                                                                                                                                            lopment must be fitted into a sustainability
                                                                                                                                                                            framework, a society that follows this pro-
                                                                                                                                                                            cess of economic development would obtain
                                                                                                                                                                            an increase in per capita income, quality of
                                                                                                                                                                            the environment, and general social well-
                                                                                                                                                                            being, advances in education, health, and
                                                                                                                                                                            quality of life and growth of self-esteem and
                                                                                                                                                                            self-respect. The more a province is develo-
                                                                                                                                                                            ped, Mr. Castiglione said, the greater and the
                                                                                                                                                                            deeper are components of its welfare.

                                                                                                                                                                            Mr. Castiglione took the opportunity to ex-
                                                                                                                                                                            plain to the audience the projects that the
                                                                                                                                                                            Union of Italian Provinces (UPI) is implemen-
                                                                                                                                                                            ting on a national level in the field of sustai-
                                                                                                                                                                            nable energy, the goal of which is the ela-
                                                                                                                                                                            boration of renewable energy development
                                                                                                                                                                            plans by local administrations, which aims to
                                                                                                                                                                            achieve, by energy-saving policies, the ob-
                                                                                                                                                                            jectives of the European climate and energy
                                                                                                                                                                            package, 20-20-20.
                                                    From left to right: Friedel Heuwinkel, Eric Gautier, Rolf Fater, Giuseppe Castiglione, Georges Pire and Adwin Martens
                                                                                                                                                                            Mr. Castiglione also stressed that the Euro-
                                                                                                                                                                            pean Commission had noted that it is impos-
In this context of the fact that sustainable                                                                     re is a real need to create and establishing               sible to achieve the development objectives                               Giuseppe Castiglione, President of the Union of Italian Provinces
growth is a crucial issue for agencies respon-                                                                   innovative policies in order to achieve sus-               set without the support and the full involve-                                                     and President of the Province of Catania
sible for local development, this debate made                                                                    tainable growth without compromising local                 ment of local intermediate authorities. So,
efforts to focus on pointing out recent local                                                                    economic development.                                      on 17 May, UPI signed the agreement with
innovative policies to provide a new pathway                                                                                                                                the European Commission that will act as a
which leads to strengthening local growth.                                                                       Opening on this point was Georges Pire, res-               support structure for all the Italian provinces
                                                                                                                 ponsible for the Province of Liège’s external              in their path towards sustainability. The Co-
Chairman Rolf Fater was joined by Giuseppe                                                                       relations, who told the panel that he felt sus-            venant of Mayors is a new governance model
Castiglione, President of the Union of Italian                                                                   tainable development was the best policy                   that assigns an essential role to the provin-
Provinces, President of the Province of Catania,                                                                 for growth. His province, he explained, was                ces - the results are good so far, with already
Italy, and new President of the CEPLI; Eric Gau-                                                                 home to around 200,000 citizens, and was                   more than 622 municipalities and 36 support
tier, President of the County Council of Deux-                                                                   at the ‘crossroads of the EU’, but was already             structures signing up. Another notable suc-
Sèvres, France; Friedel Heuwinkel, Kreis Lippe:                                                                  benefiting hugely from ‘car sharing’ and                   cess has been the ‘C@ntieri’ project, develo-
Landra-county president, Germany; Adwin                                                                          other environmental schemes.                               ped in 2009 by UPI, which had received a €12
Martens, Director of Waterstof Net, Hydrogen                                                                                                                                million budget for 2010.
Region Flanders-South Netherlands, Province                                                                       ‘Assets and synergies’
of Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium and Georges Pire,                                                                     However, he added that that fact that some
                                                                                                                                                                            ‘Local development’
Vice-President of the Province of Liège, Belgium.                                                                territories grow faster than others, and in                Eric Gautier, President of the County Coun-
                                                                                                                 ways that do not always conform to economic                cil of Deux-Sèvres, France, argued that the
Taking as the foundation that sustainable                                                                        theory, was a central issue in today’s econo-              world-wide financial crisis had created a dire
development is now perceived as a trans-                                                                         mic climate, when policymakers were looking                need for companies to remain competitive,
versal approach, a ‘must-have’ in new deve-                                                                      for ways to stimulate new and sustainable                  and that this made it more difficult to have in-
lopment projects and regarding the actual                                                                        growth. He said he believed that provinces                 novative policies to create sustainable growth,
debate concerning how Europe may change                                                                          and regions grow in widely varying ways, and               as this was not always business’s number-one
in the decades to come, sustainable develo-                                                                      that the simple concentration of resources in              priority. As far as Deux-Sèvres was concerned,
pment is an important part of how policies                                                                       a place is not sufficient for long-term sustai-            the Department included many communes,
are conceived and planned, and it is for this                                           Rolf Fater Rolf Fater,   nable growth. Regional and Provincial assets               and it was important not to invest in dispro-
reason, according to stakeholders, that the-                                         Chairman of the debate      should be used and synergies exploited to                  portionate projects, with energy and ecologi-      Adwin Martens, Director of Waterstof Net,Hydrogen Region Flanders-South Netherlands,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Province of Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium

6                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  7
Europe 2020: competitiveness, co-operation and cohesion for all regions - OPEN DAYS 2010 - Kreis Lippe
OPEN DAYS 2010
5 October 2010, 14,30-17:00                                                                                                                                             Interview

                                                                                                                                                                      Paul-Emile Mottard
                                                                                                                                                                      President of the Association of Walloon provinces (Belgium), founding member and Premier Vice-President of the European Confederation of
                                                                                                                                                                      intermediate Local Authorities (CEPLI).

                                                                                                                                                                      The Open Days 2010 occuring during
                                                                                                                                                                      the Belgian Presidency of the European
                                                                                                                                                                      Union, he has been asked to answer a few
                                                                                                                                                                      questions about the role of intermediate
                                                                                                                                                                      local authorities in the European cons-
                                                                                                                                                                      truction.

                                                                                                                                                                      The Open Days 2010 occured in Brussels
                                                                                                                                                                      during the belgian Presidency of the UE.
                                                                                                                                                                      What is the implication of your local
                                                                                                                                                                      intermediate authority, the provinces, to
                                                                                                                                                                      the presidency?
                                                                                                                                                                      In Belgium, the organization of the Presi-
                                                                                                                                                                      dency of the European Union is assumed
                                                                                                                                                                      by the federal state and federal entities, the
                                                                                                                                                                      Communities and Regions. Local authorities
                                                                                                                                                                      are not much involved in the work of the
                                                                                                                                                                      Presidency.

                                                                                                                                                                      Despite this, the period of the Belgian
                                                                                                                                                                      Presidency of the EU is an opportunity to
                                                                                                                                                                      bring a unique perspective on the activities
                        Georges Pire, Vice-President                        Friedel Heuwinkel, Kreis Lippe,                   Eric Gautier, President of the County   of the provinces, that play an important
                   of the Province of Liège, Belgium                   Landrat-county president, Germany                            Council of Deux-Sèvres, France    role in the implementation of European
                                                                                                                                                                      policies.
cal projects offering a good chance for local          that Europe strongly supported the impor-              conviction of being an international front-
                                                                                                                                                                      How, specifically, the provinces and
development using local suppliers, by setting          tance of hydrogen, and it was for this reason          runner in environmental policy involved five
                                                                                                                                                                      intermediate local authorities in general
up short-cuts between production, transfor-            that the Joint Undertaking on Fuel Cells and           core strategy categories, namely horizontal
                                                                                                                                                                      can contribute to these European policies?
mation and consumption, which was a favora-            Hydrogen (JU-FCH) had been recently laun-              and vertical integration, participation, im-
ble vision of economic development.                    ched, with the purpose of bringing together            plementation mechanism, monitoring and                  The provinces are already involved in many
                                                       the efforts of European industry, and that             evaluation and that cleaner production in               European projects in very diverse business
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Very specifically, these actions may involve    This is one of the essential roles of the Eu-
                                                       the region of Flanders-Southern Netherlands            industry, climate protection, adaptation to             sectors: the economy, health, sustainable
‘Power for the future’                                 had the potential to grow into a trend-setting         climate change, energy efficiency and CO2               development, culture, society ... Their main
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       the inclusion of underprivileged people on      ropean Confederation of intermediate Local
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       the job market, the organization of a net-      Authorities, CEPLI, which already through se-
Adwin Martens, Director of WaterstofNet                hydrogen region within Europe, because the             reduction, material and resource efficiency,            feature is the proximity with the ground
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       work of 21 schools or health care across bor-   minars and workshops during the Open Days.
made a short introduction describing the pro-          region is home to a number of important and            sustainable resource management, sustaina-              realities and the ability to give substance to
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       ders, even the development of fuel to the       This type of action should be strengthened
vince of Vlaams-Brabant, a prosperous Bel-             promising players and markets for hydrogen.            ble land-use management, water technolo-                the European policy for its citizens.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       hydrogen for cars and public transport. The     to bring our expertise to the implementa-
gian province, situated in the heart of Europe.        The aim of the project was to develop the              gies and water resources management and
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       examples are countless but not sufficiently     tion of European policies.
The provincial government works towards                region of Flanders-Southern Netherlands as             innovations in the service sector that are re-          We often hear the thoughts of Communes,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       highlighted.
maintaining and expanding its prosperity.              a knowledge-intensive region in the field of           lated to sustainability and sustainability stra-        companies and citizens who deplore the te-
Education in Flemish Brabant enjoys an outs-           hydrogen applications, making use of sustai-           tegies, policy-making, business and society             chnocratic character of Europe. The provin-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Do you feel that the EU communicates
tanding reputation and knowledge is another            nably produced hydrogen. The development               were the key factors that drove his region’s            ces are the best relay for EU to transpose
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       enough about these “success stories”?
major strength of this territory. This, along          of hydrogen infrastructure was already under           search for sustainability.                              decisions into action and European policies
with many other advantages, makes Flemish              way, he said, with two re-locatable hydrogen                                                                   tailored to the needs and specificities of Eu-   That is the paradox. We lead daily policies
Brabant an economic top region. The Flemish            fuel stations, the demonstration of early-             Chairman Fater, in conclusion, said that he             ropean territories.                              that give meaning to the model of Euro-
Brabant economy is particularly strong in the          market applications relevant for the region            felt sure that the debate had shown that in-                                                             pean development, the policy of social,
field of knowledge-based economy, trade and            (logistics, maritime, public transport) as well        novation was the key to getting Europe out              The workshops organized by the CEPLI du-         economic and territorial cohesion, but at
services. But also rural development, local            as an interactive educational programme.               of the economic doldrums and back on the                ring the Open Days 2010 have demons-             the same time the national and European
tourism and the preserving of its cultural heri-                                                              road to sustainable growth. Agencies respon-            trated the wide range of actions by local        authorities do not see enough interest they
tage are important topics for this region.                                                                    sible for local development should obviously            authorities at the intermediate level and        have partner with us. Collaboration should
                                                       Key sustainability factors                             bear this in mind, he added, as it was also at          their ability to develop innovative projects     be strengthened and we must, for our part,
Secondly Mr. Martens, spoke of his vision of           Friedel Heuwinkel, President of Regional Dis-          the heart of both the Europe 2020 and Euro-             that mobilize and very practical and involve     better connect these projects we are imple-
a clean energy supply of the future, and said          trict Lippe, said that Lippe’s (like Germany’s)        pean Commission’s own innovation strategy.              all local stakeholders.                          menting.                                                                       www.apw.be

8                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               9
Europe 2020: competitiveness, co-operation and cohesion for all regions - OPEN DAYS 2010 - Kreis Lippe
OPEN DAYS 2010
6 October 2010, 11,15-13:00

Partnership: Local Intermediate Authorities -                                                                                                                      centric urban centres in which competent
                                                                                                                                                                   higher authorities were in place – this, he
                                                                                                                                                                   said, was highly complex as a model, and

Driving Territorial Cooperation                                                                                                                                    that it would require a lot of work in the fu-
                                                                                                                                                                   ture. Euregio Meuse-Rhine, he explained,
                                                                                                                                                                   had set itself the goal of accelerating and
                                                                                                                                                                   deepening co-operation in order to increase
                                                                                                                                                                   the quality of life of its citizens, and it was for
                                                                                                                                                                   this reason that a structural reform to enable
                                                                                                                                                                   new ways of co-operating had been initiated.
                                                                                                                                                                   Co-operation could be enjoyed in numerous
                                                                                                                                                                   areas, Niessen added – from economic deve-
                                                                                                                                                                   lopment (sustainable growth and full emplo-
                                                                                                                                                                   yment), knowledge institutions, the labour
                                                                                                                                                                   market and education, health care, mobility
                                                                                                                                                                   and infrastructure, culture and tourism and
                                                                                                                                                                   security.

                                                                                                                                                                   ‘Clarification required’
                                                                                                                                                                   Sebastian Damm, the Managing Director of
                                                                                                                                                                   Bioenergie-Region in Hohenlohe-Odenwald-
                                                                                                                                                                   Tauber, said that his region was very much
                                                                                                                                                                   trying to promote the role of local authori-
                                                                                                                                                                   ties, as it was important that energy imports
                                                                                                                                                                   were reduced, as energy costs were far too
                                                                                                                                                                   high – investment in renewable energies was
                                                                                                                                                                   very much required as part of interterritorial
                                                                                                                                                                   co-operation. Thus, a very clear environmen-
                                                                                                                                                                   tal concept was being defined, and many
                                                                                                                                                                   companies from across the territories were
                                                                                                                                                                   involved. Mr. Damm added that, as far as the
                                                                                                                                                                   development of cross border and inter-terri-
                                                                                                                                                                   torial cooperation by local authorities and
                                                                                                                                                                   regions in Europe was concerned, the past                  Angelo Cristofaro Councilor for European
                                                                                                                                                                   two decades had witnessed major growth                Policies for the Province of Campobasso, Italy
                                                                                                                                                                   in such cooperation as well as an increase
                                                                                                                                                                   in the diversity of forms of co-operation.
                                                                                                                                                                   However, he further added, there was not
                                                                                                                                                                   yet a systematic overview of different types
                                                                                                                                                                   of co-operation and how they are best used
                                                                                                                                                                   in practice. Clarification, in both conceptual
                                                                                                                                                                   and empirical terms was required, he said, of
                                                                                                                                                                   the process of proliferation of cross border
                                                                                                                                                                   and inter-territorial cooperation by munici-
                                                                                                                                                                   palities, LIAs and regions in Europe.

                                                                                                                                                                   Angelo Cristofaro, councilor for European
                                                                                                                                                                   policies of Campobasso, explained that his
                                                                                                                                                                   Province was a very ‘green’ territory – local
                                                                                                                                                                   authorities, he felt, had a very significant
                                                                                                                                                                   role to play in terms of combating climate
                                                                                                                                                                   change, and that his Province had found, for
                                                        From left to right: Sebastian Damm, Gilbert Mitterand, Hans Niessen, Angelo Cristofaro and Patrick Salez
                                                                                                                                                                   example, that positive responses could be
                                                                                                                                                                   delivered both via ‘in-house activities’ (such
                                                                                                                                                                   as energy use and supply, waste) and the ex-
                                                                                                                                                                   ternal services they provide and influence
Since its creation as part of the cohesion po-   licy provides new perspectives which were               Mr. Salez opened the discussion by stressing              (planning, transport, waste, energy efficien-
licy of the European Union, INTERREG and         discussed during this CEPLI-organized work-             that it was important to acknowledge that                 cy services and advice and housing). In addi-
other co-operation programmes are at the         shop.                                                   co-operation obviously led to improved EU                 tion, he said, Campobasso was a territory
origin of the involvement of local govern-                                                               integration, and more flexibility for local in-           that sought to protect the weakest and most
ments in numerous actions of territorial co-     The debate was chaired by Patrick Salez, of             termediate authorities. The Lisbon Treaty, he             vulnerable members of its society, and that
operation.                                       the European Commission’s Regional Policy               said, had defined territorial co-operation as             inter-community projects were definitely the
                                                 DG, and featuring speakers Hans Niessen,                being integral to the EU, and that more and               way forward to achieve this.
Local Intermediate Authorities (LIAs) signi-                                                             more importance was being acceded to terri-
                                                 Director of l’Euregio Meuse Rhine; Angelo
ficantly contributed to the development of                                                               tories and regions. What, then, was the role
transnational and cross-border cooperation,      Cristofaro Councilor for European Policies              and place of local intermediate authorities?
                                                                                                                                                                   ‘Exchanging experience’
bringing a very concrete dimension to the        for the Province of Campobasso, Italy; Sébas-                                                                     Gilbert Mitterand, Vice-President of France’s
projects, which enabled participation in the     tian Damm, Managing Director, Bioenergie-                                                                         Gironde Department, said that it was vital
creation of an everyday Europe, close to ci-     Region, Hohenlohe-Odenwald-Tauber, Ger-                 ‘Polycentric urban centres’                               for territories to exchange experiences and
tizens. Coming into force with the Treaty of     many, and Gilbert Mitterand, Vice-President             Hans Niessen, Director of l’Euregio Meuse                 focus on co-operation; dual development of                        Gilbert Mitterand, Vice-President
Lisbon, the future of European cohesion po-      of Gironde Department.                                  Rhine, began by defining his vision of poly-              the region was a major concern, he explai-                                 of Gironde Department

10                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               11
Europe 2020: competitiveness, co-operation and cohesion for all regions - OPEN DAYS 2010 - Kreis Lippe
OPEN DAYS 2010                                                                                                                                                  OPEN DAYS 2010
6 October 2010, 11,15-13:00                                                                                                                                     6 October 2010, 14:30-17:00

ned, adding that partners who share the
same concerns were very keen on achieving
the correct governance model. Access to
the modern internet-driven world was also
                                                       ded to be informed about best practice, and
                                                       everything would need to be implemented
                                                       in full co-operation with the EU.
                                                                                                            Speaking from the floor, Olle Huglen said that
                                                                                                            it was very important that Local Intermedia-
                                                                                                            te Authorities were able to put forward their
                                                                                                            views, and that there was much homework
                                                                                                                                                                Partnership mapping a new Europe
a priority, he said, and work on a high-speed                                                               to be done, to make a real influence at a na-
train link was also progressing well. As far                                                                tional level.
as territorial impact was concerned, it was
also very important to avoid wasting public                                                                 Mr. Cristofaro agreed that citizens should
funds, and the objectives of EU funds had to                                                                have the opportunity to tell policymakers
be considered.                                                                                              about the Europe that they want and, con-
                                                                                                            cerning the EU’s “inability to be close to its
                                                                                                            citizens”, Gilbert Mitterand concluded that it
                                                                                                            was the responsibility of the LIAs to strive to
                                                                                                            achieve just that.

                                                                                                            ‘Numerous benefits’
                                                                                                            Chairman Salez, in conclusion, expressed
                                                                                                            his opinion that the issue was an extremely
                                                                                                            complex one – the monitoring and manage-
                                                                                                            ment of transnational projects across many
                                                                                                            different countries was extremely difficult.
                                                                                                            In his opinion, he believed that management
                                                                                                            solutions had to be adopted by member
                                                                                                            states at their own institutional level. With
                                                                                                            co-ordinated and integrated infrastructure
                                                                                                            planning and management as well as with
                                                                                                            concentrating different infrastructures (ener-
                                                                                                            gy, transport, environmental) numerous be-
                                                                                                            nefits could be achieved.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      From left to right: Eric Winnen, Dominique Hicguet, Jean Michel Larroche, Markus Terrode and Daniel Ledent

                                                                                                                                                                Along with Chairman Eric Winnen of Dialec-         as was the Schools 21 educational program-             improved research, applied research, a car-
                                                                                                                                                                tiq were Namur Province Director Domini-           me that had also been set up in Namur.                 sharing website service and improved GPS
                                                           Sebastian Damm, Managing Director, Bioenergie-                                                       que Hicguet, Daniel Ledent, President of the                                                              services.
                                                             Region, Hohenlohe-Odenwald-Tauber, Germany                                                         Provincial College of the Province of Luxem-
                                                                                                                                                                burg; Jean Michel Larroche, CUCS Assistant                                                                ‘Territories as innovators’
                                                       Mr. Damm concurred with Mr. Niessen,                                                                     Director and Aachen Urban Region Central
                                                       adding that the EU was perceived as being,                                                               Control Director Markus Terrode, to discuss                                                               Terrode spoke again next, and he touched
                                                       and was, far too complex – red tape needed                                                               whether European projects implemented by                                                                  on the relationship between technological
                                                       to be reduced as a matter of urgency. Cross-                                                             Local Intermediate Authorities (LIAs), within                                                             and organizational innovation, and territo-
                                                       border and trans-border regions needed to                                                                the framework of the                                                                                      ries. This relationship, he argued, was con-
      Hans Niessen, Director of l’Euregio Meuse Rhin
                                                       be developed, with the latter being particu-                                                                                                                                                                       nected to interactions between learning
                                                       larly important.                                                                                         Territorial Co-operation Programme, had a                                                                 processes, institutions and spatial patterns
Responding as to how to work hand-in-hand                                                                                                                       true innovative dimension, and to assess the                                                              of innovative activities. Geographical, or-
with the authorities, Mitterand explained                                                                                                                       types of contribution they offer to territories                                                           ganizational and institutional proximities
that it was increasingly important for the Lo-
                                                       EU ‘too cumbersome’                                                                                      and their inhabitants?                                                                                    related to the effectiveness of localized
cal Intermediate Authorities to have a say in          Also important, Mr. Damm added, was to de-                                                                                                                                                                         innovation systems, and the institutional
EU policies, as the EU itself tended too much          sign a governance system that was not just                                                               In addition, the workshop aimed to assess                                                                 framework was of particular importance in
to negotiate with member states – the im-              institutional – there was a certain reluctance                                                           how LIAs could improve public policies, and                                                               this context owing to the fact that such in-
portant thing was to ensure that territories’          at times to work with the EU, he said, as it                                                             what concrete principles could be drawn for                                                               novation systems are grounded on collecti-
contributions were acknowledged, and to                was perceived as being far too cumbersome.                                     Patrick Salez, European
                                                                                                                                                                the future in order to provide the further im-                                                            ve action at a territorial level and rely upon
improve relationships with local actors.               The important goal was to ensure that citi-                            Commission’s Regional Policy DG   plementation of multilevel governance and                                                                 shared behavioural patterns.
                                                       zens understood that the EU was not merely                                                               European integration?
LIAs, he added, could not always fulfill their         the “money giver”, but was in fact a very sta-                                                                                                                                                                     Daniel Ledent, President of the Provincial
tasks in transnational co-operation suc-               ble, “reassuring’ body that could help change        As to how could the governance of regional                                                                                                                    College of the Province of Luxemburg, said
                                                                                                                                                                ‘Community health’                                                                                        that the majority of European scholars ac-
cessfully unless they were given support at            local situations. Citizens should not be made        policies could be improved, Salez argued
a regional and national level. For example,            to feel that the EU was there to make their          that, over recent decades, decentralization         Dominique Hicguet was first to speak, and he                                     Eric Winnen, Dialectiq   cept that the EU operated at several diffe-
he explained, cross-border co-operation for            territory ‘stronger’ than their neighbour’s –        of powers in several member states had              cited a recent initiative in his Province of Na-                                                          rent administrative levels and exhibited
regional development normally required an              cohesion should be the primary motivating            considerably reinforced regional and local          mur to offer community-health services to                                                                 some features of ‘governance’. However, he
improvement of transport infrastructure, of            force, he said.                                      authorities’ competences in the delivery of         his citizens. Specifically:                                                                               added, they disagreed, often fundamentally,
communication systems, of border control                                                                    Community policies – this, he insisted, was
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   ‘Excellent co-operation’                               about the precise relationships between ac-
procedures, of education systems, and so               Mr. Mitterand reiterated that Europe nee-            the key to driving territorial co-operation.        (i) A territorial health diagnosis;                Jean-Michel Larroche spoke of the Haut                 tivities at different levels. However, the EU,
on, and such improvement measures nee-                 ded to be simplified – its heavy administra-         Efficient implementation would appear, he                                                              Pyrenees Department’s co-operation with                in Ledent’s opinion, had evolved into a sys-
                                                                                                                                                                (ii) The promotion of healthy living among
ded national-level decisions.                          tive burden was felt on a daily basis, he said,      argued, to depend very much on how poli-                                                               Spain, Markus Terrode cited the excellent              tem of multi-level governance as opposed to
                                                                                                                                                                     the young, and;
                                                       adding that this was true at all political levels    cies were conceived, and that involving local                                                          Aachen Transport system which had to deal              state-led government, but that it still remai-
Mr. Niessen expressed concerns over infor-             – citizens needed to be far more involved            and regional authorities in this phase – those      (iii) The health of the elderly.                   with a very high density of population, while          ned unclear whether multi-level governance
mation being passed on specifically to lo-             with their regional, national and EU policies,       who know best the needs of their territory                                                             Daniel Ledent cited the excellent co-opera-            was a general feature of the EU or a pheno-
cal stakeholders, and there was a need for             and this could only be achieved through edu-         and population – would assure more effecti-         This, he said, had been a perfect working          tion in the Belgian province (as opposed to            menon confined to particular sectors (such
substantial local investments. Citizens nee-           cation and communication, he concluded.              ve results in the future.                           example of a cross-border competence hub,          the Duchy) of Luxembourg, which had led to             as regions) or levels.

12                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       13
Europe 2020: competitiveness, co-operation and cohesion for all regions - OPEN DAYS 2010 - Kreis Lippe
OPEN DAYS 2010
6 October 2010, 14:30-17:00                                                                                                                              Interview
Tying in to Ledent’s point, CEPLI Secretary
General, Claudy Lebreton, raised the issue as
to whether it was still perceived that there
                                                                                                 there was little clarity as to how the imple-
                                                                                                 mentation of objectives was to be achieved
                                                                                                 and assessed. Moreover, the overlapping of
                                                                                                                                                      Juan Andrés Tovar, President of PARTENALIA:
was a ‘citizens’ deficit’ across Europe, and
how might this perception be addressed?
                                                                                                 different strategies such as the Lisbon Stra-
                                                                                                 tegy and the European Employment Strate-
                                                                                                 gy had dispersed the key priorities of cohe-
                                                                                                                                                      “Leading role by Associativism”
Hicguet responded, as did a Hungarian mem-
                                                                                                 sion policy. For this reason, it was necessary
ber of the audience, by saying that it was vital                                                                                                                                                                                                                     It is therefore the time to come together to have
                                                                                                 to concentrate cohesion policy priorities,
that the local and regional administrations pro-                                                                                                                                                                                                                     a voice in Europe. The associativism is our only
                                                                                                 which would make EU action more visible to
vided a positive image of Europe – the Union                                                                                                                                                                                                                         opportunity to participate in the process of Eu-
                                                                                                 citizens, understandable, and would offer a
could no longer appear not to be highly moti-                                                                                                                                                                                                                        ropean integration and to consolidate our role
                                                                                                 common approach and co-operation.
vated, he added. The EU’s voice must be heard,                                                                                                                                                                                                                       for the benefit of our citizens.
but that it would be difficult to manage the
                                                                                                 These priorities should involve demographic
cross-cultural dimension of certain projects.
                                                                                                 change, education and live-long learning, eco-                                                                                                                      ¿What are the projects of Partenalia in the
Furthermore, Mr. Larroche added, citizens                                                        nomical development through environmental                                                                                                                           near future?
would have to be increasingly convinced that                                                     patterns, migration, housing, social inclusion
proposed projects would actually materialize.                                                    and innovation. All those priorities have an                                                                                                                        Partenalia has a quite tight agenda in the co-
                                                                                                 important local dimension, Mr. Lebreton ex-                                                                                                                         ming months.
                                                                                                 plained, and cohesion policy needed to mobi-
The Secretary General concludes...                                                               lize local actors with real commitment.                                                                                                                             The area of social affairs, whose leader is the
CEPLI Secretary General, Claudy Lebreton,                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Conseil général du Nord, just organized a suc-
brought the workshop and day to a close with                                                     In order to ensure economic cohesion, co-                                                                                                                           cessful international conference on social ex-
a speech, in which he stated the conference’s                                                    hesion policy should be open to all member                                                                                                                          clusion in Val de Marne, with the participation
aim of being an interlocutor. Regions and te-                                                    states and EU funds should be granted not                                                                                                                           of international experts to draw up a roadmap
rritories were still unsure of their identity, he                                                only depending on the existence of a geogra-                                                                                                                        in which we will rely preparing our projects for
said – only when they were sure of this could                                                    phical territory, but also taking into account                                                                                                                      2011.The area of Economy and Innovation, led
the EU’s 27 member states have the convic-                                                       their challenges and economic potentialities                                                                                                                        by the Province of Rome, is working on drafting
tion of working together in confidence.                                                          to reinforce growth and competitiveness.                                                                                                                            a study on the local transfer of innovation to be
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     presented in Caceres on 24 and 25 February
The participation of LIAs in the debate                                                          A modern regional policy must keep in mind                                                                                                                          2011 during the celebration of the Association’s
around the future of the cohesion policy                                                         high-opportunity regions and their potential.                                                                                                                       Political Council. In territorial development, we
was not only important but necessary, he                                                         EU policy must empower regions to fully uti-                                                                                                                        just held a conference in Alicante (Spain) on re-
added. LIAS could bring together both the                                                        lise their own economic strength and actively                                                                                                                       newable energy, a field in which intermediate
global and local perspective, and that and                                                       tackle new challenges such as climate chan-                                                                                                                         local authorities have an important role.
that cohesion policy needed its three pillars:                                                   ge. Support for strong regions in the form of
economical, territorial and social. The three                                                    funding, policy or administrative transparency                                                                                                                      Another important initiative is the project
needed always to be taken into account, as                                                       will make a major contribution to the EU wide-                                                                                                                      that we have just presented on efficiency in
                                                                                                                                                                                    Juan Andrés Tovar, President of PARTENALIA, President of Diputación de Cáceres
they reinforced each other.                                                                      achievement of European targets in terms of                                                                                                                         the local administration with various provin-
                                                                                                 a more sustainable economic development.                                                                                                                            ces (oblast) of Bulgaria within our strategy of
In this sense, Mr. Lebreton argued, it was                                                                                                                                                                                                                           opening the network to the east and north of
                                                                                                                                                      Partenalia is a network of 21 Local Intermedia-       Association under Belgian law, which has con-
necessary to highlight that the current fra-                                                     Europe, he concluded, was a project of civili-                                                                                                                      Europe.
                                                                                                                                                      te Authorities of the EU that aims to facilitate      ferred us legal personality and has opened a
mework of cohesion policy was vague, as                                                          zation, and long may that continue.
                                                                                                                                                      cooperation among its members and to ap-              broad new range of possibilities, especially
                                                    Daniel Ledent, President of the Provincial
                                                                                                                                                      proach them to the Europe reality in order to         the participation in European programs and               We are in a very exciting stage for the Associa-
                                                       College of the Province of Luxemburg                                                                                                                                                                          tion and I feel very honored to participate in this
                                                                                                                                                      improve their local policies. It was created in       access to financing.
                                                                                                                                                      1993 and since March 2010 it has been esta-                                                                    project.
                                                                                                                                                      blished as International Association under Bel-       As a result of this momentum, Partenalia has
                                                                                                                                                      gian law. Partenalia International Association        become a European reference for local govern-            ¿What has been the participation of
                                                                                                                                                      is a founder member of CEPLI.                         ments who have concerns beyond their borders             Partenalia in the Open Days 2010? ¿What was
                                                                                                                                                                                                            and are not happy with a passive participation           the purpose of its participation?
                                                                                                                                                      To learn more about Partenalia and its partici-       in building a united Europe. We are showing by
                                                                                                                                                      pation in the Open Days, we met with its Presi-       the way of the facts that local governments have         Partenalia has participated in the Open Days
                                                                                                                                                      dent, Juan Andrés Tovar, President of the Dipu-       much to contribute to Europe, that we know               2010 through its group of Social Affairs, orga-
                                                                                                                                                      tación de Cáceres (Spain):                            how to organize ourselves and that through as-           nizing, with Diputación de Badajoz (Spain), the
                                                                                                                                                                                                            sociativism we can take our voice from the local         third day of the debates: Local Intermediate
                                                                                                                                                      Mr. President, could you introduce Partenalia:        to the highest institutions and present projects         Authorities, Key actors for Cohesion.
                                                                                                                                                      What is special about this network?                   of high European added value.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     A fundamental objective of Partenalia is to pro-
                                                                                                                                                      Today, Partenalia is the only European generic                                                                 mote meetings, exchange of experiences and
                                                                                                                                                      network of supralocal authorities. It is a general    All this at a time when local authorities, and           best practices on topics relevant to Local Interme-
                                                                                                                                                      network open to Local Intermediate Authorities        especially the LIAs, its role, its very existence,       diate Authorities. Social and territorial cohesion is
                                                                                                                                                      from all Europe and its activities are divided into   are at the heart of the debate in all Europe...          undoubtedly one of these topics and more speci-
                                                                                                                                                      three very broad areas: territorial development,                                                               fically, the fight against social exclusion in which
                                                                                                                                                                                                            Local intermediate authorities are the great
                                                                                                                                                      economy and innovation and social affairs.                                                                     all our administrations are involved.
                                                                                                                                                                                                            unknowns in Europe. The work of integration
                                                                                                                                                                                                            and cohesion that we have been developing for
                                                                                                                                                      You where elected President of Partenalia in                                                                   During the Open Days 2010, Partenalia has facili-
                                                                                                                                                                                                            almost two centuries is not recognized. With the
                                                                                                                                                      2009. How has the network changed since then?                                                                  tated and promoted this exchange of good prac-
                                                                                                                                                                                                            exception of the municipalities that we serve,
                                                                                                                                                      Partenalia has experienced over the past year         we are an invisible government.                          tices so the point of view of our political leaders
                                                                                                                                                      a major change in its structure and functio-                                                                   is heard in Brussels, precisely in the European
                                                                                                                                                      ning. The aims: increase its effectiveness and        Nevertheless, we obtain the best reviews in              year for combating poverty and social exclusion
                                                                                                                                                      maximize the resources provided by its part-          terms of efficiency in our management, especia-          in Europe.
                        Dominique Hicguet, Namur                 Jean Michel Larroche, CUCS                               Markus Terrode, Aachen      ners. After a very thoughtful restructuring           lly with European funds, and our municipalities
                                Province Director                         Assistant Director                  Urban Region Central Control Director   process, we have become an International              and citizens are aware of the work we do.                                             www.paternalia.eu

14                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 15
Europe 2020: competitiveness, co-operation and cohesion for all regions - OPEN DAYS 2010 - Kreis Lippe
OPEN DAYS 2010
7 October 2010, 09:00-10:45

Partnership: Local Intermediate Authorities -                                                                                                                 had managed, thanks to a 600 million euro
                                                                                                                                                              investment, to restructure a largely military
                                                                                                                                                              industry into a civilian one, with many jobs
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Intervention by Mikel
Key Actors for Cohesion                                                                                                                                       created thanks to territorial co-operation.

                                                                                                                                                              Vicente Aparici then spoke again, expressing
                                                                                                                                                              his satisfaction that his Castellón provin-            Landabaso
Innovative policies for territorial                                                                                                                           ce and Castellón city were very happy with
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Head of Thematic Coordination and Innovation Unit at the European Commission’s DG Regio.
                                                                                                                                                              the EU and national funding that had been
cohesion                                                                                                                                                      received for his tiny but highly populated
The Bibliothèque Solvay, in Parc Leopold,                                                                                                                     seaside and mountainous province, which
Brussels, was the beautiful and historic ve-                                                                                                                  had suffered from heavy unemployment. In-
nue for this debate organized, under the                                                                                                                      deed Castellon has an impressive experience
umbrella of CEPLI, by Diputación de Badajoz                                                                                                                   in the management of the EU funding- the
and the Social Affairs grup of the Internatio-                                                                                                                county has participated in YOUTH for Europe
nal Association PARTENALIA. The initiative                                                                                                                    project,Town Twinning, CESAD project- this
brought together more than 150 stakehol-                                                                                                                      last one financed by European Social Fund
ders drawn from a wide range of European
and international organizations.                                                                                                                              Mr. Aparici commented on CEDES project,
                                                                                                                                                              “Creation of Economic and and Social Pro-
The current economic crisis and the new                                                                                                                       motion Centres in the municipalities of the
social, labour and territorial needs have fos-                                                                                                                province of Castellón” an initiative co finan-
tered and enhanced the role of local inter-                                                                                                                   ced by the ERDF lead and coordinated by
mediate governments as key actors for co-                                                                                                                     the County Castellón, with a total budget of
hesion. These governments are aware of the                                                                                                                    MORE than 4 mio€.
importance of developing innovative territo-
rial strategies to help their municipalities and
search for common solutions. The economic                                                                               Beata Bibrowska and Vicente Aparici
crisis has made drawing up a territorial con-
sensus more relevant than ever
                                                                                                         - Role of the LIA s in the cohesion policy –
The decrease of resources and the increase of
                                                        Introduction                                       perspective of EU 2020 Strategy.
demands have obliged the local intermediate             Vicente Aparici, as member of Political Coun-
authorities to optimize any available means in          cil of Partenalia, co-organizer of the debate,   The current situation in the EU territories –
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     In his intervention, Mr. Landabaso empha-         that the Commission publishes on Europe
order to face the consequences of the crisis            officially opened the debate addressing the      Post crisis exit strategies
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     sized the important role played by Local          2020. Taking those guidelines into account,
and to improve the territorial cohesion.                role of Local Intermediate Authorities (LIAs)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Intermediate Authorities (LIAs) in the EU’s       they will be able to contribute their own
                                                        in the framework of social cohesion. Mr. Apa-    Luigi Mazzuto drew attention to the world-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     regional policy. According to Mr. Landaba-        ideas, based on their better knowledge of
The debate was chaired by Beata Bibrows-                rici said that Partenalia, as the only genera-   wide financial crisis, the effect that this had
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     so, it is necessary to learn from the lessons     the territory, its needs and capacities and
ka, EU Policy & Project Expert, head of FP7             list European network of Local Intermediate      had upon his own territory, but stressed that
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     of the Lisbon Strategy, the aims of which         then request the financing. In short – ideas
Department, University of Brussels, and the             Authorities, strengthened the role played        the province had been able to recover thanks
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     were not met on time because the transi-          first, then money.
panelists were Luigi Mazzuto, President of              by intermediate local administrations in the     to significant investments made and its plans
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     tion from big political goals to the reality of
Provincia di Isernia, Italy; Mircea Cosma,              process of European construction, promoting      for future priority investments. LIAs had hel-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     territories, from theory to concrete action       As an example, Mr. Landabaso informed the
President of the Judet of Prahova, Romania;             and implementing EU policies at local level.     ped to streamline companies, organize dis-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     on behalf of citizens, was missing.               debate participants about the publication
Vicente Aparici, Vice-President of Diputación                                                            cussions to promote a series of initiatives, as
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       that very morning, 7 October, of two Com-
de Castellón, Spain and María José Hormigo,             Responds to the need and willingness of          well as developing new financial instruments
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     With the new Europe 2020 Strategy, it is          mission ‘flagship’ Communications concer-
Vice-President of the Equality and Local De-            its members to cooperate at EU Level was         and training programmes.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     necessary to find a way to more effectively       ning the Europe 2020 Strategy – one on
velopment Department, Diputación de Bada-               Partenalia’s purpose, he added, to exchan-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     integrate Local Intermediate Authorities,         a common European strategy concerning
joz, Spain.                                             ge know-how and best practices, develop          Maria Jose Hormigo stressed the role of Spa-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Mr. Landabaso added. The latter are the           innovation, ‘Innovation Union’, and other
                                                        transnational joint projects and actions, and    nish LIAs in the process of the crisis manage-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     closest to individual territories which they      about the contribution made by European
                                                        defend common demands to EU institutions.        ment. She presented an innovative manner
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     therefore know and understand better and,         regional policy to innovation and intelligent
                                                                                                         of territory management in the time of crisis
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     therefore, can help to prevent the mistakes       growth. Awareness of these Communica-
                                                        Partenalia’s purpose, according to Mr. Apa-      – by polling financial and human resources
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     of the Lisbon Strategy being repeated.            tions must be raised in order to successfully
                                                        rici, is to underline the added value that lo-   by local authorities in her territory.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       suggest proposals to the EU.
                                                        cal intermediate administrations can bring
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     For real integration in European policies, it
                                                        in the implementation of EU policies at the      Vicente Aparici commented then on more
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     is insufficient to merely demand of local ad-
                                                        local level and by transferring local messages   structural problems that his territory is fa-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     ministrations how much money they have
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Co-operation capacity
                                                        to the EU sphere.                                cing- unemployment and depopulation in
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     to realize activities inside wide investment      According to Mr. Landabaso, nobody can
                                                                                                         the mountain areas .These areas suffer from                               Vicente Aparici, Vice-President   frameworks, we must also ask for their            work on the new Europe 2020 Strategy
                                                        Introducing to the debate, Beata Bibrowska       “digital gap” , clearly difficult access to the                         of Diputación de Castellón Spain    ideas and plans, once they have understood        framework without co-operation. Besides,
                                                        reminded that 2010 was a very special year       education and not strong entrepreneurial
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     the priorities of European policies.              during this financial crisis, it is necessary to
                                                        for the EU, with the Lisbon Treaty coming        structure. The local government will focus
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       work harder to develop a system of effec-
                                                        into force, and the launch of the EU 2020        both financial and political efforts in the fu-      This project has as main objective to redyna-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Therefore, the role of the LIAs must be ba-       tive governance, where all administrations
                                                        Strategy in March, and that this should be       ture to redynamize these territories.                mize the rural municipalities by developing
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     sed on their capacities.                          co-operate and join forces to exploit com-
                                                        the real basis for improved co-operation                                                              the employment and entrepreneurship ,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       plementarities. Working on co-operation,
                                                        from this year onwards.                                                                               promoting social integration , improving the
                                                                                                         ‘Innovatives projects at local level.                participation of civil society , increasing the        Planning capacity                                 they will be able to develop the most in-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       novative projects to help us overcome the
                                                        The debate was shared into 3 main parts:         Mircea Cosma cited Prahova, which is nor-            awareness on environment issues.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     The first thing is to have ideas, and to have     crisis.
                                                                                                         th of Bucharest, as being a very important
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     ideas it is necessary to bear in mind which
                                                        - Presentation of the current situation in the   tourist province, with more than 800,000             Mircea Cosma added that the aim was in-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     are the strategies that must guide those          The example of the LIAs and their efforts to
                                                          post crisis context                            citizens and three refineries, with a 15m-           deed to support SMEs, and to facilitate ac-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     ideas. Local governments must internalize         co-operate in Europe promote the above-
                                                                                                         tonne capacity. The 2002 crisis was followed         cess to micro-credit. Many young people,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     the European strategy via the documents           mentioned efficiency.
 Beata Bibrowska, EU Policy & Project Expert, head of   - Innovative projects and initiatives at local   by the most recent financial meltdown, Mr.           he said, were now in a favourable position
             FP7 Department, University of Brussels       level                                          Cosma explained, but added that Prahova              concerning access to training and that this

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Europe 2020: competitiveness, co-operation and cohesion for all regions - OPEN DAYS 2010 - Kreis Lippe
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