Bundesamt für Raumentwicklung AREOffice fédéral du développement territorial AREUfficio federale dello sviluppo territoriale AREUffizi federal da svilup dal territori ARE

INTERREG III B - ALPINESPACE

Benefits of transnational cooperationA perspective from Switzerland

Prof. Pierre-Alain Rumley,

Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE

2 Pierre-Alain Rumley, Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE, Switzerland

Alpinespace – a true transnational area

• Common perspective => the mountains

• But: different languages and cultures

• Similar problems => similar solutions?

A perfect starting point for transnational co-operation!

3 Pierre-Alain Rumley, Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE, Switzerland

Opportunities for Switzerland

• Spatial integration within Europe / EU

• New co-operation possibilities on national, regional and local level

• To build and strengthen networks

• To path a sustainable spatial development

But above all: to realise good projects

4 Pierre-Alain Rumley, Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE, Switzerland

Limited funds – no ERDF!

• Swiss national funds corresponding to the ERDF: only about 4 Mio Euros

BUT:

• Partners in 42 out of 57 projects

• Triple the budget with additional funds

Most important financial contributions provided by the Regions and Cantons

5 Pierre-Alain Rumley, Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE, Switzerland

Regional Project Participation

• KARTE VON RAFFAEL FOLGT!• Termin 15.6., 15.00 Uhr

6 Pierre-Alain Rumley, Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE, Switzerland

Some success stories…

• New networks (transnational and national ones)• Projects have really led to new co-operation

opportunities • Projects even bridged the sometimes difficult

intercultural gaps

And: Projects achieved interesting results…

7 Pierre-Alain Rumley, Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE, Switzerland

ALPINETWORK

• Information and communication technology ICT) as an opportunity for rural areas!

• Alpinetwork coached concrete innovative IT pilot projects

• The exchange of knowlegde was a real benefit for…

• Switzerland: Region of Central Switzerland

8 Pierre-Alain Rumley, Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE, Switzerland

ALPCITY

• Local development and urban regeneration - an interesting mixture

• Scientific exchange and bottom-up implementation is a difficult approach

• New networks and interesting results

Switzerland:

St-Maurice and Tschlin

9 Pierre-Alain Rumley, Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE, Switzerland

PUSEMOR

• The provision with public services is a locational key factor

• Transnational approach for a successful exchange of creative solutions and experience

• Learning from others…

• Switzerland: Ticino, Obersimmental and Vaud as well as our office (and SAB)

10 Pierre-Alain Rumley, Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE, Switzerland

CATCHRISK

• Shared definition of hydro-geological risk scenarios as key objective

• Analysis of geological hazards

• The published guidelines to support decisions for improving water management are very interesting

• Switzerland: Graubünden and Ticino as a joint project team

11 Pierre-Alain Rumley, Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE, Switzerland

MONITRAF

• Strengthen the interregional exchange on traffic related effects

• Data is available but before Monitraf, there was little or no exchange across the borders (Gotthard, Brenner and Montblanc)

• The main objective is to identify common measures to reduce negative impacts

• Switzerland: Region of Central Switzerland and Ticino as a joint project team

12 Pierre-Alain Rumley, Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE, Switzerland

CULTURALP

• Improve the knowledge on characteristic features of historical alpine settlements and to promote integrated sustainable policies for interventions

• Common cataloguing• Even after the end of the

project: a continuing lively exchange on know-how

• Switzerland: Graubünden

13 Pierre-Alain Rumley, Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE, Switzerland

Some initial difficulties (the first project calls were rather late)

The expected project results remained sometimes out of reach

The funding is sometimes a difficult task

Not enough strategic elements

=> More activities related to project development in next programming period!

Nevertheless: Some weak points

14 Pierre-Alain Rumley, Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE, Switzerland

But all in all very positive…

• Switzerland is very interested in this co-operation

• Transnational co-operation is a prerequisite for a sustainable spatial development

• Swiss regions and cantons have to learn more about their neighbours

• Transnational co-operation knowledge is a key factor for the future

15 Pierre-Alain Rumley, Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE, Switzerland

THANK YOU