EU DANUBE STRATEGYOn the way to „implementation“ ?!

Roland Arbter, Federal ChancelleryVienna, 5 July 2011, Summerschool BOKU/DRCroland.arbter@bka.gv.at

EU Danube Strategy| 5.7.2011 Vienna 2 |

EU Danube strategy process moves ….

– EU-27! -> EC/GAC, EP, CoR, …– High political momentum! -> 4 „Danube

Summits“ 2009-2011 – Active participation of Stakeholders

(conferences, consultations, etc.)– Mobilisation on national level

– Media !

– ER (24.6.2011): „… endorsed the EU Strategy for the Danube Region and called on all relevant actors to implement it without delay, as outlined in the Council`s conclusions of 13 April 2011 …

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A new „EU macro-region“ ?

EU Danube Strategy| 5.7.2011 Vienna

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Variable functional geographies !

Danube Region ?

Complexity trap?

EUSDR- Priority Areas … some targets (examples)

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(A) Connecting the Danube Region 1. To improve mobility and multimodality: (1a) Inland waterways (1b) Road, rail and air links

“Increase cargo +20% until 2020”“Improved travel times between major cities”“Multimodal Danube river port terminals …” …

2. To encourage more sustainable energy “… EU2020 climate and energy targets …”3. To promote culture and tourism …..

(B) Protecting the Environment in the Danube Region 4. To restore and maintain the quality of waters …..5. To manage environmental risks6. To preserve biodiversity, landscape, air, soils

(C) Building Prosperity in the Danube Region 7. To develop knowledge society „3% GDP in R&D by 2030“8. To support competitiveness „Patents +50%“9. To invest in people and skills „Tertiary education +40% for aged 30-34 “ ….

(D) Strengthening the Danube Region 10. To step up institutional capacity& cooperation “Benchmarks for reducing bureaucracy ..”

11. To work together to promote security “4 weeks for business start-up permissions” …

Example: Priority Area 10 - Actions

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To step up institutional capacity and cooperation -> Actions: To combat institutional capacity and public service related problems

To improve the trust of citizens and stakeholders in political authorities

To establish a Danube Civil Society Forum

To ensure sufficient information flows and exchange at all levels

To facilitate the administrative cooperation of communities living in border regions

To build Metropolitan Regions in the Danube Region

To reviews bottlenecks relating to low absorption rate of EU-funds and to ensure better coordination of funding

To support the development of local financial products for business and community development

To examine the feasibility of a Danube Investment Framework

Example: Priority Area 10 - Projects

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-> Examples (!) of projects in the Action plan:

….

Public finance management knowledge network

Acta Danubia – international harmonisation of scientific studies of the Danube

Danube cooperation maps

Guidelines for spatial planning

Urban technologies cooperation

Danube Environmental Forum

….

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Multiple objectives of Macroregional EU Strategies

MRS = New concept! -> „partly still to be invented!“

… „mulitiple roots“ (Nordregio, 2008):– External relations

– Development policies

….. „MRS aim beyond EU-Cohesion Policy!“

… contribution to several EU-aims? – EU2020! – 3 dimensions of sustainability – Territorial cohesion ….

Subsidiarity! Contexts matters! Time matters!

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EUSDR aspects … starting points for Implementation

1. „A strategy is a pattern in a stream of decisions“ (H. Mintzberg)

4. New role for the EC … also during implementation?

2. EUSDR is no programme!

8. 2011-2012! -> „quick wins … low hanging fruits … early harvest“

3. „No strategy without an action plan!“ (EC)

5. New Priority area coordinators + multiplying governance system + national coordination + regional/local level + NGOs

6. EUSDR project notion?

7. No new funding!? …

9. 2013/2014+?

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SOUTH-EAST206,7 MEUR ERDF

Austrian „large-scale“ ETC 2007 - 2013

Transnational Programmes:ALPINE SPACE 2007-2013CENTRAL EuropeSOUTH EAST Europe

Network Programme (EU 27 + CH + N):INTERREG IV C (Inter-

regional Cooperation)URBACT II(ESPON)

ALPINE SPACE97,8 MEUR ERDF

CENTRAL246 MEUR ERDF

EU Danube Strategy| 5.7.2011 Vienna

ETC Project Examples

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NCP-Project Database http://www.oerok.gv.at/contact-point/projektdatenbank.html

NCP Austria cross-programme services for project partners & the ETC network

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NCP-Project Database

NEWSLETTER

ETC-News

www.see-eu.at

Information & thematic events

transnATional vernETZt: raum & energie

ETC/INTERREG 2000-2006, cooperation effects

… cities (ex. Vienna)

… „rural“ regions (ex. Carinthia)

EU Danube Strategy| 5.7.2011 Vienna

Österreichische Beteiligung in Alpenraum und CADSES Projekten

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40

11

50

21

15

54

7

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42

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10

20

30

40

50

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Bund Landesregierungen Gemeinden Sonst. öffentl. Private

Alpenraum

CADSES

INTERREG cooperation effects 2000-2006

EU Danube Strategy| 5.7.2011 Vienna

INTERREG III 2000-2006:

… international

… +national!

EU Danube Strategy| 5.7.2011 Vienna