Challenges and opportunities Challenges and opportunities in Territorial Cross Border Cooperation in Territorial Cross Border Cooperation

at the EU Eastern bordersat the EU Eastern bordersCase of RomaniaCase of Romania

2-3 June, 20082-3 June, 2008Portorož, SloveniaPortorož, SloveniaESPON SEMINARESPON SEMINAR

Narciza Adela NICANarciza Adela NICADirector, Director,

General Directorate of Strategies and Policies for Territorial CohesionGeneral Directorate of Strategies and Policies for Territorial Cohesion

Cross-border Cooperation and Needs for Territorial Information

Content – a policy maker’s perspective

1.1. ROMANIA WITHIN THE EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICY CONTEXTROMANIA WITHIN THE EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICY CONTEXT

2.2. BUILDING TERRITORIAL COHESION THROUGH INTEGRATING STRATEGIES BUILDING TERRITORIAL COHESION THROUGH INTEGRATING STRATEGIES ATAT EUROPEAN, NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVELS EUROPEAN, NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVELS

3.3. EUROPEAN NEIGHBORHOOD POLICY EUROPEAN NEIGHBORHOOD POLICY AND AND ROMANIAROMANIAN POSITIONN POSITION

4.4. ESPON 2006ESPON 2006 RESULTS IN SUPPORT OF CBC PROGRAMS’ SUBSTANTIATION RESULTS IN SUPPORT OF CBC PROGRAMS’ SUBSTANTIATION

5. FINDINGS FOR 5. FINDINGS FOR ESPON 2013ESPON 2013

1. ROMANIA 1. ROMANIA

WITHIN THE ENP CONTEXTWITHIN THE ENP CONTEXT

Romania in a changing and challenging context – as EU MS Romania in a changing and challenging context – as EU MS situated at the European eastern bordersituated at the European eastern border

1.1. New context: New context: EUEU member state

2.2. New perspectiveNew perspective upon the borders of the enlarged EU: European Territorial CBC under the Cohesion policy 2007-2013

3. 3. New principles and concepts:New principles and concepts: economic, social and territorial cohesion and competitiveness

4. New strategic framework: 4. New strategic framework: EU strategic guidelines and approaches (renewed Lisbon and Gothenburg agenda, EU Territorial Agenda, Leipzig Charter)

5. New financial instruments and rules5. New financial instruments and rules - - ERDF, ENPI, IPA

6. New challenges:6. New challenges: strategic approach for cohesion aim and integrated development planning (multi--sectoral, economic, social, territorial, financial)

7. New roles and ambitions:7. New roles and ambitions: cooperation engine at the EU external borders

ESPO

N S

TUD

IES

&SP

ATI

AL

INFO

RM

ATI

ON

EUROPEAN TERRITORIAL

AGENDA

LEIPZIG CHARTER FOR URBAN

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

COMMUNITY STRATEGIC GUIDELINES

Romania under the external and internal structuring driving forces

Strategic concepts in territorial development,

impact on CBC programs: from EU to local level

Territorial Cross Border Cooperation - Territorial Cross Border Cooperation - Oportunities for RomaniaOportunities for Romania

Romania as part of EU Eastern border – 1/4 of the EU Eastern border – 1/3 of the Baltic Sea-Black Sea border– the longest national border in the Eastern side of the EU– combined border – terrestrial, river, Black Sea

Role of Romania according with its geo-strategic position – Pillar of ENP and the EU Eastern cross-border cooperation– Hub (terrestrial and maritime) for trans-national relationships, between West

(EU) and East, access to the Black Sea basin– potential of developing cross-border and trans-national cooperation due to

the balanced localities network and polycentric development potential

Rationale and responsabilityRationale and responsability

• Romania is involved in 4 CBC programmes concerning relationships with non-EU states – Romania-Ukraine-Rep of Moldova (MA)– Hungary-Slovakia-Romania-Ukraine– Black Sea Basin (multilateral cbc programme) (MA)– Romania-Serbia (MA)

• Romania manages 3 CBC programmes as Managing Authority

Romania is highly interested in ensuring the CBC approaching, preparation and implementation with a credible and coherent methodological base

The acquired experience and results of the ongoing management of CBC activities are parts of programme continuous improvement process

RO-BGRO-BGRO-SERO-SE

BLACK SEABLACK SEA

RO-UKR-MORO-UKR-MO

Eligible Area for Romanian Cross-border Cooperation

HU- SLVK-RO-UKRHU- SLVK-RO-UKRHU - ROHU - RO

2. BUILDING TERRITORIAL COHESION 2. BUILDING TERRITORIAL COHESION THROUGHTHROUGH

INTEGRATING STRATEGIES INTEGRATING STRATEGIES

ATAT EUROPEAN, NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVELS EUROPEAN, NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVELS

Developing the cross-border cooperation programs and ensuring their territorial dimension

2006 2007 2020

Programming

TERRITORIAL COHESION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTTERRITORIAL COHESION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

2013

Programming

Implementation Implementation

CBC Programs 2007-2013 CBC Programs post 2013

2014

STRATEGIC CONCEPT OF TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT ROMANIA 2030

2004- 2006

2004

Implementation

Building and implementing the CBC programs – use of territorial information

EUROPEAN EUROPEAN TERRITORIAL TERRITORIAL

COOPERATION COOPERATION PROGRAMPROGRAM / CBC/ CBC

ESPON STUDIESESPON STUDIES, , ANALYSISANALYSIS AND AND

SPATIAL SPATIAL INFORMATIONINFORMATION

EU EXTERNALEU EXTERNAL BORDERS BORDERS CROSS BORDER CROSS BORDER

COOPERATON –COOPERATON – ROMANIAROMANIA

STRATEGIC CONCEPTSTRATEGIC CONCEPTFOR TERITORIAL FOR TERITORIAL DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT ROMANIA 2030ROMANIA 2030

NATIONAL LEVELNATIONAL LEVELROMANIAROMANIAEU LEVELEU LEVEL

CB

CPR

OG

RA

MM

ING

CB

CIM

PLEM

ENTI

NG

INFORMATIONINFORMATIONNDPNDP

LOCAL PLANSLOCAL PLANSOFFICIAL STATISTICSOFFICIAL STATISTICS

(NATIONAL + EU)(NATIONAL + EU)WORKING GROUPSWORKING GROUPS

TERRITORIAL INFO.TERRITORIAL INFO.PLANS (National, PLANS (National, Regional, Local) Regional, Local)

INTERSECT. INTERSECT. INFORMATIONINFORMATION

INFORMATIONINFORMATION

ESPON Comparing scenarios: Spatial structure and urban hierarchy in 2030

The interaction of territorial driving forces, The interaction of territorial driving forces, among EU, national, cross-borders and local levelsamong EU, national, cross-borders and local levels

Romania’s interests in the region National Strategic Concept of territorial development National Strategic Concept of territorial development Romania 2030Romania 2030

Based on ESPON 2006 territorial research results, in Romania is in Based on ESPON 2006 territorial research results, in Romania is in process of elaboration the National Strategic Concept of territorial process of elaboration the National Strategic Concept of territorial development development Romania 2030 Romania 2030 which explores and counts on which explores and counts on potential spatial position in Europe:potential spatial position in Europe:

- Latin axis: Romania – Italy - Spain– Western-Eastern Europe axis: Pentagon – Romania – Rep of

Moldova - Ukraine – Russia– Balkans area– Baltic Sea – Black Sea axis– Black Sea area

National and cross-border cooperation strategyNational Strategic Concept of territorial development ROMANIA 2030

EU EXTERNAL BORDERS CROSS BORDER COOPERATON – ROMANIA

ROMANIA, REP. OF MOLDOVA, UKRAINA

HUNGARY, SLOVAKIA,ROMANI, UKRAINA,

BLACK SEA BASIN ROMANIA, SERBIA

1. Connecting Romania to the European and intercontinental networks of development poles and corridors

Competitive border economy

-productivity and competitiveness

Economic and social development

-better conditions for SMEs and business development

-harmonised development of tourism

-joint tourism development initiatives

-regional and local economic and social infrastructure

-development of SMEs

-improving the level of R&D

-tourism development

2. Structuring and development of urban localities network

3. Strengthening urban-rural solidarity/partnership and rural development

4. Strengthening and development of inter-regional networks

-transport, border infrastructure and energy

-new intra regional information, communication, transport / trade links

-administrative capacity in designing/ implem. of local develop. policies

National and cross-border cooperation strategyNational Strategic Concept of territorial development ROMANIA 2030

EU EXTERNAL BORDERS CROSS BORDER COOPERATON – ROMANIA

ROMANIA, REP. OF MOLDOVA, UKRAINA

HUNGARY, ROMANIA, UKRAINA, SLOVAKIA

BLACK SEA BASIN ROMANIA, SERBIA

5. Protection, development and capitalization of natural and cultural patrimony

Environmental challenges and emergency preparedness

-addressing environmental challenges.water supply, sewerage and waste management

-environmental challenges including emergency preparedness.

Enhancing environmental quality

-environmental protection, sustainable management of natural resources

-emergency preparedness

Environmental protection and conservation

-environmental protection of river and maritime systems

-research and innovation in the conservation environment, protection protected natural areas

-innovation in waste and wastewater management systems

Environment and emergency preparedness

-addressing environmental challenges

-strategies for water supply, sewerage and waste management

-systems in the area of emergency preparedness

People to people cooperation

-local and regional governance;

-support to civil society and local communities.

-educational, social and cultural exchanges

Support people to people cooperation

-institutional cooperation

-increasing border efficiency

Cultural and educational initiatives

-cultural networking and educational exchange

People to people activities

-improving local governance development of civil society and local communities

-intensifying social and cultural exchanges

3.EUROPEAN NEIGHBORHOOD POLICY 3.EUROPEAN NEIGHBORHOOD POLICY

AND AND ROMANIAROMANIAN POSITIONN POSITION

EU Strategy for Eastern border cooperationThe 4 ENP objectives • Promoting sustainable economic and social development in cross-border areas• Solving in common issues in domains of common interest : environment, public health,

prevention and fighting against crime;• Ensuring efficient and well organized borders;• Promoting the ‘people to people’ type of activities

Wise integration of two apparently contradictory needs: – building security at the EU Eastern border, – reducing barriers at EU borders through facilitating the mobility of goods and people,

increasing the economic CBC

The border area potential should be mobilized in order to generate growth, networks, strengthen cooperation relationships

General European duty becomes Romanian local duty

Eastern Romanian cross-border areas

Border with former soviet territory was considerably stronger in keeping separate the two sides, and the ‘wall effect’ resulted in a low level of communication, cooperation and development

The Romania’s Eastern territories could be included in following categories:– Natural handicaped (mountaineous areas, Danube Delta) areas– Areas with deficit of accessibility - internal roads and external natural border (Rivers of Prut and Dunare, and the Black Sea) –Rural/ rustic peripheral border areas–Low level of development

Geographic matters influence cooperation.

Romanian cross-border areas typology

The cross-border cooperation areas with non EU states is facing with all ESPON themes:

demography – population decreasing because the emigration for jobs climate change – big floods affecting Romanian, Moldavian and Serbian

sides as well social inequality and poverty

Main part of Romanian Eastern border ( NUTS III) belong to the handicapped for integration and other part to the candidates for integration (according to the ESPON 1.1.3 project)

Geographical - physical border typology

Socio - economic border typology

Metropolitan poles as actors in cbc • Metropolitan area role: bridging cross-border areas, building and

strengthening polycentric networks, expanding development corridors, • Metropolitan areas of Iaşi and Constanţa are highlighted as Functional

Urban Areas in ESPON project 1.1.1. Polycentricity• Metropolitan areas active in fostering and developing their roles:

– Iasi initiate a dialogue with Kishinew regarding metropolitan development (could be a “neighbour-dependent growth”, Espon project 1.1.1) – strategic potential in the relationship with Moscow, St Petersburg

– Constanta envisages further strengthening position within the Black Sea (strengthen the relationship towards Istanbul)

– Braila and Galati (on Danube) have great potential to become the second metropolitan pole of Romania(in terms of surface and population) –towards R. Moldova, Ukraine and Black Sea

2004-2006 – a learning to cooperate period in the ENP context

• First cooperation programmes under the Phare CBC and ENPI• Transition from sporadic cooperation towards systematic and sustainable

links over the border and financial assisted

• Apprentice for genuine strategic CBC

• Working together and building the mutual trust

• Testing the programming and implementing capabilities, at national and local level

• Connecting and bringing together local authorities, communities and people

Lessons learned from previous 2004-2006

• No clear image regarding the impact – the financing process is not finished• The 2004-2006 cooperation programs with R. Moldova and Ukraine are close

to implementation finalizing and have a substantial harvest of projects

• Conclusions:– potential for cooperation of all parts involved– domains of common interest in cross-border cooperation (infrastructure,

environment, business environmet and local economy, culture) show that, in this period, the preconditions for the further developing the cross-border contacts are prepared

– ‘growing together’ potential and optimism for the local communities– programmes contributs to the public administration capacity

development

Local administrative capacity for cooperation• European Neighborhood Policy - implemented by the local governments and individuals

• European policy goals achievement depends on• public administration`s capability for cooperation: programming skills and implementing capacity • economic actors capability to react under a new market economy

•There is a willingness of the neighbour communities to cooperate:• good absorption capacity, through a large amount of projects• local authorities well involved in the 2004-2006 CBC projects (main part of the applicants/stakeholders )

•The cooperation is still facing birocratic barriers (quite centralised system in the Eastern countries) that burdens the CB cooperation

2007- 2013 programmes -shift in cooperation paradigm

•The EU strategy shifts from the cooperation based on ‘face to face’ geographical criteria (bilateral programs Ro-Ua,Ro-Mo) towards strategic based cooperation

•The complexity of new cooperation relationships and programmes– Polyvalency – Romania is involved in multiple programs on EU Eastern

border, according to the area’s specific and the functional relationships (Romania-Ukraine, Romania-Rep of Moldova, Romania/ Black Sea Basin)

– Multilateral – Romania has multiple partners to cooperate in the same program

– Maturity – requires greater managerial abilities and capacity and specific statistic tools

The new ENP changes the cross-borders relationships pattern and creates conditions for joint development, described as the growing together (1.1.3 ESPON project)

ENP CBC Programs’ Objectives on Ro borders

• Each programme’s joint strategy – are in line with the ENP aims– reflect local needs and development level : improving infrastructure, joint

economic activities, harmonising environment protection, cultural & education cooperation, economic growth and job creation

– are in accordance with the specific of border’s areas specificity (economic and geographyc)

• The main measures of the programmes concentrate on two complementary directions– facilitating convergence , integration (infrastructure)– boosting regional competitiveness within European context and

decreasing the internal disparities

• Programmes’ strategies for the cooperation area - coherent with each partner national strategies and other programmes envisaging the area

Black Sea Basin – a special challenge for Eastern CBC• EU Black Sea area brings two crucial issues: energy and hard security• Cooperation among Black Sea area countries articulates the regional territorial

cohesion issue and European level– Within the CBC program, the Black Sea area is approached as a region with its

diversity of features, cultural and economic relationships, level of understanding and involvement in cooperation, institutional frameworks etc

– A large diversity of cooperation initiatives and associations rise in the Black Sea area (between countries, between public and private institutions etc.), aiming to create awareness regarding the advantages of cooperation in the area (headquarters of various associations are established all over the area: Bucharest, Istanbul, Thessaloniki etc.)

– The CBC programme focuses on the civil society as the main engine able to boost cooperation in the Black Sea area

• The actors in the Black Sea region need deep understanding of the environmental issues, economic and social dynamics and trends in the area, in order to approach a long and delicate process of structuring cooperation, mutually beneficial

CONCLUSIONS (3.1.)CONCLUSIONS (3.1.)Weakness of cbc programmes - territorial dimension insufficiently explored

• Difficulty in analysing the whole eligible area of a CBC programme in a coherent manner because of the lack of ESPON studies on the non EU countries;• Lack of more detailed studies regarding the territorial development vectors in cross-border regions, significant for larger development scenarios (ex: the territorial vectors acting on the EU Eastern borders , approaching polycentric development at a larger scale than the CB areas etc)• Lack of other liable studies on territorial dynamics and trends information to substantiate the CBC programmes strategy;• Poor involvement in the programming process of the relevant specialists that may lead to “projects for money” type of applications instead of “money for addressing real territorial needs” ” for strategic projects with impact on integration of the area

CONCLUSIONS (3.2.)CONCLUSIONS (3.2.)

Weakness of the data and tools• Missing the regional delineation similar to NUTS on the outside of the

border• Lack of statistically coherent comparable data and information (for NUTS

II, III) regarding the territories on the two sides of the border • Modest structuring and collection of statistic data neded in the analysis

phaze (information for the non EU countries from “non EU” sources: World Bank, IMF, UNO, etc.);

• Lack of tools for coherent mapping of the eligible area’s features;• Difficulties in ensuring a coherent ‘joint’ approach in CBC programmes

and projects;

CONCLUSIONS (3.3.)CONCLUSIONS (3.3.)Weakness of data management

• Centralized management of information and data in the non EU countries;• Not sufficient of reliable and effective cross-border communication system

among specialized institutions in order to ensure the quality of data and information;

• Information about Romania in some of ESPON studies was not precise because the data on Romanian territory was provided by a foreign body;

• Lead-partners in ESPON projects contracted institutions that are not familiar with the specific of region / country, and to which extent the data and information sources are reliable/official;

• Some regional indicators in Romania are still not in line with Eurostat

4. ESPON 2006 RESULTS 4. ESPON 2006 RESULTS

IN SUPPORT OF CBC PROGRAMS’ IN SUPPORT OF CBC PROGRAMS’ SUBSTANTIATION SUBSTANTIATION

List of ESPON studies on which rely National Strategic Concept List of ESPON studies on which rely National Strategic Concept of Territorial Development of Territorial Development Romania 2030Romania 2030

• ESPON Synthesis Report II, In search of territorial potentials• 1.1.1. Polycentricity• 1.1.2. Urban-Rural• 1.1.3. Enlargement and Polycentricity• 1.1.4. Demographic Trends• 1.1.5. Transport Trends• 1.3.1. Natural Hazards• 1.3.2. Natural Heritage• 1.3.3. Cultural Heritage• 3.4.1. Europe in the World• ESPON Scenarios Reports (Scenarios on the territorial future of Europe, Territorial futures - Spatial scenarios

for Europe)• ESPON Europe in the World Report• ESPON Synthesis Report III, Territory matters for competitiveness and cohesion• ESPON Atlas, Mapping the structure of the European territory

5. FINDINGS FOR ESPON 20135. FINDINGS FOR ESPON 2013

1. Strengthening of territorial approaching in ENP/ CBC programs1. Strengthening of territorial approaching in ENP/ CBC programs

• To stress that ENP/ CBC Programmes are tools for the cohesion policy;• The territorial dimension is crucial in approaching ENP/CBC;• The need of territorial strategic approaching and development vision; • CBC Programmes provide the opportunity to shift from the ‘sewing’ peripheral

areas towards bridging territories and communities, developing networks, developing territorial partnerships, becoming rather spatial articulation than a strip;

• The need of partnership among national, regional and local level in approaching and implementing CBC: gathering territorial information, development and implementation of common agreed plans, sharing their benefit;

• Local communities play core roles in implementing CBC: they bring the local needs and potential within the regional, national, cross-border and transnational context, strategies and policies.

2. Territorial information in CBC Programmes2. Territorial information in CBC Programmes

• Providing CBC Programmes with territorial dimension: develop new research projects, according to the CBC programmes needs;

• Stimulate the development of strategic territorial approaches on the cbc areas;

• Awareness-rising of local relevant specialists and stakeholders in the neighbouring countries a by a pro-active attitude of ESPON programme;

• Providing the local policy makers, practitioners and other stakeholders with relevant materials, documents and instruments;

• The need of development of national territorial strategy in connection to the EU territorial strategies;

• Identifying ways to decrease the bureaucratic impediments in the process of programmes’ planning and implementation;

3. Ideas for EC and DG REGIO3. Ideas for EC and DG REGIO

• The CBC Programmes need a strategic conceptual framework at territorial level and specific governance, taking into account complex and integrated territorial dynamics of EU, neighboring regions and international context;

• The cohesion policy envisaged for 21st century should rely on the EU context and aim to maximize the impact of investments outside the EU borders;

• A greater cooperation among the DG’s involved in the cross-border cooperation in order to create synergy of the EU CBC financing programmes;

• CBC Programmes provide the basis for a coherent approaching of data and information structuring, according to the EU/EUROSTAT requirements;

• Create synergy among ENP, cohesion and competitiveness policies, based on strategic projects;

• Help obtaining comparable data and information on similar statistical area (NUTS II, III) on both sides of the border with CBC partners, cooperation with EUROSTAT in developing a framework for territorial data and information coherence (currently missing data, unreliable data quality, different administrative levels, etc.)

4. Development & diversification of ESPON activities in support of the territorial component of the CBC EU funded programs

• Screening at EU Institutions level onScreening at EU Institutions level on the existing territorial development the existing territorial development research programmes and related financing sources, in order to ensure research programmes and related financing sources, in order to ensure coordination and concentration of the efforts;coordination and concentration of the efforts;

• Develop new research projects, according to the CBC programmes needsDevelop new research projects, according to the CBC programmes needs– more detailed studies regarding scenarios of CB cooperation at territorial more detailed studies regarding scenarios of CB cooperation at territorial

level and territorial potential for cooperation level and territorial potential for cooperation (ex:(ex: within EU, in the Eastern within EU, in the Eastern and South-Eastern areas, and also the territorial vectors acting on the EU and South-Eastern areas, and also the territorial vectors acting on the EU Eastern borders)Eastern borders)

– articulate the territorial perspectives at regional, national and transnational articulate the territorial perspectives at regional, national and transnational levels from the CBC programmes perspectivelevels from the CBC programmes perspective

– Monitoring and territorial impact assessment systems of the CBC Monitoring and territorial impact assessment systems of the CBC programmesprogrammes

5. 5. ESPON studies based ideas for exploring future territorial partnershipsESPON studies based ideas for exploring future territorial partnerships:: Seminar on Seminar on “North-Central-South cooperation at the EU Eastern “North-Central-South cooperation at the EU Eastern borders” borders” Bucharest, Romania, September 2008Bucharest, Romania, September 2008

Background:• European Neighborhood, Cohesion and Competitiveness policies;• Visegrad 4+2 initiative;• Balkans area cooperation.

Purpose of the seminar• Sharing of information regarding strategic development plans articulation

aiming at improving territorial cooperation in the area.

Thank you!Thank you!