Europe's Macro-Regions, 13 April 2010

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Europes Macro-RegionsIi iil

c-piFor u m at t he C ommI t t e e oF t he r e g I on s, B r u sse s13 April 2010

Conference Brochure


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ForeWorD

Experimentation and cooperation is an everyday practice at the local and regional level inorder to go further in the European integration project and to improve the living condi-tions of our citizens. With this spirit, the Committee of the Regions is pro-actively contributingto the open laboratory of the new EU macro-regional strategies.

The goals are those established by the Treaty: the development through a better economic,social and territorial cohesion. To achieve those goals, the macro-regional strategies are

among the most interesting innovative instruments. They are focusing on the territory, trying to integratesector-specic policies, oering the possibility of multi-level governance. They also can benet from strategicproposals and the implementation of projects under the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC).

Success depends on us. It depends on the positive outcome of the pilot experience of the Baltic Sea Regionstrategy and the one expected on the Danube strategy. It depends on how the EU institutions together willdeal with the expectations regarding the other proposals which are emerging in dierent EU regions. For themacro-regional strategies, the Committee of the Regions, as a political assembly, intends to be the carrier ofthe initiative, as a guardian of equal access and promoter of multi-level governance.

mcd B

President of the Committee of the Regions

T

he European Union must make better use of territorial co-operation as a tool to foster

cross-border and transnational integration. We should put in place an overall EUstrategy to provide a framework for territorial cooperation activities of all kinds, includingmacro-regions. Approaches and objectives will vary from region to region, depending onthe specic needs for strengthened cross-border cooperation.

The common principle should be to add value to existing activities. An integrated ap-proach with coordination of actions across policy areas will usually achieve better results

than individual initiatives, and where groups of countries and regions choose to come together to achievecommon goals, this will also strengthen EU cohesion.

J h

Commissioner for Regional Policy


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ebates about territorial cohesion, a term now endorsed by

the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, and multi-levelgovernance have evolved in recent years. Most inuential havebeen the adoption of a Territorial Agenda by the MemberStates in 2007, the publication of a Green Paper on TerritorialCohesion by the European Commission in 2008, and theadoption of the White paper on Multilevel Governance bythe Committee of the Regions in 2009. These documentshave stressed the need for better coordination and enhancedcooperation across borders, policy areas and dierent levels ofgovernment. The EU strategies for macro-regions, still underexperimentation, may represent one of the new instrumentsto achieve better EU cooperation and, thus, contribute to EUterritorial cohesion.

With the development of the European Unions Strategy forthe Baltic Sea Region, a new concept came into being in theEuropean Union. The term macro-regions has been used in aninternational context to describe globally signicant groups ofnations or groupings of administrative regions within a country.But with the pilot EU Strategy of the Baltic Sea Region, theEuropean Commission now describes a macro-region as anarea including territory from a number of dierent countriesor regions associated with one or more common features orchallenges.

Macro-regions are imagined communities which have noindependent political status or no institutions and which donot overshadow other regional or national identities. Althougha macro-region can be identied by common features or

What are the eU strategiesfor macro-regions?

challenges, its frontiers are not necessarily precisely dened.

Physical boundaries may vary according to the type of problembeing tackled at a macro-regional level. These regions mightoverlap, so a functioning region can be part of one or moremacro-regions.

The creation of an EU macro-regional strategy stems from thisdenition. The Baltic Sea Strategy, launched in June 2009 by theEuropean Commission and endorsed by the European Councilin October 2009, is now regarded as a model for other potential


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Regional and local authorities in

the European Union must be takeninto account, since they represent16% of the EUs GDP, one third ofpublic expenditure, two thirds oftotal public investment and 56% ofpublic employment. Governanceof the European Union should playa more active and leading role in

local and regional entities at all stages of the policy cycle,from dening the requirements to drafting, applying,supervising and evaluating the measures.

ml CvThird Vice-President of the Spanish Government

and Minister of Territorial Policy


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F di

Ci f ri:www.cor.europa.eu

The role of local and regional authorities within the newBaltic Sea strategy, own-initiative opinion, CdR 381/2009;Rapporteur: Uno AldegrenAn EU strategy for the Danube area, Opinion, CdR 149/2009;Rapporteur: Wolfgang ReinhartWebsite on EGTCs: www.cor.europa.eu/egtcWhite Paper on Multilevel Governance (June 2009)EU macro-regional strategies and European governance;

seminar (26 November 2009)

ep Pli

European Union strategy for the Baltic Sea Region and therole of macro-regions in the future cohesion policyDraft report by the European Parliaments Committee onRegional Development, (March 2010), REGI/7/01786:Rapporteur: Wojciech Micha OlejniczakEuropean Parliament resolution of 21 January 2010 ona European Strategy for the Danube Region, P7_TA-PROV(2010)0008

ep Cii

Regional Policy DG: www.europa.eu/regional_policyMacro-regional strategies in the EU A discussion paper bythe European Commission (2009)Green Paper on Territorial Cohesion: Turning territorialdiversity into strength, COM(2008) 616Website on the Baltic Sea Region:http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/cooperation/balticWebsite on the Danube Region:http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/cooperation/danube/DG Maritime Aairs and Fisheries:

http://ec.europa.eu/maritimeaairs/index_en.html

ep Ccil

Presidency Conclusions, Brussels European Council, 18/19June 2009Council Conclusions on the European Union Strategy for theBaltic Sea Region, 15018/09, 27 October 2009Regional approaches to management of water and themarine environment, including implementation of the EUStrategy for the Baltic Sea Region - Council conclusions,17797/09, 22 December 2009

It is clear that this cooperationoers us many possibilities. Itprovides a valuable contributionto the EUs Territorial Agenda,to the territorial cohesion of theUnion, and to a more eectiveimplementation of the EUsRegional Policy.

D hb

Chairwoman of the European Parliaments Committee on

Regional Development

macro-regional approaches. For a second region, along the

Danube, the European Council asked the European Commissionin June 2009 to present an EU strategy before the end of 2010.

This development has inspired discussions in other regionstoo, such as the North-Sea-English Channel region, the Alpineregion, the Adriatic and Ionian, and the Atlantic Arc. In addition,similar questions and approaches have been discussed with theUnion for the Mediterranean.

According to present thinking about macro-regions, strategyimplementation would not involve extra nancial resourcescompared to what is already available in a region from various

sources. Moreover, it would not involve setting up newinstitutions or extending the powers of existing administrativebodies. At the same time, it is important to establishresponsibility and accountability at EU level and there are callsthat the European Commission should play a facilitating role inEU macro-regional strategies.

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The Committee of the Regions (CoR), the EUs assembly oflocal and regional representatives, takes a special interestin the development of EU strategies for macro-regions. Duringthe new political mandate 2010-2015, the CoR Commission forTerritorial Cohesion (COTER) will analyse in depth and developthe horizontal political orientation on the overall macro-regional approach.

Furthermore, CoR members have demonstrated their political

commitment by forming intergroups around emerging macro-regions in order to discuss issues of common interest and tofeed their views into the policy-making process of the EU.

As its input into the Baltic Sea Region Strategy, the CoRassessed the role of local and regional authorities and is nowin the process of formulating an opinion on the strategyitself, including recommendations for future development.The CoR also played an important role in pushing forwardwith a strategy for the Danube area, and it has alreadyproposed concrete elds of action for the Danube Strategy,underlining the key role of regions and cities in its planning

and implementation.

The Cr Wi Pp mlilvl gvc, adoptedin June 2009, argues that macro-regions must be supportedby a form of multilevel governance. According to the CoR, thisinnovative approach to cross-border cooperation requires ahigh level of coherence in its design and integration withinthe European process. The lessons learnt from macro-regionalstrategies will be essential in the context of Europeangovernance, the development of territorial cooperation and theobjective of territorial cohesion.

Cross-border cooperation is a fundamental element for the

success of the EU strategies for macro-regions. The epgpi f tiil Cpi (egtC) is one of themost valuable tools to integrate the territories beyond nationalboundaries. Implemented by the Regulation (EC)1082/2006,the EGTC enables regional and local authorities from dierentMember States to set up cooperation groupings with a legalpersonality. An EGTC may organise and manage cross-border,transnational or interregional cooperation measures with orwithout a nancial contribution from the EU. So far, ten EGTCshave been set up and more than 25 are under preparation:

the Amphictyony EGTC (Greece, Cyprus, Italy and France)

the Duero-Douro EGTC (Portugal and Spain) the Eurodistrict Strabourg-Ortenau EGTC (France

and Germany)

Macro-regional strategiesraise stimulating questions.Would they provide uswith strategic platformsto develop more ecienttransport networks inbetween neighbouring

countries and, at the same time, preserve fragileecosystems across borders? Can we make better use of

community funds which are allocated to a pre-denedarea without falling into the trap of centralisation? Do wehave to seek to cover the entire territory of Europe? Dowe need to avoid overlaps of areas? How many strategieswill consequently have to be adopted in this planningperiod? And what are the conditions of access? Do wehave common understanding of the dynamics of territorialdevelopment of the Union? Answers are necessary for allthese dierent questions that are very closely linked tothe eectiveness of the strategy and the search for fairtreatment of all territories.

mcd BPresident of the Committee of the Regions

the Euroregion Pyrnes-Mditrane EGTC (Spainand France)

the Galicia-Norte Portugal EGTC (Portugal and Spain) the Ister-Granum EGTC (Hungary and the Slovak Republic) the Karst-Bodva EGTC (Hungary and the Slovak Republic) the Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai EGTC (France and Belgium) the West-Vlaanderen/Flandre-Dunkerque-Cte dOpale

EGTC (Belgium and France)

the Zasnet EGTC (Portugal and Spain).

The Committee of the Regions seeks to facilitate cooperationand networking among existing and emerging EGTCs throughsuch means as a web-based platform, elaborates studiesand contributes to the dissemination of information and theexchange of experiences. An own-initiative opinion on EGTC iscurrently under preparation.

acivii f Ci f ri

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The eusy f Blic s ri was launched bythe European Commission in June 2009 and subsequentlyadopted by the European Council in October 2009. The EuropeanCommission consulted the dierent stakeholders involved

while preparing the strategy. These stakeholders have nowbeen given an ongoing opportunity to participate in the furtherdevelopment of the strategy, for example in the framework of anannual forum.

The strategy focuses on issues that cannot be solved bynational or local means alone. The establishment of the EUStrategy for the Baltic Sea Region marked the rst time that theEU had developed such a comprehensive strategy for a macro-region. Although the strategy itself does not have its ownfunding, between 2007 and 2013 projects will receive fundsunder the regional policy and other EU funding.

The strategy is centred on four main pillars and 80 agship projects

grouped into 15 priority areas, and has the following objectives:

In recent years, there has been increased interest in theconcept of the Baltic Sea Region as a geographical entitywith its own identity. This is generally taken to mean theeight EU Member States (Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia,

Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Germany) surrounding the Baltictogether with Norway, Belarus and the north-western partsof the Russian Federation. These countries have always beentrading partners. Between the 13th and 17th centuries, the areaformed one of the strongest economic networks in Europe. Butdespite this common cultural and historical legacy, the regionis characterised by signicant demographic, economic andgeographic disparities.

The growing importance of the Baltic Sea regional approachreects the belief that the dierent states in the area arebeing confronted with a number of common challenges and

developments, which can best be dealt with through new formsof regional cooperation. The most important common challengelies in how to manage the Baltic Seas marine environment.

the BaLtic sea region

The BalTic Sea Region:

facTS and figuReS

tl ppli:100 millions fc : 377,000 kmDi bi : 1.3 million kmCli: about 8,000 kmav dp f : 58 metresal c c: 822 million tons

al il c: 171 million tons ciy: Saint PetersburgSource: DG REGIO, Wikipedia

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Ci ibl vi

Some ideas in the strategy build on actions already taken in theregion to reduce the negative impact on the environment fromdierent sources, for example by removing phosphates fromdetergents and by encouraging best practices that minimisefertiliser run-o. A total of 9.8 billion has been earmarked forthis purpose, including 3.1 billion to process waste water.

Ici ppiy

Actions include boosting trade and improving the qualityof education services by encouraging people to move freely

throughout the region in order to pursue knowledge or toteach. Available funding for this objective amounts to 6.7billion, including 2.4 billion for stimulating innovation.

mki i ccibl d civ

The strategy sets out ways in which to complete trac andenergy interconnections between the Baltic states and the widerregion, and supports, for example, major improvements to therail network. A total of 27.1 billion has been made available,of which 500 million will be invested in the regions gas andelectrical infrastructure, and 23.1 billion in transport networks.

sfy d ciyThe action plan suggests ways to coordinate the ght againstorganised crime by integrating existing organisations andstimulating cooperation, for example in the eld of maritimelaw enforcement through an integrated network of surveillancesystems for all maritime activities. To this end, 697 million hasbeen earmarked.

The Committee of the Regions supported the creation of theBaltic Sea Strategy at EU level from the very start. In its opinionof April 2009, prepared by CoR member u ald, itemphasised that the Baltic region is particularly well suitedfor being a pilot for the introduction of a macro-regional

strategy, and that the strategy can serve as a model for otherpotential macro-regions. The opinion stresses the need toinvolve local and regional authorities at all stages of decisionmaking. The CoR sees the trend towards macro-regions as alogical consequence of EU enlargement and a developmentthat merits encouragement. It stresses that even though theEU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region is essentially an internalaair amongst eight Member States, it is a development thatcan open the door to stepping up cooperation with non-EU countries, in this case the Russian Federation, Norwayand Belarus. Since the need for cooperation in the areas ofenvironmental issues, transport, logistics and national security

issues transcends the EUs external borders, the CoR thereforebelieves that signicant consideration should be given to thisexternal dimension when implementing the strategy.

The external dimension also features as an important elementin the CoRs draft report on the Baltic Sea Strategy. Prepared byCoR member Plii hij and due to be adopted in April2010, the report concludes that regions and local communities

can have an important role to play in implementing thisexternal dimension, because they are already involved in alarge number of partnerships with their counterparts in non-EUcountries. Generally, it is indispensable to give a prominentrole to regional and local players, because these represent thelevels closest to the citizens, and because these players havesound, rst-hand knowledge of the conditions and needs in theBaltic Sea Region. This approach would improve the visibility ofthe strategy, which is a key requirement for its success. So far,however, responsibility for the implementation of priority areasand agship projects has been allocated primarily to MemberStates and not to the regions. The Committee of the Regions

recommends that regions and local authorities should be giventhe opportunity to play a more active part in the future.

For me the Baltic Sea is a uniquemacro-region in Europe foreconomic, environmental andemotional reasons. The economicdimension is clear: for most ofthe Member States around theBaltic Sea, this macro-region is themost important export market

for goods produced in these countries and its regions.Therefore, a well functioning transport system on landand on sea as well as excellent communication facilities

are vital. We have many common expectations for thefuture such as the rapid development of new energies onand o shore. The environmental situation is also a key:we need functioning ecosystems to preserve biodiversityas well as the basis for our shing industry and the wellbeing of our people. A Clean Baltic Sea Area could be abest practice example for all of Europe. And, like me, manylove to live in the Baltic Sea area. The Baltic Sea links thedierent bordering regions. A continuous exchange ofideas, innovations and traditions has supported mutualunderstanding over the centuries. I want to go furtheralong this line with my colleagues from the Committee of

the Regions in the years to come.

u ald

Member of the Executive Committee of the Skne Region,

Sweden, Chairman of the CoR Intergroup Baltic Sea Regions

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The Danube is one of the European continents mostimportant arteries, touching Germany, Austria, Slovakia,Hungary, Serbia, Romania, Croatia, Bulgaria, Moldova andUkraine. This makes the Danube area not only an important

part of Europe economically and culturally, but alsoenvironmentally. It is the longest river in the European Union.

Since Romania and Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007, the Danubehas become an internal EU waterway. As one of the Trans-European corridors it represents a priority axis for inlandwaterway trac across the Union. The Rhine-Danube corridorprovides a direct link between the North Sea and the Black Sea.Improving navigability for cargo, in a more environmentally-friendly manner, is an important challenge.

The Danube Basin is also rich in bi-diviy. Its wetlands host

many breeds of wild birds and the islands provide rich habitatsfor many species. For instance, the Danube Delta is home to 70%of the worlds population of white pelicans. However, the watersof the Danube are no longer quite as blue as the waltz suggestsand pollution is a real threat to this wildlife. Eorts to establishnew water treatment plants, with the support of cohesion policy,will contribute to the improvement of water quality.

The potential for cic dvlp in the area is strongsince the river provides a variety of resources for businessin the form of transport and logistics as well as for tourismand culture. Trips down the Danube are proving popular

the danUBe region

With the start of the public

consultation on the Danubearea on 2 February 2010, theEuropean Commission declaredits wish to move from words toaction on its way to a Danubestrategy. In my opinion, this

is a remarkable step for the whole region and at thesame time an important challenge for all of us to buildthe strategy together and to strengthen its visibility atEuropean level. Indeed, this work will mainly be donenot by declarations, but by concrete projects and byexchange between people from dierent nations, regions

and local authorities. Our objective must be to bringabout a common awareness for this unique region thatmotivates people to engage actively in the Danube area.

P sb

President of the Baden-Wrttemberg State Assembly and

Chairman of the CoR Intergroup Danube

The danuBe Region:

facTS and figuReS

Ppli i bi: 83 millionCc : 817,000 km f iv: 2,860 kmIil vii: 2,411 kmav w dic: 6,500 m/sec.al c c: 100 million tons

ciy: Budapest

Source: DG REGIO, Wikipedia

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with tourists and operators who are seeking to boost theregions prole. Tourist operators are considering developinga specic Danube label, which will increase the visibility andattractiveness of the region.

In June 2009, the European Council formally requested theEuropean Commission to prepare an EU Strategy for theDanube Region by the end of 2010. The European Commissionstarted a public consultation with relevant stakeholders,including regions, municipalities, international organisations,economic partners and civil society. Initially, the Commissionenvisaged three pillars for the strategy:

to improve connectivity and communication systems(covering in particular transport, energy issues and theinformation society);

to preserve the environment and to protect againstnatural risks;

and to reinforce the potential for socio-economicdevelopment

In the past few years the CoR has repeatedly highlighted theparticular importance of the Danube area in Europe and hascalled for the development of an EU Danube strategy. At the

initiative of the president of the regional assembly of Baden-Wrttemberg and former CoR president P sb, aninterregional group on the Danube area was set up at theend of 2008. This group brings together regional and localrepresentatives from regions along the Danube in Germany,

Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria, as well asguest members from Croatia and Serbia. Its goal is to boost thevisibility of the Danube area in Brussels and to represent theinterests of the regions involved at European level.In October 2009, the Committee of the Regions presenteda report on an EU strategy for the Danube area, proposingconcrete elds of action and underlining the central role ofregions and cities in its planning and implementation. Thereport was prepared by Wlf ri, European aairsminister of the State of Baden-Wrttemberg and adopted at theCoR plenary session in October 2009.

The blue band of the Danube has always connected people,cities and regions across borders. In addition, the Danube areabrings together EU Member States, candidates for accessionand neighbouring countries. Building on their practicalexperiences within the framework of existing cooperation andnetworks, the CoR is proposing concrete elds of action for theDanube strategy. The scope of the suggested measures rangesfrom the development of transport infrastructure and cross-border cooperation in ood protection to joint concepts forsustainable tourism and culture.

Seeing the Danube area as a single major unit is also a

prerequisite for its sustainable economic development. TheCoR has pointed out that in the current 2007-2013 structuralfunds programming period the Danube area is split into twooverlapping development areas, and has therefore called on theEU institutions to treat it as one single unit in the next period.

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Since its foundation in February2009, the CoR-Intergroup NorthSea-English Channel concentratedits work on strengthening theco-operation of the regions in theNorth Sea-Channel area. Its mainfocus is the development of a

North Sea-Channel Strategy which is embedded in thebroader discussion of macro-regional concepts on EU-leveland intends to create a new level of cooperation betweenthe supranational Community, the Member States and theregions around the North Sea and the Channel.

The North Sea-English Channel part of the conference,which was organised in close co-operation with the NorthSea Commission (NSC) of the CPMR, will provide theopportunity to discuss the initiative with politicians fromthe regions, representatives from the European institutionsand stakeholders. Moreover, the conference will allow theexchange of experience with the advanced strategies forthe Baltic Sea and the Danube region.

h K

Member of the regional assembly of Bremen and Chairman of

the CoR Intergroup North Sea-English Channel

as to the larger North Sea ecosystem, with birds and marinemammals most aected. The North Sea has some of the mostdiv cl bi in the world, ranging from large ordsto sandy beaches and marsh lands, home to a wide variety ofanimal and plant life. Much of the greater European drainagebasin eventually ows into the North Sea, which means that itseconomic and environmental problems are closely related tothose of western and northern Europe.

The seven EU countries (Sweden, Denmark, Germany, theNetherlands, Belgium, France and the United Kingdom) plus

Norway that encircle the North Sea and the English Channelshare a long and eventful history. Control over, and accessto the North Sea has played a pivotal part in the history ofthis part of Europe. The area quickly became one of the maincentres of international commerce in the western hemisphere,and was of key strategic importance in the expansion of, forexample, the Dutch and British empires. After World War II,the North Sea-English Channel area traded its military andgeopolitical role for a solely economic one. It has since grownto be one of the bi ii i in the world, home

to some of the worlds biggest cargo ports such as Rotterdam,Hamburg and Antwerp. Over 400 ships pass through the Straitsof Dover every day and also the Kiel Canal, connecting theNorth Sea to the Baltic, is another shipping route with heavytrac. The southern parts of the North Sea are Europes mainshery, with shing being a major economic factor for many ofthe bordering regions and the whole North Sea is an importantsource for oil and gas exploitation. Furthermore, its coasts are amajor tourist destination.

The major cic dvlp of the region, however,has brought with it serious consequences for the environment.Fish stocks have been depleted drastically in recent decades

as a consequence of eutrophication, continued overshing,the introduction of alien species and heavy construction oncoastal breeding grounds. Dense maritime trac has also led toa greater accident rate, which is one of the reasons behind thehigh number of oil spills occurring in the North Sea. Accordingto some estimates, up to 100 000 tons of oil are dumped orotherwise leaked into the North Sea every year. Illegal andaccidental pollution from other hazardous chemical substancesis a serious concern too, posing a threat to humans as well

north sea-engLish channeL area

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Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged

Photo credits: Fotolia/Jakub Niezabitowski: p.3,

Spanish Government: p.3, European Parliament: p.4,Heinz Dieter Galonska: p.6, Fotolia/Jerome Delahaye: cover page, p.8

Committee of the Regions: p.2, p.5, p.7, p.8, p.10

European Commission: p.2, p.9, p.11

Conference brochure

2010 12 p. 21x29,7 cm

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Europes Macro-RegionsIi iilc-pi13 April 2010, Committee of the Regions, Brussels, Rue Belliard 101

Published in April 2010

Committee of the Regions

Directorate for Communication, Press and Protocol

Rue Belliard 101

B-1040 Brussels

On 13 April 2010, the Committee of the Regions will welcome morethan 300 regional representatives, experts and other stakeholders fromexisting and emerging macro-regions to discuss issues related to strategydevelopment and other themes of common interest. Organised in thecontext of the existing EU strategies for macro-regions and those underdebate, the following questions will be addressed:

What lessons can be drawn from existing and emerging macro-regionalstrategies?

What is the role of local and regional authorities in the developmentand implementation of macro-regional strategies?

To which extent can macro-regions be comprehensive in theirapproach, covering several policy areas?

Should macro-regions become a means to deliver signicantEU funding?

What can macro-regions deliver in terms of economic andenvironmental benets?

More information and the proceedings of the event can be found at:www.cor.europa.eu/macroregions

Europe's Macro-Regions, 13 April 2010

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