INTERREG IIIC Sharing experiences, improving

policies

2. Past, Present and Future

DG Regio+CoR OPEN DAYS: Workshop RG09Brussels, 28 September 2004Michel Lamblin, INTERREG IIIC West

Interregional cooperation

the Pastthe Past

Historical review

The Hanseatic LeagueDuration of the operation: 5 centuries (1200-1700)Theme: economic and political cooperationLead Partner: Lübeck (free imperial city)Partners: approx. 200 towns (such as Wismar, Rostock, Hambourg, Ryga, Cologne...) and 4 main counters (foreign trading post) in London, Bruges, Bergen and Novgorod.Priorities: - to secure shipping activities against pirates and brigands- to protect common commercial interestType of partnership: each member contributed financially and through military forces but there was neither a legal framework, nor a common council

Results:- 127 Hanse Diets or congresses between 1356 and 1669 - creating the innovative ship design – Baltic cog (average size of 100 lasts) and innovative facilities of harbours (piers, quays, landing…)- wide network of secure business and common interest- origins of cohesion policy – economic cooperation contributed to Northern European integration

Lessons learnt:- a critical mass is necessary to achieve innovation- networking facilitates innovation- an effective network expands its positive influence widely in Europe- well-structured legal framework needed (responsibilities, transparency and partner obligation)- budget for meetings needed

Poverty assistance: cooperation between Lille, Ieper and AntwerpDuration: 2 centuries (1508-1700)Theme: social affairsLead Partner: LillePartners: Ieper, AntwerpPriorities: To cope with the problem of poverty assistance Type of partnership: Lille used the solutions experienced in Antwerp and IeperDescription of the Antwerp model: Supra-parish model-4 chaplains in charge of poor people (receiving and redistributing charity gifts, buying and lending basic products)-2 or 3 people in each parish in charge of collecting for charity on Sundays and holidays

Results: Visible results, but poverty continued because of insufficient financial resources, and additional negatives factors (wars, crises and plague) Description of Ieper model:-Prohibition of beggary, except for people recognized to be in need (those were obliged to carry symbol of red and yellow Lily flower on their sleeves). -5 clerks (one per each parish) appointed to discuss the issues at the municipal centralised level; and 4 other persons in each parish appointed to collect and distribute the aid-Placement of all the collected resources in a common fund. Results: Very satisfactory. In view of the success of the assistance model in Ieper and Antwerp, Charles Quint decided to generalise this model for the whole Netherlands

Lessons learned: Need for a continuous monitoring

Interregional cooperation

the Present

an efficient management structure Present / Past :

• The European Community ensures the conditions for good cooperation (peace, common market, Euro …, economic, social and territorial cohesion)

• IIIC reduces the time span (years instead of centuries)

• IIIC professionalizes cooperation (helpdesk, database, indicators, evaluation – outputs, results, impacts - )

• IIIC is visible and recognised by all public authorities

• IIIC is a tight-knit administration

• IIIC is close to the Regions

• IIIC is managed by liable and solvent public authorities

INTERREG IIICas a public devolution system…

Member States + EC

Managing Authority

Lead Partner (public)

ERDF + regulations

Lead Participants (RFO only)

ERDF + regulations

ERDF + regulations

… is a moderntool for new governance

Interregional cooperation

Objective Cooperation

• to mainstream interregional cooperation is feasible for existing partnerships, but will it be sufficient to develop cooperation ?

• different ways and subsidy rates to support interregional cooperation: simplification ?

• an integrated mechanism as IIIC can develop cooperation between Regions and combine a top-down approach for the promotion of cooperation and a bottom-up emergence of operations

• interregional partnerships take time to develop; it is important to maintain the trust developed

So, what programme for the future?• what topics ? - research, technology, innovation, entrepreneurship - environmt, risk prevention, biodiversity, energy efficiency - employment, social matters, governance ?

• what types of operations ? (Networks, Indiv. Projects, RFOs?)

• what ranges for subsidies ? ( 1M€, 5M€ ?)

… the four Managing Authorities of the existing IIIC programmes already launched an analysis about what could be simplified and improved in the existing IIIC programmes; they put the experience of the Secretariats at the disposal of the EC services