CENTURIO DISSEMINATION SEMINAR 21-24th September 2005 Szolnok, Hungary

1. CENTURIO DISSEMINATION SEMINAR 21-24th September 2005 Szolnok, Hungary Centurio Disemination Seminar 21-24th September 2005

2. ESTABLISHMENT AND IMPORTANCE OF NETWORKS WITHIN THE COOPERATION OF EUROPEAN REGIONS Orsolya Farkas Centurio Programme co-ordinator Assembly of European Regions Centurio Disemination Seminar 21-24th September 2005

3. Content of the presentation • Centurio network: establishment and implementation • Interregional cooperation: experiences and difficulties • Dissemination Conferences: thematic issues and outcome • Best practices: lessons learnt and transferred for the future Centurio Disemination Seminar 21-24th September 2005

4. Centurio network: establishment and implementation Centurio Disemination Seminar 21-24th September 2005

5. THE CENTURIO NETWORK:ESTABLISHMENT • Preparation: it has been a long and intense process involving the AER and all the Partner Regions (2002 - 2004) and the Programme was shaped to the needs of the Partner Regions • Objectives: exchanging experiences, fostering interregional cooperation and strengthening Regions’ self-development • Methodology:3 major types of activities (Partnership activities, Dissemination Conferences, Bridge activities) • Partnerships: mixed between old Member States, new Member States and third countries Centurio Disemination Seminar 21-24th September 2005

6. THE CENTURIO NETWORK:IMPLEMENTATION • General aim of the network: • To exchange and confront experiences in different sectors • To individuate and transfer best practices • To get in contact with specialists • To create a basis for future collaboration and exchange between regions • To identify new projects • To define a common interest area and to carry out the common development strategies • To learn and adapt new development approaches and concepts from each other Centurio Disemination Seminar 21-24th September 2005

7. THE CENTURIO NETWORK:IMPLEMENTATION • Methodology • Partnership activities: • Bi-lateral and/ or multi-lateral exchanges of experience • First-step activities and follow-up activities • Dissemination Conferences: • Organised every six months • Gathering all the network's actors and carrying out an evaluation • Bridge activities: • Supporting continuous interconnections between Partnerships • Allowing Partners to enrich the experience gained in their own Partnership Centurio Disemination Seminar 21-24th September 2005

8. THE CENTURIO NETWORK:IMPLEMENTATION • When is a network sufficient? • Cooperation: It allows developing common new projects • Continuity: It is a lasting cooperation between Regions • Contacts: It is a catalyst for future stable links • Communication: It has also a disseminative role Centurio Disemination Seminar 21-24th September 2005

9. Interregional cooperation: experiences and difficulties Centurio Disemination Seminar 21-24th September 2005

10. Experiences of the two semesters • Mixed Partnerships:Old EU Member States, Newcomers, Third Countries • High level of diversity:economic, social, structural, cultural differences • 1st phase= getting to know each other is over • 2nd phase= widening the cooperation • Evaluation by the Partner Regions:the Programme is very important (personal contacts, AER questionnaire) Centurio Disemination Seminar 21-24th September 2005

11. Difficulties of the two semesters • Different types of difficulties: • Difficulties for the Partner Regions • Diversity between the Partner Regions (not understanding the different competencies) - Lack of communication and dissemination of information • Shortness of the visits • Lack of funding • Difficulties for the Lead Partner (AER) • Lack of fulfilment of obligation, deadlines • Huge numbers of participants -Lack of communication and therefore dissemination of information (eg. Identification of speakers) • Resigned Partner Regions Centurio Disemination Seminar 21-24th September 2005

12. Dissemination of the results:Centurio Conferences Centurio Disemination Seminar 21-24th September 2005

13. Thematic issues and outcomes • 1st Dissemination Conference • 14-15 October 2004, Eger (Heves County, HU) • Conference on “The Future of Cohesion Policy in an Enlarged Europe” • Technical seminar on the managements of the SFs • Launching session of the Centurio Programme • 220 participants; 60% of the Centurio Regions (30/49) • 95% positive feed-back; good communication Centurio Disemination Seminar 21-24th September 2005

14. Thematic issues and outcomes • 2nd Dissemination Conference: • 5 May 2005, Ponta Delgada (Azores, PT) • Steering Committee Meeting + Partner Regions’ Meeting • Conference on “Promoting sustainable development: learning from region’s • experience” (Sections on PPP + 3 key areas of the Programme) • 94 participants; 39% of the Centurio Regions (19/49) • Positive feedbacks on the content, but no time for discussion Centurio Disemination Seminar 21-24th September 2005

15. Thematic issues and outcomes • 3rd Dissemination Conference • 13-14 October 2005, Kolding (Vejle, DK) • "Learning from Centurio" - new approach • Presentations on: learning in cross-regional projects, interculturalcommunication, various Partnership activities • Thematic workshops in the 3 key areas of the Programme • Expected results: enough participants, real dissemination, newsletter Centurio Disemination Seminar 21-24th September 2005

16. Best practices: lessons learnt and transferred for the future Centurio Disemination Seminar 21-24th September 2005

17. POSITIVE Learning new environment Establishing new contacts Exchanging mutual experience Developing new ideas for further cooperation NEGATIVE Not having enough time Not having enough budget Not having enough staff Not having the same conditions in project management What have we learned from Centurio? Centurio Disemination Seminar 21-24th September 2005

18. Best practices: Sustainable quality tourism • WILTSHIRE - MALTA • World Heritage Site management • Promoting sustainable tourism with focus on conservation problems, research frameworks, interpretation and education programs • UPPER AUSTRIA – OLOMOUC – ZLIN – FUNEN – HEVES • Management of the regional policy and tourism • Cross-boarder tourism projects • Forms and promotion of high quality tourism services (development and distribution of arrivals and overnight stays, development of accommodation supply, structure and financing, organizations and legal aspects, work of the tourist board, marketing and management services) • Relation between the development of tourism in the countryside and the adult education for people living in the area • EU activities • Form and support of regional innovation system and clusters • JASZ-NAGYKUN-SZOLNOK – ASTI – DURHAM – HARGHITA • Thematic marketing tools for ecotourism • Methods for preserving the region’s cultural and regional identity • New project ideas (mutual presentation of rural tourism heritage, Interreg proposal on ageing population, arboretum, establishing bilateral working links in the field of environmental authorities, research institutes and universities) • Common Assessment Framework quality management system, ISO, Commenius quality management system, EQM Centurio Disemination Seminar 21-24th September 2005

19. Best practices: Sustainable quality tourism BACAU - TRENTO - OLOMOUC • Perspectives for the greening of the tourism industry, (innovations and trends for promoting and marketing of the tourism products, networking, PPPs, new policies for sustainable tourism development, voluntary instruments as eco-labelling, innovative techniques and technologies for reducing the impact of tourism industry on environment, developing rural tourism) • Best practices of the tourism structure in providing health products • Strategy for Tourism Development – sustainable tourism, profitability, selective investments, direct marketing, PPPs VESZPRÉM - LAPLAND - COVASNA • Integrated development of tourism – cooperation with neighbouring settlements, initiation of local enterprises • How to use sustainable quality tourism as a tool for positive regional development • Department of Tourism at the University – university education, adult training, life-long learning, developing the science of sustainable tourism, projects for the development of small regions and for env. protection • The main challenges of improving tourism are partnerships (PPP), cooperation and coordination of destinations • Ways of observing tourism within national parks – nature based tourism • Tourism opportunities for generating business opportunities and jobs for local people • Potential for further development – churches, castle ruins, wine production yards, national parks and activity products, like horse holidays, development of cultural tourism, cultural sites and heritages • Further internationalization of high importance Centurio Disemination Seminar 21-24th September 2005

20. Best practices: Environmental protection TRENTO– MARAMURES – PAZARDJIK – VRATSA • Environmental protection, biological agriculture, • Wastewater management, urban waste management, wastewater treatment plants • Organic food market, organic land management, organic wine growing • Bio-dessicator, composting centre for rubbish OLOMOUC - VEJLE • Pilot project for environmental protection and environment-conscious firms based on the already existing system of the Green Network (Vejle, DK) • Strengthening the PPPs and forming it to the local needs • New approaches to communicate towards the private and public sector Centurio Disemination Seminar 21-24th September 2005

21. Best practices: Economic development • EMILIA-ROMAGNA – MOLISE – PRAHOVA – IASI • General presentation of the Region, legislative matters • SMS-s • Strategies for tourism and environmental issues • Management of Structural Funds • International cooperation (internationalization and international projects) • FLEVOLAND - OLOMOUC - MARAMURES • Sustainable transport and safety • Management and communication of Structural Funds • Equal chances • Regional representation is Brussels • Tourism and agricultural projects • ZLIN - ALSACE - GABROVO • Urban transport, road building, building of waterways, management of road network • Regional airport • Financing development of public transport and integrated transport system Centurio Disemination Seminar 21-24th September 2005

22. Best practices: Economic development • HAJDU-BIHAR - BIHOR • Functions of the Hajdu-Bihar – Bihor EuroRegion • Compatibility between Interreg and Phare Programs • Communication policy • Method of planning and consultation • LIMOUSIN - POMERANIA • Policy of sporting development and involve all partners, sport development in rural areas • Training and informing public and local users • Promote natural sites • Implementation of the Plan of Sport Recreation Development • Future cooperation in agriculture (breeding a special race of meat cow) • Implementation of the European water directive • FUNEN - IASI • Pre-accession Funds, Structural Funds • Continuous education for Local Public Administration • Institutional PPP • Metropolitan development • Environmental issues and approaches Centurio Disemination Seminar 21-24th September 2005

23. Best practices: Economic development • ZURICH – LVIV– MARAMURES – VALENCIA – CALABRIA • Best practices in economic development • Factors of a strong location • Clusters • Spatial planning and knowledge based economy • Services for SMS-s • Tourism and marketing in location development Centurio Disemination Seminar 21-24th September 2005

24. Possible solutions for the future • On the Partner Regions’ side: • Further deepening the cooperation, maybe not just have it limited to the most important centres of the regions • Organizing study visits in a length of 3-4 weeks – working together directly • On the Lead Partner’s (AER) side: • Continuation of the Centurio Programme • More active part in the preparation and implementation of the activities • Providing information on other project possibilities and future regulations Centurio Disemination Seminar 21-24th September 2005

25. Thank You For Your Attention!Orsolya FarkasPhone: +33 (0)3 88 22 74 32Fax: +33 (0)3 88 75 67 19Email: o.farkas@a-e-r.orgWebsite: www.a-e-r.org Centurio Disemination Seminar 21-24th September 2005