1. The Draft Operational Programme Objective 3 Transnational territorial cooperation 2007-2013 North West Europe IIIB NWE Joint Technical Secretariat, Lille, 24 July 2006

2. Draft NWE Transnational Programme 2007-2013 Cooperation area – as under Interreg IIIB Countries within NWE area Belgium France Germany Ireland Luxemburg Netherlands United Kingdom Switzerland (as external partner)

3. Draft NWE Transnational Programme 2007-2013 Cooperation area – some key figures 844,239 square km, 21% of EU25 area 179 million people, 39,5% of EU25 population 307 inhabitants/sqkm, EU25 average 118 inh/sqkm 75% of population live in urbanised areas with more than 500 inhabitants/sqkm 23% of cooperation area is sparsely populated (180,000 sqkm)

4. 1.Introduction 2.Analysis of the North West Europe programme area 3.The joint transnational strategy 4.Priorities for transnational territorial cooperation, priority objectives and possible actions 5.Strategic initiatives 6.Programme Management (to be completed) 7.Publicity (to be completed) 8.Financial Plan (to be completed) Draft NWE Transnational Programme 2007-2013 - Contents -

5. “The Objective 3 North West Europe Programme, through an innovative and integrated approach of transnational cooperation on territorial issues and by building on NWE's territorial potentials, aims to achieve a more cohesive, balanced and sustainable development of the NWE area, and thus to contribute to the overall competitiveness of the Community territory in a globalised world.” Draft NWE Transnational Programme 2007-2013 - Programme Aim -

6. Priority 1: Developing the NWE knowledge-based economy by capitalising on our capacity for innovation in all sectors Priority 2: Managing our natural resources efficiently Priority 3: Improving connectivity in NWE by promoting intelligent and sustainable transport solutions Priority 4: Promoting sustainable and dynamic communities Draft NWE Transnational Programme 2007-2013 - Priorities -

7. Priority 1: Developing the NWE knowledge-based economy by capitalising on our capacity for innovation in all sectors The overall aim of the priority is to improve the global competitiveness and territorial cohesion of NWE by strengthening the innovative potentials and knowledge-based economy and the mobilisation of regional and local potentials through transnational cooperation

8. Priority 1: Developing the NWE knowledge-based economy by capitalising on our capacity for innovation in all sectors Objective 1: to promote the application of knowledge by facilitating the transfer of innovations and knowledge from the scientific/academic community to businesses and other relevant actors Objective 2: to develop new, and strengthen existing, growth clusters and networks by building on endogenous potentials Objective 3: to improve the ‘innovation climate’ in NWE by addressing institutional barriers and to appropriately respond to the spatial implications from the ‘knowledge economy’

9. Priority 2: Managing our natural resources efficiently The overall aim of the priority is to promote an innovative and sustainable approach to natural resource management, risk management and the enhancement of the natural environment.

10. Priority 2: Managing our natural resources efficiently Objective 1: To promote an innovative and sustainable approach to natural resource management, including water, biodiversity and energy, and to minimise greenhouse gas emissions Objective 2: To promote an innovative approach to risk management, in particular water management (impacts of sea level rise on coastal areas and flood risk; the marine environment) in the context of climate change Objective 3: To promote a transnational and spatial approach to improving the quality of soil, water and air

11. Priority 3: Improving connectivity in NWE by promoting intelligent and sustainable transport solutions The overall aim of the priority is to improve the functional integration of NWE through improved connectivity and accessibility by promoting sustainable transport connections for both passengers and freight on rail, waterways and sea for the transnational territory and beyond; through achieving a more sustainable modal shift and through promoting advanced ICT to achieve better connectivity and making better use of existing transport infrastructure.

12. Priority 3: Improving connectivity in NWE by promoting intelligent and sustainable transport solutions Objective 1: to manage transport growth through optimisation of the capacity of existing (unimodal) transport infrastructure for both passenger and freight transport Objective 2: to support effective and innovative multi- modal strategies and efficient inter-operable systems on land and water Objective 3: to develop innovative approaches to the use of ICT and/or ITS aimed at reducing the need to travel and replacing physical mobility through virtual activity for both passenger mobility and freight transport

13. Priority 4: Promoting sustainable and dynamic communities at transnational level The overall aim of this priority is to Strengthen the balance and sustainability of NWE's settlement structure through improved transnational governance for urban networking, urban-rural, inter-rural and shore- hinterland partnerships, thus contributing to sustainable growth and jobs in the cooperation area.

14. Priority 4: Promoting sustainable and dynamic communities at transnational level Objective 1: to strengthen urban nodes and networks at transnational level by promoting social and economic development through cooperation between cities and towns, thus contributing to the competitiveness of NWE overall Objective 2: to improve the transnational performance of natural environment and cultural heritage and to strengthen urban-rural relationships that contribute to a balanced and competitive development of the NWE territory overall Objective 3: to promote a transnational response to the spatial impacts of demographic change and migration on the NWE territory, and the implications for education and the labour market (supply and demand of skills across the territory)

15. Draft NWE Transnational Programme 2007-2013 Strategic Initiatives – transnational development corridors The Member States involved in the NWE Programme will particularly encourage a number of initiatives for transnational action which are of particular strategic relevance for achieving the NWE Programme aim and priority objectives. These strategic initiatives are expected to be primarily developed along potential transnational ‘development corridors’ in NWE in order to align the economic potential along existing and planned multiple transport axes.

16. IWP1:19 January, Lille IWP2:10 February, Brussels IWP3:13-14 March, Paris IWP4:9-10 May, Lille IWP5:19-21June, The Hague IWP6:10-11 July, Brussels IWP7:11-12 September, Bonn IWP8:17-18 October, Glasgow IWP9:13-14 November, Brussels IWP10:6-7 December Draft NWE Transnational Programme 2007-2013 - Timetable International Working Party (IWP) - November 2006: Draft Operational Programme to Commission Spring 2007: OP Approval Late Spring 2007: First Monitoring Committee meeting and First call for project proposals

17. How can you take part in the programming process? Participate in public consultation and regional discussion in your country in August and September Draft programme draft is online on the NWE website www.nweurope.orgwww.nweurope.org Draft NWE Transnational Programme 2007-2013

18. What we (the IWP) would like to know is 1.Do you feel that the analysis of the present situation as described in chapter 2 is accurate and the assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the North West Europe area is appropriate? Please give details of any other relevant material relating to the socio-economic, environmental and territorial state of the area! Draft NWE Transnational Programme 2007-2013 - Questionnaire for the Consultation Process -

19. 2.Are you generally in favour of the proposed strategy as described in chapter 3 and of the priorities and objectives outlined in chapter 4? 3.Do you have any suggestions for actions requiring transnational cooperation which could bring additional benefit for the development of the area? Draft NWE Transnational Programme 2007-2013 - Questionnaire for the Consultation Process -

20. 4.The programme would welcome comments on the use of the proposed territorial corridors and zones in chapter 5 as a strategic approach for actively encouraging the development of integrated projects covering both more than one of the programme's priorities as well as different sectoral policies. Thank you very much for your contribution! Draft NWE Transnational Programme 2007-2013 - Questionnaire for the Consultation Process -