1. Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic MEETING OF DIRECTORS GENERAL “Territorial Cohesion” The Implementation of Action 1.1a (Urban – Rural Relations) Top Hotel Prague, 18 May 2009

2. Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic CONTENTS OF THE PRESENTATION Putting Urban-Rural Relations into Context Procedure of Work and Method Used by the Implementation of Action 1.1a Current Status and Outputs Next Steps and Future Outputs within the Implementation

3. Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic PERCEIVED CONNECTION Fragmented settlement of the CR Close connection rate Certain proposal for coordination is missing Based on the EU (OECD) methodology – Czech space is mostly defined as rural areas Process of sub-urbanization (increasing need for public investments, infrastructure, etc.) Prevent from declining regions Consider a diversification of the European space Fragmentation of territorial and urban development

4. Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTIVITY 1.1a (URBAN – RURAL RELATIONS) The Mf.RD assumed the responsibility for the implementation of action 1.1a (during the Slovenian Presidency) 2008-2010 timeframe The objective is to create and promote guidelines and policy measures in order to support the coordination between both urban and territorial development (titled Urban-Rural Relations) The working group has been established  (partners: Austria, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Turkey and representatives of the EC (DG Regio), CEMR, AEBR and University of Economics in Prague, and the Union of Towns and Municipalities of the CR)

5. Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND OF THE URBAN – RURAL RELATION The Territorial Agenda of the EU = ESDP (European Spatial Development Perspective) + Lisbon Strategy + new territorial challenges Development of balanced and polycentric urban system, and new urban – rural partnership, etc. First Action Programme for the Implementation of the TA of the EU (1AP) 1 AP 2007-2011 Close connection with the Leipzig Charter on Sustainable European Cities

6. Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTIVITY 1.1a (URBAN – RURAL REALATIONS) – working group (WG) “need to elaborate a contribution to support the polycentric development and innovation through the networking of regions and city regions” To answer the strategic questions To assess the current status of the urban-rural relations and To find the possible solutions (proposals) To result from the Slovenian conclusions (based on 1.1) On 13 October 2008 – first meeting of WG On 3 March 2009 – second meeting of WG

7. Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTIVITY 1.1a (URBAN – RURAL REALATIONS) – working group STRATEGIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED How is the urban-rural relations issue solved at both the European and national level? What are the key topics of the linkages (relations) between urban and rural spaces, and their future perspective? What kinds of tools are available to ensure the optimization of the linkages between urban and rural space, and their future perspective? What are the existing tools for solution of key differences between urban and rural space? What kind of potential obstacles could we face by dealing with this issue, and finding the proposals for solving the given issue?

8. Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic METHOD USED AND PHASES OF WORKING INTERIM REPORT Reflection of current documents and studies at both the European and national level  Desk research of available relevant 103 documents  Selected criteria for the documents assessment (relevance; focus; document type; coverage; document pattern/nature) Synthetic analysis of case studies dealing with this issue (provided by partners – Norway, Cyprus and Finland + UK) Synthesis of results and proposed framework solution two meeting of working group took place in Prague

9. Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic CRITICAL ISSUES FOR URBAN-RURAL RELATIONS Difference between old and new EU MS in the context of urban- rural issue and its implementation Challenge to use best-practices in new EU Member states with regard to specific conditions (confrontation with bad practices as well) Stimulation of bottom-up approach Binding force versus ways of implementation Need to understand the issue as complex topic wide scope focus based Lack of data at regional and local level

10. Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic INTERIM REPORT / current outputs Proposed framework of further direction of urban-rural relations o Result from the Slovenian conclusions of 1.1 o Reflect the results from the provided case studies, and answers to strategic questions o Conceived based on individual levels o European, o national and o regional/local level)

11. Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic INTERIM REPORT Proposed framework of further direction of urban-rural relations European level More systematic reflection of urban-rural issues in programming documents Practical application of new concepts Modification of European policies

12. Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic INTERIM REPORT – RECOMMENDATIONS The level of EU Member States To promote tools for integration of cities and their rural surrounding by means of: Establishment of transport systems supplying transport services in the city and its surroundings (work and services) Tourism, recreational and leisure time activities To strengthen urban-rural partnership To promote the preparation of key strategic infrastructural, educational and other projects To promote common exploitation of renewable sources in the territory To ensure a database for the assessment of urban-rural relations and to promote research of these issues

13. Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic INTERIM REPORT – RECOMMENDATIONS The Regional/local level partnerships, cooperation and complementarity of urban-rural To use the potential of small and medium/sized towns to the polycentric development Fostering public services Utilization of the educational potential Prevention of risks and coordination of their solution, etc. to deepen coordination of available instruments focused on territorial development (experience with the operation of financial engineering instruments….) To improve the functioning of public administration, etc.

14. Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic GENERAL CONCLUDING REMARKS Reflection of the urban-rural issue in programming documents Application of the strategic and complex approach to the territory coherence and hierarchy implemented policies (principle of subsidiarity) and programmes (EU, national…) and regular evaluation of impacts

15. Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic FUTURE STEPS AND UPCOMING WORKING PROCESS To complete the Interim report informing on the fulfillment situation of the action 1.1a of the 1.AP Respond to comments Third meeting of WG To prepare the final report of Action 1.1a (date is not yet scheduled)

16. Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic URBAN – RURAL LINKAGES Close co-operation with the European Commission – DG REGIO (Activities on urban-rural linkages carried-out by the EC)

17. Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. PAVEL NOVOTNÝ pavel.novotny@mmr.cz www.eu2009.cz