Interregional Conference Pécs 19 th of October 2010

Interreg IVC programme Aims at: –Increasing the efficiency of the regional development public policies –Increasing the competitiveness of the European Union By: –Allowing the exchange of experiences and knowledges –Associating less experienced with more experienced regions –Developing the transfer of good practices from one region to another

Interreg IVC programme 2 thematic priorities: Innovation and the knowledge economy –Innovation, research and technological development –SMEs and entrepreneurship –The information society –Employment and education Environment and risks prevention –Natural risks –Water management, waste management –energy management, sustainable transport – biodiversity…

Interreg IVC programme Eligible countries: EU + Norway & Switzerland ERDF budget: about 300 Million Euros Cofinancing rate: 75% ERDF Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, UK. 85% ERDF Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia. 50%Norway

Interreg IVC programme Programme status: ProjectsProposedApprovedERDF Capitalisation projects 3913€ 20,603, Regional Initiative projects € 173,746, TOTAL € 194,349, capitalisation projects approved during the 3rd call (10 Million Euros) About 100 Million Euros remain for the 4 th and last call

Interreg IVC programme More information on Interreg IV website:

Birth of ICER project  Futourism: a strong partnership and new know-how  Identification of common needs  Launching of the project idea in year 2007  ICER approved on the 5 th of November 2009 by the Interreg IVC Monitoring Committee in Stockholm

1. Regional Committee for Tourism Development of Auvergne (France), lead partner 2. Shannon Development (Ireland) 3. South Transdanubian Regional Development Agency (Hungary) 4. Provincial government of Valladolid (Spain) 5. City of Lahti (Finland) 6. Ministry of Gozo (Malta) 7. Regional Development Agency Mura Ltd. (Slovenia) 7 partners, 7 countries

Comp. 1: Management and coordination Resp. partner: Regional Committee for Tourism Development of Auvergne Comp. 2: Communication Resp. partner: South Transdanubian Regional Development Agency Comp. 3: Exchange of experiences Resp. partner: Regional Committee for Tourism Development of Auvergne & Regional Development Agency Mura Ltd. Shared responsibilities

Main issue addressed by the project How to increase the attractiveness of rural regions regarding eco friendly tourist investors? A need and a will to develop the regional economy thanks to the creation of tourist companies

Different aspects of the problematic 5 main issues to deal with:  Economic development of the rural areas  Environment protection  Modernization of the tourist positioning of the regions involved in the project  Improvement of the tourist supply marketing  Creation of a new way of consuming “green” tourism.

Methodology of the project  Identification of good practices at the public policy level  Exchange and dissemination of those good practices  Improvement of the public policies dedicated to tourist development

Budget forecast  Total budget (for 3 years): About 1,8 million Euros  ERDF funds: 1,41 million Euros i.e. 78,4 % of the total.  Lead partner’s Budget: € (including ERDF €)  Average budget of partners: €

Planned Activities 1.Analysis of the tourist context of the partner regions 2.Analysis of the public policies in the partner regions 3.Study visits to meet investors and public decision makers 4.Regional meetings with tourist actors and investors 5.Publication of a “recommendations book for public stake holders” 6.Information and communication targeting the tourist actors and the policy maker, during the all life of the project

Project time plan 1.Analysis of the public policies in the partner regions: Second semester Exchanges between partners (study visits, technical meetings): Second semester 2010 and first semester Regional meetings with tourist actors and investors: Second semester Publication of a “recommendations book”: First semester End of the project: December 2012

First good practices identified during the study visit in Valladolid (Spain) Paradores: State owned accommodation company Tourism policy instrument which projects the image of modernity and quality of our tourism abroad and which contributes to the territorial integration, to the recovery and maintenance of Historical and Artistic Heritage and to the conservation and enjoyment of natural areas, all the while functioning as a driving force behind the set of revitalising actions in areas with reduced tourism or economic activity

First good practices identified during the study visit in Valladolid (Spain) Finca Matallana tourist center A multidisciplinary visitors center dedicated to heritage, agriculture, lanscape… Various “profit centers”: top quality restaurant, school tourism facilities (dormitories, dedicated restaurant…)

First good practices identified during the study visit in Gozo (Malta) Eco-Gozo policy ( Integrated public policy aiming at transforming Gozo island and Gozitan society into a sustainable realty Different fields covered: agriculture, tourism, the environment, water management, education, energy, research, waste management, transport, cultural heritage…

The “Farmhouses” accommodation concept Quality self-catering accommodation Traditional buildings only (old or new) Services provided to customers First good practices identified during the study visit in Gozo (Malta)

Interregional Conference Pécs 19 th of October 2010