Territorial Cooperation and Territorial Cohesion Results of the consultation on the consultation Input to TCUM seminar 25 September 2009 | Brussels

The challenges are clear – Is Territorial Cohesion part of the solution? Globalisation, climate change, energy supply, demographic change Individual solutions will be ineffective: We need a European adjustment to these challenges Our thinking, our inspirations and our solutions cannot afford to be limited by administrative boundaries Cooperation should be at the heart of policy development to face these challenges Clearly other challenges could be mentioned but these are frequeently cited at the moment.

1. Territorial Cooperation is essential to harmonious territorial development For removing the barrier effect of borders (physical, administrative, economic, cultural and mental barriers) For providing a development framework beyond the national level (macro-regions) For ensuring the flow of new ideas throughout Europe With better links needed between different implementation levels and with European and national sectoral initiatives Concentration, connection, cooperation and limitation i.e. ETC INTERREG A, B and C

2. Balancing diversity & the need for focus Flexibility is needed in programming but focus is needed during implementation Accept that every programme area is different but that all should be expected to show progress on the main challenges from their different starting points Enthusiasm for the strategy approach: Provides link to national policy and instruments Creates a counter-balance to ’shopping list’ approach - Promotes objective / result based projects Need to clearly identify in the regualtions the challenges that can be most effectively addressed by this instrument and require that programmes remain close to these challenges during the programming process.

Promoting Territorial Cohesion means many different things Degrees of cooperation. 1 = least developed (but necessary first steps of) cooperation 6. Implementation - Joint implementation of a project, efficient project management, fulfilment of requirements by each partner 5. Decision - Binding commitment of partners, partnership agreements 4. Strategy / Planning - Defining joint objectives and developing a concrete project 3. Coordination / Representation - Creating a joint partnership structure, first allocation of functions and roles 2. Information - Developing (targeted) exchange of information, building basic cooperation structures and trust, shaping a project idea 1. Meeting - Getting to know partners, learning about motivation, interests, needs, skills, expectations, cultural and structural aspects

3. Making better use of good practice and experience Territorial Cooperation offers a holistic (cross-sectoral) approach to specific challenges. Territorial Cooperation could be the laboratory, playground, classroom and testing ground for our future mainstream policies But good practice sometimes poorly understood, extracted and recorded. Project approval should not be the end point of programme delivery Better need to understand what is achieved and how it is achieved. What is a good result? Potential of centres of excellence as a tool for capturing and conserving thematic good practice?

4. The role of the INTERACT support programme? Cooperation is a specialist field – with a corresponding need for training, management support and trust building Programmes should focus on content - not management and administrative procedures Someone should provide a Europe-wide perspective of programme performance (KEEP) Territorial Cooperation (and sectoral programmes) need an effective mechanism for sharing results – the final step in knowledge exchange

Closing comments Territorial Cohesion is a gradual process. Our role is to consider sensible next steps rather than expect to make it happen tomorrow We can focus existing instruments better, improve application of e.g. Partnership Principle, strengthen the link to national funding and sectoral initiatives – and more But significant change to structures will almost certainly impact simplification and N+2/3 There are mant ways this policy could be delivered but the wishes expressed in the consultation exercise could also generally be achieved through adjustment to the existing instruments. Certainly, more radical approaches are possible but remember that they do not come without a price.

Thank you very much for your attention. Please don´t hesitate to contact us for further information or visit www.interact-eu.net