ESPON TeDi Territorial Diversity in the European and national perspective Suceava 21st of July 2010 Senior Adviser Odd Godal

Erik Gløersen The project rationale The Territorial Agenda stressed that policy orientations and actions should contribute towards overall policy goals like Gothenburg and Lisbon strategy. All types of regions through out Europe contribute towards common goals like sustainable growth, employment etc But challenges and opportunities differ from region to region In order to contribute to overall goals regions need to develop strategies based on their comparative advantages

Erik Gløersen Thematic scope for the targeted analysis It is often assumed that only metropolitan areas and major urban areas can significantly contribute towards overall policy goals A comprehensive territorial cohesion policy should not only take account of territorial cohesion but also take account of territorial diversity In this respect there is a need to develop differentiated regional and spatial policies which fit the potentials present in the individual region or areas Questions we would like to see addressed where how to ensure a sustainable development based on regional comparative advantages, improve the foundation of development and develop actions that enable the targeted regions

Erik Gløersen Stakeholders Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Norway (Lead Stakeholder) Ministry for Regional Development and Tourism Romania Ministry of Employment and Economy, Finland Swiss Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE, Switzerland Department of Town Planning and Housing, Ministry of the Interior, Cyprus National Rural Development Agency, Sweden Malta Environment & Planning, Malta

Erik Gløersen The ESPON TeDi project team - Island Consulting Services, Malta - University of Akureyri, Iceland

Erik Gløersen Demographic trends

Erik Gløersen Economic activities  Diversity of situations Relative importance of -Agriculture -Services -Manufacturing  Diversity of situations

Erik Gløersen Ensuring a sustainable development based on regional comparative advantages -The assets are generally well identified -However, the analysis of exploitation of regional comparative advantages are generally insufficent. One way of approaching this is a systematic approch based on three key factors: -Local natrual resources -Human capital -Institutional context/governance -Territorial approach can make this easier to handle  However territories should not be considered in isolation

Erik Gløersen Inputs to European policy debates Conceptual clarifications needed: (1) Level of performance ≠ Structural obstacles to growth  More than average scores ≠ good scores  Geographically specific area ≠ Lagging area (2) Economic importance ≠ Economic weight (3) Balanced, harmonious and sustainable development requires more than economic growth  geographic specificities may help identifying contradictions and mutually beneficial effects of different types of policies

Erik Gløersen Inputs to European policy debates Dealing with geographic specificities is often about creating new types of connections between areas - Within regions - Across regional and national boundaries  Compensating for imbalances in flows  Creating alliances through which actors can strengthen the robustness and resilience of their local communities  Gaining greater weight in economic and political systems dominated by main urban areas At the European scale, a change of focus of territorial policies, incorporating the sub-regional scale is required to encourage and accompany these processes. The focus should be on potentials rather than on relative performance

Erik Gløersen Suceava – Development opportunities and challenges Development opportunities Extensive natural and cultural heritage to capitalise on Further economic potential based on products from agriculture, forestry Well developed, efficient rural school system Existence of LEADER-like networks of rural stakeholders Potential European interface to Ukraine and Moldova Main challenges Need for improvement to the transport infrastructure especially rural secondary roads Many small agricultural households Difficult conversion from subsistence farming to commercial farming Obsolete agricultural production facilites Unstable legal and fiscal environment

Erik Gløersen Alba - Development opportunities and challenges Development opportunities High quality agricultural production in small mountain communities Local handicraft production Development of agro-turism Develop the potential of some mountain areas as winter and summer tourism destinations Existence of LEADER-like networks of rural stakeholders Main challenges Improving access to basic services especially in rural areas Difficult conversion process in mono-industrial towns with high unemployment Limited external investment Environmental issues linked to waste management and pollution in the Apunesi Mountains