The Paths of Europe is a project of promotion and marketing It involves the territories crossed by the two great pilgrimage routes (European Cultural Itineraries) Via Francigena Cammino di Santiago

The hystory of the project Conceived and set up in Leader II ( ) 2 Lag partners: SOPRIP (I) and PORTODEMOUROS (S) Actions: common trademark, informative/promotional materials, twinning between municipalities, web site The limit of the cooperation was the restricted representativeness of the two LAG partners

LEADER +: The new objectives Relaunch, develop and consolidate the cooperation experience set up between 1997 and 2001 during Leader II Extend and strengthen the project partnership network Develop local resources through the implementation of action directed at supporting local products Ensure a future for the cooperation experience

Partners ITALY SOPRIP S.p.A Garfagnana Ambiente e Sviluppo Sviluppo Lunigiana Leader Vallèe dAoste Leader SPAIN Portodemouros Val do Limia Terra de Celanova Ribeira Sacra Lucense FRANCE Artois Lys Other Groups interested in taking part Antico Frignano (I) Titerno (I)

Budget TOTAL Promotion and coordination costs , ,00 Other shared costs , ,00 Local action , ,00 TOTAL , ,00

The organization LAG Planning and implementation of strategic contents Public Local Authorities Operational instruments Local Action Groups E.E.I.G. Common operative structure

The actions Initiatives common to the two routes Actions to strenghthen the two touristic products, Via Francigena and Cammino di Santiago Local actions

The actions Initiatives common to the two routes Enlargement of the project partnership Creation of a E.E.I.G. Strategic operating marketing project Comunication project Web site

The actions Actions to strenghthen the two touristic products, Via Francigena and Cammino di Santiago Production of promotional and informative materials and national and regional guides Organisation of a series of publications in specialized magazine Planning of events on the route

The actions Local actions Every local Action Group has developed this part of the project in accordance with the specific needs of its own territory Opening of pathways Promotional materials Events Support to business concerns This part of activity is the one that involves the greatest financial investment for each Group

The E.E.I.G Objective: 1) Facilitate cooperation activities 2) Give continuity and stability to the cooperation and to the promo-marketing function Activities: Promotion of the trademark Paths of Europe Coordination of common projects Organization of events, marketing actions and commercial promotion of products (agricultural-food, craft, tourist, cultural, etc) Preparation of catalogues and participation at trade fairs

The E.E.I.G Activities: Organization of tourist packages intended for specific market niches Organization of the influx into the territories (tourist reception services) Designing and supplying the web site Elaboration of new project proposals Research of new opportunities of community funds

The head Lag role 1. the outline of the project and the preparation of the cooperation agreement 3. the management and coordination of the implementation of the project and the review of the project after the introduction of new partners 4. the financial coordination, checking the time scheduling of activities and relative costs 5. drawing up reports and implementation schedules aimed at assessing the projects physical, financial and procedural state of progress 6. the communication between Management Authorities, encouraging the flow of information between them

7. the coordination of partners presentation and Communication initiatives 8. liaison with national networks and with the European network 9. to manage operating relations with the E.E.I.G with regards to common actions, formalising assignments to the common structure also on behalf of the partners in the cooperation project 10. to organise meetings and exchanges between the partners 11. to develop contacts and relations with possible new partners, both at an institutional level and between the LAGs, aimed at extending the partnership network.

The partner role 1. Communication to the respective AGs of all changes and updates regarding the project 2. The organisation of meetings and exchanges between partners in the respective territories 3. The development of contacts and relations with possible new partners 4. The involvement of local administrations and economic and social operators in the relative territories in the project

5. The development of information relating to the two routes in the territories of their concern 6. The divulgation of information relating to the progress of the project with regards to their territories 7. Reciprocal information to partners about all the initiatives at a local level which may be of interest to the single partners 8. Acknowledgement and coverage of the costs for common actions managed by the common legal structure E.E.I.G

The problem Within the same country (e.g. Italy): - each regional authority has adopted different procedures - diversified interpretations regarding certain management aspects, such as the role and activity of the common structure, the methods for accounting for costs sustained, etc. Between different countries (e.g. Italy, Spain and France) - there are no institutionalised opportunities for discussion on the projects - the partners in the project are obliged to search for a synthesis between the different regulations of the various States We need to create opportunities for the Regional Authorities of the various countries involved to meet together and to clarify, once and for all, the aspects that today still remain unclear. Relationship between LAGs, the E.E.I.G. and Regional Auth.