1 The Aquitaine-Basque Country Euro-region Consolidated cooperation between the two regions to achieve a significant place in Europe Miguel A. Crespo Basque Government ARFE – Istanbul May 2012

2 "Aquitaine-Basque Country"  Basque Country  History, Project - A common journey  What it is, goals, missions, governance - AECT - Goals and Missions - Governance  Policy lines  Guidelines Accessibility Inclusive and smart sustainable growth Regional identity

3 "Aquitaine-Basque Country" Where we are - Geographical location Basque Country: Institutional organisation - Spanish Constitution - Statue of Autonomy - Economic Agreement - Provinces Act Basque Country: Economic figures

4 "Basque Country: Where we are"

5 "Basque Country: Institutional organisation" Spanish Constitution (1978) - Establishes the State of the Autonomous Communities - Recognises the historical rights of the Basque provinces Statue of Autonomy (1979) - Organisation general principles - Sets out the own competences Economic Agreement (1981) - Agreement between the Spanish State and the Basque Autonomous Community - Re-establishes the tax capacity - The Quota Act establishes the amount to be paid to the State. Provinces Act (1984) - Internal organisation of the Basque Country. Three provinces: Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa Local System General Principles Act (1985) - Establishes the local competences in Spain

6 "Basque Country: Economic figures" Population : 2,169,038 inhabitants - Population density: inhabitants/Km ² - Ageing population Distribution of the GDP - Agriculture-fisheries: 1.47% - Industry: 32.68% - Construction: 7.74% - Services: 58.12% Available income: € 20,415 GDP in PPS = (EU=100) Export-focused economy Unemployment rate: 12.1% Spending on R&D (% GDP) : 2.08

7 "Aquitaine: Economic figures" Population : 3,227,400 inhabitants - Population density: 78.1 inhabitants/Km ² Available income: € 16,866 GDP in PPS = 95.9 (EU=100) Unemployment rate: 9.2% Economy focused on agriculture and tourism

8 The Aquitaine- Basque Country Euro-region History, Project

9 Aquitaine-Basque Country A common journey …  International cooperation relations between the two regions for decades  Good neighbours: Two neighbouring territories cannot ignore each other  Complementary nature: Apart from a language, Basque, and a culture, common landscape, the two territories share a "life style".  A journey: an "Aquitaine-Basque Country" cooperation fund that has enabled the development of projects involving stakeholders on either sides of the frontier  Interdependency: We are located on the Atlantic Corridor

10 Aquitaine-Basque Country A common journey …  International cooperation relations between the two regions

11 Aquitaine-Basque Country A common journey …  International cooperation relations between the two regions

12 Aquitaine-Basque Country A common history …  At the same time, the two regions belong to numerous international networks: European Association of Cross-border Regions (ARFE), European Association of Geographical Indications (AREPO), Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CRPM – Atlantic Rim), European Association of Elected Representatives from Mountain Regions (AEEM), … and they take part in numerous European programmes: ANCORIM, ARCOPOL, REVERSE, INTERBIO2, CFA-EFFIPLAT, ROK-FOR …  Since 1982, the two regions have been active in the Work Community of the Pyrenees differents levels of institutional cooperation : local cooperation, urban approach  Years of cooperation between the two regions, within the European area:

13 Aquitaine-Basque Country A common history …  At the same time, 1993 Eurociudad Vasca Baiona-San Sebastián (Gipuzkoa-Bayonne-Anglet-Biarritz) 1998 Consorcio Bidasoa-Txingudy (Irun, Hondarribia and Hendaye)  Since 90´s…, Common fund for proposals around 50 projects by year  Years of cooperation between the two regions, within the European area:

14 Aquitaine-Basque Country A common history …  2009 Common declaration by the two premiers in order to create an "Aquitaine- Basque Country Euro- region as a European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC).  In 2006 Setting up the PLAE (Aquitaine-Basque Country Logistics Platform) As a European Economic Interest Grouping (E.E.I.G) Headquarters in Donostia-San Sebasti á n  2011 Setting up the "Aquitaine-Basque Country" EGTC pursuant to EC Regulation No. 1082/2006 Headquarters in Hendaye Publication: OJ 2011/S