1 Welcome to Students of the College of Europe in West Flanders 19 September 2007

2 European/international policy of the Province of West-Vlaanderen Presented by Françoise Lantsoght Administrator, Dep.Economy, External relations & Area-based development

3 Positioning of West-Vlaanderen Is it international enough?  geographical position  cultural position  maritime province  socio-economic position

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5 1st core-circle: cross-border cooperation  Netherlands  France  United Kingdom

6 2nd circle: transnational cooperation in Europe  Northern Europe  Central Europe  Southern Europe  North Sea area  Baltic Sea area

7 3rd circle: international cooperation in the world  China  Canada

8 Levels of European / international cooperation: the past years  Within the province  Cross-border cooperation  Transnational cooperation in Europe  International cooperation

9 1) Within the province  Objective 2: for coastal areas  Objective 2: for rural areas

10 2) Cross-border cooperation  Interreg III A  With The Netherlands: Euregio Scheldemond  With France  With the United Kingdom: ‘future’ maritime cooperation

11 3) Transnational cooperation  Interreg III B & III C  in North Sea area  in Northwest Europe  All over Europe

12 3’) Transnational cooperation  Central Europe Cooperation Agreements with - Hungary (province Békés) - Romania (provinces Arad & Bihor)

13 4) International cooperation  China  Canada

14 The future… is today! European programmes  Objective 2 Programme  Objective 3 Programme (former Interreg) - cross-border projects - transnational projects - interregional projects

15 Structural Funds FACTS  Expansion of the EU  Emphasis on Lissabon and Göteborg agenda EU = most competitive economy in the world + full employment before 2010  Economically: knowledge economy and innovation  Socially: investments in human potential  Environment: sustainable development  Decrease in the number of objectives

16 Cohesion policy Objective 1 Convergence Objective 2 Regional competitiveness and employment ERDF ESF Objective 3 European territorial cooperation Cross-border France/ Wallonia/ Flanders Flanders/ Netherlands Maritime Transnational North Sea North West Europe Interregional Structural funds in West Flanders

17 Cohesion policy Objective 1 Objective 2 ERDFESF Objective 3 OBJECTIVE 2 Regional competitiveness and employment

18 Objective 2 ERDF AREA

19 Objective 2 ERDF Operational Programme  Central objective Improve further development of Flanders into one of the most competitive regions, resulting in a sustainable economic growth, creation of more employment and protection and improvement of the environment  Thematic priorities  Knowledge economy and innovation  Entrepreneurship  Regional-economic environmental factors  Urban development

20 Objective 2 ERDF BUDGET OBJECTIVE 2 FLANDERS : 669 million euros 30%  ERDF programme = 201 million euros DISTRIBUTION OVER THE PRIORITIES : 24% for each priority (in each case 48 million euros) 4% for Technical Assistance (8 million euros)

21 Objective 2 ERDF STRUCTURES  MANAGING AUTHORITY : Europe Economy department of the Economy Agency  MONITORING COMMITTEE : Supervision of the programme + decision on project proposals  PROGRAMME SECRETARIAT : on 2 levels  PSE situated in Brussels  Contact point in all provincial governments  Project generation  Project assistance Contact for the Province of West Flanders : Economy, External Relations & Area-based development Dries Baekelandt and Ellen Cardoen

22 Cohesion policy Objective 1 Objective 2 ERDFESF Objective 3 OBJECTIVE 2 Regional competitiveness and employment

23 Objective 2 ESF AREA

24 Objective 2 ESF PRIORITIES ESF Equal opportunities / diversity Priority n°1 Activating talent - 61% From student to worker From job-seeker to worker From worker to worker Priority n°4 Innovation 5% Priority n° 5 Transnational 5% Priority n° 6 Technical management 4% Priority n°2 Chances of employment - 15% Job experience Adjusted courses Development of social economy Priority n°3 Entrepreneurship with people 10% Strategic HR Organisation of labour CSR: Corporate Social Responsibility …

25 Objective 2 ESF BUDGET & TIMING OBJECTIVE 2 FLANDERS : 669 million euros 70%  ESF programme = 468 million euros TIMING :  November 2006: approval Operational Programme of the Flemish Government  Autumn 2007: first approval of the projects, which will be carried out as from 01/01/2008 Want to know more?

26 OBJECTIVE 3 European territorial cooperation Cohesion policy Objective 1Objective 2Objective 3 Cross-border France/ Wallonia/ Flanders Flanders/ Netherlands Maritime Transnational North Sea North West Europe Interregional

27 OBJECTIVE 3 European territorial cooperation Cohesion policy Objective 1Objective 2Objective 3 Cross-border France/ Wallonia/ Flanders Flanders/ Netherlands Maritime Transnational North Sea North West Europe Interregional

28 Cross-border France-Wallonia-Flanders  Gebiedsomschrijving

29 Cross-border France-Wallonia-Flanders Action area in the provinces of West Flanders and East Flanders:  Central regions (80%): districts of Veurne, Ypres, Kortrijk  Neighbouring regions (20%): districts of Bruges, Ostend, Diksmuide, Roeselare and Tielt; Oudenaarde and Ghent

30 Cross-border France-Wallonia-Flanders Central objective Establish synergy between potential capacities of the cross-border cooperation area in order to improve a sustainable, co-ordinated and integrated development of the regions, for the best interest of the population living on the border. Thematic priorities  Priority n°1: stimulate economic development  Priority n°2: develop the cross-border identity through culture and tourism  Priority n°3: improve territorial solidarity by improving the cross-border accessibility to services  Priority n°4: joint management of the area through sustainable environment development

31 Cross-border France-Wallonia-Flanders Programme structure 1 programme with 3 subprogrammes (FrFl – FrW – FrWFl) Budget Increase of the ERDF budget programme: from €89 million to about €138 million. ERDF grant: 50% (25% for infrastructure) Timing April 2007: submission of the Operational Programme to the EC Sept.- Oct. 2007: first “ call for project proposals” January 2008: first Steering Group Contact in Flanders Interreg Secretariat Flanders Province of West Flanders: Economy, External Relations and Area-based development (EEG): Inge De Keyzer, Jessica Monteyne, Pieter Lahousse, Administration: Kristien Rossenue & Nathalie Colpaert

32 Objective 3 European territorial cooperation Cohesion policy Objective 1Objective 2Objective 3 Cross-border France/ Wallonia/ Flanders Flanders/ Netherlands Maritime Transnational North Sea North West Europe Interregional

33 Cross-border Flanders-Netherlands

34 Cross-border Flanders-Netherlands Area description situated on the level of the provinces:  Netherlands: Zeeland, North Brabant and Limburg  Flanders: West Flanders, East Flanders, Antwerp, Limburg and Flemish Brabant Action area in West Flanders:  Central region (80%): district of Bruges  Neighbouring regions (20%): districts of Ostend, Diksmuide, Roeselare, Tielt and Kortrijk  West Flanders can now also submit projects with North Brabant and Dutch Limburg

35 Cross-border Flanders-Netherlands Central objective: Establish a sustainable socio-economic development in the border area by stimulating operational-oriented cross-border initiatives. Thematic priorities :  Priority n°1: knowledge economy, innovation and entrepreneurship  Priority n°2:natural environment (sustainable economy and nature, landscape and water)  Priority n°3:cross-border integration in society (culture, cooperation between public governments and public functions)

36 Cross-border Flanders-Netherlands Programme structure 1 programme with 3 subprogrammes:  Euregio Scheldemond (provinces of Zeeland, WFL and EFL)  Euregio Benelux-Middengebied (provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Flemish Brabant, North Brabant and Dutch Limburg)  Border programme Budget Increase ERDF budget programme: from 84 million euros to €94 million:  Flanders: 45 million euros  Netherlands: 49 million euros distributed over the following subprogrammes:  Euregio Scheldemond: 20 million euros  Benelux-Middengebied: 36 million euros  Border programme: 38 million euros ERDF grant: max. 50% Timing Official start: end September 2007 Contact Province of West Flanders (EEG Management) and secretariat Euregio Scheldemond, Leen Ervinck & Kaatje Gevaert (tel. +32 (0)9/ )

37 Objective 3 European territorial cooperation Cohesion policy Objective 1Objective 2Objective 3 Cross-border France/ Wallonia/ Flanders Flanders/ Netherlands Maritime Transnational North Sea North West Europe Interregional

38 Cross-border Maritime cooperation

39 Cross-border Maritime cooperation Regions involved:  France  Belgium  Great Britain  Netherlands Two subprogrammes:  The ‘North’ programme involves: Cornwall to Norfolk, the Nord-Pas de Calais region, the province of West Flanders and parts of East Flanders & Antwerp, Zeeland, South Holland and North Brabant.  The ‘South’ programme involves: the French regions of Bretagne, Haute-Normandie and Basse-Normandie, the Pas-de-Calais department, and Cornwall to Norfolk in the UK.  Remark: possibility to finance ‘transversal’ projects

40 Programme structure 2 subprogrammes, with one 1 common priority Budget €320 million, of which €160 million for the North zone Envelope Flanders: €15 million  districts of Veurne, Ostend, Bruges: qualify for 80% of the budget  rest of West-Flanders: 20% Timing Final editing of the OP: autumn 2007 Contact Province of West Flanders, EEG Management: Lies Lefevere Cross-border Maritime cooperation

41 Objective 3 European territorial cooperation Cohesion policy Objective 1Objective 2Objective 3 Cross-border France/ Wallonia/ Flanders Flanders/ Netherlands Maritime Transnational North Sea North West Europe Interregional

42 Transnational North Sea

43 Action area:  International: UK (Scotland/East-Anglia), Norway (100%), Sweden (West), Denmark (entirely), Germany (North), the Netherlands (North and coast), Flanders  Flanders: Provinces of West Flanders, East Flanders and Antwerp Priorities:  Priority n°1: reinforce innovation capacity  Priority n°2: sustainable nature conservation  Priority n°3: improve accessibility of North Sea region  Prioriteit 4: sustainable and competitive communities Transnational North Sea

44 Programme structure 1 programme for the whole action area, with Programme secretariat in Viborg (DK) Budget € 148 million, of which €7.7 million for Flanders Timing Submission OP: April 2007 First submission of the projects: 17 Sept.- 15 Oct Contact Province of West Flanders, EEG Management: Lies Lefevere Transnational North Sea

45 Objective 3 European territorial cooperation Cohesion policy Objective 1Objective 2Objective 3 Cross-border France/ Wallonia/ Flanders Flanders/ Netherlands Maritime Transnational North Sea North West Europe Interregional

46 Transnational North West Europe

47 Action area :  International: Ireland, UK, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland (100%), Netherlands (central and South), Germany ( central West and South West) and France (North and central)  Flanders : entirely Priorities:  Priority n°1: develop knowledge economy  Priority n°2: efficient management of natural resources  Priority n°3: improve connections by stimulating intelligent & sustainable transport  Priority n°4: sustainable and dynamic communities Transnational North West Europe

48 Programme structure 1 programme for the whole action area with Programme secretariat in Lille (F) Budget € 350 million, of which €11 million for Flanders Timing Submission OP: April 2007 First submission of the projects: 17 Sept.- 15 Oct Contact Province of West Flanders, EEG Management: Lies Lefevere Transnational North West Europe

49 Objective 3 European territorial cooperation Cohesion policy Objective 1Objective 2Objective 3 Cross-border France/ Wallonia/ Flanders Flanders/ Netherlands Maritime Transnational North Sea North West Europe Interregional

50 Interregional

51 Interregional Action area European Union with the 27 Member States Priorities Network projects and projects with the aim to exchange experiences (bottom-up (regional and local) and top-down / strategic interregional actions) in the field of:  Innovation and knowledge economy  Environment and risk prevention Programme structure 1 programme for the whole of the EU with 1 Programme secretariat in Lille (F) Budget €320 million Timing Submission of OP: spring 2007 – first call: to ben expected soon Contact : Provincie of West Flanders, EEG Management

52 RURAL DEVELOPMENT PDPO II Goal: improve quality of life in rural areas and diversification of rural economy Area: entire province

53 Rural development 4 measures:  AXE 1: Improve competitiveness of the agricultural and forestry sector (62%)  AXE 2: Improve the environment and the countryside (25%)  AXE 3: Quality of life on the countryside and diversification of rural economy  AXE 4: LEADER (13% in total) Role of the Province for AXE 3 & AXE 4 together with the VLM (Flemish Land Agency)

54 Rural development Flanders: EU: €225 million public & private: +- €25 million West- Flanders: estimated total investment per year: €4 million At least 75% of this amount will be used for AXE 4 (Leader) and a maximum of 25% for AXE 3 (PDPO). Finances

55 Rural development Secretariat:“Plattelandsloket” Decision: Provincial Management Committee Flanders, Provinces, Municipalities, Socio- economic interest groups Advice: Technical Working Group - Experts Guidance: “Kwaliteitskamer” (in case of investment projects) LEADER:Local group Balanced composition, co-ordinator EEG Management, Dep. of Area-based development: Kristof Verhoest Organisation Contact

56 Thank you for your attention and good luck with your studies !