1. Informal Water Directors Meeting Dublin, 22nd June 2004
INTERREG III and water management
European Territorial Co-operation
Mario Rodrigues DG Regional Policy

2. 22/06/2004
INTERREG III
A Community Initiative on transeuropean co-operation across the entire EU-territory and neighbouring countries for the period
what is INTERREG

3. Average Annual Expenditure: 100.4 billion EURO
22/06/2004
EU BUDGET
Pre-accession
Enlargement
3.1%
8.3%
Agricultural Policy
what is INTERREG
42.4%
30.3%
Structural Funds
and Cohesion Fund
Average Annual Expenditure: billion EURO

4. Structural Funds BUDGET 2000-2006
22/06/2004
Structural Funds BUDGET
what is INTERREG

5. Budget 2000 - 2006 INTERREG 5.2 billion euro LEADER 2.0 - -
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Budget
INTERREG billion euro
LEADER
EQUAL
URBAN
TOTAL
what is INTERREG

6. 22/06/2004
INTERREG III
Rationale
“National borders should not be a barrier to European balanced development and integration”
what is INTERREG

7. 2000-2006: 5.2 billion € INTERREG III: 1994-1999: 3.6 billion €
22/06/2004
INTERREG III:
: 3.6 billion €
: 5.2 billion €
III A: cross-border co-operation (67%)
III B: transnational co-operation (27%)
III C: interregional co-operation (6%)
what is INTERREG

8. Strand A: Cross-border co-operation 53 programmes
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Strand A: Cross-border co-operation 53 programmes
what is INTERREG

9. STRAND B: Transnational Co-operation 13 programmes
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STRAND B: Transnational Co-operation 13 programmes
what is INTERREG

10. STRAND C: inter-regional Co-operation 4 programmes
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STRAND C: inter-regional Co-operation 4 programmes
what is INTERREG

11. INTERREG III Transnational cooperation
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INTERREG III Transnational cooperation
Principles:
genuine cross border / transnational strategies
joint co-operation structures for programme management
“partnership” between national, regional, local
cross-sector aproach
mix of “top-down” and “bottom-up”
complementarity and co-ordination with other EU policies and programmes
co-ordination with external policy instruments (PHARE, MEDA, TACIS, EDF, CURDS)
what is transnational cooperation

12. Sector - territorial / national - regional - local / public - private
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INTERREG III
Top down
Process
what is transnational cooperation
Sector - territorial / national - regional - local / public - private
Bottom up

13. INTERREG III Transnational co-operation
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INTERREG III Transnational co-operation
The thematic priorities:
transnational spatial development strategies
co-operation among cities and between rural and urban areas
development of efficient and sustainable transport and communications systems, TEN missing links and corridors
promotion of the environment and wise management of natural resources, in particular water resources, risk prevention
promotion and enhancement of cultural heritage
maritime and insular co-operation (maritime safety)
R&TD co-operation
what is transnational cooperation

14. INTERREG III Transnational co-operation
22/06/2004
INTERREG III Transnational co-operation
Water management:
Water management (including prevention of drought and flooding) has been one of the objectives of transnational cooperation;
It started in 1997 with Interreg II C
Programme "IRMA" (Interreg Rhein-Maas Activities) was a huge success, bringing together authorities and partners from FR, DE, NL, BE, LUX and CH to find common solutions.
what is transnational cooperation

15. INTERREG III Water management:
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INTERREG III Water management:
After floods in central Europe and in certain Member States affected millions of European citizens and the economy, in particular in 2002, water became a very sensitive subject of political debate in the EU
Unregulated human and economic activities can directly or indirectly affect the natural flow of riverbeds, the quality of ground and surface water and the water cycles that replenish this precious resource.
Natural and built environments are becoming more vulnerable to natural hazards such as floods and droughts.
The scale of the impact of these hazards often exceeds regional and national borders. This scale requires a new, transnational approach and the implementation of coordinated, preventive actions.
Cross-border and transnation co-operation is necessary to deal with water issues that concern different countries
what is transnational cooperation

16. Transnational river catchment areas
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Transnational river catchment areas
what is transnational cooperation

17. INTERREG III Water management in 2000-2006:
22/06/2004
INTERREG III Water management in :
Several INTERREG III programmes already include "water management" issues as their priorities for co-operation.
In May, several Interreg programmes (North Sea, Baltic Sea, CADSES and North West Europe) came together and organised a joint seminar to debate water related issues and exchange experiences - the first INTERREG III B Water Forum
This event attracted 41 transnational projects from 13 European countries, representing European funding of more than € 129 million.
Over two days project representatives and interested professionals discussed issues of relevance to water management under three workshop groups: Coastal Areas Management and Protection; River Catchment Areas; and Water Quality.
Participants outlined future trends and opportunities for cooperation across borders
Proposals were made on how to improve co-operation and management of programmes in the coming period after 2006.
what is transnational cooperation

18. INTERREG III The immediate future 2004 -2006
22/06/2004
INTERREG III The immediate future
Present effort is to integrate the new MS:
10 new EU countries
9 new internal borders
15 new external borders
Amending existing programmes
Approving new programmes
what is INTERREG

19. 22/06/2004
3rd Cohesion report
3rd report (Feb. 2004) presented proposals for a reform of cohesion policy after 2006
"European territorial co-operation" becomes one of three priorities of Regional Policy.
INTERREG will no longer be a Community initiative.
Cohesion policy will be 34% of EU budget (€ 336 billion for the period , at 2004 prices)
Budget for territorial cooperation will be around 4% of the total
EU cofinancing rating could go up to 75% of total cost
The future of INTERREG

20. Proposed timetable 10+11 May 2004: European Cohesion Forum, Brussels
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Proposed timetable
10+11 May 2004: European Cohesion Forum, Brussels
July 2004: Commission adopts the legislative package (Stuctural Funds regulations)
Until end 2005: Decision by Council and EU Parliament
2006: Preparation of cooperation programmes for period
Jan 2007:
Implementation begins
The future of INTERREG

21. 22/06/2004
Commission is working on ways to improve implementation of future programmes
Simplifying implementation system
Procedures as simple and transparent as possible
Legal instrument to manage cross-border programmes and operations
Streamline content of programmes and priorities for co-operation
Develop concrete projects, demonstrating value for money and a clear Community value added
Optimise definition of transnational cooperation areas
The future of INTERREG

22. 22/06/2004
Commission is encouraging programme partners and in particular National authorities:
to develop a more strategic approach to cooperation
to identify key cooperation areas and concrete projects of transnational interest
to identify key investments
to work on transnational partnerships
to foresee cofinancing for Community programmes in their national budgets
to be ready to go in the beginning of 2007
The future of INTERREG