1. Symposium 'Networking as a basic tool for lobbying' East Poland House Brussels, 23 February 2011 Presentation of the RUR@CT network

2. Structure of the presentation 1. What is RUR@CT ? 1.1 A network of regions interested in the capitalisation and transfer of Good Practices 1.2 A transfer methodology aiming at going beyond the exchange experience 2. Why RUR@CT? 2.1 Strategic foundations and context 2.2 Objectives

3. Structure of the presentation 3. RUR@CT lobbying axes 3.1 A better visibility of rural areas at European level 3.2 Development of the innovation potential of rural areas 3.3 Fame and recognition of the RUR@CT transfer methodology 3.4 Maintaining and strengthening the possibility to introduce a cooperation priority axis in ERDF Regional Operational Programmes 3.5 Reviewing EGTC Regulation

4. Structure of the presentation 4. RUR@CT main lobbying tools 4.1 Events organisation (conferences, debates, training sessions) 4.2 Public statements / answers to public consultations from the EU institutions 4.3 Meetings at the institutional level 4.4 Communication materials

5. 1. What is RUR@CT ? 1.1 A network of regions interested in the capitalisation and transfer of Good Practices

6. « SHARING FOR PROGRESSING » CAPITALISATION CAPITALISATION OF GOOD PRACTICES 2014-2020 LOBBYING LOBBYING EUROPEAN POLICY TRANSFER TRANSFER TOOLS & METHOD EUROPEAN REGIONS EUROPEAN REGIONS FOR RURAL INNOVATION

7. CAPITALISATION CAPITALISATION OF GOOD PRACTICES EUROPEAN REGIONS EUROPEAN REGIONS FOR RURAL INNOVATION TRANSFER TRANSFER TOOLS & METHOD 2014-2020 LOBBYING LOBBYING EUROPEAN POLICY « SHARING FOR PROGRESSING » Tangible and concrete projects

8. Development of the network 30 MemberRegions 30 Member Regions (importating & exporting) → signed the RUR@CT chartaRUR@CT 32 Partner Regions (interested and/or exporting) → less involvement 62 Regions from 19 Member States

9. Capitalisation / Database 80 Good practices in 2009 + 45 good practices in 2010 www.ruract.eu

10. 1. What is RUR@CT ?RUR@CT 1.2 A transfer methodology aiming at going beyond the exchange experience

11. Transfer methodology 4 methodological steps: 1) Preparatory meeting to set up a transfer team composed of political representatives, technical experts, local and regional partners who will carry out the transfer process 2) Site visit in the exporting region to verify the transferability of the good practice and to determine the conditions for the transfer;

12. Transfer methodology 3) Action plan analysing the transfer feasibility and detailing the conditions for its implementation with required adaptations to the specificities of the importing region; 4) Synthesis meeting for the validation of the action plan by all local and regional stakeholders and to launch the operational implementation phase

13. Example of one ongoing transfer E-TEAMS IN SCHOOLS E-TEAMS IN SCHOOLS (Baden-Württemberg) TRANSFER TRANSFER TOOLS & METHOD WallonieLimousinAndalucia Training seminar and on site visit in Heidelberg (April 2010) Currently setting up the Action Plan

14. Possible fundings IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TRANSFER (Pilot project / Action plan) Travelling costs Feasibility study Translation / interpreting Working procedures Investments ERDF, ESF or EAFRD programmes ERDF programme Article 37-6b regulation 1083/2006 PREPARATION OF THE TRANSFER (Animation, engineering) Thematic consistency and eligible project NOYES INTERREG IVC projects (RUR@CT methodology)

15. Strategic foundations Attractiveness and dynamism of rural areas depend on their capacity of innovation Rural territories have an innovation potential which is not enough developped and should contribute towards Lisbon european strategy 1 st pillar = INNOVATION 2. Why RUR@CT ?

16. This innovation potential is based on the development of endogenous and exogenous resources Cooperation is an exogenous resource reinforcing the efficiency of regional policies thanks to the transfer of good practices 2nd pillar = TRANSFER WHY RUR@CT ? Strategic foundations

17. There is no rural development without agriculture, but rurality is not only agriculture (complementarity)… Synergies are needed between the different programmes and european funds for the development of rural areas 3rd pillar = RURAL WHY RUR@CT ? Strategic foundations

18. Rural issues should be taken into account within regional policies Regional level allows to guarantee a better territorial cohesion thanks to an integrated governance ( rural / urban synergies…) 4th pillar = REGIONS WHY RUR@CT ? Strategic foundations

19. SHARINGPROGRESSING RUR@CT OBJECTIVES OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVES STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES T erritorial C ohesion C apitalisation and T ransfer

20. STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES Conferences-debates, political statements Ideas and forward inputs How ? What ? Evolution of European policies after 2013 SHARINGPROGRESSING Why ? Example Contribution of RUR@CT network to the Green Paper on Territorial Cohesion

21. OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVES Transfering experiences Good practices from the Regions How ? What ? Innovative and concrete projects SHARINGPROGRESSING Why ? Examples Methodological guide Database, web site Evaluation of transferability Partnership forums TRANSFERING

22. To promote rural innovations for… Territorial Cohesion To provide operationnal tools for… Capitalization and Transfer of good practices Objectives of RUR@CT network INNOVATIONRURALTRANSFERREGIONS

23. 3. RUR@CT lobbying axes 3.1 A better visibility of rural areas at European level - Better consideration of specificities and needs of rural areas - « Rural mainstreaming » in other EU policies, such as Cohesion Policy, Common Agricultural Policy and Environmental Policy - Creation of a new category in EU Cohesion Policy: « Intermediary Regions » with a PNB between 75% and 90% of the average EU PNB, and which would also benefit from EU funds

24. 3. RUR@CT lobbying axes 3.2 Development of the innovation potential of rural areas - Better consideration of this innovation potential so that the attractivity of rural areas can be reinforced. - Innovation should not be understood only as « technological » innovation, but also as societal and economical

25. 3. RUR@CT lobbying axes 3.3 Fame and recognition of the RUR@CT transfer methodology - Recognition by the EU institutions of the necessity to go beyond the mere capitalisation and exchange of experiences /recognition of the usefulness of the transfer of experiences

26. 3. RUR@CT lobbying axes 3.3 Fame and recognition of the RUR@CT transfer methodology - Integration of the RUR@CT methodology into other EU territorial cooperation projects (especially INTERREG IVC projects). Examples: RURALAND project led by Andalusia (rural innovation) IMMODI project led by Auvergne → (e-health) ROBIN WOOD project led by Liguria → (forestry) ECOREGIONS project led by Picardie

27. 3. RUR@CT lobbying axes 3.4 Maintaining and strengthening the possibility to introduce a cooperation priority axis in ERDF Regional Operational Programmes (Objective 2 of Cohesion Policy) - Such a cooperation axis is made possible through Article 37-6b of Regulation 1083/2006, which allows Regional authorities to finance territorial cooperation under Objective 1 (convergence) or Objective 2 (competitiveness) of Cohesion Policy.

28. 3. RUR@CT lobbying axes - Most RUR@CT capitalisation activities are funded through Article 37 6.b, such as the gathering of 125 good practices in the database, Fact Sheets no. 1 & 2 (Description of the Good Practice + Transferability analysis), as well as some communications activities (editing the brochure, the website and the methodological guide). - Article 37-6b is particularly useful for isolated Regions with few possibilities of cross-border cooperation since it gives another way to finance cooperation activities (outside INTERREG IVC).

29. 4. RUR@CT main lobbying tools 2014-2020 LOBBYING LOBBYING EUROPEAN POLICY Events organisation (conferences, debates) about strategic issues (cohesion policy, Europe 2020) in the context of the formulation of the new EU budget and the future of cohesion policy after 2013. Examples: - Conference / debate during RUR@CT launching seminar. Participation of DG Regio / video from Commissioner Danuta Hübner supporting RUR@CT - Conference / debate about « Services of General Interest and rural development » at the end of June 2011 in the context of Europe 2020 / EU budget

30. 4. RUR@CT main lobbying tools 2014-2020 LOBBYING LOBBYING EUROPEAN POLICY Answers to public consultations and public statements Examples: - RUR@CT contribution to the Green Paper (2009), followed by a public conference - Answer to public consultation by DG Regio about the 5 th cohesion report (January 2011) - Answer to public consultation by DG Agri (January 2011) - In the future: public statements about environmental issues / EGTC / interregional cooperation

31. 4. RUR@CT main lobbying tools 2014-2020 LOBBYING LOBBYING EUROPEAN POLICY Meeting at institutionnal level Examples: - Meetings with DG Regio - Meetings with DG Agri - Pilot Network with INTERACT, DG Regio and other Regions (Thüringen, etc.) about integration of article 37-6b in regional operational programmes and its implementation. - RUR@CT representation during conferences and/or training seminars

32. 4. RUR@CT main lobbying tools 2014-2020 LOBBYING LOBBYING EUROPEAN POLICY Communication materials - Methodological guide - Brochure - Website - Video All the communication materials are available both in English and in French, and will be updated by the end of 2011.

33. METHODOLOGICAL GUIDE

34. Future activities of the network for 2009 WEBSITE www.ruract.euwww.ruract.eu

35. THANKS FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION ! For further information, you can send an e-mail to: p-recours-nguyen@cr-limousin.fr