1. INTERREGIONAL COOPERATION IN REGIONAL POLICY (Art.37.6.b Reg. CE 1083/2006) THE ITALIAN STRATEGY Federica Busillo Ministry of Economic Development Department for Development and Economic Cohesion (federica.busillo@tesoro.it) Naples, 14 October 2009

2. 1.How interregional cooperation ex art.37.6.b has been understood by Italian Regions OUTLINE OF THE PRESENTATION 2.State of the art in Italy and main obstacles for the implementation of the article 3.Possible steps for going forward

3. 10 Italian Regions have planned to use the article 37.6.b Regions interested in art.37.6.b No indications for art.37.6.b Regions do not interested in art.37.6.b Abruzzo MarcheBolzano Province Basilicata MoliseEmilia Romagna Calabria PugliaLiguria Campania SiciliaSardegna Friuli Venezia Giulia UmbriaTrento Province Lazio Valle D'Aosta Lombardia Piemonte Toscana Veneto

4. A preliminary selection of “potential” partners past experiences of cooperation European best practices economic interest for certain geographical areas Selection criteria: Potential partners according to Regional Operational Programmes Abruzzo Est Europe, Mediterranean regions Basilicata France, Hungary Calabria Spain, France, UK, Ireland, Germany, Greece, Portugal, Malta Campania Mediterranean regions Friuli Venezia Giulia Austria (Carinzia), Croatia, Slovenia Lazio Spain (Valencia), Slovakia (Bratislava) Lombardia Piemonte Central Europe, Mediterranean regions, France, Switzerland Veneto Austria (Carinzia), Croatia, Slovenia, Romania

5. Research, innovation and knowledge transfer Energy efficiency and renewable energy Environmental protection and risk prevention Valorisation of cultural resources and tourism Internationalization of local industries Transportation and logistic Urban policies Main fields of cooperation

6. STATE OF THE ART IN ITALY No implementation of the initiatives planned in the Operational Programmes so far Need for guidelines and common rules at the community level in order to put into effect the planned actions

7. SOME MAIN CRITICAL ASPECTS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ITALIAN STRATEGY (1) Lack of the necessary information about the use of the art.37.6.b in other Member States, which, consequently, makes it difficult to identify potential partners. What happens in case of asymmetry? e.g Is it possible to cooperate with regional/local authorities that do not foresee in their Operational Programmes the use of the article 37.6.b? In this case, how to ensure the financial coverage for the interregional programme (e.g. unilaterally ? with other sources of funding?)

8. Lack of guidelines on administrative procedures for the implementation of interregional programmes under the article 37.6.b How to define the regulative framework for a European interregional programme which involve regional/local authorities of different MS? (e.g. with reference to: criteria for the selection and evaluation of projects; for the eligibility of expenditure; systems of co-funding) Is it an appropriate tool a contractual agreement among regional/local authorities of the States involved, in order to clarify the obligations of each side and define the implementing procedures? What kind of constraints this agreement should respect? SOME MAIN CRITICAL ASPECTS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ITALIAN STRATEGY (2)

9. Which European regional and local authorities are eligible to launch initiatives under the article 37.6.b, according to the definition of regional and local authorities in each MS? SOME MAIN CRITICAL ASPECTS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ITALIAN STRATEGY (3) To what extent financial resources under the article 37.6.b can be used to co-finance initiatives under other Community Programmes (Interreg IV C, VII Framework Programme, etc.)

10. POSSIBLE STEPS FOR GOING FORWARD Carrying out and promoting a comparative analysis about the use of article 37.6.b in the Member States to help European regional/local authorities select partners. Defining guidelines for the implementation of the article 37.6.b, trying to identify possible “models of implementation”.