1. EU PROJECT MANAGEMENT HOW TO WORK WITH THE EU Cross-border Co-operation projects with Croatia Baia Mare (Maramures) 29 August 2006 Ágnes Simon, Project Manager Pécs2010 Management Centre (Hungary)

2. HUNGARY EUROPE

3. SOUTH-TRANSDANUBIAN REGION HUNGARY

4. BARANYA SOUTH- TRANSDANUBIAN REGION

5. EUROREGION DANUBE-DRAVA-SAVA

7. BACKGROUND OF THE CROATIA-HUNGARY CROSS-BORDER CO-OPERATION exemplary relations between the two countries shifting border region in the Middle Ages, but stable in recent centuries common history of the two nations Yugoslav wars – negative effect on transition to market economy in Croatia accession of Hungary to the EU in 2004  CRO-HUN border as an external Schengen border Croatia possibly enters the EU in 2009  completely border free transitory region along the Drava in the near future

8. SWOT ANALYSIS STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES TOURISMTOURISM  Siklós-Harkány-Villány wine and thermal tourism,  Pécs, Osijek, Varazdin urban tourism,  Mohács ethno tourism,  Thermal tourism on both sides of the border (Hévíz, Zalakaros, St.Martin, Bizovacke, Varazdinske) TRANSPORTTRANSPORT  Non-electrified international railway connections from Pécs and from Osijek  bad state of internal road system makes accessibility of intraregional centres and interregional thoroughfares hard  scarcity of international border crossings (62km on average) EDUCATIONEDUCATION  Major university in Pécs and Osijek,  Developing university institutions in Krizvci, Varazdin, Keszthely and Kaposvár. DEMOGRAPHYDEMOGRAPHY  Marked internal differences in age structure  Rural populations and border microregions with dramatically different age structures. ENVIRONMENTENVIRONMENT  The existence of an extensive cross-border natural preservation area (Danube- Drava National Park), together with the River Mura  Rich water resources (surface, thermal) EDUCATIONEDUCATION  Low ratio of higher education qualifications compared to national average  Low level of mutual language skills  Inflexible labour market, educational institutions are slow in responding to market demand

9. STRENGTHSWEAKNESSES CULTURECULTURE  Pockets of multiethnic communities in certain areas of the eligible area LABOUR MARKET  Critically high unemployment rate on both sides of border, especially on Croatian side,  Extremely high unemployment rate in rural microregions,  Extremely high unemployment rate in many microregions along common border.  Mismatch between supply and demand. NATURE AND ENVIRONMENT  Insufficient flood system,  Insufficient waste water and solid waste management deteriorating the Mura-Drava ecological system,  Undetonated landmines remaining from 1991 war SWOT ANALYSIS

10. OPPORTUNITIESTHREATS TOURISM  The Danube- Drava natural reserve area potential for tourism. DEMOGRAPHY  high degree of mobility and emigration away from region,  continued depopulation in rural pockets. ENVIRONMENT  Reforestation of areas unsuitable for high value added agricultural production. NATURE AND ENVIRONMENT  Possible continued deterioration of Drava ecosystem by insufficient waste management., BORDER CONTROL  Gradual elimination of internal border after Croatia’s EU entry in the Schengen framework (Croatia inside Schengen from 2009) GOVERNANCE AND PLANNING  Weakness of common planning,  Lack of detailed plans in certain sectors (education, thermal tourism development),  Small size of local governments prevents efficient local development policy

11. SWOT ANALYSIS OPPORTUNITIESTHREATS CULTURECULTURE  Increasing depth, value added and duration of cultural cooperation,  Cooperation and networking in the field of joint built and other heritage management. ECONOMYECONOMY  Potential for vertical integration in processed agriculture,  Potential to export agroforestry. CULTURE  Inadequate financing leads to deterioration of built cultural heritage.

12. CHALLANGES OF THE EU ACCESSION ON REGIONAL AND DEPARTMENTAL LEVEL to spread information on the public level to support regional actors to organise the public duties on the basis of projects facilitating cross-border situation

13. to explore the unutilised capacities to revitalize the border region to explore co-operation opportunities (EU funds), find new forms of co-operation CHALLANGES OF THE CROSS-BORDER CO-OPERATION

14. PHARE CBC „Exploration of economic co-operation opportunities in Baranya County and Osijek-Baranja County” Aims of development establishing connections in transportation developing Human Resources establishing a competitive structure of economy a complex development of tourism and creative industry environment development rural development strengthening regional cohesion and regional co-operation developing Information Society

15. PHARE CBC „Exploration of economic co-operation opportunities in Baranya County and Osijek-Baranja County” Co-operation opportunities Tastes of Europe Pictures of Croatia – online photo agency Bio products – healthy foods Popular grape types on the wine market of the EU Honey Route – Honey Tourism PARTEDU – partnerships in business education Economic Co-operation for Supporting the Region Bicycle-road on the embankment of the river Drava Development connected to the M6-M56 speedway The Danube-Drava waste-management programme

16. INTERREG PROJECTS/I INTERREG III A – concerns cross-border co- operation that is the promotion of integrated regional development between bordering regions INTERREG III B – concentrates on cross- national co-operation, contributing to an integrated and harmonious territory across the EU INTERREG III C – aims to reinforce interregional co-operation and by the same token to improve the policies and techniques of interregional economic development

17. INTERREG PROJECTS/II INTERREG III A – Complex Co-operation in Cultural Tourism INTERREG III A – Establishment of the „Three Rivers” Tourist Bicycle Lane INTERREG III A – Preparation of the realization of highway no 67 between Szigetvár and the state border

18. INTERREG PROJECTS/III INTERREG III B Cadses - MATRIOSCA-AAP MAnagement Tools, effective Relations forv new Interregional Organisation aimed at Strengthening the Cooperation among regions in the Adria-Alpe- Pannonia space INTERREG III C – Cities against social exclusion INTERREG III C - „VinTour”(wine tourism)

19. OTHER FORMS OF CO-OPERATION Alps-Adriatic Working Community Danube-Drava-Sava Euroregion Future Region Co-operation agreements between localities, county councils etc.

20. PERSPECTIVES 2007-2013 CBC Interregional accessibility: - Cohesion Fund, - Domestic resources Intraregional accessibility: - Cohesion Fund, - ERDF, - Domestic Resources Common economic, educational and linguistic space Drava ecotourism programme A LIVEABLE BORDER ZONE WITH INTENSE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES

21. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION! simon.agnes@interhouse.hu