1. Regional Coordination Forum Austria-Hungary Evolution of a good practice in Cross-border Governance Michael Roth Gödöllő, February 2011 Michael.roth@bka.gv.at

2. 2 | Overview  The Region  Evolution of the Forum  Setting of the Forum  Contents of the Forum  Governance Challenges

3. 3 | The Border Region between Hungary and Austria  Length of Boder: 366 km  Metropolitan area in the north  Periphery in the south  Involving 4 Austrian and 3 Hungarian regions  Number of official border crossing points: 41. Threreof: –27 for cars/ bikes/ pedestrians/ equestrians –13 for trains –1 for ships

4. 4 | Phase I: Institutionalised Approach (Inter- Governmental)  Cooperation on spatial planning started already in 1985  Institutionalised Cooperation (Austrian-Hungarian Commission on spatial planning); based on formal interstate agreement  Little demand for regional planning issues in the strict sense of the interstate agreement

5. 5 | Phase II: Practical Cooperation  No Meetings on political level since 1995 (later also no activities on adminsitrational level)  High demand for cooperation on (Sub-)regional level due to new opportunities in the field of regional development  Project related cooperation in the framework of INTERREG/PHARE: „replaces“ strategic cooperation

6. 6 | Phase III: Informal Approach (Governance)  Demand for reinvigoration of the joint commission (HU initiative in 2004), but: –Institutionalised Approach within EU did not seem appropriate any more –Thematic focus too narrow; need for more flexibility –Project related cooperation did not require a formal setting  New „informal“ setting and format:  High Level Coordination Forum on regional development in the joint cross-border region

7. 7 | Setting  Objectives: –to exchange on ongoing activities in the field of regional development (on either side and jointly) –To match relevant partners from either side –to give impulses to deadlocked processes and projects  Coordinators: Ministry of Public Administration and Justice (HU), Federal Chancellery (AT)  Rapporteurs: Stakeholders from national, regional and local level + intermediate bodies („whomever it takes“)  Meeting once a year

8. 8 | Content (Examples)  Strategic plans and projects  Border crossings  Water quality  Contradictory land uses  Tourism development  …

9. 9 | Governance Challenges  Role and character of the Forum (political/administrative)  Competencies of involved stakeholders  Content: spatial development and/or broader approach?  Willingness and commitment for cooperation  Limits of the approach

10. Thank you for your attention! Michael Roth Directorate IV/ Division 4 Ballhausplatz 2 1014 Wien Phone: +43 1 531 15-2936 Michael.roth@bka.gv.at www.bka.gv.atwww.bka.gv.at/regionalpolitik