1. The Republic of Croatia The Region of Istria International Cooperation and European Integration (presentation) Brussels, October 2005

2. International Cooperation and European Integration Activities to Date  International and regional cooperation  Membership in international organisations  International and inter-regional cooperation programs  European integration  Cooperation with Istrian émigrés

3. International Cooperation and European Integration Activities to Date Cooperation with the regions of foreign countries:  Tuscany (Italy, Statement of Friendship, 06 October 1994)  Liguria (Italy, Letter of Intent)  Veneto (Italy, Statement of Intent 21 February 1995)  Friuli Venezia Giulia (Italy, Cooperation Protocol 22 February 1999)  Somogy (Hungary, Cooperation Accord 29 April 1998)  Carinthia (Austria, Letter of Intent 21 April 1998)  Hargita (Romania, Statement on the Future Cooperation Accord 10 May 2000)  Vojvodina (Serbia and Montenegro, 2001)  The Zenica-Doboj Canton (Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2004)  County Kerry (Ireland, 2004)  Yunnan Province (China, 2004)  Trencin (Slovakia, 2004)

4. Membership in International Organisations:  The Assembly of European Regions (ARE, since 1994, Eurodyssée – a youth exchange program; 64 young people from The Region of Istria have participated since 1996 )  The Conference on Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe (CRPM, since 2001)  The Association of European Border Regions (AEBR)  The Institute of European Regions (2005, a foundation for the promotion and research on regionalism, with its headquarters in Salzburg)  The Assembly of Wine Producing European Regions (AREV) International Cooperation and European Integration Activities to Date

5. Programs for International and Inter-regional Cooperation: –INTERREG III A –INTERREG III B –INTERREG III C –BILL 84/2001, REPUBLIC OF ITALY –CARDS 2003 for the local development of border regions –Other programs International Cooperation and European Integration Activities to Date

6. INTERREG III B, first application, approved projects:  ADRI. FISH (Promotion of a Sustainable FISHery in the Northern ADRIatic Sea, lead partner the Region of Veneto (Italy), total of 6 partners. Financial contribution of The Region of Istria: 130 701,61 € of which 71 701,61 in kind and 59 000 € in cash) www.adrifish.com  L.O.T.O. (Landscape Opportunities for Territorial Organisation, lead partner The Region of Lombardy (Italy), total of 9 partners. Financial contribution of The Region of Istria: 111 900 € in kind) www.loto-project.org International Cooperation and European Integration Activities to Date

7.  CONSPACE (Common Strategy Network for Spatial Development and Implementation, lead partner the Region of Carinthia (Austria), total of 9 partners. Financial contribution of The Region of Istria: 18 000 € in kind) www.conspace.info  I-LOG (Industrial LOGistics, Logistic and intermodal transportation for sustaining small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) development, lead partner the Region of Marche (Italy), total of 23 partners. Financial contribution of The Region of Istria 96 270 € in kind). www.i-log.org

8. INTERREG III B, second application, approved projects:  GO NETWORK (Guarantee Organisations Network, lead partner the Region of Veneto (Italy), total of 11 partners. Partner representing The Region of Istria: IDA (The Istrian Development Agency). Financial contribution of The Region of Istria: 33 030.00 € in kind). International Cooperation and European Integration Activities to Date

9. INTERREG III C, first application, approved projects:  ECOTOURISM (Places and Traditions, lead partner the Province of Abruzzo (Italy), total of 12 partners. Financial contribution of The Region of Istria: 14 638 € in kind). www.interreg-ecotourism.net International Cooperation and European Integration Activities to Date

10. INTERREG III A, Adriatic cross-border cooperation first application, approved projects:  ADRI.BLU – (ADRIatic BLUe table for the sustainable management of the fishing activities and of the fishing resources in the Adriatic Sea, total of 7 partners and budget of 3 087 576.96 €, lead partner the Region of Emilia- Romagna, Italy) www.regione.emilia- romagna.it/industria/Pesca/Progetti/adriblu.htm  GALILEO – (Growing Adriatic Laboratory in Locating Economic Organisations, lead partner the Region of Marche, Italy) www.interregadriatico.it International Cooperation and European Integration Activities to Date

11. INTERREG III A – Cross Border Cooperation between Slovenia-Hungary-Croatia first application, approved projects:  PARENZANA (Route of Health and Friendship – revitalisation of the old Parenzana railway line through an integrated (Croatian and Slovenian) tourism program and long-term cross border cooperation, as well as an increase in the number of sports events in Istria. Project carrier: The Region of Istria, partner the Township of Kopar, total value of the project 174 374.00 €).

12. International Cooperation and European Integration Activities to Date  HEART of Istria (Heritage and Art of Istria – the formation of cross border tourist itineraries and the scientific valorisation of cultural heritage, intended to strengthen and form new tourism destinations in the cities and rural areas of Istria. Project carrier: The Region of Istria, partner the Univerza na Primorskem (formed by the Townships of Kopar, Izola and Piran), total value of the project 90 000.00 €).

13. REPUBLIC OF ITALY, BILL 84/2001 – from 21 October 2001:  FISH-LOG (the organisation of workers of the fishing industry, the construction of wholesale fish markets in Pula and Rijeka, the construction of logistical infrastructure. Lead partner the Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, total of 8 partners. Project budget 1 843 847.61 €, with The Region of Istria contributing 107 382.13 € and the Istrian Development Agency contributing 647 250.00 €) www.regione.emilia- romagna.it/industria/Pesca/Progetti/fishlog.htm International Cooperation and European Integration Activities to Date

14.  CONNECT (to promote the development of small and middle sized fishing enterprises along the Adriatic coast, as well as the creation of a network on the Adriatic, networking the wholesale fish markets in Pula and Rijeka into the electronic system of European wholesale markets, the promotion of development of cooperatives in the fishing industry as a good way of networking fishing enterprises. Lead partner the Region of Emilia Romagna, total of 7 partners. Project budget 1 180 000.00 €, financial contribution of The Region of Istria 137 327.46 €, Istrian Development Agency 11 088.58 €). www.regione.emilia- romagna.it/industria/Pesca/Progetti/connect.htm  Rural Development – indigenous products from The Region of Istria (lead partner the Region of Tuscany – ARSIA, partner: AZZRI and IRTA, currently being prepared).

15. International Cooperation and European Integration Activities to Date CARDS 2003 – for the local development of border regions:  PRO.SME (integrated actions for the cross border promotion of Croatian SMEs and economic integration with border regions of Slovenia and Italy, IDA – applicant, 2 partners, total of 150 000 €).

16. International Cooperation and European Integration Activities to Date Other Programs:  SEENET (local government as a development initiator – renewing the bridges of dialogue between the countries of southeast Europe. Lead partners the Region of Tuscany and The Region of Istria, The Ministry of External Affairs of the Republic of Italy, other partners from The Republic of Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia).

17. International Cooperation and European Integration Activities to Date European integration:  Regional Office in Brussels  Euro Info Point in Pula

18. International Cooperation and European Integration Activities to Date Regional Office in Brussels:  In cooperation with AR Friuli-Venezia Giulia (Italy)  Over 250 regional representative offices  The first in Croatia  Support for citizens, public administration and business sector  Accessibility to information (EU funds)  Lobbyist role

19. International Cooperation and European Integration Activities to Date Euro Info Point in Pula:  Informing citizens about European Integration  Education  Information  EU team

20. International Cooperation and European Integration Initiatives  ROP – The Regional Operative Program  EU Pre-Accession Programs  The continuation of the cooperation process on the Adriatic (The Adriatic Euroregion)  Active role in cooperation prosess in South-East Europe  Office in New York  Continuing the initiatives in INTERREG III  New Cooperation with the foreign regions (Russia, China)  Continuing the other initiatives and Programs