Analysis of the contribution of transnational cooperation in the framework of SEE programme to meeting socio-economic challenges in Southeast Europe

European Territorial Co-operation 2007 2013

Background The South East Europe transnational cooperation programme (SEE) is in its final stage of implementation. All 1st call projects have finalised their activities and are soon to be followed by 2nd call projects. Projects approved in two more calls are still in progress. Enough critical mass has been accumulated by project outcomes and achievements to allow for proper examination and analysis. Therefore, it may be useful to investigate the specific contribution SEE projects have made to tackle major socio-economic challenges in the region. On the one hand, programme stakeholders, e.g. Monitoring Committee members, will have at their disposal proof of the benefits of transnational cooperation for the target area. On the other hand, such analysis can help programme communication and dissemination efforts by providing ready-for-use examples of SEE achievements. Aim This paper aims to analyse the measures undertaken by SEE projects to approach the socio economic weaknesses, identified through the SWOT analysis to the Operational Programme. The intention of this paper is to be a useful tool for demonstrating the relevance of transnational cooperation in the target area. Methodology The analysis1 shall be regarded as a process of examining in detail, for the sake of better understanding, projects response to common challenges. The proposed approach is to collect qualitative data about SEE projects (background and issues, challenges addressed, activities carried out, outputs produced) through desk research of application forms, project progress reports and project websites. The data is presented in a communication-friendly manner that highlights through what transnational actions these challenges have been addressed. At the end of the paper a table summarises the response of SEE projects to the programme areas development weaknesses. The timeframe for completing the analysis is roughly 5 months from April to September 2013. Last updates were introduced in November 2013.

http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/analysis

The point of reference for cataloguing project outcomes is the SWOT analysis, summarising the socio-economic potential and challenges of the target area, which can be found in SEE Operational Programme:

Why this point of reference? The socio-economic SWOT analysis was the beginning of everything. It outlined the possible areas for improvement (weaknesses) that called for cooperation among countries in this part of Europe in order to meet development needs. So there is a direct relation between the weaknesses and the needs. To a great extent the identified weaknesses influenced the formulation of the global programme objective, the specific objectives, and the programme areas of intervention. By tracing the response of SEE projects to the weaknesses identified through the SWOT analysis, this paper shows what shape this response takes.

However, one should bear in mind that it was the EU Regulation No. 1080/2006 on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) that finally tipped the balance for defining the key areas of cooperation for all transnational cooperation programmes in the period 2007-201323. This means that certain weaknesses are addressed through the defined priorities and areas of intervention in a straightforward manner, e.g. the physical construction and upgrading of PanEuropean Corridors or counterbalancing the economic disparities as separating elements. Still SEE projects endeavour to tackle these issues albeit indirectly or horizontally and with the limitations imposed by the specific actions ERDF can support in the framework of transnational cooperation.

Therefore the approach towards selection of projects to be presented in this paper has to necessarily reflect these complexities. The analysis puts emphasis on completed (1st call) projects that directly address the SWOT-defined weaknesses. Ongoing projects with sufficient maturity of outputs (2nd call projects drawing to an end) have also been considered. Projects with indirect contribution (e.g. specific project actions) to meeting socio-economic challenges are briefly mentioned. This analysis can be considered as work in progress, that is, it has the potential to gradually encompass all projects.

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SEE Operational Programme, section 3.2 Challenges for the cooperation area http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2006:210:0001:0001:EN:PDF

The SEE area exhibits a range of disparities in terms of economic performance and level of preparedness of innovation strategies. Most of the countries in the area, i.e. new member states and candidate countries, experience high economic dynamics and deep transformational processes of economic structures. Key factors for staying competitive for many of them are low wages and taxes in combination with availability of qualified labour force. However, in the long run such factors will not prove sustainable drivers of competitiveness. The region needs productivity growth. What drives productivity in many cases is innovation, better institutional and business environment, improved managerial practices, and access to ICT4. In addition, in the specific case of European Union countries, entrepreneurship and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly recognised as the main drivers of the EU's economic performance and as engines of innovation5.

To make sure we are not sailing in uncharted waters, however, it is necessary to take stock of what already exists, how effective it is, what the need for improvement is.

The SEE IFA Network studied the needs and gaps regarding innovation finance for microand small and medium-size enterprises

(MSMEs) in fourteen SEE area countries: Italy, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Albania. In this way the project is able to give an overview of gaps in terms of innovation and technology development support tools.

The analysis is complemented by examples of successful business support programmes and finance instruments at work in Southeast Europe. Partners describe schemes to support business in industrial research activities, experimental product/services development, and organisational innovation.

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http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/newsroom/cf/_getdocument.cfm?doc_id=4058 http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/newsroom/cf/_getdocument.cfm?doc_id=4058

SEE IFA Network placed special focus on the exchange of experience between old, new EU Member States, and candidate countries. In particular, project partners from Greece, Slovenia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia used the above mentioned analysis and pool of good practices to develop prefeasibility studies of selected support schemes.

Instruments selected for feasibility studies per country, SEE IFA Network Report

To support them in probing the possibility and conditions for setting up Innovation and Finance Agencies or innovation support programmes, SEE IFA Network organised several study visits and internships (for IPA countries only). In this way less experienced partners could learn first-hand about concrete good practices applied in more experienced partner countries.

Furthermore, train-the-trainer sessions were held for the staff of partner institutions from new member states and IPA countries. In this way 50 staff members increased their capacity in delivering innovation support services for MSMEs.

SEE IFA Network had more strategic ambitions, as well. Project partners sought to enhance the operating environment for MSMEs in Southeast Europe by setting up a cross-border patent and licence fund, i.e. SEE.IP fund. Partners first collected information on national regulations concerning intellectual property rights, technology transfer and patent funds. Partner stakeholders ministries, patent offices, chambers of commerce, universities, development agencies, technology institutes as well as venture capital companies, were interviewed about

their service demand and were consulted on the prerequisites for establishing a cross-border patent financial instrument. With the assistance of external experts the preliminary analysis and stakeholder input was incorporated into a full feasibility study. The study looks at different business models from around the world, matching the demand from stakeholders and taking into account the legal frameworks in SEE region countries. Then a concept for a SEE.IP fund is proposed and its elements described in detail.

Recommendations for future actions regarding the SEE.IP fund are outlined in a separate document. Business support structures come in a variety of administrative and organisational set-ups, e.g. business parks, business innovation centres, regional development agencies, business incubators. What is important is that they answer the specific needs of the area and have the understanding and support of all relevant stakeholders.

FIDIBE project partners, representing Hungary, Italy, Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania, Greece, and Croatia, exchanged practices and know-how on setting up and managing business innovation parks. They believe that business innovation parks can offer effective solutions to SMEs struggling to remain competitive, for instance following the start-up phase.

Partners began their cooperation by comparing experiences. They developed studies of the innovation potential of each partner region and by proposing measures to remove identified bottlenecks. The work on the studies went in parallel with the collection of good practices for business innovation structures existent in partner countries. This process involved also local stakeholders. The outcomes of the innovation potential studies and the good practice selection are published in two sets of documents available on the project website.

In order to help both decision-makers and practitioners make an informed choice, FIDIBE partners pooled together their know-how to develop a Manual for Business Innovation Parks. This Manual gives advice for each stage of a business park lifecycle: making an informed decision of starting such an initiative (based on local socio-economic data, available funding, and selection of ideal location); developing the service portfolio, marketing and financial planning; aspects to be considered in the operational phase like governance, infrastructure, and incubation. In addition, good practices from partner regions serve as examples and give credibility to the manual. Partner language versions of the Manual are also available upon request.

Lifecycle of a Business Innovation Park (without final stage: closure). Source: FIDIBE Manual

A special joint training on the content of the Manual was organised for project partner staff combined with a study visit to VEGAPARK in Venice (IT). The training prepared partners for disseminating FIDIBE know-how to local stakeholders, e.g. local and regional public administrations, business support structures, managing authorities of mainstream fund programmes.

At the same time the partnership commissioned feasibility studies for the extension of existing or setting up of brand new innovative business parks, according to individual partner needs. This process was accompanied by permanent stakeholder consultation process. Decision-makers were consulted on the possibility to found such a park and its operational framework. Small and medium-size enterprises from partner areas were interviewed as to what services they might need for improving their innovation capacity and, so could be included in the portfolio of a park. Each project partner benefited from this activity and some even reported early success stories. For instance, the Croatian partner managed to get its feasibility study shortlisted for EU funding. The Slovakian study on setting up a creativity and future visions centre has been incorporated into the Trnava University Science and Technology Park framework, as well as into the Regional Innovation Strategy.

Regional Development Agencies (RDA) can also lend a helping hand and act as innovation intermediaries.

The AsviLoc Plus project partners, representing 13 development agencies and centres from Austria, Italy, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece and Croatia, have a proof of this.

Through transnational meetings and study visits, they explored concrete examples of how RDA can motivate SMEs to innovate and bring them closer to research and development results. The outcome is this good practice catalogue.

The catalogue comprises practices from the fields of innovation governance, use of information and communication technologies (ICT), clusters and cooperative networks, access to finance, as well as SME-training and awareness raising measures. The main addressees of this collection are RDAs.

To disseminate the knowledge gathered at transnational level, each partner organised a Regional Laboratory bringing together different innovation actors, such as businesses, regional development agencies, and research centres. In the framework of these Regional Laboratories special capacity building workshops for public administration and trainings for businesses were organised.

Regional Laboratories were the main engines of local pilot actions organised in the framework of AsviLoc Plus project. For instance, the Italian regions of Marche and Rovigo selected local SMEs to test an innovative Customer Relation Management tool. Marche region also introduced the agent for change and development service, which saw the in-house training of professionals who look after the competitiveness of a company. The efforts of Friuli Venezia Giulia Region were directed into supporting the creation of a cluster and promoting public-private partnerships in innovation in the health sector. Similar actions were undertaken by the Eastern Macedonia and Thrace regions (EL), who focused on industrial informatics, whereas North East Region (RO) sought to support the development of their Transylvania Furniture Cluster.

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Austria Wirtschaftsservice worked on a competence map for the mechatronics cluster in Lower Austria. Thanks to this mapping new potential applications were detected and local SMEs started working on collaborative R&D projects. Varna Economic Development Agency

(BG) organised four capacity building seminars for local SMEs on financing innovation and created a
Testing of new training programmes in North East Region (RO) Photo credit: AsviLoc Plus project

web-platform as a meeting point for public and private actors participating in the innovation process (e.g. companies, research facilities, local self-government). Thematic seminars, workshops and specialised training programmes were carried out also in the Greek Regions of Eastern, Central Macedonia and Thrace, the Romanian North East Region, as well as in South Transdanubian Region of Hungary. In addition, Greek and Hungarian partners hosted events for local stakeholders to define guidelines and action plans for promoting private-public partnerships and fostering participation in R&D.

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Strengthening knowledge exchange and transfer between research and SMEs and internationalising their knowledge network offers SMEs new opportunities to innovate. This is one of the conclusions of a PRO INNO EUROPE consultation on public support for innovation carried out on behalf of the European Commission6.

In this vein, the aim of ADC project partners is to establish sectoral cluster networks in the Adriatic-Danubian compound, which can play the role of effective transnational value chains. The point of departure was that when businesses work in an integrated production system, they would be more competitive and attractive for foreign direct investment.

ADC partners analysed the economic sectors that had potential for such transnational clustering in the target geographic area. The results pointed towards four production areas: agrofood, logistics, mechatronics and modern housing. ADC project mapped the concentration of companies that could be involved in transnational cluster activities like this:

Making public support for innovation in the EU more effective, Lessons learned from a public consultation for action at Community level, EC Staff Working Document, SEC(2009)1197 of 09.09.2009

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To prepare the institutional and business environment for the planned Adriatic-Danubian clustering, as well as to create transnational links between companies from partner regions, the ADC consortium adopted a mixture of a bottom-up and a top-down approach. At project level four sectoral working groups were set up and at partner level further regional focus groups were formed engaging SMEs, universities, research centres, cluster managers, chambers of commerce, financial institutions, and public authorities. At joint transnational events project partners discussed and demonstrated (through study visits) cluster governance models, good practices and case studies. At local partner level stakeholder activities included raising awareness about the opportunities created by transnational clusters, and consultation on SME needs and expectations.

As a result of the stakeholder engagement process, four transnational cluster partnership agreements were signed and the ADC territorial marketing strategy was agreed upon. The strategy will be implemented with the support of help desks set up in partner countries.

Modern Housing business-to-business meeting in Maribor (SI), 2010 Photo credit: ADC project 13

It is generally agreed that knowledge transfer between R&D institutions and industry is of utmost importance for boosting competitiveness, as well as for increasing the effectiveness of public research. Although numerous initiatives are being taken aiming at promoting collaboration between research institutions and businesses across the EU, these remain mostly at national level and fail to address the transnational dimension of knowledge transfer7.

Establishing links between research bodies and enterprises to enable technological transfer and improve innovation capacity in the agro-food sector is main aim of the TECH.FOOD project. Project partner specific interest lies within the field of bio production and traditional food, packaging, functional foods, logistics, ICT and innovative marketing solutions, managing sub-products and energy production, food safety.

They studied the state of play of the agro-food sector in partner countries, i.e. Italy, Austria, Romania, Hungary, Greece, Croatia and Serbia with regard innovation capacity and participation. Besides desk research they also organised a survey to check innovation needs and potential of local enterprises from the sector.

To facilitate the contact with local stakeholders, i.e. enterprises, researchers, relevant public institutions, each partner developed local nodes for technology transfer and local focus groups. Local nodes organised the engagement process through meetings, trainings and technical seminars tackling a wide range of specific topics, e.g. ICT for agro-food marketing, new technologies for food monitoring and food packaging, innovation in post-harvest technologies. On the one hand, local nodes disseminated knowledge from the transnational level to local stakeholders. On the other hand, they were stakeholder messengers before the transnational focus groups.

http://ec.europa.eu/invest-in-research/pdf/download_en/knowledge_transfe_07.pdf

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Having analysed regional needs, partners selected tools for fostering innovation in the agrofood sector and promoted them in the form of an Innovation Toolbox. These tools can be used for assessing enterprises innovation aptitude, consumer confidence, effectiveness of institutional innovation support, etc. The Innovation Toolbox was widely disseminated among local partner stakeholders thanks to the local nodes for technology transfer. The use of these tools is facilitated through video tutorials.

A still from video instruction on Fit for Innovation Self-assessment Test Tool (AT), TECH.FOOD project

Based on the transnational know-how exchange and stakeholder input TECH.FOOD developed guidelines for innovation in the agro-food sector and suggested synergies between proposed actions.

The SEE Shared Innovation Synergies document reflects also on problems reported by enterprises and researchers and recommends measures for improving the innovation environment in partner regions/ countries. The main addressees of this document are regional and national policy makers.

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Transforming research results into innovative products requires also some specific types of knowledge, for instance, how to assess the technical feasibility of an invention, how to evaluate its market potential, or how to apply for a patent or sign a license agreement with a company.

This issue is addressed by the partnership of InterValue project. It combines the know-how of partners from Greece, Italy, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Their mission is to bring research out of the academic world and integrate it into the product market. To help researchers valorise their results InterValue partners have developed a web-based platform, which facilitates the interaction between researchers, companies and experts.

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Project partners held a series of meetings with scientific centres, universities, innovative entrepreneurs to collect research and development projects and ideas seeking business promotion. R&D results from various market sectors from textile manufacture to health and social services are now awaiting their sponsors in the R&D repository of the InterValue platform. Project technology providers, from universities and other R&D institutions, can continue submitting information about research products and services. At the same time technology users, from both the private and public sector, can access this information and contribute to the development of new products, production processes and services. The Valorisation Plans function allows researchers and creative (would-be) entrepreneurs to check the marketability of their innovative ideas. Project experts give detailed feedback to the ideas in terms of technical feasibility, intellectual property protection, potential market and funding. The valorisation methodology was developed jointly by the InterValue partners. More than 300 ideas have already been assessed thanks to the services of the InterValue platform and more than half of them were brought to the attention of potential investors. To make this happen the project organised 19 brokerage events to match researchers and business operators.

When the interaction between research and business reaches the phase of cooperation agreement, it is time to consider the intellectual property rights aspect. The InterValue platform offers general guidance through two online guides one explains the practical side of intellectual property rights, including through case studies, whereas the other describes the process of bringing a new product to the market. Both can be found under the IP Agreements function.

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When the knowledge transfer process enters its decisive phase, it is time for research bodies and entrepreneurs to sign a collaboration agreement. Agreements should clearly delineate the distribution of rights between the parties, including ownership of the background knowledge brought to the project, and ownership and access rights in relation to inventions, results and know-how arising from the partnership (and any associated IP rights).8

The IPRforSEE partnership addresses the need for Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) related support services for SMEs in South East Europe. Together the partners from Italy, Austria, Romania, Greece, Hungary and Serbia have developed five new services to meet the needs of their regional SMEs.

The service development was preceded by careful mapping and analysis of existing IPR services in partner countries and beyond. Service providers were interviewed, so that partners could get better understanding of what was on offer. At the same time the experience of SMEs in obtaining such services was also analysed in order to identify specific needs and service gaps. The outcomes of this analytical stage are collected in a study report. It is on the basis of the report recommendations that the IPRforSEE partnership set out to develop five new IPR-related services for SMEs.

IP for start-ups is a training module that consults start-ups on utilising basic IP protection mechanisms, relevant to their business. Trade Fairs and IP Protection is a service provided through an on-site consultation meeting. Knowledge transfer experts from business intermediary organisations instruct companies how to prevent unwanted know-how flows (e.g. copying, counterfeiting or other IP infringements) at trade fairs. IP Prdiagnosis for Creative Industries addresses the specific needs of creative industries. Based on the enterprises concrete IPR needs, IP.CC coaching & club defines tailor-made coaching units and gives access to an online networking platform for exchange of experience including with renowned experts in IPR. Gaining competitive advantage using IP makes it possible for SMEs to participate in a three-day workshop, which cultivates skills in monitor8

Improving knowledge transfer between research institutions and industry across Europe, EC COM(2007)182

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ing intellectual property rights in business environment to gain competitiveness. All services can be requested through the e-learning platform set up by the project.

All services have been tested in real-life environment. Project partners selected business intermediary organisations from their regions and trained their staff in working with the elearning platform and material. Then these organisations provided the five IPRforSEE services for free to 372 SMEs. The tests were jointly planned, monitored and evaluated.

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Knowledge transfer can be anticipated and planned in line with future cooperation priorities. This approach of programming the future based on the evidence of the strengths and capacities existent in South East Europe builds critical mass for innovation and counteracts possible innovation white spots. I3E project promotes innovation in the industrial informatics and embedded systems sectors by making sure that research efforts are aligned at transnational level between Greece, Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Italy, Serbia and Ukraine.

Already before the formal start of the project, partners started to probe the state of play of the target research field in their countries. As soon as the project was launched, the partnership agreed on a methodology for collecting good practices in transforming research results into innovation and each partner contributed to this joint knowledge exploration process. In parallel, during transnational meetings and workshops a first draft of a common Strategic Research Agenda was elaborated. This draft was discussed in detail at 17 local consensus building activities where partners gathered local, regional and national policy makers, industry representatives and academia and research actors. Finally, the combination of transnational and local networking made it possible to agree on a Strategic Research Agenda common for the whole of Southeast Europe. The Agenda defines specific areas, towards which the existing potential can be directed, e.g. nomadic environments, public infrastructure, private spaces, and industrial systems. At the same time it outlines emerging application areas, such as flexible manufacturing and green technologies. It also sets future research priorities for Southeast Europe in the field of industrial informatics and embedded systems sectors.

In order to assist partner countries in implementing the Strategic Research Agenda, specific National Profiles were prepared. These take into consideration available critical mass in each country and the complementarities that could be created at transnational level.

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Capacity building in Wiener Neustadt (AT), May 2012 Photo credit: I3E project

To ensure that policy makers, industry and researchers have the knowledge to put the agenda into practice, project partners organised 14 capacity building activities.

In total, 504 representatives of the research field, public authorities and businesses took part in these activities. 178 of the participants represented SMEs. The capacity building was supported though a jointly developed Methodology Guide on Innovation. This Guide explains the process of transforming a research result into an innovative market product/ service in an easy to understand manner. It also gives information on existing innovation support programmes and structures in Southeast Europe.

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Since 2006 DG Research has been promoting a specific method for transnational level innovation policy review and future policy orientation, so called foresight. Foresight [activities] formulate and explore visions of the development of science, technology and society. These visions aim to recognise promising technology and application areas, including the likelihood of success of the development by emphasising the relevant innovation system structures and forms of co-operation amongst different players.9 This method relies on the participatory approach to debate on the future and shape future policies.

This is the approach at the heart of the FORSEE project, which brings together partners from 8 Southeastern European countries, i.e. Greece, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro. All partnership members agree that there is need for reform in the policy for information and communication technologies (ICT), if Southeast Europe is to achieve sustainable growth in the framework of rapidly globalising economy. Specific topics of interest are digital content, e-Government, and e-Health.

First, project partners assessed the ICT innovation systems in each partner region/ country in terms of policies in place, human resources, knowledge flow, key actors and infrastructure, innovation and business environment. The synthesised assessment report points out that weak collaboration culture of policy-makers, science and industry affects the cy of innovation framework conditions. This is where FORSEE partners step in.

An important part of the project start-up phase has been the establishing of stakeholder networks in each partner region/ country including policy-makers, academia and industry representatives. At the same time the project set up a Policy Steering Committee in view of the ultimate project goal. To harmonise their approach and ensure guidance in the local participatory process, partners have developed a joint foresight methodology.

http://ec.europa.eu/research/social-sciences/pdf/ntw-using-report_en.pdf

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In the past two years following this common methodology project partners have initiated a wide consultation process on regional and national level (the project will be finalised by the end of 2013). Project partner stakeholders have been engaged through open consultation events, mini-brainstorming

workshops, and collaborative meetings. This gives the opportunity to build critical mass by establishing links between education institutions, research centres and the business, i.e. so called knowledge triangle. Stakeholders have contributed to pinpointing regional and national competitive advantages and possible complementarities with other SEE countries. International experts support the discussions by sharing their experience as well as good practice cases that could inspire future action. Through these open consultations partner stakeholders have the opportunity to take part in the review of current policy initiatives and help decide on the future orientation of ICT innovation in the region. Stakeholder input will be collected in a synthesis report.
Excerpt from FORSEE joint foresight methodology

At present FORSEE partners have reached step 4 of the joint foresight exercise as illustrated by the image on this page. The first transnational Futures Workshop on the topic of digital content was held in Sofia (BG) in March 2013. Further workshops on eGovernment and e-Health will follow. At the end of the project, the partnership will develop policy recommendations for the future of the ICT sector in Southeast Europe to align capacities between countries (e.g. help plan human resources, investment in a complementary way). To ensure support for implementation of these recommendations, partners will study the feasibility of setting up Regional Foresight Centres.
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As policy makers struggle to improve the performance of their innovation systems, and in particular to help firms in their countries become more innovative and more able to draw upon science and technology in the enhancement of their competitiveness, it is not surprising that there is a strong desire to know what works and how to make it work better [...] In this environment, the expectations placed upon the evaluation of innovation and technology policies are high.10

EVAL-INNO consortium tackles the issue of insufficient RTDI evaluation capacities in SEE area. That is why the partners from Austria, Greece, Bulgaria, Hungary, Montenegro and Serbia focus on capacity building and institutional support.

They promote the role of RTDI evaluation as a crucial condition for a reflexive learning innovation system and provide with relevant know-how decision-makers, innovation policy delivery institutions, and (potential) RTDI evaluators.

Their work began with formulation of RTDI Evaluation Standards. These standards refer to the functions of an evaluation exercise, possible levels of evaluation, as well as common evaluation criteria.

A separate chapter deals with effective planning of evaluation including take up of evaluation results. The guidebook also gives advice on procuring the evaluation process (e.g. what to include in the Terms of reference). Finally, there are recommendations for developing an evaluation road map.

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Policy Evaluation in Innovation and Technology: Towards Best Practices, OECD Report, http://www.oecd.org/science/inno/policyevaluationininnovationandtechnologytowardsbestpractices.htm

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EVAL-INNO

partners

have

organised

transnational trainings for innovation policy/ programme operators and for potential innovation policy/programme evaluators, attended by 46 people.

Before the end of the project in 2014, project partners will also develop Guidelines for Innovation Programme Evaluation completed with useful checklists. Here feedback from the local trainings will be considered. These Guidelines will be used in evaluating 3 concrete RTDI programmes from project partner regions.

Excerpt from EVAL-INNO RTDI Evaluation Standards

In addition, EVAL-INNO plans to put together a Manual for Benchmarking,

whose purpose is to allow for measuring and comparing the performance of intermediary innovation organisations (e.g. regional innovation agencies).

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Richness of biodiversity and natural resources in South East Europe is still a clear strength according to the analysis in the Operational Programme. However, where rapid and uncontrolled industrialisation took place, the consequences are visible in the presence of contaminated areas, threatened water reserves, deforestation and soil erosion. Adding to these the growing effects of climate change (e.g. droughts, floods, landslides) the current good quality of natural assets appears to be under constant threat of deterioration. Furthermore, the increasing demand in energy provision means that an environmentallyconscious economic development is only possible through a wider use of renewable energy sources and deployment of energy efficiency measures. Environmental issues cannot be treated in an isolated manner. A prudent use of natural resources and the protection of the global eco-system together with economic prosperity and a balanced social development are a condition for sustainable development.11 Therefore, an integrated approach should be considered to allow for economically efficient environment preservation measures, as well as for greening of the economy.

NATREG project partners are convinced that natural assets and protected areas can be drivers of sustainable regional development.

Partners exchanged experience on managing protected areas in Slovenia, Austria, Italy, Croatia and Serbia on the occasion of joint seminars, workshops and study visits. In preparation for these meetings partners collected data on the management of protected areas in their region or country together with a list of problems faced. This process was supported actively by local stakeholders, e.g. farmers, farmer associations, landowners, municipalities, tourist organisations. During the transnational project meetings partners discussed common problems and the degree of success of different solutions applied.

11

Sixth Community Environment Action Programme, Decision No.1600/2002/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council

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By pooling and benchmarking their experiences project partners were able to design a common model for a protected area management plan. It describes the steps, which partners believe compulsory for an efficient (also in economic terms) plan, e.g. building a common vision, taking stock of existing framework (institutions involved, natural assets, socio-economic situation, evaluation of past preservation actions), defining implementation steps incl. finances, implementation monitoring, evaluation and review.

Workshop for developing Joint Strategy for Integrated Management of Protected Areas, April 2010, Venice (IT) Photo credit: NATREG project

The model is part of NATREGs Joint Strategy for Integrated Management of Protected Areas in the Southeastern European Region, which consists of an Introductory Handbook and four sets of guidelines. While the Introductory Handbook gives the overall strategy framework, the guideline papers address crucial moments in the strategy implementation, i.e. designing a protected area business plan, evaluating the economic value of natural assets, engaging stakeholders, as well as creating ecological corridors between protected areas including when these are located between two regions in the same country or along the border of two or more countries.

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The work on the strategy required studying management practices from around Europe. Some of these were visited and studied first-hand by the partnership. Some were identified through the meetings with local stakeholders. The full list of more than 65 practices has been fed into an online good practice repository.

Before testing the newly elaborated strategy, project partners went through a joint selfassessment exercise using integrative protected area management software. Stakeholders from the designated pilot areas were also involved in this transnational activity. In the runup to the test phase the project organised also a series of trainings and capacity building events for project partners, as well as for important local stakeholders.

Pilot actions were carried out using again the participatory approach. The project enabled the development of management plans for partner protected areas including for crossborder regions (AT-SI). Ecological corridors were jointly planned and included in updated spatial plans (AT). Bringing different sector stakeholders to the discussion table helped harmonise biodiversity protection measures, tourism activities, agricultural activities, minerals exploitation (HR, SI). In addition, NATREG know-how helped the generation of new investment ideas in line with the integrated nature protection principles promoted by the project (HR, SR). The results of the pilot actions as well as concrete followup initiatives are described in detail in the final project publication.

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Engaging stakeholders is of utmost importance for nature protection projects. A 2007 Eurobarometer survey showed that only 35% of EU citizens knew what biodiversity loss actually meant.12 So it comes as no surprise that all South East Europe projects on the topic have strong stakeholder involvement components. As illustrated by the NATREG example above, very important in this sense is the engagement in joint small scale demonstration projects.

The participatory approach is also the key to success for DANUBEPARKS partnership, which covers Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania, as well as observer organisations from Germany, Serbia and Croatia.

Project partners selected five topics of joint interest on which they felt exchange of knowhow at transnational level was needed: River Morphology and Revitalisation, Floodplain management and Habitat Network, Conservation of Danube Flagship Species, Monitoring and NATURA2000, and Danube Nature Tourism. This exchange was made possible through joint transnational events, such as workshops, study visits (e.g. to restoration sites) and staff exchanges. In addition, synergies with parallel initiatives, e.g. supported by LIFE+ programme, BirdLife International and World Wild Fund were also exploited to the benefit of all partners. All along the partnership has sought to engage local stakeholders in project activities. On-the-spot advice of visiting project partners and foreign experts contributed to raising the interest and support of local stakeholders in nature preservation actions, e.g. removing check dams in DunaBird ringing in Persina Nature Park (BG) Photo credit: DANUBEPARKS project

Drava National Park (HU, SK); restoring wetland and grassland areas

(HU); ringing of young white-tailed eagles, fixing observation points and artificial nests

12

http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_219_en.pdf

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(RO, BG); forming agreement on cross-border conservation plans (AT/SK, HU/CRO, HU/RS).

In addition, partner local stakeholders had the opportunity to meet and learn from each other during transnational activities organised by DANUBEPARKS. One such activity was the joint ranger training, which took place in 2010 in several locations along the Danube Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and Serbia. Fourteen rangers from five protected areas underwent intensive 9-day training on nature management, restoration activities and visitor infrastructure.
Ranger training on the Danube Photo credit: DANUBEPARKS project

Towards the end of the project rangers and tourist guides could already make use of a new online platform, which the partners of DANUBEPARKS created to promote protected areas and nature tourism along the Danube.

This interlinkage of transnational and local exchange of know-how proved very useful for the collection of good and bad practices of Danube river restoration projects. This is an inspiring reading for local decision-makers planning a revitalisation project to adjust the river bed and banks. If such a project is initiated, a recommended further reference is DANUBEPARKS Strategy on Conservation and Navigation. It emphasises the merits of reconciling the interests of inland waterway transport and protected area preservation projects. The implementation of the Strategy is underway in the follow-up SEE project DANUBEPARKS STEP 2.0 and includes cross-sectoral meetings with navigation stakeholders.

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The transnational character of DANUBEPARKS network proved essential for the coordinated monitoring of endangered habitats and species in Natura 2000 areas. In this way data collected locally respects common international standards can be shared and compared among countries. This is useful when assessing the overall ecosystem status of the Danube river basin, when comparing preservation measures and planning coordinated restoration actions between countries. Species in focus for

DANUBEPARKS partners were two birds the Little-ringed

Photo credit: DANUBEPARKS project

Plover and the Sand Martin, as well as two mammals the Eura-

sian beaver and the European mink. The outcomes of this joint monitoring activity have been translated into several project outputs.

Furthermore the partners prepared a special White-tailed Eagle Action Plan to emphasise the need for protection of one of only two places in Europe where this rare bird of prey is nesting, i.e. Danube wetlands in the border area Hungary-Croatia-Serbia. This plan has been adopted by the Council of Europe.

The partnership activities related to the effective management of Natura 2000 and other protected areas along the river Danube has been recognised in the Action Plan to the EU Strategy for the Danube Region.

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One of the challenges of Natura 2000 network is the lack of clear common management principles for designated areas across the EU. Yet administrations responsible for the management of Natura 2000 sites throughout the EU are confronted with similar, and in some cases identical, problems13. For instance, who should administer Natura 2000 sites and how, especially in comparison to the management of national parks and nature reserves? Establishing common management criteria could become even a greater challenge when vulnerable species inhabit a territory encompassing several countries.

This challenge is accepted by the BeNatur partnership, which represents Natura 2000 sites from Hungary, Austria, Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, and Romania, as well as one protected area from Serbia.

The focus of BeNatur partners is on species unique for Southeast Europe wetlands (rivers, lakes and coastal shores), such as the White Stork, the Pygmy Cormorant, and the European pond turtle. Improving the situation of a species needs to be considered together with the whole habitat or group of habitats where the species appear. Therefore project partners are working to ensure coordinated efforts for the preservation of both the species in focus and their habitats.14

There are several key conditions that need to be considered in this regard. In particular, project partners agree that there is need for establishing common understanding and standards with regard protected area management plans. In addition, they are united in their belief that sufficient human capacity must be ensured to put the plans into practice.

Partners started from comparing management structures and practices applied in their respective Natura 2000 sites. A study visit programme has allowed for hands-on experience exchange and demonstration of local good and bad practices. It has also made it easier to pinpoint and discuss existing gaps in managing Natura 2000 sites that could be tackled with joint efforts, e.g. gaps in legislation, organizational structure, and ecological

13

Integrated management of Natura 2000 sites, The contribution of LIFE -nature projects (2005), http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/publications/lifepublications/lifefocus/documents/managingnatura_lr.pdf The project ends in 2014.

14

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assessment. The gap analysis report, available also in partner language versions, is an important input for defining the joint transnational action plans currently under preparation.

Workshop on joint strategy, June 2012, Preveza (EL) Photo credit BeNatur project

In parallel, partners have been working on a joint strategy for better management and implementation of Natura 2000 sites. The strategy seeks to harmonise management practices and standards, as well as institutional frameworks from country to country. It is complemented by a common monitoring tool for ecological status check, which is currently being tested through the project pilot activities.

Pilot interventions are being realised following five jointly developed action plans for the conservation of habitats and species in focus. For instance, project partners are restoring grassland in Trkeve (HU), setting up a rehabilitation centre for injured storks in Timioara (RO), reintroducing Adriatic sturgeon in Reno River in Italy. Also a transnational event dedicated to the reconciliation of agricultural interests within the Natura 2000 network has been held with the participation of stakeholders from Austria, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Croatia and the Republic of Kosovo. Trainings for local stakeholders have also taken place as part of the action plans implementation, which resulted in more than 100 people better skilled to participate in Natura 2000 management, as well as in monitoring and safeguarding endangered habitats and species in focus.

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In parallel, project partners have organised awareness-raising

campaigns in their regions to attract the attention to the importance of ecosystems in Natura 2000 sites. More than 300 pupils took part took part in study tours, visits to nature park centres, special workshops. Specific didactic and informative materials were
Awareness-raising activity Photo credit: BeNatur project

produced for these occasions.

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Following the resource efficiency principle, conservation should preferably go hand in hand with management of other activities or resources, e.g. agriculture, water management, forestry, construction or engineering works. That is to say, an integrated management approach is needed, one that reconciles nature protection and regional economic development. Elements of this approach can be found in NATREG and DANUBEPARKS projects, previously described.

The partners of the Green Mountain project, though, have embraced this approach in its totality. They are in search of a sustainable development model for exploiting the economic value of natural assets without affecting their quality. The model should also be specifically designed for mountain areas, like the territories represented by the partners from Italy, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Slovakia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro.

Partners analysed current approaches to development in their regions during exchange and thematic working group meetings. They also looked into existing European good practices and initiatives in developing sustainable economic activities. In this respect transnational study visits have been most appreciated by project partners. Together they explored examples of local product branding, sustainable tourism, restoration actions within infrastructural
Home-made cheese as an example of a sustainable local product, study visit to Gumpenstein (AT), February 2013 Photo credit: Green Mountain project

interventions,

stakeholder awareness-raising, environmental education and training.

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The visits have been an opportunity to bring along local decision-makers from partner regions and bring them closer to Green Mountains ideas. Finally, 12 practices have been considered relevant and feasible for transfer to individual partners and described in greater detail in a good practice report.

However, these practices cannot stand alone. They need to be incorporated in an overall vision for the sustainable development of a given area. Therefore, Green Mountain partners developed a common sustainable development and management model. It is based on the shared needs and understanding of project partners but gives enough space for tailoring to territory-specific conditions.

Excerpt from Green Mountain Common Sustainable Development and Management Model

For those who need a bit more detailed instruction Green Mountain developed a specific toolbox, which explains how to prepare the ground for a sustainable development plan (stakeholder participation), what factors to analyse during the planning phase, what steps to undertake during and after the plans implementation. This toolbox is the main aid for partners in developing their individual management plans, which are expected to be fina-

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lised by the end of 2013. At the same time, some of the activities, included in these plans, are being tested as pilot actions. For instance, Domogled Valea-Cernei National Park (RO), the Slovak Environmental Agency, and Slktler Nature Park (AT) organised seminars for local economic actors to inspire them with green business ideas. Partners held training session on how to start a green business or reorient current entrepreneurial activities in Smolyan (BG) and Grofsolk (AT).

In addition, project partners are reaching to local decision-makers, economic players and the general public through a broad information campaign. The public and private sector have already been consulted on the specific partner management plans. More awarenessraising activities are planned before the end of the year such as information days, seminars and mainstreaming workshops. The mainstreaming workshops aim at presenting Green Mountains sustainable development model as well as individual partner management plans and encouraging the take-up of the model at national level.

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The integrated management approach can be applied to the overall development strategy of a given region or by targeting only the economic system of this region.

Raising the awareness of public administration and the economic sector about the impact of production areas on environment is the mission of SEPA partners. The Romanian-led partnership comprised representatives of regional (business) development organisations from Greece, Italy, Hungary, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Serbia. Many local and regional public authorities from the partner regions were involved as observers.

The objective of the partnership was to develop a model for a sustainable and ecologically-equipped production area (i.e. SEPA) that would rely on eco-friendly enterprises and production practices. Such experience exists in different parts of the world, although before SEPA it was not adapted to the characteristics of Southeast Europe. So partners collected data on examples of ecological industrial zones including zones organised as regeneration of brownfields. They studied the legal conditions for setting up such an entity in partner countries and debated on the possible management structures. At the same time partners explored how a production zone can be ecologically equipped by introducing measures for energy saving and efficiency, adopting specific practices for waste management and recycling, organising more efficient transport services, and taking habitats and landscape into consideration in creating infrastructure.

All discussion at transnational level were continued and enriched at local level through the stakeholder networks, which each partner created. These networks were used for building consensus on the SEPA concept and preparing the ground for its deployment. For instance, stakeholders were invited to project trainings on the SEPA methodology. They were also engaged in selecting test sites for the concept on partner territories.

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This is the transformation of a contaminated brownfield site into Lavrian Technological and Cultural Park in Attica (EL). Another transformation is under way to turn this Park into a sustainable and ecologically equipped production area using SEPA methodology. Photo credit: SEPA project

Pilots made it possible to study the feasibility for the selected sites to undergo a SEPA transformation. Such studies were prepared for Viggiano industrial area in Basilicata Region (IT), Amaro area in Friuli Venezia Guilia Region (IT), Seana Incubator (SI), Varna West Industrial Zone (BG), Baki Jarak (RS), Lavrian Technological and Cultural Park in Attica Region (EL), Central Transdanubia (HU), as well as for the industrial area of Baia Mare (RO).

To attract enterprises and potential investors for the realisation of the study recommendations, partners organised business-to-business meetings and disseminated special bid books advertising their would-be SEPA locations.

The exchange of SEPA partners, their stakeholders and the findings of the feasibility studies have been incorporated in Guidelines for setting up a sustainable and ecologically equipped production area.

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Rejuvenating brownfield sites which have been previously used for military, mining, industrial or commercial purposes and are now often beset by soil and water contamination falls under the umbrella of 'green' and innovate solutions for economic growth. Empty brownfield sites, if rehabilitated, could create jobs for the nearby communities, improve the environment and promote innovation15. This is the position of the European Parliament, which has been arguing in favour of more funds for brownfield revitalisation in the future programming period.

With the changes in the security and defence policies in Southeast Europe in the past 20 years (i.e. falling of the Iron Curtain), a large number of former military bases and installations have been dismantled or disarmed. These sites fell into degradation, sometimes causing an economic drop of activity in neighbouring areas, which are often located near borders and country periphery. Public authorities have been trying to rehabilitate these sites and integrate them back in urban and economic planning. However, oftentimes such a site constitutes a brownfield, i.e. real property the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the (potential) presence of hazardous substances, polluted soil, etc. On top of that, site property rights are not always easy to transfer.

The F.A.T.E. consortium, covering Italy, Slovenia, Greece, Hungary, Romania, Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, was intent on finding a way to military brownfield revitalisation in SEE. Their aim was to develop specific measures to support the conversion of military brownfields into Business Support Centres (BSC) or Business Incubators (BI) and so into pivotal assets for local economy.

F.A.T.E. partners all come from regions with former military bases. To better understand the economic and entrepreneurial context of these installations project partners analysed the main regional economic sectors, existing business support centres, industrial property markets, SME policies. This regional level SWOT analysis was developed in close cooperation with partner stakeholders, e.g. local public authorities, chambers of commerce, local and regional development agencies, technology parks, through the organisation of focus
15

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-%2F%2FEP%2F%2FNONSGML%2BCOMPARL%2BPE-514.854%2B01%2BDOC%2BPDF%2BV0%2F%2FEN

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groups. During transnational project meetings, the findings of the analyses were compared and discussed to allow for a common approach. The project produced individual SWOT analyses for partner regions, as well as comparative context analysis.

Following a common methodology F.A.T.E. partners assessed existing military brownfields in their regions focusing also on location, infrastructure facilities, economic and environmental state. This effort resulted in 10 assessment reports, most of which complemented by maps.

The comprehensive brownfield sites analysis was followed by feasibility studies and pilot actions. This second phase of F.A.T.E. project aimed at paving the way to the setting up of strategies fostering entrepreneurship and investments and to the identifying of operational plans and investment projects for the rehabilitation and transformation of military brownfields into Business Support centres (BSC) or Incubators (BI).

The partnership investigated case studies of restructuring former military bases from past projects. They were particularly interested in critical factors that might influence the restructuring
Study visit to Osijek (HR) where former military district has been converted into a university campus Photo credit: F.A.T.E. project

process. In addition, project partners examined good

practices of entrepreneurial support systems and measures, as well as examples of policies fostering entrepreneurship. All findings have been collected in a Case Study Handbook.

In November 2011 F.A.T.E. organised a transnational workshop in Murska Sobota (SI) where project partners discussed at large public authority services to promote entrepreneurship and attract foreign direct investment in regions with military past. Different strategies were considered and specific policy measures defined. Transnational brainstorming and exchange of knowledge was captured in two project publications: Regional Measures to promote entrepreneurship and Management and Technological standards for Busi-

41

ness Support Centres and Business Incubators. This workshop formed a milestone for the project, after which pilot actions were initiated.

One of the main issues, which F.A.T.E. pilots addressed, was the property ownership transfer rights from national to local level. Project partners dedicated several joint working sessions on deliberating on tools and measures for managing the entire process of conversion including models for transferring the ownership rights. As a result a common position paper was produced offering some examples and methodology for this process.

During the pilot actions activities have been carried out in the following regions/cities: Friuli Venezia Giulia (Latisana), Umbria (Casermette Colfiorito and Minervo) (IT), Mura and Murska Sobota (SI), Drama and Kavala (EL), Nagykanizsa, Zalaegerszeg, Kesztely, Laktanya (HU), and Cara-Severin (RO).

Project partners initiated the property rights transfer processes and the reconstruction phase for military brownfields and together with local stakeholders, including potential investors, worked on programming the rehabilitation of the sites in spatial development plans and on designing BI/BSCs strategies. Details on the progress of each pilot site can be found on the project website.

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Another type of brownfield typical for Southeast Europe due to the transition from planned to market economy is former large-scale industrial production sites. Usually such sites are located close to urban centres but still remain unexploited. Similarly to military brownfields, these too can become economic drivers following a well-planned and structured reconversion process. To find out an easily transferable model for brownfield revitalisation was the main goal of ReTInA partners coming from Hungary (Csepel district of Budapest), Romania (Iai and Galai), Italy (Ferrara and Parma), Slovakia (Koice), Slovenia (Maribor), Bulgaria (Pernik) and Greece (Komotini). While project partners focused on revitalisation and investment plans for pilot areas, the project methodology can be applied by any city in SEE facing similar development and restructuring challenges. The only condition is to ensure stakeholder participation.

ReTInA partners set up three task force groups to tackle in-depth the three elements of brownfield re-development: legal, financial and ownership issues; urban and environmental issues; imaging and branding. Supported by external experts each task force group had the task to make an overview of partner brownfields through benchmarking and peer review. At the occasion of joint transnational meetings each task force group shared their findings with the rest of the partnership.

To facilitate knowledge exchange the partnership followed a specific schedule of transnational benchmark visits and master classes. In this way project partners got acquainted with brownfield revitalisation plans or initiatives in Iai (RO), Koice (SK), Maribor (SI), Budapest (HU) and Pernik (BG).
Study visit to Csepel Island in Budapest (HU) Photo credit: ReTInA project

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In addition, each partner set up a brownfield stakeholder group. These groups met regularly to follow the progress of the project and support it through local expertise and feedback. Whenever possible these local stakeholder groups took part in transnational events organised in the framework of ReTInA project.

Project partner and stakeholder exchange resulted in the development of 10 regional case studies and 3 transnational case studies (one per task force group). Regional case studies consist of a general part describing the regional institutional framework, economic system, existing development strategies, demographic system and labour market. The more specific second half deals with the brownfield zone in focus for ReTInA activities in terms of existing revitalisation plans and stakeholder engagement processes. Regional Case studies constituted a first stage in the brownfield revitalisation process.

The transnational case studies were finalised by end of July 2011 and address the topics of legal, financial and ownership issues; urban and environmental issues; imaging and branding. They discuss the relevant EU policy documents and regulations concerning brownfields, describe and evaluate the state of play of partner brownfield sites, and point out problems and opportunities for re-development.

Both regional and transnational case studies are available for download from the Deliverables section on the project website: http://www.retinasee.eu/.

The work on the case studies helped project partners develop the ReTInA Brownfield Revitalisation Method comprising a Model Master plan and a tool for stakeholder engagement. A ReTInA Knowledge Centre with a help desk was created at the University of Maribor to support partners in developing individual brownfield revitalisation plans and investment programmes. Local stakeholders participated actively in the design of these strategic documents, while a master class assisted project partners in gaining the skills to apply the project brownfield revitalisation method in practice.

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The Sixth Community Environment Action Programme also calls for integrating environmental concerns into economic development policies. One of the identified concerns is the increasing pollution of water resources, soil, air, and pollution caused by inadequate waste management. The programme promotes the principle of rectification of pollution at source.16

The ECOPORT 8 partnership commits to preventing pollution and thus preserving natural resources in partner sea port areas located in Italy, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Albania, and Montenegro. Partners worked to provide sea port authorities with guidance and skills for environmental management.

Project partners exchanged knowledge on the various environmental protection measures and practices applied in sea ports on their territories. They found it useful to discuss also identified weaknesses in applying environmental policies in port management systems. This exchange was accompanied by an in-depth study of relevant EU and national regulatory frameworks, as well as international conventions and environment management systems.

Project partner meetings Photo credit: ECOPORT 8 project

During PAN European fora the partnership studied different parameters and methodologies for environmental risk assessment and management, applicable to port activities. Local stakeholders from the host region were also invited to these transnational meetings. Municipality representatives, port authorities and subsidiary organisations, related business ac16

Sixth Community Environment Action Programme, Decision No.1600/2002/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council

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tors, as well as environmental organisations became part of the ECOPORT 8 knowledge exchange process. At the end of this process partners knew better what environment parameters needed closer monitoring in order to follow the levels and trends of water and air pollution, pollution due to waste and noise, soil contamination, pollution caused by cargo handling and bunkering. In addition, partners and their stakeholders increased their knowledge on the opportunities offered by energy efficient measures, polluted area rehabilitation and biodiversity protection in port areas. The conclusions from this first phase of the project are collected in a Context Analysis paper.

The next step was to select and test on the ground suitable methods and tools for monitoring the quality of water, air, waste management procedures, dredged sediment treatment and energy consumption. Two pilot plants, one in Burgas (Bulgaria) and the other in Bar (Montenegro), were equipped and carried out samplings according to a jointly agreed Monitoring Plan. In addition, the Italian port of Bari and the Albanian port of Durres also implemented test monitoring activities. In line with EU Water Framework Directive monitoring tests covered oil and chemical terminals, bunkering locations, wastewater discharge sites and untreated or contaminated sediment areas. The reports from these tests are published on the ECOPORT 8 website.
Equipment purchased thanks to ECOPORT 8 project for the pilot in Burgas (Bulgaria) Photo credit: ECOPORT 8 project

The joint monitoring exercise together with the context analysis contributed to the design

of a common Monitoring Plan, which outlines sensitive parameters to be checked on regular basis, proven modes of measurement, recommended instruments and measuring standards. The plan highlights 16 environmental criteria ranging from water and air quality to energy consumption and soil contamination. The plan has been formally adopted by port authorities from partner regions and incorporated it into their daily work activities.

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In order to be able to carry out the monitoring tasks described in the plan, however, port staff from partner port authorities needed to undergo practical training. So ECOPORT 8 partners developed a specific curriculum for port environmental managers. 18 junior experts from 6 partner and observer countries successfully finished the course, which combined regular classes with hands-on training during working visits in partner port sites. Video testimonials from the training activities can be found on the project website.

To facilitate the adoption of the environmental Monitoring Plan by other port authorities beyond the partnership, ECOPORT 8 partners developed an Eco Guideline document. It explains how to implement an environment management system within ports in Southeast Europe. It also includes selected good practices in ensuring water quality in territorial waters, dealing with port waste, deploying energy efficiency measures, etc.

TEN_ECOPORT project, approved in the last call for proposals of SEE programme, capitalises on the achievements of ECOPORT 8 by enlarging the territorial scope of the partnership and further developing the tools produced by its predecessor.

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In Southeast Europe inland navigation encounters similar challenges as maritime navigation, i.e. contributing to a sustainable economic development through the introduction of environmental management and risk prevention measures. Moreover, inland navigation seeks to maintain its reputation as environmental-friendly mode of transport.

WANDA partners, representing navigation professionals from Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Serbia, note that the Danube transport corridor witnesses an increase in transport volumes in recent years. Although this is an economic opportunity for the region, it also poses some serious environmental risks. For instance, increased transport volumes may mean tight delivery schedules with limited stop-over time at transit ports. What is with the ship waste then? WANDA consortium points to the lack of coordination in and common practices of managing ship waste in Danube countries, which lead to illegal ship waste discharge. WANDA partners see a straightforward response to this challenge harmonisation of national regulations and exchange of know-how about managing ship-borne waste at transnational level. The know-how exchange took place at transnational workshops and study visits supported by an advisory expert group consisting of representatives from the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River, the Danube Commission, the Central Commission for the
Photo credit: WANDA project

Navigation on the Rhine, the

International Sava River Basin Commission and the German Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration. Apart from engaging these international stakeholders, partners made a lot of efforts to involve also their national and local stakeholders, e.g. ministries, executive agencies, navigation experts.

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Transnational meetings were an opportunity to compare existing national inland transport regulations including ship waste management provisions. Discussions focused also upon waste treatment practices and relevant port infrastructure. In addition, partners explored the experience in the field of other river basins, notably the Rhine and Sava rivers. This analysis provided a strong basis for the formulation of a harmonised international framework concept for ship waste management along the Danube. This common concept became the backbone for the national ship waste management concepts of Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia and Serbia elaborated also thanks to WANDA project.

Before finalising the national concepts, however, partners wanted to make sure what practices would work on their territory. Therefore, a series of pilot actions were implemented in the upper, middle and lower stretch of the Danube River.

For instance, mobile waste collection services free of charge were provided along a Danube stretch of 700 kilometers (Linz to Mhacs) for the first time ever. In addition, stationary collection

points were set up in the Austria. Thus between June/ September 2011 approx. 400 m of bilge waSkipper at Waste Collection Point in Austria, Photo credit: A.Paltram, WANDA project

ter, 69 m of waste oils and more than two tons of solid oily and

greasy ship-borne waste was collected instead of risking it being disposed of in the Danube or around ports.

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As part of the WANDA pilots a Green Terminal was opened in Baja, (Hungary) in May 2011, offering the collection and handling of hazardous and non-hazardous ship waste for the summer months.

Mobile waste collection services were tested also in the cross-border area between the ports of Guirgiu (RO) and
Green Terminal, Baja (HU) Photo credit: WANDA project

Ruse (BG). In Giurgiu a stationary facility for the collection and treatment of oily and greasy ship waste was also put into operation. A total of 109 m ship waste was collected and treated in this cross-border pilot action. At the same time in the Romanian ports of Galati and Tulcea mobile and stationary waste collection facilities took care of more than 77 m bilge water. In addition, stationary waste disposal services collected hazardous ship waste, recyclables, waste waters and domestic waste from vessels.

WANDA pilot activities proved very useful and received excellent feedback from service recipients. Still, project partners were aware that such services cannot be provided for free in the long run. Therefore, the challenge was to define a common financing model to cover waste disposal costs and to be jointly applied in the Danube basin. WANDA consortium proposes to combine the Polluter-Pays-Principle and an Indirect Payment scheme into a Vignette system. This model will be tested in the follow-up project also supported by SEE programme CO-WANDA.
Pilot Action Galati (RO), Photo credit: WANDA project

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For its contribution to improving the environmental performance of the Danube fleet WANDA has been praised as an exemplary project for the EU Strategy for the Danube region. Water transport be it maritime or inland plays a crucial economic role in Southeast Europe. However, it is not the only important economic sector that seeks to improve its environmental performance. Agriculture has been one of the core economic sectors in Southeast Europe for years. However, increased intensity of land use has also led to adverse impact on natural resources.

Water management and emergency control of water pollution in agricultural activities is the main mission of EU.WATER project partners representing local, regional, and national public bodies from Italy, Hungary, Greece, Romania, Croatia, Serbia, Ukraine and Moldova. They came together to define a common strategy for integrated water management in agriculture that would address two main problems: high water consumption and (surface/ground) water pollution.

In the run-up to the strategy design partners examined the state of play of water use in agriculture in their regions. They drew 9 regional reports (one per partner region) detailing factors that determine water use in agriculture and pollution sources, e.g. climate, soil data, land use practices, surface and ground water, protected areas, and state of arable land. Reports are available both in English and in national language versions. At project meetings partners had the possibility to compare practices and discuss common challenges. Experience from other countries was also considered, especially in applying the EU Water Framework Directive and the Nitrate Directive.

Alongside the report preparation EU.WATER partners learned how to use GIS-based software tool to develop vulnerability maps. A whole set of vulnerability maps has been saved in a databank. These illustrate which parts of partner territories suffer the most from water and nitrogen loss due to unsustainable agricultural practices. Others indicate the existent surface and ground water sources, cropland, protected areas, and points of pollution.

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Vulnerability map showing annual water loss from run-off for the Province of Rovigo, Italy

The vulnerability maps together with the regional reports were presented to and discussed with local and regional decision-makers, agro-engineers, farmers and researchers, who formed local implementation networks. In this way partner stakeholders could actively participate in the design of the common strategy for water management in agriculture, as well as in the project pilot activities.

The main discussions on the strategy took place at transnational level thanks to partnership fora and meetings with external experts. The combination of transnational and locallevel exchange provided a wide range of perspectives on the issue of water consumption and the risk of water pollution due to intensive agriculture. It also allowed partners to understand better and take into consideration concerns of local stakeholders when drafting the Transnational Strategy for Integrated Water Management in Agriculture. The strategy draws on the conclusions of the 9 regional reports, as well as on the data visualised thanks to the vulnerability maps. In addition, it highlights good practices for saving water (e.g. through improving water balance, irrigation systems), as well as for reducing nitrate pollution. The document recommends specific actions for improving water saving and fertiliser management for each partner region.

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Some of the recommendations were put into practice immediately in order to test suggested approaches or practices. Test sites were selected according to the hot spots identified through the vulnerability maps. Partners explored the effectiveness of computerised decision-support systems for planning agricultural activities, as well as the potential of specific farming interventions to reduce water use and nitrate release. All five pilot activities received support by local stakeholders (e.g. farmers offered pieces of their land for the tests).
Photo credit: EU.WATER project

The reports from the pilot actions were used for updating the common transnational strategy. Lessons learnt from all pilots were also shared with local stakeholders through a series of capacity building events. In total 24 local trainings for technicians and farmers were organised by project partners. These events served as an opportunity to also disseminate the common strategy on water management in agriculture and convince farmers, technicians and decision-makers that agricultural activity would be more viable economically, if combined with measures for saving water and preventing the risk of water pollution.

EU.WATER organised a specific transnational capacity building seminar for the partners and their stakeholders from Croatia, Serbia, Ukraine and Republic of Moldova. The aim was to reinforce their knowledge and skills in water and environmental monitoring procedures, so that they could better address local and regional policy planning for agricultural and water-related issues.

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It is at transnational level where common pollution risks can be managed most efficiently. With regard tackling of natural or man-made disasters it is sometimes even impossible to react adequately, unless a coordinated transnational response is organised. Therefore it is also important to jointly assess the risks and implement prevention measures before a disaster occurs. However, risk assessment oftentimes is undertaken solely at national or regional level. This means that comparability of risk assessment methods used in different countries makes it difficult to have coherent mitigation and monitoring measures, as well as joint response in the event of a disaster incident spreading to several countries.17

MONITOR II project partners seek to propose a solution to this challenge. The consortium comprised mainly regional and local public authorities, as well as knowledge providers from Austria, Slovenia, Italy, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, and Serbia. Based on the common features of partner territories, the focus of the project is placed on floods and landslides.

The approach, which project partners followed, was two-fold. On the one hand they sought to develop early warning systems and to enhance their preparedness to act together. On the other hand, the partnership put a lot of efforts into raising public awareness about these natural disasters and what needs to be done when they strike.

Risk prevention often relies on contingency plans and hazard maps. A contingency plan addresses an existing or potential emergency (e.g. flood) that might cause problems in the future. A hazard map portrays levels of probability of a hazard(s) occurring across a geographical area, where a hazard is understood as a dangerous phenomenon, substance, human activity or condition that may cause losses or damage18.

In order to know where they stand, project partners analysed, evaluated and compared data generation methods used across partner regions. Moreover, they benchmarked standard practices in contingency plan design and hazard map creation. Experience outside the part17

European Commission Staff Working Paper, Risk Assessment and Mapping Guidelines for Disaster Management (2010), http://ec.europa.eu/echo/civil_protection/civil/pdfdocs/prevention/COMM_PDF_SEC_2010_1626_F_staff_working_document_en.pdf Same as above.

18

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nership was also explored. This benchmarking process was accomplished thanks to transnational thematic workshops, field trips and conferences.

The results of these events were shared with local and regional stakeholders, e.g. decision-makers responsible for spatial planning and civil protection, public offices planning natural hazard prevention and response measures, emergency services, public administration, as well as residents of disaster-prone zones. To this end the partnership developed a special publication addressing the policy level to explain in a simple manner the causes of floods and landslides, what can be done to prevent such disasters, which actors should be involved and how.

Field trip in Alexandroupolis (EL), 2010 Photo credit: MONITOR II project

Workshop in Modena (IT), 2010 Photo credit: MONITOR II project

Based on the joint analysis and stakeholder feedback partners designed a continuous situation awareness system (CSAS) to link hazard mapping and contingency planning. The systems aim is to support decision makers and practitioners in planning, risk assessment and response to natural hazards. It represents a series of software components, which allow for the integration and visual presentation of disaster management data. For instance, it can generate scenarios integrating information on weather services, meteorological data and gauge data. In case it detects a potential disaster risk, the system proposes a contingency plan. CSAS functionalities are described in one of the final documents of MONITOR II project.

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Project partners used the CSAS to support the revision of existing or the design of firsttime contingency plans with the help of newly generated hazard maps. The maps were produced by building upon data from past natural disaster events as well as on simulated events. Partners applied the system in several test-beds in Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania and Greece. These contingency plans as well as the generated hazard maps can be accessed through the project website.

Map generated by the CSAS testing for Tyrol (AT)

In the process of (re)drafting the contingency plans, project partners realised that existing contingency planning guidelines and legal frameworks need to be revised, in order to be able to incorporate risk assessment methodologies therein. Therefore concrete recommendations for improvement have been proposed.

It is worth noting that already during the lifetime of MONITOR II the Tyrolean contingency plan, which received strong input from the project, has been integrated into the Tyrolean Forest Strategy (2020). Proposals for legal improvements or/and introduction of risk analysis methodologies were also proposed to the relevant authorities in Slovenia and Bulgaria. In addition, MONITOR II project is an exemplary project for operational cooperation among emergency response authorities along the river Danube according to the Action Plan to the EU Strategy for the Danube Region.

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Data is at the heart of the risk prevention and management process. While hazard maps can help with assessing how probable it is that a hazard occurs in a given area, risk maps can also show scenarios for the aftermath of such an occurrence. In addition, a risk map can visualise more than one risk type. Harmonising data used for flood risk mapping and integrating risk management in spatial planning is the main goal of the DANUBE

FLOODRISK project. The partnership was set up by partners, representing mainly Danube floodplain regions in Romania, Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia, and Serbia plus an expert partner from Italy. German observers were also involved in the cooperation.

Project partners started from comparing the methods used for data collection and parameter measurement, as well as the way data was processed. Thus the needs for harmonisation could be defined with better precision. Partners exchanged know-how on hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, vulnerability assessment, scenario-building, etc. Practices of risk mapping applied in other river basins, e.g. Rhine, Odra and Elbe, were also explored.

Gaps in data necessary for the development of flood risk maps for the Danube basin were overcome by coordinated data collection and gauging. In particular, partners used LiDAR (light detection and ranging) survey, which is a spatial analysis tool. When used for hydrographic purposes it can tell, among others, the water depth by scanning the coast and the relief of the water basin bed. Also missing information on parts of the river system, hydraulic infrastructure, and protected areas was obtained and digitised (i.e. transcribed into a digital form that can be processed by a computer).

The joint work on harmonising data collection and processing methods led to the publication of a Manual of harmonised requirements for flood mapping procedures for the Danube River.

Having acquired the full set of data needed for the production of flood risk maps, the DANUBE FLOODRISK partnership proceeded to the development of the map generation
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tool, i.e. atlas software. The complex development process was accompanied by a series of stakeholder workshops and working group meetings in line with the project stakeholder communication strategy. It was crucial to get the feedback from local, regional and sometimes national emergency response bodies, ministries, and scientists in the field. They had the opportunity to check the functionalities of the atlas software and to advise on map generation methods and risk map content.

Project meeting on map generation held in May, 2011 in Bucharest (RO) Photo credit: DANUBE FLOODRISK project

DANUBE FLOODRISK Maps meet the requirements of the INSPIRE Directive, which lays down the EU framework for a Spatial Data Infrastructure for the purpose of environmental policies and activities. They are able to display dynamic processes and to create simulations of inundated areas.

In order to test the level of integration into spatial planning, partners carried out pilot actions along the Danube River in Krems (AT), Cernavoda Power Plant, Galati Port and Giurgiu (RO), Lom, Nikopol and Ruse (BG). Additional tests were done for the Drava River basin by the Italian partner. First of all, a scoping study on integrating risk management in spatial planning was completed by the partners from Romania, Austria, Bulgaria and Italy. The study helped decide on the pilot sites and the focus of the tests. For instance, the Italian partner tested new risk mapping methods, whereas the Austrian partners used the opportunity to organise stakeholder dialogues. The Bulgarian Environment Ministry disseminated risk information, gathered through the project, to local decision-makers. The Romanian partners combined all three pilot activities.

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Stakeholders working with thematic maps, pilot in Giurgiu (RO) Photo credit: DANUBE FLOODRISK project

Following the completion of the pilot phase project partners compiled the lessons learned and drew recommendations for integrating risk maps into spatial plans. DANUBE FLOODRISK considers this essential, especially in view of changes in climate, which increase flood risk probability.

The efforts of the partnership towards developing coordinated floods management plans has been highlighted in the Action Plan of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region. In addition, the project Common stakeholder involvement strategy for the Danube floodplain has been considered by the European Commissions Working Group on floods.

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Climate change manifests itself not only through excessive precipitation causing floods but also through the opposite phenomenon, i.e. sharp decrease in precipitation, which results in droughts. When drinking water is concerned, periods of droughts can have detrimental consequences. So how much water do we have in reserve?

This is the question which brought together the partners of CC-WaterS project. The transnational consortium consisted of governmental bodies, local and regional administrations, water management institutions and research centres. They gathered around one common goal, i.e. to ensure safe water supply for the future taking mitigation measures against the effects of changes in climate as well as in land use.

Since climate change is a somewhat controversial topic, the approaches to this phenomenon are diverse. That is why CC-WaterS wanted first to have enough arguments on which to build any further recommendations for action. They gathered data to illustrate the change in climate in Southeast Europe over the past 60 years and then studied the effects this change had had on water resources. In addition, partners examined the impact of land use change on water resources. Each partner country selected a test area where control measurements were made and for which past data was available for comparison. Climate data sets were prepared to tackle the gap in information for some of the areas and to help produce climate scenarios. During joint thematic workCC-WaterS workshop Photos credit: CC-WaterS project

shops (17 in total) partners harmonised data collection methods, compared col-

lected data sets, and analysed existing regional climate models.

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Collected data was fed into a transnational climate change database for hydrological and land use models in climate scenarios. A very detailed report from this first project phase is available on the project website.

CC-WaterS developed one more transnational database, this time showing water resource availability in test areas. The development included again sampling relevant hydrological data, mapping through specialised software types and forecasting future water availability in connection to changes in climate. Furthermore, partners exchanged practices and ideas for optimisation of water extraction in a climate change scenario. Project methodology used for this phase and the study cases is described in a project separate document.

Figure 34. Present and future problems of drinking water supply regarding water availability in the test areas, Final Report Working Package 4, CC-WaterS project

Apart from ensuring sufficient water supply, project partners were concerned also about the quality of the available water. So they explored the connection between climate change induced modification in land use and the quality of water resources. Their findings about the relation between land use practices (for pastures, forestry, agriculture, urban areas) and water safety and quality in partner test areas have been collected in a special report.

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Having established climate change impact on water supplies, partners went on to estimate the socio-economic consequences of this impact. They considered possible imbalances between different demands (industry, agriculture, tourism, households) and prices for quality public water supply. Partnership discussions on such topics identified potential contentions and tried to come up with adequate mitigation measures. In addition, CC-WaterS partners investigated the relation between ecosystem services, water treatment and costs. Conclusions on the demand and supply of public water services for the test areas are included in the final report from work package 6.

The extensive data collection and processing and scenario-building carried out by project partners built a strong ground for defining sustainable water management measures for the future. In their final report CC-WaterS partners propose a number of good practices for land use that safeguards recharge areas of water resources. They recommend concrete legislative changes and guidelines to preserve water supplies in each individual partner area. Finally, the partnership suggests specific measures that aim to adapt water resource management to changing climate and land usage.

CC-WaterS served as a transnational know-how exchange platform for professionals in the field of water management. It also provided an opportunity to prepare the experts and decision-makers of the future. The two databases and the tools produced by the
Student training in April 2011 in Thessaloniki (EL) Photo credit: CC-WaterS project

project to facilitate hydrological and spatial data processing and visualisation

became the main training materials for 3 transnational student trainings. Water supply in a changing environment was the global topic of the trainings, which offered more than 100 students from Austria, Slovenia, Italy, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia and Serbia hands-on experience in partner test areas.

CC-WaterS has been given as example of cooperation in developing spatial planning activities in the context of climate change in the Action Plan to the EU Strategy for the Danube Region. The follow-up CC-WARE project builds upon CC-WaterS achievements.

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We can forecast the aftermath of climate change and suggest adaptations to the changed environment, habitats and availability of resources. However, there is still the possibility to curb the process of climate change through reducing greenhouse gasses, and carbon dioxide emissions in particular. Carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere when fossil fuels (e.g. coal, oil and natural gas) are burnt. So the solution is to find smarter ways to make energy, for instance, from renewable energy sources. In this connection Directive 2009/28/EC on renewable energy sets some targets to Member States, among which to reach 20% share of energy from renewable sources by 2020. It also requires national action plans that establish the pathways to reach this goal, which often need to be translated also to the regional and local levels. But are local authorities ready for this challenge?

The main aim of ENER SUPPLY project is to strengthen the expertise of local administration in energy efficiency management and planning and promoting investment in renewable energy sources. In line with this aim the partnership brought together regional energy centres, set up by local or regional authorities, and knowledge providers from several universities. They launched a programme to equip local authorities from partner regions with practical skills in energy management systems through need-based trainings and pilot activities. In addition, partners had the opportunity to map existing renewable energy sources (RES) on their territories and explore the feasibility of investing in RES and energy efficiency (EE) measures.

Joint work carried out during transnational workshops and trainings was reflected at local level. Project partners investigated the interest of municipalities from their regions in RES and EE, esp. where such measures had been included in local development plans. This is how local pilot territories were designated in the regions of Dobrich and Varna (BG), Budapest (HU), Tirana (AL), Labin, akovec, Zadar, Splitsko dalmatinska (HR), Central Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Vojvodina (SR), Ohrid and Skopje (MK), Koice (SK), Ialomia, Bihor, Dmbovia (RO), Metropolitan area of Potenza (IT), East and West Attica (EL).

Partners surveyed the needs for skills of municipal staff in terms of RES and energy management systems. In parallel, they analysed together past and present RES and EE activi63

ties in partner territories. Based on this analysis and the survey feedback ENER-SUPPLY consortium prepared specifically tailored training material. The expert partners organised train the trainer sessions where 28 partner staff learned how to promote the use of renewables, e.g. biomass, geothermal, wind, and hydro energy, and the use of relevant EU support tools. They also studied methods for evaluating RES investments.

In their turn, project partners then organised training sessions for the staff of target municipalities. They had also the support of the expert partners. In this way 209 people from 83 municipalities completed successfully a 20-hour course on planning RES investments, exploitation of RES and evaluation of investment results.

The feedback from the trainings, as well as outcomes of transnational partner meetings served as input to ENER-SUPPLY Renewable Energy Sources Handbook. The Handbook has been translated in all partner languages.

Local trainings helped in selecting public buildings for testing the project energy management system, e.g. kindergartens, schools, museums and public administration buildings. ENERSUPPLY partners work together with municipal staff to define better energy supply agreements, perform energy audits, and calculate energy balance.
Energy management training in Zagreb (HR), November 2010 Photo credit: ENER-SUPPLY project

Meanwhile a second series of trainings assisted the pilot implementation. This time 180 municipal staff from 92 administrations received on-the-job training for applying an energy management system.

The pilots finally resulted in 28 energy audits performed, 7 analysis of energy supply and 7 energy balance checks.

To further consolidate partner knowledge at transnational level partners agreed on common methodology and tools for mapping RES and studying the feasibility of exploiting one or

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more renewables in a given territory. With the support of the expert partners the consortium developed 35 maps showing the potential of different renewable energy sources in partner regions: geothermal; wind; hydro and biomass. Partners showed greatest interest towards exploring potential of biomass for energy production.

The maps were followed by the elaboration of 15 feasibility studies focusing on current energy consumption and demand, possible renewable energy sources that could substitute fossil fuel energy, financial analysis of RES investment, possible financial instruments, and risk analysis.

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The regions with greatest potential for solar energy exploitation are located in the south and east of Europe, concludes the ESPON-financed ReRisk project.19 At the same time the project points the attention to the fact that low-income regions can seize this opportunity to produce cheap energy for their local needs. However, proper regional and local public policies need first to recognise solar energy potential and provide suitable support for deployment of solar thermal technologies.

Promotion of solar thermal technologies as accessible and sustainable energy sources for household use is what Wide the SEE by Socc Mod project focused on. Energy management institutions, public authorities and universities were the main actors in the project, whose activities reached Italy, Slovenia, Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, Hungary, Austria, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.

Project partners agreed that solar energy can be the solution for their rising energy. In addition, using the energy of the sun would help reduce green gas emissions. Moreover, solar energy technologies could also be the answer for dealing with unemployment. Wide the SEE by Socc Mod consortium addressed all these aspects with their joint activities not forgetting to engage all important stakeholder groups.

Before undertaking more concrete action, partners needed to collect facts and evidence to support the projects cause. They analysed together the presence and state of play of solar thermal systems markets in their countries and outlined future prospects. Transnational study visits and thematic workshops allowed also for benchmarking the degree of solar energy use and maturity of markets across countries. Transnational meetings were an opportunity to jointly review past and ongoing projects in partner countries and to identify practices that stood out.

To obtain data from the source but also to sensitisies local authorities about solar thermal systems potential, each partner organised regional seminars for policy makers. These
19

http://mapfinder.espon.eu/?p=1217

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seminars were held on a regular basis throughout the project lifetime to allow for bringing the transnational knowledge to the local level and vice versa. Input from these regional seminars found place in the state of play analysis, which has been published in the form of National Status Reports.

Building upon the report findings partners continued to exchange ideas on how solar energy could be better promoted to end users. In the end, they came up with a guide for harnessing solar thermal energy potential for providing domestic hot water. The guide is useful for public authorities as well as for private house owners. It proposes a step-by-step plan for the introduction of solar thermal systems starting with a cost-effectiveness analysis and assessment of the general framework including stakeholders. Then it goes through the technical preparation and implementation phase. Lastly the guide suggests financial incentives that can be offered to households in order to encourage them to mount solar water heaters on their rooftops.

Following the jointly elaborated, project partners from Romania, Hungary, Italy and Slovenia launched local awareness raising campaigns to encourage households to makes use of solar water heaters. Several cycles of local meetings were held to explain the benefits of the technology and offer private house owners support and guidance for actually installing heaters. For instance, the project developed a domestic hot water calculator, which by introducing parameters about location, volume of hot water needed, building surface, type of solar heater to be used, assesses the energy benefits in terms of saved costs and environmental impact. In addition, a full impact study of solar thermal energy on environment compared to fossil fuels has also been prepared. Policy-makers and private house owners were not the only stakeholder groups targeted by Wide the SEE by Socc Mod partners. The partnership also considered the need for skilled technicians, who would have to be acquainted with the specificities of solar thermal technologies. More than 15 trainings for technicians were organised in partner countries to meet this demand.
A still from project educational video 67

According to a 2009 study commissioned by DG Energy and Transport to assess the impact of renewable energy policy on economic growth and employment in the EU, if EU countries manage to achieve the target of 20% renewable energy in final energy consumption by 2020, the net effect will be about 410,000 additional jobs and 0.24% additional gross domestic product.20 Certain regions in Southeast Europe have already reached to the same conclusion and plan to exploit renewables as an important tool to boost local development.

M2RES project partners trust that investment in renewables can be an impetus for the sustainable development of so called marginal terrains, i.e. brown fields, landfills, opencast quarries and mines, contaminated areas, etc., which are no longer serving their primary purpose. They have joined forces to create new economic opportunities for selected pilot sites in Italy, Slovenia, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Austria, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania.21

Together project partners have agreed on a common model for converting marginal terrains into energy production sites using renewable energy sources. To test the model they needed to find suitable pilot areas. Partners have mapped marginal areas in their regions and evaluated their potential for renewable energy production against energy demand and future energy needs. This work is supported by common criteria along which it is possible to evaluate whether a given marginal terrain has a potential to exploit RES. In addition, a snapshot of marginal areas at national level was also taken, so that M2RES approach could be promoted in other parts of partner countries. The consortium made assumptions as to possible contribution of RES installations in pilot sites to the national energy balance.

Studying the RES potential of pre-selected sites entailed interviews with local experts in waste management, energy, and spatial planning. At the same time it was essential to present the project concept to local and regional decision-makers from pilot areas and gain their support for future action.
20

http://ec.europa.eu/energy/renewables/studies/doc/renewables/2009_employ_res_summary.pdf

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The mutually complementing transnational and local meetings helped put together regional and national surveys in line with pilot area needs. Regional surveys are currently available for Emilia-Romagna and Veneto (IT), Stajerska (SI), Attiki (EL), Sud-Muntenia (RO), Burgerland (AT), Central Hungary and Eszak-Alfold, Montenegrin Littoral (ME), and Sofia (BG). In the process of taking stock of partner regions strengths and opportunities examples of successful re-development projects based on utilising RES could be highlighted. Good practices outside the partnership, e.g. Germany and the USA, have also been considered. The collection of these findings, developed into case studies, distinguishes between the types of marginal terrain.

Further input to the knowledge exchange at transnational level has been provided through study visits, e.g. Suhodol landfill near Sofia (BG), Gssing biomass plant (AT), Energy Parks in Bruck an der Leitha and in Lichtenegg (AT), biogas plant in Strem (AT). The study visit programme is being implemented until the end of 2013.

Peccioli dumping ground in Italy (left situation in 80s) is now transformed into a site generating energy from biogas and biomass. This is one of the good practices that inspire partners to pursue similar sustainable development models driven by renewables. Photo credit: M2RES project

Know-how accumulated at project level is shared with municipal staff in selected pilot areas. For instance, collected case studies served as inspiration for identifying investment

21

The projects duration is until February 2014.

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ideas to be included in regional energy plans. Also trainings on the application of M2RES approach are being organised for local and regional authorities.

Still in progress is the elaboration of 40 investment proposals for selected marginal sites in partner regions. The partnership has developed a common methodology, which is publicly available in the form of an operational guide for developing RES on marginal terrains. Furthermore, 10 municipalities from partner regions will be assisted in preparing tender documentation for their investment proposals.

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The SEE Operational Programme points out that although the geographic location of the programme area is crucial for connecting North, South, East and West Europe, connectivity is still an issue for the countries in the region. On the one hand, there is not enough infrastructure and services to meet the needs of people and businesses. On the other hand, existing transport and information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure and services show poor quality and lack of proper maintenance. Relevant environmental problems (e.g. reducing carbon emissions) are often ignored and the shift to more sustainable and intelligent forms of transport is slow. Planning and deployment of new infrastructure and services is rarely coordinated across regions and countries in the SEE area. This means that oftentimes new deployments lack interoperability with already existing infrastructure.

Southeast Europe is also the crossing point where two formally designated transport networks overlap. The first one is the Trans-European Transport network (TEN-T), which includes all major established European Union routes. The second is the network of PanEuropean transport corridors (PECs) covering routes in Central and Eastern Europe in need of major investment, defined by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe in 1994.

The project SEETAC endeavoured to combine the actors in both networks and facilitate the integration of the Western Balkans into the EU transport system. The transnational consortium showed strong representation of national transport authorities as 9 out of the 16 partners were transport ministries. The scope of project activities involved Italy, Austria, Greece, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, Croatia, Montenegro, and Serbia. Observer partners from Slovakia, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Ukraine also contributed to achieving the global project goal.

Considering that involved actors represented EU member states, but also EU candidate and potential candidate countries, the main challenge lying ahead was the harmonisation of transport data. Only based on harmonised data could future joint transport projects be
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implemented. Project partners set out to collect national data necessary for establishing the state of play of main infrastructure (road, rail, inland waterways and sea) and its traffic saturation in Southeast Europe. National statistical institutions and relevant transport authorities and agencies were involved. To fill in information gaps the consortium got in contact with Eurostat, DG MOVE and the TEN-T Executive agency. At last collected data was fed into a specifically designed database, which is made available upon request.

Using the information from the database and specific software partners generated a series of traffic models and transport scenarios for Southeast Europe until 2020 and 2030. These concern current situation, future projects and developments, cross-border sections, as well as what if scenarios related to the ongoing economic crisis. All these scenarios can be found in the working package 4 documents on SEETAC project webpage.

The process of data collection and scenario-building went hand in hand with stakeholder meetings in each country and also at EU level. Project partners raised the awareness of institutions responsible for transport policy design and implementation about the work of SEETAC consortium. Project-generated data and models demonstrated the importance of joint action when transport projects of transnational impact are concerned. The partnership held several meetings with DG MOVE and presented SEETAC in the European Parliament. On their side DG MOVE representatives participated regularly in project meetings to make sure data harmonisation is in line with EU standards.

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The SEETAC database and scenarios allowed project partners to forecast, based on traffic growth estimation and infrastructure construction plans, the mobility development trends in Southeast Europe. Partners identified a pool of projects in the pipeline that could be further supported on transnational level. They looked into so called priority projects, which require heavy investment in infrastructure, as well as into pilot projects, i.e. requiring less investment but having high added value like installing integrating signalling systems, facilitating border crossing, ensuring complementarities between transport modes. Most of the urgent projects concern railway transport, whereas greatest need for investment is observed in Italy, Romania, Hungary, Slovenia and Bulgaria. Detailed description of the pool of projects is included in chapter 6 of SEETAC Report on mobility development in Southeast Europe (working package 5 outputs).

Figure 58 Distribution of investment needs of SEETAC projects by country and transport mode in million EUR, SEETAC Report on mobility development in Southeast Europe

Project partners applied specific multiple criteria methodology to pinpoint 12 specific priority projects for the Southeast European transport axis. For these promotional project fiches were prepared describing their technical and operational parameters and possible financial sources. Description of these specific priority projects can be found in chapter 4 of the SEETAC Financial plan developed as part of the projects working package 5. A separate report on relevant financial instruments, identified by project partners, is also produced within the same working package. The selected priority projects were further on
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presented to potential investors and donors not least with the assistance of national stakeholders.

Putting the specific priority projects into the perspective of EU transport strategies, national priorities, current and forecasted demand and supply, SEETAC developed a complete Southeast Europe Spatial Planning and Transport Strategy (SPaTO). The specific feature of this strategy is that transnational territorial cooperation is an essential part of its success. That is why the final chapter of the strategy explores the feasibility of establishing a European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) that could take over the implementation of the specific priority projects. SPaTO is developed within working package 6 of the project.

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Being at the junction of transport routes between the Northern Adriatic ports and ARA ports (Antwerp Rotterdam Amsterdam) the Southeastern transport axis has been in the focus of several territorial cooperation initiatives in the past few years. While this main transport axis attracts the attention more and more, it is the connection to the axis and the links to other corridors in the area that are still underappreciated. SETA partners22 tackle this weakness by bringing together local, regional and national administrations, transport operators and economic actors from Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, and Croatia. Improving the connectivity between Vienna/Bratislava and Northern Adriatic ports is the overall goal of the project. It is pursued through cooperation actions that would lead to connecting rail transport corridors 7, 8, 10 and 11, as defined by RailNetEurope, an association of European Rail Infrastructure Managers and Allocation Bodies23.

Being aware of similar past or existing initiatives SETA partners decided to make use of the available knowledge and experience and build upon it. To this end they collected detailed information and explored successful practices from past and existing national and regional transport strategies, planning documents, infrastructure-related activities (e.g. service systems, logistics centres). Together project partners analysed what experience could be useful for the implementation of SETA and how to integrate it in the project schedule. In addition, links with running territorial cooperation projects have also been established to avoid duplication and ensure complementarities, e.g. Central Europe projects Centrope Capacity, SoNorA and BATCo, Baltic Sea region project Scandria, Alipine Space project AlpCheck2.

Establishing a transnational transport corridor can only be successful, if consensus between all involved parties is achieved. Therefore SETA partners started engaging important stakeholders already at an early stage. Policy makers constitute a specific political board to the project. Regional and national transport authorities, freight and passenger operators, business actors concerned by the rail connection from Vienna/Bratislava to the North Adri22

SETA is running until end of 2013 http://www.rne.eu/Corridor_Info.html

23

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atic coast (e.g. intermodal logistics centre operators, forwarders, carriers) are regularly informed and consulted on the project implementation. Many of these stakeholders are invited to the transnational project meetings and participate in the transnational dialogue on establishing the SETA transport corridor. They have first-hand information on existing bottlenecks that need to be tackled and SETA partners have committed to finding solutions to the most urgent ones of them.

Identifying bottlenecks in primary and secondary transport networks for each country section has been a crucial activity for the SETA partnership. The analysis encompassed bottlenecks in infrastructure, railway traffic, interoperability and safety. Specific attention was given to metropolitan areas (Zagreb, Vienna, Bratislava). In addition, partners examined problems in port-hinterland connections. The consortium noted that certain corrective measures have already been planned but additional efforts will be needed. These additional development measures are described in the SETA Bottleneck Analysis. They concern mainly measures for increasing capacity and efficiency of freight and passenger flow, and optimising logistics and multimodal platforms.

Some of these bottlenecks are being addressed through pilot projects in order to show stakeholders possible solutions. One such pilot activity was a demo train from Zagreb to Vienna, which demonstrated how the travel time between the two final destinations can be significantly shortened by optimising the travel schedule and route.

Demo train journey on 28 September 2012, Photo credit: Gbor Pcza

Comparison of the performance of the demo train and the ordinary scheduled trains serving the line can be found in the report from this pilot activity. Another demo train test was carried out in May 2013 on the route Monfalcone (IT)/ Rijeka (HR) and the outcomes have also been summarised in a report.

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Other identified bottlenecks may require more resources and time to overcome. Therefore, SETA partners are evaluating different solutions based on their investment and maintenance costs, socio-economic impact on concerned regions, and environmental impact. Proposed remedy measures with recommendations for action will take the shape of a SETA Corridor Development Plan, which will be formally signed by all partners at the project final conference in 2014.

In the meantime other pilot activities are under development, e.g. business cases for connecting ports and hinterland, for creating dry ports and intermodal logistics centres, for new/improved passenger/freight transport services. The importance of transnational cooperation for these pilots is the generation of joint ideas for tackling problems that were unsuccessfully addressed in the past or for which insufficient local capacity exists.

The in-depth analysis of identified bottlenecks in transport infrastructure and services along the SETA corridor has served as basis for the definition of a model for a transnational transport network complemented with a transport demand model for the axis. The common transport network model aims to stimulate exchange of traffic data on existing transportation capacities and their utilisation. It is useful input to planning traffic management and designing transport policies. The model contains short (2015), medium (2020) and long term (2030) scenarios to demonstrate possible shifts of transport flows from road to railway and from ARA ports to Northern Adriatic ones. The model on transport demand was made possible thanks to stakeholder input, especially freight and passenger operators.

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Southeast Europe has a unique location for yet another reason it is the transport link between the North Sea and the Black Sea made possible through the connection of the Rhine and the Danube river waterways. It is the Danube inland waterway that forms the PanEuropean Transport Corridor VII, which includes also the Black Sea-Danube Canal, the Danube branches Kilia and Sulina, the inland waterway links between the Black Sea and the Danube, the Danube - Sava canal, the Danube Tisa/Tisza canal.

Increasing the efficiency of Corridor VII and the cooperation between waterway administrations along the river Danube is the main aim of NEWADA project. The consortium involved navigation agencies, hydrographic and hydrologic institutions linked to the river, as well as environmental and water management bodies from Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia and Ukraine.

First, the partnership had to establish the state of play of Corridor VII in terms of physical accessibility and hydrographic and hydrological services. Project partners put together information on typical national-level water maintenance activities, critical sections of the river Danube, and engineering projects implemented or under way. This work allowed for comparing working methods and practices and exchanging experience on what had worked and what had not. Country reports on the Danube fairway maintenance were consequently compiled as well as a joint report on the maintenance of the navigation waterway.

To complement the physical accessibility discussions, partners compared also hydrographic and hydrologic conditions and activities along the river Danube. Information was collected about hydrographic measures and related legislation, characteristics of national hydrologic monitoring systems, hydrologic forecasting, etc. This comprehensive research phase resulted in individual country reports. Partners compiled individual reports into a joint report on hydrologic surveillance practices. In addition, a joint report comparing hydrographic practices is also available.

All report findings were discussed extensively among project partners to harmonise the working procedures and methodology of waterway navigation maintenance institutions along the Danube. Transnational meetings gave also an opportunity for partners to

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define common research agenda for the inland navigation sector and to plan future pilot projects to tackle identified bottlenecks.

Physical accessibility and maintenance of the fairway is one aspect of the waterway administrations work. Another aspect is sharing navigation information with vessel operators and skippers, for instance. Directive 2005/44/EC provides for the set-up of River Information Services using electronic navigation charts (ENC). However, this system has been applied to a different extent by different countries in the Danube basin. Therefore, NEWADA partners worked to harmonise ENC standards and accuracy. The status quo of ENC usage in each partner country was checked and analysed. In addition, other ICT services facilitating the navigation on the Danube were also examined, e.g. data warehouses. Several transnational workshops were organised to streamline the production of ENC across countries and ensure coherence with standards established by the European Commission, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and the Danube Commission. Finally, the consortium developed a set of minimum requirements for fairway information services, which were adopted by all partners.

Concrete measures to improve the navigation of Corridor VII were undertaken with the deployment of ten WLAN hot spots at sensitive areas along the river (AT, HU, BG, RO, HR, RS). The WLAN hot spots are used by skippers, vessel operators, water police and Schengen checkpoint authorities to obtain information on the navigation conditions in
Photo real time . credit: NEWADA project

The WLAN hotspots feed the NEWADA Fairway Information Service (FIS) portal designed by project partners with the help of external experts and in consultation with relevant bodies in Germany and Ukraine as potential co-users. NEWADA FIS has helped improve data harmonisation and exchange between waterway administrations along the Danube, paving the way for the development of new joint services in the near future.

In order to get acquainted with the working technique and conditions of their colleagues, Danube waterway administrations launched a staff exchange programme in the frame79

work of NEWADA project. Around 50 technicians, e.g. hydrology experts, ENC developers, spent several days at the working place of their international colleagues, taking part in daily working activities, workshops and study visits. This gave the opportunity to discuss common problems and solutions applied in different countries.

The active exchange of know-how and staff on subjects related to the river maintenance services helped partner countries design a national strategy for waterway maintenance for the relevant stretches of the Danube corridor. NEWADA partners provided also a common template for this strategy.

To ensure the continuous cooperation of Danube waterway navigation authorities NEWADA project brought together the main decision-makers in a so called board of directors. Their meetings were held in parallel to regular transnational meetings of the project team. The board of directors deliberated the organisation of Danube waterway management based on SWOT analysis developed for each participating country. Thanks to these high level discussions common objectives for the future of Danube navigation could be agreed upon.

NEWADA gained distinction as one of the exemplary projects contributing to the implementation of the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region. The Strategy recognised the efforts of NEWADA partners towards improving the comprehensive waterway management of the Danube and its tributaries.

To intensify the cooperation of waterway management bodies NEWADA partners created the follow-up project NEWADA duo (2012-2014), which is also support by the SEE programme.

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In 2011 the European Commissions DG Transport adopted a White Paper on Transport24, which appeals to Member States to contribute to the development of a competitive and resource-efficient single European transport area. The paper outlines a roadmap based on 10 specific goals that is to be implemented until 2050. One of these goals is to shift longdistance road freight to other modes like rail or waterborne transport.

To highlight the potentials of Southeast Europe waterways (maritime and inland) for developing multimodal logistics routes is the mission of WATERMODE project. Project partners from Italy, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, Serbia, and Montenegro believe that full exploitation of ground/water connections is an environmentally sustainable solution to the pressure upon the road network in the area.

WATERMODE consortium set out to collect information on port and multimodal logistics facilities both at national and macro-regional level. Partners prepared a specific survey to evaluate existing facilities along commonly agreed criteria. Survey questionnaires were sent out to the operators of 204 multimodal facilities identified in the target area.

The feedback was processed and fed into a database, which represents

graphically the location and characteristics of

multimodal platforms in Southeast Europe. In

addition, a report for each participating country has been prepared.

24

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/strategies/doc/2011_white_paper/white-paper-illustrated-brochure_en.pdf

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The geo-representation database and the 13 country reports are developed to assist decision-makers and business operators in taking decisions about investment in multimodal transport facilities and services.

Project partners dedicated a lot of time on the careful preparation of the survey and especially on the indicators or criteria along which logistics facilities were analysed. The defined set of indicators was a response to COM/2007/607 of the European Commission, in which a need for common indicators for the evaluation of logistics facilities is identified. Following the completion of the survey the partnership prepared Guidelines for the transferability of WATREMODE indicators in a broader European context.

In order to demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits of shifting cargo from road to waterways WATERMODE project compared the performance of 3 all-road logistics routes against scenarios where a multimodal approach is used. Selected routes included the Danube river transport corridor from Vienna to Constanta, a route along the Adriatic coast reaching Vienna to the North (with option via Italian ports and a multimodal link between Piraeus and Koper), and the route from Sofia to Bari. Project partners estimated internal and external costs for choosing different transport modes in different segments of the routes. The analysis offers also forecasts on the time delivery and the possible decrease in carbon emissions. The analysis helped project partners in defining possible improvements in infrastructure to link ports and hinterland multimodal centres.

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To develop ports in the Danube river basin into multimodal logistics centres is a key area of intervention according to the Action Plan to the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region25. In this respect the Action Plan recommends measures aimed at coordinated and harmonised development concept for multimodal ports.

DaHar partnership brings together small and medium size port towns along the river Danube from Hungary (Dunajvros), Romania (Galati), Austria (Ennshafen), Bulgaria (Silistra, Vidin), Slovakia (Bratislava, Komarno), and Serbia (Novi Sad). The port towns of Giurgiu (RO) and Vukovar (HR) are associated partners in this project. Instead of following similar development strategies and competing with each other, DaHar partners agree that it would be more beneficial to instead commit to a joint development strategy. Since 2011 they have been cooperating towards the definition of a strategy, which supports individual partner specification and thus encourages diversification of the logistical and multimodal transport network of Danube cities and ports.26

The cooperation process was launched with a careful analysis of existing multimodal cargo transport facilities according to five pre-defined criteria (thematic pillars): (1) Logistical infrastructure of ports and port operation models; (2) Hinterland connections between inland waterways and road and rail; (3) integration into Danube container and RoRo liner services; (4) usage of River Information Services for cargo transport management; (5) Navigability and environmental protection. Thematic groups were formed to share the bulk of analytic work. In the end the partnership was able to compile a state of play study for each of the five topics. The studies include general transport data for partner ports, legal background for port development and use, relevant ongoing projects, and good practices for port administration, multimodal transport, and development of logistics in inland waterway ports. Lessons learned from 3 benchmarking study visits to the ports of Rotterdam, Passau and Regensburg are also added to the state of play reports.

25 26

http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/docoffic/official/communic/danube/action_plan_danube.pdf The project is running until 2014.

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To go deeper into their analysis of the development potential of each partner port, the DaHar consortium developed a specific peer review methodology, which they called a deep dive process. In its essence a deep dive analysis is a strategy of immersing a team rapidly into a situation, to provide solutions or create ideas. The team, in the case of DaHar, was named an Inland Waterway Transport Lab (IWT Lab). Each project port hosted a visit from the rest of the project partners, i.e. the IWT Lab team. Local stakeholders were also invited to take part in this transnational peer review exercise through a so called local DaHar Support Forum. During these visits the IWT Lab team examined the host port along the already mentioned five thematic criteria and collected their impressions in a status quo report. Each report includes also a SWOT analysis of the ports capacity to develop logistics and multimodal transport services. The partnership compared the capacities of all partner ports by creating a IWT matrix, an Excelbased tool, which is also available on the projects website. A map illustrating the logistic potential of partner
IWT Lab Ennshafen, AT Photo credit: DaHar project

ports is currently under development.

At present DaHar is in its most crucial phase where project partners work to define an integrated strategy for functional specialisation supplemented by individual partner local action plans. Using the data from the status quo reports and the findings of the IWT Labs, the partnership is finalising a Master Plan for each of the identified thematic pillars. These will be compiled in a joint document, which will form the basis for the joint development strategy.

In March 2013 DaHar partners met for a Master Class event in Vukovar (HR) where the Master Plans were extensively discussed to reach an agreement on their final content. In the meantime a survey addressed to business operators in the transport and logistics sector was launched to consult their needs and expectations for the future development of multimodal transport along the Danube. The survey feedback will be reflected in the integrated strategy for functional specialisation, which together with the local action plans, is expected for to be completed before the end of 2013.

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In parallel, DaHar project partners have initiated several pilot activities to test River Information Services (RIS) for cargo transport management, one of the five main topics of cooperation. The aim is to adapt RIS to the needs of logistic centres and multimodal transport platforms along the river Danube. Practices
Master Class event in Vukovar (HR) Photo credit: DaHar project

from several previous EU-funded projects have been taken up, e.g. RISING

and PLATINA (both financed by the 7th Framework Programme), IRIS Europe II (supported through the TEN-T programme of DG TREN), and NEWADA (1st call SEE project). Such pilot testing is in process in the partner ports of Bratislava and Komarno (SK), Dunajvros (HU), Giurgiu (RO), Silistra (BG), Vukovar (HR) and Novi Sad (RS). At the same time DaHar supported the Austrian partner from Ennshafen to commission a feasibility study for further developing the container terminal of the port. The outcomes of these pilots will feed into the joint development strategy and the local action plans.

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Alongside poor accessibility and lack of harmonisation of infrastructure projects the SWOT analysis of the SEE OP refers also to insufficient quality of the transport services in the area. One solution to this weakness is to address know-how deficits through proper training programmes. Moreover the Action Plan to the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region27 points to the need for investment in education to ensure qualified nautical personnel for the inland waterway transport along the river.

NELI project stands for cooperation in innovative logistics and nautical education tools to support the Inland Waterway Transport (IWT) in the Danube corridor. The partner institutions from Romania, Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia and Ukraine worked together to advocate the profession of Danube crewman by developing harmonised training curricula and e-learning tools, setting up Information and Training Centres (ITCs) and establishing a Danube Knowledge Network.

At the beginning of the project NELI partners examined existing web-based educational platforms, e.g. INeS and EWITA portals financed through the Marco Polo II programme, the Dutch-based EDINNA Network, dedicated to education in inland navigation. In addition, knowledge exchange networks, like PLATINA, supported through the 7th Framework Programme, and its predecessor NAIADES, were also studied. Contacts with all these initiatives were established to enable know-how exchange and build synergies. In this way NELI activities were sure not to overlap with other measures or miss out on useful experience that could be of benefit to all.

The consortium identified existing training providers in Southeast Europe and addressed them with a questionnaire to collect information on available IWT courses (curricula) and training material. This survey made it possible to identify gaps in the training content and compare quality of available services. Then partners could focus on developing training curricula that could be used by all partner countries and would ensure skilled workforce in the IWT and logistics sectors for the river Danube.

27

http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/docoffic/official/communic/danube/action_plan_danube.pdf

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The exchange with other EU initiatives convinced the NELI partnership that an innovative education tool is one that is web-based and interactive. That is why the consortium chose to further develop the e-learning platform first created by INeS project. In close cooperation with INeS platform creators NELI enriched the training content and

adapted it to the needs of inland navigation along the river Danube. Today the improved e-learning portal provides high quality education in the field of logistics on inland waterways in the Danube region with particular reference to intermodality. NELI project organised one transnational train-the-trainers workshop on how to use the INeS-Danube portal, as well as several local trainings in partner countries.

Project partners took the opportunity of this transnational exchange to translate INeS story boards and incorporate them in existing national training portals. NELI designed a special e-Handbook to facilitate further dissemination of project e-learning services.

The NELI consortium developed three new curricula taking into consideration national educational requirements of partner countries and aligning quality with EDINNA standards. The River Information Services, Inland Navigation and Ports and Logistics training materials can be downloaded from the project website upon registration to the NELI Danube Knowledge Network.

The Danube Knowledge Network represents a map of existing institutions providing logistics training, training in shipbuilding and related engineering skills, nautical education and training. The Network welcomes new members who share the mission of promoting education and employment in the Danube inland waterway transport sector.

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In order to raise public awareness on the importance of the inland waterway transport and promote career opportunities therein NELI project helped set up Information and Training Centres (ITCs) in Galati (RO) (InfoDanube), Sisak (HR) (RIS Centre), Enns (AT) (SKIP) and Budapest (HU) (ITC mobile unit). Partners sought know-how for the technical implementation and content

Info kiosk at the ICT in Galati (RO) Photo credit: NELI project

development on European scale. They invited experts from the Marine Training Centre in Hamburg to share their experience. In addition, the project organised a study visit to the Education and Information centre Port experience at Haven College in the Netherlands. Based on obtained know-how project partners developed Master Studies for the establishment of ITCs on each partner territory. While some partners managed to put the Master Study into practice, others will seek to do so after the end of the project. Detailed description of the services offered by each of NELI ITCs is available on the project website. Partners agreed on a strategy for further development of ITCs as promoters of inland navigation along the Danube. NELI partners had also one more ambitious goal to address gaps in and harmonise as far as possible national education standards for training in the field of inland navigation. This would ensure qualified personnel both onboard vessels as well as in ports and intermodal logistics centres. The eight National Action Plans, one for each partner country, provide a SWOT analysis of existing educational programmes in IWT, suggest measures to straighten weaknesses and list possible funding sources for these measures. Project partners see these Action Plans as fundamental documents in the elaboration of future specific policies.

Drawing on these national plans the NELI Transnational Action Plan highlights future fields of cooperation and joint action. Partners prepared it in view of supporting policy makers in the implementation of the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region. The efforts of NELI did not go unnoticed. The Action Plan to the EU Danube Strategy refers to the achievements of the project as an exemplary action for investment in education and jobs in the Danube navigation sector.

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Transport and mobility challenges affect not only transnational but also national and regional accessibility. Rapid traffic changes are a consequence of increased development processes in Southeast Europe in past decades, although urban transport systems in the area are still coping with traffic pressure. However, the analysis to SEE OP emphasises that unless proper policy measures are taken now, increased mobility requirements of the population may not be met in the near future.

According to SEE MMS partners the solution to bringing traffic flow in cities under control and reducing negative impact on the environment is improved urban mobility management and alternative means of transport. The partnership consists of local authorities representing the cities of Athens (EL), Elefsina (EL), Lecce (IT), Padua (IT), Varna (BG), Iasi (RO), Trogir (HR), Gloma (BiH), and Belgrade (RS). Partner research and development organisations from Austria, Greece, and Slovenia provided vital expertise to the consortium, whereas the European Platform on Mobility Management, although an observer, helped with knowledge collected from other parts of Europe.

SEE MMS project put special focus on building local capacity for mobility management (MM) and on the role of mobility centres (MCs). The project held 4 transnational training seminars combined with study visits demonstrating mobility management solutions in practice.

In Graz (AT) partners took part in a training course on mobility management basics, which covered traffic system management, MM instruments (e.g. mobility centres), MM services and target groups. Examples from successful MM measures applied in Europe were studied and put in the perspective of partner city needs. The host partner demonstrated the city car sharing system, parking management system, bicycle traffic management system, and the first Austrian Mobility Centre MOBIL ZENTRAL.

The training seminar in Lecce (IT) addressed travel awareness techniques, e.g. campaigns, communication strategies, organising discussions of mobility strategies. Experience from around Europe was shared. The training was followed by a visit to the site of the city future

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mobility centre. Lecce traffic monitoring system and bicycle sharing system were demonstrated.

Study visit in Padua (IT) Photo credit: SEE MMS project

In Padua (IT) project partners learned about tools for monitoring and evaluation of MM measures and projects. Partner staff increased their knowledge on when and how to apply such tools and how to use the results from these processes. Afterwards the trainees experienced hands-on the activities of Paduas intermodal park (tram/car), trams operations centre, and municipal traffic control centre.

Finally, SEE MMS partners met in Athens for training on planning mobility management measures, e.g. defining feasibility conditions and legal framework, ensuring coordination with political agenda, financial means. This was the beginning of the process of developing MM plans for partner cities and gave the opportunity to streamline
Training seminar in Athens (EL) Photo credit: SEE MMS project

approach and methodology. Another workshop was held later on to further support

partner cities in this task. In Athens project partners visited the city tram headquarters to learn more about mobility management measures and awareness campaigns.

In parallel to the capacity building activities, the SEE MMS partnership was busy collecting and analysing MM practices related to promotion and facilitation of cycling and walking in cities, as well as use of public transport instead of private cars. Partners were also interested in practices promoting local supply chains that could boost local economy and

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decrease pressure on the environment. In addition, MM for schools and businesses was considered. For instance, Frankfurt Mobility Centre (Verkehrsinsel) and Paris bicycle sharing service Velib were in focus, together with results from ARCHIMEDES (Civitas) and ADDED VALUE (Intelligent Energy Europe) projects. Transferability of collected practices was carefully assessed to match partners policies, budgets and already introduced MM measures (if any). Possible challenges and opportunities had to be considered. These cooperation efforts of project partners led to the design of 10 Mobility Management Plans one for each partner city and Ljubljana.

SEE MMS partners went on further to develop full concepts (Master Plans) for setting up Mobility Centres (MCs) in partner cities. By following common guidelines by the end of the project 8 Mobility Centres were successfully established and their staff trained with support from SEE MMS project. A first step towards a MC was also the opening of Mobility Shops in Ljubljana. Apart from implementing the MM Plans for their cities these MCs are responsible for updating the data on SEE MC Info platform. The aim of this platform is to act as contact point for European Mobility Centres, as well as to ease access to high quality travel info, e.g. showing alternative travel routes. The ambition of SEE MMS partners is to promote MCs as MM tools in other cities in the area.

The SEE MMS partnership collected their cooperation experience and lessons learnt in a Handbook on MM Strategies, Mechanisms and Practices, which includes also policy recommendations and a follow up plan.

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Reducing traffic in urban areas means that flexible and convenient public transport services should be in pace. In this sense it is not only renewing the public transport fleet that counts but also introducing passenger services facilitating the use of public transport, like on-demand schedules or intelligent passenger information systems. ATTAC partnership28 is committed to change senger perception of public transport as

ble and rigid by introducing attractive and able public transport solutions in partner cities and regions. These include Miskolc (HU), Modena (IT), Marche (IT), Oradea (RO), Burgas (BG), Koice (SK), Thessaloniki (EL) who are supported by the expert partners from the Central European Initiative and the Institute on Transport and Logistics in EmiliaRomagna. Project activities take place also on the territory of the associated partner Municipality of Maribor (SI).

Project partners have formed three thematic task force groups: flexible public transport solutions, integrated ticketing/ smart card systems, and intelligent passenger information. Each task force group explored good practices from around Europe and brought them to the attention of the fellow project partners. In order to go deeper in the study process several benchmarking visits to good practice sites were organised. ATTAC partners investigated on the spot flexible public transport solutions implemented in Bologna, Modena and Florence. They learned firsthand about the integrated ticketing systems in place in Vicenza, Verona, and Saluzzo. Finally, the search for successful experience in intelligent passenger information services brought the ATTAC team to Almelo and Enshede in the Netherlands. The three task force groups made a selection of 14 best practices, which are depicted in detail in a Joint Best Practice Report. The Report considers also the transferability of these practices to partner cities with regard to organisational aspects, financial and technological feasibility. It serves as a baseline for determining public transport tools and solutions that are being piloted on partners territory to test their applicability in various local environments.

28

The project is running until 2014.

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At least 6 pilot activities are in process at the moment. In Modena ATTAC is testing flexible transport services for the industrial areas of the Province during the off-peak hours. Miskolc is piloting an on-demand passenger service in urban quarters with lower population density. Koice has chosen to implement a tool for intelligent passenger information, i.e. bus stop information boards showing vehicle schedule and departure in real time. The plan is that 32 vehicles of the public transport fleet will be equipped with on board computers, sending information to the information boards. Ancona (Marche Region) is testing an integrated e-ticketing system using smart cards. Thessaloniki is introducing a smart card-based multi-modal ticketing system that allows for multi-purpose payment (e.g. ticketing in museums). ATTAC project gives Burgas the opportunity to test a new collective transport service (pilot in preparatory phase). Finally, Maribor will join the pilot activities with an initiative to introduce a real time passenger information service that allows users to access arrival/departure time info over mobile network protocols.
Real time passenger information service in Maribor (SI) Photo credit: ATTAC project

Pilot activities are supported at local level through local Mobility Fora unit-

ing key stakeholders in city mobility and transport management. At transnational level pilots are assisted by so called Mobility Laboratories, i.e. MobiLABs. ATTAC team visits pilots and provides on-the-spot advice and expertise for the implementation process. Lessons learned from the pilots will be compiled in case studies.

The experience gained through transnational exchange of knowledge and good practices will lead ATTAC partners to the development of an Urban Mobility Toolbox. This Toolbox will suggest suitable strategies and tools for improving urban accessibility to tackle common challenges. It will also refer to the transferability potential based on partner pilot experience, as well as to success factors for the realisation of the different tools proposed. The ATTAC partners intention is for the Urban Mobility Toolbox to be of benefit to all SEE urban areas. This ambition is supported with a knowledge transfer programme for disseminating ATTAC achievements and liaising with relevant European projects and initiatives, e.g. European Mobility Week, EGTC conference in Brussels, Transport Research
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Arena 2012 in Athens, European Conference on Mobility Management 2012 in Frankfurt, annual TEN-T Days in Brussels. The programme envisages the establishment of virtual ATTAC Contact Points in partner locations to bring the message of the project closer to local and regional authorities in SEE area.

In addition, project partners are already working on their individual Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans following the methodology developed by the German consultancy Rupprecht Consult. The Plans, whose preparation started at the beginning of 2013, will draw on the ATTAC Toolbox and will rely on local Mobility Fora engagement to achieve consensus for the vision of sustainable transport systems. According to partner estimation within the framework of ATTAC project they will be able to complete 9 out of the 11 steps of the planning process (see diagram). First drafts of these Plans are expected as early as November 2013.
Rupprecht Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan concept Source: www.rupprecht-consult.eu

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In its Communication of 24 May 2005 to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on accelerating the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting the European Commission highlights two success factors. One is the broadcaster cooperation and the other effective communication to inform consumers.29 In addition, the EC calls for more efficient use of additional spectrum capacity released after the digital switchover, the so called digital dividend. However, it is up to individual states to implement these recommendations to the best of their abilities. In addition, spectrum for pan European services and cross-border services (e.g. traffic information and fleet management, mobile communications) will only be available on a European scale after the switch-off completion in all Member States.

The SEE Digi.TV project supports EU member states, candidate and potential candidate countries in speeding up digitalization of the broadcasting services, harmonising legislation and standards, as well as preparing the ground for future services without frontiers in Southeast Europe. In line with this goal the partnership brings together key broadcasting and telecommunications regulatory authorities from Slovenia, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Albania.

The timing of SEE digi.TV project is crucial. The project started at the beginning of 2011 at which moment only Austria (June 2010) and Croatia (November 2010) had managed to finalise the analogue switch-off and digital switchover process. The project activities will be completed before the end of 2013. In the meantime Slovenia finalised the transition to digital broadcasting in June 2011, Italy in July 2012, and most recently the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia end of May 2013. By the end of 2013 Hungary is also expected to complete the process, with Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina to follow in 2014, and Albania and Montenegro in 201530.

29

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/com/2005/com2005_0204en01.pdf

30

http://www.obs.coe.int/

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Therefore activities within the framework of SEE digi.TV have proven very useful for partner countries, so that they could jointly meet the digitalization of broadcasting challenge. Project partners have been exchanging experience on legal provisions, the technical framework enabling the transition, economic valorisation of the digital dividend, and communication campaigns addressing the general public.

In particular, by analysing the existing legal framework in terms of EU and national regulations and policies SEE digi.TV partners were able to compare what procedures have been adopted in different countries for granting frequency use rights, selecting network and multiplex operators and content providers, etc. Based on this analysis partners could draw recommendations on improving the planning of digital switchover, involving key stakeholders (e.g. public and private broadcasters, broadcast regulators, academia, NGOs), allocating and using broadcasting spectrum resources, selecting network and multiplex operators and content/services providers. The full length analysis and recommendations are collected in a report. Thanks to this comparative analysis the partnership designed regional guidelines for improving the legal framework covering issues like modifications in licensing systems, the role of national regulators, and regulatory issues that countries, which already introduced digital terrestrial television, had encountered. This work is complemented with two additional guidelines: one on using the digital dividend and another on elaborating a funding framework for digital switchover. Partners then went on to put the guidelines into practice and their experience has been gathered in a separated project document.

On a more practical side, SEE digi.TV assessed the technical framework of partner countries for implementing the analogue switch-off and transitioning to digital broadcasting. Partners exchanged on parameters for digital video broadcasting-terrestrial (DVB-T) transmitters and receivers, digital terrestrial sound broadcasting, access to broadcasting spectrum, use of digital dividend. What was also of common interest was the impact of using different broadcasting technologies with respect to the capacity/service planning (program allocation, services types), switch-off timeline, future upgrades and end-user service acceptance in order to avoid technical fragmentation of the digital broadcasting in the SEE region. As a result of this evaluation process the partnership developed a set of technical recommendations for the use of broadcasting network and user equipment.

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Digital switchover has its economic dimension, as well. The transition from analogue to digital television technology releases a significant amount of high quality radio spectrum, which can be made available for new services and technologies: a digital dividend that benefits both the broadcasting sector and the wireless communication industry. The digital dividend comes from the ability of digital compression systems to allow up to 8 standard digital TV channels to transmit in the spectrum previously used by one analogue TV channel. Therefore the economic opportunities opening up thanks to the digital dividend should be part of any national/regional digital switchover strategy. The SEE digi.TV consortium compared how partner countries tackle the economic aspect in their strategies and saw room for improvement. To support adjustments of national strategies in this respect the partnership studied different digital dividend exploitation possibilities. They also launched a survey on economic opportunities stemming from new services. All SEE digi.TV materials on the economic framework of digital broadcasting can be found on the project website.

There is, however, one stakeholder group, which is especially sensitive to the process of analogue switch-off, i.e. the end users of digital broadcasting. That is why SEE digi.TV partners paid special attention to the tools that can help reach the end users, e.g. public awareness programmes, regional information campaigns with educational character, consumer communication. Partners shared their experience in designing effective public campaigns. Some of these tools were tested in partner territories, e.g. in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia and the results are collected in a consolidated report. Guidelines for designing an awareness raising action plan and measuring its impact have also been developed by SEE digi.TV partners.

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The analysis to the SEE Operational Programme points out that the programme area is characterised by unique cultural heritage, with many cultural monuments listed in the World Heritage list of the UNESCO. However, for the cultural assets outside renowned cultural and tourist routes in Southeast Europe, negligent management is a common weakness. But conservation for the sake of conservation is hardly a sustainable approach. There should be a way to protect cultural assets and at the same time exploit their value for local and regional development to ensure return on investment.

The development dilemma of most SEE regions rich in cultural heritage is the whether to invest in its preservation or focus instead on growth and jobs. Preservation of cultural heritage sites can be costly, especially when there is need for modern infrastructure and services (incl. ICT), and more efficient energy and waste management. Instead of being part of the problem, cultural heritage protection can be part of the solution. In other words, an integrated approach to urban and rural planning needs to be promoted, in which cultural heritage is regarded as an economic asset. CHERPLAN project31 pursues an environmentally friendly approach to planning and managing tural heritage sites, which at the same time ports full development of the sites economic potential. The consortium consists of public authorities and knowledge providers from Italy, Austria, Greece, Slovenia, Montenegro, Albania, and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia all committed to a vision of environmentallybalanced economic development rooted in cultural heritage.

CHERPLAN partners benchmarked national regulatory frameworks and spatial planning tools for conservation and management of cultural heritage sites on their territories. National rules were put in the perspective of international conventions and agreements, as well as EU strategies and policies. Special focus was placed on the management practices in project pilot areas of Aquileia (IT), Hallstatt (AT), Idrija (SI), Nafpaktos (EL), Bitola (MK), Cetinje (ME), and Berat (AL). Partners exchanged experience on participatory processes as part of the management strategies. After examining the strengths and weaknesses,
31

The project is running until December 2013.

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the opportunities and threats for continuing traditional preservation measures, the partnership formulated recommendations for improvement. These are detailed in the CHERPLAN Regulatory Framework Report. Based on this joint survey project partners could also develop individual reports for the sites in Aquilea, Hallstatt, Idrija, Bitola, and Berat.

This initial analysis helped CHERPLAN partners elaborate a strategic assessment methodology to evaluate pilot sites' condition and vulnerability to human activities. A case study of the pilot area of Nafpaktos exemplifies this methodology. After the finalisation of the ongoing pilots, a joint strategic assessment report will be put together. What is actually being tested at present is CHERPLANs environmental planning concept and methodology for managing cultural heritage sites. The concept has been designed by the CHERPLAN partnership and then consulted with local stakeholders from the pilot sites. To support the concept development CHERIS WebGIS platform was created. It contains maps and indicator matrices for tourism, spatial planning, waste management, water supply & wastewater management, ecological construction, energy, and mobility. The themes for the maps are again a result of stakeholder engagement in identifying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for the economic exploitation of pilot heritage sites.

CHERPLAN environmental planning concept describes concrete implementation steps and provides a template for an environmental management plan. The aim of the pilot activities is to design such a plan for each of the heritage sites in focus.

To support partners in preparing their pilot activities, CHERPLAN organised several transnational training sessions. For instance, in Indrija (SI) project partners learned how to formulate environmental planning objectives and tasks and how to use the soft system methodology in stakeholder involvement and consensus-building. The training sessions in Cetinje and Rome focused on skills to use CHERIS WebGIS platform and other ICT applications for cultural heritage management. Most recently in Skopje CHERPLAN partners gained knowledge in economic valorisation of cultural heritage assets.

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In each pilot area project partners set up Cultural Site Management Partnerships bringing together local authorities, citizens, cultural associations, museums, schools, waste and water companies, architects. Following the CHERPLAN Participatory Process

Handbook, partners have been holding stakeholder workshops and meetings to discuss regional development based on utilizaTransnational training session on GIS tools, September 2012, Rome (IT) Photo credit: CHERPLAN project

tion of cultural heritage, development of tourist products and branding, environmental

impact of human activities on cultural heritage. To complement local action partners organise transnational peer reviews on pilot progress and introduce relevant improvements whenever necessary.

The Environmental Management Plans are still under preparation. Once completed, these plans will offer scenarios for environmental management of the piloted cultural heritage sites. Topics of environmental importance for these plans are energy efficiency of historical buildings, mobility and transport planning, waste and water management.

In addition, CHERPLAN intends to develop Business Plans for economic valorisation of pilot heritage sites aimed at providing concrete responses and investment estimates to the identified needs. One step closer towards the Business Plans is the CHERPLAN publication on Sustainable tourism as driving force for cultural heritage sites development. Project partners realised that they have one peculiar weakness in common, the so called on hit-and-run tourism, when tourists stay at a site only for a few hours and so cannot fully bring economic profit for the area. CHERPLAN partners try to provide solutions to this problem in the publication.

Upon completion of all pilot activities, CHERPLAN partners will be able to include concrete examples of applying the projects environmental planning methodology in the final version of the Environmental Management Model.

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Less favoured rural areas in SEE rely on traditional economic activities like agriculture as main source of income and jobs. Oftentimes such areas possess unique cultural values, e.g. knowledge handed down from generation to generation related to crafts, to buildings with interesting history, ancient practices for growing typical plants. However, if the local community and administration fail to recognise the economic potential of such values, this cultural heritage is not managed properly and does not yield the economic benefits it could.

To find a solution to this challenge a partnership of local and regional authorities, as well as other regional development actors from Slovenia, Bulgaria, Italy, Greece, Serbia, and Hungary created the SY_CULTour project32. The mission of

SY_CULTour partners is to help rural areas ciate their cultural values and explore the economic benefits of creating new nonmassive rural cultural tourism destinations to generate income and jobs.

The consortium believes that for cultural values to be able to deliver economic benefits, local administrations should join forces with local communities and through a participatory approach ensure proper management of these values. Therefore, SY_CULTour has been working on a common methodology for managing cultural values based on this approach that could be easily taken up and applied in different rural areas across Southeast Europe.

Building up to the methodology, project partners first studied existing cultural value management practices applied in partner rural areas and the pre-defined pilot sites. They explored and compared different approaches to identifying the economic potential of cultural values, involving stakeholders in the management process, and planning and designing the content of cultural tourism destinations. The consortium looked into the institutional framework of partner territories and compared legal instruments that regulate cultural heritage protection, integration of cultural values in spatial planning, and use of such values for developing economic activities like tourism. In addition, information on the existing cultural values in target areas was collected into a special project database. The database

32

The project is running until end of February 2014.

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includes a tool for assessing the economic potential of cultural values, which can be used by any region in SEE and beyond. Practices that appeared to be specifically effective were extensively examined to identify the conditions for transferring them to new territories. They are included in a separate database on the project website, as well as in a Good Practice Report.

The joint survey of cultural value management in rural areas helped partners select the practice(s) they went on to test. Pilot activities aim at examining applicability of SY_CULTour common methodology for cultural value management and it is accompanied by implementation guidelines. Several capacity building trainings have been organised to make sure partners have the knowledge and skills to implement these guidelines. Special focus was placed on the work with local stakeStudy visit to the Peio Valley (IT) where the ancient methods for growing flax for linenweaving have been re-discovered Photo credit: SY_CULTour project

holders. The trainings have been combined with study visits to support the transnational know-how transfer. For instance,

SY_CULTour partners studied practices in managing cultural values in the rural areas of Szkesfehvr (HU), Vojvodina (RS), Roncegno Terme (IT) and Pazardzhik (BG).

Following the transnational trainings each project partner has worked to set up a local cross-sectoral network with the participation of key stakeholders in the pilot sites, e.g cultural institutions, local population, farmers, and tourism actors. Then the consortium launched a stakeholder involvement campaign consisting of stakeholder trainings, workshops, meetings for local and regional public bodies and experts. This was how consensus was built for carrying out pilot activities and stakeholder input was gathered in an action plan for their realisation.

SY_CULTour cultural value management methodology is currently being tested in several project partner territories Idrija, Zasavje and Jesenice (SI), Region of Pazardzhik (BG), Central Transdanubia (HU), Vojvodina (RS), Magnesia and Crete (EL), Trentino and Regional Park Sirente Velino (IT). Lessons learnt will be used to finalise both the methodology and the guidelines for its implementation. The finalised methodology and guidelines will then provide the basis for formulating policy recommendations targeting
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different policy levels in partner countries. Policy makers will be invited to special meetings where these recommendations will be presented and explained.

The SY_CULTour partnership is also in the process of setting up a virtual chamber as a collaboration platform of SEE rural areas guiding them in better management and economic utilization of their cultural values. This web-platform will facilitate the exchange of experience and good practices beyond the project lifetime.

Finally, SY_CULTour partners plan to propose the project common methodology as input to the development of a European Label for Sustainable Cultural Tourism Destinations fostered by the European Cultural Tourism Network.

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SEE area presents many examples of religious cultural sites revealing both the tangible and intangible heritage of Christians, Jews and Muslim inhabitants. However, efforts for making these sites self-sustainable and income-generating (e.g. through tourism and recreational activities) have proven of limited success. Some of the reasons for this limited success are the isolation from traditional tourist routes, lack of skilled workforce due to demographic change and migration, and lack of local knowledge about the opportunities opened up by religious cultural heritage. project33

RECULTIVATUR

addresses

these

nesses by valorising partner religious cultural assets and turning them into economic and social drivers. The partnership constitutes local and regional authorities, regional development agencies, as well as universities from Hungary, Greece, Bulgaria, Italy, Romania, Slovenia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Together they have set out to develop a common model for religious cultural tourism in SEE area.

The project started with a transnational survey and mapping of the religious cultural heritage sites in partner regions, which resulted in development of 35 case studies. The case studies were evaluated according to several criteria: sustainable development potential; population attitudes and skills for making heritage an economic and social driver; and level of infrastructure and tourist services and facilities.

In addition, project partners benchmarked past experiences in restoration and valorisation of selected sites that had been undertaken with the support of UNESCO, the Council of Europe, or the European Institute of Cultural Routes. To complement the survey the RECULTIVATUR consortium organised joint workshops to discuss common features identified in the case studies. In this way input for the project religious cultural tourism model began to accumulate. Project partners held also study visits to good practice sites, e.g. in Lanciano (IT), Pomorie, Sozopol and Nessebar (BG). The visits demonstrated how a pilgrimage route can inspire business opportunities and gave ideas for the project pilot actions.

33

The project is running until the end of June 2014.

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The case studies evaluation and the study visits enabled the creation of RECULTIVATUR GIS-based maps, which serve as an information source on religious cultural values in the SEE area. Visitors can navigate in the database to find destinations of interest.

The partnership worked also on a stakeholder database, which shows important players in religious cultural heritage site management and related tourist services provision. The stakeholder database has been based on the joint stakeholder identification and analysis performed by RECULTIVATUR partners in view of planned pilot activities. It has been continuously expanded throughout the project implementation.

The exchange of experience in the first phase of the project made it possible for project partners to pinpoint 12 practices in valorisation of religious cultural heritage that have proven successful for local economy. Detailed descriptions of these practices can be found on the proGood practice from Pomorie (BG) International Festival of Orthodox Music Photo credit: RECULTIVATUR project

ject website.

The collection of good practices contributed to the development of RECULTIVATUR Common Model of Religious Tourism. The Model is meant to assist policy makers in identifying religious cultural values, assessing their economic potential and harnessing its benefits through religious tourism initiatives. Since this model is at the heart of the ongoing pilot actions, project partners designed also guidelines for its implementation. Local partner stakeholders were invited to give feedback and suggestions for improvement of the guidelines to make them more practical and easy to use.

By applying the guidelines RECULTIVATUR partners are now able to test the common model for religious tourism. The partnership has set up four Religious Tourism Development Agencies one in the Mid-Pannon region (HU), another in Xanthi (EL), the third one is integrated in the existing ADI Harghita Foundation (RO), and the fourth one has
105

been created within Burgas Regional Tourist Association (BG). These agencies have the role to implement religious cultural tourism products, to be created by

RECULTIVATOUR, and to test religious tourist offers. Local stakeholders will support the agencies in these tasks.

Before the end of RECULTIVATUR project partners plan to create a Transnational Religious Tourism Association to promote religious cultural tourism in Southeast Europe and RECULTIVATUR tourist products, in particular.

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In SEE many towns and cities still show the tangible traces of totalitarian regimes of 20th century, most visibly in the inherited architecture. Both the Fascist era and Communist regimes (1945-1991) have marked the outlook of cities in Southeast Europe. The challenge today is how to handle such inconvenient or uncomfortable heritage and how to economically exploit it.

ATRIUM partners from Italy, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Greece, Serbia, Albania, Croatia, Slovakia and Bosnia and Herzegovina addressed the unexploited economic opportunity of cultural heritage left in SEE by totalitarian regimes in the 20th century. Together they embarked on an ambitions journey to lay out the basis of a new cultural route in Europe.

First of all, project partners had to decide on the sites to be included in this new route. Following common guidelines, they collected information about 100 sites from partner countries. They compared the sites in terms of protection status, property rights, accessibility, and history of creation. Partners estimated that 71 sites had economic potential (9 sites in IT, 6 in RS, 6 in SI, 6 in AL, 8 in HR, 6 in EL, 9 in BG, 8 in HU, 7 in SK, and 6 in RO). The selection process involved also local partner stakeholders and experts as they would be responsible for managing and servicing selected sites and related tourist products once the route would be established. The case-studies were then catalogued in categories like settlements, urban complexes, urban ensembles, public buildings, public buildings, monuments, residential complexes and facilities. All these will feed the ATRIUM digital catalogue, which will promote the newly delineated route of cultural sites marking the presence of 20th century totalitarian regimes in partner countries.

The result of this transnational survey is synthesised in a specific report, which has been translated in partner languages to support the work with local stakeholders. In addition, the translation helped in organising local media campaigns to raise awareness about case study sites and the future cultural route. Partners organised study tours for journalist and took part in TV and radio programmes to promote ATRIUMs initiative.

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The work with local stakeholders envisaged also preparing them for managing the architectural heritage within the new cultural route ATRIUM Architecture of Totalitarian Regimes of the XX century in Europes Urban Memory. The partnership spent quality time on designing a transnational manual of wise management, preservation, re-use and economic valorisation of architecture of 20th century totalitarian regimes. The process of developing the content was shared and discussed with public authorities, scientific communities, and associations of architects, tourist and cultural organisations from case study sites. In this way an agreement on the practical application of the manual could be established based on stakeholder needs. Upon the finalisation of ATRIUM Manual partners used it for training local stakeholders in Forli (IT), Ljubljana (SI), Gyr (HU), Suceava (RO), Patras (EL), Labin (HR), Municipality of Raa (HR), Subotica (RS), Tirana (AL), Sofia (BG), Doboj (BiH).

Partners then proceeded to define tourist products and packages for the new cultural route. Following common guidelines each partner checked the feasibility for integrating the route and possible ATRIUM tourist products in the local tourist system. Partners consider the design of a common tourist brochure, tourist map of local route, guided visits, setting up an info point. These ideas are currently being consulted with local stakeholders at specifically organised workshops.

Transnational meeting and training in Ljubljana (SI) Photo credit: ATRIUM project

At transnational level partners discussed and agreed on a stature for a Transnational Promotion Association for the route based in Italy. So far membership have been confirmed for the municipalities of Forli, Cesentico, Castrocaro, Predappio, Bertinoro, Doboj, Province of Forli-Cesena, Dimitrovgrad, Patras, Labin, Subotica, and the County of Iasi.

Ultimately the aim of the ATRIUM consortium is to submit a cultural route dossier for certification by the Council of Europe. Looking at the Council of Europe Cultural Routes Calendar of activities for 2013, ATRIUM partnership is on the road of success.

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Brief summary

Presented project case studies show that transnational partnerships supported by the South East Europe programme have undertaken concrete action to tackle the socio-economic weaknesses of the area identified in 2007.

There are projects that endeavour to improve the framework conditions for building competitive enterprises and enabling innovation (SEE IFA Network, FIDIBE, AsviLoc Plus). They engage the public and private sector in research and development (I3E, TECH.FOOD). Current and future strengths of Southeast Europe in the research field have been defined to address innovation white spots (I3E, InterValue, FORSEE). In general, all projects dealing with support to innovation and entrepreneurship contribute to the building of critical mass for innovation in the programme area. Specific measures in this respect have been undertaken by projects like ADC, IPRforSEE, EVAL-INNO.

Closed projects that have not been examined in this analysis but which contributed through part of their project activities to tackling innovation challenges are AUTOCLUSTERS, ISEDE-NET, LUDUS, and Tex-EASTile.

Already during the first two calls a significant number of partnerships have launched initiatives to meet development challenges posed by mismanagement of natural resources, risk of emergencies and pollution, high energy demand and low energy efficiency performance. The need for on-site conservation work has been addressed by the projects NATREG, DANUBEPARKS and BeNatur. The risk of economic activities polluting natural resources has provoked a response from the partnerships of WANDA, EU.WATER, ECOPORT 8, GREEN MOUNTAIN, SEPA. Focus on green growth through brownfield revitalisation has been the aim of F.A.T.E. and ReTInA. At the same time projects like MONITOR II and DANUBE FLOODRISK anticipated the effects of natural disasters. Actions to address the low level of exploitation of renewables have been initiated by the projects ENERSUPPLY, Wide the See by Succ Mod and M2RES. The project CC-WaterS has explored scenarios for adaptation to the climate change impact on natural resources.

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Closed projects that have not been included in this analysis but which contributed through part of their project activities or through horizontal action to tackling environmental and environment-related challenges are DMCSEE, SARMa, and SEE HYDROPOWER.

Weaknesses in the transport systems in Southeast Europe, as well as gaps in transport and ICT services (including in quality) have also prompted response from SEE projects. The lack of overall coordination of infrastructure strategies in the region has been addressed by projects like SEETAC, SETA and DaHar. The projects NEWADA, SETA,

WATERMODE, SEE MMS, ATTAC and SEE digi.TV have focused on improving transport services, e.g. waterway, rail, urban transport, digital television broadcasting. The NELI partnership addressed knowledge deficits for delivering quality transport services. There are no closed projects that have not been considered in the analysis (there were 5 projects approved in the 1st call).

SEE projects created to respond to the common challenge of inadequate management or lack of preservation of cultural values have mainly been funded from the 2nd call on. Therefore, none of the presented case studies have been fully completed yet. Still even these few examples already show the diversity of angles through which this weakness can be tackled. CHERPLAN partners adopt an environmental approach, SY_CULTour addresses rural areas, RECULTIVATUR draws attention to religious cultural heritage, and finally ATRIUM aims at cultural heritage valorisation through establishing a new cultural route.

As it has been pointed out in the introduction to the analysis, this report is a work in progress. It becomes apparent at this point that some weaknesses are not directly approached but are rather addressed as underlying topics, e.g. economic disparities. Others like the depopulation and negative migration have only been tackled by projects funded in the last two calls. With 82 projects still ongoing, it is only a matter of time to see what shape their response to socio-economic weaknesses in Southeast Europe will take. For more information on the outputs from all 1st call projects, please visit the SEE programme website: http://www.southeast-europe.net/en/achievements/outputs_library/.

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SEE projects response (2009 first half 2013) TECH.FOOD Innovation Toolbox
Unfavourable ronment Low participation of the public and private sector in research and development Innovation white spots Lack of critical mass for innovation Natural assets exposed to decrease in quality due to pollution, climate change effects Insufficient natural coordination disasters and joint reactions Inadequate management and preservation of natural assets Low levels of renewable energy sources exploitation and energy efficiency actions Poor coordination in planning and know-how deficits in building transport and ICT infrastructure reflecting on infrastructure quantity and quality Poor accessibility and quality of transport and ICT services Inadequate management and preservation of cultural assets Economic disparities ban/rural, centre/periphery) Depopulation and negative bal(urin prevention business envi-

FIDIBE Manual for Business Innovation Parks

AsviLoc Plus Good practice catalogue on Regional Development Agencies supporting innovation in SMEs

ADC maps of economic sectors with clustering potential & transnational clustering partnership agreements

SEE IFA Network analysis of gaps in innovation support in Southeast Europe & examples of existing measures

111

SEE socio-economic weaknesses (baseline 2007)

ance migration

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EVAL-INNO Standards RTDI Evaluation Transfer

Unfavourable ronment Low participation of the public and private sector in research and development Innovation white spots Lack of critical mass for innovation Natural assets exposed to decrease in quality due to pollution, climate change effects Insufficient natural coordination disasters and joint reactions Inadequate management and preservation of natural assets Low levels of renewable energy sources exploitation and energy efficiency actions Poor coordination in planning and know-how deficits in building transport and ICT infrastructure reflecting on infrastructure quantity and quality Poor accessibility and quality of transport and ICT services Inadequate management and preservation of cultural assets Economic disparities ban/rural, centre/periphery) Depopulation and negative balance migration (urin prevention business envi-

& Technological Nodes

InterValue platform

IPRforSEE services and tutorials on Intellectual Property Rights and SMEs

I3E Strategic Research Agenda in the field of industrial informatics and embedded systems & Methodology Guide on Innovation & consensus building activities

SEE socio-economic weaknesses (baseline 2007)

DANUBEPARKS interlinkage of transnational exchange of know-how and local action of transnational impact, pilot actions, stakeholder involvement
Unfavourable ronment Low participation of the public and private sector in research business envi-

BeNatur transnational strategy for better management and implementation of Natura 2000 sites & joint action plans

NATREG Protected Area Integrated Management Strategy & Guidelines

FORSEE foresighting methodology

and development Innovation white spots Lack of critical mass for innovation Natural assets exposed to decrease in quality due to pollu-

113

tion, climate change effects Insufficient natural coordination disasters and joint reactions Inadequate management and preservation of natural assets Low levels of renewable energy sources exploitation and energy efficiency actions Poor coordination in planning and know-how deficits in building transport and ICT infrastructure reflecting on infrastructure quantity and quality Poor accessibility and quality of transport and ICT services Inadequate management and preservation of cultural assets Economic disparities ban/rural, centre/periphery) Depopulation and negative balance migration (urin prevention

SEE socio-economic weaknesses (baseline 2007)

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ECOPORT 8 Environmental Monitoring Plan for sea ports & Eco Guidelines
Unfavourable ronment Low participation of the public and private sector in research and development Innovation white spots Lack of critical mass for innovation Natural assets exposed to decrease in quality due to pollubusiness envi-

SEPA Guidelines & feasibility studies

WANDA common ship-waste management concept & joint financing model for ship waste collection services along the Danube River

GREEN MOUNTAIN sustainable economic development and management model for green mountain areas & partner management plans

tion, climate change effects Insufficient natural coordination disasters and joint reactions Inadequate management and preservation of natural assets Low levels of renewable energy sources exploitation and energy efficiency actions Poor coordination in planning and know-how deficits in building transport and ICT infrastructure reflecting on infrastructure quantity and quality Poor accessibility and quality of transport and ICT services Inadequate management and preservation of cultural assets Economic disparities ban/rural, centre/periphery) Depopulation and negative balance migration (urin prevention

SEE socio-economic weaknesses (baseline 2007)

MONITOR II contingency plans incl. hazard maps

DANUBE FLOODRISK Manual for harmonised requirements for flood mapping procedures & risk maps
Unfavourable ronment Low participation of the public and private sector in research and development Innovation white spots Lack of critical mass for innovation Natural assets exposed to decrease in quality due to pollubusiness envi-

EU.WATER Transnational Strategy for Integrated Water Management in Agriculture & vulnerability maps & regional reports

CC-WaterS data bases & water supply in climate change scenarios & recommended mitigation measures

115

tion, climate change effects Insufficient natural coordination disasters and joint reactions Inadequate management and preservation of natural assets Low levels of renewable energy sources exploitation and energy efficiency actions Poor coordination in planning and know-how deficits in building transport and ICT infrastructure reflecting on infrastructure quantity and quality Poor accessibility and quality of transport and ICT services Inadequate management and preservation of cultural assets Economic disparities ban/rural, centre/periphery) Depopulation and negative balance migration (urin prevention

SEE socio-economic weaknesses (baseline 2007)

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SEETAC infrastructure and traffic database & models and scenarios & SPaTO
Unfavourable ronment Low participation of the public and private sector in research and development Innovation white spots Lack of critical mass for innovation Natural assets exposed to decrease in quality due to pollubusiness envi-

Wide the SEE by Socc Mod Methodological Guide for solar thermal energy exploitation & awareness raising campaign & trainings

ENER-SUPPLY RES Handbook & trainings & RES maps and feasibility studies

M2RES sustainable development concept based on utilising RES & Guide & investment proposals

tion, climate change effects Insufficient natural coordination disasters and joint reactions Inadequate management and preservation of natural assets Low levels of renewable energy sources exploitation and energy in prevention

SEE socio-economic weaknesses (baseline 2007)

efficiency actions Poor coordination in planning and know-how deficits in building transport and ICT infrastructure reflecting on infrastructure quantity and quality Poor accessibility and quality of transport and ICT services Inadequate management and preservation of cultural assets Economic disparities ban/rural, centre/periphery) Depopulation and negative balance migration (ur-

SETA Corridor Development Plan & transnational transport network model & pilot actions

NEWADA input for harmonising waterway maintenance practices along the Danube (hydrographic & hydrologic measures, ENC accuracy), deployment of WLAN hotspots
Unfavourable ronment Low participation of the public and private sector in research and development Innovation white spots Lack of critical mass for innovation Natural assets exposed to decrease in quality due to pollution, climate change effects Insufficient natural coordination disasters and joint reactions Inadequate management and preservation of natural assets Low levels of renewable energy sources exploitation and energy efficiency actions Poor coordination in planning and know-how deficits in building transport and ICT infrastrucin prevention business envi-

WATERMODE study & database on multimodal facilities (ground/water) in SEE; indicators for evaluating logistics facilities; proposal for improving ports-hinterland multimodal links

SEE socio-economic weaknesses (baseline 2007)

ture reflecting on infrastructure quantity and quality Poor accessibility and quality of transport and ICT services Inadequate management and preservation of cultural assets Economic disparities ban/rural, centre/periphery) Depopulation and negative bal(ur-

117

ance migration

118

SEE MMS Mobility Management Plans, Mobility Centres, MC Info Platform, Handbook on MM Strategies, mechanisms and practices
Unfavourable ronment Low participation of the public and private sector in research and development Innovation white spots Lack of critical mass for innovation Natural assets exposed to decrease in quality due to pollution, climate change effects Insufficient natural coordination disasters and joint reactions Inadequate management and preservation of natural assets Low levels of renewable energy sources exploitation and energy efficiency actions Poor coordination in planning and know-how deficits in building transport and ICT infrastrucin prevention business envi-

DaHar peer review process & master plan & pilots & integrated strategy for functional specification & local action plans

ATTAC pilot actions & Urban Mobility Toolbox & Sustainable

NELI training tools & ICTs & Danube Knowledge Network & National and Transnational Action Plans

SEE socio-economic weaknesses (baseline 2007)

ture reflecting on infrastructure quantity and quality Poor accessibility and quality of

transport and ICT services Inadequate management and preservation of cultural assets Economic disparities ban/rural, centre/periphery) Depopulation and negative balance migration (ur-

Urban Mobility Plans

ATRIUM new cultural route & management manual & digital catalogue
Unfavourable ronment Low participation of the public and private sector in research and development Innovation white spots Lack of critical mass for innovation Natural assets exposed to decrease in quality due to pollution, climate change effects Insufficient natural coordination disasters and joint reactions Inadequate management and preservation of natural assets Low levels of renewable energy sources exploitation and energy efficiency actions Poor coordination in planning and know-how deficits in building transport and ICT infrastrucin prevention business envi-

SEE digi.TV guidelines for improving legal framework for digital switchover & use of digital dividend & funding the switchover; technical recommendations;

SY_CULTour methodology for managing cultural values in rural areas; Cultural values database + self-assessment tool; Good practice database

SEE socio-economic weaknesses (baseline 2007)

ture reflecting on infrastructure quantity and quality Poor accessibility and quality of transport and ICT services Inadequate management and

preservation of cultural assets Economic disparities ban/rural, centre/periphery) Depopulation and negative bal(ur-

119

ance migration

120

RECULTIVATUR Common Model of Religious Tourism & guidelines; good practice collection; pilot activities

F.A.T.E. Case Study Handbook; publication on regional measures for entrepreneurship in brownfield areas; position paper on property right transfer; pilots
Unfavourable ronment Low participation of the public and private sector in research and development Innovation white spots Lack of critical mass for innovation Natural assets exposed to decrease in quality due to pollution, climate change effects Insufficient natural coordination disasters and joint reactions Inadequate management and preservation of natural assets Low levels of renewable energy sources exploitation and energy in prevention business envi-

ReTInA Brownfield Revitalisation Method & case studies & partner individual revitalisation

CHERPLAN cultural heritage Environmental Management Model & pilots & sustainable tourism guidebook

efficiency actions Poor coordination in planning and know-how deficits in building transport and ICT infrastructure reflecting on infrastructure quantity and quality Poor accessibility and quality of transport and ICT services Inadequate management and preservation of cultural assets Economic disparities ban/rural, centre/periphery) Depopulation and negative balance migration (ur-

SEE socio-economic weaknesses (baseline 2007)

plans and grammes investment proUnfavourable ronment Low participation of the public and private sector in research and development Innovation white spots Lack of critical mass for innovation Natural assets exposed to decrease in quality due to pollution, climate change effects Insufficient natural coordination disasters and joint reactions Inadequate management and preservation of natural assets Low levels of renewable energy sources exploitation and energy efficiency actions Poor coordination in planning and know-how deficits in building transport and ICT infrastructure reflecting on infrastructure quantity and quality Poor accessibility and quality of transport and ICT services Inadequate management and preservation of cultural assets Economic disparities ban/rural, centre/periphery) Depopulation and negative bal(urin prevention business envi-

SEE socio-economic weaknesses (baseline 2007)

121

ance migration