Associazione Europea degli Eletti della Montagna

Bologna, 15 novembre 2011Facoltà di Scienze Politiche - Sala dei PoetiPalazzo Hercolani - Strada Maggiore, 45 

AEM : European network of regional and local authorities with mountain territories1991: creation of AEM: from CoE to UE Institutions2 main Status Objectives: sensibilisation and

networkingDirect and non direct MembersEvery political levels from Mayors to MEP

(intergroup) with a majority of Regional actorsDemocratic Legitimity and political positions

(policy makers and policy managers)Territorial stake in European debate , challenge of

European governance (now based on Lisbon Treaty & Art 174 )

EP, CoR, CoE, Alpine convention, etc.

MountainS of Europe : unity in diversity Europe is a mountainous

territory ! Mountain is a European continental challenge !

EU with 27 Member states: 21 concerned MS 35, 69% of its superficy 17,73% of its population 30 744 municipalities

From study NordRegio DG Regio 2004 (critère de pente, altitude, topographie et climat)

But with a great diversity increased by enlargement

Alps, Mediterranean, Nordic, Carpates, Balkans, Apennini, Iberic, Pyrenees, etc.

The Lisbon treaty should support a new deal to valorize mountain assets

Article 174: "In order to promote its overall harmonious development, the Union shall develop and pursue its actions leading to the strengthening of its economic, social and territorial cohesion. In particular, the Union shall aim at reducing disparities between the levels of development of the various regions and the backwardness of the least favoured regions. Among the regions concerned, particular attention shall be paid to rural areas, areas affected by industrial transition, and regions which suffer from severe and permanent natural or demographic handicaps such as the northernmost regions with very low population density and island, cross-border and mountain regions.“

Article 175 (ex Article 159 TEC) : Member States shall conduct their economic policies and shall coordinate them in such a way as, in addition, to attain the objectives set out in Article 174. The formulation and implementation of the Union’s policies and actions and the implementation of the internal market shall take into account the objectives set out in Article 174 and shall contribute to their achievement.

Territories with geographic specificities have a potential to deliver EU2020: Smart growth specific innovation potential Green growth high potential for green economy Inclusive growth community strength, quality of life

They are facing specific constraints and need adapted policies to develop their potentialities articles 170/174/175 of EU treaty to be addressed in all policies

Integrated approach of different policies: Cohesion, CAP, Transport, Energy, Infso, Environment… and Competition

HOW TO CROSS OVER A COMPENSATION LOGIC HOW TO CROSS OVER A COMPENSATION LOGIC TO A STRATEGY OF VALORISATION OF TO A STRATEGY OF VALORISATION OF TERRITORIAL ASSETS?TERRITORIAL ASSETS?

European framework for an integrated approach

Strategic challenge : deep economic crisis but also a European governance crisis

Political challenge: to build up Euro zone economic governance but with what political governance ?

Efficiency challenge: to bring closer European policies and territorial realities and assets;

Citizenship challenge: to bring closer European institutions and citizens;

Climatic challenge: to adapt economic activities to climate change.

European economic crisis openning the way to a renewed multilevel govenance

To reach coherence respecting diversity: AEM answers to consultation on State aids regulations and cohesion policy

•Additional costs of mountain economy should be better taken into account.

•Specific socioeconomic organisation (i.e. PPP, public procurement, etc.) should be better recognised as key element of mountain economy.

•Services of General interest are a framework component of mountain economy.

•Some sectors are strategic and can not face a « pure and perfect » global competition.

•Environmental and climate change dimensions should be part of public economy (TEEB study on economic valorisation of ecosystem services).

•De minimis ceilar should be rised at 800 000€ over 3 years, only for art. 174 territories.

•State aids regulations should take into account functionnal areas and not indicators at NUTS III or NUTS II levels.

•National policies should take into account the opportunities openned by EU regulations regarding art. 3C (foot note).

•National and regional policies should take into consideration the role of EU policies in their territorial policies to develop integrated/place based policies

Challenges: going over permanent handicaps to valorise assets

• A clear need of multiregional adaptation of the European strategies at a coherent territorial level :

the range (massif) level (cross-border or not) : where to give coherence to public policies by adaptationg them to territorial specificities, by identifying main challenges and assets;

• A clear need of a close operationnal level for action and mobilsation of assets: district /valleys level at NUTS IV or V level (= a place based policy as def. in Barca’s report) : could support a « state aids » mapping regarding strategic sectors in an integrated local strategy of sustainable development (ESF, ERDF, EARDF + national and regional ressources).

Special attention to initiative opinion of Luis Durnwalder voted by the CoR in June 2008 : a European strategy for mountain regions should be based on functionnal areas !

What scale for a specific attention to mountain regions ?

Could geography help policy making ?

The territorial issue is a analysis of the organic link between environment and humain being activities (place based policy).

From a European point of view, ranges give a capacity of political action considering mountain specificities.

An exemple of integrated policy in favor of mountain ranges (French massifs):

POMAC & POIA : From a national law (1985) to the creation of interregional

operationnal programmes for Massif central and for the Alps;

Coherence between national, regional, local and European political actions.

Some details.

What internal governance for an added value of political action ? (Comité de massif)

What scales of policy definition and intervention?

An exemple of existing experiences and exciting debates regarding mountain macroregional strategies (« massifs » or ranges).

The opportunity of macroregional strategies (Baltic sea, Danube, …)

During the last months, the Alps are structuring some poposals to be one of the next Macroregional strategy.

A wide debate is open between Regional authorities, Alpine convention, Alpine space program and National authorities.

Last meeting 8th of November Brussels Bayern representation & Next meeting in Grenoble 13 January 2011.

Opportunities: to developp a coherent strategy at Alpine transnational level on several topics.

1. macro-regional strategies are key elements for MultiLevelGovernance : from Baltic sea level to an Alpine model (EU-AlpineConv° -euroregions-crossborder coop – valleys) that could become a strengthen territorial cooperation in the Eurozone between Italy, France, Germany, Austria Slovenia and Switzerland.

2. Economic crisis, sovereign debt crisis , recovery plans and modification of general philosophy regarding competition and Internal market could open a wider debate of Euro zone political governance.

3. A dynamic European networking to exchange best practices at local and regional level which the various associations, institutions (EGTC) and the CoR are the visible part of interregionality (still out of the European core decision process).

Elements for analysis and for action

 Nicolas Evrard

Secrétaire général 

nicolas.evrard@promonte-aem.net

---http://www.promonte-aem.net/

---AEM - siège technique

 Maison des Parcs et de la Montagne

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Association européenne des élus de montagne