Ministero dello Sviluppo Economico Interregional cooperation in regional

Ministero dello Sviluppo Economico Interregional cooperation in regional policy: a dynamic mechanism Rossella RUSCA Naples, 14 -15 October 2009

A little bit of history • Negotiations for the 2007 -2013 period • Territorial cooperation is acknowledged as an important tool of European added value for territorial development and cohesion • All the territories should have the possibility to develop all forms of cooperation, where, and with whom is needed • Interregional cooperation should become also part of the regional operational programmes, in addition to what is made under the European Territorial Cooperation Programme • Art 37. 6. b is entered in the Regulation (EC) 1083/2006 2

What is about Art. 37. 6. b Whereas… (4)… the value added of cross-border, transnational and interregional cooperation in the Community should be increased … (44) Member States and managing authorities may organise…within the operational programmes co-financed by the ERDF the arrangements for interregional cooperation • Art. 37. 6. b establishes that … At the initiative of the Member State, the operational programmes financed by the ERDF may also contain for the Convergence and Regional competitiveness and employment objectives…actions for interregional cooperation with, at least, one regional or local authority of another Member State.

Why Art. 37. 6. b in addition to ETC programmes? • Regions have the need to cooperate also bilaterally with regions with which they do not share a cross-border territorial cooperation programme • Interregional cooperation is not just a question of networking and exchange of good practices • Interregional cooperation has to be functional and supportive of each region development strategy • Interregional cooperation is a win-win approach by which territories can develop their own comparative advantages meanwhile getting shared objectives and results

The Italian NSRF and Art. 37. 6. b • …In Convergence and competitiveness OPs interregional cooperation actions must be referred to the priorities of each OP and be supportive to it, by providing the possibility of realizing joint interventions with other EU regions, whose collaboration can contribute to reach in a more effective way the objectives of the OP because these joint actions can • Either provide to the Italian interested regions the possibility to get competences, knowledge, innovations that the region does not have or cannot have in a sufficient way • Or provide the possibiliity to put on an extra-domestic market the territorial resources of the region, enhancing its growth and competitiveness potentials

The State of the art • Territorial cooperation and regional programmes continue to be separated worlds • Neither the EC, nor the Member States encouraged the implementation of Art. 37. 6. b • Nobody knows, at EU level: • Wthat OP/regions in what Member State want to use Art. 37. 6 b or would be interested to use it • How to practically implement it

The Italian case • The NSRF includes territorial cooperation as a full component of the Italian strategy for regional development • Interregional cooperation is promoted both within the country (Interregional Operational Programmes-POIn) and in the sense of Art. 37. 6. b • 10 regions foresee to implement Art. 37. 6. b, and appoint significant resources to that scope • How and with what regions could they implement that part of their OP?

What we do expect as a follow-up of the Seminar • INTERACT provides: – An in-depth analysis of the situation at the EU and MS level – A precise list of problems to be solved, of questions to be anwered, and of possible solutions (procedures, etc. . ) • The EC-DG REGIO provides: – A clear and full answer to the questions – Practical guidance to Member State and regions • Member States and regions provide – Monitoring and evaluation activities

Thank you for your attention Rossella Rusca Ministry of Economic Development Department for Development and Economic Cohesion rossella. rusca@tesoro. it 9