Crossborder cooperation experience in the Euroregion Country of lakes

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Cross-border co-operation experience in the
Euroregion Country of lakes

• Ilze STABULNIECE,
• manager of Latvian office of Euroregion Country
  of lakes
• Värska, August 23, 2005

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Euroregion Country of lakes CBC Council of
Latvian, Lithuanian and Belarussian authorities
3
Territory
4
Structure

• Council (16)
• Secretarial (16)
• Directorate with Latvian, Lithuanian and
  Belarussian offices (3)
• 7 work groups (7 X 16)

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Members

• Latvia Daugavpils, Kraslava, Ludza, Preili,
  Rezekne authorities
• Lithuania Ignalina, Svencionys, Utena,
  Visaginas, Zarasai authorities
• Belarus Braslav, Glubokoje, Miory, Postavi,
  Verchnedvinsk authorities

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History

• 1998 the birthday year of the Euroregion
  Country of lakes
• 1999 the year of creation of status and
  structure
• 2000 the meeting year with EU and Norway
• 2001 the study year
• 2002 the strategic year
• 2003 the dinamic year
• 2004 - the Culinary Heritage year
• 2005 the Interreg year

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Main figures

• Area 21 916km2
• Inhabitants 595 000
• Population density 15\km2
• About 1 500 lakes
• 3 railways, 3 international roads

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Motives for cross-border co-operation in
Euroregion Country of lakes

• Transformation of the border from a line of
  separation into a place for communication between
  neighbours
• Overcoming of mutual prejudices in order to build
  mutual respect and understanding
• Strengthening of democracy and development of
  regional/local administative structures

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Principles for successful cross-border
co-operation in Euroregion Country of lakes

• Partnership
• Subsidiarity
• Existence of a common cross-border development
  concept or program (Euroregion Country of lakes
  strategy)
• Joint structures on regional/local level and
  independent sources of financing (established
  Euroregion structure , membership in AEBR)

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Methods of working(I)

• development and strategic-oriented cooperation,
  no measures based on individual cases
• always cross-border-oriented , not as regional
  border region
• no new administrative level
• hub for cross-border relations citizens,
  politicians, institutions, economy, social
  partners, organizers of cultural events etc.
• balancing between different structures and powers
  on both sides of the border and with regard to
  psychological issues

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Methods of working(II)

• partnership cooperation, vertically (European,
  governmental, regional, local) as well as
  horizontally beyond the border
• implementation of cross-border decisions at
  national level and according to procedures
  applicable on both sides of the border (avoidance
  of competence and structural power conflicts)
• cross-border participation of citizens,
  institutions and social partners in programmes,
  projects and decision-making processes
• direct initiatives and the use of own resources
  as a preconditions for help and support of third
  parties

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Vision

• Development of Latvian-Lithuanian-Belarussian
  cross-border co-operation region in sustainable
  social and economical way based of common
  interests

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STRATEGIC GOALS

• 1. To manage and develop staff as a key
  organizational resource.
• 2. Co-operation in the Euroregion is a
  long-term partnership based on internal
  recourses.
• 3. To ensure and stimulate co-operation of
  Euroregion partners and other European regions.
• 4. To contribute to further promotion of
  cultural and historical identity of each region
  within Euroregion Country of lakes.
• 5. To put common efforts to ensure sustainable
  balance between tourism development, business and
  environment protection.

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Sector Education, NGO sector, sport

• Main strategic goal improved quality of
  education basing on cross border co-operation
• OBJECTIVES
• Creation of database on educational systems and
  NGOs
• Organisation of common activities aimed at
  integration and understanding development

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Sector Social sphere

• Main strategic goal elaboration of efficient
  social protection system for inhabitants of
  Euroregion Country of lakes
• OBJECTIVES
• Experience exchange and capacity building of
  specialists.
• Creation of systematic Euroregions database in
  issues of social protection.
• Improvement of service quality in social sphere.
• Co-operation for integration of socially
  neglected persons into society.

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Sector Culture

• Main strategic goal Co-operation and promotion
  of cultural identity of each region within
  Euroregion Country of lakes and co-operation
  with other European regions. Strengthening of
  understanding.
• OBJECTIVES
• To increase interest of governments of
  Euroregions countries to cultural problems in
  the territory of the Euroregion.
• Organisation of cultural exchange activities
  (festivals, seminars, sport activities etc.).
• Distribution of information.
• Education.

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Sector Tourism and environment protection

• Main strategic goal To ensure sustainable
  balance between tourism development and
  environment protection
• OBJECTIVES
• Experience and competence building of the
  specialists involved.
• Creation of common tourism information database
  for Euroregion Country of lakes.
• Monitoring of environmental situation.
• Co-operation among countries in fish growing.

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Sector Entrepreneurship and infrastructure
development

• Main strategic goal contribute to sustainable
  economical development of Euroregion Country of
  lakes
• OBJECTIVES
• Ensuring information distribution, training,
  experience exchange, consultations
• Creation of Euroregion trademark in different
  economic branches
• Improvement of transport infrastructure
• Co-operation in the field of ecologically clean/
  untraditional agricultural product production

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Sector Solving of border crossing problems

• Main strategic goal Improving border-crossing
  procedure for people living in territory of
  Euroregion Country of lakes.
• Objectives
• Achieving higher civil factor when solving
  border-crossing problems.
• Improvement of information distribution to
  inhabitants of Euroregions inhabitants in border
  crossing issues.
• Using possibilities of co-operation with
  governmental structures and diplomatic service
  for improvement of legislation concerning of
  development of border regions, cross border
  co-operation and border crossing.

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Implementation of the Strategy by projects

• Project phases
• Visparejs entuziasms
• Rezervets optimisms
• Apjukums
• Panika
• Vainigo mekleana
• Nevainigo sodiana
• Gods un slava tiem, kas nepiedalijas

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Implementation of the Strategy (I)

• Phare CREDO / TACIS Micro Formation of
  Latvian-Belarussian information centre 38 000Euro
• Association of Norwegian local and regional
  governments Elaboration of the Strategy for
  Euroregion Country of lakes 20 000Euro
• Phare 2000 Promotion of SME development in the
  territory of Euroregion Country of lakes
  through cross border co-operation activities 51
  600Euro
• TACIS CBC Country of lakes management and
  marketing of rural tourism 254 000Euro

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Implementation of the Strategy (II)

• Interreg III B Seed Money Cross Border
  Hinterlands 9 000 EUR
• Phare 2001 Improvement of CUlinary ServIce NEt
  in Latgale (Latgale CUISINE) based on Culinary
  Heritage concept 156 000 EUR
• Interreg IIIA (ERDF) Discover the Country of
  lakes
• 229 959,00 EUR
• Interreg IIIB BEN
• Interreg IIIA (ERDF TACIS) Exciting cycling
  net in the Baltic Country of lakes 1 135 117,48
  EUR

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Culinary heritage in Latgale and Auktaitija

• 33 businesses in Latvia
• 20 in Lithuania

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Results of Culinary heritage project supported by
Phare 2001

• Culinary service net in Latgale region based on
  Culinary Heritage concept initiated in Sweden
  improved
• Traditional Latgale Cuisine identified and
  popularised
• The capacity of Latgale culinary service
  enterprises strengthened
• The training basis of Latgale vocational schools
  preparing culinary specialists improved

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Culinary heritage supported by Interreg IIIA

• 1.Carrying out market research, elaborating and
  testing common tourism routes and preparing
  tourism marketing strategy.
• 2.Adequate human resource development and
  capacity building in tourism-related businesses.
• 3.Further implementation of European Culinary
  Heritage concept and regional tourism marketing
  strategy of Euroregion and the newly-developed
  tourism products.

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Exciting Cycling Net in the Baltic Country of
Lakes

• Partner 1, Lead partner
• Latvian office of Euroregion Country of lakes
• Project partners 2-14
• Daugavpils, Rezekne, Kraslava district councils,
  Aglona, Livani and Ludza town municipalities,
  Latvia state forests.
• Lithuanian office of Euroregion Country of
  lakes, Zarasai, Ignalina, Svencionys, Visaginas
  and Utena municipalities
• Project partners 15-19
• Braslava, Verhnedvinsk, Glubokoje, Postavi and
  Miory districts

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Target territory
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OVERALL OBJECTIVE

• To contribute to development of active tourism
  and healthy lifestyle of the population of
  Latvia, Lithuania and Belarus and to increase the
  awareness about the possibilities offered by the
  Baltic Country of Lakes, thus adding value to the
  existing tourism products and attracting more
  tourists to the territory of Euroregion Country
  of Lakes

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SUB - OBJECTIVES

• To strengthen and to market the cycling net of
  the Baltic Country of Lakes.
• 2. To improve human resource capacity of
  Euroregion tourism specialists.
• 3. To improve active tourism infrastructure in
  the Euroregion cycling net.

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MAIN ACTIVITIES

• Sound project technical and financial
  management.
• Updating of information on 45 cycling routes.
• Public involvement campaigns.
• Common marketing activities.
• Improving HR capacity of Euroregion tourism
  specialists by introduction of GPS.
• Putting up common design signs, small-scale
  infrastructure elements and improvement of the
  cycling route quality.

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Figures

• Duration
• 24 months
• The implementation time is planed for
• December, 2005 November, 2007
• Budget
• ERDF 774763,11 EUR (75 from ERDF part)
• National co-financing (LV, LT) 258254,37 EUR
• SUBTOTAL ERDF 1 033 017,48 EUR
• TACIS 89600,00 EUR (87,86 from TACIS part)
• National co-financing (LV, BY) 12 500,00 Eiro
  (12,14 from TACIS part)
• SUBTOTAL TACIS 102 000,00 EUR
• TOTAL ERDF TACIS 1 135 117,48 EUR

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Perspective projects of Euroregion Country of
lakes

• Planning and development of the infrastructure
  near by transit corridors
• Development of implementation of the common
  information systems across the borders
• Economic development activities using mini grant
  schemes.

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Ideas for cross-border co-operation with other
regions

• Experience exchange in attraction of EU funds
• Culture exchange
• Youth camps
• Tourism routes
• Business co-operation, meetings, contact days,
  exhibitions
• Culinary Heritage
• Experience exchange in work of Euroregions

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Promotion of the project implementation and
atraction financing

• Creation of the network of border regions
  organizations and central governments
• Strengthening administrative capacity of
  Euroregions
• Continuing implemenation of the cross border
  cooperation and development of new ones

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Main values of cross-border cooperation as
CONCLUSION

• PROCESS
• INTERES AND DESIRE
• BELIEF
• LOKOMOTIVES
• INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIVES TEAM
• FRIENDSHIP

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Thank you for attention!

• Ilze Stabulniece
• Manager of the Latvian office of
• Euroregion Country of lakes
• Phone [phone]
• E-mail ilze_at_kraslava.lv