Local/Regional Economic Development in South ... - Value Chains

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have the necessary resources available for establishing
and developing CENTROPE
Public relations work to promote CENTROPE ideas
Stakeholders in cross-border co-operation
In September 2005, two years after the political declaration
of Kittsee, CENTROPE is still in the development
phase, in which themes and structures of future, more
intense co-operation are being identified, discussed and
developed. The following assessments provide an overview
of the current status.
Political leaders are central to CENTROPE and without
political backing this historic project cannot exist. In view
of the huge range of cross-border relations in the different
European regions, and with the existence of numerous
cross-border co-operation platforms, such as the EURE-
GIOs, a “binding multilateral co-operation structure”,
which is the objective of CENTROPE, can only be developed
with the full commitment of political leadership in
partner regions and twin cities.
The current status of CENTROPE politically varies between
the different parties. The governors of the three
Austrian states involved expect successes within the project
that are visible, rapidly achieved and generate publicity,
which would appeal to the electorate. Those below the
level of governors and presidents have only minor involvement
in CENTROPE. Therefore their representation in
the strategically important CENTROPE Advisory Board
remains (too) limited.
The politicians in countries neighboring Austria remain
hesitant about CENTROPE for several reasons. Probably
the major one is that since joining the EU, these states and
cities have re-evaluated their priorities, or are having to
deal with urgent challenges, particularly the development
of functioning structures and instruments in economic
and regional policy, together with the regionalization of
competencies and the search for new forms of balance of
power. This has left limited resources for developing a European
region.
Currently the main stakeholder in CENTROPE is the
administration, including the business agencies that have
been outsourced from the administration. The state governments
in Austria are sponsors of the INTERREG
projects, which currently fund the development of CEN-
TROPE. Representatives of these administrations are
members of the steering committee that makes all major
decisions.
Representatives of the administration also dominate the
multilateral CENTROPE Advisory Board. The administration
expects CENTROPE to be an efficient information
and coordination resource, that supports its own
work, creates new options, and generates projects that
add value. Concurrently the administrations’ own time
resources should be protected and duplication of efforts
avoided.
In the administration there is also a striking lack of synchronicity,
and an imbalance between the Austrian side
and the neighboring countries. In parts of the region there
is a high, or quickly growing, level of business linkages,
though large deficits remain in the infrastructure. For instance,
there is no efficient road connection between the
central area of Vienna and South Moravia, or between
Vienna and West Slovakia.
In recent years the Federation of Austrian Industry initiated
a scheme to strengthen business ties, named “Central
European Region”, with the objectives of facilitating
quicker development of business-related infrastructures,
and deregulation to remove obstacles for cross-border economic
co-operation. So far this initiative has not been
operationally linked with CENTROPE, but according to
the CENTROPE consortium, it is increasingly active with
good levels of information exchange.
Currently neither firms nor business chambers are directly
involved in the CENTROPE projects, but ways to incorporate
them are being mapped out. Public/civil society is
also not yet involved, and more is needed to create awareness
of the CENTROPE vision. Media reports, information
broadcasts on Austrian television and the production
of a CENTROPE map are possible first steps toward publicizing
CENTROPE, which the Consortium see as crucial
to provide information to activate the public. Several
pilot projects have been established to achieve this; CEN-
TROPE IMAGE, the public relations work for CEN-
TROPE, and CENTROPE SOUND, which promotes
live music by young people for young people.
Potentials and goals of cross-border co-operation
Prior to the launch in 2003 the Austrian participants declared:
“The objective of the European Region is strengthening
economic power, by using and developing the existing
high-quality potentials in Greater Vienna, St. Pölten,
Eisenstadt, Bratislava, Trnava, Brno, Györ and Sopron.
Already existing relationships and co-operation shall be
expanded and improved, beyond the still existing borders”
(Declaration of the Governors of Vienna, Lower Austria
and Burgenland, June 23rd 2003).
In the initial phase, which lasted until late 2005/early
2006, “… the preliminary work for founding the European
region …” was to “be completed and supported by
pilot and model projects” (ibid.), and the following basic
activities implemented:
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