ProgreSDEC’s Partners: Regione Lazio, Regione Piemonte, Regione Siciliana, Central and Western Macedonia, Community of Madrid, Region of Navarre and Institute for Regional Development and Structural Planning (IRS) of the Region of Brandenburg, met last 19th and 20th April in the 5th Technical Meeting and Steering Committee that took place in Pamplona (Navarre). Mrs. Amparo Montán Montesinos, in representation of SCT Interreg III C Sud, was also present at the meeting.
Meeting was held in the General Archives of Navarre, and was opened by Mr. José Andrés Burguete Torres, Minister of Environment, Spatial Planning and Housing of the Regional Government of Navarre. Mr. Burguete welcomed ProgreSDEC partners and underlined how important is for the Region of Navarra to collaborate with other regions and institutions through the developing of European Projects. “We trust our participation in European cooperation projects, like ProgreSDEC, is going to reinforce our Regional Strategy, which is directly attached to the European Spatial Development Perspective”, declared the Minister. He also emphasized that Navarre is “determinate to learn, because learning is the only way of innovating. And this is the main reason for us to share experiences with the others.”
After this official opening, Mrs. Manuela Giacobbi, from BIC Lazio, chaired the meeting and invited the RFO partners to illustrate the information about their subprojects.
Due to the advanced state of the subprojects, fourteen in all, Technical Meeting was full of content. Each partner had the chance to present subprojects’ activities and also the problems and difficulties encountered by the partnership so far. In general, except for subproject Gate Inn, not yet started in those days, partners’ compromise in the development of each subproject’s planned activities was clearly stated.
On the other hand, IRS Institute presented the comparative analysis of national and regional planning systems in the ProgreSDEC’s Partners’ regions. These analyses will support ProgreSDEC’s Strategic Document that will be disseminated as a result of the European Project. Main conclusions of them are based in the fact that political planning systems have distinct historical roots, so it cannot be expected that planning in a European context happens in a completely similar way. The analyses underline that regions are about to become the new spatial focus, the importance of creating a new relation between governance and government, and also the necessity of making a good dissemination and information of ESDP aims in order to achieve the formation of attitudes and discourses at a regional and local level.
RFO Partner’s cases of study are precisely practical examples of the application of ESDP aims at a regional and local level. During this meeting, Partner regions of Lazio, Piemonte, Sicilia, Central and Western Macedonia, Madrid and Navarre exposed their study cases (four per each region). Participants had also the chance to check in situ how one of the Navarre’s case of study is already working: Nature Interpretation Centre of Lumbier.
ProgreSDEC’s Steering Committee approved in Pamplona some points related to Communication and Administrative affairs.
Regarding Communication activities, Steering Committee approved RFO brochure illustrated by Regione Piemonte. This new ProgreSDEC image will be the one that appear in every brochure, leaflet, publication and web sites of ProgreSDEC and subprojects, too.
Representatives of BIC Lazio presented to RFO Partners the new Auditing and Reporting periods which affect also to subprojects from now on. Subproject’s financial modifications, as well as the possibility of having an activities timing extension, have to be asked and well justified by Lead Partner to Regione Lazio by ordinary post.
Next ProgreSDEC’s meeting will take place between the 10th and the 12th October in Palermo, Italy. During the Steering Committee, partners discussed about the convenience of organising a special meeting, divided into two different parts: one open session (10th October) where European experts would be invited in order to set the progress of the European Territorial Agenda out to the audience. RFO Partners would invite subproject’s Lead Partners to this open session, too, to give them the chance to present the main results of their subproject’s activities. Second part of the meeting would be the ordinary ProgreSDEC 6th Technical and Steering Committee.
Region of Sicilia is in charge of the organization and their representatives will send to RFO Partners their final proposal.
In the name of the Region of Navarre, let me please say it was a real pleasure for us to welcome our partners to our region and I wish they all had a good time.
So, now it is the time for Navarre to “pass the baton” to Region Sicilia. See you all in Palermo!!
José Antonio Marcén Zunzarren Director Servicio Ordenación del Territorio y Urbanismo Gobierno de Navarra
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