Theme1
Sub-Projects – Theme 1 – Environment
Sub-theme 1 – Cooperation among regions with similar geographical features
SWG “Trans-EA” – Summary & results
Border regions are particularly affected by problems occurring with
regard to the development of cross-border transport infrastructure.
Most of these problems are related to an insufficient effectiveness
of infrastructure and management procedures, synchronisation of technical
facilities and standards on both sides of the border, safety of persons
and goods, environmental and spatial impact as well as interdependencies
between infrastructure development and the attractiveness of border
regions as economic locations. In order to improve cross-border co-operation
in infrastructure development and to minimise still existing bottlenecks,
the SWG “Trans-EA” has been implemented focusing on the
efficiency assessment of cross-border transport infrastructure.
In the framework of a kick-off meeting, all participating regions
have been compared in terms of performance, needs and problems related
to cross-border infrastructure in order to further specify project
objectives and activities as well as to present initial ideas for
structuring an efficiency assessment model. The elaboration of a model
enabling the evaluation of a concrete infrastructure project as well
as the complete infrastructure performance of a border region were
major operational aims of the SWG “Trans-EA” which have
been realised in the following 4 basic steps:
- Kick-off phase (presentation of methodology and technical foundations of the operation)
- Methodology building (development of the model and pre-test of the method)
- Analysis phase (application of the model, analysis of the results)
- Synthesis phase (integration of results and elaboration of guidelines)
In order to involve professionals dealing with infrastructure development on a daily basis, an expert group has been set up with representatives from all partner regions which had the task to improve the model and to exchange information. In the first semester of 2006, two expert meetings took place which resulted in intensive discussions and new ideas, thus contributing to the improvement of the model and to a better understanding of the chosen methodology. A major advantage of this methodology is its general applicability which means that it can be used by all border regions while evaluating the current performance of cross-border transport infrastructure and the effectiveness of specific measures (e.g. the extension of a motorway, new railway line), in particular in the context of Pan-European Corridors.
On 12th October 2006, an open conference was organised in Brussels with the aim to present the developed methodology approach to representatives of European institutions or regional authorities as well as to stakeholders involved in cross-border infrastructure development and management. The conference provided a perfect opportunity to disseminate the intermediate results of the project to a wider public and to exchange views and knowledge on needs and requirements on cross-border transport infrastructure in the context of European, national and regional policy. Based on the results of the conference as well as on the results of the model pre-test which was carried out in Saxony, recommendations for the improvement of the assessment system were defined and overall guidelines for cross-border transport infrastructure development and the use of ERDF funds was elaborated. The achieved results are sustainable and go beyond the implementation period as they contributed to:
- an increased transfer of know-how and best practice with regard to cross-border transport infrastructure,
- better interregional cooperation of actors involved in the development of cross-border transport infrastructure,
- closer cooperation within and between border regions in terms of transport infrastructure development,
- an increased awareness for the effective use of ERDF-funds for transport infrastructure development and
- a more effective planning and management of cross-border transport infrastructure due to a systematic and methodological approach.
