I haven't had a programme of the week for a while (programme of the season might be more accurate), so it is good to designate the new Oresund-Kattegat-Skagerrak for this week: www.interreg-oks.eu. The name is a bit of a mouthful for non-Scandinavians, so the abbreviation OKS is very welcome.
This is an particularly interesting programme, as it is made up two distinct areas. One area has long experience of co-operation and INTERREG - the Oresund area, while the other - Kattegat-Skagerrak - is newly eligible for EU funding. Oresund, with its bridge and the Copenhagen-Malmo axis, evidently has a significant urban dimension, along with aspects linked to the cross-border labour market. Kattegat-Skagerrak is a larger, more rural and maritime area (although with Gothenburg and Oslo is has a urban element too), and will be building from a more basic starting point.
The website is well designed and already contains much background information. It is in Danish/Swedish only at the moment, but I am sure that English language info will be added to demonstrate successes!
Showing posts with label websites. Show all posts
Showing posts with label websites. Show all posts
Friday, 14 December 2007
Thursday, 6 September 2007
Programme of the week
The Ireland-Northern Ireland cross-border programme is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (www.seupb.org), which is a joint cross-border body set up by the British-Irish agreement of 1999 especially to run this type of co-operation programme. They also run the Peace and Reconciliation programme, which runs parallel to the cross-border programme and is focussed on bringing the different communities in Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland together.
Both programmes are undergoing changes with the new programming period. The cross-border programme will now include areas of South-West Scotland, as a result of the widening of the definition of "maritime cross-border". This offers extra opportunities for co-operation on tourism, transport and environmental issues and is causing much excitement in Scotland (see declaration of the Irish Taoiseach and the (previous) Scottish first Minister here - http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2006/11/13165243). Meanwhile, the PEACE programme will now be a cross-border programme, legally speaking, rather than a regional development programme. This will offer some extra challenges for co-ordination between the two programmes, as well as meaning that project partnerships will have to be constructed quite carefully.
The SEUPB website is well presented and laid out, although navigation at times could be more straightforward. There is evidently so much experience to glean from the two programmes, but extracting it from the web is sometimes problematic. An example of this is the rumours I have heard about a conference in early October to publicise the success of the PEACE programme for other parts of the world facing similar challenges (Cyprus, the Balkans, the Middle East). A great idea, I hope all will agree, but it is impossible to find anything on the website at present. I will keep watching.
Both programmes are undergoing changes with the new programming period. The cross-border programme will now include areas of South-West Scotland, as a result of the widening of the definition of "maritime cross-border". This offers extra opportunities for co-operation on tourism, transport and environmental issues and is causing much excitement in Scotland (see declaration of the Irish Taoiseach and the (previous) Scottish first Minister here - http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2006/11/13165243). Meanwhile, the PEACE programme will now be a cross-border programme, legally speaking, rather than a regional development programme. This will offer some extra challenges for co-ordination between the two programmes, as well as meaning that project partnerships will have to be constructed quite carefully.
The SEUPB website is well presented and laid out, although navigation at times could be more straightforward. There is evidently so much experience to glean from the two programmes, but extracting it from the web is sometimes problematic. An example of this is the rumours I have heard about a conference in early October to publicise the success of the PEACE programme for other parts of the world facing similar challenges (Cyprus, the Balkans, the Middle East). A great idea, I hope all will agree, but it is impossible to find anything on the website at present. I will keep watching.
Thursday, 30 August 2007
Programme of the week - Central Europe
Rising from the ashes of the, shall we say underperforming, CADSES programme are two new transnational programmes in the form of "Central Europe" and "South-East Europe". The former of these has been quick off the mark with its website design, even if programme approval is not likely before the end of the year, I am told.
The website (http://www.central2013.eu/) is extremely well presented, easy to navigate and packed full of information for project partners. It already contains a long list of project ideas from people desperate to talk to interested partners. I particularly liked the idea of the "Regional eHealth Innovation Network" and "Green building in/and rehabilitation of large housing estates" proposals.
So what are you all waiting for? Go network!
The website (http://www.central2013.eu/) is extremely well presented, easy to navigate and packed full of information for project partners. It already contains a long list of project ideas from people desperate to talk to interested partners. I particularly liked the idea of the "Regional eHealth Innovation Network" and "Green building in/and rehabilitation of large housing estates" proposals.
So what are you all waiting for? Go network!
Wednesday, 22 August 2007
Another cross-border blog!
When this blog started earlier this month, it seemed pretty clear that it would be fairly unique - there couldn't be that many cross-border blogs out there, could there?
Well, there may not be many, but there are some. Your attention is drawn to the Centre for Cross-Border Studies website (http://www.crossborder.ie/home/ndn/index.php) where there is an excellent monthly blog looking at cross-border issues from an Irish perspective. I am not sure about the Ireland-Scotland bridge, I must admit (see August 2007 entry), but at least it should stimulate some discussion!
Incidentally, make sure you have a good browse around the CCBS site. It's packed with useful information and reports on Irish-Northern Irish cross-border issues and there are many good ideas that could be borrowed for other regions.
Well, there may not be many, but there are some. Your attention is drawn to the Centre for Cross-Border Studies website (http://www.crossborder.ie/home/ndn/index.php) where there is an excellent monthly blog looking at cross-border issues from an Irish perspective. I am not sure about the Ireland-Scotland bridge, I must admit (see August 2007 entry), but at least it should stimulate some discussion!
Incidentally, make sure you have a good browse around the CCBS site. It's packed with useful information and reports on Irish-Northern Irish cross-border issues and there are many good ideas that could be borrowed for other regions.
Tuesday, 21 August 2007
Programme of the week - Atlantic Area
The Atlantic Area has just obtained a spiffy new website (http://www.coop-atlantico.com/en/programa.php) and sources tell me that it is on its way to being the first of the new transnational programmes to be approved by the Commission. This is a far cry from previous periods, when the programme was pretty much last at everything.
The new managing authority in Portugal seems to be doing an excellent job, and the programme document is very well written. However, the real challenge starts now. Can the programme partners actually work effectively together to make the new programme a success? In the past, it seemed sometimes as if they were all working at cross-purposes. Also, looking at the website, some of the previous projects seem a bit wishy-washy - time for some more concrete activities, methinks.
The new managing authority in Portugal seems to be doing an excellent job, and the programme document is very well written. However, the real challenge starts now. Can the programme partners actually work effectively together to make the new programme a success? In the past, it seemed sometimes as if they were all working at cross-purposes. Also, looking at the website, some of the previous projects seem a bit wishy-washy - time for some more concrete activities, methinks.
Wednesday, 15 August 2007
How good is your Scandinavian?
Why do I ask? Well, some of the best cross-border co-operation programmes are in the Nordic countries, and they also have some of the best websites as well - mainly in the local language, of course. So, if you can read Scandic, I can heartily recommend http://www.interreg.no/, which is the national INTERREG site in Norway. Yes, I know Norway is not in the EU, but they are hugely enthusiastic about all things INTERREG (more than some Member States if truth be told).
Another top site is http://www.interreg-sverige-norge.com/ for the Sweden-Norway programme. Both sites are well-designed, clearly laid-out, and contain lots of information for potential project partners. Admittedly, the lack of English information makes them less interesting outside the North to some extent, but they do demonstrate a positive use of the Internet that other programmes should aspire to.
There are many good, interesting sites out there - too many to mention in one blog entry (www.ctc.ee is another I have just discovered). Has anyone any favourite co-operation websites they would like to share? Let me know in the comments section.
Another top site is http://www.interreg-sverige-norge.com/ for the Sweden-Norway programme. Both sites are well-designed, clearly laid-out, and contain lots of information for potential project partners. Admittedly, the lack of English information makes them less interesting outside the North to some extent, but they do demonstrate a positive use of the Internet that other programmes should aspire to.
There are many good, interesting sites out there - too many to mention in one blog entry (www.ctc.ee is another I have just discovered). Has anyone any favourite co-operation websites they would like to share? Let me know in the comments section.
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