The project “Weinidylle AT-HU” is implemented by the Nature Park in the Wine Idyll and the Hungarian associations Hegypásztor Kör (Vinehill Sheperds) and Vasi Hegyhát – Rábamente Tourism in the period 2018-2020 as a cross-border project within the INTERREG AT-HU program.
The Burgenland-Hungarian border region has a rich natural and cultural heritage. A special feature are the numerous idyllic wine cellars (also called “Kellerstöckl”), of which hardly anyone still finds use for their original purpose of viticulture. Many of the buildings are architecturally interesting and worthy of protection and make a significant contribution to the tourist USP of the region. However, only a very small number of historic wine cellars are currently used for tourism purposes and rented out as Kellerstöckl apartments, although international demand for these regional special offers is increasing. The aim of the project is to network the tourism offerings of the project region more cross-border, to work more attractively and to work together to develop a cross-border wine experience region in accordance with today’s guest needs.
Together with the project consultancy Schlögl, we support the nature park as lead partner in its administrative tasks.

The project Danube Hazard (Fighting Hazardous Substances Pollution in the Danube River Basin) will be submitted to the third call in the Danube Transnational Program (INTERREG). Leadpartner is the Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management of the Vienna University of Technology. mecca supports the client in preparing the application.

A wide range of bilateral projects in the Austrian-Hungarian border region are funded by the current INTERREG VA programme. In order to measure the programme’s success, we evaluate the cooperation quality and intensity by an online survey among the actors.

Wrestling without borders establishes a cross-border platform with the aim to interest teenagers and kids in wrestling. The cross-border activities bring Austrian and Hungarian wrestlers together, in order to institutionalize common events and to save a long-termed cooperation between Austria and Hungary.

Popularity of wrestling has decreased in the last decades in both countries, Austria and Hungary, which causes problems in finding young members. Common activities promise to meet these challenges: Training courses for instructors and teaching videos are the knowledge base for training of teenagers and kids. Within tournaments and training camps, young wrestlers can compete with each other.

mecca supports the “Burgenländischen Ringsportverband” in administrating this cross-border project.

The INTERREG-Projekt regionet competitive builds on the activities of the pior project “regionet aktiv”. The aim is the empowerment of commercial enterprises and small and medium-sized companies in the border regions by transnational networking, education and cooporation. Ten austrian and hungarian partners work together implementing this project.

mecca supports the lower austrian regions Region Bucklige Welt-Wechselland and Römerland Carnuntum.

The pollen of the Ambrosia artemisiifolia plant, commonly known as Ragweed, are regarded as especially agressive in triggering alergic reactions. They are responsible for  substantial economical losses. Hungary is fighting the plant by applying organisatorical and juridical measures, there are no measures implemented against the plant in Austria up until now.

Aim of this project is the establishment of a sustaibable cooparation between austrian and hungarian institutions dealing with Ragweed control.

REBEN is implemented by the Burgenland and the hungarian North-Transdanubian waterdirection EDUVIZIG in the timespan 2017-2019 as a part of the INTERREG AT-HU.

Aim of the project is the preservation of the high water quality and the good ecological and chemical condition of the lake Burgenland and the formulation of the essential measures. This management plan is the basis of a long term, integrative concept for the preservation of the water quality. mecca supports the leadpartner Burgenland.

Health care provision in Austria, especially in border-regions, faces the challenges of providing cost-efficient and high quality health care due to issues like periphery, demografic change and others. Cross-border cooperation is one solution to face these challenge. By sharing infrastructures, efficient use of resources or shorter distances the health care provision of residents can highly be improved.

Lower Austria is a pioneer in cross-border health care provision. It is the only region in Austria which has a long termed strategy concerning healthcare provision in border regions. The Health and Social Fund of Lower Austria (NÖGUS) has been working on cross-border health care for many years and has implemented numerous successful projects. Unfortunately, short- to midtermed projects represent the performance/output and activities only temporarily and not for a longer horizone.

By developing the brand “Lower Austria – Cross-border Health Care”, Lower Austria concentrates its cross-border activities in the region – and can be recognized by public and experts. Concentrating these ativities enables the government of Lower Austria to represent itself in public and on a European level.

mecca supports the Health and Social Fund of Lower Austria (NÖGUS) in developing the brand “Lower Austria – Cross-border Health Care”

We offer our services in the fields of INTERREG: long-term experienced in cooperation and application, we are your partner in cross-border cooperation. Hannah Luegmeyer produced a pilot for us showing our services. We like what we see – [no english version available, please watch and] enjoy!

text – mecca
voice – Dr. Michaela Lehner
production – Mag. Hannah Luegmeyer

There is still catching-up to be done in terms of cross-border cooperation in providing health care in the Lower Austria-Czech Republic border region. The aim of the EU-funded (INTERREG AT-CZ) project “Unlimited Health Care” is to optimize health care provision for residents by building up networks, providing the direct link-up on the spot and cutting across the national border.

An endometriosis centre is being established in the Melk (Lower Austria) hospital, based on knowledge transfer from Znojmo (which is an EU-certified endometriosis centre) to Melk. Radiotherapy treatment of Austrian patients in the hospital in Znojmo is to be enabled. The Czech hospital in Znojmo is not far from the border and has capacity for additional patients; patients from Lower Austria should receive radiotherapy treatment there. Cross-border emergency cooperation is to be established with Lower Austria, South Bohemia and South Moravia. This project means that the emergency control centres of Lower Austria, South Bohemia and South Moravia should be linked through a web application that enables cross-border dispatch of ambulances.

mecca supports this project with cross-border project management.

In cooperation with the Joint Secretariat and the Managing Authority of the EU-programme INTERREG AT-SK, mecca drafts a manual for applicants and beneficiaries for programme periode 2014-2020.

The manual should allow the applicants to understand all requirements until the contracting stage, i.e. it should outline the stages of application, assessment and selection. The manual for beneficiaries stretches from the contracting stage to the implementation and closure of the project and includes key provisions on eligibility of cost and related evidence, procurement, reporting, payment requests, publicity and information.

Services:

• Meetings
• Expertise in cross-border cooperation
• Report

mecca elaborated an implementation concept for a “cross-border powerhouse Neufeld/Leitha” on behalf of the community. The idea was to renovate and reuse the former officials house in the city center.

Our focus was to find funding possibilities for such a project, as well as to comprehend the preconditions for a successful funding application.

In the frame of the INTERREG program AT-CZ, the project „C4PE” aims to enhance the cooperation between businesses and schools. Moreover, a vocational training is planned, taking place simultaneously in the Czech Republic and in Austria resulting in a mutual acceptance of the qualification. Students will get insight into the cross-border economy and also better occupational orientation. The project addresses students, teachers and SMEs.
mecca supports the Academy of Lower Austria as a Leadpartner of this initiative in project development and application.

A common strategy for the sustainable development of the region Weinviertel-Záhorie towards a cross-border economic area aims at enhancing the regions quality as a business and residential location. Strategies were developed in order to expand the cross-border transport infrastructure and discuss the design of new border crossings with the afflicted municipalities. 

• elaboration of a development strategy
• coaching and support of a survey of regional stakeholders
• conception and facilitation of round tables
• Coaching qualifying programm for entrepreneurs
• Coaching determination of requirements for education
• Conception of a information brochure
• Final Report

Project partner: ÖAR Regional Consulting
Countries: AT, SK

In the scope of the  RECOM SK-AT network-analysis, we identified persons and organsiations being active in the Austrian – Slovakian border region. Now these actors are shown on an interactive actors map on the RECOM SK-AT website.

Projekt Website: http://recom-skat.eu/main.php?lang=de&menu=49

Aim of the project workshops was a list of well prepared and coordinated cross-border projects with strategic relevance, which were not in competition with each other.

mecca consulting realized 4 thematic workshops:

• regional cooperation
• innovation and research
• environment/cultural and natural heritage
• education and qualification

During the last months network analyses with the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary have been conducted in Austria’s border regions (Euroregion Danube-Vltava, PRO 2013+, RECOM HUAT network analysis, RECOM SKAT network and potential analysis). After the conclusion of these works, the relevant outcomes for the federal state of Lower Austria were portrayed in a comparable and structured way.

Service catalogue:

• Standardization of the network analyses with a focus on Lower Austria
• Standardization of thematic classification of networks
• Standardized interpretation of networks and portrayal of similarities and differences in the program regions
• Interpretation of preliminary results in a common workshop with Clients

Lower Austria and its neighboring Czech regions of South Moravia, Vysocina and South Bohemia can build on a long lasting cooperation in the field of healthcare. Now, they want to go further and institutionalize this cooperation in an EGTC.

mecca supports the future EGTC members in implementing their plans. Questions concerning the goals, tasks, competences and members, as well as political and legal frameworks need to be solved. A roadmap and an implementing plan shall be developed until the end of 2013.

GREENNET is a transnational project in the scope of the fundung programme Interreg IV Central Europe. The project’s aim was the development of an ecological network within the central european Green Belt.
mecca supported the Regionalmanagement Burgenland with the concept preparation to develop an innovative method regarding the creation of a biodiversity monitoring in pilot region 5 (Burgenland).

• Developing a concept for a Citizen Science model
• Process development to build up a biodiversity monitoring with amateurs
• Presentation of the method at workshops

The aim of the project was to raise people’s awareness regarding biodiversity and socio-economic values of their surrounding natural landscapes in Western Hungary and in Eastern Austria (Burgenland) describes the main objective of the transboundary project PaNaNet, implemented within the Austrian-Hungarian Cross-Border Territorial Cooperation Programme 2007-2013. The project was coordinated by the Regional Management Burgenland.

mecca supported the PannonianNatureNetwork in the development of joint sustainable tourism offers and a common marketing strategy.

The network analysis RECOM HU-AT examined existing networks in Vienna, Burgenland and in parts of Lower Austria and Styria as well as in the regions Györ-Moson-Sopron, Vas and Zala. The network analysis is part of the ETC HU-AT programme 2014-2020. The major issues as well as the common thematic emphases will be considered in the programming process.

The European member states prepare for the new funding period 2014-2020 operational cross-border cooperation programmes. mecca supports the responsible institutions in the Austrian-Hungarian border region.

The purpose of the potential- and network analysis was to examine the existing potentials in the regions of Lower Austria, Burgenland and Vienna as well as in the self governing regions of Bratislava and Trnava and the city of Bratislava. Additionally, further potentials are determined. Through the embedding of the results into networks and organizational structures the potentials can secure sustainably. 

Therefore the 11 thematic fields of the current EU-regulation have been used.

In the scope of the ETC programme AT-SK, a cross-border tourism information and education centre was developed on the site of the McarthurGlenn Designer Outlet Parndorf. Project partners are Burgenland Tourismus (Lead Partner), the self governing region Trnava and the Neusiedler See Tourismus GmbH.

In cooperation with metis, mecca developed a Policy Paper on integrated regional development of the cross-border Donau-March-Thaya-Area. This paper is used as the basis for implementing the new instrument Integrated Territorial Investment (ITI) in the programming period 2014-2020.

GREENNET is a transnational project, conducted under the programme Interreg IV Central Europe. Its aim was to develop an ecologic network within the frame of the central European Green Belt. Six pilot regions served as models for the implementation of new and innovative measures in order to solute spatial conflicts within the areas. 

Within work package 3 „Inventories and Surveys“, a transnational joint analyse system was developed. The following questions were answered:

• Which pilot regions were selected and why?
• Which „Core Areas“ were selected and why?
• Which main problems should be dealt with exemplary in the „Core Areas“?

Service catalogue:

• Basic Research
• Workshops
• Interviews
• Realitycheck
• Report

Within the project “Partnership Austria-Czech Republic in the Central European Region – PRO 2013+” the existent potentials in the regions Vienna, Lower Austria, South Moravia and Vysočina were elaborated to construct more focused and sustainable future cross-border cooperation. The results of a cross-border network and potential analysis are then the basis for the new Operational Programme ETC AT-CZ in the upcoming period 2014-2020.

Countries: AT, CZ

Project Website: http://www.pro2013plus.eu

The project PaNaNet’s 14 participating regions were: 4 national parks (National Park Neusiedlersee-Seewinkel in Austria and Fertő-Hanság, Örség and Balaton-felvidék National Parks in Hungary), all 6 nature parks in Burgenland (Neusiedlersee-Leithagebirge, Rosalia-Kogelberg, Landseer Berge, Geschriebenstein, Weinidylle and Raab) and 4 nature parks in West Hungary (Sopron, Irottkő, Örség and Kerka). 
The overarching goal of PaNaNet is to improve the acceptance of protected areas through raising awareness within the population of the value of protected areas for both quality of life and economic opportunities. Through the permanent networking of the pannonian protected areas they should be able to establish themselves as offering a distinctive „Nature Experience“. The continued development of existing facilities is important, as well as focused preparations to attract new target groups to the new Nature tourism opportunities.

Service catalogue:

The following questions were the subject of our evaluation:

• Proposal preparation and product development for nature tourism infrastructure
• Networking in the fields of leisure and adventure tourism, and marketing of local products
• Exchange of knowledge, experiences and methods between workers in the protected areas
• Public relations/Marketing
• Coordination and networking of the individual work packages for the PaNaNet project

The seven Austrian municipalities and four Slovak districts hold a lot of experiences; however, until now this is only known by a small group of insiders.

Through the EU-funded project “Servus Pontis” Čunovo, Deutsch Jahrndorf, Edelstal, Gattendorf, Jarovce, Nickelsdorf, Kittsee, Pama, Petržalka, Rusovce and Zurndorf together call attention to the touristic sights and events in the region. The most beautiful sights of the region are presented in a tourist guide and a culture compass.

Bicycle routes connect the municipalities physically. Nice spots, rest areas for cyclers, drinking fountains or oversized chess boards make the routes even more attractive;
Signs about the region and the project offer information about the touristic treasures in the region.

But not only the bicycle routes and sights should draw the inhabitants into neighbouring municipalities – they are also warmly welcomed at local events. For example at the annual Rusovce Day or the fair in Nickelsdorf – guests always have different opportunities. In order to overcome communication barriers the municipalities offer possibilities for further education, for instance in Edelstal people can learn the Slovak language.

Already for the tenth time the Regional Development Lower Austria and its partner organizations award outstanding initiatives for cross-border cooperation with the EUREGIO Innovation Award. This anniversary calls for a novelty. This year we are breaking new ground by awarding insitutions for their ongoing, cross-border engagement in the past ten years.
mecca supports the preparation for and realization of this year’s event themed “Growing Together”. 

Service catalogue:

• designing the tender and appropriation of tasks
• preparing the nomination for the jury meeting
• providing the jury wih documents
• organization and moderation of the jury meeting
• presentation of the awardees and projects in a publication
• organization and realization of the innovation award
• public and press relations
• organization of the event

RECOM is a cooperation project between the organisations in each country (Austria, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary) that have extensive experience in regional development through cross-border cooperative initiatives. The goal of the project is to increase the acceptance of cross-border activities through promoting awareness and intensifying participation in cooperative endeavours on both sides of the borders.
To support this effort, more bi- and multilateral workshops, excursions, and retreats will be coordinated with the following themes:

• Environment and Energy
• Job market and Business
• Traffic and Mobility
• Education and Qualifications

The Lower Austrian state authorities want an early start to defining their position within the future configuration of the EU Program for European Territorial Cooperation (ETC).  The findings will be entered into the intra-Austrian discourse and then discussed further and carried out at the state level. In the end, this should include agreement with the partner programs in the neighbouring countries of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. mecca is consulting the Lower Austrian task group and producing a discussion paper on the future of the ETC in Lower Austria.

Service catalogue:

• Development of the content structure of the discussion paper
• Creation of a thesis paper and discussion within the task group
• Producing of a first draft of the discussion paper, presenting to task group for review
• Finalisation of the discussion paper, presentation to the State of Lower Austria

The main objective of this cross-border project is the establishment of a sustainable canoeing tourism industry, which brings an added value to the regional economy, while operating within the framework of ETC AT-HU. The Leitha River, located in the border region between Austria and Hungary, offers many opportunities for an excellent canoeing experience. The ‘Small Leitha’ area is especially well suited to beginners. In order to establish canoeing as a viable tourist industry for the region, the needed infrastructure (marinas, signage, water-sports centre) has to be built or modernized and the waterway has to be cleared on a regular basis.

Service catalogue:

• Assistance in preparing the ETC application
• Ongoing project management
• Meeting organization
• Development of guide and information Systems

Lower Austria is partner in an INTERREG IVC Project: „CATCH_MR – Cooperative Approaches to Transport Challenges within the Metropolitan Regions“. The project began in January 2010 and continued until 2013. The working language of this project was English. Seven Metropolitan Regions were participating: Berlin (acting as lead partner), Oslo, Gothenburg, Vienna, Budapest, Ljubljana and Rome. CATCH_MR surveyed sustainable transport solutions in cooperative approaches for cities and their suburban areas. mecca focused on the complete content research for the metropolitan region of Vienna – Lower Austria, as well as on online surveys investigating the theme of urban sprawl.

Service catalogue:

• Project management
• Organisation of international workshops
• Online-Questionnaire on urban sprawl phenomena
• Evaluation, reporting and interpretation of the questionnaire

With an “ideas” travel guide we highlighted how to find the creative, business and cultural potential of CENTROPE. Diversity is the strength of the region that covers the intersection of 4 countries: Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic.

The travel guide “Ideas Rich: CENTROPE” contains many exciting destinations. As a unique mixture between natural and urban flair in this highly diverse region. We guide you to exciting and unconventional destinations that we’ve divided into five categories for you: museums, initiatives, tourist projects, business and research. By putting these together, our goal is to introduce you to the unique vibrancy of the region. The guide introduces you to innovative and novel businesses that are producing additional value for the region. You should get a unique impression of CENTROPE; about the specialities and many outstanding ideas and exciting initiatives in that region.

In total, the travel guide highlights 88 destinations that are located all around CENTROPE.

The exhibit, “People in Centrope” was prepared by mecca & partners in 2008 on behalf of the Collective Planning Committee East and the City of Vienna (MA 18).  Placed within the City Hall of Bratislava, the exhibit provided comprehensive insight into the planning and development activities in the CENTROPE Region.
With support from out partners, Iservice and ComPress we prepared a large and open exhibit that welcomed Rudolf Schicker (Vienna), Deputy Mayor of Bratislava; Dr. Tomáš Korček, Thomas Madreiter (Spatial Planning, Vienna) and Dr. Michal Babiar (Spatial Planning, Bratislava).

Service catalogue:

• Exhibit design
• Organisation of exhibit construction and removal
• Preparation of content (publication, poster, invitations
• Layout and printing of Brochures
• Coordination of translation of documents into Slovakish
• Meeting organisation

The core task of the cross-border project “Network for Labourmarket Cooperation in the Border Region HU-AT (NetLab)” is the establishment of a cross-border network of regional social partners and labour-market related stakeholders and institutions in the border regions of Austria and Hungary (Industry Quarter, Burgenland, West Hungary). Know-how transfer, awareness raising and the preparation of common strategies regarding the following topics should be achieved: lack of qualified employees, comparison of qualifications, cross-border employment service etc. mecca took part in the organisation of the first network meeting.

Service catalogue:

• Organisation of the network meeting
• Moderation
• Supporting the evaluation of the event

mecca supported the LEADER management region Römerland Carnuntum in organising the exhibition “People in Centrope” in Bruck on the Leitha, which was originally presented in the Planning Workshop Vienna. In 2008 mecca and partners prepared the exhibition on behalf of the Collective Planning Comittee East and the City of Vienna (MA 18).

Service catalogue:

• Preparing invitations and press reports
• Organisation and coordination
• Guided tours

Project Website: https://www.wien.gv.at/stadtentwicklung/veranstaltungen/ausstellungen/europaregion/

With the ETC project EUREGIO city.net, the Weinviertel Management aims at fostering a city network Weinviertel-South Moravia. The main objectives are: increased cooperation between the cities and regional centres, as well as coordination of future development in the fields of sustainable city development, social and generational affairs and culture and education.
The following cities are involved: Deutsch-Wagram, Gänserndorf, Groß-Enzersdorf, Marchegg, Strasshof an der Nordbahn, Hollabrunn, Retz, Zistersdorf, Korneuburg, Stockerau, Laa an der Thaya, Mistelbach, Poysdorf and Wolkersdorf (Weinviertel, AT); Břeclav, Hodonín, Hustopeče, Kyjov, Mikulov, Moravský Krumlov and Znojmo (South Moravia, CZ).

Publication (German/Czech): EUREGIO city.net

Service catalogue:

• Interviewing the cities concerning their main focus of development
• Research and analysis of statistical data
• Identification of potential cooperation topics
• Preparation of a bilingual publication – content, project management and proofreading
• Scientific support in preparing the EUREGIO conference and 3 thematic working groups

20 years have passed since the fall of the iron curtain, cross-border cooperation has become an integral part of neighbouring regions in Europe. Innovative initiatives connect once separated regions. The EUREGIO Innovation Award 2009 is given by the regional management of Lower Austria and its partners to innovative, cross-border projects working on the “European Neighbourhood”. mecca provides support for the preparation and implementation of the event.

Service catalogue:

• Drafting the announcement
• Preparation for the decision by the judging panel
• Organisation and moderation of the panel meeting
• Preparation of the publication
• Organisation and moderation of the award ceremony
• PR

The exibition “European Region – People in Centrope” presents the economic, ecological and social development of the European cross-border region Centrope, which covers parts of Austria, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary. A in-depth document detailing more that 50 different topics related to the Cooperative Planning Committee East was produced for the event. The project received an award of excellence from the UNESCO-Commission for it’s contributions to the UN “Decades Project”.

Service catalogue:

• Project management and coordination
• Exhibit design
• Detailed definition of the concept and topics
• Broad research concerning contents and illustrations
• Editing of the exhibition panels and the publication
• Guided tours and organisation of events
• Public Relations

Project Website: www.wien.gv.at/stadtentwicklung/veranstaltungen/ausstellungen/europaregion/

German: www.wien.gv.at/stadtentwicklung/studien/pdf/b008030.pdf
Slovak: www.wien.gv.at/stadtentwicklung/studien/pdf/b008032.pdf
Czech: www.wien.gv.at/stadtentwicklung/studien/pdf/b008031.pdf

In 2008 the EUREGIO Innovation Award was offered for the seventh time by the regional management of Lower Austria and its partners (Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary) for innovative, cross-border projects under the slogan “Ready for Projects – Start of new cooperations”. mecca supported the preparation and implementation of the event.

Service catalogue:

• Drafting the announcement
• Preparation for the decision by the judging panel
• Organisation and moderation of the panel meeting
• Preparation of the publication
• Organisation, design and moderation of the awards ceremony
• PR

The ETC programme Slovakia-Austria 2007-2013 defines the availability of information for potential project partners as a major issue. Therefore the German translation of the English Implementation Manual provides detailed information on the programme and the submission of applications for Austrian project partners.

Service catalogue:

• Translation of the handbook: English –> German

The national parks Thayatal and Podyji neighbour each other along the border between Austria and the Czech Republic. The parks are working to harmonise their management of natural resources within the joint project framework of the ‘European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) Austria – Czech Republic’. The aims of this project are coordinated research to safeguard the future development of the area, the preservation of biodiversity and the improvement of habitats.

Service catalogue:

• Assistance in preparing the ETC application
• Supervising the submission of documents including reviewing submissions for thoroughness and completeness
• Ongoing project management

Potential project holders and key stakeholders from Austria and Hungary were brought together in workshops in order to develop their theoretical knowledge of ETC programmes as well as provide practical tips about the Lead Partner Principle and develop ETC programmes. By using workshops, mecca created an environment where potential partners from the border regions could meet each other and begin to build the necessary networks. The goal of the project was to bring potential partners together in the ETC programme through establishing a common knowledge base.

Service catalogue:

• Project management and coordination
• Moderation
• Research and preparation of common topics/projects
• Elaboration of eligible Lead Partner project holder structures
• Organisation and moderation of Workshops

The European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) is a new community legal instrument at the service of cooperation between European regions and EU Member States. It is directly applicable to all 27 EU Member States and aims at creating so-called EGTCs, which are legal entities. An EGTC can organise and manage cross-border-, transnational- or interregional cooperation measures.
The handbook provides basic information on the EGTC with focus on the specific case of programme/project management for interested regions and institutions.

Service catalogue:

• Research and content related preparation of the handbook
• Development of the roadmap for establishing an EGTC
• Drafting the illustrations
• Organisation, moderation and preparation of the INTERACT seminar

The Programme Complement (PC) is the principal programme guidance for the Operational Programme of ETC. It describes operative details and gives detailed information on programme management and implementation. The PC reflects the three strategic priorities of the operational programme as well as the three horizontal guiding principles for implementation: sustainable development, equal opportunities and cross-border partnership.

Service catalogue:

• Preparation of the programme manual
• Organisational development
• Moderation

The bilingual handbook was drafted mainly for applicants and project partners. Additional information on handling standard tasks efficiently was presented to relevant authorities. Usability, clarity and completeness were emphasised during the work process.

Service catalogue:

• Organisation of bilateral workshops
• Evaluation and consideration of basic documents (IQ train handbook, PC light, …)
• Moderation
• Establishment of web documents to be edited by the team simutaniously (google doc)
• Drafting of the English handbook

The regional economy of the Austrian-Hungarian border region is traditionally small in size due to administrative borders and topography. To stay competitive in the European context , the local SME’s need to cooperate intensively and work to build up their cross-border networks. Though this, common strategies can be developed to increase innovation and create added value for the entire region.

Service catalogue:

• Project development and project management
• Moderation
• Network building and maintenance
• Setting up of partnerships between regional organisations in the border region
• Regional analysis
• Identification of common cross-border strategies
• Development of a supra-regional cooperation model
• Development of sustainable implementation strategies

Countries: AT, HU
Project partner: IBS – Schlögl Engineering Consultants, Institute of Systemic Development GmbH, West Pannon Regional Development Agency

The EUREGIO forum brought Lower Austria together with its’ neighbours  based on their common interest in cross-border programs to promote sustainability. In light of the adoption of the “Lead Partner Principle” and in combination with the new programme planning period, the partners are facing many new challenges. It is therefore especially important to establish a common structure for cross-border cooperation between regional institutions and to ensure that the network that is established is capable of taking on (and overcoming) these new challenges in every facet of the program.

Service catalogue:

• Establishement of networks
• Organisation and management of networks
• Design of communication instruments
• Implementation of training methods
• Technical support, seminars, know-how transfer, staff training (SME-service, regional integration, communication, networks and integrated tourism development)

Countries: AT, SK, HU

The growing energy demand and increasing prices of conventional energy sources promise a great growth potential of renewable energy in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The expansion of the academic course on Renewable Energy in the CEE creates great opportunities for an internationalisation of the course contents and its participants.

Service catalogue:

• Development of an expansion strategy for the expansion and consolidation of the academic course
• Organisation and moderation of an international conference
• Documentation
• Project Management

Project partner: Energiepark Bruck, West Pannon Regional Development Agency, University of Mosonmagyarovar

Cross-border cooperation is more important than ever: European competition between regions, EU funds, the disappearance of borders for international markets as well as population concentration in metropolitan areas all contribute to the urgency of establishing strong regional relations. The INTERREG IIIA Project Citynet supports cross-border cooperation of municipalities and cities in the Austrian-Hungarian border Region.

Service catalogue:

• Exhibit design, organisation and moderation of network meetings, support of the planning process, network building and maintenance
• Citynet catalogue: Publication of main fields of development
• Citynet workshops: Expert events regarding environment, renewable energy, education, city marketing and tourism
• Citynet platform: Extention of the city network as cross-border platform and development of sustainable management solutions
• Citynet international: Cross-border experience exchange, potential involvement in transnational projects

Project partner: Lower Austrian Villages and Cities Renewal Agency, The City of Baden, The City of Köszeg, The City of Sopron, Stadtland – Engineering Office for Spatial Planning, Regional Development, Landscape Planning and Landscape Conservation, Wiener Neustadt

The Handbook for project holders was developed as part of the INTERACT project IQ-Train. It provides basic and practical information on requirements, procedures and relevant institutions of the programmes during the 2007-2013 periode for potential project holders in all languages of the six border regions. The project aims to be an easy-to-read practical overview of the programme requirements that was accessible online.

Service catalogue:

• Preparing the handbook
• Developing the handbook structure together with the international steering committee
• Preparing general information on topics like organisation, application, reporting or eligibility
• Preparing information on specific programmes (responsibilities, procedures, forms)
• Preparing a service chapter about minimum requirements for project application, FAQ’s and answers, project check-lists etc.

The seminar acts as platform for international experts in spatial and environmental planning to clarify and analyse the space and environment politics within their countires. Covered issues so far: Spatial and Environmental Planning in CEE (2009) | Ready, Steady, Go – Strategies how to integrate into European spatial development policies (2007) | „Ideal European regions“ versus „Real European regions“ (2005) | Myths of Metropolis – Urban Density versus Spatial Spreading. The Processes of Concentration in European „Reform Countries“ revisited (2003) | National Spatial Planning in regard to European spatial Development (2002) | National Parks: Treasure or Burden for Regional Development (2000) | Urban Development: „Different problems – Different approaches?“ (1999) | Regional Development Policies (1998)

Service catalogue:

• Organisation and moderation
• Communication and coordination with international experts
• Lecturing at the UT Vienna

Project Website: region.tuwien.ac.at/aktuell.html