Cohesiebeleid: grensoverschrijdende samenwerking en innovatie zijn drijfkrachten voor groei in het gebied van Friuli Venezia Giulia (Italië) (en)
Danuta Hübner, European Commissioner for regional policy, is continuing her official visit to Italy. After visiting Veneto yesterday (IP/08/1400), she will today pay her first visit to the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, bordering on the Alps, the Adriatic Sea and the Balkans. The new programme for 2007-2013, devised by the region in the framework of the cohesion policy, focuses on developing its significant potential in research and innovation. Contributions by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) will amount to total European investment of €74 million.
Commenting on her visit, Commissioner Hübner said: “With the support of the cohesion policy, the Friuli Venezia Giulia region is in a strong position to remain among the most innovative regions in Europe. I am particularly pleased to note that the region chose to focus its strategy on the development of new clusters, or centres of competitiveness, to create networks of businesses, universities and research facilities. This is fully in line with the priorities set by the cohesion policy”.
Commissioner Hübner will meet with the President of the region, Mr Renzo Tondo, and other members of the regional government. She will discuss the implementation of the ERDF programme, which includes numerous Community priorities as defined by the Lisbon strategy for employment and growth: improving the region's performance in the area of research and innovation is one primary objective, as is reducing emissions of greenhouse gases by promoting renewable energies. The region spends 1.1% of its GDP on research and development, which is in line with the average for the rest of Italy but is still far from the average across the 27 EU countries (1.8%) and from the targets set by the Lisbon strategy (3%). The programme also envisages 5% growth in the productivity of small and medium-sized enterprises by 2013 (MEMO/08/335).
An overview of the projects co-financed by the European Union
The Commissioner will visit the AREA science park in Trieste, a flagship of Italian research that is renowned at European level. The site encompasses 80 research centres, and is a stimulating environment for the businesses located on the same campus. The areas covered are many and varied: pharmaceuticals, agri-food, automobiles, micro-electronics and information technology. It is a good example of the way in which traditional industries in the region can benefit from the high-tech sectors.
The programme also includes a visit to the Tergeste project to regenerate the Cittàvecchia district in the historic centre of Trieste, supported by the old URBAN Community programme. This project has contributed to the creation of small businesses bringing new economic activity to the area. It made it possible to renovate a number of public buildings, and led to the creation of bursaries for disadvantaged young people. (EU contribution: €6.6 million).
The Commissioner will also see how the Sant’Andrea customs area was converted following Slovenia’s accession to the European Union. The work, carried out in cooperation with Slovenia under the INTERREG programme, consisted of the establishment of a railway junction between the towns of Gorizia and Vrtojba by creating a road/rail platform (EU contribution: €1 million).
Territorial cooperation
Because of its geographical location, the region takes an active role in cross-border and transnational cooperation programmes. It participates in the Italy-Austria programme and serves as the “managing authority” for the one associating Italy and Slovenia (MEMO/08/449). It is also involved in the cross-border “Adriatic” programme, co-financed by the Pre-Accession Instrument (IPA), alongside Slovenia, Greece, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania. The region has the opportunity to play a pivotal role in projects linked to sustainable development in the Adriatic Sea, particularly by exchanging examples of best practice with the other regions in the area.
Notes for editors
Italy is the third largest beneficiary of the EU’s cohesion policy behind Poland and Spain. Over the 2007-2013 programming period the country will receive a total of €28.8 billion of assistance.
In 2000-2006, European investment in the F.V.G. region created 1 670 new jobs. The region has received €100.7 million in support from the ERDF programme.
For more information on regional policy in Italy, see: