More details about priorities and measures

The major aim of this priority is to further enhance cooperation and networking between key actors of spatial development policies on both sides of the external EU border as well as between NMS, Accession Countries and Third Countries. The addressees come from spatial planning, regional economic policy and spatially relevant sectoral and functional policies. All relevant levels of administration, i.e. local, regional, national, and European level, should be represented in actions supported under this priority.

Four areas of intervention are foreseen:

This measure aims at intensifying transnational cooperation of actors defining spatial development policies at different levels in order to achieve a greater coherence among policies related to, e.g., regional development, environment, transport, urban and rural development.

This measure is oriented towards urban development and a more polycentric settlement pattern. It aims at strengthening urban economies, promoting urban restructuring, etc.

This measure supports actions which aim at strengthening and restructuring rural areas, which is of particular importance for significant parts of the EU territory within CADSES, as well as for Accession Countries. Synergies with Rural Development Programs (RPD) in the EU Member States and possible co-financing from the SAPARD instrument should be considered.

This measure deals with spatial aspects of migration. Its aim is to develop joint spatial policy strategies for the countries of origin and destination.

The expansion and improvement of infrastructure, which links the eastern with the western parts of CADSES as well as internal connections, constitute one of the largest challenges for all CADSES countries. The challenge is to meet the rapidly growing demand in the growing market economies and correspondingly provide an appropriate infrastructure, which enables a balanced development at the different spatial levels, and to introduce new financing and management methods.
The CADSES Neighbourhood Programme contributes to these aims by supporting, e.g., territorial impact assessments or strategic environmental assessments for projects and programmes, by initiating feasibility studies and, where appropriate, small-scale investments.
As elsewhere, telecommunication is one of the most dynamic economic sectors in CADSES countries. Central and South Eastern European countries have the advantage of being late starters in applying the most up-to-date technologies in their telecommunication systems. As in most countries within the EU, "teledensity" in the CADSES area is still lower outside the urban centres. It is important that governments address this territorial aspect of the development of infrastructures and of the transition to the "Information Society". The CADSES Neighbourhood Programme contributes to this aim by raising awareness and by supporting local, regional and national actors in making use of these opportunities. Training measures and small-scale investments as well as modernisation of administrative processes are all playing an important role in this respect.

Two areas of intervention are foreseen:

This measure deals with the development and implementation of transnational projects focusing upon improvement of accessibility as priority task of economic and social policy

The major objective for this measure is the development and implementation of transnational projects focusing upon improvement of the access to knowledge and the information society, on promotion of the use of state-of-the-art technologies as competitive advantage in CADSES countries and on modernisation and improvement of administrative processes.

This priority is especially oriented towards the valorisation of spatial values, both natural and cultural. According to the ESDP principles, economic growth and social cohesion are based on the promotion and the responsible management of spatial heritages here. Local authorities as well as sectoral competences are involved in this priority. With respect to this aim, coordinated transnational interventions aimed at creating "cultural (tourist) routes" and other activities is supported. Common management methods to improve the level of knowledge on cultural heritage conditions, protection level and risk exposure will be developed.
Cultural and natural heritage of importance to the whole area should be identified and networking and marketing of natural and cultural landscapes is promoted. The programme aims also at a better integration of cultural and natural heritage protection and enhancement issues into relevant sectoral policies.

Three areas of intervention are foreseen:

This measure aims at the development and implementation of transnational projects focusing upon cultural heritage as a regional development asset and at developing mechanisms and tools, which improve the effectiveness of cultural heritage protection policy against every kind of risk through the adoption of common methodologies.

The major objective for this measure is development and implementation of transnational projects focusing upon natural heritage as a regional development asset.

This measure deals with development and implementation of transnational projects aimed at integrated landscape issues in spatial planning policies and territorial actions.

The aim of this priority is to set up a common understanding of the importance of natural resources such as water and to set up common parameters, indicators and rules for protection and prevention. It is addressed to spatial planning as well as water management authorities or civil protection and subjects able to provide a common approach to technical rules.

Three areas of intervention are foreseen:

This measure aims at the development and implementation of transnational projects focusing upon functionally integrated environmental protection and resource management. For the purpose of making the best use of the opportunities arising from the NP approach priority shall be given to projects involving CARDS and Tacis territories.

The major objective for this measure is the development and implementation of transnational projects focusing upon prevention of natural and man made disasters and upon risk management. For the purpose of making the best use of the opportunities arising from the NP approach priority shall be given to projects involving CARDS and Tacis territories.

The measure deals with the development and implementation of transnational projects focusing on integrated water management and the prevention of floods such as improved sustainable best practices for land use and for agricultural and forestry management in flood risk areas, designation of threatened and sensitive flood areas, integration of infrastructures in an active development of passive barriers, development of retention areas, development of solutions and feasibility studies for discharging rainwater, planning dikes moved further back, development and further enhancement of common strategies for monitoring, warning and protection systems.