SUSTAINABLE TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT IN NORTH-WEST EUROPE TOWARDS LONG TERM TRANSNATIONAL CO-OPERATION INTERREG III B NORTH WEST EUROPE PROGRAMME 2001-2006 Spatial Vision Studies Indicative Study specifications Study No. 1 Polycentric Territorial Development (including urban-rural relationship) in NWE The INTERREG IIIB NWE Spatial Vision Group decided to commission 3 studies to further pursue the Spatial Vision process. 1. Introduction: INTERREG IIIB North-West Europe and the NWE Spatial Vision The EU-funded INTERREG III Community Initiative aims at strengthening trans- European co-operation and promoting balanced development and European integration. INTERREG III. Strand B of the Community Initiative INTERREG III is devoted to transnational co-operation for integrated territorial development. The INTERREG IIIB North-West Europe Programme covers a wide geographical area encompassing 8 member states. It has as a global objective to contribute, through an innovative and integrated approach of transnational co-operation on territorial issues, to a more cohesive, balanced and sustainable development of the European territory, and of the NWE area in particular. The finalised and official version of the NWE Community Initiative Programme was approved by European Commissioner Michel Barnier on 22 nd March 2002. A full presentation of the Programme can be found on the Programme website www.nweurope.org, see in particular the Community Initiative Programme (CIP). 1
A Spatial Vision for North-West Europe In the past programming period 1994-1999, transnational cooperation in NWE was initiated in the framework of the North Western Metropolitan Area (NWMA) Programme, which acted as a forerunner. One of the strategic objectives of the Operational Programme of the INTERREG IIC NWMA Programme was, next to the provision of Community funding of transnational projects in the field of spatial planning, the development of a long-term spatial vision for the North West Metropolitan area to serve as basis for multi-sectoral co-operation in this field. To this end, a Spatial Vision Group consisting of spatial planning experts at national and regional level in the seven Member States of the NWMA Programme was established. The Spatial Vision Group launched and co-ordinated the Spatial Vision process between 1998 and 2001. The outcome of the Spatial Vision process carried out under INTERREG IIC was the production of a discussion document, A Spatial Vision for North-West Europe: Building co-operation, published in September 2000, which outlines a comprehensive territorial strategy for the NWE area. The document aims at serving as a reference for the implementation of the European Spatial Development Perspective in the framework of the NWE transnational cooperation area. Comments on the document were invited from January 2001. Each national contact point organised the consultation in their own country and prepared a report summarising the outcomes of the consultation process. The Consultation Report on the Vision Document, summarising the responses received from various types of actors in the seven member states, was subsequently published. This report includes extensive critical but constructive comments made on the Spatial Vision document and process (see attached document Spatial Vision 1 1 ). The Spatial Vision represented a first step to open the debate among planning authorities about transnational spatial planning issues; therefore the consensus that was reached among members of the Spatial Vision Group is as such an important outcome of the project. As outlined by the Spatial Vision Group, the Vision process has made a modest contribution to starting a dialogue on spatial planning policy at the transnational level in north-west Europe. It has helped to raise awareness about some of the most important spatial development trends which indicate the need for transnational cooperation. The consultation process has provided extensive critical but constructive commentary and will provide a valuable guide to future action. It has succeeded in generating interest and a willingness to cooperate from more interests, although these are still generally government specialists in spatial planning. Nevertheless, the foundations have been laid for widening the debate to other sectoral interests, and to private and voluntary sectors. At the end of INTERREG IIC, there was a consensus among the seven member states and the Spatial Vision Group members that the development of a long-term spatial strategy for the NWE area is an on-going process which should be continued and taken forward during the 2000-2006 funding period. This was confirmed in the Community Initiative Programme of the INTERREG IIIB NWE Programme. 1 Please note that the first Spatial Vision does not include all NWE regions. 2
In 2003 the Programme Monitoring Committee gave the impetus to take the Spatial Vision process further during the lifetime of the INTERREG IIIB Programme and a Spatial Vision Working Group was set up, made up of representatives from the NWE member states and regions. The first meeting of the Spatial Vision Working Group was held in Lille on 24 th September 2003. There was first general agreement that the continuation of the Spatial Vision process should not be a repeat of the first Spatial Vision, and should have a more pragmatic and operational orientation from a Vision to a Framework for Action. A broad set of objectives for the next step of Spatial Vision was agreed upon. The output of the process is expected to provide; - A framework to guide strategic spatial planning in the regions and define common goals for territorial development across NWE (make key ESDP concepts operational; highlight the transnational dimension of planning issues). - A tool to encourage co-operation in a more pragmatic and focused way: the document must therefore have a practical value to outline future areas for territorial co-operation after 2006, (c.f. new Objective 3 set out in the European Commission s Third Cohesion Report). - A framework to involve politicians and convince them about the addedvalue of transnational co-operation. This will involve building on existing key issues on politicians agenda at national and regional level, and identifying key transnational issues on which everybody agrees to work. At the 2 nd meeting of the Spatial Vision Working Group which took place on 15 January 2004, a List of suggested steps to take the Spatial Vision further was drawn. This list included the launch of specific studies financed by the TA budget to feed in the Spatial Vision process. The principle of these studies and the corresponsing budget was approved by the Programme Monitoring Committee in April 2004. The 3 rd meeting of the Spatial Vision Working Group held on 14 June 2004 agreed on the grouping of the 6 Spatial Vision challenges into 3 themes the 3 ESDP Policy Aims - and the consequent launching of 3 related studies. The basic terms of reference for these studies were laid down at the same meeting. 2. Thematic scope and context Among the six "Vision Challenges/Principles" identified in the INTERREG IIC "Spatial Vision for north-west Europe" (p. 10 & 28-29), this study will address the following two: How to enhance the global role of north-west Europe s metropolitan areas How to ensure more fairness in the distribution of prosperity throughout northwest Europe In the framework of the current INTERREG IIIB NWE Programme, related issues have especially been addressed by projects approved under Priority 1, also by some projects approved under Priority 5. 3
3. Primary objectives of the study The study shall answer the following questions: 1. What are the key transnational issues 2 at stake under the theme considered? 2. What is the degree of knowledge of these issues by key players in the field (local, regional and national authorities, EU, relevant sector administrations, civil society, private sector)? What are their views on the future of transnational issues at stake? 3. What is the degree of coverage of these issues by existing planning documents and strategies developed by the above key players? 4. To what extent have these issues been appropriately addressed to date by various forms of co-operation (cross-border and transnational projects and programmes)? How do the positioning and thematic overlaps of different INTERREG areas affect the process? If co-operation schemes failed to tackle these issues satisfactorily, by what factors can this be explained? 5. What related strategic objectives should be included in a future NWE territorial co-operation programme, taking into account the necessity to accommodate the EU Lisbon and Göteborg agendas? 6. Which cross-border and transnational projects, on which part of NWE (cities, subareas) or possibly outside the NWE area, are the most likely to contribute to these strategic objectives? Which cooperating partners should be involved? 7. What could be the social, economic and environmental impacts of such projects? 8. What related baseline information, indicators and targets can be used to monitor the achievements of a future NWE territorial co-operation programme? When answering the above questions, due attention shall be paid to the territorial impact of the EU enlargement process on the future of NWE metropolitan, urban and rural areas and distribution of prosperity. This will involve, in particular, describing the likely evolution in terms of: Demography (including migrations) Patterns of trade Patterns of investment and industry/service location Employment and education levels. 2 Is meant to be 'transnational' an issue that cannot be satisfactorily tackled without transnational cooperation. Cf. INTERREG IIC "Spatial Vision for north-west Europe" p. 8, comments on 'transnational' vs 'common' issues. 4
Moreover, it is important to define which types of policy responses, and at which tiers of governement, are required to address some of the challenges arising from enlargement. 4. Geographic scope of the study The study should focus on the INTERREG IIIB NWE co-operation area, particularly as far as the definition of objectives of a revised territorial strategy is concerned. However, it is also essential to pay due attention, when relevant, to the interrelationships between NWE and the rest of the EU, the rest of Europe and the rest of the world, including in the identification of future key co-operation projects. The North-West Europe territory has been defined as follows in the INTERREG III B NWE Community Initiative Programme: - Belgium: as a whole; - France: Alsace, Basse Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne, Centre, Champagne-Ardennes, Franche-Comté, Haute Normandie, Ile de France, Lorraine, Nord - Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire and Picardie; - Germany: Baden-Württemberg, part of Bavaria (Mittel-, Ober-, Unterfranken and Schwaben), Hessen, Nordrhein- Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland; - Ireland: as a whole; - Luxembourg: as a whole; - Netherlands: Flevoland, Gelderland, Limburg Noord-Brabant, Noord- Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland; - United Kingdom: as a whole. - Switzerland Aargau, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Glarus, Jura, Luzern, Nidwalden, Neuchâtel, Obwalden, Schwyz, Solothurn, Uri, Zug, and Zürich. 5. Methodology As indicated above, the study is meant to contribute to a "Framework for Action". It must of course be based on updated information and data relating to territorial development trends. However, contractors should refrain from generating new documents of an analytical or descriptive nature. Instead, they should gather and exploit the abundant material already made (or being) available by the ESPON, (see attached list of ESPON studies). Other relevant research centres and institutions may also provide relevant information (SPESP, European Environment Agency, OECD, etc.) This material should be used as a basis for the interactive process to engage with policy decision makers and other key players. 5
This process should aim to raise awareness about transnational issues an the added-value of territorial co-operation while discussing the extent to which existing planning documents, strategies (including sector strategies) and co-operation projects need to be re-directed from this point of view. For example, the increasing interdependency between EU regions should be brought to light and an interesting exercise with regional decision-makers could consist of discussing with them the investments or other steps to be taken outside their regional territory to contribute to their own policy agenda. As far as the territorial impact of enlargement is concerned, this study should capitalise upon and complement the two studies published by the European Commission in 2000 and 2001 3 and the results of relevant ESPON projects (particularly project 1.1.3). Appropriate steps will be taken by the NWE Programme and ESPON Secretariats to provide the contractors with these results (including intermediate results as appropriate) and secure a good co-operation relationship with the bodies appointed to carry out the ESPON projects. Any overlaps should be avoided When identifying the policy responses and issues to be tackled by co-operation, contractors should bear in mind the SV strategy (as provisionally set out in the INTERREG IIC NWMA SV document) and the current priorities of the INTERREG IIIB NWE Community Initiative Programme. These documents should be revisited in a critical way with a view to proposing a revised approach to territorial co-operation for the next 2007-2013 programming period of the EU structural funds. Existing best practice among INTERREG IIC NWMA and INTERREG IIIB NWE projects as well as other EU-funded projects shall also be capitalised upon. The study will be conducted as follows: 1) desk research to produce a short report (20 pages) identifying key transnational issues 2) definition of a sample of key-players (relevant sector administrations at various tiers of government, NGOs, representatives of the private sector such as Chambers of Commerce, co-operation project partnerships, etc.) 3) interviews 4) final report reviewing the eight questions listed above, illustrated by digitised maps as appropriate. The selected contractors will work in close consultation with the NWE JTS and the network of contact points in the NWE member states. 3 COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES (2000), Spatial perspectives for the enlargement of the European Union, Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES (2001), The impact of EU enlargement on cohesion, Preparatory studies for the second cohesion report, Brussels: CEC, http://www.europa.eu.int./comm/regional_policy/sources/docgener/studies/pdf/enlarge.pdf 6
6. Content of the offers The offers shall indicate: the tenderer s name, address, telephone, fax and e-mail address status of the tenderer (individual, company, consortium) curriculum vitae of expert(s) who will effectively conduct the study including their language skills and their respective role during the execution of the contract list of similar relevant experience (publications, etc.) breakdown of the total price in Euros, including at least the following items: rates per day x number of days worked by experts, material costs, travel costs, VAT (indicated separately) the detailed methodology (including a first tentative outline of key-issues to be addressed in the study, and the number of interviews for Study 1, 2, 3) and work plan proposed to carry out the study as well as the expected outputs (type and number of deliverables, etc.) a summary sheet with all key contact and content information in one page 7. Specifications regarding the contractors Any expert / research institution / consultancy or consortium of experts / research institutions / consultancies which can demonstrate the ability to carry out the study on the basis of the scope and content set out above is encouraged to submit an offer. Expertise in EU territorial development issues and appropriate language skills are two prerequisites. Fluency in English is essential as well as the capacity to communicate in other NWE languages (Dutch, French, German). Contractors are not required to have their seat in the NWE area. 8. Timing and budget All quotations must be submitted in Euros. Estimated budget: max. 120,000 exclusive of VAT. The project duration shall not exceed eight months. Project start date: By mid October 2004. Interim report: Submitted and presented to the Spatial Vision Group no later than 2 months after the start of the project, i.e. by 15 th December 2004. First final draft rerpot: 7 months after the start of the project, i.e. by mid May 2005. Final report: By end May 2005. 7
9. Project Selection Criteria Offers will be assessed against the following criteria: 1) Professional expertise in topics to be addressed in the study 2) Communication skills in official languages of the NWE Programme 3) Familiarity with various NWE administrative and planning cultures 4) Quality of the methodology and working plan proposed 5) Number of people-days proposed and total price exclusive of VAT. 10. Submission of offers Offers should be submitted in English no later than Tuesday September 7, 2004, 6:00 p.m. in digitised (CD-ROM) and hard copy format in a sealed envelope marked with details of the call to Mr Philippe DOUCET, Programme Manager Secrétariat INTERREG IIIB ENO-NWE «Les Caryatides» 5 ème étage 24 boulevard Carnot F 59800 Lille No further information than that included in the Terms of Reference will be provided. Should a need for clarification or interpretation arise, applicants are asked to address a written request to the NWE Secretariat by fax (+33 3 20 55 65 95). Copies of the reply will be forwarded to all consultants on the short list, to guarantee fair competition. All other forms of communication between applicants and the NWE Joint Technical Secretariat or other administrations involved in the NWE Programme are strictly forbidden during the tendering procedure. ANNEXES Spatial Vision 1 List of essential planning documents for the NWE area. List of ESPON projects. 8