France : euroregion ‘Alps-Mediterranean’ on the road

A new Euroregion linking France and Italy will change the map of transnational cooperation in the field of sustainable development. The presidents of 5 French and Italian regions have decided that by the summer of 2007, they will set up a single representation in Brussels to take better advantage of the structural funds and maybe to enhance the territorial dialogue between all the actors, profit and non profit. Along the model of ?Pyrénées-Mediterranean? Euroregion, the regional public partners would like to cooperate on different topics, especially on culture and tourism, community services and cohesion and solidarity. A European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) will be created during the next presidents? meeting next spring. The aim of the new Euroregion is to ensure it is included within the framework of the EU programmes for the period 2007-2013. It has to be highlighted that the social economy in general is not very aware about the possibility to work tomorrow with regions within this new scheme. Dissemination of such opportunities is key for achieving an other route for democracy and development. www.espaces-transfrontaliers.eu