1st OBJECTIVE: Fair access to job opportunities, building on the high competitiveness of the Region

Presentation of the topic

The first thematic policy area focuses on improving the competitiveness, prosperity and cohesion of the Alpine Region. The objective is to offer all inhabitants fair access to job opportunities, building on the high competitiveness of the Region, and is supported by three specific actions.

The Alpine Region constitutes the largest European economic and productive hub, with a high potential for development.

However, lack of economic, social and territorial cohesion is still an issue. Mountains constitute a challenge to homogenous development, entrenching disparities among different territories in the Alpine Region. For instance, access to social services as well as economic services of general interest still remains quite difficult in rural areas at the core of the Alps, while surrounding urban areas develop more easily. Likewise, the innovation capacity in the Alpine Region can vary very much from one geographical area to another (see analytical document).

Alpine metropolitan areas and cities are key locations for activities which compete and innovate in a global economy. At the same time, it is important to ensure that all parts of the Alpine Region are linked to the growth dynamics generated in the cities and metropolitan areas. Development opportunities must be exploited in all parts of the Alpine Region, urban areas as well as remote and lagging areas, bearing in mind that ecosystems and their services need to be improved.

To bridge these territorial gaps, the Strategy therefore aims to support innovative economic development in the whole Alpine Region by building on the complementary assets of its sub-territories.

This should be facilitated by cooperation embracing a variety of economic activities, in the domains of agriculture, environment, industry, commerce, tourism and other services, which have to be able to rely on a skilled and well-trained labour force (see action 3).

Therefore, the main actions envisaged to support this objective are:

Action 1: To develop an effective research and innovation ecosystem

Based on one of the main drivers of the Europe 2020 agenda which aims at creating jobs and growth, action 1 focuses on the development of an effective innovation ecosystem in the Alpine Region. It aims to bring together the existing potentials of the Alpine Region to better exploit synergies in the strategic sectors described in the next action and overcome challenges as regards innovation.

Regional characteristics concerning the proposed action

The Alpine Region comprises a large number of internationally profiled research and innovation centres. These provide a backbone and potential for further developing and strengthening research and innovation in the Alpine Region. High levels of R & D expenditure, universities and research centres with strong capacity, as well as the presence of international and private research centres of global relevance, make the Alpine Region one of the most innovative places in Europe. This is complemented by high levels of ICT endowment, excellent endowment of infrastructure and connections in the metropolitan areas (e.g. through high-speed internet networks).

Already today, R & D expenditure in the Alpine Region is comparatively high in a European perspective. In 2011, it ranged from 1% to 2% in most regions in Northern Italy to 2% to 3% of GDP in many French and Austrian regions, Switzerland and Slovenia and over 3% in German regions and in some Austrian regions of EUSALP. In many Alpine Regions, the share of private R & D expenditure is above the European average.

Moreover, the countries involved in the Alpine Region have largely high levels of innovation performance in the European Innovation Scoreboard. Germany is classified as one of four innovation leaders in the EU. Switzerland is overall innovation leader in Europe. Austria, France and Slovenia are innovation followers. Only Italy belongs to the moderate innovators.

Most of the EUSALP-Regions recently developed smart specialisation strategies based on EC requirements. Swiss regions in parallel are developing Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS). However, in most cases the domains/smart specialisation areas are very broad and/or vague and need to be more focused on areas of economic opportunity. For this, continuing consultation with stakeholders from business and innovation communities through entrepreneurial discovery processes will be necessary.

At regional level, the ESPON KIT project identifies five types of innovation region. This analysis shows the strong innovation profile of the Alpine Region, but which at the same time can vary a lot from one country or region to another. For example, large parts of southern Germany are classified as European science-based areas, which are the most knowledge-intensive and innovation-intensive regions, Lombardy, Piedmont, Veneto (Italy) and Alsace, Rhone-Alps (France) are classified as smart technological application areas, with high potential for knowledge and innovation, but remaining regions have lower profiles in terms of R & D and development.

However, the SWOT analysis carried out for the Alpine Space Programme 3 points out several of the region’s weaknesses as regards innovation: the limited inter-Alpine research and innovation cooperation between the different countries, the limited research on topics of specific Alpine importance such as high-quality agricultural products, the limited visibility and awareness and thus uptake of existing research and innovation results, spatially fragmented local markets, significant intra- and inter-regional and social disparities in innovation, limited capitalisation of applied research results, high competition for securing the basic production factors, growth poles which are suffering from agglomeration disadvantages and dependency on a few big global players.

The need for the proposed action and its spatial macro-regional relevance

In the period 2014-2020 the EU research and innovation (R&I) policies are based on the smart specialisation approach and the EU countries/regions have developed R&I Strategies for Smart Specialisation (S3). However, inter-regional and transnational collaboration in similar S3 priority areas across the regions/countries are still very limited. The EUSALP aims to address the challenges of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and competitiveness through a coordinated set of activities integrated through the S3 concept which will contribute to identifying competitive R&I priorities and the right policy mix to achieve them in full coherence with the vision, strategic positioning and the S3 strategies of the Alpine countries/regions. Addressing these challenges through the S3 concept and through transnational collaboration will cater for more effective coordination between different stakeholders in the process of multilevel governance and hence overcome fragmentation of R&I activities. It will also facilitate implementation of well-defined competitive innovation policies in the macro-region. Transnational approaches in support of smart specialisation through mutual learning will also reinforce the implementation of S3 and advance generation of transnational S3 collaboration projects in vertical priority areas and the cross-cutting objective.

Because this action aims at building a research and innovation ecosystem that does not exist at macro-regional level, actions that include setting up of transnational frameworks, platforms and networks for the identification of existing innovation resources, potential and obstacles, or setting up of trans-border frameworks, platforms and networks for the coordination of innovation policy, should be envisaged. Also, in order to give equal chances to economic operators to develop their activities wherever they are located in the Alpine Region, closing of white areas on maps of high-speed Internet connections can be an opportunity to open the entire Alpine Region to the information economy and society, which is of high importance especially as regards declining rural regions 4 (see objective 2 of the Action Plan).

The overall context described in the previous section offers a good starting position to develop such ecosystems, although a geographical limitation of cooperation in the Alpine Region may need to go hand in hand with a thematic focus on issues of specific relevance to the Alpine Region as set out in national/regional smart specialisation strategies. This would put a particular focus on a limited number of research topics, i.e. where further research and innovation makes use of particular Alpine Region potentials (e.g. use of vegetation for pharmaceuticals, or topographic benefits for renewable energy) or meets particular Alpine Region challenges (e.g. climate change and Alpine tourism, high-tech equipment linked to Alpine navigation, development of high-quality climbing and skiing equipment). This can involve innovations in the field of ICT and high-tech manufacturing which is quite typical for industrial or urban areas.

By way of example, in the field of clean renewable energy (i.e. with low emissions of air pollutants such as PM), there is a vast pool of specific knowledge and innovation potential distributed in the Alpine Region. To strengthen and better exploit this brain pool by promoting exchange of knowledge throughout the EUSALP territory clearly contributes to fostering the competitiveness of the Region.

The experience so far in other macro-regional strategies shows that to frame such an ecosystem, a series of key conditions need to be fulfilled: key strategic sectors where cooperation in research and innovation can impact either in economic or societal terms must be identified, as well as the mapping of existing clusters or competence centres related to the economic and academic landscape in the Region; good knowledge about the specific value chains characteristic for the Region and their overall economic impact and relevance needs to be established.

This action could be facilitated by further coordinating efforts between the Alpine countries and Joint Research Centre activities, by enhancing capacity building of research institutions, networks and infrastructure with an Alpine Region dimension and taking into consideration existing international research / innovation coordination activities.

By doing so, the Strategy could reduce the risks of losing some competitive edge in front of new global competitors, especially taking into account the lack of an Alpine-specific approach and capitalisation. It could also cope with the issue of fragmented governance systems and administrative discordance which can limit the potential for transnational exploitation of the Alpine Region’s strengths and opportunities.

The table below provides an overview of examples of possible projects:

Examples of indicators and targets:

Action 2: To increase the economic potential of strategic sectors

Action 2 focuses on the economic potential of strategic sectors of the Alpine Region and their economic and social environment, and in particular support to SMEs and e-services.

Regional characteristics concerning the proposed action

Despite a number of large enterprises being present in the Alpine Region, SMEs form an important backbone of the economy and employment in the Alpine Region 5 . The analysis carried out for the Alpine Space Programme mentions that networks and clusters of SMEs are the backbones of a prosperous alpine economy.

Strong concentrations of SMEs exist in different parts of the Alpine Region. They are rooted in different backgrounds of Alpine productive cultures and form an economy where local businesses are well connected to innovate and to compete at more global levels. Their ability to invest in the Region and to keep and create jobs is important. According to the Alpine Space Programme 2014-2020, the Alpine space is a region covering specific and niche aspects of SME competitiveness. SMEs, mid-sized cap companies and large enterprises are leaders in their field and enjoy a high-innovation competitive edge at the regional and local level with sustainable economic cycles 6 .

Still, to release their full potential, SMEs must overcome the barriers that limit their growth. The average SME is smaller in Europe than in the US. There are also differences between SME sizes within the EU: The average SME in Germany has 7.6 workers, compared to 3.2 workers in Italy. This has significant consequences: the smaller the company, the greater its difficulty in investing in innovation, exporting and integrating global value chains, thus compromising competitiveness.

At the same time, there are also considerable challenges within the Alpine Region, in particular between its urban and rural/remote areas: (i) start-up conditions in Alpine rural areas are often rather weak, (ii) there is a lack of ‘business angels’, of tradition and of institutions to obtain risk capital for fast-growing or financially intensive companies, and (iii) there are only limited incentives for young people to return to their region after their education and start a business 7 . Intensifying links between urban and rural/remote areas is therefore crucial.

The need for the proposed action and its spatial macro-regional relevance

The added value of cooperating at macro-regional level in the fields of innovation, support of enterprises and the labour market is tightly linked to identifying specific themes or sectors where cooperation at other levels (European, national etc.) cannot achieve the same results as macro-regional cooperation.

The focus of this action is mainly to support and to accompany start-ups and dynamically growing SMEs. The added value of the Strategy will be to combine a better use of Alpine-specific resources in various sectors with investment opportunities for transnationally designed products, services, investment models, as well as funding support instruments of business support centres, chambers of commerce, public administration and financing institutions. Following themes/sectors might offer a strong potential to approach innovation, support of enterprises and the labour market in a more integrated manner:

Agriculture and sustainable forestry sector based products and services throughout the full value chain (including for example the pharmaceutical and wooden building sector) show potential. In 2013, 2.7 % of total employment 8 in the Alpine Region 9 was in agriculture, forestry and fisheries. The percentage is slightly lower compared with 2012, when it reached 3 %. The region of Vzhodna in Slovenia has the highest share of employment in the agriculture and forestry sector (11.46 %).

The distinctiveness of the conditions in the Alpine Region may serve as good basis for strategic actions related to supporting innovation, SME development and labour market integration with regard to Alpine agriculture and forestry and distinct Alpine products in these sectors. In particular, moving higher up the value chain, this also offers cooperation opportunities for rural and metropolitan parts of the Alpine Region. Moving up the value chain or adjusting products and services to the green economy will require work in the fields of research and innovation, SMEs and training of the labour force.

The Alpine Region has a wide range of economic operators in the agriculture and forestry sector which are strongly rooted in their locations. Opportunities in the agriculture sector can arise for example through organic farming or the use of geographical indications, which allow the production of high-quality and region-specific products. Therefore, smaller farms and farmers should be recognised and supported. Further opportunities in the agricultural sector can arise when combined with the tourism and health sectors. Rural life and agriculture can be promoted through special tourist offers and agro-tourism, while the production of pharmaceutical products can be of importance for the health sector.

The tourism sector is an important economic factor in large parts of the Alpine Region, while SMEs in the Region dominate in the tourism sector both as regards economic development and employment opportunities. The number of total nights spent by non-residents 10 in the Alpine Region 11 between 2009 and 2013 has increased by 20 % between 2009 and 2013. When compared to the European Union picture, the Alpine Region accounted for 15 % in 2009 and 17 % in 2013 of the total nights spent in tourist accommodation by non-residents.

The level of activity and services varies seasonally and the core activity and level of services for the year-round population can then be limited. To further strengthen Alpine tourism and ensure that the sector is fit for meeting future challenges (e.g. coming from climate change and air quality) and increasingly turned towards environmentally sustainable tourism and year-round tourism, it needs to involve research and innovation, SMEs and training of the labour force.

Through the support of SMEs and innovative tourist sectors, such as agro-tourism or health tourism, the tourism sector can offer more job opportunities of high qualification, but also make the Alpine Region a more attractive destination. Further opportunities for the tourism sector also lie in the development of sustainable year-round tourism.

The Alpine Region can benefit from the European Tourism Indicators System (ETIS), a management tool which can help tourist destinations monitor and measure their sustainable tourism performances.

The energy sector is important both with regard to applying potential clean renewable energy production (i.e. with low or no emissions of air pollutants such as PM) and energy-storage building on the specificities of the Alpine Region, as well as for increasing energy efficiency. Hydropower is the major renewable energy resource available in the Alpine Region, already used intensively. However, there is potential for optimising the efficiency of existing plants and hydropower has a high potential as an energy storage system. The Alpine Region also provides a potential for other renewable energy sources: wind and solar power; biomass and geothermal sources for heating. In this regard, as in many areas in the Alpine Region, air quality is poor, notably in the heating season, special ultra-low emission biomass applications should preferably be used for biomass energy production. Furthermore, the countries in the Alpine Region have a strong potential related to energy efficiency, in particular in the building sector. An innovative example is the passive house design which involves reducing energy demand without reducing the level of energy services. This provides an ideal framework for working together on innovative solutions for the Alpine Region. Supporting SMEs operating in the energy sector described above will not only create sustainable job opportunities, but also contribute to fighting climate change and improve air quality, by providing technical and economic options for Air Quality Plans and National Air Pollution Control Programmes.

The health sector is another important economic sector with regard to untapped existing potential in the Region and creating new opportunities. The health sector can be closely linked to the agricultural sector, especially as regards the production of pharmaceutical products. It can also be combined with the tourism sector, focusing on therapeutic and recreational activities. In addition, the cooperation among providers of health services (including e-Health) and health authorities across borders can improve access to and efficiency of healthcare and support the implementation of European legislation on patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare. Research and innovation in health at transnational level can support the cooperation among centres of excellence and specialised providers of healthcare, in particular in the framework of the European Reference Networks in health that are created under the above-mentioned European legislation.

The high-tech sector is an important economic factor in many areas in the Alpine Region. The share of employment in the high-tech sector out of total employment 12 in 2013 in the Alpine Region ranges from 2 % in the autonomous province of Bolzano in Italy and the region of Vorarlberg in Austria to almost 8 % in the regions of north-west Switzerland and Upper Bavaria in Germany. Many areas in the Alpine Region have a number of global players but also smaller players focused more on regional assets and demands. Intensified macro-regional cooperation might help areas where the development of services and products is linked to specificities of the Alpine Region.

Opportunities to develop this sector come with the strong innovation profile and large number of R & D and high-tech companies in the Alpine Region. Furthermore, the topographic specificities of the Alpine Region may also hold potential for further developments in the sector e.g. linked to specific computer software (e.g. destination management systems, GPS-based 3D navigation and information systems or mobile apps to support visitors), high-end products based on specific Alpine Region raw material (e.g. pharmaceuticals), or high-end products linked to typical activities in the Alpine Region (e.g. ropeways, ski and boot manufacturers, climbing equipment or artificial snow-making installations).

In many regards this cooperation is strongly linked to accessibility and transport challenges, i.e. transport between urban areas and their larger hinterland as well as transport across the Alpine Region, which are subject to Thematic Policy Area II.

The table below provides an overview of examples of possible projects:

Examples of indicators and targets:

Action 3: To improve the adequacy of labour market, education and training in strategic sectors

The third action aims at improving the adequacy of labour market, education and training with employment opportunities in strategic sectors in the Region, and at increasing the employment levels of the Region through joint macro-regional activities.

Regional characteristics concerning the proposed action

The Alpine Region has a quite positive labour market compared to Europe where many areas have high employment rates. Indeed all but one of the regions located in the Alpine Region have employment rates more than 3 % points above their national 2020 target, according to the 6th Cohesion Report 13 .

Also, the share of university students is above the EU average. Overall education levels are high in the Alpine Region, especially in the metropolises and the larger cities. In 2011, the share of inhabitants aged 25-64 holding a tertiary education qualification ranged from 13 % to 36 % in the Alpine Region. Numerous high-end universities, research institutes and vocational training centres are located in the area.

Overall, the labour markets in the Alpine Region are quite integrated, as they stretch beyond national borders in many cases. The integration of labour markets is an important feature for the development of the Alpine Region, as it facilitates its economic development. There are also considerable numbers of seasonal workers coming for the tourist season, to specific areas of the Alpine Region for example. Also they often work in other countries than their country of origin. Depending on the definition they are also considered cross-border workers.

The need for the proposed action and its spatial macro-regional relevance

Due to the topographic and demographic challenges of the Region a macro-regional approach supporting stronger cooperation can foster new job opportunities in the Region and overcome existing challenges, such as language barriers or out-migration of skilled labour.

These challenges are also linked to the territorial imbalances within the Region, with less favourable conditions for the labour market in rural and remote areas. To some extent, this can be linked to the accessibility of rural and remote areas addressed under the Thematic Policy Area II of EUSALP. Challenges concern both access to jobs as well as access to highly qualified labour. The access to skilled labour with the right competence is an important labour market challenge in large parts of the Alpine Region, while there is a more general concern with the problem of ‘brain drain’ and the development of professional skills, particularly in remote areas that are already suffering from depopulation.

Therefore the integration of the labour markets is an important feature for development in the Alpine Region. Some aspects related to access to skilled labour throughout the Region might be better addressed at the macro-regional level. This concerns both actions in the field of labour market integration as well as in the field of joint training for increasing the access to skilled labour in rural and remote areas. Initiatives under this action can benefit from the involvement and close cooperation with civil society. These actions could offer appropriate replies to the issue of dependence of seasonal workers, especially in the tourism industry, where the labour market is relying partly on seasonal workers from outside of the area 14 .

The table below provides an overview of examples of possible projects:

Examples of indicators and targets:

Links with other objectives

Economic growth in the Alpine Region and innovation in particular, even though it is identified as a specific objective, will have to be considered and treated in the Strategy as a cross-cutting issue, building on the high competitiveness of the Region, but in close connection with the environmental challenges and transport issues developed in the other objectives of the Action Plan.

The three actions under the first objective of EUSALP can be linked to the actions pursued under other objectives and Thematic Policy Areas. For instance, action 2 of the first thematic policy area on the cooperation of SMEs in the Alpine Region suggests that better accessibility between urban and rural areas as well as throughout the Alpine Region is necessary. This issue is stressed in more detail in the second Thematic Policy Area of EUSALP, actions 4 and 5. Initiatives under action 1 on innovation can also be linked to the objectives 2 (Sustainable internal and external accessibility) and 3 (A more inclusive environmental framework and renewable and reliable energy solutions for the future).

Support of the Europe 2020 Strategy

The Thematic Policy Area I and its objective and actions strongly support the Europe 2020 Strategy – further strengthening RDI, the competitiveness of SMEs and the development of an integrated labour market including increasing access to skilled labour. These are priorities of EUSALP which are in line with the growth priorities of the Europe 2020 Strategy.

Smart growth: Creating an effective innovation ecosystem in the Alpine Region can contribute to smart growth in the Region. Investments in innovation (action 1), but also actions for increasing the economic potential of strategic sectors of the Region (action 2) can stimulate new jobs and therefore contribute to the Europe 2020 employment targets set for smart growth.

The Communication from the Commission for a European Industrial Renaissance 15 states that the potential of clusters to create favourable innovation ecosystems for mutually reinforcing groups of SMEs needs to be better exploited as a means of promoting growth. In this context, effectively linking the world of education, business and research, and involving social partners and civil society at all levels of education and training raise the relevance of educational offers and the Region’s innovation capacity. An advanced level of cooperation also increases the level of awareness and readiness of EUSALP partners to implement their strategy.

Value-added chains must be better integrated. Cluster-facilitated demonstration projects for value chain innovation will also be financed through Horizon 2020 in support of the implementation of smart specialisation strategies.

Moreover, action 3 on improving high levels of employment, education and training also reflects the smart growth targets on better educational attainment, and the ‘Youth on the move’ flagship initiative on the better equipment of young people and students.

Sustainable growth: Innovative actions to support and increase economic potential of strategic sectors in the Region such as agriculture, forestry, tourism, energy and high-tech can contribute to the Europe 2020 priority of sustainable growth. The energy sector is important both regarding the clean renewable energy potentials in the Region, as well as energy storage building on the specificities of the Alpine Region and energy efficiency in buildings. Moreover, the support to SMEs in these sectors (action 2) is in line with the sustainable growth flagship initiative ‘An industrial policy for the globalisation era’, where the support to business and especially small businesses, the support of entrepreneurship and the covering of the increasingly international value chain from access to raw materials to after-sales service are addressed 16 . The creation of jobs in these sectors is linked to both the action 3 of EUSALP as well as the sustainable growth priority. In addition, such innovative actions would provide synergy effects with environmental policy objectives by providing technical and economic options for Air Quality Plans and National Air Pollution Control Programmes, for example.

Inclusive growth: Initiatives in the three EUSALP actions can create new jobs. Especially action 3 which is dedicated to the improvement of high levels of employment, education and training which contribute to the targets of inclusive growth. More specifically it addresses the flagship initiative on ‘Agenda for new skills and jobs’, which focuses on acquiring new skills and adapting to a changing labour market, as well as the modernising of labour markets to raise employment levels. In addition, the creation of new jobs in innovation, the link of innovation to the economy, the support of SMEs in specific sectors of the Region also contribute to increasing employment in the Region. Actions in the aforementioned fields related to training and education also contribute to the Europe 2020 inclusive growth targets, and can be conducted in close cooperation with civil society stakeholders.

In addition to contributing to achieving the objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy, the Strategy also contributes to the overall community objectives of economic, social and territorial cohesion. It may also help consideration of possible investments under the EU investment plan (the so-called Juncker Plan) in the Alpine Region.

Examples of possible projects

Removal of infrastructure bottlenecks and bridging missing links, which would allow the improvement of inter-modality and interoperability, to the benefit of shifting traffic from road to rail.

Development of access routes towards the cross-border projects.

Coordination of local and regional transport planning at macro-regional level, which will allow for increasing the efficiency of existing networks and the share of population using less impacting transport means.

Upgrading of rail cross-border sections of TEN-T projects. Electrification of railway lines, operation of 740-meter-long trains and development of the European Railway Traffic Management System – ERTMS.

Upgrading of local railways such as Turin-Aosta, Nice-Ventimiglia-Cuneo-Turin, Munich-Lindau-Bregenz-Zurich, Ulm-Friedrichshafen-Lindau, Trieste-Ljubljana, Brescia-Edolo, Durance Valley, Milano-Tirano, Dolomiti valleys of Trentino.

Building on existing cooperation projects for reducing the impact of transalpine traffic, and upgrading them at a macro-regional scale.

Indicator

Unit

Target value

Internal and external connectivity in the Region including travel time (km of railway lines complying with TEN-T criteria and guidelines)

Km

Strengthening regional transport systems by linking peripheral regions to TEN-T networks and secondary

N° of passengers using public transport / train services

Availability of last-mile infrastructure

Streamlining of connections – n° of identified bottlenecks eliminated through small-scale interventions

N° of identified bottlenecks (infrastructure, capacity)

Improvement of the interoperability procedures of rail public transport at transnational and cross border level

Infrastructure utilisation rate

Promoting resource-efficient use of infrastructure

Emissions (PM, NOx, SO2).
Availability of refuelling infrastructures for alternative fuels

Use of public transport compared to private means

Ratio and trends

Common management, ticketing and information systems

N° of schemes developed
for use of common management systems

Optimal interconnection of national transport networks

Border waiting time

Annual use of main networks of collective passenger transport at cross-border level

N° of users, border waiting time

Increase potential capacity trains/day, reduction of travel time

N° of trains – % of increase

mean travel time by sections

Tons of goods loaded/unloaded in interchange nodes

Ratio out of total transported goods

Rail passenger traffic generated by ports, logistic centres and airports

Coverage of basic services (medical, postal, grocery) for local communities    

 % of the communities covered

Quality of transport

Transport time, mean speed, frequency, parking availability for freight, road safety

Examples of possible projects

Satellite access for populations in the most remote areas (using the satellite voucher scheme). Using available structural funds, the EU has developed a competition rules complying scheme which allows for subsidising the initial investment necessary for installing satellite broadband equipment. It is possible to significantly increase the users of this scheme.

Development of take-up and e-services. Once the technology is available, a coordinated investment in training and communication is necessary, especially in the initial phase, to the benefit of potential users. This allows for further upgrading and fine tuning of the relevant technologies.

Use of common 112 emergency numbers. A European directive set up a common dial system for emergency situations. The use of this system, in particular in cross-border remote areas, can be improved by the widespread use of available communication technologies.

Develop ITS – Intelligent Transport Systems, interconnecting modes and devices and leading to greater efficiency and safety of transport.

Indicator

Unit

Target value

Coverage of households by broadband with minimum 30 Mbps download speed

% of households

100 % by 2020

Coverage of households by broadband with minimum30 Mbps download speed in the most remote areas

% of households

100 % by 2020

Coverage of enterprises and public buildings covered by broadband with minimum 30 Mbps download speed

% of enterprises and public buildings

Rate of e- health users

 %

Rate of e-commerce users

 %

Rare of e- government users

 %

Rate of population close to minimum services (less than 20 min drive)

 %

N° of developed innovating cross-border services solutions (cross border and e-services)

N°

Percentage of people using Internet

 %

Building of a composite indicator for assessing/comparing the quality of e-services of general interest

Use of the common 112 dial emergency number

N° of uses

3rd OBJECTIVE: A more inclusive environmental framework for all and renewable and reliable energy solutions for the future

Presentation of the topic

The overall objective of this policy area is to address the ‘most important challenges and opportunities concerning the environment’ in the Region. A sound environment is essential for underpinning human activities in the Region and for ensuring economic and social well-being for its peoples. This is also reflected in the outcome of the public consultation, which shows that the environment is among the most important areas where macro-regional cooperation is needed. In this opinion survey, around two-thirds of the respondents stated that environment, sustainable development, or specific environmental issues are among the main topics where cooperation should be fostered.

This objective will deal with the environmental issues that can only be adequately tackled through cooperation at the level and scale of the macro-region. The involvement of a wide range of stakeholders in the implementation of all actions proposed under this objective and, more specifically, the social partners and private-sector actors from all relevant fields, as well as the scientific community and civil society, will further contribute to an integrated approach. Last but not least it has to be underlined that these actions in particular (especially actions 6 and 7) have strong interlinkages to the Alpine Convention and its protocols.

Action 6: To preserve and valorise natural resources, including water and cultural resources

The environment of the Alpine Region is extremely vulnerable. The use of the resources and the exploitation of their potential need to be carried out in a proportionate way. Against this background, this action has a twofold character. On the one hand, it will aim to reinforce the Alpine natural and cultural resources as assets of a high-quality living area. On the other hand, it will pursue the goal to valorise the existing natural and cultural resources.

Regional characteristics concerning the proposed action

One of the main features of the Alpine Region is its outstanding natural and cultural heritage. The Alpine Region forms an area of mountainous habitats and is extremely rich in biodiversity and resources like minerals and water. The ways in which these resources have been transformed into economic assets have varied through history and had distinctive effects both on the Alpine environment and on the resource itself. Humankind benefits in many ways from all these ecosystems. Collectively, these benefits are known as ‘ecosystem services’. Apart from this, cultural aspects such as language diversity in the Alps are unique compared to the rest of EU (many isolated settlements with original languages such as Occitan, Franco-Provençal, Walser, Ladin, Friulian, etc.). It is therefore consistent with the specific natural and cultural characteristics of the Alps that there are also already several UNESCO World Heritage Sites and several are pending.

Important parts of the natural richness of the Alps are the rivers, lakes and glaciers, which make this Region the ‘water tower’ of Europe. This natural storage mechanism benefits some very important rivers in Europe, including the Rhine, Danube, Po and Rhône. These four rivers flow through 15 countries, including ten EU Member States. In some seasons the Alps provide up to 90 percent of water to lowland Europe, particularly to arid areas during the summer months. Preservation of the quality and quantity of Alpine water resources is therefore very important to Europe as a whole. One important threat to the water reserves of the Alps over the long term is climate change, which is expected to result in melting of all glacial ice in the entire eastern Alps and much of the western Alps by 2100. This shows that this action has to be closely interlinked with action 8 (To improve risk management and to better manage climate change).

The need for the proposed action and its spatial macro-regional relevance

The action ‘To preserve and valorise natural resources, including water and cultural resources’ has a twofold character. With regard to the second element, the term ‘valorisation’ has to be interpreted in a broad sense, meaning that the resources are not only the essential basis but also the medium of territorial development. According to this approach, preservation and valorisation of sources like biodiversity, water and soil are closely interwoven. The sustainable use of resources and protection of biodiversity have not only an intrinsic value in themselves but have also proven to be highly beneficial for local economies especially in sectors such as tourism and quality food production that are very important for the Alpine area. In this regard NATURA 2000 provides a range of benefits to society and the economy which are important for the Alpine area. However, it must be underlined that there are conflicts of interest between the elements to protect natural resources and their economic use. Dealing with these issues at a macro-regional level could ensure expertise and exchanges of experience with local and regional stakeholders. It could also contribute to improving the multi-level governance of resource exploitation, and ensure that the interests of different territories and groups are reflected in a more balanced way when it comes to distribution of economic returns. The objective is to set up an Alpine strategic framework that allows the establishment of sustainable and balanced models of resource management and production.

The issue of water resources is a paradigm, which is generally best addressed at the level of river basin management districts through corresponding river basin management plans. As water flows out from the Alps, the Alpine Region does not have river basins which are common to all EUSALP countries. However, there is a similarity in terms of the types of water reserves (glaciers, glacial lakes, fast-flowing rivers and streams) as well as in the challenges (especially climate change and hydropower). Therefore, the transnational river basin management plans/schemes, the sharing of knowledge and information among stakeholders facing similar circumstances, as well as the identification of best practice solutions can be of high added value.

In the field of cultural heritage, the use of Alpine herbs in cosmetics, pharmaceutical products and other products using agricultural raw materials is already practised, for example many multinational cosmetics companies market products containing Alpine herbs. However, there is still scope to find innovative ways of valorising local products, benefiting local Alpine communities, ensuring the authentic nature of these products, and providing local business opportunities (research and innovation, manufacturing and marketing) and through the entire value chain enabling a stronger connection between the core Alpine area and the surrounding urbanised areas. In addition, valorisation is possible with regard to human settlements (art, buildings and churches). In this regard, exchange of experiences and best practices among stakeholders involved in these sectors is essential.

This action addresses the high dynamic and large diversity within the Alpine area and at the same time provides a link between towns and rural, core and peri-Alpine areas. This applies especially with regard to potential linkages to economic aspects like the ‘green economy’ and the bio-economy. Concerning the cultural aspects of the action, it has to be underlined that they are closely linked to the ‘regional identity’ of the territory and are a particular asset of the territory in a European context. Furthermore, this action is of special importance because its main characteristic is its coherent common approach in contrast to many isolated activities within the territory. A further governance need beyond the existing institutional framework is that this action facilitates a better coordination between different actors according to sectors (nature protection, agriculture, processing industry, consumers), political levels (local, regional and national within the European rural development schemes), and territories (both producing and consuming, with particular importance attached to the relation of core and peri-Alpine areas). It should also lead to stronger political ownership, as the topic has the potential to become a matter of common identity. This is also underlined by the fact that it is of clear spatial relevance as it addresses the entire area: the Alpine Arc, the foothills and the urban areas. Especially due to this fact, this action is expected to encourage solidarity and mutual understanding between the core area and the metropolises and will be a platform to join ongoing activities and to gain wider public and political attention to the Strategy itself.

The table below provides an overview of examples of possible projects:

Examples of indicators and targets:

Action 7: To develop ecological connectivity in the whole EUSALP territory

The integrity and functioning of ecosystems, including the conservation of biodiversity and provision of ecosystem services, largely depend on the existence of effective ecological connectivity. The promotion of ecological corridors and also of green infrastructures in unprotected areas has been suggested through the public consultation and is currently largely missing.

Regional characteristics concerning the proposed action

The Alps are very rich in protected areas, which cover up to 25 percent of their territory. However, the co-existence of protected areas on the one hand and intensively used territories on the other hand (e.g. through transport, settlement and tourism) has the effect of increasing fragmentation and entails the danger of creating a dichotomy between protected and unprotected areas. This dichotomy exists especially in small and narrow Alpine valleys, but of course also on a larger scale (‘protected Alps’, ‘protected environmental Alpine containment’). This poses a big threat to Alpine biodiversity and prevents essential ecological processes from taking place. Furthermore, the Alps have a number of ecological links respecting physical corridors with other mountain areas in Europe. These traditional migration routes for wildlife are currently at least partly defective or interrupted due to the high number of roads and motorways as well as a further increase in settlements (this applies for example to the links between the Alps and the Carpathians, the Dinaric Alps/Balkans, the Apennines, Jura Mountains and the Vosges). All of this shows that often only the Alps as such are regarded as a protected and ‘recreational area’, whereas the so-called surroundings or the hinterland are considered to be ‘land for use’. In this regard we need a change of mind-set, a better-integrated view and more environmental accountability.

The need for the proposed action and its spatial macro-regional relevance

The promotion of ecological connectivity will therefore be an important priority. Land-use policies, sprawl and high pressure from human activities will also be addressed. Projects which focus not only on protected areas but also on common rules for landscape development to promote ecological connectivity have been suggested in the public consultation, as they are currently largely missing.

The EU-wide Strategy on Green Infrastructure is addressing the spatial structure of natural and semi-natural areas but also other environmental features which enable citizens to benefit from its multiple services. The underlying principle of Green Infrastructure is that the same area of land can frequently offer multiple benefits if its ecosystems are in a healthy state. Green Infrastructure investments are generally characterised by a high level of return over time, they provide job opportunities, and can be a cost-effective alternative or complementary to ‘grey’ infrastructure and intensive land use change. It serves the interests of both people and nature. Green Infrastructure also reflects the fact that there are long-term experiences in the core area of the Alps. However, there is a need to define Green Infrastructure at a regional level and to create stronger links between the core area and the surroundings. Apart from this, there is further need for better coordination between national policies, across different sectors and in spatial terms (core area and surroundings). Connectivity is not just connecting protected areas but also integrating the issue in a wider territorial scale and in a cross-sectorial approach. Particularly this point underlines the governance needs beyond the given institutional framework. Therefore, a main feature of this action will be a multi-level approach to ensure consistent implementation of EU policies. This means that the existing networks of protected areas (e.g. NATURA 2000) will be further strengthened. In addition all activities to improve connectivity will also involve policy fields other than nature protection (such as spatial planning) and territories which are not protected. Against this background the main feature of this action will be that it addresses connectivity between the Alpine core and peri-Alpine area on a wider geographical scale but also on regional scale between rural and urban areas, bridging the areas of high natural value. However, this action will also strengthen the above-mentioned links to other mountain regions.

The table below provides an overview of examples of possible projects:

Examples of indicators and targets:

Action 8: To improve risk management and to better manage climate change, including major natural risks prevention

Due to its geomorphological conformation, the Alpine territory is extremely vulnerable to environmental disasters, which can cause severe damages to ecosystems, people and infrastructures. The existing circumstances and risks are further exacerbated by the occurring climate change causing additional pressure and challenges in terms of availability of resources and threats to population. With regard to environmental disasters, the focus will be for example to conduct an adequate comprehensive risk assessment and to implement a disaster risk management policy. As regards climate change, the focus will be for example on conducting a comprehensive vulnerability assessment of the affected sectors and systems and to develop a regional strategy on adapting to climate change.

Regional characteristics concerning the proposed action

The Alpine Region is particularly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change as recognised by the EU Strategy on adaptation to climate change. In the 20th century, the temperature in the Alps increased by almost 2°C, while during the same period temperature increase in nearby regions averaged around 1°C. Small glaciers are likely to disappear, while larger glaciers will suffer a volume reduction of between 30 % and 70 % by 2050. This will lead to a significant impact on the quantity, quality and seasonal distribution of water with an especially large reduction of water discharge in summer.

Biodiversity is under threat, with the European Environment Agency (EEA) estimating that up to 60 percent of plant species can become extinct if they are unable to adapt by moving northwards or uphill. The melting of permafrost above an altitude of 2 500 m will lead to landslides and rock falls more often than in the past. Consequently, an important share of climate sensitive sectors and systems further increase the economic vulnerability of the Region. Although these illustrations do not completely reflect all relations, they show how closely different actions are interlinked. Serious impacts on biodiversity and the water tower role of the Alps show how closely actions 6-8 are interlinked.

The need for the proposed action and its spatial macro-regional relevance

This action addresses the entire EUSALP Alpine area, but at the same time respects the specificities of the core and peripheral areas. With regard to environmental disasters, the focus will be for example to conduct an adequate comprehensive risk assessment and to implement a disaster risk management policy. Concerning climate change, comprehensive actions to adapt to the new circumstances are needed. Enhancing cooperation, establishing efficient management systems and joint regional responses in this area will make the Region more resilient to such changes. Due to the fact that the territory is a hotspot of climate change, it can serve as a reference area in Europe in terms of observation and management of its effects. With regard to climate change, the focus will be for example to conduct a comprehensive vulnerability assessment of the affected sectors and systems and to develop a regional strategy on adaptation to climate change. The adaptation actions pursued should be in line with the national adaptation strategies of the Alpine countries 31 . In addition, both dimensions (risk management and climate change) need to be combined, because they are closely interrelated. Furthermore, concerning the needs posed by climate change, there is added value in cooperation between the Alpine Region and the EU (i.e. the European Environment Agency and/or the European Commission) to address this challenge, because it requires action in the Alps but has much wider trans-boundary effects in the whole of Europe. Considering the scale of the impact on Alpine water reserves which will be caused by climate change, there is a need to considerably scale up activities in this field. Cooperation with stakeholders implementing the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) should also be envisaged, as some of the States and Regions are covered by the two strategies. Finally, the existing cooperation, which already has a macro-regional nature, should be strengthened. Exchange of knowledge and good practice with other mountain areas, such as the Carpathian region, is relevant in this regard. In sum, there is no coherent international legal climate change framework for the Alps that addresses these questions.

Concerning the governance needs beyond the given institutional framework, both dimensions of this action will focus on good cross-boundary coordination and harmonised policies. Moreover, this action will allow a better coordination between different political levels (integrating European, national and regional scale) and will cluster all relevant projects within one integrated action.

The table below provides an overview of examples of possible projects:

Examples of indicators and targets:

Action 9: To make the territory a model region for energy efficiency and renewable energy

This action focuses on promoting energy efficiency and the production and use of renewable energy in the Alpine Region, in line with the EU’s energy efficiency framework and the Energy Union Package. Energy policy in the Region focuses on energy efficiency in the public and private sectors. A significant reduction in energy consumption could be achieved, in particular in the housing sector. The Alpine Region has substantial potential for renewable energy production which must be developed in a balanced way, taking into account ecological, economical and land use issues and considering societal trade-offs.

Regional characteristics

The countries in the Alpine Region have a strong potential related to energy efficiency, in particular in the building sector. This provides an ideal framework for working together on innovative solutions for the Alpine Region. Due to the vulnerability of the Region to the effects of climate change there is a certain degree of awareness within the population concerning the need for saving energy. The Alpine Region developed several isolated energy efficiency solutions like highly energy efficient buildings or sustainable mobility solutions. Further, it is feasible to extend existing energy model regions to the whole area of the Alpine Region and thus create a model Alpine Region of modern energy efficiency.

The Alpine Region plays an important role when it comes to the production of renewable energies providing hydropower, solar energy, biomass, wind energy and geothermal sources. The major energy resource available in the Alpine Region is hydropower, being one of the most important energy economic components. It is already used intensively in over 100 large hydroelectric plants with a total capacity of more than 28 Gigawatts [GW]. Added to this, the high number of smaller hydroelectric plants also has an impact on the Alpine ecosystem. In particular, hydropower has a high potential as an energy storage system (the ‘battery’ function – pumped storage hydropower). However, a balance of interests between energy policy, nature protection and land use purposes is crucial for the further prosperous development of the Region, also taking into account the different needs in mountain regions and plains.

The Alpine Region will make a long-term contribution to meeting Europe’s energy needs and at the same time people in that Region need to have sufficient energy resources at their disposal to improve local living conditions and economic productivity.

The need for action and its spatial macro-regional relevance

This action addresses the entire EUSALP Alpine area, whereas in particular the solidarity aspect is relevant between rural and urban areas at a regional scale but also on a wider scale between core and peri-Alpine areas.

The European Union has developed a comprehensive energy efficiency framework (COM(2014) 520 final) that rests on an indicative headline target of 20 % of energy savings by 2020 and is currently comprised of the EU Energy Efficiency Directive (Directive 2012/27/EU of the European Parliament and the Council of 25 October 2012 on energy efficiency). As regards energy efficiency, an unbalanced expertise in the territory of the Alpine Region can be identified. In some areas of the Region there is world-leading know-how, whereas in other parts this still needs to be developed. This knowledge could be transferred thanks to a comparable territorial setting. A certain number of possible projects have the potential for visible short-term results. This will also help to raise political visibility in order to increase energy efficiency in the whole EUSALP territory. In addition to small-scale projects, the promotion of energy efficiency requires a wider framework which provides the needed legislative and financial support for the development of sustainable energy solutions. Support schemes and the legislative framework aimed at addressing non-financial barriers to energy efficiency differ from one country to the other, and not all countries in the Alpine Region have equally supportive policy frameworks. A crucial aspect of this action will be the setting of new impulses and leverage effects by combining currently individual measures to one integrated action (‘Energy efficient Alps’).

According to the Energy Union Package (COM(2015) 80 final), the European Union is committed to becoming the world leader in renewable energy, the global hub for developing the next generation of technically advanced and competitive renewable energies. The EU has also set an EU target of at least 27 % for the share of renewable energy consumed in the EU in 2030. In the Alps, the coverage of energy demands by renewable resources with the aim of carbon-free production is a top priority. The Alpine Region is an ideal region to reach energy autonomy. In the light of the aim of developing into a model region for renewable energy, in a united exchange between the mountain area and the plains, it is of high importance to make use of the renewable energy resources in a smart way. This means taking into account ecological, economical and land use aspects but also considering social trade-offs. The acceptance within the population of the whole EUSALP territory is essential.

Resource efficiency requires well-functioning networks, interconnections and interoperability. The action will help identify how developments in energy efficiency and renewable energy drive investment needs in energy infrastructure. Cross-border cooperation in the planning and development of energy infrastructure is addressed through national and European network development plans and the action will give useful feedback to these processes, e.g. in terms of helping to ensure that energy networks are suitably prepared for renewable energy.

The table below provides an overview of examples of possible projects:

Examples of indicators and targets:

Links with other objectives

The objective ‘A more inclusive environmental framework and renewable and reliable energy solutions for the future’ runs across the other three objectives of the Strategy. Its aim is to limit the ecological footprint of, for example, transport and energy projects.

Another link to the other objectives is that it directs attention to how environmental quality can ultimately enhance prospects for smart and inclusive growth under the other objectives, for example making the Alps a circular economy hotspot and a case-study for other macro-regions. Furthermore, it contributes to sustainable nature-based tourism by ensuring preservation of natural resources and the cultural heritage on which tourism depends.

This objective also contributes to bolstering the resilience of macro-region’s economies and societies in the face of existing and/or potential impacts of climate change. Among others, changes in temperature, precipitation and the frequency of extreme weather events will affect future energy production, transmission and consumption in the Alpine Region. Therefore climate change adaptation measures are required to increase the resilience of the energy sector at both the large-scale and household levels to changing climate conditions. Another strong link to the first objective, which comes from the Europe 2020 Strategy, is that investing in cleaner, low-carbon technologies will help our environment, contribute to fighting climate change and create new business and employment opportunities. There are other concrete conjunctions that concern the three other objectives even-handedly. An example is that the issue of ecological connectivity could be combined with ‘connectivity-actions’ in the areas of transport, social connectivity and jobs creation. This would mean developing the Alpine area from a territory of barriers to a connected roof of Europe. In sum, economic activity and transport have a significant impact on the environment in the macro-region; there are therefore strong links to the three other objectives of the Strategy.

Support for the Europe 2020 Strategy

The actions envisaged are expected to contribute to attaining a good ecological and environmental status for the whole ecosystems by 2020. Therefore, this policy area strongly supports the Europe 2020 Strategy:

It contributes to smart growth by strengthening of technical and scientific capacities and establishment of common platforms and innovative solutions for research, observation and monitoring. The Strategy is also in line with the flagship initiative ‘Innovation Union’. With this initiative the Commission declared a strategic research agenda focused on challenges such as climate change and resource efficiency, environmentally-friendly production methods and land management, and to enhance joint programming with Member States and regions.

It contributes to sustainable growth, in particular to the objectives of ‘A resource-efficient Europe – Flagship initiative under the Europe 2020 Strategy’. The actions under this policy area will support efficient and sustainable use of natural resources, including preservation of biodiversity, habitats, ecosystems, water and minerals and will contribute to minimising the impact of climate change on ecosystems. Close cooperation with the Network of Energy and Managing Authorities (EMA), which brings together representatives from national energy authorities and from Managing Authorities and with the European Network of Environmental Authorities for the Cohesion Policy (ENEA), can contribute to sustainable growth.

It contributes to inclusive growth by promoting stakeholder involvement in exploring sustainable options, including the involvement notably of farmers and all other relevant actors, thereby ensuring the economic and social sustainability of actions. Moreover, investments in the area of the third objective can provide great returns for the population of the macro-region in terms of growth and jobs.

Taking appropriate actions to address environmental and energy issues faced by the macro-region will contribute to implementing the EU Environmental and Energy acquis and policy documents, in particular the Habitats and Birds Directives, the Water Framework Directive, the 7th Environment Action Programme, and the Biodiversity, Green Infrastructure, Soil, Forest Climate Change Adaptation Strategies, the Energy Union Package, the Energy Efficiency Communication 2014, the Energy Efficiency Directive and the Renewable Energy Directive. Furthermore, these actions contribute to the implementation of the Alpine Convention, which is also part of the EU environmental acquis, as the EU, together with all the countries involved in the Strategy, is a Contracting Party, and to most of its thematic protocols 33 and related documents, such as the Climate Change Declaration and Action Plan 34 .

Bottlenecks and challenges

Measures

Indicator and target

Getting a stronger political leadership and decision-making process

Organise Alpine ministers meetings on a regular basis

At least one ministerial meeting/year

Maintaining political support during the implementation phase of the Strategy to ensure effective delivery

Deliver a clear mandate and appropriate time and resources to key partners (coordination and implementation level)

Resources allocated by ministries/regions for implementing the Strategy (minimum: one FTE for each State/Region for coordination, one for implementation)

Avoid compartmentalisation between sectorial policies

National Coordinators to ensure sectorial dialogue; plan and organise cross-sectorial meetings

Number of cross- sectorial meetings leading to improved practices/actions

Ensuring strategic approach and reaching the targets

Continuous monitoring of progress. Alert governance body of risks of deviation in targets or the emergence of a problem or a bottleneck

Number of recommendations made by the coordinators group discussed and solved at ministerial level

Difficulties in reaching a common solution

Providing conflict management mechanisms; Providing solutions or procedures to deal with ‘competing demands’ among different areas or actors

Number of recommendations made by the coordinators group discussed and solved at ministerial level

Lack of financial resources

Ensuring the embedding of EUSALP into the programmes for the 2014-2020 financial cycles and the mobilisation of the relevant EU funds and of other national/regional/local available resources to support the implementation of the Strategy and the achievement of its objectives

Number of programmes mobilising funds or selection criteria for EUSALP actions/projects (target to be defined)

Keep all interested stakeholders (transnational, regional and local level) involved in the implementation

Constantly raising awareness; organise publicity and divulgence actions; create a stakeholders’ platform to structure debate

Creation of a stakeholders’ platform: 1

Number of divulgence actions organised

EIB signatures 2010-2014 in the Alps regions

Italy, Germany and France: operations recorded under a region concerned including part of multi-regional ‘splittable’ projects

Austria, Slovenia, Liechtenstein and Switzerland: all operations signed in these countries

Country (Alps regions)

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Total

Member States

Austria

1478.5

2020.0

1049.6

2416.6

1495.9

8460.6

France

455.9

134.0

526.0

903.7

1205.4

3224.9

Germany

373.0

974.2

420.9

100.5

466.6

2335.1

Italy

2149.3

2393.3

1996.0

3709.7

3139.4

13387.6

Slovenia

733.0

335.0

620.0

480.0

111.0

2279.0

Member States

5189.7

5856.4

4612.5

7610.5

6418.2

29687.3

EFTA

Liechtenstein

11.3

11.3

Switzerland

30.0

31.5

32.4

93.9

EFTA

30.0

31.5

43.7

105.2

Total

5189.7

5886.4

4644.0

7654.2

6418.2

29792.5

Complement for France Italy and Germany: EIB credit-line allocations 2010-2014

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Total

France

1.1

1.3

14.2

2.8

19.4

Country - Alps regions

Germany

124.0

61.0

7.6

42.4

15.2

250.1

Italy

564.6

105.4

334.1

112.9

93.3

1 210.3

Total

689.7

167.6

341.7

169.5

111.3

1 479.8

TOTAL

Country (Alps regions)

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Total

Member States

Austria

1 478.5

2 020.0

1 049.6

2 416.6

1 495.9

8 460.6

France

457.0

135.3

526.0

917.9

1 208.2

3 244.3

Germany

497.0

1 035.2

428.4

142.9

481.8

2 585.2

Italy

2 713.9

2 498.6

2 330.1

3 822.7

3 232.6

14 597.9

Slovenia

733.0

335.0

620.0

480.0

111.0

2279.0

Member States

5 879.4

6 024.0

4 954.2

7 780.0

6 529.5

31 167.1

EFTA

Liechtenstein

11.3

11.3

Switzerland

30.0

31.5

32.4

93.9

EFTA

30.0

31.5

43.7

105.2

Total

5 879.4

6 054.0

4 985.7

7 823.7

6 529.5

31 272.3

Composite infrastructure

116.5

0 %

Credit lines

2 812.25

9 %

Education

1 057.9

4 %

Health

715.5

2 %

Industry

6 138.856

21 %

Services

1 167

4 %

Telecommunications

321.89

1 %

Transport

8 145.637

27 %

Energy

5 637.339

19 %

Solid waste

101.9375

0 %

Urban development

1 214.8

4 %

Water, sewerage

2 362.9

8 %

TOTAL

29 792.51

By priorities

Economy

10 118.11

34 %

Education & Health & Others

1 889.9

6 %

TOTAL 1

12 008.01

40 %

Transports

8 145.637

27 %

Telecommunications

321.89

1 %

TOTAL 2

8467.527

28 %

Energy

5 637.339

19 %

Environment & Urban development

3 679.638

12 %

TOTAL 3

9 316.977

31 %

TOTAL

29 792.51

Economy

10 118.11

34 %

Transports & telecommunications

8 467.527

28 %

Env. urban & social infrastructures

11 206.88

38 %