Interview with
Roberta
Calcina
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Project Manager - SEE Programme Joint Technical Secretariat – Budapest
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Italy
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1. What are the pro and cons of having such a wide
and varied territory under one territorial cooperation programme?
What is the value added of transnational
cooperation?
I would rather turn the words "pros and cons" into "challenges".
In this context, the heterogeneity of the Programme area is
definitely one of the biggest. Being so wide and diverse - from the
projects' perspective - the setting up of a partnership that is
able to have an impact on a large part of the SEE being at the same
time of a manageable size is of utmost importance but also rather
difficult to achieve. Concerning the "added value" of transnational
cooperation, we have to highlight that the SEE is the only
instrument available for developing joint cooperation at this scale
with and between regional actors of the western Balkans and the two
2007 EU member states.
2. In particular, because of such a wide cooperation
area, what is the role the Priority dedicated to the improvement of
accessibility? What are the main challenges?
Accessibility is a topic which specifically takes advantage of
the inclusion of all countries of the Southeast Europe region and
of transnational approach of cooperation. The gap in the conditions
of infrastructure in the area, for all modes of transport and
particularly for railways, is the first challenge the programme had
to face: how to improve accessibility and mobility in the current
situation?
First, it is to be considered that plans for investments, in
line with the Trans-European Transport Network and the Regional
Core Transport Network, "cross" a major number of countries of the
SEE Programme; additionally the SEE Programme does have neither the
objective, nor the resources for financing investments in
infrastructures.
The SEE Programme has a strong role instead in the coordination
among the 16 countries of the area, with priority in the
integration and interoperability of the existing network and
services, taken into account the fragmentation of the programme
area. Cooperation among the countries is highly needed to define a
common approach for regional social or economic dynamics, the
impact on the environment, the creation of wealth and jobs, the
improvement of internal mobility.
The fragmentation represents the main challenge also from other
perspectives: many different organisational systems, with different
decision makers, procedures, legislation, which needs a higher
effort for harmonisation. This affects the continuity of the
transport services in the SEE region. If it could be questioned if
it not is mainly a sum of bilateral relations solved by mean of
cross border negotiations, I would say that instead a transnational
approach allows the consideration of broader goals in the interest
of the whole area.
All this considered, the Programme strongly supports the
improvement the functioning of the existing integrated modal
network and services, with efforts in the optimisation of
procedures and connection with the existing transport offer to
offer a first and fast response to the urgent need of higher
mobility of people and goods and the continuity of travels. In
parallel to this, the Programme supports the coordination among the
countries of the Programme area for the preparation and
coordination on investments for infrastructure. Of course, taking
into account the environmental impact as well.
3. How does the secretariat perceive the SEETAC
project, and what could be its legacy?
SEETAC has paved the way for a stronger coordination among
highest decision makers in the field of transport involving almost
all Ministries of Transport and other relevant institutions of the
SEE region, including all Western Balkan countries. Having involved
them for this scope is already an outstanding achievement and a
milestone in the sustainable cooperation in the SEE Programme area
in the fields of transport continuity and infrastructure
development. In line with the White Paper 2011 (COM (2011) 144),
coordination is the first step for ensuring continuity of travels,
and this applies specifically in the approach of the project SEETAC
in the SEE region.
Its most striking result, however, from the point of view of the
Programme, is having established a strong dialogue between the
countries linked under the project SEETAC, the EU Commission - DG
MOVE and the highest financial institution, and to constantly
coordinating with the ongoing policies and strategies (including
the Danube strategy and other macro regional strategies under
development in the area) for the definition of common goals and
commitments in the region in relation to the transport projects.
Under this perspectives and multilateral approach, SEETAC ensures a
strong impact in the SEE Programme area, which does not exhaust
after the end of the project implementation, but instead represents
a milestone in shaping the future accessibility of the SEE
region.
4. How do you see the development of territorial
cooperation especially in the light of the new macro regional
strategy for the Danube River? What will be the role of the SEE and
how do you think this will affect the next programming period
2013-2020?
As technical body we will implement what the Partner States will
decide. Off-the- record the situation appears still a bit unclear
in practical terms. There are different macro-regional strategies
at a different stage of development but it is not yet clear what
will be the actual linkages to the territorial cooperation for the
next programming period. Probably, the scenario will be clearer in
the second half of the year. Concerning the current period,
although a wide and deep discussion has been developed within the
Monitoring Committee of the programme, what still matters - as a
cornerstone - is the Operational Programme. This is the document
all the applicants should always consider as the real basis for
understanding the SEE strategy.