EUSALP - Action Group 6
The Alpine Convention, together with the Region of Carinthia, leads Action Group 6 (AG6) of the EUSALP, which deals with the topic “Preservation and valorization of natural resources, including water and cultural resources”.
During the period January 2020 to June 2022, AG6 focused on the overarching topic “Co-operating for landscapes in times of climate crisis”. The topics of spatial development and soil protection, food and wood as well as water are at the core of the AG6 activities. They are closely related to the selected overarching topic, allowing it to be tackled from different angles.
The sustainable use of resources and the protection of biodiversity and landscapes not only have a value in themselves but have also proven to be highly beneficial for local economies. This is especially important for sectors such as tourism and quality food production in the Alpine area. Therefore, the main activities of AG6 concern the two leading strands of protection and valorization of Alpine natural and cultural landscapes as well as Alpine food heritage.
AG6 is also involved in a series of transversal activities, the most important ones being the contribution to the work of the Task Force Multifunctional Forests and Sustainable Use of Timber (TF MFSUT) and the collaboration with other AGs within the strategic priority policy area “Spatial Planning”.
Tasks of the Action Group include:
Identifying and facilitating the involvement of relevant stakeholders
Drafting and implementing a work programme for the AG
Developing specific criteria for the purpose of selecting actions/projects within the AG
Identifying actions/projects to be included in the EUSALP Action Plan
Identifying relevant funding sources for the actions/projects selected and following up implementation of actions/projects, including monitoring and evaluation towards defined targets and indicators
Facilitating policy discussions in the macro-region regarding the topics of the Action Group as well as ensuring communication and visibility of the Action Group
Liaising and cooperating with other AGs in order to ensure coherence and avoid duplicate work on the strategy implementation
The AG6 work programme for the period 2020-2022 can be found here.
Rules of Procedure of the EUSALP Action GroupsEUSALP Action Group 6 Members2nd International Workshop on Territorial BrandsEUSALP Policy Brief
Support EUSALP
The Alpine area is a mosaic of territories, governance systems and traditions. To address common challenges more effectively, the EU Strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP) aims to strengthen cooperation and synergies between Alpine countries and regions. In the framework of the Interreg Alpine Space project Support EUSALP, 16 partners are enabling a long-term follow-up on EUSALP’s objectives and priorities, as well as the implementation of the work of the nine Action Groups.
At a strategic level, the project supports the integration of results into public policies. At the advocacy level, it intends to increase the visibility and strengthen communication with its audience, including the general public and youth. Support EUSALP aims to enhance the EUSALP governance system through capacity building and coordination between seven countries and 48 regions in the Alpine aera.
This is realised in the framework of the Support EUSALP project ASP0300240, which is co-funded by the European Union through the Interreg Alpine Space programme.
The European Union Strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP) is the fourth macro-regional strategy established by the European Union to address common challenges faced by a defined geographical area (in this case the Alpine macro-region) and thereby to benefit from strengthened cooperation contributing to achievement of economic, social and territorial cohesion.
The aim of EUSALP is to promote sustainable economic and social prosperity of the Alpine region, by improving its attractiveness, competitiveness and connectivity, while at the same time preserving the environment and ensuring healthy and balanced ecosystems.
The Alpine Convention has been involved in the development of the EUSALP since the beginning. Already in 2011, a specific Macro-regional Strategy Working Group was set up by the XI Alpine Conference. The aim of the Working Group was to contribute to the overall EUSAP process. Since 2019 the group is no longer active.
The strategy encompasses two main documents: a Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions and an Action Plan.
EUSALP is structured around the following three thematic policy areas and a cross cutting policy area as well as the corresponding objectives:
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Policy area: Economic growth and innovation
Objective: Fair access to job opportunities, building on the high competitiveness of the Region -
Policy area: Mobility and connectivity
Objective: Sustainable internal and external accessibility -
Policy area: Environment and energy
Objective: A more inclusive environmental framework and renewable and reliable energy solutions for the future -
Policy area: Governance including institutional capacity
Objective: A sound macro-regional governance model for the Region (to improve cooperation and coordination of action)
The three thematic policy areas are implemented through nine Action Groups:
| Thematic policy area | Action |
|---|---|
| Policy area 1 | Action 1: To develop an effective research and innovation ecosystem Leader: Lombardy Region |
| Action 2: To increase the economic potential of strategic sectors Leader: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region and Piedmont Region | |
| Action 3: To improve the adequacy of labour market, education and training in strategic sectors Leader: Autonomous Province of Trento | |
| Policy area 2 | Action 4: To promote inter - modality and interoperability in passengers and freight transport Leader: EGTC Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino and South Region (Provence Alpes-Côte d'Azur) |
| Action 5: To connect people electronically and promote accessibility to public services Leader: Swiss Center for Mountain Areas and Autonomous Region of Aosta Valley | |
| Policy area 3 | Action 6: To preserve and valorize natural resources, including water and cultural resources Leader: Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention and Land Carinthia |
| Action 7: To develop ecological connectivity in the whole EUSALP territory Leader: Bavaria and Slovenia | |
| Action 8: To improve risk management and to better manage climate change, including major natural risks prevention Leader: Bavaria and Austria | |
| Action 9: To make the territory a model region for energy efficiency and renewable energy Leader: Autonomous Province of Bolzano/Bozen and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region |
How is the Alpine Convention involved in the EUSALP?
The Alpine Convention contributes substantially to the design and implementation of the EUSALP by actively making use of its observer function in the in the General Assembly (political level) and in the Executive Board (coordination level) of the Strategy.
As regards its involvement on the implementation level the Alpine Convention was assigned the co-leadership (together with the Land Carinthia) of Action Group 6. Action Group 8 is co-led by the chair of the current Natural Hazards Working Group - PLANALP of the Alpine Convention and members of the Transport Working Group and of the former Ecological Network Platform of the Alpine Convention are actively involved in the work of the Action Groups 4 and 7, respectively. Furthermore, the Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention is an official observer of Action Groups 4, 7, and 9.
The Alpine Convention is represented in the EUSALP process jointly through the Presidency and the Permanent Secretariat working in close cooperation with the Permanent Committee and different Thematic Working Bodies.
Climate Change, Mountain Agriculture, Soil Conservation
