GOVERNANCE AND PARTNERSHIP IN REGIONAL POLICY

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1 European Parliament Policy Department B: Structural and Cohesion Policies GOVERNANCE AND PARTNERSHIP IN REGIONAL POLICY By Herta Tödtling-Schönhofer and Hannes Wimmer ÖIR-Managementdienste GmbH Ad hoc note Brussels, 27 March 2008 Herta Tödtling-Schönhofer Hannes Wimmer

2 Contents Conceptual framework what governance is all about? Trends and challenges of the integrated approach in EU 27 Case studies Recommendations

3 Conceptual Framework From government to governance Politics Policy Only public actors Laws Norms Rules Hierarchy Market Only private actors Approach Procedures Governance societal steering co-ordination within networks institutionalised rules EU as a multilevel governance system complex decision-making processes many public-private actors at different levels of authorities Polity State intervention Societal autonomy

4 Mulitlevel governance system Conceptual Framework Actors EU National Regional EU& EC Implementation model Context Specific context Adaptation Rules, Procedures, Technical Systems Policy development Policy implement. Policy learning Specific system

5 Trends and challenges The integrated approach in the NSRF EU National Regional Lisbon Strategy Cohesion Policy Int. Guidelines for Growth and Jobs National Reform Programme Community Strategic Guidelines NSRF National OPs Local Regional OPs NSRF mid to long-term strategic document programming process with partnership principle give indications on governance and partnership

6 Case Studies Creating structures for parternship... Latvia experience from preaccession instruments centralised implementation system wide consultation process strong inter-sectoral coordation Shadow Monitoring Committee Denmark reform of Danish local and regional governments Regional Growth Fora wide partnership Danish Growth Council link EU-, national- and regional-funded initiatives (coherence between strategies) tradition of partnership and dialogue integrated approach even at local and regional level

Case Studies Capacity building as challenge... Austria inclusive NSRF programming process intense involvement of regional level launch of strategic followup process (STRAT.

7 Case Studies Capacity building as challenge... Austria inclusive NSRF programming process intense involvement of regional level launch of strategic followup process (STRAT.AT- Plus) active regional management Romania Italy concerted actions between national and regional programming documents NSRF consultation with socio-economic partners need to improve partnership in convergence regions centralised NSRF preparation and OP implementaton training and information activities under pre-accession aids commitment to greater openness and partnership

8 Trends and challenges Relationships between the European and other tiers EU national regional Stronger in federal states NSRF negotiations Legal requirements Central ministries or dedicated development agencies NSRF Regions in federal states most involved in NSRF elaborations and even in negotiations with EC applied coordination mechanisms mostly those defined by legal requirements according to Reg. 1083/2006

9 Trends and challenges National regional coordination mechanisms National coord.structure with regional participation national NSRF regional Guidelines for OP Platforms for coordination central government federal strongly depend on government structure Regions are involved with different approaches

10 Involvement of local levels Trends and challenges national regional local NSRF negotiations Member States are formally requested to include local levels but some flexibility! representatives were involved in NSRF consultations more common at OP level than at the stage of drafting the NSRF associations

11 Trends and challenges Delivery hurdles for governance and partnership Implementing bodies overloaded with technical administrative issues little space for strategic reflections n+2 rule little room for the development of governance and partnership resistance to participatory processes additional administrative and financial burden involvement of NGOs and social partners perceived as difficult evaluations as formal requirements instead of learning processes

12 Trends and challenges Governance dilemma Good governance = slow governance Participation needs time + resources Learning needs reflection Slow governance = weak governance Efficiency (speed!) Effectiveness N+2, N+3 Inextricable dilemma

13 Trends and challenges Success factors for the integrated approach strong influence of political culture, tradition of partnership and experience from previous programming periods or pre-accession instruments key trends in the new programming period: institutionalisation of partnerships (intermediary platforms etc.) shift of governance capacities to lower territorial units (e.g. regional management structures) informal networks facilitates integrated approach regional governance

14 Policy Development Recommendations Policies should not be overloaded with uncoordinated objectives that are difficult to merge for programme implementers. overcome programming as formal requirement Programming at the European level requires its own meta-language need to install translators into practice! Interlinking of visionaries, strategists and implementers is required at both Member State and EU levels. partnership requires resources EC should commit to open-ended participatory processes

15 Recommendations Policy Implementation integrated approach should be selective (integrating qualified actors) need to establish communication interfaces for dealing with the outside world. involvement of external expertise and moderation. strategic follow-up at European level during programme implementation develop and promote institutionalised tools to facilitate horizontal and vertical approach. (EGTC...)

16 Recommendations Policy learning phase Monitoring Committees need opportunities for strategic discussion Policy Learning and capacity building requires the establishment and institutionalisation of a guiding process that runs parallel to the SF implementation process. structured policy learning shifted to the responsibility of the transnational EU level. collection, critical analysis and targeted dissemination of good practices

17 Thank you for your attention! For further questions contact Herta T.-Schönhofer or Hannes Wimmer

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