Odo Matthias Zurker Promotion of regional development through inter-regional co-operation with the Accession Countries of the Enlargement of the European Union The example of the South West of England region Materialien zur Regionalentwicklung und Raumordnung Band 10 Herausgeber Prof. Dr. Gabi Troeger-Weift Technische Universitat Kaiserslautern 2004
Table of contents List of figures List of tables List of abbreviations X XI XII Summary of contents Kurzfassung (summary of contents, German version) XV XXI Introduction 1 1 Background and importance of the subject 1 2 Aim and scope 2 3 Research questions and methodology 2 Part A: Methodological and conceptual fundamentals 7 1 Methodological Fundamentals 7 1.1 Strategic analyses 7 1.1.1 Structural analyses 8 1.1.2 Strengths-weaknesses analyses 9 1.2 Social empirical research 11 1.2.1 Quantitative questioning 14 1.2.2 Qualitative questioning 15 2 Conceptual Fundamentals 17 2.1 Definitions 17 2.1.1 Region 17 2.1.2 Regional development 18 2.1.3 Co-operation 19 2.2 Present trends, models and concepts of regional development 20 2.2.1 Trends 21 2.2.1.1 Formal vs. informal instruments 21 2.2.1.2 Project orientated regional development 22 2.2.1.3 From 'top-down' to 'bottom-up' 22 2.2.1.4 Regional development through incubators 23 2.2.1.5 Sustainable regional development 23 2.2.2 Models 24 2.2.3 Concepts 24 2.2.3.1 Concept of innovative milieus 24 2.2.3.2 Concept of clusters 25 2.3 Inter-regional co-operation - general aspects and possible effects 25 2.4 Main characteristics of the political-administrative structure of EU 27 2.4.1 The three pillars of the European Union 28 2.4.1.1 The European Community 28 2.4.1.2 The common foreign and security policy 29 V
2.4.1.3 The police and judicial co-operation in criminal matters 30 2.4.2 Institutional system of the European Union 30 2.4.2.1 European Parliament 31 2.4.2.2 Council of the European Union 32 2.4.2.3 European Commission 33 2.4.2.4 European Council 34 3 Conclusions 35 Part B: The Enlargement of the European Union - from a Union of 15 to 25 Member States 37 1 Important objects with regard to Enlargement 37 1.1 EU Regional Policy 37 1.1.1 Structural Funds 38 1.1.2 Cohesion Fund 40 1.2 The role/significance of regions within the European Union 40 1.3 The role/ significance of regional development within the European Union 41 1.4 The role/ significance of (inter-regional) co-operation within the European Union 42 2 Previous Enlargements of the EEC/ EU 43 3 The current Enlargement 44 3.1 Overall course 44 3.2 The negotiation process 47 3.3 The pre-accession strategy 48 3.3.1 Europe and Association Agreements 49 3.3.2 Accession Partnerships and NPAA 50 3.3.3 Pre-accession assistance 50 3.3.4 Opening of/ participation in European Community programmes and agencies 51 3.4 The EU preparing for Enlargement 52 3.4.1 The Agenda 2000 52 3.4.2 The Nice Treaty 53 3.4.3 The reform of the Common Agricultural Policy 55 3.4.4 The European Constitution 55 3.5 Expected impacts of Enlargement 56 3.5.1 Political and social impacts of Enlargement 56 3.5.2 Impacts of Enlargement on economy 57 3.5.3 Impacts of Enlargement on migration 60 3.5.4 Impacts of Enlargement on CAP/ EU Regional Policy 62 3.5.5 Impact of Enlargement on regions 64 4 Conclusions 65 Part C: The South West of England 67 1 The political-administrative system of the United Kingdom 67 VI
1.1 The national level (United Kingdom) 67 1.2 The regional level (England) 68 1.2.1 Government Offices for the Regions 69 1.2.2 Regional Development Agencies 69 1.2.3 Regional Chambers 69 1.3 The sub-regional/ local level (England) 70 2 Specific objects' role/ significance within the English administrative system 70 2.1 The role/ significance of regions within the English administrative system 70 2.2 The role/ significance of regional development within the English administrative system 72 2.3 The role/ significance of (inter-regional) co-operation within the English administrative system 73 3 Structural analysis of the South West of England region 74 3.1 General information/ administrative structure 74 3.2 Spatial structure 76 3.3 Landscape, environment and cultural heritage 78 3.4 Demographic aspects 79 3.5 Economic structure 83 3.6 Transport/accessibility 90 3.7 European Funding 91 4 Current co-operations of the South West of England region 92 4.1 Form and content of the questionnaire 92 4.2 Addressed actors 93 4.3 Key findings of the questionnaire 93 4.4 Current co-operations 97 5 SWOT analysis of the South West of England region 98 5.1 Strengths/ weaknesses of the South West of England region 99 5.1.3 Specific strengths of the South West of England region 99 5.1.2 Specific weaknesses of the South West of England region 100 5.2 Opportunities/ threats for the future development 102 5.2.1 Opportunities for the future development 102 5.2.2 Threats for the future development 103 6 Conclusions 104 Part D: The identification and analysis of the best corresponding region to the South West of England 107 1 Identification of the best corresponding region to the South West of England...107 1.1 Methodology of the identification and selection process 107 1.2 Formulation of criteria for the indicators of the identification process 109 VII
1.3 Identification of corresponding regions to the South West 112 1.3.1 Spatial structure 112 1.3.2 Economy 113 1.3.3 Labour market 114 1.3.4 Demography 115 1.4 Comparison of the most corresponding regions to the South West 116 1.5 Selection of the overall best corresponding region to the South West 123 2 Analysis of the best corresponding region to the South West of England 124 2.1 The political-administrative system of Poland 125 2.1.1 The regional level 125 2.1.2 The sub-regional/local level 126 2.1.2.1 The counties 126 2.1.2.2 The communes 126 2.2 Structural analysis of the Pomeranian Voivodship 126 2.2.1 General information/ administrative structure 127 2.2.2 Spatial structure 129 2.2.3 Landscape, environment and cultural heritage 129 2.2.4 Demographic aspects 130 2.2.5 Economic structure 132 2.2.6 Transport/accessibility 135 2.2.7 European Funding 136 2.3 Current co-operations of the Pomeranian Voivodship 136 2.4 SWOT analysis of the Pomeranian Voivodship 138 2.4.1 Strengths/weaknesses of Pomerania 138 2.4.1.1 Specific strengths of Pomerania 138 2.4.1.2 Specific weaknesses of Pomerania 139 2.4.2 Opportunities/ threats for the future development 140 2.4.2.1 Opportunities for the future development 140 2.4.2.2 Threats for the future development 141 3 Conclusions 142 Part E: The inter-regional co-operation between the South West of England and Pomerania 145 1 Best practice for inter-regional co-operation with the Accession Countries 145 1.1 Key findings of the expert interviews for best practice 145 1.2 Examples for best practice 146 1.2.1 Stockholm Region (Sweden) 146 1.2.2 Federal State of Mecklenburg Western Pomerania (Germany) 147 1.2.3 County of Devon (United Kingdom) 148 2 Concept for the inter-regional co-operation 149 2.1 Results of the expert interviews regarding the inter-regional co-operation 149 2.2 Recommendations for fields of the inter-regional co-operation 151 2.3 Recommendations for specific projects of the inter-regional co-operation 152 2.3.1 Major fields - joint development of strategies and concepts 153 VIII
2.3.1.1 Environment 153 2.3.1.2 Tourism 155 2.3.1.3 Spatial strategies 156 2.3.2 General fields - direct co-operation 158 2.3.2.1 Education/culture 158 2.3.2.2 Economy/ administration 160 2.3.3 Overall view of the projects 162 2.4 Recommendations for the implementation of the co-operation 163 2.4.1 General recommendations 163 2.4.2 Implementation in the administrative framework 164 2.4.3 Implementation priorities 166 3 Promotion of regional development through this inter-regional co-operation - an assessment 167 3.1 Necessity to meet specific criteria by this inter-regional co-operation 167 3.2 Possible effects of this inter-regional co-operation on regional development... 168 Resume 171 References 173 I. Bibliography 173 II. Articles 177 III. Digital sources 178 IV. Internet sources 178 V. Interviewed experts 181 Appendix I Questionnaire Main connecting theme (best practice) Main connecting theme (inter-regional co-operation) Appendix II Indicators of corresponding regions II II VI VI VII VII IX