Austrian-Hungarian Cross-border Co-operation

1. 7. Lakepromo Meeting & Seminar April 11-13, 2007 - Aalborg, Denmark Austrian-Hungarian Cross-border Co-operation Management of Lake Fertő University of Debrecen Centre for Environmental Management and Policy

2. University of Debrecen Centre for Environmental Management and Policy Wien Umland-Süd Niederösterreich Süd Burgenland County Győr-Moson-Sopron County Vas County Zala General overview • PHARE Pre-accession Programme (Pologne-Hongrie Aid a la Reconstruction Économique) established in 1989 to promote the economic structural transform of Poland and Hungary • One of the intervention fields: cross-border co-operation • strengthening economic and cultural relations of cross-border areas • bilateral harmonization of regional development concepts • 1995, 1996: first Austrian-Hungarian Phare CBC projects

3. University of Debrecen Centre for Environmental Management and Policy Phare CBC overview • Five priorities: • 1. regional planning, • 2. development of technical infrastructure, • 3. economic and tourism development, • 4. human resource development, • 5. environmental protection and nature conservation. • Grants • each year certain amount of application budget was provided for the Hungarian-Austrian border section in the total amount of 42 million euros • new programme phase (2000-2006): as Austria-Hungary Interreg IIIA – Phare CBC programme • keeping the priorities of the previous phase • annually ~10 M EUR • Characteristics • mostly the human resource development and tourism type projects received grants • significant difference between the ratio of large (mainly economic and road development) and small projects • as regards project numbers: mostly human resource development (summer universities, conferences, training) and tourism type projects

4. University of Debrecen Centre for Environmental Management and Policy Small Project Fund Small Project Fund • primarily for aiding and supporting small-scale local and community initiatives • more flexible grant scheme • comprehensive objective • to facilitate the integration process by way of involving the local participants of border area • to promote and support establishing sustainable co-operation networks • to improve the project management capacities and capabilities of local and regional participants. • 1995-99: the only means of granting where implementation took part at local level, in a decentralized way Most important project types granted: • Economic development projects based on innovation • Transport development projects co-ordinated with cross-border partners • Human resource development programmes • Nature park programmes • Small Project Fund

5. University of Debrecen Centre for Environmental Management and Policy Most important granted SPF projects concerning Lake Fertő • Establishment of cultural-touristic centre at Lake Fertő • Austrian-Hungarian sustainable transport project in the Fertő region • Development of cycling tourism around Lake Fertő • Meeting of landscape and culture in the attraction of Alpokalja (foots of the Alps) and Fertő • Development of sailing racing sport, training new generation • Developments without borders for the nature of Lake Fertő • Our heritage, Fertő land • Co-operation for the development of fish management of Lake Fertő (UD) • "Fertő-land – World Heritage" training project • Tourism development preserving cultural-natural values around Fertő • Common issue development of Fertő-Hanság/Neusiedler See – Seewinkel NP

6. University of Debrecen Centre for Environmental Management and Policy Co-operation for the development of fish management of Lake Fertő • Objective: • To develop an overall fish management development conception for Lake Fertő by the regular and active co-operation of Fertő-Hanság National Park and its Austrian partners (Illmitz Biological Station, Neusidler See – Seewinkel National Park) • Target groups: • Municipalities • Inhabitants’ professional organisations and associations for safeguarding of interests • NGOs • Actors of economy • Main activities: • Gathering and assessment of current data, possible additional survey, definition of necessary information • Development of the regional fish management concept including relating fields (angling, water management, reed management, fisheries, etc.) • Available sources, funds • Identification of the method for the capacity building of regional

7. University of Debrecen Centre for Environmental Management and Policy Austrian-Hungarian co-operation (water management, national park) • Agreement in 1956: Hungarian – Austrian Water Management Committee (HAWMC) • engaged in the joint problems of the cross-border and close-border surface waters and groundwater as well • Members delegated from both countries led by a high stage • Management and restoration of Lake Fertő (Neusiedlersee) is not the only but the main field of the co-operation • Both sides of Lake Fertő of Hungary /Neusidlersee of Austria are under protection creating a trans-boundary national park system • Cooperation, planning processes and joint strategies are governed by the Austrian-Hungarian National Park Committee • Water level management are regulated by an agreement on Austrian-Hungarian Convention on Water Management • In the field of joint submission of proposals to international organisations, the national parks apply jointly • The monitoring surveys of waterfowl and waders are being carried out jointly as well