CEI Expert Meeting on Tourism “Opportunities of Transnational Tourism Development

in CEI countries”6 June 2013, Gödöllő (Budapest)

Support possibilities of thematic tourist developments through CEI funds

Amb. Margit WAESTFELTCEI Alternate Secretary General

Founded in Budapest in November 1989, by 4 founding members

Today 18 CEI Member States

Different size and economic strength, total population over 250 million

Today, different status versus European Union:

9 EU members (soon 10), candidates, potential candidates, neighbours

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Central European Initiative: 18 Member States in 2013

CEI Mandate: established in Budapest in 1989 as an intergovernmental

forum for political, economic and cultural co-operation among its Member States

Principal objectives: strengthening co-operation among Member States; supporting all interested Member States in their endeavours towards further

European integration; strengthen cooperation with the European Union.

Mission: regional cooperation for European integration providing a bridge between macroregions

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CEI – Regional Cooperation for European Integration

Intergovernmental Dimension (political/economic orientation, organisational guidance)• CEI Presidency; held by Hungary in 2013• Committee of National Co-ordinators (CNC)• Working bodies (Network of Focal Points, Task Forces, Project Groups)• Meeting of the Heads of Government, Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs,

Meeting of Ministers in specific sectors

Parliamentary Dimension• Parliamentary Assembly and Parliamentary Committees

Business Dimension• Re-launched through a revisited Business Forum and involvement of SMEs and

industry

CEI Secretariat• headquarters in Trieste• provides administrative and conceptual support to the CEI structures• overall administration / management of CEI funds, programmes, instruments

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Central European Initiative: Structure

CEI Cooperation Fundfunded by all member states

CEI Know-How Exchange Programme – KEPfunded by Italy, Austria and Poland

EU Projectsco-financed by European Commission and other partners

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Support Instruments available for CEI Activities in tourism sector

CEI Cooperation Fund• funded by all Member States• supports seminars, workshops, conferences, training, in all fields of CEI

activity• aims at favouring the mobility of participants

Since 2002:

• 756 co-financed activities, half of which in the fields of Intercultural Cooperation and Human Resource Development

• Co-funding of about € 7,1 million supporting activities for about € 47,6 million• An estimated 5.000 participants per year taking part in Cooperation Activities

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CEI Cooperation Fund

The annual Call for Proposals for Cooperation Activities launched in spring for activities to be implemented next year

Call 2013 now open, deadline 30 June 2013, for activities to be implemented from 1 January to 31 December 2014

The CEI Cooperation Activities are projects of small scale and limited duration, which mainly take the form of seminars, workshops, training courses, study tours

Activities should involve several and not less than one third of CEI member states. Involvement of non-EU members is particularly encouraged

The CEI co-financing: maximum of 50% of the total project cost and up to the maximum amount of 15.000 EUR

CEI Cooperation Fund – functioning

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Out of 757 Cooperation Activities, 34 are in tourism sector

Half of all CEI Cooperation Activities in tourism sector (17) were supported in the period 2004-2006, when the CEI Working Group on Tourism was operating, projects were developed by Ministries responsible for tourism and National Tourism Organisations:

• Austria - rural tourism• Albania - Cultural Tourism,• Croatia – Quality in tourism,• Hungary - Eco-tourism,• Macedonia - sites under UNESCO protection,• Montenegro -  active & extreme tourism• Slovenia - Tourism Satellite Accounts

Recent Cooperation Activity: International Conference “Sustainability for Competitiveness in Tourism”, Zagreb 22-23

November 2012, organised by UHPA - Association of Croatian Travel Agencies, which gathered travel associations, travel agents, tour operators and other tourism companies

CEI Cooperation Fund – focus on tourism

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Launched in 2004 to support transfer of know-how and experiences from the EU to the non-EU countries within the CEI region

The priority is the know-how transfer in these fields:• European integration and capacity building • Agriculture, energy and environment• Infrastructure planning and development

Since 2004 a total CEI allocation of more than € 2.2 million for overall value of activities of € 6.3 million

Total of 79 KEP projects, up to € 40.000 each

Usually annual Calls for Proposals

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CEI Know-How Exchange Programme (KEP)

Call for Proposals 2013, deadline 17 July 2013

The KEP projects aim to transfer specific know-how from CEI EU members to CEI non-EU members

Activities include: on-the-job training, secondment of staff, study tours, peer review, consultant and expert advice, assistance in the preparation of strategic documents, technology transfer, workshops, technical assistance…

Activities should involve at least 2 CEI member states (1 EU and 1 non-EU)

Countries acting as know-how providers: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia

Countries acting as know-how beneficiaries: Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, and Ukraine.

The CEI co-financing: maximum of 50% of the total project cost and up to the maximum amount of 40.000 EUR

CEI Know-How Exchange Programme (KEP) – functioning

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9 out of 79 KEP projects are in tourism sector

Mostly projects in local and regional rural tourism development, rural tourism, agro-tourism, wine tourism

Example of KEP Project in rural tourism Project “Meeting of EU standards through rural tourism development in Timok

Region, Serbia” Partners: Institute from Slovakia and Regional Development Agency Eastern

Serbia Main goal: to create conditions for development of rural tourism in the Timok

region, in compliance with EU trends and standards, that is the role that tourism can play for improving the quality of life in rural areas and encouraging diversification of the rural economy

CEI Know-How Exchange Programme (KEP) – tourism

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CEI acts as promoter and facilitator of project initiatives linking potential beneficiaries from CEI member countries with European funding opportunities

the CEI has become a privileged actor in its relation with EU financing programmes and institutions

13 projects implemented in 2004 – 2012

10 projects currently under implementation

1 project currently implemented in tourism sector “SEEMORE” project – aims to promote sustainable mobility in tourism regions in Europe

Promotion of EU Projects Co-financed by the EC

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Promotion of EU Projects Co-financed by the EC

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Sustainable and EnergyEfficient Mobility Options inTourist Regions in Europe

SEEMORE aims to an increased co-operation between tourism and mobility sectors in order to intensify use of sustainable transport modes

The project will be presented during the afternoon session on sustainable tourism

Integrated tourism and transport approach: sustainable transport for sustainable tourism

CEI role is to involve regions from CEI countries in the project:

Central European seminar to be organised in 2013 and 2014 in Trieste, in September/October 2013 CEI will invite tourism regions from CEI countries to share experience Please send us contacts of tourism regions to participate in the seminar There is possibility to support participation costs for a limited number of

regions

Sustainable and Energy efficient Mobility Options inTourist Regions in Europe - SEEMORE

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

CEI Headquarters

Via Genova 9, Trieste (Italy)

www.cei.int

cei@cei.int

gostisa@cei.int