The ESTIA project: implementation experience

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• The ESTIA project implementation experience
• Dr Leeda Demetropoulou
• UEHR, Panteion University
• Leeda_at_leeda.net

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ESTIA implementation experience

• Greek Initiative European Space and Territorial
  Integration Alternatives Spatial Development
  Strategies and Policy Integration in SE Europe
• CADSES-INTERREG IIC Framework measures to
  support ? a) joint development of trans-national
  groupings, b) establishment of common language
  in spatial planning and development, c)
  development of scenarios and perspectives for the
  spatial development of the area in question.

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ESTIA implementation experience

• Space Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, FYR
  Macedonia and Serbia-Montenegro. Complexity
  reflected in a) degree of institutionalization
  of EU relations, b) individual social, economic
  and political conditions prevailing in each
  country.
• Multi-tier reality but EU membership provides a
  common basis for reorganization of ESTIA
  politics, societies and economies. Acquis as
  common standard of reference.

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ESTIA implementation experience

• Partners (main)
• SSRU, Department of Urban and Regional
  Development and Planning, Aristotle University of
  Thessaloniki
• UEHR, Panteion University of Social and Political
  Science
• Institute of Geography, Bulgarian Academy of
  Science
• Architect National Institute for Research and
  Development in Urban and Regional Planning
  (URBANPROJECT R.A.)

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ESTIA implementation experience

• Partners (observes)
• National Planning Institute of Albania (ISPU)
• Public Enterprise for Physical and Urban Plans
  from FYR Macedonia
• Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning of
  Serbia (IAUS)
• ? Project extended in 2000 to the observers

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ESTIA implementation experience

• Aim Identify components and provide background
  for strengthening spatial development policy
  integration and coordination among the CADSES
  countries. Focus on spatial development trends,
  prospects and policies in SE Europe.
• Objectives
• Comparative description of major features of
  spatial development trends and policies.

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ESTIA implementation experience

• Objectives
• Investigation of requirements for establishment
  of effective scientific support, networking and
  information mechanisms on spatial development.
• Identification of strategic priorities pursued by
  national and regional agencies for spatial
  development and planning.
• Identification of major components for
  formulation of a common framework for spatial
  development policy integration and co-operation

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ESTIA implementation experience

• Six deliverables final one ? Framework for
  Spatial Policy Integration . Description of
  national situation and systematization of
  national priorities in four major spatial
  planning and policy fields the system of cities,
  infrastructure networks, natural assets and
  cultural heritage.
• Project sought to increase positive impact of
  each particular policy pursued by national
  authorities and synergies between them on a much
  broader geographical scale.

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ESTIA implementation experience

• Main difficulties and problems
• Context-specific problems
• 1) Preparation difficulties no database of
  partners. Network to be built from scratch among
  relevant institutions and authorities from the
  region ? proposal made with only limited
  involvement by concerned actors.

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ESTIA implementation experience

• Context-specific problems
• 2) Monitoring difficulties lack of systematic
  implementation guidelines - lot of
  correspondence back and forth with national
  authorities.
• 3) Financial difficulties lack of co-ordination
  between INTERREG IIC and PHARE CBC. PHARE funding
  not for Western Balkans (sub-contracting through
  the Shotton Letter).

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ESTIA implementation experience

• Content-specific problems
• 1) War the most difficult problem but surpassed
  by strong commitment of partners and will to
  co-operate.
• 2) Communication difficulties language
  difficulties, bad condition of roads, scarce rail
  connections, limited number of flights, Visa
  requirements.
• 3) Multi-cultural differences differences in
  understanding of (spatial) planning and (spatial)
  development.

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ESTIA implementation experience

• Content-specific problems
• 4) Transitional status institutional and policy
  void, outside EU framework lack of significant
  conceptual and methodological tools to proceed
  with spatial planning and development.
• 5) Spatial differentiation basic demographic,
  economic and political features, network of urban
  settlements, key qualitative and quantitative
  aspects of main transport, energy and
  telecommunications infrastructure networks, state
  of environment.

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ESTIA implementation experience

• Content-specific problems
• 6) Limited availability of data data not
  available (governments in the process of
  collection), problem of comparability.
• 7) Lack of public authorities participation
  network of academic institutions ? weakened
  effectiveness and legitimacy of deliverables,
  joint convention but not clear policy guidelines
  for commitment.

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ESTIA implementation experience

• Lessons
• 1) Importance of networking
• 2) Importance of complementarity with other
  projects VISION PLANET, ESPON, DAC-OECD smaller
  project.

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ESTIA implementation experience

• New Project ESTIA-SPOSE European Space and
  Territorial Indicators and Actions for A Spatial
  Observatory in SE Europe
• Objective enhance ability of SE European
  countries to collaborate on spatial development
  and planning issues through enhancement of
  individual and collective ability to collect,
  elaborate and analyze spatial data (network of
  institutions in a common observatory with
  commonly accepted indicators).
• ? TOOL (less ambitious than ESTIA)