The EGTC European Region Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino (DE: Euregio Tirol-Südtirol-Trentino; IT: Euregio Tirolo-Alto Adige-Trentino) results from a partnership between Austria and Italy, involving around 1.8 million inhabitants in a 26,255-km² area. Its members are the State of Tyrol and the autonomous provinces of South Tyrol and Trentino, all of which enjoy wide legislative, administrative, and financial autonomy.
This EGTC was created to support the historical and cultural links and to encourage the strengthening of economic and social cohesion between its member regions as well as to facilitate and promote cross-border territorial cooperation in various fields, such as transport, economy, health, energy, education, culture, youth and scientific research.
The EGTC has two official languages -German and Italian- and includes three language communities -Italian, German and Ladin.
Review of activities in 2021
Tasks: The EGTC carries out specific cross-border projects and activities in several fields covered by the ETC regulation. Particular attention is paid to areas such as scientific research, youth, education, culture, economic and social affairs, civil protection, environment and mobility.
The EGTC has a yearly work programme with nearly 30 projects financed and managed by the EGTC itself. In addition to that, the EGTC acts as a coordination point between its member regions for several other joint projects. In 2014, the EGTC has launched the Euregio Science Fund to finance cross-border scientific research projects. It also provides funding for the three universities of the EGTC territory to support the exchange of students and teachers (Euregio Mobility Fund). In 2021 the EGTC has carried out several collaborative projects with a tangible impact on their shared territory involving research institutions within the Euregio. It also pursued joint activities for young people (such as, Euregio Music Camp, Euregio Summer Camp and Euregio Sport Camp, Euregio Academy), several thematic conferences (including culture with the Euregio Museum Year 2021, labour, and gender issues), and various INTERREG projects.
In the V-A INTERREG IT-AT programme the EGTC is participating as associated or lead partner. In May 2015 the EGTC's board had decided on a proper strategy for the EGTC's participation in INTERREG IT-AT. The EGCT is lead partner of diverse ongoing INTERREG-projects on family policy (creating advantages for families throughout the European region through the Euregio Family Pass), capacity building for public bodies in designing cross-border projects (Fit for Cooperation), and joint weather forecast (Tinia).
A best-practice project with the EGTC as a lead partner is "Albina". This daily avalanche bulletin provides the first common service to citizens of the European Region Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino, which is of high importance for the mountainous region. The three Euregio regions have recently approved the follow-up financing of the project, which in its initial phase was funded through INTERREG.
Over the last years, the EGTC has organized several high-level conferences and meetings with the members' political leaders and administrative experts (economic and social affairs, labour, spatial planning, retirement homes, sport etc.) that lead to an exchange of best practices. On 30 September 2021, the Euregio will also organize a cooperation day for municipalities. With the reform of the EGTC, a new Council of Municipalities will advise the EGTC Board on specific matters that have an impact on local communities.
Regarding the EGTC's involvement in the macro-region, it coordinates the Action Group 4 "Mobility" within the EUSALP macro-regional strategy. The European Region Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino also has a common representation office in Brussels. On 30 September and 1 October 2021, the EGTC will host the yearly meeting of the EGTC platform of the Committee of Regions.
As well, the EGTC has been a partner of the Euregio Tour of the Alps (an international cycling race of the UCI Pro Series), which in the future will be managed jointly by the three tourism promotion agencies of Euregio through a joint EGTC, with the name “Euregio Connect".
Challenges or issues: Not in terms of partners, but in terms of structures, management processes and financial means. The reform of the EGTC's convention and statute, which entered into force on 22 August 2021, has been carried out to face the challenges of the coming years more efficiently and, in the same way, more effectively also through the strengthening of the democratic participation of the population of the three territories. Secondary offices of the EGTC are being set up in Innsbruck (spring 2021) and Trento (autumn 2021). Staff has to be bilingual and deal with projects involving the whole Euregio territory. The new Convention now also allows for the choice of the applicable law (Austrian or Italian) in the field of public procurement.
Budget: around € 3.500.000
EU-funded projects and programmes in phase of implementation in 2021
1) The INTERREG-project Fit for Cooperation (www.fit4co.eu) is a first of its kind project carried out by two EGTCs (EGTC European Region Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino and EGTC Euregio Senza Confini). The projects aim supports public administration in the planning (and partly implementation) phase of cross-border projects in the Italy-Austria cooperation area; in addition, comparative law studies have been carried out to shed light on the overlapping legislative competence of member regions, with a view of expanding cross-border cooperation to new fields.
2) The INTERREG-project Euregio Family Pass, is a project creating advantages for families valid throughout the European Region Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino. The project thus supports families, increases mobility between member regions, and strengthens the administrative collaboration between the member regions in the field of family policy.
3) The INTERREG-project Tinia, which creates a common weather service for the whole Euregio territory, in collaboration with the weather services of member regions.
4) EUSALP Action group lead 4 "Mobility" € 150,000 of yearly contribution by the EGTC, in addition to 110.000 financial means through the INTERREG ALPINE SPACE (AlpGov 2, 2020-22) programme that were requested directly by Tyrol as managing partner of the EGTC in this project.
5) b-solutions project “On safe legal ground", with the aim to overcome cross-border obstacles in the field of cross-border disaster management activities. The EGTC approved a follow up financing of the project.
Staff (situation as of 1 June, 2021): The EGTC has no personnel of its own but works with employees made available by its members. The staff consists of 15 FTE. In addition, there is staff employed as project managers for ongoing INTERREG projects. In addition, new staff will be hired for the information and coordination offices of the EGTC in Innsbruck and Trento.
Impact of changes of EGTC regulation on EGTC: None in particular.
