Euregio reform should reinforce democratic participation
The European Region Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino wants to strengthen democratic participation: Ten years after its foundation, the Euregio board sealed the reform today at the Tyrol Day in Alpbach. Presentation of the new Euregio contract with the provincial governors (from left) Fugatti, Euregio President Platter, Kompatscher (Photo: Land Tirol/Sedlak)
The Tyrol Day at the European Forum Alpbach (22 August) was marked by "10 years of the European Region Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino": Ten years after its constitution as EGTC in 2011, the founding treaties have now been renewed. The current Euregio President, Tyrol's Governor Günther Platter, together with the Governors Arno Kompatscher (South Tyrol) and Maurizio Fugatti (Trentino) took this opportunity to reflect on what had been achieved and - against the background of the new statutes - to look to the future of the Euregio. The Euregio Young Researcher Award and the Euregio Innovation Award were also presented at the Tyrol Day.
Making the Euregio fit for the future
The provincial governors first looked at the numerous projects that had been implemented for the benefit of the population in all three Euregio regions during Tyrol's two-year presidency: from the Euregio2Plus ticket at 39 euros for two adults and three children to the "Euregio goes to schools" action, which familiarises schoolchildren with the Euregio, and the Euregio Museum Year 2021.
This Sunday, on the other hand, the focus was on the reforms of the Euregio founding treaties. Euregio President Platter recalled the "Corona pandemic, which also brought border closures at the Brenner Pass." It is no coincidence, he says, that the European Region is using its strength to leap forward, especially in such a difficult time: "We have equipped the Euregio with a new set of rules - a kind of life cell therapy - and thus made it fit for the future. The reform of the founding treaties has significantly strengthened the democratic elements and citizen participation in the three regions," said Platter.
For South Tyrol's Governor Kompatscher, it is an "important sign when the cooperation of the three parts of the historic Tyrol is put on a new footing ten years after the founding of the Euregio. The new statutes of the European Region provide for the involvement of the municipalities and citizens: We want to send out the signal that Tyrol, South Tyrol and Trentino will move even closer together in the future and that cooperation will take place at all levels."
Governor Fugatti of Trentino pointed out that the Euregio had grown into a "concrete reality" over the past ten years, opening up real opportunities for citizens thanks to cross-border cooperation in various areas - from culture to research to mobility. "Moreover, in some dramatic moments of the pandemic, we managed to reach some solutions in dialogue with state governments," Fugatti added. In the rewritten Euregio contracts, he sees an opportunity to further strengthen the Euregio as an organization. This is exactly what Trentino, which will take over the Euregio presidency in a few weeks, is planning to do.
On the key points of the reform
The democratic elements - according to the regional governors - will now be intensified on several levels: Starting with the provincial parliaments, which roles will be strengthened and thus contribute to the upgrading of the EGTC Assembly (European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation, the official Euregio name), to a separate municipal advisory council for cross-border cooperation issues, to the formation of citizens' councils. "In this way, we are getting the citizens even more on board, whereby the three parts of the historic Tyrol will continue to grow together in the European spirit," Platter is certain.
Thus, the first Euregio Council of Municipalities will already be presented on 30 September at the first joint Euregio Municipalities Day in Hall in Tyrol. It will advise the three provincial governors. Citizens' councils will develop proposals on concrete topics of cross-border cooperation. The first meeting will take place between January and March 2022. Now that the preparations for the information and coordination offices of the European Region in Innsbruck and Trento have been largely completed, they will soon be opened as contact points and meeting places.
In the course of the reform treaties, the official Ladin name "Lia Europeica de Cooperaziun Teritoriala Euregio Tirol-Südtirol-Trentin" was also introduced. The reform recommendations of the EuregioLab, which were presented a year ago in Alpbach, had been further developed into a concrete Euregio reform by a joint expert group of the provincial administrations and provincial parliaments under the leadership of European law expert Walter Obwexer by the turn of the year. The approval process in Rome was started in January and completed on time in July. Thus the new founding treaties of the Euregio could now be signed. The notarial act took place on Italian territory at the Brenner Pass, as the Euregio has its legal seat in Bolzano, while the ceremonial presentation took place at the Tyrol Day in Alpbach.
