Adriatic Governance Operational Plan
The project AdriGov - Adriatic Governance Operational Plan – will provide a significant contribution to the enhancement of cross border cooperation in the Adriatic-Ionian by focusing on two main objectives: - Promote the adoption of an innovative and participated Adriatic Governance Operational Plan designed to constitute an effective governance model in the area; - Implement knowledge-transfer actions to enhance information and awareness on European integration and EU accession with a view to improve the knowledge and skills of representatives of the involved local and regional authorities. Furthermore, effective training programmes will be structured to improve their EU funding management and their administrative expertise. To achieve the first objective, the above-mentioned Adriatic Governance Operational Plan a peculiar political process will be established: Firstly, the draft Operational Plan will be outlined and approved by a Thematic Committee participated by all AdriGov regional and local partners. Secondly, it will be discussed in the elective assemblies of the involved local communities in order to broaden participation and ensure the inclusion of AdriGov objectives into the regional and local policy-making process. As an outcome, this multi-level and participated political process is likely to have a tangible impact in the definition of subnational and regional policies of the involved actors, especially in relation to the local communities situated in countries in the process of accessing the EU such as Croatia. Furthermore, the agreed AdriGov Operational Plan and all relevant approved documents will be presented to a wider audience and discussed with the European Commission as an essential contribution to the definition and implementation of a proper EU strategy for the Adratic-Ionian. Moreover, as its second objective, AdriGov will also provide a determinant contribute to the imminent EU enlargement to the Adriatic by preparing regional and local administrations towards the improvement in their capacity to implement EU financial instruments – in particular related to the EU Cohesion Policy - through relevant training programmes and effective process of know-how transfer. The expected result is an increase of EU funds absorption capacity of the regional and local authorities participating to AdriGov.