Brussels, 22/11/2001 (Agence Europe) - During a visit to Austria, Regional Policy Commissioner Michel Barnier signed two Urban programmes for urban development and announced the adoption of three Interreg programmes for crossborder cooperation. These programmes cover the years 2000 to 2006:
- Crossborder cooperation between Austria and Germany (Interreg): EUR 94.6 million, of which 47.3 million is from the EU, 42.3 million from the Austrian public authorities and 5 million from the private sector. The programme mainly covers economic cooperation (SME, tourism, leisure …), the diversification of agriculture and forestry, human resources, and the development of a system for crossborder transport including small infrastructures.
- Regional cooperation programme between Austria and Hungary (Interreg): EUR 61.65 million, including 30.82 million from the EU, 21.66 million from the public sector, and 9.17 million from the private sector. The main aims of the programme are improvement of crossborder cooperation, as well as improved infrastructure and economic development.
- Crossborder cooperation between Italy and Austria (Interreg): EUR 70.4 million, of which 33.6 million come from the EU. Emphasis is placed on: the safeguarding and sustainable development of the territory, economic cooperation; human resources (joint organisation of training initiatives and the exchange of trainees, common use of institutions …).
- Vienne Erdberg, (Urban): EUR 4.2 million from the EU, 10.3 from the public sector and 1.4 million from the private sector: the project is geared to support of SMEs, subsidies for bodies dealing with the integration of immigrants, the promotion of equal opportunities, the improvement of the environment and the conservation of cultural heritage.
- Graz West (Urgan): EUR 4.2 million granted by the European Union, EUR 12.6 million from the Austrian public sector and 3.8 million from the private sector. Priorities are: the development of the information society at local level, the enhancement of urban areas, and communication projects.