Research Project: Implementing the Territorial Agenda 2030

Model regions

Rostock model region (Germany)

The pilot project in the Rostock region focused on a structurally weak, very rural area and dealt with issues of public services, intermunicipal cooperation and the use of digital applications in the context of stabilising rural areas. One focus was on forecasting the development of population and housing demand in the planning region and a comprehensive evaluation of the lower-order centres, the results of which are included in the follow-up of the Regional Spatial Planning Programme. It became apparent that pure economic and population figures are no longer sufficient as a basis for determining lower-order centres in rural areas. Rather, it is also necessary to identify which functions and tasks the lower-order centres assume for their respective service areas. Another focus was the support of intercommunal exchange and the introduction of digital applications in the town of Krakow am See as part of a local model project. Here it became clear how important it is to have committed and convinced people on the ground in order to successfully implement digitalisation projects in rural areas. Throughout the duration of the pilot project, there was also a regular exchange with the state initiative “Ländliche GestaltungsRäume” (Rural Design Spaces), which provides intensive support and assistance for innovative model solutions in the field of services of general interest.

Schleswig-Flensburg model region (Germany)

As part of the pilot action, the district of Schleswig-Flensburg prepared a study on the health care situation which, based on an analysis of accessibility and the availability of health care services, allows for the early and prospective identification of gaps in health care provision. Building on this, an impulse paper on viable and future-oriented health care in the district was developed, which demonstrates the possibilities for action – also including digital offers – in order to ensure long-term and high-quality health care in the future. The aim of both papers is to support the discussions of stakeholders in the health sector from the perspective of regional development by providing tailor-made decision-making aids and to initiate further action steps and implementation projects – such as the creation of a “Gesundheitskiosk” (health kiosk) – as a new type of health and social infrastructure that could improve care in sparsely populated areas. Another focus of the activities was the development of a foundation for a mobility portal that enables intermodal journey-planning and also contains information on local offers and services. One key challenge is the integration of higher-level platforms and information services to ensure reliable coverage of the entire travel chain from urban centres to rural areas.

Görlitz model region (Germany)

The model region of Görlitz is a rural region in eastern Germany divided into smaller areas. Many of the challenges of the district are related to ensuring the provision of public services in fields such as mobility, local amenities, accessibility and rural logistics. In order to better manage these tasks, the district relies on structured dialogues with local citizens and cooperative processes with the municipalities. In the pilot action, cooperative processes were established in the municipality of Boxberg, which is characterised by a large spatial expanse and many small districts. As a result, local initiatives in the fields of mobility and local amenities were promoted through workshops, expert studies and active networking. This was supported by the establishment of a new competence centre in the district office in Görlitz, where work is carried out across departments and disciplines. The working methods of the competence centre and the underlying self-conception of the district as an active coordinator of cooperative district development were tested and institutionalised during the implementation of the pilot action.

Alentejo (Portugal)

The Alentejo region in southern Portugal is one of the most sparsely populated areas in the country. A particular challenge for the region is demographic change, with a noticeable population decline in rural communities. Therefore, a central concern of the region is to develop projects and initiatives that offer new perspectives, especially for the younger population. One focus is the implementation of a coherent digital agenda for the region. This includes modernising and digitalising the local and regional public administration, ensuring basic digital skills of employees and the local population, and supporting the local and regional economy in digitalisation. Another focus is put on the field of education to ensure that equal educational opportunities are also guaranteed in sparsely populated and shrinking areas. Within the framework of an OECD study, concrete recommendations for action were developed and introduced into the pilot action. Identified deficits, for example in the area of digital skills and the mobility and accommodation of pupils, are to be compensated for through cross-municipal cooperation concepts. However, the respective areas of responsibility have so far been located at different administrative levels. To ensure that individual measures and initiatives can nevertheless be implemented effectively, good interaction between the different administrative levels is of great importance.

Walgau (Austria)

With 40,000 inhabitants, the Walgau region is an economically solid region in the west of Austria, characterised by a heterogeneous settlement structure and featuring industrial areas as well as small and sometimes peripheral village structures. The association Regio Im Walgau was founded in 2011 in order to strengthen the intermunicipal cooperation of the municipalities in Walgau. Today, the Regio comprises 14 municipalities. The cooperation is based on a shared guiding principle and a regional development concept, but at the same time, it goes far beyond this. The different fields of cooperation range from joint socio-spatial planning to digital management, citizen services and spatial and transport planning. Depending on the topic and the needs, the intermunicipal alliances always come together in new constellations, develop joint strategies, carry out concrete analyses for cooperation needs, support these with projects and orient themselves to common guidelines for cooperation. Based on the jointly developed cooperation plans, measures are also implemented with financial support from the state administration. The common goal is to initiate active participation between stakeholders and to secure municipal services of general interest for a high quality of life for all generations.

Grand Est region (France)

The Grand Est region is a large region in the east of France with mostly small settlements. In the past, the socioeconomic differences between rural and urban areas have grown noticeably. This is characterised by a thinning out of services of general interest and a loss of attractiveness of rural areas. On the basis of partnership agreements between the region, ministries and municipalities, targeted support initiatives have therefore been launched for small subareas, which are also intended to initiate intermunicipal cooperation. The region is particularly active in the field of digitalisation. Since for many rural areas a private-sector supply of broadband networks is not viable, the region supports the development of the technical infrastructure with public funds. In addition, the Grand Est region offers active support for small communities in digitalisation and promotes model projects to increase the digital and physical accessibility of rural areas. In order to strengthen people’s sense of community in rural communities, to develop ideas and to activate the potential for action of local stakeholders, the Grand Est region also supports a network for the establishment of so-called “third places” of community life. In this context, national and regional funding function together by actively supporting and promoting the visibility of the network and the interlinking of the stakeholders at the regional level.