Euregio Karelia Aluerakenne 2000+, Borders, cultural environment and developing transport structure
Funded by Euregio Karelia Neighbourhood Programme 2001-2006

Objective of the project

The project was intended to reinforce the regional planning co-operation between the Republic of Karelia and Interreg Karelia and to familiarise industry experts with the regional planning practices of both countries.

Main activities

• to assess the prerequisites for officials to engage in co-operation regarding regional land-use planning, to eliminate barriers to co-operation, and to increase interaction in regional zoning. • to observe the network of border crossing locations, the roles of the border crossing locations in participating regions, and their structural development within the region. • to assess the land-use principles of the crossing-area environments, services and nearby cultural and natural environments. The perspective on both sides of the border was to promote resident-oriented travelling by making destinations well-known. In addition, the municipalities and precincts in the border area were also encouraged to engage in active co-operation.

Achievements

The project assessed selected themes including the borders, the cultural environment and the developing transport connections in general; the Regional Structure 2000 project's information was also updated. The project created the 'Regional Structure 2000 +, Borders, Cultural Environment and Developing Transport Connections 2005' report. Strategic land-use planning was researched in more detail. In accordance with the project's vision, the borders, cultural environment and developing transport connections were connected as part of the region's strategic structure. The nature of the land-use planning co-operation in the project was preliminary planning prerequisite assessment and barrier removal. The Association of European Border Regions granted the honorary 2005 Sail of Papenburg award to Euregio Karelia for successful cross-border co-operation where the land-use planning completed outside of the EU's borders in the Regional Structure 2000+ project was seen as a merit.