- Client: European Commission – Interreg Central Europe.
- Period: 04.2023-03.2026.
- Budget: 1.867.921,60 EUR.
- Partner: Rzeszów County (PL) (Lead partner); Association of the Carpathian Euroregion Poland (PL); Association of Towns and Communities of Slovakia (SK); Carpathian Foundation-Hungary (HU); Association of Regional Brands (CZ); Foundation of Landscape Protection (PL); Eurac research (IT); EGTC Alpine Pearls ltd (AT); CIPRA International Lab (AT); Brasov County (RO).
- Description: The Alps and Carpathians are important natural corridors connecting many Central European countries. Unfortunately, cross-border cooperation often lacks a common vision in mountain areas. To change this situation, the Central Mountains project intends to implement a common strategy and regional action plans to create functional cross-border areas. By improving governance structures together with operational strategies, cooperation between Alpine-Caribbean regions is thus strengthened and promoted.
- General Objective: Strengthening and improving governance models in the mountain areas of Central Europe, with a particular focus on cross-border and transnational structures for cooperation for solving joint challenges in sustainable development of mountain regions.
- Objectives:
- Enhance cooperation across the Alps-Carpathians mountains stakeholders following a strategic, participative, multi-level and multi-sectoral approach (public, private, non-governmental).
- Piloting new models and structures for transnational and cross-border cooperation in the context of the mountain areas in Central Europe for solving joint sustainable development challenges.
- Strengthening the capacities of Alpine-Carpathian stakeholders to improve governance across borders and mobilize policy makers in the implementation of transnational development strategies.
- Expected results:
- 1 Alpine-Carpathian joint strategy for sustainable development of mountain areas in Central Europe.
- 4 transnational action plans translating the joint strategy into place-based actions across borders.
- 6 pilots testing on the ground innovative governance structures.
- A set of solutions for establishing and capitalisation on governance structures in mountain areas.
- At least 20 targeted events for mobilising stakeholders and policy makers for better governance in mountain areas (8 workshops, 8 road show events, 3 presentation in high-level events: Carpathian and Alpine Convention, 1 final conference).
