EU-regional policy in Upper Austria

Upper Austria actively takes part in European structural funds policy and community initiatives. Beyond that quite a number of economical and thematical partnerships exist with different European Regions and multi-regional co-operations, from Bavaria to Canada, South Africa and China.
 

In the period from 2000 - 2006 Upper Austria will receive 127 million Euros out of the structural funds into objective 2 and phasing-out areas, such as the Mühlviertel, Innviertel and in the region of Steyr-Kirchdorf. In those eligible areas live more than 630,000 inhabitants or 46 per cent of the Upper Austrian population. The three key issues for funding are the economical infrastructure including tourism, company investments and a sustainable regional economical development. Due to the objective 2 programme, a total investment of approximately 732 million Euros will be released. In addition Upper Austria contributes to the Community initiative programmes INTERREG III (Austria - Czech Republic, Austria - Bavaria, alpine areas and CADSES), Equal and Leader+ as well as to the innovative actions of the EFRE- and the ESF-funds.
 

UPPER AUSTRIA´S REGIONAL, EUROPEAN AND INTERNATIONAL POSITIONING

Since many years Upper Austria has intense relationships to its neighbouring countries and partners all over the world. These co-operations will be extended pro-actively in the future. Regional and neighbourhood co-operation as important instruments for European integration, will be especially intensified with Bavaria and the South-Bohemian Region (Euregio and INTERREG III), South-Tyrol, the komitat Heves and the states of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Saxony and Hesse.
 

Another main emphasis will be given to thematical partnerships, for example the network of GMcrop-free Regions of Europe, the climatic alliance, the border regions initiative, as well as an intensive economic cooperation with regions of the new European Union Member States which are on the top of the agenda in the forthcoming years.
 

World-wide multi-regional cooperations with Bavaria (FRG), Quebec (CAN), Shandong, (PR China) and the province West Cape (SA), thus with the particularly outstanding innovative and economically dynamic regions, represent a further key component of the Upper Austrian external relations for the future.
 

And finally, the membership of our Land Upper Austria in the Committee of the Regions, in the Council of Europe, in the AER, the ARGE Alps-Adria, the ARGE Danube countries etc. enforces the institutional integration of our interests and secures the concrete implementation of our strategic orientations.