Regional Centre Programme 2007-2010

The Need for Regional Centre Policy
Urban regions have a vital role in expertise- and innovation-led regional development, the support of multi-centricity and the construction of European competitiveness in accordance with the Lisbon strategy in particular. The global operating environment of economic fluctuations, corporate networks and increasingly international subcontracting necessitates constant open debate on the factors of competitiveness that are in the hands of local and regional operators, in national hands and beyond influence.

The development and competitiveness of regions are largely dependent on the research and development investment of businesses located in the region, but competitiveness is increasingly beginning to be based on the non-technological features of innovations. The technical-economic revolution connected to the new economy is thus forcing not only technology, but organisations, institutions as well as traditional social structures and operating models to change as well. With respect to sustained development, it is vital that the competitiveness of businesses and other organisations within regions is improved through the development of their expertise base. Social and cultural expertise is also vital in addition to expertise based on state-of-the-art technology and its utilisation.

Starting Points for the Future Programme Period
The key objective and target regions of the Regional Centre Programme are specified by law. The starting points essential for the further specification of the objectives are specified in the Government Programme, strategy documents of the Government and the decision made by the Government on 15 January 2004 on the national objectives of regional development. According to the decision

"the government is developing a multi-centre regional structure based on a competitive metropolitan region and regional centre network which will maintain the vitality of all regions and facilitate more balanced economic growth throughout the country. Each province must have at least one urban region which offers a competitive location for various types of business and a diversified local job market. In addition the provinces must have successful smaller urban regions, strong municipal centres and rural regions, whose businesses are efficiently networked both within the province and outside."

The objective decision also defines the role of the Regional Centre Programme as a programme strengthening the competitiveness, vitality and socially balanced development of regions of various sizes based on their own strengths and specialisation.

Regional Centre Programme Objectives and Focuses for Programme Period 2007–2010
The Regional Centre Programme is implemented as part of the Government's urban policy strategy and provincial development. The objective is to strengthen the network of regional centres covering all provinces through the development of the strengths and expertise, the basis and structures, and the specialisation and cooperative models of regional centres.

In order to reach the objective, the Regional Centre Programme focuses on strengthening vitality and competitiveness and increasing social capital with the following focuses:

  •  enterprise-oriented development and implementation of business and specialisation strategies
  • strengthening of the base of expertise on business strategies, spearheaded by sectors of expertise and specialisation
  • regionally and nationally significant development of attractive environments for operations and innovative activity, and the development of a versatile job market
  • reform of the regional and national structure and tools of innovative operations and the creation of new operating models
  • strengthening of the partnership-based cooperation between the public and private sectors and actors on various levels of administration

Efficient implementation of the programme requires a focus on strategy, management of cooperation and networks, reform of operating models and the strengthening of the position of elected municipal officials in the steering of strategic competitiveness development.

The implementation of the Regional Centre Programme is differentiated according to the profiles, strengths and development potential of the nominated urban regions. Particular attention is paid to the national role of large regional centres that spans beyond regional impact, and even their international role. The policy objectives and principles of large urban regions are taken into consideration in the differentiation process.

Along the differentiation of the Regional Centre Programme, the national networking of regional centres is intensified especially in order to strengthen structures of expertise, develop environments for innovative activity and build social capital. The operation of the networks is coordinated in connection with the implementation of the regional strategies of different branches of government.

Programme Period, Application and Selection
The future programme period of the Regional Centre Programme is 2007–2010. The need for further measures will be evaluated before the end of the programme period.

Regions had to submit their applications to the programme by 31 May 2006. Regions eligible to apply included those functional urban regions that have the potential to evolve as urban regions with strong impact on their province, for example by offering a competitive location for various types of businesses and versatile local job markets.

In their applications the regions needed to answer the following questions:
1.        position of the urban region in the regional urban network and its role in the regionally and nationally significant development of the network
2.        strengths and expertise and specialisation areas of the urban region
3.        functional integration, municipalities and regional scope of the urban region
4.        key results of the previous programme period and realisation of the impact objective set for the programme
5.        strategy for the future programme period and correlation to the national focuses set for the programme
6.        intermediary objectives set for the implementation of the strategy and the timetable for their realisation
7.        role of the programme in the management and coordination of the strategic development of the urban region
8.        organisation of the programme and division of tasks between parties
9.        regional commitment to the programme and the implementation of operating models required by it
10.    coordination of the programme with the Regional Programme and other programmes vital to regional development in urban regions, especially the Centre of Expertise Programme, as well as networking between urban regions
11.    relationship of the programme to key actors affecting the realisation of the goals incl. financers

Selection
A team of experts was appointed to evaluate the applications, and it will draft a proposal for nominations for the Government. Aspects evaluated in the applications:

  • position of the regions in the urban network and as a centre influencing the vitality of the province 
  • potential of the region to evolve as a regionally significant centre or as a region networked with regional centres
  • programme proposals of the regions
  • results from Programme Period I

The Government will issue a decision on the Regional Centre Programme and the regions nominated for it for the period 2007–2010 in the autumn of 2006. In its decision the Government will set the impact objectives of the first period of the programme (2007–2010) and specify in detail the principles for the national implementation of the programme. After the decision the regions nominated for the programme will draft the operating and financial plans for 2007 and the related basic funding applications for the Ministry of the Interior.





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