regional operational programme nuts ii northeast for the period 2007

Transkript

regional operational programme nuts ii northeast for the period 2007
LiberecRegion
Hradec-KrálovéRegion
PardubiceRegion
REGIONAL OPERATIONAL
PROGRAMME NUTS II NORTHEAST
FOR THE PERIOD 2007 - 2013
November 7, 2007
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
1
Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 8
2
Methodical and Personnel Assurance of ROP “Northeast” Creation....................................... 9
3
Basic Documents and Legislation.............................................................................................. 10
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
4
Analysis of Economic and Social Situation .............................................................................. 16
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
4.8
4.9
4.10
5
Documents on European level ................................................................................................. 10
Documents on National Level .................................................................................................. 11
Documents on Regional Level ................................................................................................. 12
Legislation Relevant for the ROP “Northeast” Creation ........................................................... 14
General Characteristics ............................................................................................................ 17
Development of Economy of the Region in Context of the Czech Republic and EU ............... 21
Business and Knowledge Economy ......................................................................................... 25
Human Resources, Qualification and Education, Labour Market ............................................ 33
Tourism and culture.................................................................................................................. 45
The living environment ............................................................................................................. 54
Traffic and technical infrastructure, housing ............................................................................ 60
Regional development and State administration...................................................................... 69
Evaluation of the existing supporting programmes .................................................................. 73
SWOT analysis......................................................................................................................... 76
Strategy ......................................................................................................................................... 84
5.1 Strategy resources ................................................................................................................... 84
5.2 Main characters of the strategy ................................................................................................ 85
5.3 Strategy of the Northeast Cohesion Region............................................................................. 85
5.4 The issues tree ......................................................................................................................... 91
5.5 Global target and specific targets of the ROP “Northeast”....................................................... 92
5.6 Selected strategy...................................................................................................................... 93
5.7 Relation of the ROP “Northeast” to superior programme documents .................................... 100
5.8 Relation of the ROP “Northeast” priority axes to the strategic documents of regions within the
Northeast Cohesion Region............................................................................................................. 104
5.9 Relation of the ROP priority axes to the Rural Development Programme ............................. 105
5.10 Compliance of the ROP “Northeast” -based public interventions with regulations of the EC
concerning structural funds and the Community target ................................................................... 106
5.11 Reasons for public interventions within the NUTS II Northeast Region with respect to regions´
competencies ................................................................................................................................... 107
5.12 Absorption capacity of the region ........................................................................................... 107
5.13 Horizontal matters .................................................................................................................. 107
5.14 Contribution of ROP Northeast to the realization of Strategies for Permanent Sustainability of
Development.................................................................................................................................... 113
5.15 Contribution of the ROP “Northeast” towards the urban area ................................................ 114
5.16 Partnership process................................................................................................................ 115
5.17 Cross financing....................................................................................................................... 118
5.18 Possibilities of PPP in the ROP „Northeast“........................................................................... 119
5.19 ROP “Northeast“ cooperation with thematic operational programs ....................................... 120
6
Priority Axes and Areas of Intervention in ROP „Northeast“ ................................................ 125
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5
6.6
6.7
7
Structure of the Priority Axes and Areas of Intervention in ROP „Northeast“ ........................ 125
ERDF Financial Allocations to Each ROP “Northeast“ Priority Axis ...................................... 126
Priority Axis 1: Development of Transport Infrastructure ....................................................... 127
Priority Axis 2: Development of Urban and Rural Areas ........................................................ 140
Priority Axis 3: Tourism........................................................................................................... 158
Priority Axis 4: Development of Entrepreneurial Environment ............................................... 168
Priority Axis 5: Technical Assistance...................................................................................... 179
Indicators for Monitoring and Evaluation ................................................................................ 183
7.1
7.2
Context Indicators................................................................................................................... 185
Program indicators ................................................................................................................. 185
2
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
7.3
8
Priority axis indicators............................................................................................................. 187
Implementation Part................................................................................................................... 191
8.1
8.2
8.3
8.4
8.5
8.6
8.7
9
Programme Implementation ................................................................................................... 191
Project Selection System. Beneficiary Duties ........................................................................ 194
Financial Management ........................................................................................................... 196
Control System ....................................................................................................................... 199
Monitoring............................................................................................................................... 203
Programme Evaluation ........................................................................................................... 208
Promotion ............................................................................................................................... 217
ROP „Northeast“ Funding......................................................................................................... 221
10
Annexes................................................................................................................................. 224
10.1 Annex No. 1: List of Cities by Areas of Intervention under Priority Axis 2 ............................. 224
10.2 Annex No. 2: Indicative breakdown of the Community contribution by category in the ROP
Nuts II Northeast .............................................................................................................................. 225
10.3 Annex No. 3: A non-technical summary of the information given in the report on environmental
conditions according to Annex l(j) of the Regulation 2001/42/ES.................................................... 227
3
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
List of Abbreviations
AFCOS
Anti-Fraud Coordinating Structure
AO
Auditing body
APZ
Active Policy of Employment
ARR
Regional Development Agency
CBA
Cost-Benefit Analysis
ČCCR
Czech Tourist Authority
CF
Cohesion Fund
CF
Cohesion Fund
CHJ
Central Harmonizing Unit (MF)
CHKO
Nature reserve
CRR
Center for the Regional Development
ČNB
Czech National Bank
ČOV or
WWTP
Waste Water Treatment Plant
CR
Tourism
CR
Czech Republic
CSF
Community Support Framework
CSG
Community Strategic Guidelines
ČSÚ
Czech Statistical Office
CZK
Czech Crown
CZT
Centralized Heat Supply
EAFRD
European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development
EAO
Economically active inhabitants
EC
European Commission
EC
European Communities
EFF
European Fisheries Fund
EHS
European Economic Community
EIA
Environmental Impact Assessment
EO
Inhabitant Equivalent
ERDF
European Regional Development Fund
ESF
European Social Fund
EU
European Union
EUR
Euro
EUROSTA
T
Statistical Office of the European Communities
EVVO
Environmental Education, Training, and Further Education
GC
Global target
GS
Grant scheme
HDP
Gross domestic product
ICT
Information and communication technologies
IDS
Integrated transport system
IOP
Integrated operational programme
IS
Informational System
4
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
KAP
Communication action plan
KD
Combined Transport
KHK
The Hradec Králové-Region
KOM
A part of the title of the European Commission’s document (title of
decree)
LK
The Liberec-Region
MF
Ministry of Finance
MHD
Municipal Mass Transport
MK
Ministry of Culture
MLC
Multimodal Logistic Center
MMR
Ministry for Regional Development
MPO
Ministry of Industry and Commerce
MPSV
Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
MSC2007
Monitoring System Central 2007
MŠMT
Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport
MSP
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
MSSF
Monitoring system of structural funds
MV
Monitoring Committee
MZd
Ministry of Health
Mze
Ministry of Agriculture
MŽP
Ministry of Environment
NGE
Net grant equivalent
NNO
Non-governmental non-profit organizations
NOK
National Body for Coordination
NP
National park
NPR
National Reform Programme (National Lisbon strategy)
NRP
National development plan
NSRR
National Strategic Reference Framework
NUTS
Nomenclature of Territorial Statistical Units (Nomenclature des
Unités Territoriales Statistiques)
NUTS II
NE
NUTS II Northeast (Liberec-Region, Hradec-Králové-Region,
Pardubice-Region)
OECD
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
OKEČ
Industrial classification of economic activities
OP
Operational programme
OP D
Operational Programme Transport
OP PI
Operational Programme Industry and Innovation
OP PP
Operational Programme Industry and Enterprise
OP LZZ
Operational Programme for Human Resources and Employment
OP VK
Operational Programme Education for Competition
OP ŽP
Operational Programme Environment
OPPI
Operational programme Business and innovations
OPVK
Operational programme Education for competitiveness
ORP
Municipality with extended powers
OSMS
Department of Management of Monitoring Systems (MMR)
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
OSN
United Nations Organization
PCO
Payment and certification body
PK
The Pardubice-Region
PO
Priority area or axis
PPP
Public Private Partnership
PPS
Purchasing power parity
PRV
Rural Development Programme
PZI
Direct foreign investments
ŘKV
Managing and Coordinating Committee
RLZ
Human resources development
ŘO
Managing Authority
ROP
Regional operational programme
RPS
Community Support Framework
RR
Regional Council
SC
Specific target
SEA
Strategic Environmental Analysis
SEZ
Ecological Load Remedies
SF
Structural Funds
SFDI
State Fund of Transport Infrastructure
SHR ČR
Economic growth strategy of the Czech Republic
SLBD
Census of inhabitants and housing
SOŠ
Secondary Schools
SOU
Higher Technical School
SOZS
Community Strategic Guidelines
SROP
Joint Regional Operational Programme
S-RR
Regional Council Secretariat
SRR ČR
Strategy of regional development of the Czech Republic
SŠ
Secondary school
SUR ČR
Czech Republic’s sustainability strategy
SFC2007
System for Fund Management in the European Community
SWOT
Analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
SZIF
State Agricultural Intervention Fund
TA
Technical assistance
TEN-T
Trans-European Transport Network
TIC
Tourist Information Center
TOP
Operational Programme
UIDP
Urban Integrated Development Plan
UNESCO
ÚRR
Monuments UNESCO World Heritage List
Office of the Northeast Regional Council
ÚSES
Territorial System of Ecological Stability
VKP
Important Landscape Elements
VOŠ
Higher Professional School
Committee of the Regional Council
VRR
6
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
VŠ
University
VTP
Scientific-technological and Technological Parks
WTO
World Trade Organization
7
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
1
Introduction
Regional operational programme for the Northeast Cohesion Region is submitted by the Regional
Council of Northeast Cohesion Region residing in Hradec Králové. The region consists of the LiberecRegion, Hradec – Králové-Region and the Pardubice-Region.
The Regional Operational Programme Northeast Cohesion Region (ROP Northeast) is the program
document determining the priority axis of the region for the program period of the European Union for
years 2007 – 2013. The ROP “Northeast” is one of the whole system of the programme documents
prepared by the Czech Republic (ČR) and its regions. The purpose of the program documents is to
submit to the European Commission instruments, through which it will be possible to reach the goals
of the European Union and its policy of the economic and social cohesion by drawing financial aid
from the structural funds of the European Union. For the Northeast Cohesion Region and its
operational programme the Target 1 -Convergence is relevant.
ROP “Northeast” takes into consideration the conceptual basic materials of the regional level and first
of all the main strategic and programme documents determining the general priorities of the
development of the ČR and EU. Those documents are first of all the Community Strategic Guidelines
(SOZS), National development plan of the Czech Republic (NRP) and the connected National
Strategic Reference Framework (NSRR), specifying besides the definition of the main targets and
priorities of ČR for the following program period the split of priority regions between the individual
thematic/sector operational programmes and regional operational programmes. The National Strategic
Reference Framework is subject to the approval of the European Commission and it is a certain
connection between the European priorities stated in SOZS and national priorities of the cohesion
policy specified in the operational programmes.
ROP “Northeast” is consistent with other national strategic documents, i.e. Strategy of Sustainability
(SUR ČR), Strategy of Economic Growth and regional strategies of development of individual regions
of which
Northeast Cohesion Region consists. ROP Northeast similarly like NSRR reflects
completely the changes following from the different attitude to the European policy of the economic
and social cohesion for years 2007 – 2013 and new ambitions ofČRas full-fledged EU member in the
future program period. A part of the attitude of the originator in ROP Northeast creation became the
experience from the current program period 2004 - 2006.
ROP “Northeast” was elaborated in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity it is the instrument for
achieving priorities of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRR). It concentrates on the
solution of the main problems of Northeast Cohesion Region region and on the utilization of its
potential, with accent on the balanced and harmonic development. The main liability for the contents
has the Northeast Cohesion Region or its Regional Council (RR).
The concentration of the ROP “Northeast” region in the form of defined priority axes is based on and is
connected with the global target, strategic targets and priorities of the National Development Plan of
the ČR (NRP) for the period 2007 - 2013. The focus of the ROP “Northeast” contents is formulated
with regard to thematic focus of other operational programmes and application of the principle of
subsidiary and the derived competence pre-conditions and disposition connected with the territory
development. Creating the ROP “Northeast”, the principle of the comprehensive solution of problems
following from the territorially – integrated attitude based on the knowledge of particular condition of
Northeast Cohesion Region was applied.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
2
Methodical and Personnel Assurance of ROP
“Northeast” Creation
The co-ordination of the creation of programme documents on the national level was provided by the
Ministery for Regional Development (MMR), Section of Community Support Framework. Based on the
Act. No. 248/2000 Col., of the support of regional development, the Steering and Co-ordination
Committee (ŘKV) came into being, the task of which is the co-ordination of aid provided by the
European Communities on the level of the state. ŘKV created the so-called Horizontal working group
for programming 2007 - 2013, the task of which was the co-ordination of the preparation of
Operational programmes, removal of duplicity and gaps of assurance of consistency between the
operational and national level of programme documents.
The procedure of ROP “Northeast” creation was based on the principle of partnership, achieved by the
co-operation of a number of relevant regional partners. The core of the organizational structure was
the ROP team consisting of employees of Regional Authorities who professionally concentrate on the
regional development and of regional agencies of regions. The task of the team was the determination
of the main directions and tasks in the whole procedure of document creation and providing
information necessary for the good progress of work, the methodical and organizational control of the
whole procedure of the programme elaboration and commenting individual stages of work.
Additional important subjects were four working groups with thematic concentration given by the
generally accepted priority axes of region development. These working groups consisted of
employees of the Regional authorities, representatives of towns and municipalities of the region,
Chambers of Commerce, non-profit sector and other social partners.
The task of working groups was the active participation in the programme elaboration, comments to its
individual stages and providing to originators professional opinions and information necessary for the
progress of work associated with the problem of a particular priority axis. The ROP team and working
groups were during the whole process of the ROP “Northeast” creation in close contact with the
committees for the regional development of all the three regions, relevant sections of Regional
authorities, councils and Regional assemblies of all three regions and Regional Council of Northeast
Cohesion Region.
The comments of individual working groups have been incorporated into the programming document,
after having been discussed at the ROP team and the Regional Council Committee (VRR) meetings
and either accepted or refused based upon their nature and content. All comments and the responses
to them are available at the Regional Council Office of the Cohesion Region Northeast (URR) to be
examined in the form of pages of Comments and Responses of the ROP “Northeast” working groups.
ROP Northeast was elaborated in accordance with the Methodology for the preparation of programme
documents for the period 2007 – 2013 of the section of Community Support Framework of the MMR.
The main ROP “Northeast” elaborator was the Centre of European Projecting – Regional
Development Agency of the Hradec-Králové-Region, which co-operated closely on the preparation
with ARR – Agency of Regional Development of the Liberec-Region and Regional Development
Agency of the Pardubice-Region.
The ROP “Northeast” programming document was made public during the entire time of program
preparation on the web pages of ÚRR Northeast (www.rada-severovychod.cz) and were available for
comment by the public at large. After discussion with partners, comments from the public were
incorporated into the programming document and are archived at ÚRR Northeast.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
3
Basic Documents and Legislation
The evaluation of the regional specifics shall be performed in the context of current strategies and
valid documents on the regional, national as well as European level. It is important that ROP
“Northeast” is in accordance not only with the needs and priorities identified within Northeast Cohesion
Region, but also with ČR and EU priorities.
The starting points for the formulation of the strategy and priority axis of the Northeast Cohesion
Region defined in ROP “Northeast” were evaluated especially in comparison with the following
strategic documents on the level of:
ƒ
European Union
−
−
ƒ
Czech Republic:
−
−
−
−
−
ƒ
a)
Strategy of sustainability of CR;
National Development Plan/National Strategic Reference Framework ofČR 2007 - 2013
Strategy of regional development of CR
Strategy of economic growth ofČR2005 – 2013
National program of reforms ofČR(National Lisbon Program 2005 – 2008)
NUTS II Northeast Cohesion Programme
−
3.1
Cohesion Policy for the support of growth and jobs: Community Strategic Guidelines
(SOZS)
Working paper for town development
strategic and developmental programs on the level of regions, region of cohesion, towns
etc.
Documents on European level
Cohesion Politics for the support of growth and employment: Community Strategic
Guidelines for economic social and territorial cohesion, 2007 - 2013 1
Comunity Strategic Guidelines for for economic social and territorial Cohesion policy (SOZS) were
adopted by the Council on 6.10. 2006.
The main goal of SOZS is to determine priorities of the Community, which will be supported in the
framework of cohesion policy to support co-ordination with the Lisbon strategy, as defined in the
integrated general principles for the growth and employment and their following implementation. The
financial instruments for the implementation of cohesion policy are Structural Funds (ERDF and ESF)
and Cohesion Fund (FS).
With regard to the renewed Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs, ROP “Northeast” co-financed
through the cohesion policy concentrates first of all on the SOZS priority: “Increase of attractiveness
of member states, regions and towns by improvement of their availability, by assuring the
corresponding quality and level of services and preserving their potential in the field of
environment“.
b)
Working paper of the European Commission (EC) “Cohesion Policy and cities: the
urban contribution to growth and jobs in the regions”
This working paper formulates recommendations to the more integrated and more strategic attitude to
the solutions of town issues. The proposals are a part of the reform of cohesion policy planned by the
European Commission for 2007 - 2013. The results of the public discussion of this working paper were
one of bases for the formulation of the framework and future priorities for the programmes financed by
EU in the 2007 – 2013 program period in the field of town and urban development. In the working
paper 4 problem areas are defined, on which the attention in connection with the economic
development and increase of quality of life in towns, which is one of the important themes for the
1
Council Regulation on Community Strategic Guidelines for Cohesion policy (2006/702/ES) of October 6, 2006.
10
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Regional operational programme, should concentrate. These problematic issues are: transport,
availability and mobility, availability of services, physical environment and culture.
Additional wider topics to be solved in connection with the development of towns are: support of
innovations, business and economy of knowledge, creation of new job opportunities of higher quality,
solution of disparities in towns, effective administration and management of town development and
ways of financing of town renewal.
3.2
a)
Documents on National Level
Czech Republic’s Sustainability Strategy (SUR ČR)
SUR ČR is the consensual framework for elaboration of materials of conceptual character and starting
point for strategic deciding and planning in CR. The basic task of SUR ČR is to draw attention to
existing and potential problems, which could endanger the transition of ČR to the sustainability and to
initiate measures how to prevent these threats or at least to mitigate their impact and to solve as
effective as possible their possible consequences in time. The central topic of strategy is the
sustainability of the development, the base of which is achieving three basic targets 2 , i.e. 1. Social
development, respecting the needs of all people, 2. Effective protection of environment and
considerate utilization of natural sources and 3. Maintaining a high and stable level of economic
growth and employment. Strategic targets and instruments of the strategy are elected in such a way
that they could restrict the missing balance in mutual relationships between the economic,
environmental and social pillar of sustainability. The target of public ROP “Northeast” interventions is
to support the balanced development of all the parts of the region with the goal to reduce the existing
regional disparities and to involve the region into the European structures.
b)
National Development Plan of ČR 2007–2013 (NRP)
NRP base are basic strategic documents ofČRand EU, among others: Strategy of economic growth of
CR, Convergence Program of CR, National Reform Program (National Lisbon Program 2005 -2008),
Strategy of Regional Development, Strategy of Sustainability, Community Strategic Guidelines 20072013 and Lisbon strategy. NRP describes setting the system of co-ordination of policy of economic
and social cohesion and it specifies in detail the global target ofČRinto partial targets and priorities and
defines the strategy to achieve these targets, including their involving into the structure of operational
programmes. NRP provided particular starting points for NSRR elaboration.
c)
National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRR)
NSRR is the political key document elaborated by the ČR– EU’ member state for the purpose of
drawing financial aid from the structural funds of EU. NSRR is a document elaborated on the level of
the EU’ member state, which is obligatorily r equired by the Council Regulation (EC) 1083/2006 of
July 11, 2006 of general provisions of the European Fund for the Regional Development, European
Social Fund and Cohesion Fund and of cancellation of the Regulation (EC) No. 1260/1999. NSRR is
the first ČR document submitted to the European Commission after the approval by the CR’
government.
In the next step, ROP “Northeast” is submitted, together with other operational
programmes of CR. Through the implementation of the ROP Northeast targets and priority axes, the
NSRR global target will be achieved.
d)
Strategy of CR’ Regional Development ČR (SRR ČR)
SRR ČR contains goals, problematic issues and priorities to be tackled and achieved for the purpose
of assuring the politics of regional development in the Czech Republic. This strategy connects the
viewpoint of branches with the territorial aspects of a balanced regional development and territorial
cohesion. It is the basic starting point for the creation of regional development programs and
formulating regional attitudes and operational programmes. The strategy analysesČRspecifics and
also respects EU priorities, is integrated into NRP/NSRR and its priorities are consistent with EU’
priorities for using structural funds. The prevailing part of the goals of the strategy will be implemented
through operational programs specified in NSRR for the period 2007 – 2013. ROP “Northeast” is
covering priorities of the strategy, which have regional dimensions and correspond to the
2
World Summit of Sustainability , Johannesburg 2002
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
competences of regions, or to their possibility of better perceiving specifics of regions and
opportunities for further development.
e)
Strategy of economic growth ofČR2005 – 2013 (SHR ČR)
The target of SHR ČR is to bring the Czech Republic significantly nearer to the economic level of
economically better developed countries of the European Union in an important way. Measured by the
GDP indicator per one inhabitant, the country is able to reach EU average in 2003. SHR ČR
concentrates on five priority spheres on which the competitiveness of the Czech economy is based.
These are: Institutional Environment, Sources of Financing, Infrastructure, Development of Human
Relationships and Research, Development and Innovations. ROP ”Northeast” takes into consideration
especially those priority axis which the Northeast Cohesion Region may influence by its
instruments/public intervention and competencies given by the legislation.
f)
National Reform Program ofČR(National Lisbon Program 2005 – 2008)
The National Reform Program of ČR is a binding political document containing priorities and measures
in the macro-economic and micro-economic region and policy of employment for the period 2005 2008. NRP concentrates on the key branches hindering the economic growth and competitiveness of
CR. These are Entrepreneurial environment, Research and development, innovations, Sustainable
utilization of sources, Modernization and development of transport and ICT networks, Flexibility of
labour market, Taking hold at the labour market and Education.
g)
Policy of Regional Development of CR
The politics of the regional development is the document approved by the government of CRResolution of No. 561 of May 17, 2006. This is the instrument of the regional planning, determining the
requirements and the scope for the specification of tasks of the regional planning in the republic,
cross-boarder and international context, especially with regard to the sustainability of the territory and
determines the strategy and basic conditions for achieving these tasks. The policy of the regional
development ofČRtakes into consideration the demands on the regional development, following for
theČRfrom international contracts and membership in international organizations (UNO, OECD,
European Council and European Union). It serves for the co-ordination of other branch conceptions,
policy and strategies from the viewpoint of the sustainability of the territory.
3.3
Documents on Regional Level
The support of the regional development in theČRis implemented through strategic and program
documents being elaborated on the level of the state, regions; program documents required by EU (for
the utilization of sources of structural funds). The regional policy of the government is included in the
program document Strategy of Regional Development of CR, which is a complete document on the
national level without distinguishing partial economic policies of the government, in the scope of which
the regional policy should be implemented. The strategy is specified in detail in the program
documents, on the national level with the blanket influence on the territory of the state (sector
development programs) and on the level of regions (regional development programs).
The task of regions of Northeast Cohesion Region relies in the conceptional and executive activity of
the local government bodies in the regional development. The bodies of regions represent the basic
building unit of creation and implementation of regional development in CR, they co-ordinate the
development of their territory, co-operate with the central administrative authorities of state
administration and co-ordinate the interests of municipalities in matters of regional development.
Strategic and program documents on the level of the region are:
ƒ
Strategy of region development – basic strategic document orientated on the development of
the region in the longer time.
ƒ
Program of development of region territory (Program of region development) - tactical
document, specifying strategic goals and development activities in the form of particular
measures and project; it determines their bearers and determines the way of financing and
implementation. The program of region development contains especially the analysis of the
economic and social development of the region territory, characteristics of weak and strong
points of its individual parts and the main directions of its development, determination of regions
12
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
in the territory, the development of which shall be supported for the balanced development,
together with stating the problem fields, on which the support shall be concentrated including the
proposed measures, tasks and priorities.
Further documents being elaborated are professional analyses concentrated on individual
branches and subjects, which are important basic materials for defining regional strategies, or
their goals and priorities.
Programme documents on the level of Northeast Cohesion Region consists of:
ƒ
Regional Operational Programme – the tactical document elaborated on the level of the
region, specifying the problem range of regional strategies, for which the co-financing from EU
structural funds is required.
Among the main subjects of regional development on the regional level are:
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
Bodies of Local government (Regional and Municipal Boards)
Advisory and coordinating bodies (Regional Councils, Regional Coordinating Groups,
thematically focused working groups)
Development agencies with regional activities (Centre of European Projecting p.o. of the
Hradec-Králové-Region, Agency of Regional Development, spol. s r.o. of the Liberec-Region,
Regional Development Agency of the Pardubice-Region, CzechInvest etc.)
Economic and Agrarian Chambers, associations, organizations of employees and
employers, agencies
Institutions of public sector (schools, medical and social facilities, cultural institutions a.o.),
non-governmental non-profit organizations)
Subjects of private sector
While elaborating the ROP “Northeast” the following documents representing initial basic materials
were available, and based on them the elaborator formulated the strategy for achievement of goals
and factual focus of public interventions of ROP Northeast:
the Liberec-Region
Strategic documents
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
Strategy of development of the Liberec-Region (updated 2006)
Program of development of the Liberec-Region (updated 2006)
Strategy of development of the Liberec-Region (2002)
Program of development of the Liberec-Region (2004)
Survey of further relevant documents and bases of the Liberec-Region:
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
Analysis of business - entrepreneurial environment (2002)
Strategy of sustainability of the Liberec-Region – working version (2005)
A long-term intention of education and development of the educational system of the LiberecRegion (2003)
Proposal of directions of development of social work and social services on the territory of the
Liberec-Region (2002)
Strategy of the development of the transport infrastructure of the Liberec-Region (2002)
Analysis of the transport condition on the territory of the Liberec-Region (updated 2005)
Program of development of tourism of the Liberec-Region (2003)
Health service policy of the Liberec-Region (2002)
Regional medical plan of the Liberec-Region (2003)
Conception of protection of nature and landscape of the Liberec-Region ( 2004)
Plan of waste treatment of the Liberec-Region (2004)
the Hradec-Králové Region
Strategic documents
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Strategy of development of the Hradec Králové-Region (1999)
Strategy of development of the Hradec Králové-Region (updated 2005/2006)
Program of development of the Hradec Králové-Region (2001)
Program of development of the Hradec Králové-Region (updated 2003)
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
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Program of development of the Hradec Králové-Region (updated 2006)
Survey of further relevant documents and bases of the Hradec-Králové-Region:
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Plan of development of water mains and sewerage of the Hradec-Králové Region (2004)
Updated conception of environmental education (EVVO) of the Hradec-Králové-Region (2004)
Conception of bike-transport of the Hradec-Králové-Region (2003)
Rural development programme transformed for the conditions of the Hradec-Králové-Region
(2004)
Analysis of social situation of social services of the Hradec-Králové Region – Conception of
social work and social services of the Hradec-Králové-Region (2001)
Organization and financing the public mass transport of persons in the Hradec-Králové-Region
(2003)
Long-term intention of education and development of educational system of the Hradec-KrálovéRegion (2003)
Conception of development of tourism (2002)
Conception of protection of nature and landscape of the Hradec-Králové-Region ( 2004)
Plan of waste treatment of the Hradec-Králové-Region (2004)
the Pardubice-Region
Strategic documents
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Strategy of development of the Pardubice-Region (1999)
Program of development of the Pardubice-Region (2001)
Program of development of the Pardubice-Region (updated 2003)
Program of development of the Pardubice-Region (updated 2005/2006)
Survey of further relevant documents and bases of the Pardubice-Region:
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Conception of activity of the Pardubice-Region in: development of human resources, life-long
learning and employment in 2005-2008 (2004)
Long-term intention of education and development of educational system of the PardubiceRegion (2003)
Health services plan of the Pardubice-Region (2003)
Health 21“ in conditions of the Pardubice-Region (2006)
Analysis and conception of social services in 2004-2008 (2004)
Territorial energetic conception of the Pardubice-Region (2004)
Plan of development of water mains and sewerage of the Pardubice-Region (2004)
Conception of EVVO of the Pardubice-Region (2003)
Conception of nature protection of the Pardubice-Region (2004)
Program of development of tourism in the tourist region of East Bohemia (2003)
Conception of agricultural policy and rural development of the Pardubice-Region (2003)
Plan of waste treatment of the Pardubice-Region (2004)
Priority axes and priority spheres proposed in the scope of updating of all the strategic documents
have the factual connection to priority axes and spheres formulated in NSRR.
3.4
Legislation Relevant for the ROP “Northeast” Creation
ROP “Northeast” was prepared in accordance with the following EU documents:
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Regulation (EC) No. 1080/2006 of the European Parliament and Council of 5.7. 2006 of the
European Regional Development Fund and repealing the Regulation (EC) No. 1783/1999;
Regulation (EC) No. 1080/2006 of the European Parliament and Council of 5.7. 2006 of the
European Social Fund and repealing the Regulation (EC) No.1784/1999;
Council Regulation (EC) 1083/2006 of 11.7. 2006 laying down general provisions on the
European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and Cohesion Fund and
repealing Regulation (EC) No. 1260/1999;
Commission Regulation (EC) No 1828/2006 of 8.12. 2006 setting out rules for the
implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 laying down general provisions on the
European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund
14
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
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(hereinafter the “General Regulation”) and of Regulation (EC) No 1080/2006 of the European
Parliament and of the Council on the European Regional Development Fund;
Council Decision of 6.10. 2006 on Community strategic guidelines on cohesion (2006/702/ES)
ROP “Northeast” takes into consideration the following legislative documents of the Czech Republic:
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Act No. 248/2000 Col., of the support of regional development, in wording as amended,
Act No.129/2000 Col., of regions, in wording as amended;
Act No.47/2002 Col., of the support of small and middle-sized business, in wording as amended;
Act No.114/1992 Col. of protection of nature and countryside, in wording as amended;
Act No.218/2000 Col., of budget regulations, in wording as amended;
Act No.250/2000 Col., of budget regulations of regional budgets, in wording as amended;
Act No. 320/2001 Col., of financial control, in wording as amended;
Act No.420/2004 Col., of review of economy of regional self-governing units, in wording as
amended;
Resolution ofČRgovernment No. 235/1998 of principles of regional policy of government (in
topical version)
Resolution ofČRgovernment No. 40/1999 of assuring the preparation for utilization of structural
funds and Cohesion Fund of the European Union;
Resolution ofČRgovernment No. 245/2005 to progress of preparation of the Czech Republic for
drawing financial means from structural funds and from the Cohesion Fund of European Union
in 2007 - 2013;
Resolution of ČRgovernment No. 470/2001 to the draft of National Development Plan (updated
version);
Resolution of ČRgovernment No. 1242/2004 to the draft of Czech Republic’s Sustainability
Strategy;
Resolution of ČRgovernment No. 984/2005 to the draft of Economic Growth Strategy of the
Czech Republic;
Resolution of ČRgovernment No. 730/1998 of Rural Development Programme;
Act No.185/2001 Col., of waste and change of some other Acts, in wording as amended.
Act No.100/2001 Col., of evaluation of influences on the environment and of the change of some
associated Acts (Act of Evaluation of Influences).
Directive No. 457/2001 Col, of professional competency and modification of some other issues
connected with evaluating influences on the environment.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
4
Analysis of Economic and Social Situation
The socio-economic analysis of Northeast Cohesion Region represents the basic material describing
and analyzing the main development trends in the region, in all its main parts. A part of the analysis is
the specification of the main problematic regions, their causes and their expected future development
and possible impact on the development and competitiveness of the region.
The analysis is based on the already elaborated strategically or thematically focused conceptual
documents elaborated by all the regions of which Northeast Cohesion Region consists, as well as on
other basic materials, having been evaluated by experts for the purpose of the following focus of the
strategy aiming at achieving determined goals of the programme.
The socio-economic analysis of the region is split in several main chapters specifying the position of
the region within the CR, as well as within EU. In the scope of individual region parts, the analysis
identifies the main negative factors and tendencies having the principal influence on the present and
first of all future total position and competitiveness of the region not only in EU, but also in the world
context.
The Northeast Cohesion Region is situated in the Central Europe; within the Czech Republic’s territory, the
neighbouring regions are: NUTS II North-West, Central Bohemia, South-East and Central Moravia, in the North, it
borders on the Federal Republic of Germany and in the East on Poland.
Picture No 1: Location of Northeast Cohesion Region
Source: GIS
The following summarizing table No 1 states the basic features of Northeast Cohesion Region, and the
comparison of the stated indicators with the average for the Czech Republic and the EU 27 countries. For the
comparison, first of all the main macro-economic indicators were utilized proving the contemporary state in the
Northeast Region.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Table No 1: Basic comparison of NUTS II Northeast with CZ and EU
NUTS II
Northeast
Indicator (unit, year)
Population count (in thousands, 2004)
Czech
Republic
European
Union (EU-27)
1479
10,207
489,671
120.7
132.1
116.0
63.7
75.2
100
GDP growth (%; 1995 – 2004)
1.5
2.2
2.3
EAO employment share in the primary sector
(%; 2005) of the total EAO figure
4.0
4.0
6.2
EAO employment share in the secondary
sector (%; 2005) of the total EAO figure
46.6
39.5
27.7
EAO employment share in the tertiary sector
(%; 2005) of the total EAO figure
49.4
56.5
66.1
5.6
7.9
9.0
2
Population density (persons/km , 2004)
GDP per capita in PPP (EU27=100, 2004)
Unemployment rate (%, 2005)
Source: 3rd Report on Economic and Social Cohesion
It follows from the stated table that Northeast Cohesion Region as well as its individual parts is deeply under the
average level of the EU from the viewpoint of the total efficiency of economy.
4.1
4.1.A
General Characteristics
Basic Characterization of the Region
The Northeast Cohesion Region is situated mainly along the northern to northeastern of the border of
Bohemia with Germany and with Poland and the southern part of the Pardubice-Region stretches far
into the middle highlands part of the Czech Republic. The urban centres of all three regions are
located within 100 km from the capital of Prague.
Northeast Cohesion Region takes with its total area of 12 439, 6 km2 15.8% of theČR area and on its
territory in total 1 488 168 inhabitants lived as on 1.1. 2007 according to Czech Statistical Office
(ČSÚ), which represents 14.5% population of the whole CR. The average population density of
Northeast Region is by approximately 10 % lower than in theČRand as on January 1, 2005 it was
120,7 inhabitants per km2. The share of the town inhabitants is 68. 5%, i.e. approx. 2% less than the
average of the CR. An unemploymnet rate (proprotion of persons with single or main job in a group of
15-64 year old) as on January 1, 2006 reached 65.6%.
The morphology of region terrain is very manifold with the high vertical segmentation – from the
lowest places of the lowland Polabská nížina with the altitude in the range of 200 – 300 m, to the
mountainous Northern to Eastern border mountain strip (Lužické hory, Jizerské hory, Krkonoše with
the highest mountain of the Czech Republic, Sněžka – the altitude of 1602 m, and Orlické hory).
The continental type of climate prevails. The warmest, mildly dry region with the mild winter is the
lowland Polabská nížina. The hilly to mountainous part of the region is characterized by the less
favourable climate with colder winter and higher intensity of precipitation. The most important water
flow is the Labe river.
The Northeast Cohesion Region may be characterized as agricultural-industrial region with developed
services and tourism. Characteristic is the long-term tradition of some industrial branches –
machinery, textile production, food industry, building industry, chemical and electrical industry
especially in the Pardubice-Region, glass industry and jewellery production in the Liberec-Region,
production of music instruments in the Hradec-Králové-Region. The centre of industrial base is
concentrated in big towns and their surroundings. Also the agglomerated regions of HradeckoPardubicko-Chrudimsko and Liberecko-Jablonecko have a strong economic position. In comparison
with it, there are economically weak regions (Frýdlantsko, Moravskotřebovsko) in Northeast Cohesion
Region. The economic development of the region is limited by bad transport connection of some parts
of the territory (absence of highways and highway-type streets, railway connection of not good
quality).
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
The intensive agricultural production has a long tradition in the region, based on the existence of
favourable conditions for the agricultural primary production associated with processing industry. It is
developed first of all in the lowland of Polabská nížina, one of most fertile places of the CR.
After 1989 the privatization and restructuring of economic base resulted in slump of agricultural and
industrial production. In comparison with it, the importance of the sector of services started to increase
more rapidly. The small and medium-sized business develops. The inflow of foreign investments is
considerable.
Very favourable is the total export effectiveness of the Northeast Region per one inhabitant (3.-5.
place amongČRregions). More than 80% of the export goes to EU-25 countries. The regional GDP
NUTS II Northeast per 1 inhabitant in PPS achieved the value of 59.9% of the level EU-25 (average
inČRincluding Prague was 70.5%) in 2004. In relation to theČRthe Northeast Cohesion Region moves
around 84% GDP per 1 inhabitant. The average wage in the Northeast Region represented 86.6% of
the average wage inČRin 2006. The average rate of the unemployment moves under theČRaverage
in the long term horizon, however, it is differentiated regionally. Gradually, the employment in the
tertiary sector increases, the employment in primary sector is typical of rural district.
The rich natural and cultural diversity of the region, many landscape types, attractiveness of natural
localities and quality environment are good pre-conditions for the development of tourism. Attractive
are first of all the areas with high natural potential (Krkonoše, Český ráj, Orlické hory, Jizerské hory),
with a rich cultural heritage and sights and areas with spas. The rich and manifold natural potential
represents a good foundation for the development of new forms of tourism (agro tourism, ecotourism,
bike-tourism etc.). The tourism in the Northeast Region with its dynamic development influences the
development of associated services and contributes to the creation of new jobs. The Northeast
Cohesion Region is one of most visited regions within the CR.
4.1.A.1 Administrative Division of Region
NUTS II Northeast unit consists of three autonomous regions – Hradec Králové, Liberec and
Pardubice, corresponding to NUTS III level. Moreover, every region is divided to municipalities with
the extended powers (ORP); there are 15 in the Hradec-Králové Region and 15 in the PardubiceRegion and 10 in the Liberec-Region. The region is divided territorially in 1 116 independent
municipalities of which 111 have the statute of the town.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Picture No 2: Administrative division of Northeast Cohesion Region – source: GIS (Legend: Centre of
Regions, Centres of districts, ORP, borders of NUTS 2, borders of regions, borders of districts)
4.1.B
Analysis of Settlement Structure
Within Northeast Cohesion Region there are two important urban areas of nation-wide importance.
The Hradecko-pardubicko agglomeration has two main centres – Hradec Králové and Pardubice,
which are functionally connected with smaller centres (Pardubice with Chrudim, Hradec Králové with
Jaroměř) and represent the basic urbanization axis of East Bohemia. The Liberecko-jabloneckoagglomeration is dominating and it creates the highly urbanized space of the Northeastern part of the
CR. The partial urbanized spaces exist in the background of former district towns having the function
of regional centres of the settlement.
As for the size structure of municipalities, there is a considerably higher share of smaller municipalities
and smaller share of big cities in comparison withČRaverage. The number of inhabitants living in
smallest municipalities exceeds the average republic value. The higher share of inhabitants living in
smaller municipalities is within Northeast Region typical first of all for the traditional agricultural
regions, regions of foothills and Eastern part of the region.
The settlement structure of Northeast Cohesion Region shows the signs of disintegrated and nonhomogeneous structure of settlement and unequal density of settlement. For the comprehensive
analytic evaluation of the settlement structure of the Northeast Region the split to administrative ORP
regions exists, which differentiates internally the cohesion region to smaller territorial units. Their
determination, size as well as internal structure is very different and in many times it does not
correspond to real internal connections in the territory. For ORP units, the sequence depending on the
value of phenomenon occurrence was determined and the lowest sum of these values indicates the
region with established lowest heterogeneity of settlement.
For the summarizing evaluation of seat structure, the following indicators were applied:
2
Population density (number of inhabitants/km territory)
Average size of municipality (number of municipalities/km2 of territory)
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Share of the number of municipalities up to 999 inhabitants (%)
Share of inhabitants in the municipalities up to 999 inhabitants (%)
Table No 2: Indicators of seat structure for NUTS II Northeast regions
Territory
the Hradec-KrálovéRegion
the Pardubice-Region
the Liberec-Region
NUTS II Northeast
Czech Republic
Population
density in
inhab./km2
115,1
111,9
135,2
119,0
129,5
Average size of
municipality
Share of
municipalities
up to 999
inhabit. in %
Share of inhab.
in municipalities
up to 999 in %
83,0
83,6
73,5
81,4
78,7
23,4
26,6
15,5
22,2
17,2
115,1
111,9
135,2
119,0
129,5
Source of data: ČSÚ2007
By the evaluation of correlating factors, the regions with at most disintegrated settlement structure are
identified. The least urbanized region is the Pardubice-Region, whilst the Liberec-Region is among the
most urbanized regions withinČR(together with Ústí-Region and Moravian-Silesian-Region). For the
Liberec-Region the less disintegrated settlement structure with a higher share of municipalities above
5000 inhabitants is characteristic. The region is dominated by the important liberecko-jabloneckoagglomeration with adjoining districts of ORP Tanvald, Železný Brod, Turnov. For the PardubiceRegion the higher share of small municipalities up to 999 inhabitants is typical. The settlement
disintegration is visible within the Pardubice-Region mainly in the South and East of the region. These
are hilly to mountainous and less economically developed regions. The population density in these
regions is above average. The dominant region with the least disintegrated settlement structure is the
district of Pardubice, being a part of hradecko-pardubicko-agglomeration with a high economic
potential, well-developed industry and very favourable conditions for intensive agriculture. The
Hradec-Králové-Region shows as for settlement structure the higher extent of heterogeneity and
disintegration in the South-Eastern (Rychnovsko, Dobruška), mainly mountainous parts of the region
and in the Western part of the region (Novobydžovsko, Hořice and Jičín) characterized by intensive
agriculture.
It may be stated in the total Northeast Cohesion Region that the most heterogeneous and
disintegrated settlement structure is in the Pardubice-Region. The Liberec-Region is, on the contrary,
one of the most urbanized. The differentiation in the territorial administrative districts of lower grade is
significant. The heterogeneity of settlement structure can be seen at most in the South-East part of the
territory, in the Central Western part and peripherally lying districts of Frýdlant and Broumov. More
favourable is the settlement structure in agglomerated regions and in the Northern half of NUTS II
Northeast territory; here, this fact is influenced especially by the lower share of municipalities up to
999 inhabitants and share of inhabitants living in smaller municipalities.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Picture No 2: Analysis of Settlement Structure of the Northeast Cohesion Region pursuant ORP
Source of data: ČSÚ
Legend: Borders of regions
Evaluation of settlement structure
Minimum disintegration
Less disintegration
Average disintegration
Higher disintegration
Maximum disintegrated
4.2
4.2.A
Development of Economy of the Region in Context of the
Czech Republic and EU
Macro-economic Analysis of the Region
After the economic drop and problems with external balance the Czech economy shows in the second
half of the 90s of the 20th century the stabile economic growth associated with a number of positive
trends. These are mainly the stabilization of the price level, continuing restructuring of economy,
increase of work productivity and decrease of the deficit of business balance. Negative trends may be
seen in the field of the growing deficit of public budgets, endangering the stability of economy as the
basic pre-condition for the gradual economic convergence ofČRto EU.
4.2.A.1 Gross Domestic Product
The NUTS II Northeast Region is, as for GDP per inhabitant, among the normally developed regions
of the CR. The development of GDP in permanent prices showed in the last years (1996 – 2004) the
similar dynamics as other regions of the state. In 1999 – 2005, the average inter-annual growth by
2.4% 3 was registered in the Liberec-Region, by 2.9% in the Hradec-Králové-Region and by 2.8% in
the Pardubice-Region in a whole NUTSII region Northeast 2.7% (it was 3.2% for the whole CR). In
2004 (2005), the growth of GDP in constant prices by 8.3% was registered in the Liberec-Region, by
6,7% in the Hradec-Králové-Region and 5,4% in the Pardubice-Region, in the whole NUTSII region
Northeast 6.7% . The growth of 6.4% was indicated for the whole ČR in 2005 (the data are not at
disposal for 2005). The economic cycle of the region does not show considerable differences in
comparison with the values stated for the whole CR. Whilst the limit inter-annual growth values in
regions of the wholeČRare 8.7% on average, the limit values stated by individual regions of NUTS II
Northeast-Region are 2.9% on average. This finding may be considered for a strong feature of the
region, as there are no considerable deviations connected very often with a high share of one or two
completely dominant industrial branches, having a long-term influence on the region economy.
3
All data concerning GDP growth are based on CSO sources
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
As for the amount of GDP per inhabitant, the region is amongČRnormally developed regions; its share
is in the long-term horizon 80 – 90% ofČRaverage. The situation in individual regions is very different,
e.g. in 2005 – 80% ofČRaverage was achieved in the Liberec-Region, 89.4% in the Hradec-KrálovéRegion and 82.5% in the Pardubice-Region. A different economic level is of a long-term character,
however, it is impossible to speak about a higher or lower economic prosperity of individual regions.
Similar disparities may be found also in other regions of CR.
The process of economic convergence of the region to EU-25-average shows a stabile rapidity since
2000. GDP per inhabitant of the region achieved 14 595 EUR in purchasing power parity 4 in 2005,
which corresponds to 62.1 % of EU-25 level (average ofČRwithout Prague is 73.7%). In the last five
years, the region approached to EU average only by 3.8 percent points (the whole ČR by 7.6 percent
points). Latest data are not at disposal. In the following period 2007 - 2010 it is generally supposed
that the current dynamics of growth will increase in connection with the slow economic enlivening in
the EU-15 states. Despite the growth of productivity of production factors, the convergence speed is
very slow and it will last many years before the region achieves 75% of EU-25 average.
4.2.A.2 Direct Foreign Investments
The input of foreign investments and activity of multinational companies in theČRas well as in the
region accelerated in the last years the speed of irreversible economic processes in the form of
restructuring the economy and enabled to the domestic economy an easy entry into the economic
space of EU. Between years 2000 and 2003 (latter data can´t be identified) the growth of foreign
investments by almost 68% was registered in the region (by 42 % in the whole CR). The share of
individual regions in the direct foreign investments inČRis not very high in the long-term horizon; in
2005 (newer regional data are not available) the Liberec-Region had the share of 3.1%, the HradecKrálové-Region of 1.6% and the Pardubice-Region by 2.4%. A completely dominant position has
Prague; its share in total foreign investments in theČRrepresents almost one half. The cause of this
development is the higher interest of foreign companies for the Prague locality, profiting from its
position of the political and economic centre.
The hitherto economic policy of the state in the field of direct foreign investments resulted in the arrival
of investors, being motivated to a large extent by low wages, industrial zones invested from public
sources and long-term tax allowance. Up to now, this policy was very successful; it spared the state
the expenses connected with the unemployment. However, this policy will have unfavourable influence
in the longer time horizon, as the temporary character of the localization of investments depending
mainly on the timely limited advantages of low costs and investment incentives may become evident.
After exhausting these temporary advantages (offer of cheap development areas, often connected
with tax holidays and relatively free ecologic standards) these activities may be redirected to regions
and states offering even lower costs (including lower wages). In future, it will be necessary to change
the direction of dependency of the inland economy on the foreign capital in relation of dependency of
foreign companies on the region, but mainly on the favourable business environment and qualified
labour force of a good quality. The solution is the maximum connection of activities of foreign
companies with Czech ones not only within sub-supplier relations, but also in the field of research and
development.
4.2.A.3 Export Efficiency
The share of the export of goods and services in GDP achieves 65% in the long-term horizon. The
development in export from the region copies truly the similar trend in the whole CR. The export
dynamics was positively influenced by the removal of business barriers with EU states, development
of inland business connections and especially West-European companies, growth of economy in the
old EU member states and increasing competitiveness of the inland goods and services as for the
relation price/quality and high increase of sales of processing industry.
The share of the EU-25 states in the total export of individual regions did not show considerable
differences and moved from 80% in case of the Liberec-Region up to 82% of the Hradec-Králové and
the Pardubice-Region. The position of other territorial groups in the export of individual regions was
considerably weaker in comparison with the position of EU-25 states. The largest share in the total
export from the region into the EU-25-states represented the export to Germany in 2004 with 38 39% of the total export into EU-25 states, than the export to France, Great Britain and Slovakia with
5
approximately identical share (4.8% – 7%) .
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Parity of purchasing power (PPS) is the relation between two currencies of different countries, expressing the ability to buy the
same basket of goods in both countries.
5
Export data come from ČSÚ (Czech Statistical Authority)
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
The share of Northeast Cohesion Region in the national-wide export represented 17.6% in 2005; the
highest share reached: the Pardubice-Region (7.6%), the Hradec-Králové-Region (5%) and the
Liberec-Region (5%). The differences in the share of individual regions in the total Czech export are
influenced first of all by the location of production capacities of companies with the foreign capital
participation orientated almost exclusively on export.
Table No 3: Exports by NE Cohesion Region in 2005
Region
the LiberecRegion
the Hradec
Králové-Region
the PardubiceRegion
Export item
Machines and means of transport
Semi-finished products and materials
Industrial consumer goods
Chemicals, etc.
Machines and means of transport
Semi-finished products and materials
Industrial consumer goods
Raw inedibles excluding fuels
Machines and means of transport
Semi-finished products and materials
Industrial consumer goods
Chemicals, etc.
Share in
export of
region
Share in
export of CR
48%
29.8%
15.7%
4.1%
51%
31%
8.3%
4.1%
77.8%
9.9%
5.3%
3.3%
4.7%
6.8%
6.8%
3.3%
5%
7.1%
3.6%
8%
11.7%
3.5%
3.5%
4%
Source: ČSÚ
In the Liberec-Region, the above mentioned items constituted 97.6% of total exports from the region
(among the most frequent items: parts and attachment of motor vehicles, glass goods, furniture, and
equipment for warming, cooling and their parts). In the Hradec-Králové-Region, the stated items had a
94.4% share of total exports from the region (the most frequent items were: parts and attachment of
motor vehicles, cars and vehicles for passenger transport, iron and steel scrap, iron and steel ingots,
equipment for warming and cooling and their parts). In the Pardubice-Region the stated items
constituted 96.3% in the total exports of the region (most frequent items: appliances for automatic data
processing, peripheral units, telecommunication equipment, attachment for TV, radio, other electric
appliances and machines and other equipment for certain industrial branches).
The sector split of the industry throughout the whole region is different, the only exception is the
production of road vehicles and its sub-supplies, having become a dominating branch especially in the
Liberec-Region, which can cause problems in future in form of inquiry drop. The main cause may be a
hard competition from the part of Asian car factories, or the shift of current production
capacities into the countries offering cheap labour forces and even better investment incentives.
Similar problems can concern the Pardubice-Region, especially the Pardubicko-region orientated to a
considerable extent to the electrical industry, which can be explained by the arrival of the group of
companies with identical branch orientation. The activities of the government and regional State
administration in the field of increase of business investments must be coordinated in future and they
should not have such a significant branch orientation.
Table No 4: Selected economic and business indicators
Indicator (unit, year)
Export value (mil. Kč; 2005)
Value of direct foreign investment (mil. Kč; 2005)
Direct foreign investment per capita (thous. Kč; 2005)
NUTS II
Northeast
330,192 (17.6% CZ)
106,641 (7.15% CZ)
71.97
Czech Republic
1,876,863
1,492,564
145.75
Source: ČSÚ, ČNB 2006
4.2.A.4 Unemployment
The unemployment rate increased rapidly in the second half of the 90s of the last century in
connection with the total restructuring of the economy and incoming pressure on the productivity
23
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
increase from the part of the management of private companies. For the Northeast Cohesion Region
the registered unemployment level increased to 8,1% (9,4% in CR) 6 . The progress of the
unemployment level after 2000 gained unsteady character. In 2000 the unemployment level in the
cohesion region dropped to 6,7%, then it kept increasing till 2004 when it reached nearly 9%, followed
by decrease of registered unemployment rate – it dropped to 6,6% in December 2006, down to 5,4 in
May 2007. Within the entire CR, the unemployment rate in the Hradec-Králové Region resides below
the average level. The main limiting factor of the higher unemployment is the absence of the branches
with concentration of a high number of labour forces, e.g. metallurgy, heavy machinery etc. affected
with economic decline in the past. The stagnating unemployment rate in the last years is especially the
consequence of continuing restructuring of companies and the increased pressure on the work
productivity, efficiency and effectiveness. The region has a long-term lower unemployment rate in
comparison with the EU average, and also with the countries of Central Europe, first of all Poland and
Slovakia.
At the turn of the millenium the share of long-term job applicants increased within the entire CR; from
30% in 1999 up to 38% in 2000 (25% to 33% within the cohesion region). This share had been mildly
increasing in the following years. In the present the share of long-term job applicants has stabilized at
41% level withinČRand 35% level within the cohesion region. Owing to the strong Economic growth
together with demographic changes (strong age-groups leaving the labour market and weaker agegroups entering it) the decrease of number of job applicants per one vacancy has been achieved – in
comparison to the year 2004 the number of job applicants dropped from 10,1 to 2,5 in May 2007. In
May 2007 the most applicants per one vacancy were registered in the Liberec-Region (3,2), followed
by the Hradec-Králové-Region (2,8) and than the Pardubice-Region (1,9). The average in
theČRrepresents almost 3,2 applicants per one vacancy.
On the territory of individual regions, there are apparent differences in the unemployment rate, which
is the consequence of the decline of traditional production not able to compete with cheap Asian
goods (example is the textile industry located first of all in the Hradec-Králové-Region). The trend of
the growth of the jobs in other branches registering the growth of sales and export (production of car
components, plastics, electrical industry, building industry) acts against the unemployment growth in
the last years.
Picture No 4: Unemployment rate as per administrative ORP districts in NUTS II NE in 2004 (in %)
Source: MPSV2005
Legend:
Border of NUTS 2
Border of regions
Employment rate (in %)
up to 7.5
15 and more
6
Unemployment data coming from the Czech Statistic Authority
24
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
An important influence on the regional differences in the unemployment rate has the qualification
discrepancy between the offer and demand on the labour market. The solution of this problem
consists first of all in improving the system of life-long learning, or increasing adaptability of all the
institutions of the educational system to the qualification demands of the employers in the field of requalification and offer of studying branches. It is necessary to change the attitude to the educational
system in such a way that the employers, school graduates and participants of courses and job
candidates gain the position of clients. The educational institutions should apply a similar attitude as to
clients in private sphere.
A considerable influence on the higher unemployment in some parts of the region is exerted also by
real possibilities to move or to commute to work. In this aspect, the higher unemployment in border
regions is visible as well as in regions with a lower settlement rate. The State administration and Local
government should concentrate on the transport availability as not only the unemployment would be
treated, but also the problem of maintaining the inhabitants in the less populated parts of the region,
especially of young people having the tendency to move into towns and its surroundings.
The high unemployment rate is often connected with the wrong system of payment of benefits, high
minimum wages and life minimum, but also with other factors, preventing the flexible functioning of
labour market. Particular measures which would improve the position of employers and employees are
in powers of the government and the Parliament of CR.
In the middle-term horizon we can expect a mild drop of unemployment in connection with the
continuing economic growth. In the long-term horizon, the development of unemployment rate will be
very strongly influenced by the ability of company sphere to react on the growing competition of
developing economy of other countries and directing the economic potential of the region on the
production and services with the high added value.
4.3
4.3.A
Business and Knowledge Economy
Analysis of Business Sector of Region
The decisive sectors of Northeast Cohesion Region participating in the GDP-creation from the
viewpoint of structure of creation of gross added value are processing industry, building industry and
services, having a long-term share of 90 - 95%, the rest are agriculture, forestry and fishing.
4.3.A.1 Processing Industry
The processing industry is one of the decisive subjects of economic activity and economic growth in
the region. Generally its share in the gross added value (HPH) 2003 – 2005 did not change
dramatically; in the Liberec-Region increased from 38.2% to 40.4%, in the Hradec-Králové-Region
increased from 30.2% to 31.2%, on the contrary in the Pardubice-Region it has decreased mildly from
32.5% to 31.5%. The processing industry has at present the dominant share in the goods export.
A number of factors have the positive influence on the development of sales in the last year; the most
important factor is the growing competitiveness of inland production in relation price/quality, improving
the marketability of goods. In spite of the lower economic growth in EU-15 countries where the
decisive volume of export is directed, the interest in goods coming from the Northeast-Region had
positive influence, be it the direct export or sub-supplies being a part of the export production. An
important share in this trend have the companies under the foreign control orientated on foreign
markets to a high extent. The investment from the past paid off as a number of new production
capacities was put in operation especially in the electrical industry, mechanical engineering and
production delivering parts, components and attachment to car industry. In the last years, also the
results of structural changes of the Czech companies and their financial consolidation after the
termination of the debt financing on the purchase of the property within the privatization of the state
property became evident.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Talbe No 5: Sales for the sale of own products and services of industrial character as per
OKEČ*) branches
in mil CZK, usual
prices
Branch
2002
2003
2004
2005
Industry in total
therein:
D Processing industry
DA Production of food and drinks,
tobacco products
DB Production of textile and clothing
DH Production of rubber and plastic
products
DI Prod. of other non-metal mineral
products
DJ Production of basic metals,
metallurgic and metal products
DK Production and repairs of
machines and equipment not stated
elsewhere
DL Production of el. optic.
appliances and equip.
DM Production of transport means
and equip.
DN Processing industry not stated
elsewhere
240 624
276 474
314 431
328 652
114,9%
113,7%
104,5%
229 948
265 831
303 426
315 300
115,6%
114,1%
103,9%
15 965
16 678
17 652
19 055
104,5%
105,8%
107,9%
18 752
18 466
18 256
17 136
98,5%
98,9%
93,9%
13 646
11 174
13 220
14 154
81,9%
118,3%
107,1%
17 142
17 460
19 080
-
101,9%
109,3%
-
16 492
17 871
23 616
24 590
108,4%
132,1%
104,1%
18 123
17 325
21 785
31 441
95,6%
125,7%
144,3%
60 220
81 069
95 001
87 139
134,6%
117,2%
91,7%
35 852
43 756
48 782
50 367
122,0%
111,5%
103,2%
19 527
21 750
24 025
25 987
111,4%
110,5%
108,2%
*) Enterprises with 100 and more employees residing in NUTS II NE
2003/2002 2004/2003 2005/2004
Source: Statistical yearbook of
ČSÚ
Production of transport means is for the Liberec-Region the dominating branch, on which a number of
important sub-suppliers depend. In the whole region, this branch participated in the total sales of the
processing industry with 15.4% in 2005. The branch of electrical and optical appliances and
equipment participates to a large extent in the economic prosperity of the whole the PardubiceRegion, especially of Pardubice surroundings. Its share on the sales of the processing industry of the
Pardubice-Region represents 30.2%. The only branch of the region, where the sales decreases in the
long-term horizon is the production of textile and clothing; the share of this sector in the sales of the
processing industry dropped by 25% in the last 2 years, first of all in the Hradec-Králové-Region. The
development of this branch with the low share of the foreign capital and high laboriousness was
unfavourably influenced by high import of cheap production from developing especially Asian
countries to which the inland producers cannot compete in prices. The share of production of rubber
and plastic products dropped by 26% in spite of mild growth of sales. Also the production of food
industry, drinks and tobacco products registered the drop of share by 15%. All the other sectors of the
processing industry have a long-term identical share in the regional sales about 4-7% with the mild
growth or stagnation of sales.
The productivity of production factors, especially of the work grew very quickly in the last years. This
statement may be documented by comparing the high growth of sales and decreasing employment in
the processing industry between years 2001 – 2004 (by 3.1%). It is visible on this indicator what
emphasis is laid on the effectiveness of the economy and on the increase of the economic
effectiveness by the industrial sphere. However, it is impossible for the reason of missing data bases
to analyze the work productivity as per the proprietary structure of companies. In this case the success
of foreign companies is accentuated generally, but also the productivity of work and the effectiveness
of the Czech companies grows continually, which may be documented especially by their export
effectiveness and acting in the position of sub suppliers of foreign companies and companies with the
foreign capital participation concentrating almost exclusively on export.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Table No 6: Sectors of processing industry in individual regions of NE Cohesion Region in
2005 (NUTSII NE = 100%)
the
LiberecRegion
Branch
DA Production of food products and drinks, tobacco
products
DB Production of textiles and clothing
DH Production of rubber and plastic products
DI Production of other non-metal mineral products
DJ Production of basic metals, metallurgic and metal
products
DK Production and repairs of machines and equipment
not stated elsewhere
DL Production of electrical optic appliances and equip.
DM Production of transport means and equipment
DN Processing industry not stated elsewhere
the HradecKrálové-Region
the
PardubiceRegion
17,40%
23,40%
37,50%
65,40%
47,80%
44,70%
31,30%
23,10%
34,80%
31,90%
31,30%
11,50%
21,30%
46,80%
31,90%
22,20%
26,70%
46,20%
44,00%
36,50%
40,00%
19,20%
32,00%
41,30%
33,30%
34,60%
24,00%
Source: ČSÚ 2006
The boom or drop of individual sectors reflects very differently in the prosperity of regions, which
corresponds to the share of sales of a particular branch in the total sales of the region. This trend may
have a very strong impact on the economy of regions in the time of economic recession of importantly
present branches and associated production. The Liberec-Region is in this direction strongly
depending especially on the car industry (Liberecko), which can cause problems not only to car
factories, but also to capital-weaker Czech suppliers having a high share in sales from sub supplies. In
the Pardubice-Region the electrical industry is very important (Pardubicko). The Hradec-KrálovéRegion has already experienced the impact of the strong competition of Asian producers through the
bankruptcy of many textile producers. The problems connected with the effort to compete with the
production based on the low costs of work, its high intensity and non-standard work conditions
manifested themselves in the full range. The competitiveness of the Czech producers must be based
on invention, high quality, modern design, and for the capital-stronger companies on introducing the
results of science and research.
It is necessary to improve the communication between companies and research and development
institutes and universities, based on which the production sphere would formulate its requirements
with the goal of the essential improvement of the production quality, launching new materials etc. In
this direction, it is possible to utilize the current high potential of universities and research institutes.
An important condition for obtaining a better position at the global market is utilization of benefits from
the connection of related subjects in the form of clusters or other productive or business associations.
In this field, a number of cluster initiatives were registered developing the activity already (e.g. the
production of plastic products), most of them having the form of an intention. The cause of the slow
pace of co-operation of companies in the field of research and development, clusters and other
associations are especially the high financial and time demands of the procedure of innovation
application, especially of productive ones.
A considerable barrier in the further development of the inland companies is the absence of suitable
premises, production areas and buildings for business utilization, or their limited utilization for the
reason of a bad constructional and technical condition, missing or insufficient infrastructure. The
regions have studies available, in which the potential areas and buildings are mapped; up to now,
however, no studies have been elaborated, which would unanimously answer the question of the
extent of their real usability for the potential investor in the sense of investment volume, particular
permitted activities in the locality, possibility to establish the co-operation with the companies in the
region etc. The basic pre-conditions for improving the state of these real estates are the sufficient
amount of financial means for their reconstruction and revitalization.
4.3.A.2 Services
In the long-term horizon, the sector of services participates in the gross added value of the region of
approx. 50%. After 1990 the sector of services grew dynamically, especially in the field of the business
with consumer’s goods, transport, telecommunications and financial intermediation. The cause was
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
the preceding considerable under-dimensioning of this sector and the orientation of domestic economy
on the processing industry.
In connection with the technological progress and the growing purchase effective demand in the last
years the services in the field of the telecommunications and information technologies offering
completely new products and services extended considerably. It is the merit of the private sector and
inhabitants with a good relationship to new technologies. Further development is hindered by high
investment costs on building-up the network, purchase of computer technology, software etc. A big
barrier in the further development of information technologies and associated fields applying modern
technologies is the orientation of the educational system on memorization unnecessary knowledge in
spite of accentuating the problem-orientated teaching with the pressure on acquiring the skills
necessary to gain new information, their analyzing and evaluation. This fact becomes important in the
last years, when the multinational companies perform activities consisting in the move of the research
and development centres into the CR. It is necessary to state that in the Northeast-Region the projects
establishing technological, logistic and service centres providing highly specialized services for the
whole territory of the CR, or Europe have not been implemented yet. These services were and are
concentrated especially in Prague for the reason of favourable geographic position, transport
availability and the high number of qualified labour forces. In the time of “information-based society”,
however, there are no reasons, why similar activities could not be located outside Prague. The region
has a big potential in the technologically focused fields and associated services consisting in the
sufficient amount of technically (or on natural sciences) concentrated high schools and universities.
The next field with the possible high potential in future is providing services for the business sphere
especially educating employees, providing consultations, marketing services, providing information in
the field of innovations etc. This statement is based on the existence of the network of schools and
high number of consulting companies. The cause of the low utilization of this kind of services is the
lack of financial means for their purchase. The companies put their money in the main activities, the
expenses on other activities are considered by them non-effective or risky, without a visible immediate
effect. In this field, the participation of public interventions by the state or State administration could be
helpful, and it could be implemented not only in the form of the co-participation, but also by creating
infrastructure for the consulting network for the small and medium-sized enterprises, having big
potential in many cases, however, not sufficient financial sources enabling them to utilize these
services to a higher extent.
4.3.A.3 Structure of Economic Subjects
The Czech economy underwent the system change consisting in targeted principal change of the
economic environment in the direction of application of market economy principles in the 90s of the
last century. Private entrepreneurial subjects, especially of the small and medium size came into being
in connection with the privatization of the state property, restitutions, the most numerous part based on
the own individual decision of their founders. The most companies in the region have up to 500
employees, and are considered generally for the pillar of economy in relation to share in GDPcreation and employment. The capital force of these companies in the time of their foundation was
considerably hampered by re-payment of bank credits associated with the privatization of the state
property. This investment activity burdened the economy of companies for many years and it hindered
their further development due to preferring re-payment of debts to own development. A number of
companies used their business contacts and enabled the entry of the foreign owner to increase their
capital strength and market position associated with the built-up business network, innovations,
marketing and managerial experience of the new investor.
A strength of the region is also the uniform spreading of small and medium-sized companies in the
whole territory, which is of great importance for the employment and documents the ability of
inhabitants to acquire and to maintain economic activity and to put their abilities into effect at the
market. Limit values of the number of such companies on the territory of municipalities with extended
powers (ORP) represent 29.1 – 55.9 small and 7.7 – 15 medium-sized companies.
The rapid growth of the number of companies starting from the year 1990 became constant after 10
years of business doing in the CR. The small and medium-sized enterprises have the highest share of
approx. 70 – 80% of all the employed labour forces. The self-employed and big companies above 250
employees have the same share.
In the 90s of the last century, first of all small and medium-sized enterprises absorbed a considerable
part of labour forces which would go to Bureaus of Employment after restructuring and cancellation of
big former state companies.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
4.3.A.4 Enterprises with Foreign Capital Participation
The enterprises with foreign capital participation became the stabilizer of economic activities for many
Czech companies in the last years. The most foreign investors entered into existing companies when
it bough the capital interest from the original Czech owners and then it expanded the production
program. The perspective companies struggling with privatization debts, loss of Eastern markets and
with high economic loss began to flourish again. The foreign owner enabled to utilize the build-up
foreign sales network, experiences from the international market and new technologies, through which
it will be possible to produce quality goods. The fact is that only a few foreign companies built-up new
enterprises “on a green field“, only a low percent invested in abandoned premises. The cause was a
bad or unsuitable technical condition of premises often burdened with ecological damages.
From the total number of foreign companies registered in 2004 the companies with international
property (mixed property of Czech and foreign subjects) represented 44%, companies, those owned
by a foreign subject of 100% represented 56%. From the viewpoint of the size of these companies as
per the number of employees the number of medium-sized companies was higher in comparison with
the Czech companies, which is associated with their better capital equipment. The percentage shares
of the total number of companies in the region are as follows: 100 - 499 employees - 23% foreign
companies, 500 -999 employees - 38%, above 1 000 employees - even 64%. The indicator shows the
quite high dependence of the economy of the region and employment on the foreign capital; if we
compare the sales, this share would be even much higher with a high probability.
A completely principal condition for remaining foreign investor in the region is the ability of labour
forces to add to products a higher added value, higher than in other regions and states. This factor
creates together with the wages and associated costs, geographic location and quality business
environment pre-conditions for a long-term sustainability of economic activities in the region.
The key foreign companies of the region are big companies with 250 and more employees, which play
a decisive part in the economy of the region. As for connection of foreign and Czech companies by
sub-supplier relationships, no analysis has been elaborated so far mapping and analyzing the extent
of dependence of these subjects, the direction and importance, not only as for sales, but also as for
the employment.
4.3.B
Analysis of Business Environment
4.3.B.1 Co-operation of Companies
The business subjects co-operate at present almost exclusively on the level of common supplierrelationships and the co-operation of complementing companies within a branch association for the
purpose of strengthening the position at the market, sharing sources in research and development of
other common activities is missing. The companies act individually at the market and do not utilize the
synergy from the co-operation. The cause is the mutual distrust and misunderstanding of
contemporary challenges; however, the win-win co-operation is one of the ways to higher
competitiveness at the market.
In the last years, the co-operation of the companies in the form of branch associations - clusters gains
importance. The important branches with a real chance on creation of clusters are clearly: car industry
and production of car components, textile industry, pharmacy and medicine incl. the production of
medical aids or production of electrical machines and equipment, electrical engineering, technological
chemistry, jewellery, glass, furniture, plastics, machinery and food industry. Nevertheless, the
important potential have the branches with local deposits of natural materials (stone-industry) or
branches with a strong expansion thanks to demand of foreign investors (packing, plastics) or
changes of legislation, environment-friendly branches (renewable energy sources). Based on the
available statistic data it will be possible to create the cluster in the rubber-making production or in the
field of life-long-learning or professional education. The hitherto practice showed that the cluster
initiatives having bet on a special kind of the product with traditional roots in the region and a high
added value thanks to special materials have the highest chance to success.
Process of cluster creation may be influenced positively by public intervention of regions in the form of
public initiatives leading to cluster foundation in the fields where you can lean on a long-term tradition,
existing network of universities, research organizations etc.
4.3.B.2 Business Infrastructure
Industrial Zones and Areas
29
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
The Liberec-Region has in the register several hundred hectares of significant development and
investment areas. The most important ones are: industrial zone of Liberec - South, other larger zone is
in Hrádek nad Nisou. The industrial zone in Liberec is a successful project, based on which a number
of foreign investments were implemented. The Liberec-Region ordered in the past processing the
database of industrial zones containing finally hundreds of areas with a different size and way of
utilization. The project target was also to increase the preparedness of the region in the field of offer of
suitable areas to potential investors.
Also the Hradec-Králové-Region owns the study, the aim of which was to select five main localities
with the area exceeding 100 ha, which would be suitable for the foundation of industrial zones in the
surroundings of the highway constructed at present and highway-type streets, including quantification
of costs of associated infrastructure. Besides these localities, there is an industrial zone in the HradecKrálové-Region in Jičín, where several foreign companies are located and the industrial zone in
Kvasiny with the car enterprise of Škoda Auto a. s. Mladá Boleslav. In Hradec Králové, there are
smaller industrial zones blocked for investments from the field of strategic services, however, it did not
succeed to utilize these localities in the corresponding way.
In the Pardubice-Region four industrial zones with the total area of 160 ha came into being in
connection with the implementation of “Support Programme for Industrial Zones Development“ (under
the auspices of MPO); the largest ones are first of all in Pardubice, Moravská Třebová, Chrudim and
Svitavy.
In the whole region, there are quite a large number of industrial zones of a different size, of which the
vast majority was defined in the territorial plan as area determined for building up for the commercial
sphere. However, the vast majority has not the character of the industrial zone in the right sense of the
word, due to missing infrastructure. The State administration does not invest the means for
understandable reasons without a corresponding assurance of a real and serious interest of investors
for the construction of commercial space. In view of high associated investments, only localities in
bigger towns come into consideration, as smaller towns and municipalities do not dispose of the
corresponding volume of financial means.
The main drawback of potential utilization of industrial zones is the attitude of the State administration
to these localities. There exists only general idea of State administration bodies how to utilize these
areas, there is no survey of the structure of qualification of labour forces, who could be utilized for the
particular production program or services. Another problem is the not-competent attitude of the State
administration in the field of the co-operation with the potential investor, when the bodies of the State
administration do not realize sufficiently the importance of new economic activities for the
development of the region.
The main task of all the regions is to know the potential of their territory, not only the free area, but
also its real potential for the development of the region. For this purpose, it is necessary to elaborate
the analyses of the economic potential of regions with the sufficient level of details, to be clear in
which areas the district have the real potential, especially for production and services, associated with
research and development activities. The goal should be the preparedness for formulating
requirements on the potential investor, to prevent the situations, when the region and individual
regions are grateful for any economic activity decreasing the unemployment. The consequence of
such considerations may be the departure of investors with production and services with a low added
value into the developing countries with a cheap labour force. The goal should be a considerable
increase of dependence of companies and other subjects on the economic potential of the region.
Not used Buildings and Premises
In the region, there are hundreds of not used, difficulty usable or by ecological damages impacted
production premises. Most of them do not accomplish their original purpose for the reason of
termination of the main activity or bankruptcy of companies; some were abandoned by the Czech
Army (military quarters and other military premises). The constructional and technical condition of
these buildings corresponds to the way of former usage for the industrial production, business or
agricultural production. The characteristic feature of these real estates is dilapidation and the difficult
usability. The causes may be found in the unsuitable disposition for more extensive production or
services associated with the preceding constructional and technical determination. The reconstruction
of these premises assumes high costs and includes, besides the constructional changes also the new
connection to the network infrastructure. The whole process of regeneration and revitalization is
moreover complicated by the fact that the potential investors require, besides the ecological
harmlessness of the territory, a good constructional condition of buildings and their equipment, in most
cases e.g. internal space without partitions, good access roads and large adjoining parking lots.
30
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
The old buildings do not meet such demands in most cases, their reconstruction is out of the question
and the only solution is the building removal. Other negative characteristics of these real estates are
proprietary disputes between the owners, pending bankruptcy proceedings, existing rights of a lien
etc. These facts make the utilization difficult, the settlement of these disputes lasts long years and the
investors prefer constructions on free plots for this reason. The treatment of quite often occurring
ecological burden calls many times for investments exceeding the purchase price of these real estates
finally.
The choice of particular real estates determined for the regeneration and revitalization and the way of
implementation should be done depending on what economic potential have the activities and
subjects looking for the corresponding premises and not having enough financial means for the
implementation of their intention. Just here the public subsidy in the form of co-participation assurance
and supplementing financial means of the private investor for the implementation of the publicly
beneficial intention would have its place. The decrease of the share of investor’s expenses in the
project should be balanced by meeting the requirement of State administration on particular usage of
the real estate. A chance to be implemented should be given the projects, including the public interest,
or even better the combination of the public and private interest. In this connection it would be suitable
to support the activities connected with establishing business incubators, centres of consulting,
training centres, scientific-technical parks etc. The private initiative should be utilized for formulating
the public interest and implementation of publicly beneficial projects. The task of the State
administration is to facilitate the communication between the potential investors and all the concerned
subjects with the goal to find the win-win solutions.
4.3.B.3 Human Resources
The decisive factor for the competitiveness of the economy is educated and qualified labour force as
the potential source of new ideas, new work procedures, technologies and innovations. MSP have not
enough financial means for the professional development of employees in the direction of deepening
knowledge and skills as source of higher productivity and effectiveness. For this reason, they arrange
for their employees only the necessary short-term training for the smooth company running. The
educational system on the other hand does not offer the educational and training programs focused on
transfer of information about newest knowledge in branches. The whole system of education is
characterized by the insufficient connection of the offer and corresponding structure of educational
programs and courses, based on which it would be possible to acquire usable knowledge and skills
(professional knowledge and skills, entrepreneurial thinking, management) as per the needs of the
company sphere and work market. This field is closely connected especially with the education of the
school graduates and life-long learning of working population.
The system solution should be designed by the state; the task of the region consists in creation of
physical conditions for the implementation of teaching, based on which the graduates gain the
knowledge and skills required by employers. The direct effect of these measures will be easier
acquisition of jobs by graduates at the work market and lower unemployment of young people. Public
intervention could have the form of financial incentives, through which the lack of sources for
equipment of classrooms and associated space could be compensated.
4.3.B.4 Research and Development
The research and development is in the Northeast-Region a quite neglected field not achieving the
average ofČRas for the amount of expended financial means. Among the basic criteria for evaluation
of the level of the knowledge economy are doubtless first of all: amount of financial means expended
on the science and research and the number of employees working in this field. The region is
characterized by lower expenses on science and research in comparison withČRaverage. In the longterm horizon, Prague and Central Bohemia-Region with 60% capacities of university research and
almost 60 % of public sources for research and development have the dominant position at the
market. The expenses in individual regions within the Northeast-Region differ considerably. In 2005,
the share of the Liberec-Region and its expenses on science and research represented 28% within
the region, in the Hradec-Králové-Region 30% and in the Pardubice-Region 42%. Share of NortheastRegion´s expenses on science and research represents only 9,3% of CR´s expenses.
The number of employees working in research and development depends on the amount of expenses
in this field of human activities.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Table No 7: Selected indicators of science and research in ČR as per the regions in 2005
Expenses to VaV
VaV Employees
Region´s
Region
Prague
Share in
total number
(in
thousands
CZ crowns)
15835141,95
Share of
expenses
in GDP
Share in
total
expenses
in ČR
Share of
private
expenses
in ČR
Share in
total
number in
CR
Share of
region in
total number
in CR
2,22
37,53
27,69
16 445
43,80
8560920,43
2,76
20,29
27,16
2 717
7,24
1610429,8
0,99
3,82
3,20
1 433
3,82
Plzeň-Region
1129592,61
0,74
2,68
2,98
998
2,66
Karlovy VaryRegion
76178,27
0,11
0,18
0,26
56
0,15
589384,17
0,30
1,40
1,94
393
1,05
1109607,99
1,12
2,63
3,47
814
2,17
1169327,32
0,82
2,77
2,04
1 279
3,41
1632153,93
1,35
3,87
5,28
1 334
3,55
CentralBohemian R.
South Bohemian
R.
Ústí-Region
Liberec-Region
Hradec-Králové
R.
PardubiceRegion
Vysočina-Region
706841,83
0,57
1,68
2,52
388
1,03
South MoraviaReg.
4653692,84
1,54
11,03
8,37
7 043
18,76
Olomouc-Reg.
1372165,04
0,95
3,25
3,54
1 539
4,10
Zlín-Reg.
1571071,86
1,14
3,72
5,38
810
2,16
2181915,3
0,73
5,17
6,16
2 294
6,11
42198423,34
1,42
100,00
100,00
37542,33
100,00
Moravian-Sil.
Reg.
Total number in
CR
Source: ČSÚ – Indicators of science and research in 2005
Between 2002 to 2005 the science and research expenses grew in theČRby 42,7% and achieved 42
198 mil. CZK in 2005. The highest growth in the region was for this period was registered in the
Hradec-Králové-Region, by 77%, in the Pardubice-Region the expenses grew by 60% and in the
Liberec-Region by 45%.
4.3.B.5 Innovation
The condition of maintaining a long-term competitiveness of companies is the permanent
commercialization of new knowledge and results of research and development. The research and
development potential of the region is not be utilized sufficiently at present. In all the three regions,
there are scientific and research institutions having achieved success in co-operation with industrial
enterprises, or during the commercialization of outputs of science and research; the connection with
the commercial sphere is, however, still insufficient. The regions dispose of development potential in
science and research, especially in branches representing the basic and traditional economic
structure.
The most important obstacle to introducing innovations in companies is generally the lack of qualified
employees at the labour market. This factor plays an important part in most companies regardless to
sphere of activity or company size. The second most important barrier is the lack of the own research
capacities, then the insufficient capacity for the administration of programs for the support of
innovations and missing financial means are at the fourth place.
In the field of human resources the most important problems are unsatisfying structure of university
graduates, particularly missing graduates of technical branches and natural sciences, low extent of cooperation of research workers, university pedagogues and students with the sector of research and
business. In the companies, insufficient emphasis is put on education of research and development
32
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
employees and managers in the field of intellectual property protection, business skills (modern
methods of management and organization).
A weakness during the development of the innovation potential inČRis also the disorganized and
fragmented system of grants provided by ministries, preferring to invest subsidies into the basic
research, low expenses of the private sector and non-flexible reaction on changing needs of company
sphere and new directions of the research.
Some Czech companies are distinguished by the low orientation on innovation, low ability to initiate
and to absorb the results of research and development. The scientific and research institutions put a
little emphasis on the commercial usability of results, there is a lack of information in the field of
monitoring and systematic transfer of information of VTP-activities, incubators, activities and
possibilities of universities and research institutes, especially of those being established and MSP in
the regions; undeveloped is also the infrastructure for the transfer of technologies and knowledge on
the regional level. The society puts a low emphasis on protection of the intellectual property.
In financing, there is a considerably low share of research and development expenses in GDP in
comparison with EU average and no investments of pre-seed, seed a start-up-capital-type exist, which
are key investments for the start up of spin-off activities and similar companies. Last but not least high
costs of innovations and a high potential risk of insufficient successfulness discourage especially
MSP; financial costs of patent procedure are high, especially while maintaining the awarded patent.
The key goals of modern developing strategies in the field of innovation support should be the
functional connection of the basic and applied research, assuring financial sources and development
of the co-operation in research and development. The problem not only in the Northeast-Region, but
also in the wholeČRremains lacking connection of individual central bodies while solving the problems
of innovations and also the lack of relevant data.
For the purpose of sharing the research and development expenses and practical application of their
results is very effective to utilize the co-operation of companies and research organizations and
universities. Thanks to such co-operation it will be possible to formulate better the requirements of
companies in the field of increasing technological level of production, products and services. Through
public interventions, it is possible to increase financial sources and to implement more risky and
financially demanding projects which could not come into being without participation of the public
sector. The task of the region should consist not only in the support of particular hopeful projects,
which can help to regional actors, but also in formulation of the particular strategy in the field of
innovative business. It should be based on contemporary strengths and traditions of the region and
simultaneously is should utilize the opportunities following from the co-operation with other regions
and their key actors.
4.4
4.4.A
Human Resources, Qualification and Education, Labour
Market
Inhabitants
4.4.A.1 Development of Inhabitants Number
On the territory of the Hradec-Králové-Region the Liberec-Region and the Pardubice-Region lived in
total of 1 488 168 inhabitants as on January 1, 2007, representing 14.5% of the total population of the
Czech Republic. The most populated region is the Hradec-Králové-Region with 549 643 inhabitants
(5.3% population ofČRand 36,9% population of NUTS II Northeast), the most sparsely inhabited
region is the Liberec-Region with the number of inhabitants 430 774 (4.2%ČRpopulation and 28.9%
of NUTS II Northeast population).
In the long-term development of inhabitant’s number according to SLBD from 1961 to 2001 the
number of inhabitants in Northeast Cohesion Region increased. In the last monitored decade, the
same trends, as in the wholeČRi.e. population drop were registered. The population growth was
registered only in the Liberec-Region, especially in the districts of: Českolipsko, Novoborsko and
Frýdlantsko. The highest total increase of inhabitant’s number was registered in all the regions in
1970-1980 under the influence of the pro-natal policy of the state in this period.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
4.4.A.2 Basic Characterization of Inhabitants Structure
In the structure of inhabitants as per sex the women predominate in all the districts of the region. From
the viewpoint of the age structure of Northeast Cohesion Region the population share in categories 014, 15-64 and 65 and more correspond to the republic’s average, there is a gradual ageing of the
population. The highest representation of the productive component of inhabitants is in the LiberecRegion: 71.3% (NUTS II NE 70.3%). The oldest age category is at most present in the HradecKrálové-Region 14.7% (NUTS II NE 14.0%), having a less favourable age structure of inhabitants.
Picture No 5: Average age and share of inhabitants to 15 years as per administrative districts of ORP NE
Cohesion Region in 2004
Source of data: ČSÚ2005
Legend:
Border of NUTS 2
Border of regions
Number of inhabitants up to 15 years (in %)
Up to 14.5
17.5 and more
In the Northeast-Region, the average age was 40.1 years as of 1.1. 2007, which is by 0.1 years less
than the nation-wide average. The oldest population lives in the Hradec-Králové-Region (40.6 years),
in the Pardubice-Region (40.0) and the youngest population lives in the Liberec-Region (39.7 years).
The average age of women in NUTSII Northeast region is in average by 3 years higher than in men
(38.5). The average age reflecting the age structure differs more considerably depending on the
individual regions of municipalities with extended powers. At least favourable is the situation in
following regions: Královéhradecko, Pardubicko, Přeloučsko, Královédvorsko, Hořicko, Jičínsko,
Kostelecko, Náchodsko and Novopacko, where the average age of inhabitants is equal or higher than
40 years.
The total balance of inhabitants in years 2000 – 2006 is negative in Northeast Cohesion Region. The
natural population growth is negative, while the increase through migration reaches positive values.
The highest natural loss of inhabitants was registered in the territories of the Central-Western to
North-Western part of the Region (ORP Turnov, ORP Železný Brod, ORP Hořice, ORP Přelouč etc.)
and moreover in the surroundings of region centres. The most prospering regions show also the
natural drop of inhabitants. Only some random regions with sparse population registered a natural
growth (especially ORP Česká Lípa and ORP Lanškroun). In the last time, the situation improves
thanks to higher natality. In 2006, the natural increase was registered in last 12 years. This trend,
however, corresponds with the nation-wide standard as the strong age-groups of population from the
mid of seventies come into the reproduction age.
The total drop of inhabitants in Hradec-Králové-, Liberec- and the Pardubice-Region are in the longterm horizon compensated by the growth of inhabitant’s migration with regular deflections between
positive and negative values. Several random regions (ORP Broumov, ORP Králíky, and ORP
Polička) have a considerable negative migration result, and on the contrary, a considerable growth of
34
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
the population by migration was registered in some regions near big towns with quite good transport
availability (ORP Turnov, ORP Holice, ORP Kostelec nad Orlicí).
Table No 8: Basic information about the population age structure
NUTS II
Northeast
Indicator (unit, year)
Czech
Republic
European
Union (EU-27)
Population growth (average yearly change in %
1995-2004)
-0.1
-0.1
0.3
Population share ‹ 15 (%, 2004)
15.7
15.2
16.3
Population share 15 - 64 (%, 2004)
70.3
70.8
67.3
Population share 65 + (%, 2004)
14.0
13.9
16.4
Source: 3rd Report on Economic and Social Cohesion
4.4.A.3 Educational Structure of Inhabitants
The education is one of the important factors in region development, as it influences not only the
personal growth of individuals, but also the economy development. The education is of importance
also for the economic growth, competitiveness and decrease of unemployment.
The total level of education in the Northeast Cohesion Region grows. While comparing the highest
achieved education in individual regions, considerable regional differences may be seen. In relation to
the economic evaluation of the territory it is visible that the economically weaker regions have a lower
level of education and on the contrary.
Table No 9: Basic information about the population educational structure
NUTS II
Northeast
Indicator (unit, year)
Czech
Republic
European
Union (EU-27)
Percentage of residents between 25 and 64
(%; 2005) with basic education
9.7
10.1
29.1
Percentage of residents between 25 and 64
with high school education (%; 2005)
79.6
76.9
48.6
Percentage of residents between 25 and 64
with university education (%; 2005)
10.7
13.1
22.4
Percentage of residents between 25 and 64
with basic education (%; 2005)
9.7
10.1
29.1
Source: 4th Report on Economic and Social Cohesion
35
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Picture No 6: Share of inhabitants according to the highest completed education (Elementary School,
University) as per the administrative districts ORP of NE Cohesion Region in 2001
Source of data: SLDB 2001
Legend:
Border of NUTS 2
Border of regions
Number of inhabitants with elementary educ.
Border of NUTS 2
Border of regions
Number of inhabitants university graduates
The high level of education in the scope of NUTS II Northeast is typical of regions with a high
economic potential, especially in the hradecko-pardubicko and liberecko-jablonecko agglomerations.
Significantly under average is the education in the Northeast-Region and also in comparison withČRin
peripheral districts of Broumovsko, Frýdlantsko and Králicko. The low level of education is visible also
in the typically agricultural, less economically developed and mountainous regions.
In respect to the accelerated speed of technological changes and general progress in science and
research, also the structure of demands on skills and abilities changes. At present, the emphasis on
the skill competencies or key skills comes to the forefront, i.e. the skills, which are general and are
necessary for the study of all the directions of professional education, the start of the job as well as the
normal civil life. These are skills conditioning the possibility of further self-education as well as the
work and life success. In this connection, it is difficult to present a pregnant analysis of skills and
abilities of inhabitants. The estimate is based only a sample of available data. Based on the available
data of equipment of households with computer and access to internet we may conclude the data of
computer and information literacy of inhabitants. Comparing the number of households equipped by
the computer in cohesion region in 2003 and in the middle of 2006, there was a significant growth of
the number of households. In the cohesion region, there was a growth from the share of 23.3% in
2003 to 35,3% in 2006, which is slightly less thanČRaverage (35.7%).
As for the share of households with access to internet in 2004, the numbers are for NUTS II (26,2)
comparable with theČR(26,7%), however, as for IT equipped households the region still falling behind
Prague. The worst result shows the Liberec-Region, where only 32,4% of households owns PC and
only 23,9% has internet access. The most households equipped with PC is in the Pardubice-Reion
(38,7%), there´s the most households with internet connection (27,8%) in the Hradec-Králové-Region .
We may conclude from these data maximally a not entirely satisfactory computer and information
literacy of inhabitants in the cohesion region, which is a principle drawback for the contemporary and
long-term trend of demands on skills and abilities of inhabitants. There are circa one fifth less
households with PC and internet access in locations demarcating lower habitation density than
households in locations demarcating lower habitation density. The problem of insufficient computer
literacy concerns older age categories. Generally modern technologies are the domain of the young
generation up to 35 years, considering them a part of life.7
7
Research of information literacy, STEM/MARK, a.s., Ministry of Informatics, 2005. This is a representative survey of the
population aged 18-60 years on the sample of 16344 persons.
36
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
4.4.B
Education
4.4.B.1 Elementary School System
The elementary school system of the Northeast Cohesion Region struggles with similar problems,
which can be registered in the whole CR. Within the educational process, it is especially the lower
quality of foreign languages teaching (in connection to missing certification system) and of information
literacy (personnel assurance and also technical assurance of teaching). The whole space of NUTS II
Northeast territory struggles with these problems with minor exceptions.
The general problem of elementary schools is also ageing and high feminization of schools and the
apparent problem locally is also the insufficient qualification. A considerable existence problem is the
drop of pupils because of unfavourable demographic development. For this reason, it is necessary to
treat effectively the territorial optimization of elementary schools. Also the low extent of school usage
for the free-time activities remains a problem.
The demographic curve of pupils decreases, but paradoxically there is no proportional decrease in the
number of pedagogues.
In co-operation of regions with municipalities as founders, no optimization of the network of
elementary schools began, i.e. the decrease of their number to the optimum level. The solution would
be the re-organization of insufficiently utilized schools or establishment of one common school for the
whole complex of municipalities without awarding exceptions from the minimum number of school
pupils, which is the practice enabled by the School Act.
The material and technical conditions of elementary schools differ in individual regions. For the
reason, that there is no summarizing analytical material evaluating this state on the NUTS II Northeast
territory, we may consider for relevant documents only annual reports of individual schools or
documents of the Czech School Inspection8. However, the material and technical conditions of
schools on the NUTS II Northeast territory cannot be considered sufficient globally, which concerns
not only the high extent of wear and tear of textbooks fund and out-dated equipment with teaching aid,
but also the state and the different level of equipment of buildings of schools and school facilities. The
concern is especially the insufficient ICT standard, insufficient required speed of internet connection at
schools, insufficient equipment with the presentation technology. The problem of the too high number
of pupils per one computer with internet access is associated with it (19 pupils per one computer
connected to internet on average). Unsatisfactory is the equipment of schools by ICT means and their
usage in lessons. Some schools are located in buildings in bad technical condition calling for a total
reconstruction of the building as well as internal spaces, reconstruction of social equipment and dining
rooms. There are, however, as stated above, certain local and regional differences, which cannot be
right away applied on the whole territory of the NUTS II Northeast-Region.
It is necessary to highlight the positive change being performed in the last years, i.e. the improved
possibility of education of the school management, concerning the directors of elementary and high
schools. This fact becomes visible in the quality of management of these institutions.
The positive trend in the scope of the mild drop of pedagogues is the improved age structure and the
structure of qualification, as the teachers in pension age and the unqualified ones leave.
4.4.B.2 Secondary Schools
In the field of secondary schools, the essential extension of the offer of education took place in the 90s
in all the three regions as well as in the whole Czech Republic. In this way the excess of the offer in
comparison with the demand (state as well as private schools) came into being, which was, among
others the consequence of the decreasing number of the population of this age. At present, the trend
appeared, to accommodate the offer of schools to the real demand. For this reason, the priority is to
perform optimizing of the network of secondary schools depending on the number of pupils coming
from elementary schools and capacity of secondary schools. It is necessary to continue also the
branch optimizing, i.e. to decrease the number of schools teaching the same subjects and also to
react on the needs of labour market. While optimizing the capacity and the branch split, it is necessary
to “respect“ the geographic balance on the territory of individual regions within NUTS II NortheastRegion.
The secondary and tertiary education on the territory of the NUTS II Northeast-Region is manifold as
for the number of branches, which is a competitive advantage. For every region, moreover a certain
type of branches and subjects is characteristic, which are specific just for this certain region and
8
Czech School Inspection – Data of state of schools in the CR-Regions.
37
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
distinguish it from other NUTS II regions. The specialties of the Hradec-Králové-Region are:
Secondary Industrial School for Stonemasons and Sculptors and Training Centre for Stonemasons in
Hořice, Secondary Veterinary School, and Training Centre for Production of Music Instruments and
Furniture, Higher Professional Biblical School. The Pardubice-Region is distinguished first of all by the
food industry branches (Secondary School for Food Industry) and chemical branches (Secondary
Industrial Chemical School); the Liberec-Region is characterized by the high concentration of
secondary Arts and Crafts Schools and Higher Professional Schools with arts focus (glass making,
jewellery making, art design) in Jablonec nad Nisou, Železný Brod, Turnov, Nový Bor and Kamenický
Šenov. This concentration of the secondary arts schools is unique not only in European, but also in
the world scale.
The material and technical conditions of teaching in secondary schools are different in the regions of
the NUTS II territory. A positive feature is the effort of schools to modernize the computer equipment,
the modernization, however, is insufficient. The renewal of usual means, technical equipment as well
as equipment with technological special appliances for some special subjects is limited in the last
years, the fund of teaching aids becomes outdated or is missing completely in some schools and also
modern technological means for teaching special subjects are missing. Problematic is also the not
refurbished state of some buildings and internal space. Some schools are not connected to gas
pipeline, the dining rooms and welfare facility of a number of schools do not comply with hygienic
conditions. For a number of schools it is necessary to perform the reconstruction of the buildings,
reconstruction of welfare facility, dining rooms and the total renewal associated with the reconstruction
(equipment with a suitable furniture etc.)
The secondary and higher professional schools in the Northeast Cohesion Region offer and
implement a number of educational activities focused on further education of adults starting from
different types of re-qualification courses, training and seminars, up to distance, evening and external
forms of studies. It is, however, characteristic for the contemporary situation that the possibilities of
schools in the region are limited due to not good penetrability of educational system and last but not
least also insufficient financial means. The fact on the other hand is that in Northeast Cohesion Region
the secondary and higher professional schools represent an important not utilized potential in the
material as well as personnel field, e.g. just for the life-long learning.
4.4.B.3 Universities
The university education on the territory of NUTS II Northeast-Region is represented by the University
of Pardubice, University of Hradec Králové, 2nd faculty of Charles University in Hradec Králové and 1st
faculty of University of Defence in Hradec Králové and Technical University in Liberec.
The universities on the territory of Northeast Cohesion Region struggle with problems. The main goal
of the development of regional universities is to create an educational system able to react flexibly on
the needs of regions and employers with simultaneous application of newest knowledge of research
and development. This goal calls for increased permeability of especially tertiary education, between
individual degrees of university education as well as between shorter cycles and other parts of the
tertiary education (especially the higher professional education) enabling the access to study at any
age and on any level. The permeability may be achieved especially through the modular construction
of study programs of all three degrees, enabling to continue the completed modules at any time, and
also through establishing of a system of acknowledging the education acquired outside the relative
university.
The extension of the offer of educational programs for increasing the qualification also for the needs of
changing society, especially depending on demographic changes concern the bachelor’s (in
connection with it also master) study programs, as well as short programs and courses of further
education, which will react on the needs of practice or region. The condition for extending study
occasions is a generally and necessary condition for facilitating the possibility of education for the
adult and employed population is the further development of the combined and distance forms of
study, creation and introduction of modern learning support (multimedia educational aid), e-learning,
interactive learning programs and materials for these forms of study, creation of common teaching
laboratories, introduction of project and problem way of study and development of consultinginformation centres.
The basic pre-condition of the success of this type of study programs or additional education courses
is, however, the establishment of partnership of various institutions in the national as well as
international scale for the purpose of increase of employment possibilities of university graduates.
The aim should be a more active and more coordinated co-operation of the scientific and research
potential of universities with industrial enterprises and companies being interested first of all in
innovations and progressive technologies.
38
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Among other problems, which are, to a certain extent, common to all universities of the Northeast
Cohesion Region is the conceptual and system solution for a more effective assurance of material and
technical background and looking for other possibilities of extending capacities, not only for teaching,
but also for the research. In the scope of this issue, it is necessary to develop especially the
infrastructure on the base of information and communication technologies with the emphasis on the
safety of network and data and also on the gradual increase of availability of information sources.
4.4.B.4 Life-long Learning
The life-long learning, the part of which is also further education, is provided by different kinds of
subjects on the NUTS II Northeast territory. These are private educational companies, secondary,
higher schools and universities, educational institutes, consulting agencies, citizen’s associations,
non-profit organization, Chambers of Commerce and Trade Unions. The problem of absence of a
comprehensive conception and related coordinated system, guaranteeing the quality of further
education, is being solved for a longer time. The offer of educational courses is wide, but not
balanced. The positive fact is approval of the Act of Legalizing and Acknowledging Results of Further
Education and of Amending Some Acts of 30th March 2006. The whole Act came into effect on 1.8.
2007. The system of education certification is not developed and caught on. One of the possible ways
of implementation of life-long learning is utilizing the current capacity and offer of universities, offering
in all the three regions of NUTS II Northeast wide opportunities of further professional education in
different types of branches. The principle of life-long learning at university is implemented also in the
form of offer of preparation courses for applicants for study and also within further education of
pedagogic employees.
One of the main problems of the life-long learning is incoherent arrangement of the system of life-long
learning having moreover a casual character. In the region, the first steps were made to create the
database of providers of life-long learning; however, no system of the precise mapping of this offer
exists.
Another problem is persisting low interest of inhabitants for further education; consisting among others
in the traditional conservative opinion of inhabitants on the employment issue, re-qualification and the
life-long learning generally (positive attitude of inhabitants to the need of further education grows with
the level of education). From the low participation of citizens in further education follows also a slower
development of the offer of educational activities, low motivation of employees as well as employers to
further education and connected low contribution of further education to the total level of education of
the population on the labour market. Besides the increase of interest of inhabitants for further
education it is necessary to assure in the first place appropriate utilizing the current capacity of
subjects providing life-long learning through the more targeted advertising. This promotion will be the
decisive factor influencing further development of the Northeast Cohesion Region in the field of the
life-long learning. It is suitable to mention that certain efforts associated with the promotion appear
already in the region. These are different forms of medial campaigns, moreover e.g. the actions like
“week of education of adults” etc.
The motivation of inhabitants for further education should be the main task of the regional government.
The regional centres for further education, in which mainly the capacity of schools should be utilized,
has already been built e.g. in the Liberec- and Hradec-Králové-Region. This is Educational Centre of
the Liberec-Region and Institute of Further Education, which can be considered a unique within NUTS
II Northeast in this direction.
During the total evaluation of situation in the field of further education in the Northeast Cohesion
Region, it may be stated that the regions have not sufficient information about the potential of the offer
of further education on their territory, they have no methodical instruments, how to follow and evaluate
these analytic data; the regular statistic evaluation and monitoring of further education is missing. On
the other hand, it is necessary to mention the activities of the national level, starting to influence the
development in the field of further education in NUTS II regions. One of the positive steps, performed
in the development of human resources are the provisions of regional councils for OP LZZ, possibility
to use the inspiring Top region databank for the strategic OP LZZ management, internet DAT
database and integrated system of type positions and also various certifying activities.
4.4.B.5 Career Consulting
At present, the scope, quality, relevance and availability of these services determined for parents,
pupils as well as school graduates and all applicants for studies incl. further education on the NUTS II
Northeast territory is not on the appropriate level. First of all it is necessary to assure career
consulting, provided by educational consultant at present, directly at schools. It would be suitable to
extend the provided consulting and information services also by diagnostic services providing
39
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
information of specific pre-conditions of the pupil for studies of the chosen branch or execution of a
profession. The system of career consulting should be also closely connected with the information
system. The goal is to assure the relations, good arrangement and comprehensiveness of provided
services, their availability and easiness of utilization.
4.4.B.6 Co-operation of Schools with Employers in Region
The co-operation of secondary schools of the cohesion region has took place up to now mostly
arbitrarily, without any system and on various qualitative levels. It is possible to say that there are
great reserves in this field. It is necessary to accentuate that the active co-operation of schools with
the state as well as private companies and the increasing number of professional presentation of
companies directly in schools influence positively the professional level of pupils as well as teachers.
Some schools start to build- up gradually the auto-evaluating system, they compare the established
results with the requirements of continuing schools, potential employers and professional associations,
with results of other schools of the same type etc. In spite of these isolated activities, the mapping of
this issue is missing and the consequence is the lack of relevant information for the relative deciding
procedures on the level of all districts of the Northeast Cohesion Region. This may be considered one
of the important problems of this thematic field.
4.4.B.7 Summary
The education in the NUTS II Northeast-Region may be shortly summarized in the following items: the
developed network of educational institutions covering a relatively wide spectrum of activities,
establishment of new branches of education dealing with new technologies, management and
informatics in the last years, the growth of the level of education of inhabitants, especially in the field of
universities as well as secondary schools, a different level of education in individual ORP of the
region, a quite high share of persons with elementary education, including persons without education
in some regions of the Northeast Cohesion Region, branch variety of the secondary and tertiary
education, specific types of branches in some districts, necessity to optimize the network of secondary
schools as for optimizing of branches and capacity, missing coordinated system for the life-longlearning in regions, the system of certification of education is not developed and caught-on; a lower
grade of the mutual connection of schools and companies in further education of employees.
4.4.C
Labour Market
4.4.C.1 Employment
In the Northeast Cohesion Region there were considerable changes and shifts in the field of
employment in individual economy fields in the last years. The drop of employment was registered in
primary sector, where the employment decreases permanently from the beginning of the 90s of the
last century in connection with the economic slump of the agriculture. In the next years, the strong
deficit of labour forces in this sector will manifest itself with a high probability, which is confirmed at
present by the high average age of employees achieving values above average in comparison with
other branches of economy. In other branches of the region, there were no such significant structural
changes; the drop of employment was very closely connected first of all with the increase of the
pressure of company owners on the work productivity and effectiveness of economy. Among the
branches with the growth of employment, there were: boarding and lodging, health and social care,
building industry. The growth of employment was connected in these branches with the growing
demand for these services.
The drop of employment rate from the middle of the 90s stopped in the last years thanks to the
economic growth, inflow of direct foreign investments and implementation of programs of active
employment policy. In the next years, however, the employment can grow again in connection with the
increased pressure of companies on the growth of productivity of work and decrease of employment in
the state as well as public sphere.
4.4.C.2 Unemployment
The rate of registered unemployment moved based on the methodology of ČSÚ on the level 4,2-5,4%
(as per regions) in 2004 and it is lower than the average of EU-27 countries and of the Czech
Republic. In the last period, approx. one half of the unemployed finds the work within 3-6 months,
62-69 % of the unemployed within 12 months. Continuously grows also the share of long-term
unemployed being in the register of the Bureau of Unemployment for more than 12 months. At the end
40
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
of 2005 their share constituted almost half the total number of unemployed. The cause of this state is
the decreasing number of free job opportunities for the groups finding difficultly the jobs, i.e. school
graduates, young people having finished elementary schools, unemployed above 50 years of age,
persons with handicaps and socially risky groups. In the group of physically handicapped persons, the
unemployment grew between years 2002-2004 by one fifth. As for age structure, the applicants aged
20-24 and 50-54 years have the greatest problems with the job finding, these groups represent one
third of unemployed. The young people are missing practice, and the missing interest for elderly
people is caused by their potentially higher illness rate.
As for the reached education, the applicants with elementary education and trained persons (with the
certificate of apprenticeship only) representing in total more than 3/4 of all the registered applicants
for job have greatest problems with job assurance. This unfavourable state is connected generally with
demands of employers on qualified professions, with demands on possible re-qualification of
employees and with a bad adaptability of these groups of persons to changing conditions at the job
market.
The unemployment of individual age groups is very closely connected with the drop of economic
activity of inhabitants. The number of economically active persons (employed and unemployed in total)
9
continues to decrease in the last years, it dropped by 3.4% between 2001 and 2004. The rate of
economic activity higher than 90% is reached in age groups 35-49 years; as for younger age groups,
the rate of economic activity is lower because of the studies, the maternal duties are the cause of the
lower economic activity of women (the economic activity of women is highest between 40-49 years,
when it exceeds 90 %). The turning point is for both sexes is the age of 55-59 years, when the
economic activity drops from 90% (50-54 years) to average of 60%. This trend will have in a very
close future serious negative impacts in the form of pressure on assuring the sustainability of public
finances in the field of assuring the sufficient amount of means for social expenses (invalidity, old-age
pension). The economic activity decreases in the last years too quickly in the groups, which should
remain active in the continuously extended time before retirement. The time gap between the drop of
economic activity and retirement represents 8-10 years at present. The most of elderly persons retire
prematurely after a longer time of registration in the Bureaus of Employment. Another variant solving
the same problem is drawing the disability pension.
It may be stated generally that the higher unemployment rate is typical of the regions with a long-term
lower rate of economic activity, more distant from larger centres, with a lower population density, or
border territories. A more difficult transport availability and especially insufficient or non-existing public
traffic on the territory have a considerable impact on the unemployment as well as on the life of
inhabitants.
4.4.C.3 Job opportunities
Regarding the structure of vacancies, registered by Bureaus of Employment, the vacancies for worker
professions prevail; the vacancies for qualified craftsmen represent one half of all the vacancies and
the vacancies for not qualified and auxiliary labour forces follow. Almost 1/5 of job is determined for
the administrative, technical, medical and pedagogic employees. There is a dense network of Bureaus
of Employment offering free jobs in the region. However, the Bureaus of Employment are not the only
subjects offering free jobs; they register only 1/3 of vacancies; the rest is covered by private agencies
or the jobs are advertised by the employers.
One of the important pre-conditions of developed job market is the migration of inhabitants because of
jobs. For the wholeČRthe migration in the region is more typical than the migration between regions,
which is connected with the costs of commuting in comparison with costs of moving and housing
arrangement. The main region of migration is the demand for a better job and unemployment. As of
the day of census in 2001 38.6% employed persons in the Hradec-Králové-Region, 42.2% in the
Pardubice-Region and 34.7% in the Liberec-Region commuted to work. Commuting and moving for
work becomes one of the main possibilities how to solve the unemployment. The Region should
concentrate in future in much higher extent on assuring the transport availability in the whole region,
especially in the less populated and border regions.
The main cause of the low utilization of job opportunities by the applicants is the discordance between
their qualification and experience on one hand and demands of employers on particular professional
skills and experience of job applicants on the other hand. The instruments of the active employment
policy (APZ) play an important part in this respect; however, these are long-term solutions calling for
9
All the data of economic activity , employment and unemployment come from ČSÚ
41
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
the active co-operation of employers. The companies often prefer the applicants with a finished
qualification.
4.4.C.4 Unemployed Graduates by Branches on the NUTS II Territory
The school graduates represent a risky group of labour forces, as it is very difficult at present to find a
job within one or two years after completing studies without experience. The missing success while
looking for the job at the beginning of the job career can result in the loss of motivation and in another
serious problem – tendency to socially pathological phenomena. Today, this group is devoted the
necessary attention within the existing consulting system and system utilization of instruments of the
active policy of employment. In future, it will be necessary to concentrate oneself in a higher extent on
the preventive measures focused on persons of educational consultants at the elementary school and
higher quality of their services. It is also necessary to involve the employers into the co-operation with
the elementary and secondary schools. The motivation of pupils for studies of branches required by
labour market, however, must be supported first of all by employers, especially in the time when pupils
decide, i.e. in the last two classes of elementary schools.
The issue of employment of school graduates may be documented on examples of their asserting
themselves in the first job. In April 2005, in the Pardubice-Region, the highest unemployment rate was
registered among school leavers of the branch Technical Chemistry and Chemistry of silicates (50%),
in the Liberec-Region it was the branch Leather and Shoes Manufacturing and Processing of Plastics
(33.3%). In case of trained school-leavers with GCE, the highest rate of unemployment was in the
Pardubice-Region first of all in the branch Processing Wood and Production of Music Instruments
(61.5%) and in the Liberec-Region in the branch Economics and Administration (100%). These data
document clearly the need of a much higher co-ordination of the offer of the educational system with
the demand of the labour market, esp. possibilities of individual employers. In the field of employment
of school-leavers, certain disproportions, which cannot be prevented, occur always; however, in some
branches the unemployment rate exceeds 30%, which is the proof of the insufficient interest of the
educational system in the future assertion of school-leavers. The school-leavers must accept less
qualified positions for a lower wage, which leads to lower satisfaction in the work as well as in the life.
4.4.C.5 Active Employment Policy (AEP)
The active employment policy started to develop in the 90s of the last century as reaction on the
problem of the growing unemployment. It represents a quite large amount of manifold instruments of
activity of Bureaus of Employment implementing AEP in a particular region. Every Bureau of
Employment struggles with another unemployment rate and with other problems on its regional work
market and it applies also quite different ways of solution. The general problems concerning the risky
groups and applicants who may be located only with great difficulties are practically identical
everywhere. The school-leavers, citizens with handicaps, applicants with low education or unsuitable
qualification in relation to current demands at the labour market are among them. It is also possible to
involve into this group the applicants in the pre-pension age and women with young children too. An
independent group is socially non-adaptable persons, not looking for the work and counting upon the
social system.
The re-qualification of applicants for job is one of the most important measures of the active
employment policy. The support is provided in the form of the contribution of Bureaus of Employment
to applicants for the payment of re-qualification costs; the employers are paid partially or completely
the costs of prequalification of employees. The success of re-qualification courses depends on the
branch structure and structure of unemployed (degree of education, acquired qualification, experience
etc.). The applicants within half a year after the loss of job are involved into the re-qualification courses
most frequently. From the viewpoint of the structure of courses, there are professionally focused
courses providing new qualification for a particular profession and general courses the goal of which is
acquiring knowledge and skills to the total activation of unemployed. The vast majority of courses
include the professional practice as well as practical teaching. The focus of re-qualification courses in
individual regions is very similar; computer courses, accounting courses, administrative work, courses
for drivers, welders, different services (hairdresser etc.), fundamentals of business. Short-term
programs (mostly monthly, seldom two-month-programs) are not very effective, because of their low
level of acquired knowledge and skills. The problem of a higher number of long-term courses is their
term of several months, higher financial demands and non-existing guarantees of the following finding
a job. The obstacle of the higher number of long-term courses are limited financial means of providers
- Bureaus of Employment and their low degree of co-operation with particular employers in the field of
specification of their requirements on the structure of the offer of qualification courses, required by
them. The most participants of the re-qualification courses appreciate acquiring new skills and
42
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
contacts for the further employment, only minimum number takes part to decrease the risk of the loss
of the social allowance. A considerable effect have the courses on improvement of the psychical
conditions and improvement of the own evaluation. For one quarter of the applicants, the participation
in the re-qualification programs is connected with a further deterioration of financial situation
(commuting etc). The unemployment benefit is paid only half a year, then the applicant is, based on
his social situation left to other kinds of the state support, however, covering only a part of life costs.
An important aspect while selecting a certain course remains first of all the following possibility of
assertion of the applicant at the work market (limited or unsuitable offer of these courses and their
short duration); moreover, it is a low financial motivation for those who are interested in requalification. In the next years, the scope as well as the structure of re-qualification courses should be
accommodated more and more to individual needs of employers and job applicants. The requalification education contributes generally to increased flexibility of labour force, being more than
ever forced to adapt oneself to topical changes of the labour market.
Another important AEP instrument is investment incentives for employers, for whom the decision on
the promise of the investment incentive based on a special legal regulation was issued. The support
concentrates on the creation of new vacancies and on the re-qualification or training of new
employees. The condition of gaining the support is the registered office of the company on the territory
of districts with the higher rate of unemployment than the national average. The usability of this
support is, however, considerably limited territorially and also by the amount of the determined
financial means. This instrument may be considered very effective, as it is connected with new
investments of a long-term character. Its efficiency, however, is considerably limited by the determined
sources.
There are also other AEP instruments, however, without such an important impact on decreasing the
unemployment as re-qualification courses and investment incentives.
4.4.C.6 Equal Opportunities of Women and Men at Labour Market
The field of the employment and possibilities of women’s assertion in jobs is evaluated by the society
in several levels. The society sees as problem the existing lower representation of women in the better
financially evaluated positions and in the more difficult achieving managing positions in the
entrepreneurial as well as public sphere. Women are really represented to a higher extent in the lower
managing positions; from this fact the conclusion that the women are denied of the possibility of
further professional development and perspective career cannot be concluded. The cause of this state
is the problematic connection of the professional and family life. The care for family is in the first place
the task of women; the women are connected much more with care for family than men by the society.
In the most cases, no family care or is expected from men. This is, however, the problem of a family
and education, not of the labour market and employers. The solution consists – besides the education
focused on the equality of roles and chances in the life – in the general attitude of the society
members to women and men and to their roles in the family and society.
Very problematic in the employment of women is employment of mothers with young children; the fact
that the employers do not offer women the part-time jobs to a higher extent is seen as a problem. The
reasons of this attitude of employers may be the effort to assure smooth functioning of a company. On
the other hand, the employers meet with the objective missing interest of women-applicants in parttime jobs for the reason of drawing a low wage, often on the limit of life minimum.
The educational system in theČRas well as in the region cannot be considered discriminating, the
educational offer is determined for all those meeting the criteria of trouble-free management of
studies. The representation of both sexes is similar like in the whole population, with certain
exceptions of some study branches typical of one group of inhabitants based on history or custom.
The theme of equal opportunities is often perceived only on the level of professional and social
assertion of men and women. The problem of equal opportunities is, however, much larger and it
cannot be restricted to the equality of sexes. There are many more serious forms of discrimination at
the labour market consisting in the preferences of personal contacts to real abilities of job applicants,
misuse of managing position to the pressure on subordinates etc.
4.4.D
Health Service and Social Care
4.4.D.1 Health Service – Analysis of the Structure of Network of Medical Facilities and
Level of Health Care
The state of health care and medical care in the Northeast Cohesion Region may be evaluated as
good from the quantitative and qualitative point of view. The availability of individual kinds of medical
43
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
services, i.e. capacity of beds as well as ambulant services is satisfactory. Problematic is only the
availability of hospitals and specialized facilities from some peripheral districts (esp. borderland).
The most important medical facility in the region is the Faculty Hospital in Hradec Králové, being in
many branches the best one in the Czech Republic (e.g. in cardio-surgery, neurological surgery,
ophthalmology, metabolism and nutrition support, oncology and haematological oncology.) Of over
regional importance are in some branches also regional hospitals in Liberec (e.g. in the specializations
neurological surgery, traumatology and invasive cardiology) and in Pardubice.
In the Hradec-Králové-Region, there are at present in total 12 hospitals, in the Pardubice-Region 5
hospitals with acute care and further 4-beds medical facilities providing nursing care; in the LiberecRegion, there are 9 hospitals. Concerning number of beds per 10000 inhabitants only the HradecKrálové-Region exceeds the average value in the Czech Republic, other regions fall behind the
average in the number of beds (first of all as consequence of the excessive concentration of beds in
Prague). The level (constructional and technical state) of medical infrastructure in the region is
strongly different. Besides the new or modernized buildings, the beds stand many times in unsuitable
spaces, calling for reconstruction and modernization. Also the level of equipment with appliances is
different; the necessary renewal and modernization should reflect the extent of utilization (size of the
attraction zone of the hospital). In future, it is necessary to concentrate on the increase of
effectiveness of health services through investments into the information technologies, education,
innovation of technical background and appliances and modernization of medical facilities.
A part of the network of medical facilities with beds is also specialized institutes with the nation-wide
activity and coverage (e.g. the Institute of Arm Surgery and Plastic Surgery in Vysoké nad Jizerou or
the Professional Medical Institute of Jevíčko, focusing on healing of tuberculosis and respiratory
diseases).
The pre-hospital urgent care is assured by the Medical Rescue Service of individual regions with
detached workplaces so that the availability within 15 minutes is guaranteed. Some regions, especially
mountainous regions, however, are not covered by this isochrones and after the anticipated reduction
of the network of hospitals, the situation will continue to deteriorate. Serious cases, calling for the
instantaneous and quick action in terrain, the Air Rescue Service with stations in Hradec Králové and
Liberec helps to treat.
As for the number of physicians, a mild increase was registered at present in all the three regions. The
best situation is in the Hradec-Králové-Region, where 3.93 physicians are per 1000 inhabitants, which
is probably caused by the higher concentration of the specialized medical care in the Faculty Hospital
in Hradec Králové and by the presence of one Medical Faculty of UK Prague; the Pardubice and the
Liberec-Regions fall behind the national average. The ambulant sphere is quite well represented in
towns, whilst in the rural regions problems with taking over the medical practice as a consequence of
the relatively high average age of practical physicians may be expected soon. Even more complicated
situation is brewing in stomatological branches.
In the Northeast-Region, there are several municipalities with the spa statute, where first of all the
diseases of locomotive organs, nervous and skin diseases and respiratory diseases are treated
(Jánské Lázně, Spa of Velichovky, Spa of Bělohrad, Spa of Běloves, Spa of Bohdaneč, Spa of
Libverda and Spa of Kundratice). These are smaller spa sanatoriums, popular for their individual
treatment of clients. Their further existence and the development may be endangered by the possible
change of policy of medical care payment by health insurance funds (higher co-insurance of patients).
4.4.D.2 Social Care – Analysis of the Level of Social Services
On the territory of NUTS II the residential, assistance and intervention services of the social care are
provided. Evaluating the quality and sufficient coverage, differences in quality and not proportional
coverage within regions, typical of these services, shall be mentioned. Residential services (institutes
of social care, old peoples’ homes, children’s homes etc.) are currently sufficiently present on the
territory of the Pardubice and the Hradec-Králové-Region (in the Hradec-Králové and the PardubiceRegions, only some special residential services are missing, e.g. for psychotics and alcoholics). On
the territory of the Liberec-Region the residential services are spread very non-proportionally. The lack
of bed capacities, mainly places in seniors’ homes exist especially in the Liberec-Region, on the
contrary in Semilsko the capacity of these facilities is above average. The structure and capacity of
selected facilities of social care is represented in the table.
It applies generally, that in relation to the process of population ageing, the necessity of further
residential facilities on the territory of all the three regions appears in future. However, it is necessary
to support first of all the alleviating care and support of persons taking care of their family members
generally (home care). Very important is from the long-term point of view the co-operation of the
facilities of social care with facilities providing medical care; the problem is their insufficient co-
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
operation and mutual co-ordination of social and health services and facilities. The clients of seniors’
homes become often the people whose health condition calls for all-day health care. A certain solution
of this state consists in the optimization of beds; i.e. the transformation of excessive beds in hospitals
to beds for the following care, beds for seniors and all-day-care.
Terrain social services and intervention services, however, have considerable reserves in coverage of
individual regions. In many municipalities, the assistance services for citizens are not available at all.
As for intervention services in the Hradec-Králové-Region, mainly the services for children and young
people are insufficiently developed, as e.g. the support of free-time activities, e.g. in the form of the
low-threshold centres; moreover, the services of the type “crisis bed” or asylum living are necessary.
In many cases, not only sufficient support of the local government is missing, but first of all the
financial means for their operation. In the Pardubice and the Liberec-Region, the intervention services
are insufficiently covered in the localities affected by the social exclusion. In both these regions, the
separated Roma communities grow. It is necessary that terrain social workers work here, contributing
considerably to alleviating the social exclusion and helping with involving gypsies into the society,
removing handicaps in education, living and unemployment. Providing this service in the regions is
insufficient for the time being and the municipalities do not reflect the necessity to assure this social
service sufficiently at present.
A positive feature is the existence of a number of social branches in the secondary schools and
universities of NUTS II Northeast-territory, which are good pre-conditions for the preparation of the
qualified staff. At present, also the greater development of the non-profit sector in the field of social
services is registered, which is pre-condition of the social care of a higher quality and effectiveness.
In the last time, the trend was registered, when on one hand, the number of facilities providing social
services including the scope and quality of these services grows (residential, intervention, assistance
services), on the other hand, the number of recipients of services grows (pensioners, young people,
handicapped persons, socially excluded citizens). The consequence is growing demands of subjects
of social care on the financial sources of the state, region and municipalities. The most of these
facilities as well as the towns and municipalities try to solve this problem of sufficient financial sources
for the recovery of services and investments with the aid of sponsors.
Another not well designed region is the function of medical facilities and social care facilities in the
field of the following care. At present, the sector of medicine substitutes partially the social care (e.g.
chronic disease hospitals) and on the contrary, in the senior’s homes are specialized departments,
substituting long-term care hospitals and specialized institutes (homes for psychotics and clients
with Alzheimer, where the medical care is not paid by health insurance funds). The consequence of it
is the not transparent economy of all the subjects and difficult identification of desirable savings. The
state has no comprehensive conception of social care, individual fields of the social care are not
treated in connection with related ones and the regions have not sufficient professional and financial
sources for solution of this complicated branch. The necessary pre-condition of the solution of this
unfavourable situation is the more effective co-operation of the health and social care, starting from
the central level (relative ministries), through regional level (districts) up to individual municipalities.
4.5
4.5.A
Tourism and culture
Tourism
Tourism ranks among significant factors contributing to the development of both the region and the
entire economy. Its role is growing constantly and becomes a dynamic part of the development. There
exists a multiplication effect typical for tourism development, which expresses economic impacts of
tourism on a number of other industries, and by respecting the sustainability policy this industry also
brings a positive contribution to the regional prosperity. Besides triggering new job opportunities the
tourism is also co-stimulating the development of standard services and business within the region,
mainly as a result of the increased volume of effective demand. Developing tourism also exerts a
pressure on investments in infrastructure and on refurbishment of the aesthetical look of both urban
and rural areas, which brings another positive effects in.
Tourist zones marketing
There are 4 tourist zones within the Northeast Cohesion Region – the East Bohemia (Východní
Čechy), the Krkonoše mountains, the Bohemian Paradise (Český ráj) and the Bohemian North
(Český sever) which further split into 15 tourist areas, to be specific : the Podzvičínsko, the Kladské
borderland (pomezí), the Hradecko, the Orlické mountains and the Podorlicko, the Pardubicko, the
45
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Chrudimsko-Hlinecko and the Bohemian and Moravian borderland (pomezí), the Krkonoše mountains
West, the Krkonoše mountains-central part, the Krkonoše mountains East, the Bohemian Paradise,
the Macha´s land, the Lužické mountains, the Ještěd crest, the Frýdlant area and the Jizerské
mountains.
4.5.A.1 Potential of tourism
The Northeast Cohesion Region’s position within the Czech Republic is relatively good, viewed from
the physical-geographical prerequisites for the development of tourism. The heterogeneous landscape
mosaic within a small spatial arrangement attracts concentration of different matters of interest and
therefore can be regarded as a significant ”tractor” of tourism. Namely the beautiful nature consisting
of flatlands and mountains with favourable hydrological and climatic conditions offers a number of
opportunities, such as summer-time relaxation, hiking and winter sports.
The area of the Northeast Cohesion Region offers a big number of tourist attractions and points of
interest. Amongst the main tourist destinations are not only the natural localities (preserved areas,
mountains, rock towns, etc.) intended for sports or relaxation activities but also municipalities with their
cultural and historical monuments (strongholds, castles, stronghold and castle ruins, military and
religious monuments, museums, galleries, look-out towers etc.). The natural potential for development
of tourism gets extended not only by presence of architectural monuments in the region but also by a
number of social, cultural and sport events, traditions of local people a.s.o.
As regards the types of active leisure time spending viewed as an inherent part of tourism, there are
also the modern and currently more and more sought-after leisure time activities being developed in
the NUTS II Northeast Region in addition to the traditional hiking. Biking is becoming very popular
these days in the whole region and in the specific parts of the region there are also rock-climbing and
paragliding opportunities (e.g. in the tourist areas of the Bohemian Paradise, the Bohemian North or in
the tourist area of the Kladsko borderline). In some parts of the Northeast Cohesion Region (e. g. in
the tourist area of East Bohemia) can be traced prerequisites for specific forms of leisure activities like
horse-riding, rural tourism, agricultural tourism etc.
The most significant potential for development of tourism in the Northeast Cohesion Region, however,
is seen in the presence of mountain areas with facilities providing opportunities for a wide range of
winter sports as well as the standard summer tourism. This area including its recreation facilities ranks
among the nation-wide most important tourist areas attracting lots of visitors namely during the winter
season. Mainly the entire tourist area of the Krkonoše mountains and the tourist area of Jizerské
mountains and in smaller scale also the hilly part of the Orlické mountains and Podorlicko area and
the area of Kralický Sněžník are concerned.
There are also a few spa resorts located in the Northeast Cohesion Region. However, number of such
resorts is very limited there, which makes it less attractive for especially foreign visitors focused on this
particular product of tourism, compared to other regions on NUTS II level (e.g. the North-West
Region). Thousands of visitors come to several spa resorts in the Northeast Cohesion Region every
year. These resorts can partly be used as means of a relaxation-focused tourism.
4.5.A.2 Travel industry commodities
From the viewpoint of tourism in the entire NUTS II Northeast Region the existing potential of natural
and cultural-historical attractions is very multifarious and less competitive, however, under the
conditions of dynamically developing market. A visitor to the region exerts pressure on creation of new
services of the travel industry extending those classic and standard ones to meet his/her specific
demands on an active leisure time spending.
In the Northeast Cohesion Region there is a lack of sufficient number of new travel industry
commodities on offer, which would help fill in the market gaps and satisfy the increasing demand for
holidays of a specific focus. Namely comprehensive commodities of a long-term nature triggering a
significant multiplication effect on the entire region’s development have been missing. Putting
comprehensive schemes and commodities (so-called service packages) in practice becomes one of
the basic elements relating to the travel industry offered in the given region.
Creation of new travel industry commodities shall first stem from the region’s potential and its unique
offer. As far as the NUTS II Northeast Region is concerned, among such attractions there are for
example the traditional crafts and folklore, history (namely the military monuments) and natural sights
(mountains, rock towns, preserved areas etc.).
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
4.5.A.3 Visit Rate Statistics
One of possible methods of evaluation of the rate of visits to the NUTS II Northeast Region is the
assessment of the performance of collective accommodation facilities used for the purpose of tourism.
Based on year 2005 figures gathered from respective regions within the NUTS II Northeast Region the
most visited place is the Hradec-Králové-Region (4th place within the Czech Republic), followed by the
Liberec-Region (6th place) and the poorest from the viewpoint of the incoming visitors number waste
the Pardubice-Region within both the NUTS II Northeast Region and the whole Czech Republic as
such.
Table No 10: Performance of collective accommodation facilities used for the purpose of tourism by
regions within the NUTS II Northeast Region in 2005
Number of overnights
stays
Guests
Out of that
foreigners Total
Out of that
foreigners
Avg. duration of
Avg. number of accommodation
overnight stays
(days)
Out of
Out of
that
that
Total
foreign.
foreign. Total
Locality
Total
Česká republika
12 361 793 6 336 128 40 320 477 19 595 035 3,3
Net bed
exploit1)
ation
(%)
Room
exploit1)
ation
(%)
3,3
4,3
4,3
35,8
42,4
Cap. city of Prague 4 108 565
3 725 180 11 204 950 10 368 571 2,7
2,8
3,7
3,8
53,4
60,7
Liberec-Region
Hradec-Králové
Region
768 061
242 445
2 741 134
962 515
3,6
4,0
4,6
5,0
27,3
37,1
972 391
325 271
3 862 054
1 284 891
4,0
4,0
5,0
5,0
30,8
35,2
Pardubice-Region
329 395
52 749
1 097 031
173 258
3,3
3,3
4,3
4,3
25,2
30,0
Source: the Czech Statistical Office
4.5.A.4 Basic characteristics of visitors to the Northeast Cohesion Region
By means of surveys carried out independently for the needs of processing of conceptual documents
for individual tourist regions 10 it was possible to define the basic characteristics of the region’s visitors.
By age, visitors till 45 years, i.e. the young and the middle-aged represent the biggest share of visitors
whose preferences and behaviour will play a key role in the future development of travel industry. A
significant share is also held by families with children focused on offer of a static hotel-type of tourism.
Share of the elderly is small. By nationality, the biggest share is represented by domestic visitors,
followed by the citizens of Germany, Poland and the Netherlands. These are the main sources of
foreign visitors to the Region. As for domestic visitors, they come from all corners of the country, but in
some specific areas (like the Krkonoše mountains) visitors from the Prague region are predominant.
Among the most frequent reasons presented in surveys was holiday spending, no matter if holiday
focused on cultural sights visits or on sports or purely a static type of holiday. It means that
predominant are the holiday-makers focused on recreation. Regarding the way the stays are
11
organized, mainly the Czech visitors prefer the self-organized stays to any contract-based services .
Another group, very important one, is consisting of visitors focused on the package tour organized by
travel agencies. Based on surveys carried out, the rate of TIC (Tourist Information Centres) service
exploitation is still considerably low. Surveys also revealed that high percentage of visitors prefer
short-time one-day stays with no accommodation services requested and exploited. The
accommodated visitors prefer hotels and private accommodation facilities, potentially also
accommodation capacities provided by their acquaintances or relatives. The second most exploited
are the services provided by hotels and tourist lodging houses. Visitors´ own cottages and weekend
houses represent an indispensable form of accommodation for the domestic visitors mainly. From the
perspective of the means of transportations used for getting to the region, visitors´ own vehicles are
predominant. Visitors get information on the region mainly from the Internet followed by the
information offered by travel agencies, in smaller scope also radio, TV, press or folders are used for
that purpose. Just a small percentage of visitors get information at the Travel industry fairs. The
current traffic system represents the main reason for visitors´ dissatisfaction, mainly due to centres
being frequently overloaded by individual traffic and insufficient parking capacities. Among other
frequently commented problems belong prices being too high, poor marking of tourist paths, lack of
10
Source: Tourist region development scheme for the East Bohemia Region, Tourist region development scheme for the
Krkonoše, Tourist region development scheme for the Bohemian Paradise, Travel industry development scheme for the
Liberec Region
11
Among other things, this is a by-product of the fact that the offer of commodities in the sphere of the domestic travel industry
is not much extended.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
public toilets and/or their poor quality, environmental pollution a.s.o. The natural potential of the
Northeast Cohesion Region is being regarded as the main reason for satisfaction of the visitors to the
region.
The above characteristics would be useful as a background showing where certain specific activities
exercised through the ROP “Northeast” should be directed to, involving namely the creation of travel
industry commodities, improvement in traffic accessibility, upgraded quality of the basic and
associated infrastructure, development of an information system for the needs of the travel industry
etc.
4.5.A.5 Territorial preconditions for development of tourism structured by regions
Despite the fact that the Liberec-Region belongs to frequently visited areas, namely thanks to certain
areas (The Krkonoše mountains, the Jizerské and the Lužické mountains, The Bohemian Paradise,
The Macha´s land a.s.o.), also the areas in need of a constant tourism development support - like the
Frýdlant area in particular - shall be mentioned.
There’s also a big potential for development seen namely in the sphere of family recreation and biking
in the picturesque Podještědí area, the Podkrkonoší area and the Ralsko area and its surroundings.
Regarding the Hradec-Králové-Region, first of all the area of the Krkonoše mountains (the Trutnov
area) ranks among areas benefiting from good preconditions for tourism development namely thanks
to the potential for winter recreation and summer tourism. Among other high-profile areas also belong
the tourist area of the Kladsko borderline and the Broumovsko respectively, mainly due to rocks
located there.
The whole tourist area of Pardubicko belongs to areas with limited potential for tourism development in
the Pardubice-Region, except for urban and several rural parts. Another tourist areas, i.e. the
Chrudimsko-Hlinecko area, the Bohemian-Moravian borderland, the Orlické mountains and the
Podorlicko area offer significant preconditions for tourism development, mainly of natural but also of
cultural-historical character. The availability of infrastructure and travel industry services as well as
traffic accessibility and other areas are considered to be somewhat problematic there.
One of the traditional problems for development of tourism in certain specific areas especially is the
high probability of potential conflicts with environmental protection interests in relation to the intended
travel industry development plans (eg. in areas of the Jizerské mountains, the Krkonoše mountains
and the Orlické mountains).
4.5.A.6 Infrastructure for tourism
In principle the tourism-related infrastructure coverage of the Northeast Cohesion Region corresponds
with distribution of the traditional tourism-related activities and their potential. However, the
development of new forms of tourism and the growing demand for new types of tourist attractions will
necessarily go hand in hand with the demand for the basic and associated tourism-related
infrastructure outside the traditional recreation and tourist localities. The fact that the main volume of
investments spent in the past decades on travel industry was directed to traditional destinations
makes now the development of tourism in other region’s areas suitable for new ways of leisure time
spending very problematic.
Basic infrastructure
Basic infrastructure is represented by lodging and boarding facilities. The lack of balance is typical for
territorial distribution of the current network of lodging facilities within the Northeast Cohesion Region,
which basically corresponds with the traditional approach to distribution of the tourism-related
potential. Significant territorial concentration of such facilities is apparent in the hilly areas of the
Jizerské mountains, the Krkonoše mountains, the Orlické mountains and the Kralický Sněžník as well
as in bigger towns. A general problem of certain parts of the Northeast Cohesion Region is an often
inappropriate composition and varying quality of services provided by the lodging and boarding
facilities. Especially the poor technical condition and low equipment level of these facilities is a
problematic issue. Investments in this infrastructure shall improve basic conditions influencing the
level of visitors´ satisfaction and enhance the standard level of services offered.
There are certain differences in basic infrastructure of individual tourist regions located in the NUTS II
10
Northeast Region’s territory, therefore such areas are analyzed separately. .
10
Source: Tourist region development scheme for the East Bohemia Region, Tourist region development scheme for the
Krkonoše, Tourist region development scheme for the Bohemian Paradise, Travel industry development scheme for the
Liberec Region
48
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
The East Bohemia Tourist Region
Total capacity, structure and quality of lodging services plays a significant (almost decisive) role for
creation of commodities for a tourist region. A survey conducted among the visitors revealed that
lodging services have been criticized for both the quality of services provided and the segmentation of
services offered (the whole region lacks hotels and bed and breakfasts of *** class and, on the other
hand, there is an abundance of unsatisfactory lodging houses and recreation facilities in many tourist
centres. The level and scope of lodging capacities is a very limiting factor for the development of the
associated infrastructure as well as for creation and development of new attractions and exploitation of
the region’s potential by travel agencies etc.
Boarding services have long been the most developing tourist services in the region. Yet in many
cases their scope (and first of all their quality) is still unsatisfactory. This namely holds true for
localities situated outside big towns. Nowadays, the supply already exceeds the demand in towns and
large tourist centres. Despite this fact, the visitors criticize certain phenomena connected with
boarding services offered. The region is lacking local fast food service (mainly in recreation localities
and ski centres) as well as specialized restaurants with typical offer of traditional dishes.
The Krkonoše Tourist Region
Segmentation of accommodation facilities in the Krkonoše is to a large extent conditioned by historical
development of that area. Low-capacity and less-equipped bed and breakfasts are predominant,
followed by chalets typical for the Krkonoše area, cottages, hotel-type accommodation (16 – 20% of
the total capacity), lodging houses, motels, recreation facilities etc. The present capacity segmentation
is less favourable mainly for organized stays of higher number of clients. Also the level of equipment is
perceived to be a weak point as rooms often lack toilets (which are, of course, not requested for all
types of facilities) with sports grounds, swimming areas (pool), information service (e-mail, internet
access) being frequently missing too. Very different is also the level of accommodation facilities
(technical condition, equipment). A considerable part of such facilities stems from companies´
recreation facilities of different standards, many hotels and bed and breakfasts has not attracted any
investments since years. Overall condition of the lodging base can therefore be very often tagged as
dissatisfactory from the perspective of existing competition, and from the perspective of external
competition in particular.
The Bohemian North and The Bohemian Paradise Tourist Regions (area of the Liberec-Region)
An absolute majority of accommodation capacities can be exploited all year long (there is approx. 7%
of seasonal facilities only – most of them in the Česka Lípa territory - Doksy and the Macha´s Lake).
Segmentation of the types of accommodation facilities is to a certain extent conditioned by their
historical development. Low-capacity and less-equipped bed and breakfasts are prevailing over hoteltype facilities (approx. 15 – 16% of the total capacity) and recreation facilities, chalets and weekend
house colonies. This situation is far from what can be regarded as a strong point for future
development, for from a long-term perspective such supply is seen as being less competitive
(relatively lower prices for accommodation in bed and breakfasts represent a competitive advantage,
they, however, cannot generate necessary profit for the needed refurbishment of such facilities). The
discovered capacity segmentation is less favourable mainly for organized stays of higher number of
clients. Analysis has also disclosed a different level of accommodation facilities (technical condition,
level of equipment). Overall condition of the lodging base can therefore be often tagged as
dissatisfactory. As a weak point stands first of all the level of equipment, e.g. most of accommodation
facilities lack toilets in their rooms. Level of information service provision and internet access
availability is also perceived as insufficient.
From an overall perspective the number of accommodation capacities within the Northeast Cohesion
Region can be classified as sufficient, however, the quality and segmentation of such facilities are not
meeting the visitors´ demands, which triggers an insufficient capacity utilization in off-season periods
especially. Another problem is the significantly imbalanced distribution of the tourism-related
infrastructure in the region.
49
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Picture No 7: Accommodation facilities´ capacity per 1000 inhab. by administrative districts of ORP NUTS
II NE in 2005
Border of NUTS II
Border of regions
No. of beds per 1000 inhabitants
2 and more
Data source: The Czech Statistical Office, regional representatives 2006
Picture No 7 provides an analysis of accommodation facilities´ capacity in the Northeast Cohesion
Region. An interregional comparison shows that the highest number of beds is in the Hradec-Králové
Region followed by the Liberec-Region. The lowest number of beds is in the Pardubice-Region, which
fully corresponds with the traditional perception of the area’s attractiveness for tourism and related
long-lasting lack of investments in the local tourism-related infrastructure. When converting the bed
number per 1000 inhabitants, the biggest number of beds can be found in the Liberec-Region followed
by the Hradec-Králové-Region and lowest bed number falls on the Pardubice-Region. When
converting the bed number per 1000 inhabitants within the territory of the NUTS II Northeast Region,
the number of its beds prevails over the same parameter measured for the entire Czech Republic. The
available data point at a clear fact that the biggest concentration of beds in the entire NUTS II
Northeast Region can be found mainly in mountainous areas and/or in otherwise attractive areas
(Českolipsko, Český ráj).
Associated infrastructure
The associated infrastructure forms further conditions for provision of the tourism-related services in
the field of leisure time spending and recreation especially, but also with respect to the conference
tourism.
Biking, being one of many leisure time activities, has recently been undergoing a huge development.
There have already been tens of kilometres of marked bike paths commissioned in the Northeast
rd
Cohesion Region. The regional and local bike paths set on the 3 class roads and field paths as well
as forest roads are connected to the main bike paths of the Europe-wide importance. Bike paths differ
by distance and difficulty level as well as by their importance and quality. Their marking exists mainly
thanks to initiatives of respective micro-regions, who have been funding both the bike paths schemes
and subsequent placement of bike path signs from their own budgets. Bike paths network, however, is
incomplete and in some areas lacks interconnections. Also accompanying services have been missing
in relation to the already-existing bike paths network (pull-off spots including route itineraries, hygienic
facilities etc.). The surface of certain bike path stretches is not satisfactory too. The presently missing
bike path network represents a problem namely for bikers´ safety.
In the Northeast Cohesion Region there are hundreds of kilometres of marked tourist routes. These
are considered to be a standard element of the associated infrastructure and can also be regarded as
an inherent part of the tourism-related potential in the NUTS II Northeast Region.
New forms of tourism and new attractions are being demanded for, such as museum expositions held
in a modern way, thematic pleasure parks, archaeological parks etc. In connection with the efforts to
widen the scope of the region’s tourism-focused services, the growing demand for such activities
involving for example the horse-riding, agricultural tourism, adrenalin tourism and relaxation-focused
tourism needs to be satisfied namely from the perspective of associated infrastructure erection. Such
50
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
activities offer a considerable potential for development of tourism outside the traditional tourist
localities.
Besides recreation facilities situated in the well-known and frequently-visited tourist localities of a
nation-wide importance, there is also an interesting number of recreation facilities in other areas of the
Northeast Cohesion Region offering favourable natural conditions for winter and summer sports on
one hand and lacking sufficient and good-quality background concerning the associated infrastructure
in particular on the other hand. An obvious issue for all centres is also their seasonality. The lack of
specific associated infrastructure (swimming pools, bathing resorts, tennis courts, multi-purpose
playgrounds, golf courses etc.) also prevents the most recreation centres from being exploited on a
whole-season basis.
4.5.A.7 Information systems
In the Northeast Cohesion Region, there currently exists no interconnected tourist information system
to involve tourist destinations marking, information centres network, internet-based information
services a.s.o. and to include systematic and coordinated information on travel-industry-related
services and to promote regional tourism-related commodities in a comprehensive way. Individual
tourist regions and areas respectively, have partly built up their own information systems, which,
however, differ from each other by quality and scope of information provided. What is being felt as
problematic is mainly their isolation and focus just on a given locality and its attractions. Through
creation of high-quality information systems and their interconnection with information network on a
national or even international level a better exchange of internal information among relevant travel
industry bodies of the region and namely a better access to tourist information from the outside will be
secured.
The information system providers present in the three regions of the Northeast Cohesion Region are
mainly represented through information centres, most of which have been commissioned by
municipalities themselves. There are also private information centres operating in some towns of the
region. Their activities are being supplemented with those of information centres organized by public
libraries connected to internet. Nevertheless, current situation in this sphere cannot be regarded as
sufficient.
Lack of high-quality navigation systems also ranks among particular problems in the region disliked by
both visitors and local businesses operating in the sphere of travel industry. This has a negative
impact on less-known monuments in particular, which, however, usually represent a significant
attraction for development of the local tourism in given area.
4.5.A.8 Traffic accessibility
In general, the region’s geographic position and related traffic accessibility is perceived to be one of
the strong points of the Northeast Cohesion Region. Yet it is not possible to claim that all parts of the
region and tourist areas respectively, have comparable conditions in this field. Within the NUTS II
Northeast Region, only the distant parts, such as the area of the Broumovský headland and the
Frýdlantský headland, the Orlické mountains and the Králický Sněžník and certain areas of the
Svitavsko district and the Moravská Třebová district and the headlands of the Českomoravská
vrchovina etc. are less accessible for the traffic.
In connection with the above, the insufficient parking capacity including appropriate associated
services for visitors and tourists also represents a significant problem for visitors to certain tourist
centres and selected attractive places. Access roads to some tourist attractions are in bad condition
too.
4.5.A.9 Marketing and organization of tourism (destination management)
One of the main tasks for organization of tourism is to ensure coordination of marketing activities and
create collective tourism-related commodities in tourist regions, irrespective of existing regions´
borders. The partnership of all regions under the NUTS II Northeast Region working as a basic
platform for organizing tourism on a regional level and the tourist regions´ marketing activities having
been accepted by the national marketing body – the Czech Tourism agency (The Czech Agency for
Travel Industry) – are perceived as very positive phenomena.
First of all, the individual municipalities, associations of municipalities and other bodies in the region
have an irreplaceable meaning in the sphere of tourism organization and marketing activities.
Unfortunately, fragmentation and lack of coordination in activities performed by the above-mentioned
institutions are being considered as the main issues of the present time. Institutions active in the field
of tourism as regional or district tourism organizations operate in all tourist regions or areas
51
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
respectively. Main purpose of organization and marketing of tourism is definitely not to create new
“marketing agencies“, but rather to clarify the competences and responsibilities. Main task is to create
a functional structure for a long-term achievement of necessary marketing objectives. It is vital to
establish and utilize a dynamic marketing and promotion conception for achievement of region’s longterm plans. One of the basic preconditions for a successful development of the travel industry in the
region is mutual communication and coordination of activities among individual travel industry bodies
(municipal authorities, State administration, tourist information centres, private businesses, institutions
dealing with tourism and professional associations).
As regards the regional travel industry development, it is necessary to reassess and increase the
efficiency of involvement of the State administration’s bodies in marketing realization. Besides the
basic services (lodging, boarding a.s.o.) falling under the competence of the private sector, most of
region’s attractions (tourist destinations) are owned by municipalities or by the state. Their sole
competence is to protect and refurbish monuments, tourist signs, to protect natural localities and
officially promote tourism in their region. Of course, cooperation between public and private sectors
does exist but still is insufficient with respect to the fact that such cooperation has so far been limited
just to random collective presentations at fairs, organization of cultural events a.s.o. So far there has
not been any communication platform allowing long-term conceptual cooperation created. Some
municipalities established the special tourism-focused committees for that purpose working as a part
of municipal councils and advisory bodies dealing with travel industry have also been set up at the
Regional Authorities. A significant problem for the current marketing of tourist areas appears to be the
coordination of activities among regions, where such tourist areas are located and last but not least
also the definition of marketing priorities on lower level of organizational structure involving individual
tourist regions or areas respectively. Currently, individual microregions already exist in a form of
associations of municipalities performing the development and marketing activities in their sphere of
interest, however, a microregion’s territory is too small from the viewpoint of its effective promotion not
only in the international but also in the domestic travel industry market. In order to get the coordination
and implementation function of the existing tourist organizations fully exploited, the coordination of
activities towards the defined tourist areas has to be intensified.
The cooperation with the Czech Tourism agency and its representations in foreign countries is
regarded as important in order to ensure not only access to information on foreign target groups, but
also availability of high-quality information on the given region for foreign countries. Such cooperation
has not yet reached the desired level. A mutual exchange of updated information in particular is
missing. From this point of view the region’s cooperation with individual above-mentioned levels of the
travel industry organization is insufficient. Based on opinion of qualified experts from the public the
regional marketing organizations shall be existing to support the development of tourism in the tourist
regions´ territories and to develop activities covering the whole scope of marketing and tourism
development conception at the same time. Organizations should define their tourism development
conceptions, collect updated information, process analyses, draft and implement commodities, assist
with cooperation and communication among institutions on regional, national and international level,
provide for the promotion of tourism-related commodities and region’s presentation in order to help
define directions for further development of tourist regions and areas within the Northeast Cohesion
Region. For a quality performance of the aforementioned activities it is a must to have a concentrated
funding tool in place along with a proactive cooperation among institutions present in a given locality.
4.5.B
Culture
The sphere of culture and cultural heritage has a relatively strong link to travel industry. These two
areas are linked closely to each other and complement each other, thus providing considerable mutual
overlaps. The sphere of culture’s relationship with tourism is also considered to develop dynamically
and to have a partial influence on creation of jobs.
In the NUTS II Notheast territory there is a number of historical and cultural monuments and other
cultural attractions, therefore it is possible to say that the whole territory offers a high cultural potential.
The individual regions within the NUTS II territory offer cultural monuments that are characteristic for
the given areas making them special and different from the rest of the regions within the NUTS II
territory. The cultural life within the NUTS II Northeast Region gets enriched through traditional music
and theatre festivals and other specific cultural events. An important part of the region’s cultural life
are activities conducted by amateurs and hobby groups focused on artistic work.
As yet, however, the great cultural potential has not been exploited for either the development of
tourism (monuments, museum and gallery program, etc.) or education (educative role of museums,
libraries, possible use of cultural monuments as education centres, etc.). Cultural development may
52
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
also have an impact on unemployment rate, for a number of cultural amenities (libraries, museums,
local community centres) lack personnel owing to a limited budget of their owner. An artistic-workfocused hobbies shall not be omitted either, since these contribute to a full-value life of the adults and
prevent from a socially-pathological behaviour of children and young people.
Cultural amenities within the NUTS II territory have been established either by individual municipalities
or by the region or by the MK of the Czech Republic or by other institutions. In general the mentioned
institutions´ financial contribution towards solving the culture-related issues is insufficient causing
mainly dilapidation of monuments, poor structural-technical condition of a number of local community
centres, libraries and museums, insufficient care for cultural heritage and its presentation outwards,
limited offer of cultural-educational programs, etc. Although there is still demand for high-quality
cultural services in small towns, the local governments do not have enough funds available for such a
support and have also different preferences. This results in an undesired concentration of cultural
services in big centres on one hand and on the other hand in an immense decline of culture level in
smaller towns and rural areas. The rural culture is then limited just to performances organized by local
associations of amateurs (theatricals, choirs, etc.), who often lack the necessary technical and
economical background and to libraries being open for a minimum time and having limited selection of
new items available.
Most of the local community centres were built from 1950´s to 1970´s. The sole operation of these
centres is so expensive for their owners (local governments in general) that already no other funds are
left either for a quality programs to be organized there or for their repairs or refurbishment. The lay-out
of rooms in these centres is unsatisfactory, the heat piping and power wires are obsolete, which also
holds true for the sound and graphic equipment, cloakrooms´ background and toilets, stage equipment
is missing or broken, etc. In most cases these centres are used as “assembly halls“ now, i.e. places
where hobby groups perform their artistic work and/or a limited number of social parties like balls are
held. Recently these facilities are being let on often unsuitable terms (on a short- or long-term basis) to
various commercial activities of private institutions and also serve as shops or warehouses out of
economic reasons. Potential for their development (providing their technical condition and sufficient
financial resources are secured) can be seen in the possible offer of a wide range of cultural
programs, educational activities focused e.g. on a language and computer literacy, organization of
conferences, discussions and presentation of comprehensive recitation sessions, organization of artfocused workshops in the form of specialized hobby groups a.s.o.
Museums and galleries have long been struggling namely with insufficient and unsuitable working
space. In general, they are located in historical monuments that provide no opportunity either for a
proper deposition of collections nor for their presentation. Due to economic limitations they also suffer
from a lack of personnel and therefore perform just a documentation and registration role with respect
to collections they are taking care of. There are no funds available even for processing, restoration,
preservation and completion and effective presentation of collections. Besides museums established
by municipal governments, also a number of community-supported activities has recently grown in
order to focus on this topic, which offers quite a high tourism development potential. From financial
perspective institutions of this kind depend on financial resources gathered from subsidies and
sponsors and local government. Since they usually do not have experts in either history or museum
work, the quality of their collections processing and presentation is rather imbalanced. They also have
problems with effective promotion. In general, it is possible to claim that museums offer an
indispensable potential for tourism.
Libraries are located in almost every municipality of the region. Such as other kinds of cultural
amenities, also libraries lack sufficiently-sized rooms, funds and personnel. Their work is in most
cases limited to the simple lending of books, but thanks to the scheme organized by the MK and MI
the number of libraries offering public internet access is growing. Potential for development of libraries
is seen namely in extension of the scope of services they offer with respect to the information society
development, in provision of such services like readers development schemes and development of
intelligence in general (discussions, contests, promotion events,…).
A high number of amateur cultural associations contributing towards an extended offer of cultural
events in individual regions is characteristic for the Northeast Cohesion Region. As a certain problem
is then regarded the absence of institutions ensuring production, methodical activity, education,
advisory and monitoring in the field of the non-professional culture. Development of culture in the
Northeast Cohesion Region should be first of all focused on the following priorities:
• Ensuring accessible cultural infrastructure,
• Improving conditions for investments and culture-related services provision,
• Providing for cultural heritage protection and revitalization,
• Possibilities for exploitation of cultural potential for development of tourism
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
4.5.B.1 Monuments and properties of historical importance
In the entire NUTS II Northeast Region there are many movable and immovable cultural monuments,
out of which some are of not only nation-wide but also of European-wide significance. In general, it is
possible to claim that the Northeast Cohesion Region offers relatively high cultural-historical potential
that can be utilized for the needs of the travel industry development.
First of all the large number of strongholds and castles and other cultural-historical monuments make
this area attractive. To significant monuments strongly connected with tourism belong also the
buildings of folk architecture. Besides visits to monuments themselves, the tourist attractions for
regions´ visitors include also the accompanying events, like fencing tournaments, reconstructions of
famous historic battles etc.
In the territory of the Northeast Cohesion Region there is a monument recorded in the UNESCO
World’s Cultural Heritage List too (The Litomyšl castle), further there are several tens of national
cultural monuments, several tens of urban conservation areas in towns and villages of the region, two
landscape conservation areas and several thousands of movable and immovable cultural monuments
listed in the Central Register of Cultural Monuments of the Czech Republic.
Among the most-visited cultural monuments within the Northeast Cohesion Region from the
perspective of tourism there are the Ratibořice castle, the Trosky stronghold, the Dětenice castle and
the Vysočina open-air museum, where each of the aforementioned monuments receives around 100
000 thousand visitors per year.
By number of visits to monuments of individual regions, the Hradec-Králové Region ended up on the
th
th
th
5 position, the Liberec-Region on the 6 position and the Pardubice-Region on the 10 position
(figures relating to the year 2004).
The deteriorating structural-technical condition of the monuments collection, low promotion efficiency
and insufficient offer of accompanying activities is felt to be the basic problem for utilizing cultural
monuments as attractions for tourism. At the same time there is no effort on the part of municipalities
and/or associations of municipalities to exploit the cultural-historical potential of the area in a more
effective way by means of coordination of such activities in particular. It is also very problematic to
force some of the monuments owners to furnish a proactive cooperation on making these monuments
accessible to extend the offer for tourist.
Exploitability of cultural-historical monuments for the needs of tourism is also limited by external
circumstances, such as problematic traffic accessibility and namely the insufficient or improper parking
capacities and lack of appropriate background for visitors.
Also the low public awareness concerning the cultural potential of individual monuments and resulting
approach to these values by local public represents a general problem for this sphere.
4.6
The living environment
The quality of natural environment within the Northeast Cohesion Region has been improved
significantly over the recent 15 years.
• Mainly in 1990´s high investments in particular in environment-friendly technologies resulted in
a significant improvement in air quality, nevertheless the urbanized districts where the
emission and noise limits continue to be exceeded remain problematic.
• Gas was introduced in that time to many municipalities, however, the trend of utilization of
solid fuels for local heating is being re-adopted in rural areas especially. Such environmentally
negative phenomenon is triggered mainly by prices for more environment-friendly ways of
heating being gradually soaring and thus becoming economically unbearable.
• Large interventions in building of wastewater treatment plants resulted in apparently better
quality of surface water in some localities of the region. Total amount of pollutants discharged
into surface water has been reduced.
• Landscape protection has been intensified namely by declaration of new protected areas
under the Natura 2000 system. Reducing biodiversity of the environment and rising number of
threatened species remains to be a continual problem.
• An increase in traffic has a considerably negative impact on the environment. Current threat is
represented by noise increase and permanently exceeded emission limits owing to evergrowing volume of vehicle transportation especially in municipalities situated on or close to
transit roads.
• The increased volume of waste production and its treatment is another environmentally
negative phenomenon of the past few years. On a long-term basis the volume of separated
54
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
•
4.6.A
waste goes slowly up, nevertheless, a suitable recycling and other forms of its exploitation still
lag behind in favour of the dominant landfills being perceived as a basic method of waste
disposal. Several older landfills with poor or no technical provisions represent current
environmental threats, mainly due to a potential leaks of pollutants into soil and ground water.
The high power demand of most of the industrial processes compared with the generated
GDP represents an ongoing problem. The systematic and goal-directed exploitation of
alternative power sources has so far not been developed.
Air
Air quality is characterized by a significant territorial difference not only in terms of individual regions
but also in the scope of smaller territorial units. Higher pollution rate is in the Liberec-Region and in the
Pardubice-Region. The Hradec-Králové Region ranks among those regions with relatively clean air
and no major pollution sources. The Liberec-Region faces a high load of emissions coming from both
local and distant sources (power stations in Germany, Poland and sources in the central parts of the
Czech Republic). The air pollution in the Pardubice-Region reaches the highest values in the
Pardubice district mainly, due to concentrated traffic, industry and power stations of Opatovice and
Chvaletice, although their influence has been reduced in recent few years thanks to the installation of
desulphurization units. It is a pleasure to claim that the negative impact of the distant emission
transfers including mainly dust particles and sulphur oxide is being gradually reduced as a result of
bringing the big thermal sources in line with environmental practice. What remains unsolved, however,
are many medium- and small-sized pollution sources.
2
Specific emissions of nitrogen oxides per 1 km reach the highest values in the districts of Pardubice
and Jablonec nad Nisou, increased concentrations have also been found in the districts of Liberec and
Trutnov. Specific emissions of sulphur dioxide per 1 km2 reach the highest values in the district of
Pardubice, increased concentrations have been found in the districts of Liberec, Jablonec nad Nisou,
Semily, Trutnov, Náchod and Rychnov nad Kněžnou. The rising pollution with nitrogen oxide in town
centres results from increased car transportation and its inappropriate organization.
New traffic-focused construction schemes (highways, speedways and by-pass road around towns)
have a positive impact on air quality. Higher attention is also paid to exploitation of environmentfriendly means of transportation. Also the support given to bio fuels and other kinds of renewable
power resources is of a growing importance. Large-scale reduction of NOx emissions and organic
volatile substances also means the only way of how to reduce the burden of excessive concentrations
of ground ozone.
4.6.B
Water
The Region offers exceptionally rich surface and ground water resources. Over 50% of the total area
of the NUTS II Northeast Region has been declared protected landscape of natural water storage due
to its natural conditions (The North-Bohemian cretaceous system, the East-Bohemian cretaceous
system, the Polická basin, the Jizerské mountains, the Krkonoše mountains, the Orlické mountains,
Žamberk – Králíky and the Žďárské hills). Some of these resources are not protected in a sufficient
way. For example in the area of Česká Lípa, the water contamination is a by-product of exploitation of
radioactive raw materials. In the Northeast unit’s territory there are also healing water resources used
first of all by spa resorts.
The cleanliness of many surface water stretches has improved significantly since the wastewater
treatment plants had been commissioned. Also the reduced industrial and farming activities
contributed to this improvement, however, the situation is not that much satisfactory in other spheres.
It will be necessary to keep eyes on removal of another local surface water and ground water pollution
sources as well as on large-scale removal of pollution of the aforementioned water forms and on
removal of causes triggering changes to water balance in respective areas. In this context it is
necessary to increase the number of population connected to public sewerage system and provide a
satisfactory sewage collection and wastewater treatment system also to municipalities not exceeding
2000 equivalent population. By the end of the year 2010 all municipalities with equivalent population of
2000 – 10000 must have their own wastewater treatment plant, so that the discharged waste water is
in compliance with qualitative requirements under the EHS regulations. Potable water mains in many
localities will have to be upgraded and refurbished. The quality of surface water in certain water
streams of lower flow rate passing through localities from which they receive untreated sewage is
unsatisfactory.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Also water eutrophication is on the increase, which makes itself felt namely through development of
microscopic organisms dispersed in water (algal bloom). Main cause of this situation is an excess of
nutrients in the water system, especially of nitrogen and phosphorus.
From the perspective of discharge conditions the problems with rapid escape of storm water from the
area persist. This is namely due to deforestation, insufficient natural retention capacity of the
mountainous areas with the highest precipitation amounts, inappropriate alterations of small streams
in the past and land reclamations often set to localities not suitable for that kind of intervention. In the
event of unfavourable climatic conditions the faster discharge of water from the catchments area
results in floods.
4.6.C
Soil
The farm land covers 55.9% of the total area of the NUTS II Northeast Region. There is a significant
difference among individual regions. In the Pardubice-Region the area of farm land represents 60.6%
and 58.9% in the Hradec-Králové Region. The Liberec-Region offers lower proportion of farm land
(44.5%), namely because of the position and morphology of the given area. Proportion of the arable
land in the total amount of farm land also differs by regions. The nation-wide average proportion of
arable land (71.7%) gets exceeded in the Pardubice-Region only (73.4%). In the Hradec-Králové
Region there is just 69.2% of arable land and the relevant value in the Liberec-Region lies significantly
under the average (49.6%). If compared by districts, above-average values of arable land share can
be found in the districts of Pardubice, Hradec Králové, Jičín and Svitavy, it means in areas boasting
with favourable climatic conditions and intensely developed agricultural production.
Out of the total non-farm soil fund the biggest part belongs to forests. The Liberec-Region has 1st
position in the Czech Republic with its 44.2% of forest land out of the total area of the region (nationwide average value is 33.6%). Share of forest land in the Hradec-Králové Region and the PardubiceRegion lies under the region-wide average value (30.8% and 29.4% respectively). The highest
proportion of forests is in the mountains.
The area of farm land is subjected to just a negligible reduction, unfortunately not in favour of
forestation. The biggest farm land losses happen in suburban areas, namely in favour of new building
schemes (commercial networks, industrial premises and other). A new trend of setting industrial zones
on „green fields“ has been observed and houses and apartments for private living move towards
vacant countryside too. So-called urban sprawl or suburbanization (uncontrolled or unleashed housebuilding) is regarded as a serious problem for the development of namely those rural areas that form
suburbs of big towns. In general, it is possible to say that business activities have many times been
directed towards the best arable lots of soil in the surroundings of bigger urban settlements. Reason
for that is their less-demanding and cost-effective preparation from an investment point of view and
relatively low price of arable land compared with building plots. An interest in revitalization of all types
of the so-called brownfields (farming and industrial properties, civic amenity properties…) is very low.
A provision for protection of the best-quality farm land reserves including forests for a sustainability of
the countryside and natural values ranks among the current priority problems of the region. The
proportion of an uncultivated land faces just a small local increase. High proportion of soil threatened
with water and wind erosion is regarded as an ongoing problem.
4.6.D
Noise
An increased noise level represents a burden for especially big settlement units and municipalities
with an unsolved intense transit traffic. An automobile transport represents the biggest source of noise
pollution. The noise level might have been reduced as a result of a progressive modernization of
vehicle fleets, however, an increase in the number of vehicles exploited and especially in the heavy
transit traffic has been witnessed.
Basic precondition for reduction of the noise burden in municipalities is a comprehensive solution to
transit traffic across the territories of the Liberec-Region, the Hradec-Králové-Region and the
Pardubice-Region counting namely on construction of highways, expressways and by-passes of
municipalities to limit the transit traffic passing through the urban settlements in a maximum possible
scope. The anti-noise measures are of a local meaning only. Construction of new ones is under way in
certain localities. Noise limits for pollution from other sources are being exceeded locally (railway and
air transport, industrial production).
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4.6.E
Waste management
The total waste production is high all over the territory. As regards the waste production the biggest
proportion falls on waste coming from construction and demolition work and unsorted public waste.
From the viewpoint of volume, a significant share is also possessed by agricultural waste, wrecked
cars and sludge from wastewater treatment plants and septic tanks.
All regions share the same waste treatment problems. Although the legislation prefers separation and
further utilization of wastes to their storage on landfills, in reality the storage of an unsorted waste
prevails on economic grounds. The largest dumping grounds are situated in Chvaletice in the
Pardubický-Region and in Košťálov in the Semily district. In the Liberec-Region there was made a
principal change to the way the public waste was treated in the year 1999. A new TERMIZO p.l.c.
Liberec facility was commissioned to start waste incineration. Motivation aimed at limited waste
production has so far been ineffective. Despite the amount of separated waste being increased in
general, the possibility of its recycling or utilization for other purposes has not been sufficiently
exploited.
All the three regions within the Northeast Cohesion Region possess an elaborated and approved
Waste management plan, which is the strategic source document for waste management activities.
The following objectives have been incorporated in the mentioned plan : raising efficiency of waste
treatment through e.g. increased sludge separation, more effective utilization of packaging materials,
utilization of waste for power generation, collection of dangerous parts of the public waste,
environment-friendly way of dangerous waste disposal and also composting of biologically-degradable
waste including the sludge from wastewater treatment plants with their material utilization preferred.
There is a number of implementation schemes being developed at the moment to reach the above
objectives.
4.6.F
Historical environmental burdens
In the Northeast Cohesion Region there are old and large environmental burdens and devastated lots,
disposal of which attracts high and long-term investments. For example, chemically polluted water and
soil as a result of the uranium exploitation can be found in area called Hamr na Jezeře – Stráž pod
Ralskem in the Česká Lípa territory, rocks contaminated by Soviet army have been discovered in the
former military area of Ralsko.
Rocks and underground water in Červený Kostelec in the Hradec-Králové Region contaminated by
chlorocarbons from degreasing agents that leaked from the TIBA textile factories and from a factory
producing watches and watch faces in Nové Město nad Metují represent the most serious
environmental burdens unsolved. Here the contamination cloud has come dangerously close to the
Litá drinking water resource.
Old dumping sites and contaminated industrial properties represent historical environmental burdens
and devastations present in the territory of the Pardubice-Region. Although the process of their
removal or securing has in most cases been launched or even finished in the recent past years, there
still exists a number of burdens intact owing to cost of their sanitation being higher than price of the
respective real-estates or because of the equivocality of ownership rights. The most serious cases of
historical environmental burdens can be encountered in the Pardubice district (ALIACHEM factory
premises in Časy) and in the Chrudim district (Bor u Skutče and TRANSPORTA), nevertheless their
redevelopment is under way right now.
4.6.G
Nature preservation
The territory of the NUTS II Northeast Region is characterized by a large amount of protected areas.
Almost 1/5 of the region’s total area is protected by legislation. The most significant locality is the
Krkonoše national park founded as early as 1963, area of which is 36 300 hectares. In the year 1992
both sides of the Krkonoše mountains have been put on the list of the UNESCO´s world network of
biospherical reservations as the bilateral Krkonoše/Karkonosze biospherical reservation. Among the
protected landscape areas there are the České Středohoří, the Kokořínsko, the Lužické mountains,
the Jizerské mountains, the Bohemian Paradise, the Broumovsko area, the Orlické mountains, the
Železné mountains, the Žďárské hills including their protective zones. Also small-scale protected
areas have been declared (national natural monuments, national landscape parks, natural monuments
and nature preserves). There are 111 of such areas present in the Hradec-Králové Region, another
108 in the Liberec-Region and 97 in the Pardubice-Region. In terms of the NATURA 2000 system
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several areas of bird protection and localities significant for their European meaning have been
declared as regional parts of the European network of conservation areas within the Northeast
Region.
4.6.H
Power
The quality of living environment, namely of air, gets significantly influenced by methods used for
power sources exploitation. Total power consumption in the region is on the increase. All the three
regions within the Northeast Region have their Territorial Power Concepts processed. The
permanently high power demand of manufacture activities compared with GDP and a very low
proportion of alternative and renewable power resources utilized (solar energy, wind and water
energy, energy generated from the biomass processing, heat pumps a.s.o.) remain to be a collective
problem not only for the manufacturing industry but also for the sphere of living and transportation.
The objective is to reduce the consumption of primary fuels and emissions, namely the carbon dioxide
production and at the same time to obtain sufficient power capacity for the area concerned. Despite
being reduced, the high volume of greenhouse gases produced still represents a persistent problem.
Achievement of energy savings in households represents a significant precondition for reduction of the
Region’s total power demand. First of all the properties built from iron-concrete panels have a very
high power demand thus creating a huge environmental burden for the region.
4.6.I
Environmental risks
Environmental risks elimination is important for preserving or even increasing the quality of the living
environment, potentially also for the health of the population and economic wealth of the region.
The Northeast Region’s territory is first of all exposed to the following environmental risks:
• Concentrated intense traffic in urban areas causing deterioration of the quality of air and
natural environment and adversely increasing the level of noise pollution.
• Floods – not all urban areas threatened with floods have their flood plans approved.
• Leaks of dangerous substances from mainly industrial areas and first of all from chemical
plants and the subsequent contamination of environment and population. The Pardubice
agglomeration is faced with the highest risk.
• Erosion – the effective measures implemented to protect the soil from erosion are seen as
insufficient (landscape reclamation – comprehensive ground shaping, organic landscaping
including grass sowing, landscape segmentation, establishment of ponds, revitalization of
rivers a.s.o.).
• Significant forest damage namely in the mountainous areas, not only as a result of emission
burden but also due to inappropriate types and age of the forest ecosystems and the system
of their management.
• Reduced landscape’s biodiversity – it is possible to observe local increases in the species
diversity, however, the contrary is proved to be the current trend. There is an ever-growing
increase in the number of threatened animal and plant species of all categories.
4.6.J
Environmental education
The public awareness of environmental issues, environmental education and sustainability is still on a
relatively low level despite the fact that the sphere of environmental education and training (EWO) has
seen a marked development. The sustainability and sustainable life issues become more and more
an up-to-date topic with respect to limited natural resources, deteriorating environment, diminishing
forests, inappropriate anthropogenic interventions in the landscape providing fertile ground for natural
disasters etc.
In the Hradec-Králové Region the EVVO topic belongs to the best developed and subsidized ones
within the whole Czech Republic. Its development and stepwise implementation is still fighting several
basic problems like the lack of financial resources, unequal location of the EVVO centres across the
region, prevailing focus on “traditional“ target groups (kids and young people, teachers and tutors) and
limited scope of EVVO activities provided to the general public, public service or entrepreneurs. For
the EVVO concept it is necessary to lay emphasis also on a holistic and inter-disciplinary approach.
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The implementation of education and information systems connected with environmental and
sustainability matters is rather slow in the Liberec and the Pardubice-Regions. The scope and intensity
of such educational schemes are insufficient.
There is an apparent lack of implemented functional information systems focused on environmental
issues. In the region there is a number of non-governmental organizations dealing with nature and
environment protection. Citizens do not have a sufficiently developed responsibility for environmental
protection and consider the environmental education to be a rather marginal matter. The level of
involvement of citizens in decision-making processes is low.
4.6.K
Summary
Summarized evaluation of the Northeast Region’s natural environment quality:
• The region is characterized by a high level of natural values protection. Nearly 1/5 of the total
area is protected by legislation (protected landscape areas and the Krkonoše national park
together with the biospherical reservation). The negative aspect is the decreasing landscape
biodiversity in several localities.
• The area of the Hradec-Králové-Region is not burdened with any significant air pollution
sources of environmental impact. The Pardubice area has been faced with a deteriorating
situation due to emissions from industrial production, which cumulate together with other
emissions coming from more distant sources (the Chvaletice and Opatovice power stations)
and have an adverse effect on forests in the mountainous areas of the Krkonoše mountains
and the Orlické mountains. In the Liberec area there is a fallout of emissions from power
stations and industries located in Germany, Poland and partially also from the central parts of
the Czech Republic.
• The Region offers exceptionally rich ground and surface water resources (protected water
storage areas). Some localities face poor protection. Water quality in particular localities gets
deteriorated as a result of pollution from old industrial production or mineral exploitation.
Erection of wastewater treatment plants and inhibition of industrial and agricultural production
would help improve the surface water quality. The increasing water eutrophication is perceived
as another negative factor.
• In the region (namely in the Hradec-Králové and the Pardubice-Regions) there is a big piece
of high-quality farm land. The Liberec-Region has got the highest number of forested areas.
Total volume of forested areas is increasing slightly, farm lands are devastated through often
inhibited agriculture and a high-quality farm land near bigger towns is being seized for housing
construction development.
• An increased noise and emission levels are seen namely in urban areas struggling with heavy
transit traffic, which is not being dealt with. The road traffic is the major violator of the noise
limits.
• Economic activities as well as habitable properties have high power demand. Utilization of
alternative and renewable resources is not developed. All regions have their Territorial Power
Concepts processed.
• All the three regions within the Northeast Cohesion Region share the same waste treatment
problems. There exists an elaborated and approved Waste management plan, which defines
the key objectives of waste management and proposes methods of how to raise the efficiency
of waste treatment, for example through an improved waste separation, more effective
utilization of packaging materials, collection of dangerous parts of the public waste,
environment-friendly way of dangerous waste disposal and composting of biologicallydegradable waste including the sludge from wastewater treatment plants with their material
utilization preferred.
• The unsolved environmental burdens date back namely to former industrial production and/or
represent the remains of finished mineral mining activities or the dumping sites pending
recultivation.
• The public awareness of environmental issues, environmental education and sustainability is
still on a relatively low level. The local sphere of environmental education and training belongs
to the best developed ones within the whole Czech Republic. The level of involvement of
citizens in decision-making processes is low as well as their overall responsibility for the
natural environment protection.
• The original traditions of the region have been suppressed and the region’s typical face has
been deformed by implementation of inappropriate architectural styles, small buildings of folk
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•
architecture were devastated and green vegetation was missing in urban settlements. In
general the diversity got reduced, which also affected the environmental stability and balance
of the landscape.
The “Sustainability Strategy“ has been processed for the Liberec-Region. This strategic
document significantly contributes to raising the environmental awareness of the population
and gradual implementation of the sustainability principles.
In order to improve the natural environment of the Northeast Region, especially the following items
need to receive support in the coming period:
• Taking advantage of environment-friendly production technologies
• Exploitation of renewable power resources across all spheres
• Exploitation of alternative fuels for the traffic
• Reducing the region’s power demands
• Reducing the amount of harmful emissions discharged into air by small, medium and mobile
pollution sources
• Improving quality of surface and underground water, erection of wastewater treatment plants
and sewerage
• Improving conceptual landscape protection, namely by means of erosion-control and floodcontrol measures and landscape revitalization and water resources protection
• Improving landscape protection and its biodiversity
• Removing obsolete environmental burdens and preventing from generation of new ones
• Effective waste treatment, increasing volume of separated waste, recycling the waste for the
purpose of its further utilization
• Noise pollution reduction, anti-noise barriers erection
• Solving unsatisfactory transit routes leading through towns and villages now, construction of
by-passes, highways and expressways
• Environmental accidents and risks prevention
• Raising environmental awareness and education of population
• Compiling the Sustainability strategy for the Pardubice and Hradec-Králové Regions including
other high-quality planning backgrounds
4.7
4.7.A
Traffic and technical infrastructure, housing
Traffic
4.7.A.1 Road network
In connection with the residential structure, there is a total of 9 769 km of roads in the Northeast
Cohesion Region, our of which two thirds fall on the 3rd class roads, almost one fourth falls on the 2nd
class roads and over 12% remains for the 1st class roads including expressways. The region’s road
network density is 0.79 km/km2 and is slightly in excess of the nation-wide average value
(0.70 km/km2).
Key issue for the traffic infrastructure of the Northeast Cohesion Region is the several-year long delay
of construction of roads of the European importance, triggering an almost permanent overloading of
existing roads of namely the 1st and the 2nd class as a result of the several fold increase in road traffic
in the 1990´s.The unsatisfying situation in the traffic in the region demands fast increase in the
capacity of the main transit ways by continuous construction of the highway D11 (Praha – Poděbrady
– Hradec Králové – Jaroměř) and linking expressway R11 (Jaroměř – Trutnov – state border with
Poland: Královec/Lubawka). It also applies to expressway R35 (Liberec – Turnov – Hradec Králové –
Moravská Třebová – Olomouc – Lipník nad Bečvou). The highway D11 was recently put into usage in
Libišany, however, its connection to Hradec Králové and continuity to Jaroměř is still absent, the
purchase of land and problems with financing hinder the further constructions. The linking segment of
expressway R35 to Opatovice, which will connect Pardubice to the higher class road network is
currently under construction.
Among the roads facing the highest load in the Hradec-Králové Region there are I/33 and I/11, which
form a part of the European route E67, and the road I/16 (Řevničov – Mělník – Mladá Boleslav – Jičín
– Trutnov – Poland), which is used for traffic connection to the Krkonoše area. In the Pradubice-
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Region the heaviest traffic is observed on the I/2, I/35 and I/37 roads (Trutnov – Jaroměř – Hradec
Králové – Chrudim – Velká Bíteš). In the Liberec-Region the busiest are the I/35, I/65 (Hodkovice –
Jablonec nad Nisou), R35 and R10 roads, also the road I/9 in the direction of the Rumburk border
crossing is receiving high load of truck transports. The busiest road stretches are used daily by 1525 000 of vehicles. The overloading of roads with traffic turns into higher accident numbers, traffic
jams, deteriorating road condition and high maintenance demands. The deteriorated natural
environment is partially resulting from transit truck traffic often routed through centres of towns and
villages (for example by-pass roads are missing).
The entire region struggles especially with the lack of funds for reconstruction and upgrading of the 2nd
class roads and significant 3rd class roads and certain roads of local importance falling within the
cognizance of regional governments, with the existing stretches of the above roads being in poor
technical condition and lacking sufficient capacity properties and with the necessity of bringing the
critical parts and spot defects to a level required by the respective standards. The main problem of the
road infrastructure network is the fact that it is being refurbished in small stretches due only to the
permanent lack of financial resources on the part of regional governments, who are responsible for the
allocation of funds for that purpose. This problem then correlates with a lack of financial resources for
investments in key second and third class regional roads representing the regional trunk road network.
This should suffice for eligibility for economic contributions by connecting the region to the TEN-T road
network. In the next developmental period, it will be necessary to focus primarily on the reconstruction
or upgrading of this road network, or adding into this road network which connects the region to the
TEN-T road network. This will consequently lead to changes in its technical parameters and therefore
to minimizing the negative influence of traffic upon the natural environment and the safety of road
network users.
Picture No 8: Main road network in the Northeast Cohesion Region
Regional towns
District towns
The ORP centres
Expressways
st
1 class roads
nd
2 class roads
NUTS 2 border
Regions
Source: GIS2006
Implementation of intelligent traffic systems (telematics) and services represents a significant part of
the road traffic sphere, main benefit of which is the increased traffic safety. Namely the regions´ capital
towns suffer from traffic jams and excessive environmental pollution as a result of highly increased
road traffic. Development of telematic systems provides an insufficient response to the traffic
development and its increase. Investments in raising the capacity properties, fluency and safety of the
traffic in large residential areas through modelling of changes to the way the traffic system is
organized and through implementation of information guiding systems are necessary. Insufficient
financial support of telematic applications from the regional public sector means then that the public
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
transportation system’s quality cannot be improved and cannot become more attractive for those
passengers who would prefer it to individual car transportation. This contributes towards an opposite
effect representing the main problem for the densely populated areas of the region.
4.7.A.2 Railway network
The railway network in the Northeast Cohesion Region (Picture No 7) including its main transport axes
covers the decisive transport directions, therefore it is not supposed to be extended in the future,
rather the refurbishment and upgrading of the main stretches are being pondered. At the moment its
total length is 1.667 km and its density 0.13 km/km2 slightly exceeds the nation-wide average value. A
big progress has been made when the 1st corridor and deviated line of the 2nd corridor were built in the
south part of the region and in the Pardubice-Region. The Hradec-Králové Region has an obsolete
network where only part of it is electrified and suitable for a relatively comfortable passenger transport.
In the north part of the region represented by the Liberec-Region the condition of the railway network
is the worst in terms of the whole Czech Republic.
Picture No 7: Railway network in the Northeast Cohesion Region
Regional towns
District towns
The ROP centres
Electrified line
Categories of railway lines
Corridor
Nation-wide
Regional
NUTS 2 border
Regions
Source: GIS2006
The quality of railway traffic is to a large extent influenced by the condition of the railway infrastructure.
Technical condition and parameters of many railway lines of the region do not correspond to the public
transport demands now and so much the more in the future. The existing railway network was
practically commissioned as early as the second half of the 19th century in a considerably broken
country. Parameters and technical condition of most railway lines (numerous small-radius curves
except for flat areas, insufficient bearing resistance of the substructure, dilapidated railway
superstructure, insufficient throughput of certain stretches etc.) allow for low transport speed only
thanks to obsoleteness and structural design of railway lines. It means that the regional railway
transport is less competitive compared with road transport, which contributes to the already enormous
load faced by the main routes of the regional road network. Such a situation helps further increase the
individual car traffic, reduction of which has been marked as one of the principal EU traffic challenges.
An obsolete railway carriage fleet and long travel times considerably reduce the competitiveness of
the railway transport compared with road transport. In order to improve the current situation the
necessary investments need to be put in upgrades of existing railway lines and/or commissioning of
new stretches. As a key issue of the region is then seen the need to upgrade both the railway and
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
associated infrastructure including renovation and upgrade of the railway carriage fleet. What is often
understood under the term of railway telematics are the information and booking systems, however
the key role of the up-to-date railway technologies is to furnish uniform technical solutions,
technologies, operating conditions, border regimes etc., making a trouble-free transportation of goods
and passengers all over the Europe possible. Financial support of telematic applications as received
also from the regional public sector is insufficient and therefore cannot ensure both the uniform
standard of services provided to customer and increased competitiveness of the railway transport
commodities in comparison with the road transport.
4.7.A.3 Combined traffic
Based on background documents available the combined traffic system (KD) is not developed in the
Northeast Cohesion Region – the railway destinations of the region are not covered in the existing nor
in the developing trans-European and super regional train networks. Main reasons behind this
situation are the traffic corridors routings and nonexistent logistics centres focused mainly on
commodities and services suitable for the combined traffic. Thanks to their character (throughput,
structure clearance etc.) the following main traffic routes rank among those suitable for combined
traffic: the 1st railway corridor, the currently built D11 highway, the R10 expressway (Prague-Liberec)
and the Labe river classified as an international water route.
As far as the connection to the neighbouring regions is concerned a significant meaning will have the
fulfilment of the CETC (Central-European Traffic Corridor) international initiative, objective of which is
to establish an interconnection of the north and the south of Europe through a multimode traffic
corridor in terms of the TEN-T scheme.
The railway corridor should follow the CE-59 route. A positive influence on the combined traffic
development in the Northeast Cohesion Region can be expected to occur upon completion of the
navigability of the Labe river as the town of Pardubice and the associated logistics centre, part of
which will also be a port.
4.7.A.4 Other types of traffic
Air traffic
There is a number of airports in the Northeast Cohesion Region. The most important one is the
international public airport in the town of Pardubice, which is one of the five strategic airports of the
Czech Republic and holds the civil airport status. It is preferred because of its convenient geographical
location in the heart of the Czech Republic and can be used as an alternate airport for the airports of
Prague, Brno and Ostrava. The number of passengers who used services of this airport has increased
from 6 000 to almost 47 000 over the recent 5 years. The meaning of the Pardubice airport will grow in
line with development of the towns of Hradec-Králové, Pardubice and Chrudim into a functional
agglomeration (current population of 250 000).
The airport in the town of Hradec Králové has so far been granted the non-public international airport
status and the Liberec airport’s public international airport status was put on hold due to its
unsatisfactory technical condition. Despite the air traffic being the fastest way of transport for namely
the business passengers, the existing airport and associated infrastructure including the traffic
infrastructure needs to get upgraded to make the connection with individual European regions more
effective.
Water traffic
The NUTS II Northeast Region is connected to the European water routes through the Labe river,
which is a stream of an international meaning. The Labe river has been included in the transEuropean water routes network of the E category under the AGN agreement (E20 trunk route the
North Sea – Hamburg - Ústí nad Labem - Mělník – Pardubice). However, the proper utilization of this
transport route may begin only when the navigability of a 23km-long stretch of the Labe river from
Chvaletice to Pardubice is ensured. Another preconditions for the proper utilization of this water route
is the subsequent construction of the Pardubice port along with the connected multimode logistics
centre (MLC), which will offer the advantageous combinations of water-railway, water-road and waterairplane transport systems. Nevertheless, financial resources also need to be allocated to the upgrade
of the Chvaletice port and expensive measures aimed at ensuring the nature and landscape
preservation and environmental protection will need to be adopted too. The needs of this scheme are
supported by the strategies for development of the combined traffic and water routes of the Czech
Republic. These strategies stem from the performed analyses and marketing studies focused on
several areas, which prove importance of this scheme for area falling under the Hradec Králové-
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Pardubice agglomeration including larger dependent territory located in the Northeast, East and
South-East Moravia.
Public transport
After 1990 the public transport’s performance involving both buses and trains sank as a result of an
intense growth of the individual car transport. On the unprofitability accounts there have been series of
connections cancelled or limited, which influenced mainly the population living in smaller villages and
towns situated off the main traffic routes as well as those living in the region’s limits, involving the rural
mountain areas and areas close to mountains. The responsibility for traffic serviceability in respective
territories has been held by the individual Regional authorities since their foundation in the year 2003.
Year by year they spend considerable funds on covering financial loss from public transport, so that
the basic level of traffic serviceability is ensured for every municipality. Currently, there have been
observed certain improvements in this sphere, despite the existing general non-uniformity of the
service and insufficient coverage of the farthest municipalities on one hand and on the other hand the
overlaps of bus and railway network resulting from their insufficient integration.
A significant position in the sphere of public transport has long been held by municipal transportation
and of growing importance is also the so-called Integrated transport system (IDS), which combines
different means of transportation (train– bus – means of municipal transportation). In 2002 the
transport companies of the towns of Hradec Králové and Pardubice, the Czech Railways (ČD) and the
bus transport service provider ORLOBUS Nové Město nad Metují entered into an agreement, based
on which the Integrated transport system “VYDIS“ was launched to increase the population mobility
towards superior urban and business infrastructure (main axis Chrudim – Pardubice – Hradec Králové
– Jaroměř) and at the same time also to form a more environment-friendly and competitive alternative
to the individual car transport. Initial steps towards development of the integrated transportation
system have already been made in the Liberec-Region too, with its future shape being derived from
the Regiotram Nisa scheme in particular (Liberec – Jablonec n. N. – Poland – Germany). The
insufficient coverage of the whole region by the IDS is considered as the main issue, since the
necessary precondition for successful development of both integrated transportation systems are large
investments in railway traffic route upgrades and in gradual renewal and structural change of the fleet
of vehicles used for the public road and railway transport. The integrated transportation system VYDIS
has among other things proved the insufficient capacity and obsolete condition of the railway
infrastructure, which appears to be the limiting factor in terms of the possible exploitation of the
Hradec-Pardubice agglomeration’s potential. This represents a significant problem for the region,
solution of which can be ensured by means of implementation of large traffic infrastructure schemes
(e.g. the railway transport) focused on connection of the sole towns´ centres of Hradec Králové –
Pardubice - Chrudim, which is supposed to result in a “merger“ of the local labour markets and
activation of many agglomeration-related advantages. Similar schemes have been pondered for
example among the towns of Olomouc, Přerov and Prostějov.
Cycling
A significant attention has been paid to designing, building and marking of bike paths of regional and
super regional meaning with respect to the development and soaring popularity of cycling and bicycle
tourism in the recent years. A trunk bike path has been designed in the NUTS II Northeast Region,
upon completion of which the recreation areas of both the Czech Republic and the neighbouring
countries will be connected.
Bike paths form a separate element of the bicycle transportation. They consist of separate roads
reserved for cycling. They are usually lead in parallel with roads faced with an excessive motor-vehicle
traffic and hence not suitable or even dangerous for cyclists. In terms of the region’s road network
there are stretches of roads in towns and urban areas especially with lots of traffic accidents and the
infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians is not furnished in a sufficient way. More intense motorvehicle traffic thus complicates the development of both the recreational cycling and the common
cycling used for the daily commuting to work.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
4.7.B
Technical infrastructure
4.7.B.1 Electric power supply
The ČEZ Distribuce a.s. company (former Východočeská energetika, a. s., Hradec Králové and
Severočeská energetika, a. s., Děčín) operates the power distribution system in the territory of the
Northeast Cohesion Region. Electric power supply is well secured not only from the viewpoint of the
current consumption but also with respect to the future demand. The power companies continuously
renew the distribution system being built since 1952, where number of power lines reach the end of
their lifetime. As it has been highlighted within the CSG, this sphere can receive funds only in the
event of a market failure. The market is failing in the sphere of alternative power resources especially,
which stands as a large topic for the structural funds. Low utilization of alternative power resources
and their small percentage share in total amount of power supplied to the region represents a key
problem for the region due to the economic unprofitability of such plants.
There are several water power stations in the Northeast Cohesion Region, the three biggest ones are
situated in the Pardubice-Region (the Práčov and the Seč water power stations built on the Chrudimka
river and the Pastviny I on the Divoká Orlice). In the region there are also 3 wind power stations
situated in Jindřichovice pod Smrkem and in Chrastava (the Liberec-Region) and in Nový Hrádek (the
Hradec-Králové Region), which are, however, of a local meaning similarly to the most water power
stations.
4.7.B.2 Heat supply
Heat supply of towns and villages of the region is provided according to availability of individual types
of generated power – local heating devices or small sources of central and level heating, mostly gasoperated medium and high performance heat sources. In the region there are also several big
systems of centralized heat supply (CZT) operated. Larger interventions are requested in connection
with two big CZT systems in Trutnov and its surroundings and in Dvůr Králové nad Labem. From the
perspective of fuel consumption and heat generated by the source the CZT Trutnov system represents
almost a half of the total amount of heat produced by big sources in the whole Hradec-Králové Region.
Several primary heat sources sections and one existing source of this system call for refurbishment,
though. The CZT system in Dvůr Králové nad Labem needs refurbishment of both the source and the
primary heat distribution pipes.
The high power demand of properties and namely of industrial production and low exploitation of
renewable power resources represent key issues for the region. The natural environment and air
quality are both deteriorating as a result of non-renewable fossil fuels combustion. Reduced
consumption of primary fuels in the region can be achieved through conversion of gas-heating plants
into heating plants featuring combined heat and power generation (through installation of gasconsuming combined heat and power units) and replacement of electricity-powered heating sources
and electric heat storage sources with heat pumps. This topic can attract financial resources only if the
market is “failing“, which is the case of small rural areas in particular.
4.7.B.3 Gas supply
Natural gas supply is well secured in most areas of the Northeast Cohesion Region not only from the
viewpoint of the current consumption but also with respect to the future demand. Over 86% of the
population in the area in question is living in towns and villages already connected to gas mains.
Lower number of gas supplied entities has however been noticed in the areas of Rychnov, Kopidlno
and Libáň in the Hradec-Králové Region and in some parts of the Ústí nad Orlicí region and the
Svitavy region. The connection of towns and villages in the Liberec-Region to the gas supply system
has practically been completed and further massive spreading of gas connections to smaller towns
and villages is not under consideration because of economic reasons.
Besides the technical-economical demandingness of gas supply pipes erection in sparsely populated
areas, for example in the area of the Orlické mountains, also the low interest of people in getting
connected to gas supply influenced by high gas price and its further growth compared with coal price
remains to be an essential problem for further development of gas connections in urban areas. Even
the phenomena of receiving requests for gas heating disconnection has been registered in some
towns and villages of the region, where people have begun to return to combustion of fossil nonrenewable fuels or exceptionally also dangerous materials (PET bottles etc.) Therefore the biomass
combustion shall be considered as an alternative to natural gas for some localities.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
4.7.B.4 Water supply and sewerage systems
The Northeast Cohesion Region is fully self-sufficient when it comes to sources of high-quality drinking
water obtained from both surface and underground reservoirs and has relatively developed public
water supply system. If compared with the average value for the Czech Republic the region shows a
high percentage of towns and villages connected to public water-supply network and slightly lower
percentage of population connected to public water-supply network. If compared by districts of the
region the Jičín district has markedly lower number of connected urban areas as well as the number of
connected population.
In the sphere of waste water collection and treatment the region as such lags behind the national
average number of both the municipalities and population connected to public sewerage system
terminated by waste water treatment plant. This fact represents a key issue for the entire region, for it
ranks the region among those territories with the lowest number of public sewerage systems and
waste water treatment plants. Sewerage system equipped with waste water treatment plant can be
found in almost one fourth of towns and villages where 60% of the population live, which is 10% less
than the national average value. An unsatisfactory position of the region is determined by a high
number of residential units with population of max. 1000 inhabitants not connected to appropriate
sewerage systems. There are considerable differences among individual areas within the region
concerning the index number of residents connected to sewerage. This issue mainly concerns small
rural areas – the lowest number of connected municipalities (10.8 %) has been reported from the Jičín
district and the lowest number of connected population (40.7 %) falls on the Semily district.
4.7.B.5 Information and Communication technologies
Cell phones, computers, internet and other information and communication technologies have become
an essential part of daily life of the society and their importance has been constantly increasing. Based
on statistical survey conducted with interviewed individuals aged 15 and more, the cell phone is the
most wide-spread technology used by approximately 70% of the mentioned population group within
the Northeast Cohesion Region. Based on findings concerning exploitation of information and
communication technologies by households and individuals in 2003 and 2004 provided by the Czech
Statistical Office, the use of such technologies has been growing permanently in the Northeast
Cohesion Region (the highest percentage increase was reported from the Pardubice-Region), yet its
position is still slightly under the Czech Republic’s average value. Almost half of the population aged
15 and more have at least a small personal experience with personal computer, whereas the highest
annual increase within the three regions of the Northeast Region has been reported from the HradecKrálové Region. In terms of these three regions this one holds the top position when it comes to the
number of households equipped with PC and connected to the Internet – based on survey into highspeed internet access exploitation conducted in 2004 it was on the second position with its 7% of
households connected falling behind Prague with 13%. In the Liberec and the Pardubice-Regions
there were only 3% of households with high-speed internet access (national average is 5%). Table
providing the comparison of individual regions including comparison with the nation-wide average
figures is presented in the appendix part of this document.
The national policy on high-speed internet (broadband) access lays emphasis on the government
support of the online services development namely within the spheres of education, culture, health
service and State administration and identifies the main causes behind the slow broadband
connection development in the Czech Republic. To such causes belong an insufficient availability of
the high-speed connection outside large urban areas in particular, an unfavourable ratio of price to the
population’s purchase power, low quality services being offered often without guarantee, an
insufficient offer of services and web page contents and the resulting insufficient motivation of users to
decide for a high-speed internet access. This topic concerns the small urban and rural areas of the
Northeast Cohesion Region in particular, for establishment of the so-called information society based
on global information exchange and electronic communication in various spheres of services (voice,
data, text, multimedia) represents one of the important means for introduction of more competitive and
dynamic knowledge-based economy capable of sustainability and offering more and better jobs and
reinforced social coherence. Providing the high-speed internet access not only to public and
businesses but also to households is a prerequisite for such a communication.
The above-described issues identify the needs of the whole Northeast Cohesion Region with respect
to this topic.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
4.7.C
Housing
Size of the housing resources involving houses and apartments has been growing constantly in the
region (stock of houses grew by approximately 5% from 1991 to 2001 and stock of apartments by 8%
in the same period), nevertheless the number of permanently inhabited houses and apartments is
falling down (in case of houses by 2.7%, and by 3.3% in case of apartments). Larger urban units are
attractive for the bulk housing construction, while the flats in family houses occur more in smaller
towns and villages thanks to individual house-raising activities. An interest in living in recreation
houses in attractive mountain resorts is on the increase. In general, the quality of housing resources
from the perspective of its technical characteristics (sewerage connection, water supply system
connection, gas connection and central heating system) is lower if compared with the average values
of the Czech Republic. In general, houses situated in larger towns have better technical
characteristics, less favourable situation is observed in rural communities.
The average age of permanently inhabited houses in the Northeast Region (49 years) is higher than
the national average value (46.9 years). Measured by this parameter the Liberec-Region ranks among
the worst regions in the Czech Republic. In this region the average age of houses is slightly below 55
years. Large boom of the post-war construction is typical namely for the central parts of the region, on
the contrary the border areas of the former “Sudeten“ saw a significant decrease in population number
after the German residents had been driven out and a need for new housing development was not
considered to be that important. The average age of houses located mainly in larger urban areas is
influenced by the development of apartment houses built from reinforced-concrete panel blocks back
th
in the second half of the 20 century.
4.7.C.1 Apartment houses built from reinforced-concrete panel blocks
The deteriorating apartment houses built from reinforced-concrete panel blocks built in 1960-1980
represent a considerable issue for the whole Czech Republic (the houses built from 1971 to 1980 are
concerned in particular). In the Czech Republic there were built approx. 80 000 of such houses, which
represents approximately 1.2 million of apartments. This number accounts for 34 % of the Czech
Republic’s housing resources. In the Northeast Cohesion Region there were 135 255 of flats in these
“prefab“ houses as of 2001, which represented 24.6 % of the total stock of flats. There were 344 075
of inhabitants living there (23.4 % of the total region’s population).
Picture No 10: Proportion of population by type of their habitation in regions of the Northeast Cohesion
Region in 2001
100
%
80
%
Living in detached houses
60
%
Living in houses of
other type
40
%
Living in “prefab” type
of houses
20
%
0%
KH
K
LK
PK
NUTS II
SV
Source: The Czech Statistical Office (SLDB 2001)
The Czech Republic’s average number of population living in apartment houses built from reinforcedconcrete panel blocks is markedly exceeded in the Česká Lípa district (42 582 – 41 %), followed by
Liberec (58 374 – 37 %) and Jablonec nad Nisou (30 845 – 36 %). Other districts are below the
national average value, the lowest number of population living in houses of this type was in the
districts of Semily (10 844 – 14 %), Jičín (10 955 – 13 %) and Svitavy (12 398 - 12 %) in 2001. In
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
general, the higher proportion of the “prefab“ houses in the stock of apartments is seen in more
urbanized areas.
The demographic development observed on housing estates since the beginning of the 1990s mostly
intensifies the trends faced by the towns as such. From 1991 to 2001 towns have seen smaller
decrease in population numbers than most of the housing estates located in these towns. For example
in the town of Hradec Králové the population number fell by 2.76 %, however, on the housing estates
of Hradec Králové the decline reached 3.13 %. Compared to the general decrease in population the
number of economically-active households was growing namely in result of the decreasing average
household’s size (in Hradec Králové from 2.58 to 2.33 persons, on housing estates of Hradec Králové
from 2.56 to 2.26 persons; in Pardubice from 2.56 to 2.31 persons and on housing estates of
Pardubice from 2.50 to 2.24 persons etc.). The intensity of population ageing has become
differentiated by the age of individual housing estates – housing estates receiving their inhabitants in
1950s and 1960s grew older much slower than the housing estates of 1970s and 1980s. The retired
population number in Hradec Králové, Pardubice and other regional centres increased mostly 2.1 to
2.3 times, on housing estates the average increase was by 2.0 to 2.4 times. The demographic
changes on housing estates of 1970s and 1980s were characterized by mergers of these housing
estates with their parent towns (housing estates were subjected to much more dynamic process of
changes than the entire towns); from the demographic point of view the older housing estates
changed in a slower pace compared to other parts of towns.
Picture No 11: Proportion of “prefab“ apartment houses inhabitants by districts of the Northeast
Cohesion Region
Border of regions
IPopulation living in „panel“ type apartment houses
Less than 15%
More thab 30%
Source: The Czech Statistical Office (SLDB 2001)
Although the catastrophic forecasts of physical dilapidation of housing estates have not come true
(number of these housing estates have exceeded their planned life-time already), major part of the
“prefab“ houses built in late 1950s is currently in a relatively poor condition. Among the most
significant defects of the “prefab“ houses are the broken cladding or damaged internal structure. The
most frequent causes of the mentioned defects are assembly and design mistakes accounting
together for almost 70 % of defect causes. Other causes involve inappropriate house exploitation,
house age and neglected maintenance. The nature of the most frequent defects and their causes in
the Northeast Cohesion Region is similar to the nature of the most frequent defects and their causes
observed in the rest of the Czech Republic.
Table No 11: Most often causes of defects of “prefab“ structures in the Czech Republic in 2004
Assembly mistakes
Design mistakes
Inappropriate house exploitation
House age and neglected
maintenance
68
37 %
29 %
18 %
16 %
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Source: The Czech Statistical Office
Contrary to other houses built under different technologies the “prefab“ houses maintenance is more
demanding and calls for specific repair methods. The economic heating methods and sealing of leaks
during the installation of thermal insulation trigger mould occurrence and corrosion risk. The fact that
there is no massive devastation as it is known from the examples of the low-cost houses built in
western countries and newly also in some countries of the former Eastern Block tends more to be the
result of combination of (hopefully) lower number of built-in structural defects, still acceptable
maintenance level and not very economic way of exploitation, where for example an excessive heating
prevents from condensation of moisture on structural parts.
In the near future the “prefab“ housing estates will call for processing of comprehensive
redevelopment schemes to be followed by subsequent extensive refurbishment. Cost to be generated
in connection with the comprehensive refurbishment have been forecasted to range from 250 to
400 000 CZK per a single apartment. The lack of capital on the part of all types of owners of houses
on housing estates represents an obstacle to the mentioned refurbishment and therefore the
supporting programs are needed here. An insufficient attention paid to housing estates refurbishment
may lead to their further physical dilapidation and abandonment of their less-attractive parts by their
inhabitants or an increased presence and concentration of socially-problematic groups of people in
these localities.
4.8
4.8.A
Regional development and State administration
Regional disparities – analysis of sub areas falling under the ORP
For assessment of regional disparities in the NUTS II Northeast Cohesion Region the segmentation by
sub-areas of municipalities with extended powers was chosen, for such units (despite a number of
problematic items concerning definition, size, internal and external relations etc.) reflect the
differences in economic level of individual parts of the area in question better than the former districts.
Since the collection of certain data of namely an economic character (for example the GDP is
monitored to the regional level only) is difficult or impossible, we decided to base the assessment on a
selection of several geographic and economic indicators assigned with different weights depending on
significance of the phenomenon monitored and its influence on the social-economic development and
scored positive and negative deviation from the average value of the Northeast Cohesion Region.
Selected indicators are highlighted in colours in the assessment table’s header.
Selected indicators:
2
• Population density (in pop./ km in 2004) – weight 0,5
• Population increase between the recent two population censuses (1991-2001) – weight 0,5
• Jobs occupied (PP) per 1000 economically-active inhabitants of respective sub-area (SLDB
2001) – weight 1
• Registered rate of unemployment as of 31.12. 2004 (under the old methodology) – weight 2
• Proportion of university-degree holders to the total population of age 15 and more (SLDB
2001) – weight 2
• Number of natural persons – entrepreneurs per 1000 inhabitants of respective sub-area (as of
December 31, 2004) – weight 2
As per the deviation from the region’s average value the individual ORP were scored within the range
from minus 5 to plus 5 points and modified by the weights assigned (to reflect the impact of specific
indicators on the economic development of the area) and according to the final score the sub areas of
ORP were split into several categories ranging from “very problematic“ to “prosperous“.
Among “very problematic“ and “problematic“ regions have been included such sub areas of
municipalities with extended powers, which are sparsely populated and face high unemployment, low
offer of vacant jobs and have population with low level of education and low business activity. Besides
such “peripheral“ regions like e.g. the area of Moravská Třebová, Frýdlant, Králicko or Broumov this
category also embraced regions located close to big towns where a lot of people commutes to work –
e.g. Přelouč and Nový Bydžov. These ORP, however, take advantage of better microeconomic
situation thanks to being close to big and strong centres where availability of job opportunities is far
better than in “peripheral“ regions and in such case it would be more suitable to use one-step -higher
ranking, i.e. “below the average“ category.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
To “prosperous“ regions logically belong the densely populated agglomerations of district towns but
also certain other regions with favourable geographic position and high-quality offer of job
opportunities, low rate of unemployment and population with higher level of education (e.g. ORP
Turnov).
Assessment of several selected indicators cannot, of course, provide a totally comprehensive
overview of social-economic situation in particular area (a comprehensive multi-criterion analysis
would obviously have necessitated higher number of indicators from several spheres to be included),
yet the information on economic level of the area in question is relevant enough. As another problem
stands the fact that the comparability of the individual ORP sub areas is difficult due to essential
differences in their size and population figures (e.g. the largest ORP sub area in the Liberec-Region Česká Lípa – is 10 times bigger than the Železný Brod being the smallest sub-area; similar differences
can be found in population figures – which holds true for other regions too).
Picture No 12: ORP sub-areas within the Northeast Cohesion Region structured by economic welfare
Borders of regions
Administrative districts of the ROP
very problematic
problematic
below average
average
above average
prosperous
Source ČSÚ 2005
The suggested assessment method represents only one of the possible approaches to identification of
territorial disparities. The suggested algorithm stems from multi-criterion analysis of selected indicators
with allocated weights, rating of which was based on empirical experience of the processing team.
Nevertheless it cannot be considered as a comprehensive assessment of the NUTS II Northeast
Region on which a potential decision on where to focus an increased support would be based.
4.8.B
Characteristic of the “problematic“ (economically low-performing)
regions
The Moravská Třebová is the worst ORP sub area in the Pardubice-Region from the perspective of
labour market situation. The registered unemployment rate exceeds more than twice the average
value for the Northeast Cohesion Region and also the long-term unemployment is significantly above
average. Based on population census there were 28% of people aged 15 and more with a basic or an
unfinished basic education in the year 2001, which represented the second highest number in the
Pardubice-Region (after the Kralicko area). Regarding economic sectors of employment, the number
of economically-active population working in the service industry lies considerably under the average.
The region suffers from recession in the traditional manufacturing industries, namely involving the
textile industry and its big distance from strong economic centres (Pardubice, Hradec Králové,
Olomouc) plays a very unfavourable role in terms of its impact on economic situation and investment
potential. This region’s perspectives will be significantly influenced upon completion of the basic traffic
structure represented by the R 35 and R 43 expressways, which shall encourage the investors´
interest in allocation of new investments in this so far peripheral region.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
The Frýdlant sub-area of the municipality with extended powers is located in the northernmost part of
the Liberec-Region called the Frýdlant headland with its three sides being surrounded by the Polish
territory. It belongs to the most undeveloped areas with the highest unemployment rate in the LiberecRegion. Causes of such condition may be found in poor traffic access to the inland (area is separated
by the crests of the Jizerské mountains), poor condition of technical infrastructure, unfavourable
historically-conditioned economic structure (agriculture, textile industry etc.), relatively low number of
educated and socially stable population.
The “opening of borders“ towards Poland and Germany after adoption of the Schengen treaty and the
related increase in population’s mobility and area’s attractiveness for investors may significantly
improve the social-economic situation of the Frýdlant area. New forms of tourism and exploitation of
uncultivated land for e.g. biomass and bio fuel production represent significant opportunities too.
Similar situation to that of the Frýdlant area can be also seen in other peripheral areas located on the
Czech-Polish border, i.e. in the Broumov and Kralicko areas (poor traffic accessibility, low-educated
population, recession in the textile industry …), but also in the inland areas affected by restructuring of
their industry.
Another cluster of the so-called “problem“ areas involves ORP sub areas located in the immediate
vicinity of big towns (ORP Přelouč, ORP Nový Bydžov) with low job offer and high number of
population commuting to places of their employment being located outside the region, mainly in
Pardubice or Hradec Králové respectively. (Negative rating of these regions is caused namely by low
proportion of job occupation related to the number of economically-active population, which is
compensated, however, through the offer of jobs in the regional capital towns located nearby. These
regions are classified as the below-average regions owing to their overall microeconomic situation).
Besides the Frýdlant area there are another 5 territories in the Liberec-Region being categorized as
economically-low performing areas; through their integration with larger entities (ORP), however,
these micro regional disparities dissolve and having achieved better score the ORP sub areas have
been put in better categories (it concerns e.g. the economically-low performing areas called
“Podralsko“, “Západní Českolipsko“ and “Hrádecko-Chrastavsko“).
Reduction of regional disparities or equalization of differences in social-economic level of individual
regions within the NUTS II Northeast Region respectively, will take a long time. Regional policy must
be focused on both the expansion of the so-called “development poles“ (getting the economically-low
performing areas connected with prosperous regions through e.g. improved infrastructure, traffic
accessibility, support given to higher education levels with a view to secure a qualified population in
the region) and the targeted support given to selected problem areas (business, putting the scientific
findings and results in practice, development of appropriate forms of tourism and of course,
refurbishment and development of technical and traffic infrastructure).
4.8.C
Problems of the urban and rural areas
Problems of bigger towns as well as rural areas in the Northeast Cohesion Region can be
characterized in a general manner, for the frequently-discussed topics are concerning the most of
Czech towns and rural areas. Towns 11 offer generally higher living standard and represent the
administrative, cultural and civic centres of the region. As a result of concentrated urban functions the
population of towns shows better employment in the tertiary and the quarterly sectors and better level
of education. Age structure of the population is usually unfavourable, the elderly represent the
majority. This situation is deteriorating further as a result of the demographic development of
population living in towns that are slightly profitable mostly because of the positive migration balance
(recently there has been a decrease in population figures observed as a result of moving out to
satellite residential zones located in the vicinity of big towns). A potential threat conditioned by the
urban environment is the higher occurrence of social-pathological phenomena (drugs, crime rate…).
The towns also provide a higher standard of habitation, measured by the equipment level and age of
houses, however, the average floor area per person is lower compared to apartments in rural areas.
11
There exist many definitions of urban and rural areas. Under the ROP NUTS II NorthEast the following areas are considered
to be urban areas : agglomerations of regional and former district towns, other towns with population over approx. 5000 and
urbanized areas formed by interconnection of continuous residential areas consisting of several smaller towns (e.g. Tanvald Smržovka – Desná)
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
As far as the environmental quality of life is concerned, the towns are being regarded as problematic.
In towns there is a high pollution of the living environment, higher emission load (recently the NOx
production in particular is on the increase due to the growing intensity of individual transportation),
higher noise and dust concentrations, higher production of public waste. Towns have problems with
heavy traffic (insufficient traffic infrastructure, existing roads being overloaded, missing municipal bypass roads, missing parking lots, reduced volume of public transportation due to growing cost in
connection with price equalization of the MHD…). Owing to higher population density and higher
amount of built-up area the number of urban green areas per inhabitant is lower.
The urban pattern and town value is sometimes affected by presence of unexploited premises of
mostly industrial kind (so-called “brownfields“ – among the most important ones in the Northeast
Region rank the deserted textile factories, tanneries, glass works…) and by deteriorating monuments
of cultural-historical meaning or by other private properties.
The most significant problems of urbanized areas can briefly be defined as follows:
1. Overloaded traffic infrastructure influencing the natural environment in a negative manner
(noise, emissions)
2. Lack of green areas and areas used by population for daily recreation (relaxation)
3. Wider presence of social-pathological phenomena as a result of higher level of anonymity
provided, high number of population lacking social wealth and ability to adapt themselves and
its concentration to certain localities
4. Presence of unexploited premises of mostly industrial kind (so-called brownfields) as a result
of economic transformation and restructuring of industry
Rural areas in the Northeast Cohesion Region are characterized by their disintegrated residential
12
pattern and large number of small municipalities. A gradual decrease in population figures has been
observed in rural areas mainly as a result of migration-related losses. This problem does not concern
areas in vicinity of big towns, where a so-called “suburbanization“ process has been in progress since
1990s (satellite residential areas are being founded with good access to big towns and thanks to lower
land price they offer habitats of higher quality than those located in towns). The rural areas used for
recreation purposes are becoming more attractive too.
The residents of small municipalities except for the above-mentioned areas (suburbs, recreation
areas) have higher job possession in the primary sector. Lack of jobs and limited job-related mobility
(problematic traffic serviceability and high cost of job-related commuting with respect to income and
currently valid “social network“ parameters) are the causes of higher unemployment rate. In certain
rural regions (located namely near the state border) there is a lack of stable businesses; the regions
do not look attractive enough for new investors (see the characteristic of the “problematic“ regions).
The ongoing selective migration from peripheral rural areas (involving both more-educated population
and economically-active population, which causes a gradual deterioration of human resources quality
and other negative synergistic effects) represents a considerable issue.
Quality of services provided and their accessibility is lower and the offer of leisure time activities is not
rich enough. Housing construction in small municipalities is of a low intensity and is mainly limited to
the construction of family houses. Municipal stock of houses is old with technical equipment of poor
quality.
Technical infrastructure is not always on the necessary level, low degree of waste water treatment in
some localities is also perceived as problematic, the small- to medium-sized sources of air pollution
are remaining untreated, historical environmental burdens do exist as well as the unexploited (mainly
agricultural) properties – so-called brownfields. All the above-presented factors influence investment
activities and business development, therefore most of economically-active population has to
commute to their place of employment. Job-related commuting, however, is markedly determined by
the quality of traffic infrastructure and traffic serviceability, which has deteriorated considerably since
1989.
The rural area in general offers higher quality of living in the nature, which, however, is being offset by
lower availability of “services“ (in the broadest possible meaning) to its population with respect to their
quantity and quality.
12
The disintegrated structure of residential pattern is translated into fragmentation of local public funds, which undermines the
own investment capacity of small municipalities. They represent one of the key development sources in the peripheral rural
areas. Disintegrated public funds do not allow for implementation of larger investment schemes with potentially significant
development effect and limited funds in hands of small municipalities may also represent a key barrier preventing them from
accessing the sources from structural funds.
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The most complicated situation is faced by rural regions located close to state border where the
Germans lived prior to the WWII and where the lack of job opportunities caused by the impact of
restructuring of agriculture and traditional manufacturing industry gets combined with low level of
education, higher social exclusion of the population and relatively low respect for the environment.
The most significant problems of rural areas can briefly be defined as follows:
1. High unemployment rate caused by recession in agriculture, low qualification and insufficient
job-related mobility of the population, low number of business activities
2. Poor quality of the traffic serviceability
3. Insufficient and low-quality traffic and technical infrastructure, low level of civic amenities and
services, older age and lower quality of the housing resources
Solution to the problematic situation of namely peripheral rural regions represents a combination of
several measures, involving :
1. Targeted support of appropriate economic activities in rural areas (e.g. alternative agriculture
focused on ecological bio products and/or growing the plants for electricity generation –
biomass and bio fuels production, specific forms of tourism like biking, agricultural tourism and
horse riding, etc.),
2. Support for the so-called “development poles“, i.e. areas eligible for strategic investments (in
connection with completion of the traffic and technical infrastructure and infrastructure for
human resources development) and essential improvement of the traffic serviceability, i.e.
getting the “peripheral“ rural regions connected to the mentioned “development poles“. (Big
towns do not need to be the only development poles. For example the influence of funds
invested in production development of the Škoda automobile factory in Kvasiny on the whole
region located in the foothill area of the Orlické mountains – the ORP Rychnov nad Kněžnou
and Dobruška is visible already).
4.8.D
Regions for Economic Change Initiative
On 8.11. 2006, the European Commission approved a new initiative for the 2007-2013 planning period
entitled Regions for Economic Change within the framework of the Territorial Cooperation target. This
represents a new approach to the development of regional and local associations and assists them in
working more closely with the Commission, applying innovative approaches and fulfilling program
goals under the Convergence, Regional Competitiveness and Employment, and European Territorial
Cooperation targets. Under this initiative it will be possible in the 2007-2013 period to finance projects
falling under the European Territorial Cooperation and Urbact target.
The goal of the Initiative is to exchange experience of good practice between European regions in the
area of innovation and thereby also economic growth and higher employment (Lisbon Agenda). Cities
and regions will be able to gather into associations concerned with certain themes determined by the
European Commission (as, e.g., making Europe more attractive for investment and work, improving
knowledge and innovation,...).
In the area of the Regions for Economic Change, the MA commits itself to:
a) Undertake necessary measures to plug innovative operations related to the outcome of
associations in which the region takes part into the general programming process.
b) Allow the presence of a representative (as observer) at the associations in which the region is
included as well as in the Monitoring Committee in order that they may report back on progress
in association activities.
c) Place on the Monitoring Committee's agenda at least once a year a report on the activities of
the associations and discussions of particular points touching on the program.
d) Provide information in the annual report about the implementation of regional activities included
in the Regions for Economic Change Initiative.
4.9
Evaluation of the existing supporting programmes
Aim of this part of the analysis is to process a qualitative evaluation of the current program period from
a regional perspective. Evaluation is based on evaluation schemes processed by the Community
Support Frame section, annual reports for the years 2004 and 2005 processed by the secretariat of
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the NUTS II Northeast Regional Council, interviews with staff involved in the current implementing
structure on regional level. It generalizes the results of questionnaire-based survey carried out in the
Northeast Cohesion Region in February 2006.
4.9.A
Regional government’s perspective
Existing system of regional development support in the Czech Republic is characterized first of all by
existence of a large number of relatively small supporting programmes (from the perspective of their
financial volume), through which funds are being allocated to regions. The Act No. 129/2000 Coll. On
Regions in its § 35 section 2 letter d) defines the rights and obligations of the regions, which in order to
reach the strategic objectives execute their own regional policy among other things also through their
programmes. With respect to the financial possibilities of the structural funds for the period 2007 –
2013 and to the needed provision of the co-financing schemes there will be necessary to change this
system in order to ensure that more funds are available from the budget of the Czech Republic.
4.9.B
Evaluation of applications submitted
In the period of 2004 – 2006 the number of applications for a financial support from the Joint Regional
Operational Programme significantly exceeds the available capacity of this programme (in three calls
197 individual schemes were submitted, out of which 77 were approved - i.e. 39%). Namely the
following issues have been identified by the staff of the NUTS II Northeast Regional Council
Secretariat:
• Low quality of schemes submitted relating to low experience of the Applicants.
• Incorrect focus of schemes was connected with the effort of Applicants to adapt their need to
the focus of the given operational programme.
• The consulted schemes´ quality differed significantly from those not consulted.
• Focus of the operational programme’s individual measures (defined by recognizable activities)
forced the Applicants to split their comprehensively-focused scheme involving also activities
logically related to such schemes into several schemes.
• As regards schemes of non-investment nature, representing mainly the human-resourcesrelated types of schemes (Measure 3.2), it has been confirmed that such schemes are difficult
from the perspective of coordination and communication and applicants are afraid that the
defined results and outputs will not be achieved.
Each region had an opportunity to ask for 5 subsidy schemes in terms of the Joint Regional
Operational Programme. There were 14 subsidy schemes approved for the Northeast Cohesion
Region. In terms of the OP LZZ the regions applied for 1 subsidy scheme. Among main issues rank
the following:
• Unclear task specification and insufficient level of coordination provided by authorities during
the preparation of the GS
• Frequently changing information and insufficient access to information on changes relevant
also to regions acting as subsidy providers. For example, the “number of beds“ indicator in
terms of the measure number 4.2.2 had been changed just a few moments before the call was
rd
made, and was not subjected to evaluation in the 3 round of the call. Many applicants who
focused exactly on increasing the number of beds, however, had their schemes processed
already.
• Problem of insufficient coordination among all units within the implementing structure
• Unclear competence of expenditures relating to both individual schemes and schemes within
the GS framework.
The most important units within the implementing structure of the SROP on regional level are the SRR NUTS II Northeast and the Regional Council of NUTS II Northeast. Head count of people working
at the secretariat gradually grew to 4 during the year 2004 and 2005, work of the S-RR of the
Pardubice-Region and the Liberec-Region is being performed by three persons per either of the
mentioned regions. The IS MONIT function ranked among the main issues, which, however, were
corrected on an operational basis. Partial problems also occurred in the sphere of communication
among individual parts of the implementing structure. Regular meetings of the S-RR and ŘO
managers contributed to their successful elimination. As a ascertain obstacle was perceived the lack
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
of clarity in the Czech legislation, e.g. the issue of documentation of influence of a respective scheme
on NATURA 2000 and EIA localities has been solved through release of the Instruction No. 3/2004 by
the MŽP. The Act No. 40/2004 on Public Procurement came into force as from May 1, 2004 and its
interpretation still causes certain misunderstandings namely in connection with entrepreneurs´
schemes.
4.9.C
Applicants´ perspective
In terms of preparation of the Regional operational programme there was a questionnaire-based
survey carried out in the territory of the Pardubice, Hradec Králové and Liberec-Regions. Questions
were aimed at their current experience. One part of questions enquired about any support received by
given organization irrespective of its source (i.e. national programmes, pre-accession funds, Structural
Funds a.s.o.) with the other part of questions being focused on plans of organizations for the period
2007 – 2013.
Findings from the questionnaire-based survey revealed that in both the scheme preparation stage and
their implementation stage there is an apparent lack of information and staff responsible for a troublefree scheme implementation, which is directly connected with the high administrative demandingness
of the entire process. The interviewed want to use first of all the people currently involved in this
process for the period 2007 – 2013 and they would also appreciate a possibility of a training to be
provided to these people. Another issue was the co-financing provision and the subsequent fluent
course of financing during the implementation of a scheme.
The interviewed expect that the total value of schemes submitted in the period 2007 – 2013 will reach
2,5 billion CZK, which shows a high absorption capacity of the territory. Every fifth organization
interviewed, however, has not had the co-financing of their schemes resolved so far.
4.9.D
Exploitation of results of the existing support evaluation for the next
period
Regions have been playing a very active part in the preparation of the new programming document.
With respect to the experience they have gathered the regions have entered the new budget period
with the following objectives set:
• Operational programme preparation based on better consideration of the specific problems of
the region
• Subsidiary principle used for implementation of activities falling within the cognizance of
regional governments, municipalities or institutions established by the afore-mentioned
• Creation of an implementing structure consisting of max. 2 levels, so that the effectiveness of
information and communication streams and uniformity of rules interpretation on the
operational programme level is ensured. Ongoing exploitation of the current workforce within
the SROP (JROP) implementing structure involving namely the staff of secretariats and
eventually of the Regional Development Centre and additional recruitment of appropriate
number of qualified employees as reinforcements
• Provision of sufficient financial capacity for co-financing of the operational programme,
systematic development of the region’s absorption capacity
Experience from preceding years will be taken into account in the new planning period by means of
the following measures:
• simplifying implementation structure (MA ROP Northeast provides for generally needed
activities by itself without the intervention of intermediate entities),
• reducing the number of attachments in applying for subsidies
o some required attachments may be presented at Contract signing
o financial provision of the project may be proved simply by written word of honor on the
part of the applicant (in the previous planning period a bank statement, promissory
note or decision statement from the local authority/region, etc., was also required)
ƒ the demand for securing the entire financing for the project prior to its
implementation has been removed,
ƒ phase-based financing of the project has been introduced,
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
•
•
•
•
•
•
4.10
4.10.A
the creation of more objective means for evaluation of projects with an enhanced focused on
project quality and contribution to society
o specific criteria for individual project areas have been proposed which will then be
taken into consideration when the project is evaluated
o new guidelines for feasibility studies for small and large projects
o incorporation of chapters touching on CBA into the guidelines for feasibility studies for
large projects (in place of two documents there will now be only one containing all
relevant information)
simplifying administration – two-way communication with applicants/beneficiaries via IS and by
e-mail,
implementated elektronic processing and submitting of the applications via web application
and IS of the applicant/beneficiary including automatic ddata transfer between IS of the
applicant/beneficiary (web application) and the IS of the MA bringing following advantages:
o internet access to the application
o possibility to insert electronic attachments
o automatic controls of the inserted data
o hints directly in the application
o data security due to the creation of user´s account and authorisation password
o generation of the unique code ensuring the correspondence of the data when
submitting the application to the MA
o easier submission of the electronic application to the MA by the electronic import to
the MA IS based on the unique code
within the framework of some areas of support it is possible to use cross-financing (it is
possible to support those project activities which are "soft" and necessary to realize within the
framework of the project),
partnership approach,
new, more transparent documentation system for applicants and beneficiaries (information for
applicants and beneficiaries will be contained in a smaller number of documents).
SWOT analysis
Global SWOT analysis
STRENGTHS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Long industrial tradition, stable agricultural production and diversified manufacturing industry
basis
Territory with high-quality natural environment and significant natural resources including rich
underground and surface water resources
Attractive area with good preconditions for development of tourism consisting namely in the
potential of natural and cultural-historical attractions and the developed basic technical and
tourist infrastructure
Cultural, social and medical services accessible within the entire region and transregional
sphere of action of specialized health centres
Growing level of educated population and presence of 5 universities in the region including
technically-focused studies with research potential for innovative business development
Advantageous location of metropolitan agglomerations, road and railway network density
Presence of international public airport in Pardubice and refurbished and upgraded I. railway
corridor
WEAKNESSES
•
Presence of economically weak regions with a lack of jobs, stable businesses and high
number of deteriorating properties and “brownfields“
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Insufficiently developed or even missing technical and traffic infrastructure (absence of
highways and expressways, unsatisfactory road and railway condition)
Insufficient traffic accessibility and traffic serviceability in rural areas
Unbalanced intensity of recreation and tourism with respect to the level of natural, sports and
cultural opportunities offered in the NUTS II Northeast territory, large disproportion in
development of individual recreation localities and centres
Poor social infrastructure, insufficient provision of civic amenities and unsatisfactory or even
missing premises for cultural, leisure time and/or other collective activities in rural areas
Insufficient correlation between vocational training and labour market; lack of technical experts
Disturbed natural environment in industrial and urban areas, especially the municipalities
where the transit traffic issue remains unsolved are concerned
Insufficient exploitation of the travel industry potential as a result of unsystematic coordination
and weak promotion
OPPORTUNITIES
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Exploitation of geographic position and attractiveness of the NUTS II Northeast Region for
attracting both domestic and foreign investors
Development of strategic services, advanced fields with high added value and high-tech
industries in cooperation with foreign entities and regional centres of scientific research
Exploitation of natural conditions for development and modernization of agriculture and
forestry with a focus on new advanced forms and nature and landscape protection
Promoted exploitation of alternative and renewable power resources
Development of new forms of tourism and growing interest of tourists in new, tourism-specific
commodities ensuring job opportunities and alternative income resources
Development of a functional system of coordination of tourism-related activities based on
mutual cooperation among regions, private and national sphere, special interest groups and
groups of professionals
Development of combined traffic (construction of a multi-mode logistics centre in Pardubice,
completed navigability of the Labe river as far as the town of Pardubice, public airports
development)
Development of integrated transportation systems including modernization of railway and
growing share of public transportation system
THREATS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Increased unemployment as a result of low competitiveness of businesses in the European
market
Reduced attractiveness of the region for investors as a result of the lack of financial resources
to be spent on infrastructure, insufficient traffic connection and insufficiently prepared
development areas
Low level of support given to the spheres of science, research and innovation and translation
of their results into practice; insufficient growth of labour productivity affecting the population’s
living standard
Postponed completion of the regional trunk roads and permanent growth of traffic intensity
Disproportion between environmental protection conditions and demands for area and traffic
development; sustainability policies broken by means of inappropriate economic activities and
missing care of the landscape; unnecessary or inappropriate seizure of high-quality land
resources
Efflux of certain part of foreign demand as a result of its dissatisfaction with unsatisfactory
offer supplied (accommodation, boarding, comprehensive tourism-related commodities) and
quality provided by businesses dealing with travel industry
Absence of whole-life education system and insufficient attractiveness of jobs mainly in the
sphere of agriculture leading to increased number and area of problematic regions
Lack of funds for maintenance of the existing scope of public transportation service and
technical infrastructure development including information technologies
Overall long-term reduction in population number based mainly on natural replacement,
deteriorating demographic structure of the population, gradual natural ageing of the
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
•
population, increasing proportion of elderly and handicapped citizens as a result of the
unfavourable demographic situation
Insecure long-term flow of financial resources into tourism
4.10.B
Priority axis: Tourism-related infrastructure development
STRENGTHS
•
•
•
•
Advantageous location of the Hradec Králové – Pardubice – Chrudim and the Liberec –
Jablonec agglomerations
Road and railway networks density
Upgraded I. railway corridor forming a part of the Berlin – Prague – Brno – Vienna corridor
Presence of the international public airport in Pardubice, which is one of the five strategic
airports of the Czech Republic
WEAKNESSES
•
•
•
•
•
Absence of highways and expressways resulting in overloaded existing road network
Unsatisfactory technical condition of the II. and III. class roads, local roads and railway
network
Insufficient level of traffic serviceability across the territory, missing coordination and link with
railway and bulk road passenger transport
Insufficient traffic accessibility and traffic serviceability in certain border, foothill and sparsely
populated areas
Insufficiently developed or even missing technical and traffic infrastructure in certain rural and
low-populated areas involving small municipalities in particular
OPPORTUNITIES
•
•
•
•
•
•
Advantageous geographic position of the territory spread from the north corner of the Czech
Republic neighbouring with Germany through the Czech-Polish border area all the way to the
eastern part and Moravian borderland penetrating also into the Czech-Moravian highland and
covering large areas in the lowlands surrounding the Labe river.
Increased share of public transportation in the total transportation volume
Development of integrated transportation systems including modernization of trunk railway
lines and construction of transition terminals representing an interface among individual
means of transportation
Development of air traffic: a permanent reinforcement of the Pardubice international airport’s
significance, refurbishment of airports in Liberec and Hradec Králové and recovery of the
international airport status
Creation of a multi-mode logistics centre in Pardubice
Completion of navigability of the Labe river’s stretch between Chvaletice and Pardubice and
construction of a terminal port in Pardubice
THREATS
•
•
•
•
Postponement of completion of region’s trunk routes, leaving the region not unconnected to
the trans-European transport networks in terms of appropriate parameters
Permanent growth of traffic intensity (traffic jams, accident rate, deteriorating environment in
towns and villages and municipalities with extreme amount of transit traffic and freight
transportation in particular)
Further deterioration of accessibility and importance of the region’s peripheral areas with
difficult access
Lack of financial resources for maintaining the scope of public transportation and its
subsequent recession
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
•
•
4.10.C
Absence of high-quality railway connection in most areas of the region with the other parts of
the Czech Republic except for districts being connected to the I. railway corridor
Reduced attractiveness of the region for foreign investors due to its unsatisfactory traffic
connection
Priority axis: Urban and rural areas development
STRENGTHS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Availability of the basic social and health care in the entire area
Increasing quality of habitation and growing interest in living in certain rural areas located
mainly in town suburbs and in areas attractive from the perspective of recreation possibilities
Development of the non-profit sector, active club life, penetration of the non-profit sector also
into the sphere of cultural, medical and social services
Sphere of action of regional hospitals reaching beyond the respective region’s border with
respect to special activities provision
Presence of 5 universities in the NUTS II Region offering technical, economic, natural and
humanistic studies.
Growing level of overall education of the population
Territory with high-quality natural environment free of any extreme environmental burdens
Large area of protected zones, including the Krkonoše national park. Presence of a biospheric
reservation.
Significant natural resources – mineral resources, forests, soils, rich underground and surface
water resources-very important area from the water management perspective
WEAKNESSES
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Insufficient material-technical utilities for education at a number of schools
Unsatisfactory premises and condition of many school buildings
Presence of unexploited and dilapidated properties and neglected areas in the region (mainly
farm properties, properties being homes to civic amenities and other) and low interest in their
refurbishment
Disturbed environment in industrial and urban areas with higher concentration of industry,
historical environmental burdens not being dealt with
Lack of stable businesses and jobs in rural areas, missing trade network and services, low
mobility of labour force caused by poor traffic serviceability
Unsatisfactory or missing premises for cultural, leisure time or other club activities in small
municipalities
Ongoing emission occurrence caused in particular by small-, medium-sized and mobile
pollution sources, increased noise level mainly in municipalities where the transit traffic
remains unsolved
Disintegrated residential pattern – high number of small municipalities X high concentration of
population in agglomerations
Regional capital towns in the Hradec Králové and the Pardubice-Regions are located far from
natural geographic centres of both regions
Poor social infrastructure and insufficient provision of services relating to civic amenities in
rural areas
Insufficient technical equipment and information interconnection of health infrastructure
High proportion of “prefab“ house apartments in towns, poor technical condition of “prefab“
houses
OPPORTUNITIES
•
•
Ongoing optimization, enhancement of the quality and technological equipment of medical and
social service, development of new services
Improved conditions for development of organizations, cooperation and activities concerning
the population’s leisure time exploitation
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Improved quality of education at all types of schools through upgraded school equipment
represented by high-quality learning utilities and instruments, computers
Supported programmes of alternative or above-standard education
Refurbishment of school premises and buildings
Development of environment-focused and multi-function agriculture oriented at preservation of
landscape’s function also representing a future source of new jobs in rural areas
Utilization of waste for power generation and reusable materials collection and supported
utilization of products made from waste
Assessment of sustainability indicators in individual regions
Larger exploitation of supporting programmes for the support of agriculture, forestry and rural
areas development
Creation of a suitable environment (legislative and financial) and intense orientation on
enforcement of exploitation of local renewable power resources and raw materials tagged as
secondary from the perspective of power generation
Exploitation of agricultural tourism as an alternative source of revenues and job opportunities
Protection of high-quality land resources in connection with sustainability of the landscape
and natural values
THREATS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
4.10.D
Increased number of social-pathological and other undesired phenomena (crimes, drugs,
gambling, alcoholism, deteriorating health condition of the population and other) in urban
areas in particular
Overall long-term reduction in population number based mainly on natural replacement,
deteriorating demographic structure of the population, gradual natural ageing of the
population, increasing proportion of elderly and handicapped citizens as a result of the
unfavourable demographic situation
Development of undesired economic activities with negative environmental impact, increasing
water eutrophication, insufficient landscape cultivation
Increased number or area of problematic micro regions as a result of insufficient offer of jobs
Further recession in agricultural production leading to landscape devastation
Insufficient attractiveness of jobs in the sphere of agriculture for young and qualified people
Disproportion between environmental protection conditions and demands for area and traffic
development; sustainability policies not being respected; unnecessary or inappropriate
seizures of high-quality land resources
Endangered natural environment quality as a result of the growing and uncoordinated
individual car transportation
Ongoing absence of the whole-life education system and qualification and certification
acknowledgement systems
Priority axis: Tourism
STRENGTHS
•
•
•
•
•
A significant natural potential, attractive area with good preconditions for tourism development,
variety of landscape types and attractive natural localities (water surfaces and streams, rock
towns, protected areas...)
Area suitable for all-year performance of activities connected with recreation and sport
Basic technical and tourism-related infrastructure available (hotels, bed-and-breakfast-type of
accommodation facilities, sports facilities, marked tourist routes)
Developing offer and quality of winter resorts of nation-wide importance
Rich cultural-historical heritage of the region, including a UNESCO-listed monument (the
Litomyšl castle)
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
•
•
Competitive price of basic tourist services from an international point of view
High-quality traditional footpath network
WEAKNESSES
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Disproportional distribution of recreation and tourist activities´ intensity with respect to the
nature, sports and culture offered within the NUTS II Northeast Region, considerable
disproportion between the degree of development of individual localities and recreation
centres
Lack of finance capital (both private and public) for investments in tourism
Insufficiently exploited potential of tourism as a result of unsystematic coordination and poor
promotion
Problematic accessibility and lack of traffic infrastructure in certain tourist areas and points of
tourist attraction
Low number of comprehensive tourism-related commodities
Insufficient development and enforcement of tourism organization (destination management)
Quality of the predominant offer of lodging and boarding services and their structure is
disproportional and lags behind the expectations of the demand side
Absence (or limited offer) of associated infrastructure and services (activities) in winter and
summer resorts
Absence of tourist information and guiding systems in certain parts of tourist regions
Low yield of lodging capacities
Incomplete bike paths (fragmented bike path system, absence of services on bike paths, lowquality surfaces of exploited roads)
Low number of categorized and certified accommodation facilities
Absence of professional associations of businesses dealing in tourism
OPPORTUNITIES
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Promotion of attractiveness of the Czech Republic as an international tourist destination
Development of new forms of tourism
Increased interest of tourists in new, specific tourism-related commodities
Taking advantage of good reputation of well-known winter resorts in order to extend the
aggregate offer of the “winter tourism“ commodity
Development of the tourism-focused cross-border cooperation
Introduction of a functional system for coordination of tourist activities to be based on mutual
cooperation of regions, private and public spheres, special interest groups and professional
associations
Growing interest of tourists in exploitation of region-specific cultural attractions (traditional
crafts, folklore)
Development of conference and incentive tourism
Extension of the scope of services offered by cultural institutions in order to develop the travel
industry
Showing other regions of the Czech Republic to the Prague visitors
Promoted importance of cultural monuments and their exploitation for development of tourism
Exploitation of sustainability principles in a way that helps tourist regions become more
attractive and competitive, gradual transition from certification of quality to environmental
certification
THREATS
•
•
•
•
Efflux of certain part of foreign demand as a result of its dissatisfaction with unsatisfactory
offer supplied (accommodation, boarding, comprehensive tourism-related commodities) and
quality provided by businesses dealing with travel industry
Uncoordinated development and low quality of tourism-related services (insufficient offer of
boarding and lodging services)
Low competitiveness of certain less attractive areas
Deteriorating condition of historical properties and tourism-related infrastructure due to the
lack of financial resources
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
4.10.E
Insecure long-term flow of financial resources into tourism
Tourist areas being overloaded with individual car traffic as a result of neglected public
transportation support (namely the railway transportation is concerned)
Famous winter and summer resorts get overloaded
Slow development of an adequate tourism-focused organization, management and
information infrastructure
Low degree of coexistence between environmental protection conditions and demands for
tourism development
Ongoing lack of a viable national tourism strategy
Efflux of permanent residents from areas that are most valuable for their nature and offer of
tourist activities
Priority axis: Development of corporate environment
STRENGTHS
•
•
•
•
Long tradition of technical know-how thanks to traditional engineering, chemical, glass and
electro technical industries
Availability of technical universities possessing scientific research potential for innovative
business development
Sufficient diversification of industrial basis with significant proportion of small- to medium-sized
businesses and their relatively even distribution across the region
Significant presence and growing number of foreign businesses and businesses with foreign
capital participation
WEAKNESSES
•
•
•
•
•
•
High number of brownfields of industrial and other nature, problematic exploitation of old
industrial premises and former military areas
Development areas for support of investments being insufficiently prepared and funded
Vocational education being inconsistent and insufficiently interconnected with labour market –
ongoing lack of technical experts in engineering and IT branches in particular
Insufficient interconnection and cooperation of scientific potential at universities with
manufacturing plants and businesses in the region
Underdeveloped sector of the so-called strategic services (IT, e-business, marketing, human
resources development)
Availability of economically weak micro regions of mainly rural character with low-quality
infrastructure, lack of stable businesses and jobs
OPPORTUNITIES
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Creation of an investment support system and development of areas and premises for arrival
of new investors oriented at value-added production
Exploitation of the innovations transfer to raise competitiveness of all entities in the region;
introduction and development of the so-called business incubators, technological, scientific
and technical parks
Development of strategic services, progressive branches with high added value and high-tech
industry in cooperation with foreign entities and businesses getting also the regional basis of
scientific research and scientific and technical potential of universities involved
Development of business activities in the fields of IT, e-business, support of new technologies
aimed at raising competitiveness of the business sphere
Creation and extension of clusters, role of which is to support cooperation of entities active in
related branches aimed at facilitation of expansion to foreign markets
Taking advantage of a favourable image of the Northeast Region known as a region of
qualified but also relatively cheap human resources to attract corresponding investments and
activities
Taking advantage of the geographic position and attractiveness of the NUTS II Northeast
Region to boost business activities of both domestic and foreign investors
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
THREATS
•
•
•
•
•
Lack of qualified work force in the region, general fall of interest in technical fields and
insufficient interconnection of the education system with the needs of the industry; efflux of
tertiary education graduates leaving for different territories (namely for Prague) – weak
intellectual basis of the region
Low level of support given to the spheres of science, research and innovation and translation
of their results into practice; insufficient growth of labour productivity affecting the wages paid
throughout the region and thus also affecting the population’s living standard
Reduced attractiveness of the region for foreign investors due to its unsatisfactory traffic
connection and insufficiently prepared development areas; lack of financial resources for
reproduction and development of the technical infrastructure
Growth of mainly the long-term unemployment as a result of incomplete restructuring of firms
and their low competitiveness in the European market and subsequent reorientation of the
interest of both foreign and domestic businesses dealing with simple production towards
different territories with cheaper work force
Insufficient development of small- to medium-sized businesses active in secondary and
tertiary sectors; reduced capability of the local market to absorb an eligible work force
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
5
Strategy
5.1
Strategy resources
There are two documents used as a basic internal resource for selection of a strategy, i.e. the socioeconomic analysis and the SWOT analysis. The socio-economic analysis of the Northeast Cohesion
Region identified all problematic issues for further development of the region and subsequently
defined areas put under focus of the later defined region’s development strategy. Role of the SWOT
analysis was to identify the region’s strengths with a big development potential upon which can be the
strategy implemented and also its weaknesses that need to be eliminated or suppressed in order to
eliminate the impact of potential risks.
Strengths of the Northeast Cohesion Region are mainly consisting in the dense traffic network (roads,
railways, airports), stable economic background, high number of universities, available social and
medical services, high number of natural and cultural-historical attractions and high-quality tourism
conditions. The region’s strengths are of a permanent character and can be used as a high-quality
foundation-stones for the build-up and implementation of the strategy.
The region’s weaknesses involve areas that have so far been ignored or condition of which incurred a
significant deterioration over the time. In the region there can be found economically weak areas with
high unemployment rate and low economic performance. From a region-wide perspective there can be
seen poor condition of namely the traffic infrastructure, high number of dilapidated and unexploited
premises and properties, poor social infrastructure (including education and health infrastructure),
insufficient provision of the services falling under the civic amenities and no interconnection of public
services resulting in low effectiveness of expenditures. These areas will need to be intensified and
further improved through public interventions based on the implementation of the strategy, since they
represent important parts slowing the region’s development down. Inattention to these issues would
hamper the whole region’s development for long decades.
On the other hand, there are opportunities for the region that may become a significant impulse to a
much more intense boost of the region’s economic development once the strengths has been
reinforced and the weaknesses eliminated. In this sense the opportunities to develop new products
and services of high added value in the sphere of strategic services can be used as well as the
scientific and technical potential of the region, transportation system development, introduction of an
effective system for the management of tourism-related information and activities, citizen-focused
public service development and exploitation of the region’s geographic and natural conditions.
The region already faces several risks arising from an insufficient development of key areas for
economic performance and competitiveness. The risks mainly relate to low attractiveness of the region
due to poor infrastructure, low science- and research-related expenditures as well as low amount of
funds spent on progressive technologies and human resources development. As a big risk for future is
seen the deteriorating demographic structure of the region’s population and the missing life-long
education system.
Based on the processed socio-economic and SWOT analyses a global target has been identified for
setting the basic direction of the region’s development. These analyses also allowed for identification
of key areas to be under region’s concentration in order to reach that global target. The key areas of
the region have become foundation-stones for specific ROP Northeast targets identification – concrete
areas where the public interventions´ effects/benefits will be maximized by the region.
The basic external resources for definition of a strategy are the priorities of the superior programme
documents of all the three regions constituting the NUTS II Northeast Region, EU and the Czech
Republic. On the regional level the strategic development documents defining the main development
priorities are concerned, further there are thematic conceptual documents defining objectives of a
particular area. On the national level there are the National Development Plan and the related National
Strategic Reference Framework creating a link between the national and the European priorities. On
the European level there is Community strategic guidelines document defining the basic development
strategy of the EU in terms of the economic and social cohesion.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
5.2
Main characters of the strategy
The strategy itself and the exactly-specified regional public interventions derived from it focus on the
most-problematic spheres of the region’s territorial development. Regional interventions form a part of
the whole public intervention system under which also the operational programmes are falling.
Through an effective exploitation of financial resources from regional and sector/thematic operational
programmes a comprehensive solution to all key issues of the region will be assured and the global
and specific targets will be attained.
While the interventions in terms of sector operational programmes focus on particular topics, the ROP
Northeast accentuates a comprehensive approach being significantly focused on both the
improvement in physical environment and its attractiveness not only for the region’s inhabitants and
visitors and the increasing accessibility and population’s mobility and the increasing quality of life in
the region in general. Development of preconditions for growing investments in the region also
represents a part of the above.
With respect to the territorial differentiation the ROP “Northeast” is oriented towards providing
solutions to issues of urban and rural areas and towards reinforcement of relations between towns and
their rural background respectively. From this point of view the main support recipients are the
spheres of traffic accessibility, tourism development, education, health, social and traffic
infrastructures a.s.o. Part of the interventions concerns revitalization and refurbishment of selected
town quarters. Through implementation of the programme the infrastructure owned mainly by regional
and municipal governments will be appreciated and quality of public services will be enhanced.
Public interventions will also have a positive impact on the natural environment and the traffic
infrastructure in particular. By means of support provided to small towns and rural areas balanced
development of the whole region will be maintained. The application of equal opportunities principle
has been incorporated into the entire document.
5.3
Strategy of the Northeast Cohesion Region
The strategy of the Northeast Cohesion region is based upon the strategic development documents of
the Hradec Králové, Pardubice and Liberec regions and is fully compatible with them.
The goal of the NUTS II Northeast Cohesion region strategy over a long-term, 20-year horizon is to
make the Northeast region an attractive, prospering and competitive region with a stable social
environment which respects the principles of sustainable development. The goal is to make the region
a strong, indivisible and integral part of the European arena.
A high quality of life should be enabled and provided for citizens. All areas of life should be
harmoniously developed in a balanced fashion which looks forward to future generations. This overall
target will be attained by the gradual achievement of targets in individual priority areas. The following
six areas comprise the priorities of the region:
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
Transportation and infrastructure
Economics and employment
Tourism
Human resources
Natural environment
Transportation and infrastructure
This priority area is aimed at quality improvement in the transportation infrastructure, improved access
and services throughout the entire territory, modernization of the technical infrastructure and last but
not least, quality improvements in the information infrastructure and in telecommunications
technology. For balanced development in the region, it is necessary to ensure that, in all its aspects,
conditions are created to ensure quality transportation access throughout the territory and to improve
the technical and informational infrastructure in a way which respects the natural environment.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
One of the presumptions concerning economic growth in the region is the ensuring of a quality
transportation infrastructure, which is an important precondition and presumption for the development
of the territory and for influencing the attractiveness of the locale. And inadequate infrastructure
fundamentally decreases the attractiveness of the region and its municipalities for investors and
thereby lowers competitiveness. The substandard technical condition of the regional transportation
network complicates transportation in the territory of the region. It is thus necessary to connect the
region to the trans-European transportation network and to reconstruct the existing highway network,
as well as facilities which are directly connected to it. Air transportation makes possible rapid
connections between European regions and the territory of the region. The support provided by a
combination of transportation and the building of multimodal terminals will lead to a reduction in stress
on the highway network attributable to cargo transport. As concerned to rail transport, attention is
focused on the modernization of the republic-wide network backbone with its connections to
neighboring regions and the preservation or renewal of regional rail lines based upon need.
Transportation services represent an important quality-of-life factor in the region and play a key role in
the choice of living locations and work locations by citizens.
The quality of the technical infrastructure represents one of the fundamental conditions for
comprehensive development of the region and is irreplaceable for both economic development
activities and in securing the many needs of modern life. This is what makes it necessary to
reconstruct the existing, aging technical infrastructure and support the development of new
infrastructure. The development of an informational network is very significant for the economic
development of the region, especially for its outlying areas. Access to progressive forms of
telecommunication and information infrastructure may form the basis for problems caused by distance
for both business and education and social development to be overcome. In developed countries, the
importance of modern information in telecommunications technologies are increasing, since they form
pillars of the knowledge economy. The region also requires that communication backbone
infrastructure is provided for and that the network be built in areas of the region with inadequate
access so that optimal access to information and telecommunication technologies may be achieved
for all citizens of the region.
Balanced urban and rural development
The priority area is aimed at these strategic goals: development of municipal areas, increasing the
economic potential and attractiveness of rural areas and the development of citizens' associations.
Within the territorial structure, cities represent important regional centers with labor, lifestyle and
service functions. They represent an important concentration of activities with high growth potential
which must be strengthened and developed. At the same time, large cities are also naturally
concerned with the degradation of some of their parts, which are gradually losing their function.
Support for the revitalization process of such disintegrating problem areas which have already lost
their functionality is one of the targets of this priority. Increasing the quality-of-life in cities requires
further development of public facilities, stimulation of housing development, the prevention of
criminality and pathological phenomena and the creation of areas for sport, rest and recreation.
In accord with the stated goal of balanced development in the region, it is necessary to strengthen
rural areas. Stress must be laid on an increase in economic potential and attractiveness of rural areas.
Support for new activity not only allows for a reduction in the dependence on cities but also the
creation of new workplaces, increased inflows and a resulting elevation in the standard of living in rural
areas. It is necessary to create a set of conditions which will make rural areas more attractive and
facilitate the quality of life of their residents.
One of the key factors for the balanced and comprehensive development of the territory with regard to
respecting the principles of sustainability is the introduction of modern planning methods for
municipalities, cities and regions. By means of developing and carrying out quality strategic
development concepts, territorial plans and other documents for midterm and long-term planning,
municipalities can specify the main directions and goals of development, including the means for their
attainment.
Economics and employment
The economics and employment priority is aimed at the development of commercial infrastructure,
mutual cooperation by companies, tertiary educational institutions and research institutions, and
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
further at the support of research, development and innovation and at increased employment and an
employable citizenry.
Development of the commercial sphere comprises a pronounced influence on economic prosperity
and employment in the region. Support for the commercial environment plays a significant role in
increasing economic competitiveness.
Support for private companies is one of the key factors in the development of regional economics for
the Northeast Cohesion region and in increasing overall employment, since the private sphere forms
one of the chief sources of income in the regional budget.
Support for the origin and development of new firms and enterprises generally enrichens the variety of
economic activity. It contributes to broader diversification of economic activities as one of the key
conditions for reducing the risk presented by the disappearance of individual economic activities to
employment in the region. The creation of positive conditions for the development of business, which
facilitates the origin of new jobs and in the final analysis contributes to a reduction in unemployment in
the region, should be especially attained by the construction and reconstruction of requisite
commercial infrastructure.
In attaining the stated economic development targets, further support conditions which have an
influence on the realization of the stated direction of development cannot be overlooked. These
especially concern an emphasis on mutual cooperation by companies, institutions of tertiary education
and research institutes and on an improvement in communication and overall cooperation between
public administrative bodies and the commercial sphere. This essential area of cooperation requires
attention be given to the commercial utilization of research and development results. This will create
conditions for an attractive business environment within the region. These are determining factors,
since cooperation between all these key actors makes it possible for private firms to utilize results,
with the potential for increasing their technical and technological level, thereby increasing the quality of
their products and services. Support for research, development and innovation (systemic and
technological) is therefore a very desirable and irreplaceable condition for development of the entire
region, with a significant impact on the development of private companies.
Tourism
The Tourism priority area is aimed at increasing the share which tourist activities contribute to the
prosperity of the region, at more effective use of the potential of rural and municipal areas for tourism,
increasing the capacity of the tourism infrastructure and at its modernization.
The Northeast Cohesion region possesses a significant potential in the area of tourism connected to
its large number of natural, cultural and historic monuments and attractions. A necessary precondition
for greater use of this potential is an adequate offering of quality services and products by tourism
providers, which would facilitate the attractiveness of the region and thereby increase the visitor count
and receipts for tourism service providers. An important factor in the development of tourism is making
use of a broad range of cultural and social activities and organizing them in the offerings of tourism
providers.
In order to develop tourism in rural and municipal areas, it is desirable to support and make use of the
social/cultural, cultural/historical potential of municipalities and cities and specific cultural regions.
Another of the basic conditions for intensifying tourism in potentially attractive tourist locations is the
creation of facilities for visitors: accessibility of services, information services, etc. Significant
opportunities in the conditions of the region are also offered by the development of modern alternative
forms of tourism: ecotourism, agricultural tourism and geotourism. It is important to support the
activities of associations and organizations concerned with traditions and regional and local specifics.
Increasing the level of basic and supplemental infrastructure and improving the quality of services
provided by individual facilities for tourism in the region contributes to the attractiveness of the territory
for tourists, leading to a growth in income in the tourist sector. This goal also requires attention be paid
to the necessary repair and maintenance of cultural/historical and technological monuments.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Human resources
This priority area aims at the development of education among the citizenry, at the development of
lifelong learning, and further at accessible, quality social and health services in the overall quality-oflife of residents.
It is essential to stress strategic management and development of human resources for the creation of
competitiveness and a dynamic region. Only a region open to various sources of input, innovations in
thought and approach is capable of reacting flexibly to the challenges of the future and of effectively
withstanding the changes influencing its social/economic and cultural development.
To achieve the goal of increasing the quality of life for residents, it is necessary to stress an increase
in education and an improvement in the health of residents, both of which factors have a direct
influence on the maintenance of competitiveness and the sustainability of development for the entire
region. To fulfill the outlined developmental directions in the area of human resources development,
the chief factor is stressing the process of lifelong learning, whose importance and necessity in the
process of learning for every individual should be emphasized and accented at all levels of schooling,
beginning with the initial entrance of the individual into the educational system.
Along with the requirement for growth in the education of residents comes the necessity for
coordination between schools and the labor market and the qualification demands of employers, which
should have the effect of strengthening the adaptability of the labor force in the functioning of
graduates from all schools in the labor market, something which depends upon the formulation of
concrete demands on knowledge and abilities by employers and flexible reactions by educators in
offering corresponding educational programs, along with flexible reactions to trends in individual
professional areas and curricula adapted to them.
Increasing the quality of life of residents depends upon access to quality social and healthcare
services. Relieving inequalities in the distribution of social services and time-based problems of
healthcare access in areas at the periphery of the region make more effective coordination and
cooperation by health and social care facilities desirable.
In ensuring the quality of life of residents of the region, community and cultural life and the
development of varied interest activities undertaken by residents in their leisure time play a key role. In
this way, conditions are created for a healthy lifestyle and room is made for non-formal and informal
instruction as part of a comprehensive process of lifelong learning.
Natural environment
The target of this priority area is to improve the state and preservation of the natural environment, to
provide for protection and considered use of the landscape and natural potential and to develop the
system of environmental training, education and enlightenment. The ties between socioeconomic
development and the quality of the natural environment are close, making it necessary to consider the
natural environment over the long range as a factor which impacts upon local and regional
competitiveness. Investment in the natural environment strengthens the sustainability of economic
growth and lowers outlays (or prevents outlays from arising) from negative externalities of economic
development. The quality of the natural environment is closely tied to the attractiveness of the entire
region. Individual goals in this area include a reduction of all negative admissions into the environment
(atmosphere, aquatic and ground), efficient waste management, utilization of alternative energy
sources, etc.
In the territory of the Northeast Cohesion region, a number of important protected areas are to be
found of both a regional and national nature but also of pan-European importance. It is necessary not
only to ensure the preservation of nature itself but also to take a considered approach to tourism and a
well-reasoned approach to the economics of agricultural areas.
Support for environmental training, education and enlightenment is one of the basic components of the
ecological awareness of residents and a way to instill them with responsibility and respect for future
generations. It is necessary to support the most varied forms and methods of ecological training and
education, e.g., instruction at all levels of schooling, meetings and lectures and management and
development of a network of ecological advisory centers. An important role is played in this by
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
enlightenment and getting the public connected to efforts to increase interest in protecting the natural
environment. The goal of this process of environmental training, education and enlightenment is to
bring the principle of sustainable development to bear on all activities of everyday life.
Possibilities for financing priority areas by means of EU cohesiveness policy tools
Priority NUTS II Northeast – Transportation and Infrastructure
Operating program
Priority axis
o Modernization of the TEN-T rail network
o Construction and modernization of the
TEN-T highway and motorway network
o Modernization of the rail network outside
TEN-T
OP Transport
o Modernization of Class I highways
outside TEN-T
o Support for multimodal cargo transport
and development of inland waterway
transport
OP Business and Innovation
o
o
Regional Operational Programme
o
OP Cross-border Cooperation
Czech Republic – Republic of Poland
Energy efficiency
Development of transportation
infrastructure
Strengthening of access, protection of
the natural environment and risk
prevention
Priority NUTS II Northeast – BALANCED DEVELOPMENT
OF CITY AND COUNTRYSIDE
Operating program
Priority axis
o
Regional Operational Programme
Development of urban and rural areas
National support for territorial development
Strengthening of access, protection of
the natural environment and risk
prevention
o Support for cooperation between local
communities
Integrated Operational Programme
o
OP Cross-border Cooperation
Czech Republic – Republic of Poland
Priority NUTS II Northeast – ECONOMICS AND EMPLOYMENT
Operating program
Priority axis
o Business startups
o Company development
o Innovation
OP Business and Innovation
o Financing for entrepreneurship and
innovation
o Business development services
o Development of R&D capacity
o Development of cooperation between the
public and private sectors in R&D
OP R&D for Innovation
o Strengthening of capacity of schools
offering tertiary education
OP Human Resources and Employment
o
o
Adaptability
Public administration and public services
OP Education for Competitiveness
o
o
Continuing education
Tertiary education, R&D
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Development of the business
environment
o Modernization of public administration
Integrated Operational Programme
o Introduction of ICT in territorial public
administration
o Improved conditions for development of
OP Cross-border Cooperation
the business environment and tourism
Czech Republic – Republic of Poland
Priority NUTS II Northeast – a TOURISM
Operating program
Priority axis
o Tourism
Regional Operational Programme
o National support for tourism
Integrated Operational Programme
o National support for territorial
development
o Improved conditions for development of
OP Cross-border Cooperation
the business environment and tourism
Czech Republic – Republic of Poland
Priority NUTS II Northeast – HUMAN RESOURCES
Operating programme
Priority axis
o Initial education
OP Education for Competitiveness
o Continuing education
o Tertiary education, R&D
o Adaptability
o Active labor market policies
OP Human Resources and Employment
o Social integration and equal opportunities
o International cooperation
o Strengthening capacity of universities for
OP R&D for innovation
tertiary education
o Development of urban and rural areas
Regional operational programme
o Increasing quality and access to public
Integrated Operational Programme
services
o Improvement of conditions for
development of the business
OP Cross-border Cooperation
environment and tourism
Czech Republic – Republic of Poland
o Support for cooperation between local
communities
Priority NUTS II Northeast – NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
Operating programme
Priority axis
o Improvement of water management
infrastructure and reduction of flood risk
o Improvement of air quality and reduction
of emissions
o Sustainable use of energy resources
o Quality improvements in waste handling
and removal of old ecological burdens
OP Natural Environment
o Limiting industrial pollution and
environmental risks
o Improving the state of the natural
environment and countryside
o Developing infrastructure for
environmental education, counseling and
enlightenment
o Energy efficiency
OP Business and Innovation
o
Regional Operational Programme
o
OP Cross-border Cooperation
Czech Republic – Republic of Poland
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Strengthening of access, protection of
the natural environment and risk
prevention
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
5.4
The issues tree
The issues tree represents basic development barriers/problematic areas including their causes and
potential impacts. The ROP Northeast focuses on elimination or reduction of causes behind the
occurrence of problematic areas and reduction of the intensity of their impact.
Causes
Problematic
area
Main
problem
Consequences
by areas
Impacts
Picture No 13: The issues tree
ƒ Low traffic safety
ƒ Poor condition of the
natural environment
ƒ Increased regional
disparities
ƒ Increased
unemployment
ƒ Population moving out
from the region
ƒ Low workforce mobility
Ongoing devastation of
traffic infrastructure
ƒ Increased occurrence
of social-pathological
phenomena
ƒ More intense
brownfiled-related
problems
ƒ Population moving out
from rural areas
Stagnation of further
development,
enlargement of regional
disparities
ƒ Recession of rural
areas
ƒ Efflux of the demand
for services
ƒ Lower revenues from
tourism
Recession of cultural
monuments and travelindustry-related
background
ƒ Reduced
investments, efflux
of investors
ƒ Low possibility to
find a proper job for
the workforce
ƒ Loss of
competitiveness
ƒ Low innovation
capacity
Economy of a low-road
character
Region with low economic competitiveness, high unemployment, territorial disparities and low living
standard of population compared with the advanced European regions
Poor traffic infrastructure
Disparities between
urban and rural areas,
public services of low
quality
Unexploited tourism
potential of the region
Low competitiveness
of the business sector
ƒ Poor condition of roads
and related structures
ƒ Insufficient traffic
accessibility and traffic
serviceability of area
ƒ Insufficient connection
with superregional
traffic networks
ƒ Unexploited areas and
dilapidated properties
incl. brownfields
ƒ Insufficient services in
terms of civic
amenities
ƒ Obsolete health and
social infrastructure
ƒ Disturbed living
environment
ƒ Obsolete education
infrastructure
ƒ Occurrence of socialpathological
phenomena
ƒ No interconnection
between health and
social services
ƒ No cooperation
between public and
private sector
ƒ Undeveloped
information system
ƒ Poor condition of
cultural monuments
ƒ Insufficient associated
infrastructure
ƒ No mutual cooperation
among businesses
ƒ No interconnection
between the education
system and the labour
market
ƒ Unprepared
development areas
and unexploited
properties
ƒ Products and services
with low added value
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
5.5
Global target and specific targets of the ROP “Northeast”
The basic resource for the selected ROP “Notheast” strategy is represented by the definition of a
global target as incorporated in the basic document of the Czech Republic for the programme period
2007-2013, i.e. the National Strategic Reference Framework, which contains the following statements:
“Transformation of the Czech Republic and its socio-economic environment in compliance with
sustainability principles into area attractive for both investors and work and life of the population. The
permanent reinforcement of competitiveness will bring a sustainable growth, pace of which will be
higher than the average growth of the EU 25. The Czech Republic will seek an employment growth
and balanced and harmonic development of regions resulting in higher quality of life of the population“.
Global target of the Northeast Cohesion Region for the programme period of 2007 - 2013 is:
“Growing physical quality of the region making it more attractive for investors, businesses and
inhabitants. Increased attractiveness of the region will move it towards the average socioeconomic level of the EU.“
The global ROP “Northeast” target is in agreement with the Community’s Target 1 – The
Convergence. Target of the convergence is to support the growth potential of the individual European
regions in order to reach higher rate of growth. The target of the convergence was adopted by the
Community in response to the growing variances in economic performance and competitiveness of the
enlarged EU. Key target of the cohesion policy is to support the growth-boosting conditions and
factors leading to real convergence. Target 1 13 – Convergence concerns those regions, where the
GDP per person expressed in purchasing power parity is under 75% of the average value of the
Community. Higher economic growth rate of the Northeast Cohesion Region will gradually help
decrease the performance gap between the region and the advanced regions of the EU. In this sense
the global ROP “Northeast” target focuses on the enhancement of the physical environment’s quality,
which influences to a certain extent the ability of the region to reduce the performance gap.
The fact that the global target is based on the “Europe and European regions more attractive for
investors and work force“ and the “Improved knowledge and innovations: a way to growth“ and the
“Creation of more and better job opportunities“ policies means that it is in compliance with the General
Principles of the Cohesion Policy on Growth and Employment Support 14 (Community strategic
guidelines, 2007-2013). The ROP “Northeast” system of priority axes and their areas of intervention is
focused on fulfilment of priorities set by the renewed Lisbon strategy and is fully complementary to the
Community strategic guidelines.
The Regional operational programme for the Northeast Cohesion Region is focused on problematic
areas, which are in need of an effective and efficient solution represented by regional public
interventions. One of the determining factors for definition of the scope and focus of public
interventions in terms of the Regional operational programme is the specification of interventions
among the operational programmes on national and regional level.
In this context the specific ROP “Northeast” targets have been defined as follows:
Specific target 1: Increased accessibility of the region and higher traffic effectiveness while
respecting the natural environment protection
Specific target 2: Improved quality of life and public services for the inhabitants with an
emphasis on reduction of regional disparities
Specific target 3: More effective exploitation of the region’s natural and cultural potential
Specific target 4: Raising the attractiveness of the region for businesses and investors
The focus of the Regional operational programme of the NUTS II Northeast Region is based on and
tied to the strategy defined by the National Strategic Reference Framework 2007 – 2013, which on
one hand is reflecting the targets and intentions of the key general and branch-specific strategies of
the Czech Republic (the Strategy for the Economic Growth of the Czech Republic, the Strategy for
13
th
See the European Community Council Regulation No. 1083/2006 of 11 July 2006 on general provisions concerning the
European fund for Regional Development, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund and on cancellation of the
European Community Regulation No. 1260/1999.
14
See the Committee Notification, Cohesion Policy on Growth and Employment Support: Strategic Principles of the Community,
th
2007-2013 (KOM (2005) 0299), the Brussels, 5 July 2005
92
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Sustainability of the Czech Republic and other) and immediately responds to the needs of the Czech
Republic and, on the other hand, defines the directions for the Czech Republic’s economic- and
social-cohesion-related contribution towards the achievement of the European Union’s target defined
in the Lisbon strategy within the next seven years. According to conclusions made by the European
Union Council the achievement of the Lisbon targets necessitates involvement of all regions including
their regional and local participants and social partners in such cases especially, where the low
distance of territories plays a significant role. Activities to be carried out within the ROP Northeast will
boost the economic performance and competitiveness of the region and thus contribute towards the
achievement of the global target of the economic and social cohesion defined by the Community
strategic guidelines and National Strategic Reference Framework respectively.
Picture No 14: The ROP “Northeast” targets tree
Global ROP ”Northeast” target
„Growing physical quality of the region making it more attractive for investors, businesses and inhabitants.
Increased attractiveness of the region will move it towards the average socio-economic level of the EU.“
Specific target 1
Specific target 2
Specific target 3
Specific target 4
Increased
accessibility of the
region and higher
traffic effectiveness
while respecting the
natural environment
protection
Improved quality of
life and public
services for the
inhabitants with an
emphasis on
reduction of regional
disparities
More effective
exploitation of the
region’s natural and
cultural potential
Raising the
attractiveness of the
region for
businesses and
investors
Priority axis 1
Priority axis 2
Priority axis 3
Priority axis 4
Development of the
traffic infrastructure
Development of urban
and rural areas
Tourism
Development of the
business environment
5.6
Selected strategy
The ROP “Northeast” specific targets and their definitions and contents respectively, have been
chosen based on the socio-economic and the SWOT analyses. The content and focus of specific
targets fully reflect the region’s intention to concentrate on areas offering the biggest potential and
effective and efficient exploitation of public interventions as financial tools, through which the global
ROP “Northeast” target is to be achieved. During processing of the ROP “Northeast” the people in
charge of its processing coordinated their work with central institutions of the national government
(Ministries) as they were involved in creation of the thematic operational programmes falling within the
entire set of the Czech Republic’s operational programmes. Based on consultations there were
identified key areas for regions´ development (support) to be under focus of the nation-wide
programmes and the ROP “Northeast”. The specific ROP Northeast targets represent just a part of the
overall Czech Republic’s strategy contributing to the achievement of the Community targets.
The set of specific targets chosen represents a final alternative based on a long-lasting process of
making decisions on what thematic areas and territories shall be supported and developed. The
regions´ basic strategic documents processed before the processing of the ROP “Northeast” started
were used as a background for decision on where the support should be directed to. Regions´
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
priorities have primarily been focused on raising the socio-economic level in their territory, which
mainly concerned areas with the biggest development potential and elimination or a considerable
reduction of weaknesses, which to a large extent limit further development of regions or increase the
risk of impact of threats that shall be avoided by the regions. The specific ROP “Northeast” targets
have been defined in connection with the NRP targets and the NSRR targets respectively, and it is
possible to say that the regional specific targets are complementary to the national targets in situations
where a region itself can use the public interventions for its development in a better way and based on
better knowledge of a given case.
Improvement of traffic infrastructure being necessary for economic and social development of a
region, improvement of physical environment in urbanized districts, effective exploitation of natural and
cultural potential and development of conditions for the growth of region’s economic background will
represent areas where traces of the highest efficiency and effectiveness of public interventions to be
furnished in order to achieve a global ROP Northeast target will be well visible. These areas have
been used as a basis for definition of specific ROP “Northeast” targets and related priority axes.
Regarding the amount of allocated resources, respective specific targets and related priority axes
were assigned their weights depending on how serious the situation of a respective area was felt to
be, how much the respective area could contribute towards the global target achievement and how
expensive the respective solution to the problematic area would be. Based on the above-stated facts
the weights assigned to respective targets and the strategy as such can be regarded as a document
that emphasizes balanced development of the region with a view to eliminate regional disparity.
Individual spheres of support /priority axes will influence and complement each other, which will
multiply the effect of public interventions.
In order to support the development of the region it could be possible to adopt a different strategy and
different alternatives of the chosen strategy respectively, with its content involving different or fewer
targets. However, the content and the number of specific targets represent an internally-tied system
covering areas, modification or alteration of which still falls within the region’s competence. Besides
that, the ROP “Northeast” forms a part of the set of operational programmes (thematic programmes
and regional programmes) covering the area of all regions of the Czech Republic. In this way the ROP
“Northeast” complements the function of the thematic operational programmes within the territory of
the Northeast Cohesion Region.
Specific target 1: Increased accessibility of the region and higher traffic effectiveness while
respecting the natural environment protection
Attractiveness of the region for investment is influenced by a number of factors. To the most significant
ones belong the high-quality transportation system and traffic infrastructure and namely the density
and quality of road and railway networks, which all have an essential influence on accessibility of all
parts of the region. In this respect the region possesses the dense road and railway networks, several
regional and one international airport. Traffic network and the car traffic network especially is
overloaded and damaged as a result of the growing number of vehicles used. The resources spent so
far on road repairs cannot cover the growing need of investments in this sphere. This makes itself felt
through higher accident rate, lower accessibility of certain areas and environmental disturbance. In the
region there is an apparent lack of new stretches of the D11 highway and expressways. The centres
of municipalities get more and more overloaded with the traffic due to missing by-pass roads, which
would take the traffic out of the urban areas. An unsatisfactory condition of bridges caused mainly by
an excessive load of road freight traffic has recently been identified as a considerable risk. Another
issue that concerns the area of Pardubice in particular is the poor condition of infrastructure of the
regional airport, which considerably limits the potential inherent in this kind of transportation but also
the region’s potential regarding new business and tourism-related opportunities.
Another important factor of a significant influence on the region’s attractiveness is the quality and
scope of transportation services playing also major role with respect to mobility of the people and the
labour force in particular. Level of transportation service in the region is insufficient and closer
coordination and relation between the public road and railway transportation are missing. Currently
large part of the population living in bigger towns is served by existing integrated transportation
systems. People in rural areas often cannot get access even to the basic transportation services,
which results in gradual efflux of the population from rural areas and worse economic standard of
these areas.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
The specific target will be achieved through subsidized construction and refurbishment of the traffic
infrastructure, through development of integrated transportation systems aimed at raising the volume
and quality of transportation service provided across the region’s territory and through development of
public international airports.
The global target will be achieved through increased attractiveness of the physical environment of the
whole region’s area, which is necessary for enhancement of quality of life of its population and for
increased amount of investments to be based on improved accessibility of the region as well as larger
availability of labour force. Improved traffic accessibility will partially equalize the conditions for access
of rural communities to education, cultural and other social activities. This will prepare the ground for
maintenance of social coherence, evenly inhabited region, economic prosperity and competitiveness
of the region in general.
The specific target will be realized through the Traffic infrastructure development priority axis
Relation to other specific ROP “Northeast” targets:
Namely the improvements in road infrastructure, traffic accessibility and transportation service within
the given territory will result in increased mobility of the population and higher availability of education
opportunities regarded as important for economic growth and higher competitiveness of the region.
The improved traffic accessibility and mobility will intensify the links between urban and rural areas
and thereby the demand for regional disparity reduction and balanced development of the region will
be met. The first specific target is closely tied to the second specific target defined as “Improved
quality of life and public services for the inhabitants with an emphasis on reduction of regional
disparities“ and the related “Development of urban and rural areas“ priority axis.
The improved traffic accessibility and serviceability of the given territory will generally increase the
region’s attractiveness and assure favourable conditions for exploitation of the region’s large tourismrelated potential being one of the sources of economic prosperity of rural areas in particular. In this
respect the specific target is strongly tied to another specific target defined as “More effective
exploitation of the region’s natural and cultural potential“ and the related “Tourism“ priority axis.
Once the specific target has been achieved, preconditions for an increased region’s attractiveness for
investors will be established, which represents a necessary condition for the development of both
existing and new economic activities in the region. Intensification of the existing economic potential of
the region will accelerate the process of convergence towards the advanced EU countries (link to the
specific target defined as “Raising the attractiveness of the region for businesses and investors“ and
the related “Development of the business environment“ priority axis).
Improved road condition and development of existing road network will optimize the exploitation of
specific roads, which will divert the traffic away from urban areas and positively influence the quality of
both the life of the population and the living environment. High-quality traffic infrastructure will also
contribute towards accident rate reduction.
Specific target 2: Improved quality of life and public services for the inhabitants with an
emphasis on reduction of regional disparities
The region is characterized by a scattered, inhomogeneous habitation structure and uneven habitation
density. A high living standard concerning mainly the sphere of inhabitation and availability and quality
of health, social and other public services is more typical for towns rather than for rural areas. The
necessity of investments in the neglected public properties and premises and cultural and historical
heritage (neglected downtowns and areas with historical monuments) represents a common issue for
urban and rural areas. Besides that the urban areas struggle with higher occurrence of socialpathological phenomena, while the rural areas face higher unemployment. While the towns in
particular have high number of unexploited and neglected properties and premises of mainly industrial
nature (brownfields), rural areas get affected by a different problem consisting in gradual imperceptible
efflux of population, higher average age of the population, lack of jobs and low job-related mobility
connected with a problematic traffic serviceability. Meeting the demands for an increased population
safety and safety risk elimination (rescue and prevention systems) means another important area.
The specific target will be achieved mainly through enhanced quality of public service infrastructure,
specifically through new construction and refurbishment of health facilities, social service facilities,
properties for education and other civic amenities. The increased attractiveness of urban and rural
areas shall be attained based on regeneration and revitalization of unexploited premises and
properties and improved look of public areas.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
The global target will be achieved by means of improved living conditions of urban and rural areas.
There will be preconditions established for improvement of social and health services and their
effective and efficient correlation and for the growth of the number of educated population and
qualified work force being regarded necessary for increased employment and economic growth.
The specific target will be realized through the Development of urban and rural areas priority axis.
Relation to other specific ROP “Northeast” targets:
The scope and quality of supplied services is directly linked to economic performance and
competitiveness. The specific target also deals with regeneration and revival of certain parts of urban
and rural areas involving namely the existing unexploited premises and properties to be used for
development of the public services offered to the population. These premises can also be used as
business incubators for new and developing businesses, training centres, research grounds, public
service spots and centres providing space for cultural and other activities of citizens´ interest. The aim
is to stabilize the population, increase its level of education and ensure adaptability of the work force
with respect to its eligibility and establish conditions for a harmonic and balanced development of the
region through an even habitation structure and evenly-spread economic activities. In this sense there
is a strong link between this specific target and another specific target defined as “Raising the
attractiveness of the region for businesses and investors“ and the related “Development of the business
environment“ priority axis.
There is also another close link to the specific target defined as “More effective exploitation of the
region’s natural and cultural potential“ and the related “Tourism“ priority axis. The number of visitors to
the region and the related number of overnight stays and profit of service providers can be increased
by improvements in the physical environment of both urban and rural areas.
Specific target 3: More effective exploitation of the region’s natural and cultural potential
So far the big cultural and natural potential of the region has not been fully exploited. There exist
tourist centres equipped with basic and associated infrastructure providing a number of cultural, sports
and tourist activities, their mutual correlation is missing though. There is no information system to
interconnect the very extensive range of existing services. The low standard of lodging and boarding
facilities and their low presence in a number of localities, insufficient maintenance of monuments,
concentration of visitors in only the well-known tourist resorts, limited range of new or comprehensive
tourism -related commodities belong to region’s weak points.
The specific target will be achieved through development of the basic and associated tourism-related
infrastructure, which will provide for an increased capacity of boarding and lodging facilities. Also the
coordinated activities focused on provision of a comprehensive supply of products and services and
an effective marketing and creation of new travel-industry-related commodities will contribute to the
achievement of the target situation. Achievement of the specific target will boost prosperity of an
industry that is based on long tradition in the region and that has a high potential for its further growth.
The global target will be achieved through increased attractiveness of the physical environment and
provision of favourable conditions for tourism-related business activities. This will prepare the ground
for tourism to play an important role in region’s sustainability.
The specific target will be realized through the Tourism priority axis.
Relation to other specific ROP “Northeast” targets:
Improvement to the existing basic infrastructure and enhanced correlation between information and
services provision can bring significant multiplicative effects that may further boost the growth of
economic prosperity of all entities active in this sphere, involving mainly entrepreneurs and public
entities represented by municipal governments in particular. In this sense the specific target has a
close link to the improvement of the business environment (this particular ROP “Northeast” priority
axis, however, has a different subject and industry focus).
Growing prosperity of the travel industry may significantly contribute towards increased employment,
stabilization of the population and overall improvement in the economic situation of urban and rural
areas in particular. Increased attractiveness of the physical environment and its maximum exploitation
for the life of inhabitants and for the elimination of regional disparities is a common theme for not only
this respective specific target but also for another one defined as “Improved quality of life and public
96
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
services for the inhabitants with an emphasis on reduction of regional disparities“ and the related
“Development of urban and rural area“ priority axis.
The travel industry shows also a close link to the specific target defined as “Increased accessibility of
the region and higher traffic effectiveness while respecting the natural environment protection“ and the
related “Development of the traffic infrastructure“ priority axis, mainly with respect to the provision of
preconditions for an increased mobility of the population and subsequently higher number of visitors to
localities attractive for tourists.
Specific target 4: Raising the attractiveness of the region for businesses and investors
Transformations and restructuring of the Czech economy contributed to economic growth of many
companies and industries, however, on the other hand several industries and companies fell into
recession or even went bankrupt. This has resulted in many dilapidated and no-longer-exploited
industrial properties and premises located in mainly the central parts of urban areas, which are
abandoned and considered as an eyesore in the face of municipalities. Another issue relating to the
business and employment sphere is the low level of working knowledge and skills of graduates of
institutes of education (secondary and vocational schools) that prevents them from getting their first
job smoothly. Such situation later triggers unemployment of young people at the very beginning of
their professional career and influences negatively their later eligibility for work, work habits acquisition
etc. Namely in recent years the demand for products and services of higher level and potentially high
value has been growing. This trend escalated the pressure on introduction of innovations into
production processes in particular. Innovations have often escaped the focus of the region and there is
also no wider collaboration between research and development institutions and the business sector,
that makes the exploitation of this sphere’s potential considerably difficult thus reducing the rate of
utilization of capacities and causing commercialization of these activities.
The specific target will be achieved trough investments in regeneration and revitalization of neglected
and unexploited properties and premises and traffic and technical infrastructure of new small industrial
zones and their connection to the existing infrastructure. To the achievement of the specific target will
also contribute the support of mutual collaboration of education institutions, typically of secondary and
vocational schools with labour authorities and businesses aimed at gaining and raising working skills
and experience of school graduates in practice, i.e. directly in businesses and in manufacturing and
other processes. Also development of activities that are supposed to be concentrated in a form of a
single platform providing ground for exploitation of the region’s innovation potential and dealing with
activities contributing to a substantial growth of efficiency and competitiveness will help achieve the
specific target.
The global target will be achieved by means of an enhanced physical attractiveness of properties and
premises and industrial zones for investors. Creation of environment comfortable for business
development and reinforcement of collaboration between businesses and education institutions will
support the rise in qualification of employees being a necessary precondition for growing efficiency
and competitiveness of the economy. The growth of innovation activities based on collaboration
between the private and public sectors will contribute towards the achievement of the same target.
The specific ROP “Northeast” target shall be realized through the Development of the business
environment priority axis.
Relation to other specific ROP “Northeast” targets:
The specific target is linked closely to another target defined as “Improved quality of life and public
services for the inhabitants with an emphasis on reduction of regional disparities“ and the related
“Development of urban and rural area“ priority axis with respect to the improvement of the physical
environment of mainly the central parts of urban areas that is to be based on investments in
unexploited and dilapidated properties and premises in order to provide for their further exploitation by
businesses or public services providers. There is also a link to the sphere of investments in educationrelated infrastructure, where a stress is laid on work experience acquirement being a precondition for
an easier eligibility of job applicants for the labour market.
Business sector’s efficiency and competitiveness based on knowledge and utilization of research and
scientific findings becomes vital to the survival of businesses in the global market. Only high-quality
and educated work force has a potential to attract investments producing services and products of
high added value. Development of collaboration between businesses and education institutions will
increase competitiveness and maintain stable employment rate and quality of life of the region’s
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
inhabitants. Investments in technical infrastructure will improve physical environment (relation to the
specific target defined as “Improved quality of life and public services for the inhabitants with an
emphasis on reduction of regional disparities“).
Table No 12: Matrix of global SWOT and strategic ROP “Northeast” targets coincidence
98
SWOT
STRENGTHS
Long industrial tradition, stable agricultural production and diversification
STRÁNKY
of the manufacturing industry
l kéh
ů living
l environment and significant natural resources
Area witht high-quality
including rich underground and surface water res.
Attractive area with good tourism development potential consisting namely in
potential of natural and cultural-historical attractions and existing basic technical
and tourism-related infrastructure
Cultural, social and health service available all over the area and superregional
sphere of action of specialized health facilities
Increasing level of educated pop. and presence of 5 universities in the reg. incl.
techn. studies with scientif. and research potent. for development of innovation
i
č íh
business
Advant. location of metrop. agglomerations, dense road and railw. network
Presence of int. public airport in Pardubice and upgraded
I. railw. corridor
XXX
a
pří
ro
dn
íh
o
vy
uži
tí
ef
ektpo
ivn te
ostnci
i álu
Zv re
ýš gio
en nu
í
XX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XX
XXX
XXX
XXX
X
XX
XXX
XXX
XXX
Zv
ýši
t
atr
akt
ivit
u
re
gio
nu
pr
o
po
dni
ká
ní
a
inv
est
ice
Raising the attractiveness of the region for businesses and
investors
More effective exploitation of the region´s natural and cultural
potential
ob
yv
at
els
tvo
dů
pr ra
o
sluze
že m
b na
ve sni
řej žo
ný vá
ch ní
a re
živ gio
ot nál
a níc
kv
alith
u dis
Zl pa
ep rit
šit
Improved quality of life and public services for the inhabitants
with an emphasis on reduction of regional disparities
do
pr
av
y
ef
ektre
ivn sp
ostekt
i ov
a án
re í
giooc
nu hr
an
do
y
stu
živ
pn
ot
ost
ní
i
ho
Zv pr
ýš ost
en ře
í dí
Increased accessibility of the region and higher traffic
effectiveness while respecting the living environment protection
Matrix of global SWOT and strategic ROP
targets coincidence
SPECIFIC TARGETS
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
XX
XXX
XXX
X
X
WEAKNESSES
Presence of economically low performing regions with lack of job opportunuties,
stable businesses and high number of deteriorating properties and
brownfields
Underdeveloped or even missing technical and traffic-related infrastructure
(absent highways and expressways, poor condition of roads and rails)
Insufficient traffic accessibility and transp. service in rural areas
Disproportional intensity of recreation and tourism wrt. the scope of natural,
sports and cultural activities offered in the NUTS II North-East,large disproportion
betw. level of development of indiv. recreat. centres and localities
Poor social infrastructure, insuff. provision of civic amenities
and insuff. or missing premises for cultural and leisure-time and
other social group activit. in rural area
Insuff. correlation betw. vocational preparation and labour market and missing
technical experts
Disturbed liv. environment in industrial and urban areas, particlularly in municipalities
with exisiting heavy transit traffic
Insuff. exploited tourism-related potential as a result of unsystematic coordination
and low promotion
OPPORTUNITIES
Exploit. of geogr. position and attractiveness of the NUTS II North-East for devel.
of domestic and foreign business activities
Develop. of strategic services, progressive ind. fields of high added value and
high-tech industry in cooperation with foreign entities and regional scientific
and research platform
Exploit. of natural conditions for develop. and modernizing agricult. and forestry
k
ji towards
d new
i
iprogressive
ěděl t forms
í l and
i t ínatur and landscape protection
oriented
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XX
XX
X
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XX
XX
XX
Supported exploitation of alternative and renewable power resources
Development of new forms of tourism and increased tourists´interest in new
specific tourism commodities providing jobs and alternative sources of
income
Introduction of functional system for tourism-related activities coordination based on
mutual collab. betw. regions,public and private sphere, interest and profess.groups
XXX
XXX
X
XXX
XXX
X
XXX
XX
X
XXX
XX
Development of combined traffic (construction of multi-mode logistics centre
in Pardubice, completed navigability of the Labe river to Pardubice, develop. of public airports
Development of integrated transportation systems incl.railways modernization and incr.
share of public transportation
XXX
X
X
99
XXX
X
XXX
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
THREATS
Growing unemployment resulting from low competitiveness of businesses on the
European market
Deteriorated region´s attractiveness for investors due to lack of funds allocated
to infrastructure, insufficient traffic connection and unprepared development
grounds
Low support of science,research and innovations and translation of scientific and innovation findings into practice; insuff. labour productivity growth with negative impact
on living standard of the population
Delayed completion of regional trunk roads and continuously growing intensity of
traffic
Disproportion between conditions of living environment protection and demands on
area and traffic development, inadherence to the sustainable development policy
due to inappropriate economic activities and insufficient landscape cultivation and un-
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XX
XX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XX
XX
XXX
XX
XXX
X
XX
XX
XX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
X
necessary and incompetent seizure of high-quality land resources
Efflux of part of foreign demand due to unsatisfactory services supplied
(lodging, boarding, comprehensive tourism-related commodities) and insuff. quality offered
by entities dealing in the travel industry
Missing system of whole-life education and insuff. attractiveness of job opportunities
mainly in the sphere of agriculture leading to increased number and area of problematic
regions
Lack of funds for maintenance of the scope of public transportation and for development
of technical infrastructure including information technologies
iGeneral
f
čdecrease
í h t h ofl population
ií
and deteriorating demographic structure of the
population, gradual ageing of the population, rising proportion of old and handicapped
people triggered by the unfavourable demoraphic
situation
XXX
XXX
X
Long-term financial resources for tourism are not guaranteed
Key:
Link: X – very weak to weak, XX – medium to strong, XXX – very strong
5.7
5.7.A
Relation of the ROP “Northeast” to superior programme
documents
Relation of the Regional Operational Programme Northeast to the
National Strategic Reference Framework
The strategic target 1 of the NSRR “The Competitive Czech Economy“ is to be achieved through the
ROP “Northeast” priority axis 3 “Tourism development“ in terms of the sphere of basic infrastructure
and associated tourism-related activities support (3.1) and the support of tourism-related marketing
and coordination activities (3.2). A close link can also be traced in the priority axis 4 “Development of
the business environment“, in terms of which the revitalization of brownfields for new business
activities is to be supported. Support of innovation activities is slightly reflected in the support of
infrastructure for introduction of incubators (4.1).
The strategic target 2 of the NSRR “An open, flexible and coherent society“ is to be achieved through
the ROP “Northeast” priority axis 2 dealing with the improvement in public service infrastructure aimed
at education, social and health services. The ROP “Northeast” priority axis 4 “Development of the
business environment“ stresses markedly the importance of improved preparation of the graduates for
their professions by means of investments in more intense link between the education institutions and
businesses (4.2).
The strategic target 3 of the NSRR “An attractive environment“ is linked closely with the ROP
“Northeast” priority axis 1 dealing with improvement in traffic infrastructure (1.1) and support of an
increased number of environment-friendly vehicles (1.2). The next sphere represents the support of
integrated transportation systems development (1.2). The ROP “Northeast” priority axis 2 contributes
to the achievement of the target by means of investments in public service infrastructure and
improvement in public areas. Its link to the ROP “Northeast” priority axis 3 is very weak, it rather
represents an indirect impact to be realized through improvements not only in the sphere of tourist
marks and bike paths availability, but also in other activities raising the population’s interest in
spending its leisure time in the nature.
The strategic target 4 of the NSRR “The balanced development of the area“ is to be achieved through
the ROP “Northeast” priority axis 1 representing an increased population’s mobility and the related
stronger relationship between urban and rural areas. There is a very strong link with the ROP
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
“Northeast” priority axis 2, as it is directly focused on development of public service infrastructure and
improvements to the quality of public areas in both urban and rural localities. The ROP “Northeast”
priority axis 3 contributes towards a balanced development of area by means of development of
services raising the employment rate and rural areas´ economy.
Table No 13: Links of ROP Northeast specific targets and priority axes to NSRR priorities
ROP “Northeast” specific targets
NSRR priorities
ST 2 / PA 2
ST 3 / PA 3
ST 4 / PA 4
ST 1 / PA 1
ST 1 The Competitive Czech Economy
Competitive business sector
XX
XX
Support of VaV capacities for innovations
X
Tourism-related sustainability
XX
ST 2 An Open, Flexible and Coherent Society
Education
XX
XX
Increased employment rate and employability
X
XX
Social solidarity reinforcement
XX
Information society development
Smart State administration
ST 3 An Attractive Environment
Living environment quality protection and
XX
XX
X
X
improvement
Traffic accessibility improvement
X
X
ST 4 The Balanced Development of the Area
Balanced development of regions
XX
XX
XX
Development of urban areas
XX
XX
X
Development of rural areas
XX
XX
XX
XX – Strong link between the NSRR priority and the ROP “Northeast” specific target/priority axis
X – Medium to weak link between the NSRR priority and the ROP “Northeast” specific target/priority axis
5.7.B
Relation of the ROP to the Community strategic guidelines
The priority 1 of the SOZS “More attractive Europe and European regions for investors and work
force“ is linked closely to the ROP “Northeast” priority axis 1 “Development of the traffic
infrastructure“. Provision of an efficient, flexible and safe traffic infrastructure (1.1) is a necessary
precondition for economic development, increased productivity and, as a result of that, an improved
perspective of the regions´ development enabled by simplification of the turnover of people and goods.
Traffic infrastructure helps market integration, raises the number of business opportunities and boosts
effectiveness. A significant factor contributing to region’s development is the improvement in traffic
accessibility (1.2), which simplifies mobility of the work force. Both spheres of the priority axis can
directly influence the balance of regions´ development through reinforcement of the relationship
between urban and rural areas. Development of traffic infrastructure and traffic accessibility provides
the ground for increased amount of investments in the region and for general improvement in the
physical environment and life quality. Road traffic safety enhancement represents another major
contribution of the priority axis.
The priority 2 of the SOZS “Improved knowledge and innovation to growth“ is to be achieved
through the ROP “Northeast” priority axis 4 in relation to creation of a favourable environment for
establishment of business incubators and subsequent establishment and development of businesses
with large innovation potential. The aim is to develop an environment for information creation and
sharing, transfer of technologies and investments in human capital. The ROP “Northeast” priority axis
is also focused on improvement of correlation and reinforcement of collaboration between businesses
and education institutions (4.2), higher eligibility of the graduates for the labour market and thereby a
faster spreading of information important for innovations development and productivity enhancement.
The SOZS is linked strongly to the ROP “Northeast” priority axis 2 in terms of support of the
education-related infrastructure, ensuring the availability of information- and communicationtechnologies-related infrastructure for education activities that may help acquire information useful for
increased productivity, digital management development and society open to social classification. The
program-based knowledge promotion bound not only to big towns but also to medium and small towns
represents a very significant factor for the knowledge to be spread.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
The priority 3 of the SOZS “Development of more and better jobs“ is to be realized through the ROP
“Northeast” priority axis 2 when it comes to support of investments in public service infrastructure,
concerning namely investments in creation of physical conditions for development of education
activities aimed at qualification acquisition and its further raising and acquisition of new knowledge and
skills. These investments will reinforce the education system’s and specialized training system’s
efficiency so that the graduates may find it easier to get a better job. Another close link may be found
in the area of intervention of investments in health and social services aimed at an optimum and
efficient interconnection of the system under which these public services are being provided and their
improved quality. The goal is to have a high-quality health care as one of conditions for ensuring
higher participation of the working population in the labour market, longer working life, higher
productivity and lower cost of health and social care. The SOZS priority has a close link to the ROP
“”Northeast” too when it comes to the creation of conditions for reinforcement of collaboration between
businesses and schools, so that the graduates can gain their working skills and experience (4.2). Part
of the priority called Administrative capacities correlates with the ROP “Northeast” priority axis 5
Technical assistance dealing with creation and maintenance of administrative capacities for the
administration of the ROP “Northeast”.
„Territorial dimension of cohesion policy“ gets fully reflected in almost all of the ROP “Northeast”
priority axes, mostly, however, in the priority axis 2 „Development of urban and rural areas“. The ROP
“Northeast” focuses on investments in renewal of selected town districts, regeneration and
revitalization of neglected and unexploited properties and premises (brownfields) in order to get the
infrastructure necessary for provision of public services both in urban and rural areas built and
developed. The aim is to increase the economic and social cohesion and thus contribute towards
achievement of balanced development of the region. The necessary part of the ROP “Northeast”
based support is the development of cultural and historical heritage for future generations through
refurbishment of public areas in both urban and rural localities with a view to improve the living
conditions of the population. The support focuses also on the increased safety of the population and
on creation of conditions for risk prevention throughout the region’s territory. This shall bring an
increased quality of life to the population and new businesses as well as qualified staff to the region
and at the same time prevent the population from leaving the rural areas. The SOZS priority links
closely to the ROP “Northeast” priority axis 3 „Tourism development“, which is to a large extent
focused on the balanced development of the territory and particularly on intensification of economy in
rural areas and the related territorial economic diversification. The priority axis defined as
„Development of the business environment“ meets the territorial dimension in the sphere of
revitalization and regeneration of brownfields and creation of conditions necessary for a region-wide
improvement of business-related infrastructure. The territorial dimension of the ROP “Northeast” is
fully reflected in an emphasized collaboration of regions on achievement of targets set by the
programme document and in exchange of experience and well-proven practices.
Table No 14: Link of specific targets and priority axes of the ROP Northeast to the priorities of the
Community Strategic Guidelines (SOZS)
ROP “Northeast” specific targets
SOZS priorities
ST 2 / PA 2
ST 3 / PA 3
ST 1 / PA 1
1. More attractive Europe and European regions for investors and work force
Extension and improvement of traffic-related
XX
infrastructure
Stronger correlation between environment
protection and growth
Finding solution to intense exploitation of
traditional power resources in Europe
2. Improved knowledge and innovation : a way to growth
Increased and improved investments in
X
research and technological development
Simplified innovations and supported enterprise
XX
Supported information society open to all
XX
Better access to funds
3. Creation of more and better jobs
More people employed, reduced fluctuation of
work force and upgraded social protection
systems
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ST 4 / PA 4
X
X
XX
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Increased adaptability of work force and
XX
XX
businesses and labour market flexibility
Increased investments in human capital by
XX
XX
means of better education and qualification
Administrative capacities
Assisted maintenance of wholesome work force
XX
4. Consideration of territorial dimension of cohesion policy
Contribution of municipal governments towards
XX
X
X
employment
Supported economic diversification in rural
XX
XX
X
areas
Cooperation
Cross-border cooperation
Supranational cooperation
Interregional cooperation
XX
XX
XX - Strong link between the SOZS priority and the ROP “Northeast” specific target/priority axis.
X – Medium to weak link between the NSRR priority and the ROP “Northeast” specific target/priority axis.
5.7.C
Relation of the Regional Operational Programme to the National
Reform Programme
The National Lisbon programme (the National Reform Programme) feeds the Czech environment with
targets set by the Lisbon strategy. According to the EC requirements the National Reform Programme
focuses on measures relating to the macroeconomic, microeconomic and employment policies, to be
adopted within the coming 3 years and is supposed to help reinforce the political responsibility of
individual member states for achievement of targets set by the Lisbon strategy and allow for
evaluation of respective reforms carried out on the level of individual member states. The focus
integrated in the NPR´s content reflects efforts to concentrate on reforms leading to improved growth
potential and employment within the EU providing the macroeconomic framework remains healthy. It
is necessary to claim that only minor part of the NPR´s priority measures (accounting for the total of
46) is connected with the program document referring to regional level with these measures being
mainly of a national meaning. Also only a minor part of the NPR´s priority measures is linked with
interventions funded from the EU structural funds.
Unlike the NPR the ROP “Northeast” focuses mainly on development of physical infrastructure and,
based on their substance, the activities drafted in the ROP “Northeast” may contribute to fulfilment of
the NPR´s priorities indirectly. In certain cases, however, a high-quality physical infrastructure and
environment present a key precondition for fulfilment of the NPR´s priority measures.
The public ROP “Northeast”-based interventions are neutral towards the NPR´s priority
„Macroeconomic stability and sustainable growth“. Measures defined through this priority focus on
medium-term financial stabilization of public budgets, pension scheme stabilization and financing of
the health care system. Among other spheres under focus are the restructuring of the tax burden and
increased participation of employable work force.
The ROP “Northeast” -based public interventions are also neutral towards the „Business environment“
priority, which is to be realized through priority measures focused on the assessment of impact of new
legislation and reduced administrative burden on the part of businesses, simplified establishment of an
enterprise, reinforced creditors´ position during bankruptcy proceedings, functional financial markets
and modernization of tax administration.
The NPR´s priority „Research and development, innovation“ is to be realized through a support (4.1.)
to be provided in order to improve the infrastructure for development of small business incubators as a
basis for new business activities sourcing from innovations. Providing the favourable conditions for
establishment and development of innovation-based businesses are created, the relevant activities will
be emerging and links among cooperating companies possessing potential for region’s development
through improved business efficiency and creation of jobs will be established.
The NPR´s priority „Sustainable exploitation of resources“ has a positive relation to the ROP Northeast
´s topic Support of schemes improving transportation service in territories (1.2), with regard to the
supported introduction of environment-friendly technologies into public transportation and renewal of
vehicle fleets with their environment-friendly way of operation taken into consideration.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
The supported sphere of Regional road traffic infrastructure development (1.1), which complements
the basic highway and expressway network completion has a very close relation to the NPR priority
„Modernization and development of traffic and ICT networks“ .
The entire ROP “Northeast” priority axis 1 „Traffic infrastructure development“ contributes towards
implementation of the NPR priority „Flexible labour market“ and specifically to its „Increased territorial
mobility“ priority measure. Mobility of the work force is one of the basic conditions for reduction of
regional unemployment and disparities with respect to economic development of the territory.
The sphere of Supported development of collaboration of secondary and vocational schools, other
regional education institutions and labour authorities, development of innovative activities in the region
(4.2). is also very closely related to the NPR priority „Integration within the labour market“. The priority
axis focuses on acquisition of work experience by young people and thus contributes to fulfilment of
the NPR priority measure „Reduced number of unemployed people under 25 years of age“. Such
activities will also significantly contribute to the fulfilment of the „Supported collaboration among
employers, employees and education and specialized vocational institutions“ priority measure falling
under the NPR priority „Education“.
The ROP “Northeast” priority axis 5 Technical assistance has a cross-sectional relation to the NPR
providing that the Northeast Cohesion Region in order to support its priorities will adopt measures
leading to both the maximum exploitation of resources allocated from structural funds and increased
absorption capacity and effective exploitation of these resources.
Table No 15: Link of specific targets and priority axes of the ROP Northeast to the priorities of
the National Reform Programme
ROP “Northeast” specific targets
NPR priority
ST 2 / PA 2
ST 3 / PA 3
ST 4 / PA 4
ST 1 / PA 1
Macroeconomic stability and sustainable growth
Business environment
X
X
XX
Research and development, innovations
X
XX
Sustainable exploitation of resources
X
Modernization and development of the trafficXX
X
related and ICT networks
Labour market flexibility
X
X
Integration within the labour market
XX
XX
Education
XX
XX
XX - Strong link between the NPR priority and the ROP “Northeast” specific target/priority axis.
X – Medium to weak link between the NPR priority and the ROP “Northeast” specific target/priority axis.
5.8
Relation of the ROP “Northeast” priority axes to the strategic
documents of regions within the Northeast Cohesion Region
The ROP “Northeast” is strongly tied with both existing and prepared regional development strategies
and thematic conceptions, which is evident in the contents of priority axis and structure of the
supported spheres. The public ROP “Northeast” interventions will become an important programmaking tool for achievement of targets and fulfilment of priorities set in all the three regional strategic
documents and conceptual materials.
The supported spheres and their focus as incorporated in regional strategic documents comply not
only with the ROP “Northeast” priority axes but also with other thematically-focused operational
programmes being prepared by the Ministries responsible for respective sectors. The focus on
improvement of the physical environment in various spheres of public life and the essential impact the
physical environment has on social-economic situation in the regions can be traced in all the three
strategic documents. Financial resources allocated from structural funds will significantly help solve
problematic areas and implement schemes that so far could not have been realized either at all or in a
desired scope due to the lack of financial resources. Viewed from the point of a time plan, the
perspective of regional strategies and development programs respectively extends beyond the very
next program period and financial perspective of the EU (2007-2013).
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Table No 16: Priorities of strategic documents of respective regions and the ROP “Northeast” priority
axes
Priorities of strategic documents
of respective regions
THE HRADEC-KRÁLOVÉ-REGION
Business activities and employment
Human resources
Rural areas and agriculture
Infrastructure and traffic
THE LIBERECKÝ REGION
Economically strong region with growing living standard of the population
and balanced territorial development
Growing living standard of the inhabitants of the Liberec-Region
High-quality traffic-related and technical infrastructure, optimized
transportation service in the territory reflecting the sustainability of the
traffic, provision of an access to the region from the outside. Proper
logistics structure availability and preconditions for allocations of investors
in the region.
Wholesome natural environment and exploitation of natural resources in
compliance with sustainability principles
Growing economic, social and cultural contribution of tourism with respect
to sustainability.
Balanced territorial development of rural areas, agriculture and forestry
based on sustainability principles and environment protection
requirements.
THE PARDUBICE-REGION
Economy
Availability of technical facilities, traffic accessibility and traffic serviceability
of the territory
Human resources and high-quality of life
Rural areas and agriculture
Living environment
Tourism
Factors (information society development, intensified planning and
decision-making systems, introduction and good functionality of regional
statistics and information system, development of national and
international partnership, crisis management system reinforcement)
XX - Direct link (thematic affinity)
X - Secondary link (contribution to other spheres)
5.9
ROP “Northeast” priority axes
PA 1
PA 2
PA 3
PA 4
X
X
X
XX
X
XX
XX
X
X
X
XX
XX
X
X
X
XX
X
X
X
X
X
X
XX
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
XX
X
X
XX
X
X
X
X
X
XX
XX
X
X
X
X
X
XX
X
XX
XX
XX
X
X
X
X
XX
XX
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Relation of the ROP priority axes to the Rural Development
Programme
The ROP “Northeast” has a strong thematic and territorial relation to the Programme for development
of rural areas and specifically to its axis 3 focused on the „Quality of life in rural areas and rural
economy diversification“ via the supported sphere 2.3. „Development of rural areas“ and priority axis 3
„Tourism“.
Similar supported area in terms of the PRV can be identified in a measure focused on The Tourism
support (III.1.3) and Development of Rural Areas and basic services for economy and population
(III.2.1). These supported areas concentrate on improvements to tourism-related infrastructure and
public properties and areas in order to raise the attractiveness of municipalities for tourists and
inhabitants of rural areas.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
The thematic focus of both operational programmes is complemented by a territorial definition
representing a division line for public interventions. The border has been set based on an agreement
between the Czech Regions Association and the Mze. In terms of the EAFRD the rural development
programme will provide support for interventions in renewable agricultural resources, wastewater
treatment plants with max. capacity of 2000 equivalent population, local roads and waste treatment
worth max. 5 mil. CZK in municipalities with the population of max. 500 and agricultural brownfields
(brownfields of agricultural nature) not exceeding the area of 5 ha in municipalities, population of
which is max. 2000. The ROP Northeast will provide support to rural development activities
concerning the civic amenities and cultural heritage of municipalities with population of at least 500
except for waste treatment and wastewater treatment works.
5.10
5.10.A
Compliance of the ROP “Northeast” -based public
interventions with regulations of the EC concerning
structural funds and the Community target
Coherence of the ROP “Northeast” focus with the regulations issued
by the European Parliament and Council (EC)
The ROP of the “Northeast” Cohesion Region satisfies the conditions for exploitation of resources
from the European Regional Development Fund in respect of both the GDP rate per person, adopted
strategy and focus and contents of individual priority axes and spheres to be supported by the
programme.
In terms of the, Convergence” the European Regional Development Fund concentrates its assistance
on support of integrated regional and local economic sustainability as well as mobilization-based
employment and on reinforcement of internal capacities via operational programmes targeted at
modernization and diversification of economic structures and via creation and protection of sustainable
jobs.
The contents and focus of priority axes and areas supported by the ROP “Northeast” are fully
compliant with the contents and focus of the European Parliament and Council (EC) Regulation No.
1083/2006 of 11.7. 2006 on general provisions of the European Regional Development Fund, the
European Social Fund and Cohesion Fund and on cancellation of the Regulation (EC) No. 1260/1999
and with the European Parliament and Council (EC) Regulation No. 1080/2006 of 5.7. 2006 on the
European Regional Development Fund and on cancellation of the Regulation (ES) No. 1783/1999.
5.10.B
Compliance of public interventions with the Community target
Convergence
The ROP “Northeast” -based public interventions to be funded from both the ERDF financial resources
and the national budget of the Czech Republic are in compliance with operations defined by the
„Convergence“ target, contents of which is the support of the growth potential of the European regions
with a view to achieve higher growth rate. The ROP “Northeast” priority axes focus on development of
the physical and human capital as well as economy and social environment of the region.
Public interventions in the form of individual areas supported via priority axes of the ROP “Northeast”
have been chosen in such a way that the public resources can get exploited effectively and to the
largest possible extent with a view to obtain the highest possible yield for the community from
implementation of particular activities/schemes supported. The public resources shall be allocated to
those areas (see the strategies) where the highest contribution to achievement of the target defined as
convergence of the “Northeast” Cohesion Region with the advanced EU regions and countries is
expected. The ROP “Northeast” promotes concentration of the maximum possible number of
supported activities within the so-called integrated schemes, where the highest effectiveness of
invested resources can be anticipated. Public interventions will find a fertile ground in those areas
where an effective function of market powers meaning the possible achievement of community
benefits just for private money cannot be expected. Co-financing consisting of public and
private/public (national) financial resources represents an effective combination ensuring the
maximum effectiveness of resources spent. As far as the volume of public resources needed for co-
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
financing is concerned, the limit for public resources to be involved in all types of interventions is
sufficient for not making the applicants disadvantaged, should they lack their own financial resources.
This will ensure that the initiative and motivation of potential scheme holders will be exploited to the
largest possible extent.
5.11
Reasons for public interventions within the NUTS II Northeast
Region with respect to regions´ competencies
The regions have been established on the basis of the Constitutional Law No. 347/1997 Coll. on
establishment of higher territorial self-governing units and on the change of the constitutional law No.
1/1993 Coll. issued by the Czech National Council. Regions represent statutory corporations that
possess their own assets and have their revenues defined by law and use their own budgets for
performance of their economic activities under conditions defined by legislation.
Regions manage their affairs independently. The par. 2 letter d) of the Act on Regions No. 129/2000
Coll. endows the regional government with specific rights, one of which is the right to coordinate the
territorial district development, to approve region’s territorial district development schemes under
special laws, to provide for their implementation and monitor their performance. At the same time the
regions support development of territories defined in the region’s territorial district development
programmes in line with their needs (§ 8 of the Act No. 248/2000 Coll.) and in scope defined by § 3 of
this law.
When performing the State administration the regions are regarded as administrative districts and as
such bear a responsibility for executing the powers they have been endowed with. Under § 35 of
section 1 of the Act on Regions No. 129/2000 Coll. the regional governments´ competencies involve
the competence to make decisions based on the delegated powers but only to extent stipulated in the
law. When executing their own and delegated powers, the regions protect the public interest.
Activities financed from the NUTS II Northeast Regional operational programme are in compliance
with the territorial district development programmes of the Pardubice, Hradec Králové and LiberecRegions and fall into spheres of supported regional development defined by § 3 of the Act on Regional
Development Support No. 248/2000 Coll.
5.12
Absorption capacity of the region
The absorption capacity of the “Northeast” Cohesion Region is based on shared data provided by
respective regions for the period 2007-2013. The preparedness of the region for the ROP Northeast
implementation was proved by preliminary survey carried out in individual regions. The region is
prepared for implementation of schemes corresponding with the ROP “Northeast” focus. More detailed
description of the absorption capacity is presented in the appendix to the ROP “Northeast” called
Absorption capacity.
5.13
Horizontal matters
In accordance with a general provision and General Strategic Principles of the Community, to
horizontal themes have been defined for the 2007-2013 period:
ƒ
equal opportunity (Provision article no. 16),
ƒ
sustainable development (Provision article no.17).
These themes are cross-sectional and have been taken into consideration in all four priority axes of
the Regional Operational Program Northeast. The fifth priority axes, Technical Aid is neutral with
regard to this theme.
Generally, these themes are taken into account throughout the management of the Regional
Operational Program Northeast, on the one hand in all programming documents – the Operational
Manual, Implementation Document, Handbook for Applicants and Beneficiaries, etc. – and on the
other hand incorporated into the evaluation process and the choice of projects presented. The goal is
to improve the quality of projects presented and to implement interventions with a positive impact in
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
these areas. The task of the Management Authority is to diligently monitor the attainment of horizontal
themes including deepening knowledge on the part of its employees
Equal treatment of men and women and prohibited discrimination
Equal opportunities and prohibited discrimination are the basic democratic principles of social and
professional development and represent the basic elements of social dimension of the sustainability.
The equal opportunity principle means doing away with discrimination on the basis of sex, race, ethnic
origin, religion, handicap, age or sexual orientation. The equal opportunity principle also relates to
other disadvantaged groups like migrants, long-term unemployed, persons with minimal qualifications,
persons with poor access to transport, drug addicts, released prisoners and recent graduates:
generally speaking, groups threatened with social isolation. The ROP “Northeast” Management
Authority fully understands and supports the thinking behind equal opportunity. The ROP “Northeast”
has been drawn to also include the equal treatment principle in all spheres supported by the
programme.
The ROP “Northeast” Managing Authority shall, in cooperation with applicants, ensure that projects
presented respect these principles. Apart from the primary project goal, applicants will be motivated to
consider expanding project activities with projects that impact positively on equal opportunities.
Influence of the project on equal opportunities will be subject to an acceptability check. During project
evaluation, those projects which are aimed at equal opportunities will obtain a higher point count over
those that are positive or neutral to this theme.
The principle of equal opportunities and a ban on discrimination runs throughout the priority
axes:
In the framework of interventions directed into Priority Axis 1, “Transportation Infrastructure
Development”, emphasis is placed on accessible transport (barrier-free access as well as the
possibility of movement within the place itself to make use of necessary facilities, e.g., the WC).
Various needs and requirements of disabled citizens, seniors, parents with children and all other
population groups with limited mobility, orientation or with some other disability are taken into
consideration here.
Priority Axis 2, "Development of Urban and Country Areas" contains support for development of the
developmental infrastructure and the infrastructures of human resources, health care, social services,
education and other areas which create conditions for improvement of the population life quality. Such
projects which enable equal access to their outputs shall be favoured here.
The principle of equal opportunities has also been brought into priority axis 3 „Tourism“ and 4
„Development of the business environment“ in the form of creation of equal opportunities for awarding
jobs in the newly-rising and developing business sector. Here the applicant implements these
principles into the project in an appropriate way and thus improves the quality of the intention and
meets equal opportunities goals.
Sustainable development
Sustainable development is economic growth which harmonizes economic and social progress with
total environmental preservation. The environment protection policy of the Community represents a
key basis for the creation of content and a focus of ROP “Northeast” -based public interventions.
Simultaneously, the ROP “Northeast” Management Authority is bound by Law no.100/2001 of the legal
code on the evaluation of influences on the environment in its current version to ensure monitoring of
the programmes’ influence on the natural environment and public health.
The link to the environment is obvious from the way the global target and the specific targets were
defined. Emphases have been put on preservation and renewal of natural wealth, cultural character
and environmental stability of the landscape and better environmental awareness of the population
and its involvement in the decision-making process. Applicants/recipients will be asked to declare the
environmental impact of their schemes. Projects with demonstrably positive impact shall be given
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
preference in the course of project evaluation. Projects with negative impact will be eliminated during
the acceptability check.
The goal is to take the area of environmental protection into consideration in the course of overall
evaluation and project selection in the process of granting the allocation. It is desirable to support
those projects which (aside from their primary focus and purpose) will have a better impact on the
natural environment. Potential negative impacts are being closely monitored within the framework of
legislative procedures (i.e., EIA) and the influences of the project on the natural environment are
determined by the relevant environmental legislation. Close cooperation between the Management
Authority and Department of Environmental Protection in individual regions which form the cohesion
region will be initiated.
Those projects which lead to lowering energy consumption and improved energy efficiency (traffic,
buildings, etc.) will be supported in all support areas. Other examples of such projects are projects
which respect the principle of energy independence in which, with the help of renewable energy
sources (solar, hydro, geothermal energy, biomass) no additional demands on public energy supplies
will be made. A further important area concerns projects which plan to limit production of so-called
greenhouse gases and other pollutants or involve the use of renewable energy sources.
The priority axis 1 „Traffic infrastructure development“ contributes towards improvement of the
environment through support of schemes oriented on reduction of the power-demandingness of the
traffic, on increased exploitation of public transportation, on other kinds of transportation (cycling) and
on increased proportion of vehicles featuring environment-friendly drive unit in total traffic volume.
The priority axis 2 „Development of urban and rural areas“ has the environment topic incorporated in
activities focused mainly on regeneration and revitalization of neglected properties and areas
(brownfields) and on an increased attractiveness of public areas in municipalities (i.e. green areas).
Priority Axis 3 "Tourism" is tied to improving the natural environment by supporting projects for the
renovation and construction of basic and accompanying infrastructure needed for the development of
new forms of environmentally-friendly tourism (hiking and walking, bicycle tourism, equestrian and
agricultural tourism, ecotourism, etc.).
Regeneration and revitalization of brownfields is contained in Priority Axis 4, "Development of the
Commercial Environment". Projects realized in this priority axis of contribute to the improvement of the
natural environment by improving the physical state of these properties and their reemployment for
manufacturing and services which do not threaten the natural environment. Interventions targeted at
the area "Support for the Development of Cooperation with Secondary and Vocational Schools, Other
Regional Educational Institutions and the Labour Office, Development of Innovation Activities in the
Region" will support projects featuring activities which target maintaining the principle of sustainable
development in the socioeconomic sphere as well.
Regeneration and revitalization of brownfields has been incorporated into the contents of the priority
axis 4 „Development of the business environment“. Schemes to be implemented in connection with
this priority axis will contribute towards better environment through improved condition of the
mentioned real-estates and their reuse for manufacturing activities or services provision that will no
longer represent a threat for the environment. In interventions aimed at the area "Support for
Development of Cooperation with Secondary Schools and Vocational Schools, Other Regional
Educational Institutions and the Labour Office", support projects will be prepared containing activities
aimed at fulfilling the principles of sustainable development on the socioeconomic level as well.
The Managing Body is responsible for effectively monitoring the impact of the Northeast ROP on the
natural environment. Monitoring the impact of the program on the natural environment is carried out on
the basis of environmental indicators which form components of the ROP Northeast indicator set, and
on the basis of environmental criteria which serve to make the impact of individual projects on the
natural environment more concrete, while simultaneously serving as information sources for project
evaluation.
Declaration in accordance with Article 10 of European Parliament and Council Directive
2001/42/EC on Assessing the Impact of Some Plans and Programs on the Natural Environment
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
In connection with this directive and with the goal of monitoring significant impacts from ROP
Northeast on the natural environment so as to forestall any negative impact, environmental indicators
have been made an indivisible component of the ROP Northeast indicator set.
These indicators are based on recommendations from the SEA evaluation (Chapter J Determining
Monitoring Indicators for the Impact of the Concept on the Natural Environment). In choosing them,
stress was laid upon their taking into account all the fundamental impacts of ROP Northeast on the
natural environment: influence on air quality especially from the standpoint of transportation,
revitalization of brownfields, waste management and the connecting of partner entities into the
realization of projects. Claire emphasis was also placed on accessibility to relevant and objective data
and being in agreement with current National Index indicators for the program period 2007-2013. The
process of monitoring indicators is further described in Chapter 7, Indicators for Evaluation and
Monitoring.
ROP Northeast Environmental Indicators
National Index
code
Indicator
Unit of measure
Source
%
ČMHÚ
kt/yr (in potential
particle creation)
ČMHÚ
65 31 02
Exposure of residents to excess concentrations of
PM10
21 23 00
Lowered omissions of primary particles and
precursor secondary particles
21 11 00
Measured omissions from stationary sources – SO2
000 t./km
2
ČMHÚ
21 12 00
Measured omissions from stationary sources – NOx
000 t./km
2
ČMHÚ
21 13 00
Measured omissions from stationary sources – CO
000 t./km
2
ČMHÚ
37 33 00
Number of projects aimed at environmentally aware
transportation forms
Count
Region
65 20 00
Total surface area of revitalized unused or
abandoned brownfields
ha
Region
22 01 00
Number of waste management projects
Count
Region
07 42 70
Number of connected partners
Count
Region
Quantification of overall current values and values presumed for the year 2015 are given in Chapter 7
concerning the ROP Northeast indicator set.
The plan for monitoring impacts due to the implementation of the ROP on the natural environment is
based upon the supposition that the tools for implementing the ROP are individual projects carried out
within the framework of individual support areas. The proposed system takes into account the reality
that, in monitoring environmental indicators within the territory of NUTS II, it is marginally difficult to
differentiate the impact of ROP Northeast on the natural environment from the impact of other
activities/interventions (projects financed from other sources than ROP Northeast) and, at the same
time, projects carried out under ROP Northeast may not, for these reasons, be significant influences
upon these indicators.
At the level of the Managing Body, data are put together using IS MONIT7+ and subsequently
evaluated for the entire operating program. The results of the evaluation serve as a basis for efficient
management of the program and for monitoring information at the program level, annual reports and
the final report. These results will be further made available to all relevant bodies (MV, NOK, EK).
The set of environmental criteria serves for making concrete the impact of the project on sustainable
development. From this standpoint, it is an important tool for project evaluation. The criteria are of both
a quantificational and non-quantificational character.
The applicant, in creating a project request, gathers relevant environmental criteria for the project.
Non-quantificational criteria include detailed specifications for the project's contributions to sustainable
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development. Quantificational criteria offered by the applicant indicate current and target values which
may be realized by the project, including a detailed contextual description. On the basis of the
evaluation of the overall contribution, the applicant may prepare the project in such a way as to make
it more acceptable from a sustained development viewpoint and fulfill the requirements for sustainable
development.
On the basis of selected environmental criteria, the Managing Body or an Evaluation Commission
which includes participation by environmental experts undertakes an evaluation of the overall
influence on the natural environment. Projects with positive outcomes for the natural environment will
be given a point advantage over projects which have a neutral influence on the natural environment.
Projects with negative impact are automatically excluded from the administration process.
ROP Northeast Quantificational Criteria
code
Title
01
Will the project realized have an effect on lowering greenhouse gas emissions (CO2 equivalents)?
tonnes/yr
02
Will realization of the project lead to a reduction in the mission of the chief polluting substances
connected to the activity in question (with a focus on solid particles, SO2, NOx, NH3, volatile organic
substances)?
tonnes/yr
04
Will the project contribute to increasing the overall extent of non-fragmented areas? Note: nonfragmented areas are areas larger than 100km2 (fragment limits are set by roads with traffic
intensity higher than 1000 vehicles per day and by multitrack railroads)
05
Will the project contribute to the renewal of a stable of aquatic régime for the countryside and
elements of ecological stability?
07
Of the project bring about a surplus or decrease in the area of biodiversity foci? (Note: Biodiversity
foci include, e.g., 1st and 2nd NP and CHKO zones, NRP, PR, USES)
km2
# ha
08
Is the project contained activities leading to the removal of old ecological burdens?
09
Will realization of the project lead to an increase in the production of energy from renewable
sources?
GJ
10
Will project realization lead to energy savings? (Compare on the basis of end consumption of
energy as defined in the statistical yearbook.)
GJ
11
Does the project include the use of recyclables?
tonnes
12
Will realization of the project lead to a reduction in hazardous waste output?
tonnes
13
Will realization of the project lead to an increase in the green areas at the site?
ha
14
Will the project be realized with the use of brownfields?
ha
15
Will the project invest in the public transportation system?
million kc
16
Will realization of the project result in increased rail traffic?
tkm
17
Will realization of the project lead to a reduction in the number of residents living in areas in which
noise values are exceeded on the noise map?
18
Does the project contained support for environmentally aware products?
54
Extent of revitalized brownfields under the project.
ha
57
Does the project contribute to the expansion/annexation of green areas at the site?
ha
75
Area of regenerated zones for business activities
m2
111
number of
residents
number of
products
certified under
the project
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
ROP Northeast Non-Quantificational Environmental Criteria
code
Title
19
Does the project include environmental training, education and enlightenment?
31
Does the project contribute to the reduction of annexation of agricultural land?
32
Does realization of the project contribute to the limitation of fragmentation of the countryside?
33
Does realization of the project contribute to an improvement in the retention function of the countryside?
34
Does realization of the project contribute to a reduction in the consumption of mineral raw materials for realization of the
project?
35
Does the project contribute to a reduction in the production of waste?
37
Does the project contribute to the protection of natural elements in built-up areas?
38
Does the project contribute to an increased number of persons using public transport?
39
Does the project lead to a reduction in the load on commuter and cargo traffic?
40
If the project is realized on the territory of CHKO, is it in accord with the plan for care?
41
If the project is realized on territory belonging to NATURA 2000, is it in agreement with the conditions for preservation?
45
Does realization of the project contribute to energy savings or increased energy production from renewable sources?
50
Does the project contribute to a reduction in noise stress on residents?
51
Does the project contribute to the strengthening of the ecological awareness of residents?
52
Does the project have a positive influence on foci of biodiversity (small-surface ZCHU, greenhouse elements USES,
EVL)?
55
Does realization of the project contribute to greater participation in environmentally aware forms of tourism?
56
Will it lead to annexation of forest or agriculture or resources?
59
Is the project aimed at supporting environmentally aware forms of transport?
60
Will the project lead to revitalization or regeneration of the territory?
61
Does the project contain material use of wastes or use of secondary raw materials made from wastes?
62
Will realization of the project result in minimizing impact on specially protected areas (ZCHU) and territorial ecological
stability systems (USES)?
63
Will the project have a positive influence on the natural environment?
64
Will realization of the project lead to the protection and renewal of migration pathways?
66
Will realization of the project lead to a reduction in traffic accidents?
67
Will an environmental management system be introduced as part of the project?
68
Will the realization of the project lead to IDS support?
69
Will realization of the project result in support for the introduction of telematic systems?
70
Will realization of the project result in support for public transport within the transportation services framework?
72
Will realization of the project result in energy savings in the business sector?
Horizontal themes and their fulfillment are an important element of the overall implementation and
realization of ROP Northeast. This fact is reflected in the composition of the membership of the
Monitoring Committee of ROP Northeast, which includes representatives of nonprofit organizations
directly concerned with sustainable development and equal opportunities.
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Contribution of ROP Northeast to the realization of Strategies for Permanent Sustainability of
Development.
5.14
Contribution of ROP Northeast to the realization of Strategies
for Permanent Sustainability of Development
The activity performed by the Community under the article 158 of the Treaty is concentrated on
reinforcement of economic and social cohesion of the enlarged Community, aim of which is provision
of support to the harmonic, balanced and sustainability of the Community. 15
The ROP “Northeast” as a part of the set of operational documents of the Czech Republic uses its
public interventions as its contribution to the sustainability pursuant to the Strategy of Sustainability of
the Czech Republic adopted on 8.12. 2004. The ROP “Northeast” provides solutions to problems
related to economic, social and territorial disparities consisting in reinforcement of economic growth
and competitiveness and employment as well as social integration and environmental quality. The
specific targets, priority axes and spheres of the ROP “Northeast” -based support represent public
intervention tools that have been formulated in such a way that any lack of balance in mutual relations
of economic, environmental and social bases of cohesion is limited to the possible minimum. All
priority axes of the ROP “Northeast” fulfil the 3 bases of the region’s sustainability depending on their
respective thematic focus.
The priority axis 1 „Traffic infrastructure development“ contributes to environmental improvement in
terms of sustainability namely through its focus on investments to be allocated to erection and
refurbishment of the traffic infrastructure. The priority axis focuses on elimination of unfavourable
impact of traffic on the population and the environment. The economic base sources its strength from
improved traffic serviceability resulting in increased mobility of work force and the related employment
rate. The social base is supported through investments reinforcing the economic self-sufficiency of the
population. The realization of the priority axis will improve access to services usually provided in towns
(culture, sports a.s.o.).
The priority axis 2 „Development of urban and rural areas“ contributes towards sustainability through
investments in improvement of the physical environment of urban and rural areas, and thereby also
increases attractiveness of rural areas and stabilizes the population living there. These investments
support the environmental sustainability base. The social base draws support not only from
investments in health, social and education infrastructure but also from interventions aimed at reduced
occurrence of social-pathological phenomena and social integration of minority groups into society.
Introduction of the sustainability and Agenda 21 principles in the planning and decision-making
processes represents one of the important spheres of support.
The priority axis 3 „Tourism“ contributes to sustainability through investments in the basic and
associated tourism-related infrastructure aimed at provision of an increased economic benefit to rural
areas in particular. Part of this priority axis also focuses on tourism in terms of high-quality services
and more effective coordination support with a view to exploit the existing potential and achieve
economic benefits. These spheres of intervention contribute not only to the economic sustainability
base but also to the social sustainability base in respect of increased employment rate.
The priority axis 4 „Development of the business environment“ helps sustainability of economy by
means of a support aimed at competitiveness of the business sector. The competitiveness of
companies has to be also based on the manufacturing of high-quality products with high added value
at lower material and power cost. The support provided to education of employees and graduates,
which ranks among conditions necessary for the business sector to be competitive and more resistant
to the competitive pressures coming from the outside is also linked with sustainability. Attention is
being paid to the support of investments in improvement of the business-related infrastructure
represented namely by exploitation of dilapidated premises and properties many times hit by
ecological damage for the purpose of non-industrial business activities development. Support gets
focused on development of services for small- and medium-sized businesses, by means of which such
businesses learn how to use the subsidies in order to get a number of their activities improved. The
mentioned priority axis contributes to the environmental sustainability base through its support focused
on technological development, innovations and exploitation of abandoned properties. The social
15
th
The Council (EC) Regulation No. 1083/2006 of 11 July 2006 governing the general provisions of the European Regional
Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund and cancellation of the Regulation (EC) No. 1260/1999.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
sustainability base gets improved through the supported education of employees and employment rate
increase.
Contribution of the ROP “Northeast” towards the balanced development of the region
The principle of a harmonic and balanced development of the region is fully reflected in the whole
strategy of the ROP “Northeast”; it has been incorporated in its global and specific targets and
eventually also in definitions and namely in the contents of particular priority axes /activities. The ROP
“Northeast” as a conceptual document has a clear thematic relation to the NRP/NSRR, specifically to
the priority axis Balanced and harmonic territorial development of the Czech Republic, which is
focusing on balanced development of regions and urban and rural areas. The ROP “Northeast” takes
into consideration the principle of harmonic and balanced development, thus being compliant with the
policy of the Community emphasizing the economic and social cohesion of all regions. The territorial
dimension of the economic and territorial cohesion policy of the Community contained in the SOZS
presents a crucial factor contributing towards prevention of the negative trend of unbalanced regional
development, which at the end very strongly influences the growth potential.
The principle of balanced territorial development is fully reflected in the ROP “Northeast” priority axis 1
„Traffic infrastructure development“ being focused on improved traffic accessibility and serviceability of
the region. The aim is to improve the existing traffic connection of the region in order to provide for
development of both the areas with high concentration of economic and social activities and the areas
with low economic activity as well as the border areas.
The priority axis 2 of the ROP “Northeast” „Development of urban and rural areas“ is focused on
improvements to the physical environment of urban and rural areas as a condition for stabilization of
population based on higher quality of its life resulting there from. The entire region’s territory is
perceived to be important, which is also expressed in the name of this ROP “Northeast” priority axis.
An important activity falling under this priority axis is provision of assistance with introduction of the
Agenda 21, which concentrates on bringing more quality to the regional development planning
process and on promoting more effective exploitation of the region’s potential.
The priority axis 3 „Tourism“ contributes towards the balanced development of the region through
activities that largely focus on rural areas where tourism is considered to be a significant source of
economic benefit representing higher revenues for businesses, local governments and tourist
destinations and their operators. That is why tourism belongs to significant instruments used for
stabilization of economic activities and population.
The priority axis 4 „Development for business environment“ contributes to balanced development of
the region through support provided to activities aimed at stimulation of economy and employment in
areas where zones reserved for business development or potentially unexploited properties and
premises are available. Stabilization of work force by means of collaboration between businesses and
schools falls under the focus of this priority axis as well.
5.15
Contribution of the ROP “Northeast” towards the urban area
Urban areas and bigger towns play a key role in the region’s development. They usually represent
powerful and natural centres accumulating functions significant for development and functioning of the
entire region. They represent not only administrative centres and centres of cultural and social events
but also employment centres and work force and human capital concentration points being regarded
as the main source of economic growth and efficiency, thus contributing significantly to growing
competitiveness in wider surroundings and in the entire region. The towns report higher rate of
employment in the tertiary and quarterly spheres thanks to concentration of municipal functions and
usually achieve higher level of education and lower unemployment rate. The revitalization and
regeneration of brownfields, conflicts of economic, social and environmental interests, urban area’s
attractiveness, traffic jams and overloaded traffic capacities of towns, negative impact of socialpathological phenomena and crime rate and other issues are specific to the Northeast Region’s urban
areas.
Towns and urban areas usually represent a complex set of functions and therefore the solution of their
issues, structure and regeneration necessitates a comprehensive and integrated approach that is
being dealt with by the ROP “Northeast” through its priority axis 2 „Development of urban and rural
areas“.
The ROP “Northeast” contributes towards the development of urban areas mainly through the
contents and focus of the areas of intervention 2.1. „Development of regional centres“ and 2.2.
„Development of towns“. These areas of intervention deal with activities focused on support of both
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the investments in urban areas and their stability in terms of the sustainability (regeneration and
revitalization of brownfields, refurbishment of selected town districts) and investments in development
of human resources potential being regarded important for intensification of economic efficiency of
towns (development of school system, education infrastructure and health and social infrastructure).
The ROP Northeast also contributes towards development of urban units through supported activities
dealing with introduction of sustainability principles. The urban areas are characterized by their
specific issues being different from those of rural areas. Therefore, the ROP “Northeast” tackles this
specificity through other priority axes too.
Among other things, the priority axis 1 „Traffic infrastructure development“ involves activities focused
on the support of elimination of undesired impact of traffic on both the population and the environment
with another activities being focused on introduction of integrated transport systems and development
of municipal public transport systems. The 1.3 Development of regional airports in Liberec, Hradec
Králové and Pardubice represents a support focused entirely on urban areas.
The priority axis 3 „Tourism“ contributes towards development of urban areas mainly through the
supported sphere 3.1. Development of basic tourism-related infrastructure and associated activities
focused on support of revitalization of cultural-historical and technical monuments, modernization and
capacity-increase of the basic tourism-related infrastructure and renewal and development of
associated infrastructure for tourism.
The priority axis 4 „Development of business environment“ deals with reinforcement of urban areas
and towns through the supported sphere 4.1. „Supported development of business infrastructure“
involving activities focused on investments in traffic and technical infrastructure of industrial zones and
revitalization of brownfields for development of business activities and incubators.
5.16
Partnership process
Processing of the ROP “Northeast” document was based on cooperation of all key regional players
within the Northeast Cohesion Region. In the region there were established working groups consisting
of representatives of regional authorities, economic and social partners present in individual regions
structured by the thematic areas/priority axes. The role of the thematically-focused working groups
was to collect suggestions and comments regarding the processing of respective parts of the ROP
“Northeast”, to judge the contents and focus of priority axes and concrete public interventions with a
view to get a feedback from potential recipients.
The document production coordinator was the so-called “ROP team”, which determined the main
direction of the work and the contents of its individual chapters and approved individual steps
throughout the course. The team acted as mediator for communication between those working on the
document and other actors representing departments of the regional authorities, an ex-ante assessor,
SEA processor, etc., who were able to actively comment on both the analytical and proposal parts of
the program.
The highest-level coordination body for programming and preparation of ROP “Northeast” was the
Workgroup for Programming and Preparation of ROP “Northeast”, composed of high-level
representatives of the following partners:
o the regions in the framework of NUTS II Northeast,
o regional authorities in the framework of NUTS II Northeast,
o cities and municipalities,
o regional development agencies,
o universities and institutions of higher education,
o chambers of commerce,
o employers’ associations,
o nongovernmental nonprofit organizations active in the area of human resources development,
the natural environment and tourism,
Further key members of the working group were representatives of the ministries, namely MMR and
MF.
The Working Group for Programming and Preparation of ROP Northeast served as an umbrella group
for four specialized working groups, whose activities were targeted at four areas: Transport and
Transportation Infrastructure, Regional and Local Development, Tourism and Development of the
Business Environment. These workgroups also featured as members representatives of NNO, among
whom were, e.g., the Citizens Advisory Centre (Občanské poradenské středisko, o.p.s.), Hradec
Králové; the Coalition of Nongovernmental Organizations of Pardubice (Koalice nevládek
Pardubicka), Chrudim; the Club of Czech Tourists (Klub českých turistů), Pardubice and the Český
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Ráj Tourist Region (Turistický region Český ráj), Turnov; these groups had the same opportunity as
other members of the working group to express their opinion about the ROP NUTS II “Northeast”
proposal. The area of activity of some of the NNO members taking part falls into the sphere of
horizontal themes, i.e., equal opportunities for men and women, and sustainable development. The
following table contains a list of partners connected with program creation in the area of specialist
working groups:
Specialization and
focus
Title of entity
Královéhradecký kraj
ORLOBUS, a.s.
Transport and
Transportation
Infrastructure
Regional and Local
Development
Tourism
Development of the
Business
Environment
Type of entity
Regional administration
Transport provider
Contributory organization of the
Správa a údržba
Hradec Králové Region for highway
silnic Královéhradeckého kraje
administration and maintenance
Contributory organization of the
Krajská správa silnic Libereckého kraje
Liberec Region for highway
administration and maintenance
Administrator of state owned highways
Ředitelství silnic a dálnic ČR
and roads
KORID
Transport provider
Pardubický kraj
Regional administration
Dopravní podnik města Pardubic
Transport provider
Contributory organization of the
Správa a údržba silnic Pardubického
Pardubice Region for highway
kraje
administration and maintenance
Statutární město Hradec Králové
Municipal administration
Občanské poradenské středisko, o.p.s.
NNO - equal opportunities
Zdravotnický holding
Healthcare facilities provider
Královéhradeckého kraje
Svaz města a obcí
Association of cities and municipalities
Obec Koberovy
Local administration
Statutární město Liberec
Local administration
Liberecký kraj
Regional administration
Město Svitavy
Local administration
Obec Čepí
Local administration
Koalice nevládek Pardubicka
NNO
Statutární město Pardubice
Local administration
Liberecký kraj
Regional administration
Municipal/business special-interest
Euroregion Nisa
group
Město Turnov
Local administration
Pardubický kraj
Regional administration
Klub českých turistů Pardubický kraj
NNO - tourism
Hotel Euro Pardubice a.s.
Tourism service provider
Regionální hospodářská komora
Chamber of Commerce
severovýchodních Čech
EPIS, spol. s r.o.
Business entity - information agency
Královéhradecký kraj
Regional administration
Liberecká informační společnost, a.s.
Business entity - information agency
Liberecký kraj
Regional administration
Regioinfo spol. s r.o.
Business entity - information agency
State agency for the support of
CzechInvest
business development
Město Moravská Třebová
Local administration
CPN spol. s r.o.
Commercial entity
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The focus of the intervention was also discussed with representatives from other administrative bodies
in such a way that potential overlaps were eliminated between regional and thematic operational
programs. The position of the regions was coordinated in negotiations with the ministries through the
mediation of the Association of Regions of the Czech Republic.
A very important task in the process of creating ROP “Northeast” was undertaken by the Management
and Coordination Committee which coordinated the process, the targeting of issues and the contents
of all operational programs with a goal of balanced support for individual regions, and thematic areas
of support falling under the competency of individual administrative bodies of the operational
programs.
The program document proposal underwent public hearings (the latest in August 2007) and, as part of
the hearing process, was discussed at workshops in the region. The program document proposal was
made public on the internet pages of the Regional Council, along with an invitation to send in
feedback. The goal of all the consultations and the public comment process was to align the
comments made with the requests of the contractor, as well as with the goals and priorities of the EU
and the Council and Parliament of the EU as concerns potential financing of concrete activities from
the structural funds. Another important factor in the process was the linkage between the program
document and the goals and measures of the national strategic documents, NSRR and other
operational programs of the ČR.
Through the course of the entire comment process (both in the context of the activities of the above
indicated working groups and the public comment process) the chief participants were regional
governments, cities and municipalities throughout the region, public transport providers, voluntary
associations of cities and municipalities, highway and road administration, the Chamber of Commerce,
tourism service providers and others. Among the most frequent requests:
o support for ecological variants of public transport including support for cycle paths in cities
(accepted)
o support for local roads in cities and municipalities (only partially accepted in connection with
other activities aimed at regenerating, revitalizing and increasing the security of the
environment in cities and municipalities)
o support for measures aimed at increasing the security in cities and municipalities (partially
accepted, ruling out support for an integrated emergency response system)
o support for building and reconstructing water mains and canalization, including ČOV (not
accepted for reasons of overlap with the Program for Rural Development)
o financing of infrastructure for cycle tourism (accepted and placed on the priority axis devoted
to tourism)
o placing company in the category of authorized beneficiaries in the framework of supporting
cooperation between firms and secondary schools (not accepted)
o support for construction of new business properties (not accepted)
An interdepartmental comment process on the version of ROP “Northeast” presented to the
government took place from 10.-23.10 2006. In comments from the Association of Cities and
Municipalities, there was a request, among other things, that support for local roads be placed in ROP
“Northeast”. The controlling body of ROP “Northeast” partially accepted this request – support from
ROP “Northeast” is directed mainly at highways in Class II and III networks, preferably tied to the TENT network. Local roads will not receive blanket support, rather their support will be strictly tied to other
activities aimed at regenerating, revitalizing and increasing the security of the environment in cities
and municipalities. Individual ministries warned of the threat of overlap with operational programs;
these comments were dealt with in cooperation with individual managing bodies – see Chapter 5.16,
Coordination with Thematic Operational Programs.
Some comments were concerned with other areas which also deserve support from the Northeast
region, like business, projects realized via PPP, research and employment of novel technologies and
regeneration of housing estates. These activities, however, were not included in to the strategy for
ROP Northeast for the reason that these activities are included in other operational programs or
because of their incompatibility with support from the structural funds. The remaining comments were
of a more or less formal or technical character and, if relevant, were integrated into the program
document.
The program document was also available to the public in the context of the SEA inquiry process. No
significant comments were raised as a part of this process.
The ROP “Northeast” was processed in response to the request of the Applicant – the Regional
Council of the NUTS II Northeast Cohesion Region – to process program document upon which the
region will become eligible for subsidy from the EU structural funds to be used for realization of the
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main development priorities of all the three regions. The ROP “Northeast” was processed by the
following three regional agencies: Centrum evropského projektování /the European Projecting Centre/
(for the Hradec-Králové-Region) charged with processing and coordination of the entire processing
procedure, Agentura regionálního rozvoje, spol. s r.o. /the Regional Development Agency, ltd./ (for the
Liberec-Region) and Regionální rozvojová agentura Pardubického kraje /the Regional Development
Agency of the Pardubice-Region/. These agencies have cooperated closely with representatives of
respective sections of their Regional authorities as well as with representatives of other agencies and
organizations (e.g. CzechInvest).
5.17
Cross financing
ROP NUTS II is primarily targeted on the support of investment projects. Based on Art. 34, par. 2 of
General Regulation it is however possible to assert a so called cross-financing, i.e. to support also
activities falling into the area of aid from ESF should the measures be necessary for a satisfactory
implementation of the project and are directly related to it 16 . In this way the cross-financing will
complementarily provide for initial realization and course of projects activities otherwise aided from
ESF in a close linkage to the building of infrastructure.
Pursuant to Article 34 of the Council Regulation the cross-financing can be applied up to a maximum
of 10% of Community funding (i.e. resources from the EU budget) within the framework of each priority
axis. MA of ROP Northeast decided to reduce the amount of aid provided within the cross-financing
and decreased the limit to 9% in accordance with Methodics on cross-financing in the programme
period 2007 – 2013 released on the national level.
Cross-financing can be in ROP NUTS II Northeast applied in Priority axis 2 – Development of Urban
and Rural Areas, in Priority axis 3 – Tourism, and in Priority axis 4 – Development of Envtrepreneurial
Environment only in a complementary manner to a maximum amount of 9% of Community funding.
The limit was set up on the basis of the Methodics on cross-financing in the programme period 2007 –
2013 and its establishment is fully in the competence of MA ROP NUTS II Northeast.
A detailed enumeration of activities aided within the framework of cross-financing to the level of priority
axes 2, 3 and 4 is presented in Chapter 6 of the Programme document, and to the level of individual
areas of intervention it is presented in the Implementing document.
With the provision of cross-financing, the need of using the instrument will be examined in each
individual case as well as its only complementary character and the amount of cross-financing with
respect to total public eligible expenditure within the priority axes 2, 3 and 4. Prerequisite for the
approval of cross-financing is the necessity of the given activity for a satisfactory implementation of the
project. Managing Authority may decide about the application or non-application of cross-financing in a
given call. Procedure with the application of cross-financing will be strictly in line with the "Instructions
for cross-financing for the programming period 2007-2013" issued on national level so that relevant
provisions of the EC regulation are adhered to.
More detailed description of aided activities within cross-financing at a level of individual priority axes
16
Fundamental legislative regulations for cross-financing are as follows:
- Article 34 of the Council Regulation (EC) No. 1083/2006 of 11 July 2006 on general provisions
about the European Fund for Regional Development, European Social Fund and Cohesion
Fund, and about abrogation of the Regulation (EC) No. 1260/1999
- Article 8 of the European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) No. 1080/2006 of 5 July
2006 on the European Fund for Regional Development, and abrogation of the regulation (EC)
No. 1783/1999
- Article 3 of the European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) No. 1081/2006 of 5 July
2006 on the European Social Fund and abrogation of the Regulation (EC) No. 1784/1999
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5.18
Possibilities of PPP in the ROP „Northeast“
The partnership of public and private sector might, under some conditions, be of great interest for the
public sector, especially for preparation and implementation of infrastructure projects.
Principal advantages of PPP for public sector are following:
• saving of public resources
• possibility of increased volume of investment ( leverage effect)
• better "value for money" due to private sector' s experience
• reduced length of the construction periods
• high technical quality of projects
• lower level of risk for public sector since some risks are transferred to private sector
PPP projects are not necessarily profitable for public sector. Therefore, to ensure successful use of
PPP and to reduce economic risks, public authorities have to focus on several aspects:
• to use right PPP model
• to encourage competition among prospective private partners
• to protect public interest
• to guarantee viability of project without any undue profit resulting from public subsidies
The experience in PPP for the realisation of infrastructure projects is limited in the Czech Republic.
Moreover some doubts exist whether the related legal framework is sufficiently developed. Therefore
Ministry for Regional Development shall lead activities concerning creation of appropriate legal base
for PPP projects. This base shall be introduced by the end of 2008 at the latest.
The CR MRD elaborated (pursuant to the Government Decree No 536/2007) the detailed
Methodological interpretation of the “Concession Contracts and Concession Procedures Act No
139/2006 (Concession Act)”, as an important aid for the whole process of the PPP projects
preparation and implementation; it can be applied namely by regions, cities and municipalities.
According to the above Decree, the CR Ministry of Finance prepares partial methodologies for the
areas of taxation and finance. In the year 2008 the Czech Republic will thus have a complete
legislative and methodological framework for the preparation and implementation of the PPP projects.
In 2008, the Ministry of Regional Development will prepare studies identifying types of projects within
individual Operational Programmes that would be eligible for the application of the PPP method. Such
studies and activities will be supported from the OP Technical Assistance.
The first task of Managing Authorities of ROPs, to promote PPP projects, will be in dissemination of
the above mentioned information and reports to prospective final beneficiaries in the form of
workshops, seminars, conferences, publications, etc.
Managing Authorities of ROPs will as well, by December 2008 at the latest, launch call for proposals
to support of PPP projects preparation. Technical assistance will be at disposal to final beneficiaries
who will plan to introduce PPP projects proposals. Prepared PPP project proposals will be submitted
in the course of calls for proposal launched within priority axis or areas of intervention appropriate to
the project.
The fundamental target of all ROP' s will be to carry out as many PPP projects as possible in the
programming period 2007-2013. These projects will create positive experience and it is expected that
this will create positive dynamics for other partnerships of this type.
When considering implementation of a particular project through partnership of public and private
sector it will be inevitable to prevent undue profit and to preserve equal and transparent approach
while respecting national and Community law. This applies especially to the area of public support.
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5.19
ROP “Northeast“ cooperation with thematic operational
programs
1 Coordination at the NSRR level
In keeping with a general provision, the ČR has defined basic institutions for directing and coordinating
the NSRR:
• National Authority for Coordination
• Monitoring Committee – MCC
• Payment and Certification Body – National Fund
• Auditing Body – Central Harmonizing Unit for Financial Control
The Ministry of Regional Development was appointed the National Coordination Body (NOK) of the
NSRR in a governmental decision dated 22.2.2006 (Provision no.198). Its competencies are based on
Law no. 248/2000 of the legal code on support for regional development. A special unit has been
established under the Ministry of Regional Development which carries out coordination of support from
SF and FS. It is responsible for the overall coordination of the NSRR and is the official partner of the
EC in dealing with implementation questions touching on economic and social cohesion as a whole.
NOK is responsible especially for:
-
-
-
-
-
-
releasing of new instructions and methodology obligatory for all the managing authorities,
especially in the area of managing, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, data collecting and
its electronic interchange, setting and processing of the monitoring committees
supporting of the development of institutional and administrative capacities, knowledege and
skills of the staff engaged in implementation of the programmes
ensuring of the determination of the basic criteria fot the project selection for fulfiling of four
strategic goals of the NSRF; these criteria are to be encorporated into the single operational
programmes
ensuring of the functioning of the working group for evaluation, whose members are, besides
a national coordinator, some workers of the managing authorities
ensuring of the fully integrated and unified monitoring system on all the levels of
implementation, which ensures all the data needy for the managing, monitoring, and
evaluation of the programmes and projects
guaranteeing of the information flow between European Commission and all the managing
authorities
condition-making for evalution of all the control mechanisms
supervising over the respecting of the rules given for state aid (and regional aid) regulated by
the relevant European and national directives
developing of the methodology for requirements on the applicants and methodology on
eligible costs,
developing of the methodology for stating of the indicators and for monitoring of their fulfilment
managing and coordination of monitoring of fulfilment of the horizontal themes – e.g. equal
opportunities for men and women
ensuring of the fulfilment of the tasks on informing and publicity on the national level of
implementation of the ESC and coordination of activities of the managing authorities in this
field
presenting the proposals of the system measures to the government, especially in cases of
the low performance in exploiting of the financial aid, objectiv obstructions of its realization,
potentional unfulfilment of duties emerging out of the directives
coordination and participation on creating of annual reports presented to European
Commission
ensuring of other reports, including a parto of NPD devoted to the support of the Lisbon
strategy via EU funds
presenting of the strategic reports on progress
The role of the NSRR Monitoring Committee is provided by the Management and Coordination
Committee (ŘKV), established by the Ministry of Regional Development (MMR) on the basis of Law
no. 248/2000 of the legal code concerning support for regional development. The role of the ŘKV in
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the 2007-2013 period has been specified by Resolution no. 245 of the Government of the ČR, dated
2.3. 2005.
For the implementation of aid from SF and FS, a unique PCO was set up which is a division of the
National Fund of the Ministry of Finance. The executive function of the Auditing Body (AO) is provided
by the Ministry of Finance, in particular the Central Harmonization Unit for financial control.
The coordination of all aspects of the implementation system falls entirely under the aegis of
MMR – NOK. Other important coordinators in the area of methodical management of financial
flows and financial oversight are the MF – PCO and AO.
At the national level, the ŘKV is the mechanism for ensuring broader coordination in
participation not only by bodies connected with implementation but also by economic and
social partners.
In agreement with its Statute, the ŘKV shall especially:
• discuss and recommend financial and material changes in approved operational programs,
• discuss proposals and changes in procedural approaches and rules for the realization of
economic and social cohesion policy,
• coordinate system-wide measures necessary for the realization of economic and social
cohesion policy (monitoring and information system, institutional structure, etc.).
2) Cooperation at the ROP „Northeast“ level
2.1. Cooperation between MV ROP „Northeast“ and other monitoring committees
Monitoring committees from all seven ROPs will strive to coordinate appointments and meeting
locations within their possibilities with an eye to ensuring the most fluent information flow. Tight
connections between the managing bodies of the ROP and MV IOP are presumed. The ŘO IOP is
represented on the monitoring committee of the ROP „Northeast“ and reciprocally ŘO ROP
„Northeast“ on the IOP monitoring committee. The MD, MF, MZe representative is also a member of
MV ROP „Northeast“.
2.2 Cooperation between ŘO ROP „Northeast“ and other management authorities
Close cooperation between the ROP „Northeast“ Management Authority and other management
authorities is necessary to ensure fluent information flow, strengthen synergy, avoid overlap and
ensure the most effective use of SF and FS.
Coordination between individual operational programmes is described in the National Strategic
Reference Framework. Based on agreements with MA IOP, OP D and programmes ESF (OP LZZ and
OP VK) the cooperation is deepened so that a very close cooperation and synergic effect of activities
implemented within these programmes are ensured. This is why the agreements specify and extend
the form of cooperation. It is first of all a joint procedure in the call for proposals within individual
operational programmes and a mutual cooperation in areas in which coordinated advancement and
mutual information about preparation and implementation of individual activities are desirable.
Cooperation with management authorities of other ROPs and the ŘO IOP is key for ROP „Northeast“.
NOK will provide the coordination role at the department managing director level.
Another important partner for ŘO ROP „Northeast“ in particular is ŘO OP D, ŘO OP ŽP, ŘO OPPI.
Cooperation is carried out at the department director– management authorities level with NOK as the
coordinator.
Coordination and cooperation are assured between the Managing Authority of the Rural Development
Program, EFF and operational programs of the cohesion policy – by the MMR department
coordination group at the central level. This group puts at the disposition of all managing authorities a
database of all projects in individual programs.
3. Coordination of ROP „Northeast“ with individual operational programs
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3.1 Coordination with IOP
An agreement for mutual cooperation and coordination in the implementation of the Integrated
Operational Program and Regional Operational Programs (ROPs) was made between the Regional
Councils of all seven NUTS II cohesion regions and IOP. In accord with this agreement,
representatives of ŘO IOP will take part in monitoring committees of ROPs and representatives from
ROP managing bodies will be reciprocally present in IOP monitoring committees. The indicated
managing bodies will work together in preparing selection criteria, announcing auctions, choosing
projects, communicating information about selected projects and other areas, with an eye toward
improving coordination, boosting program effectiveness and ensuring the greatest possible synergistic
effect.
For coordination of ROPs with IOP, the following mechanisms have been set up:
A) Monitoring Committee –representation of MMR in ROP monitoring committees and reciprocal
representation of ŘO ROP in IOP monitoring committees will create the highest level of coordination
between IOP and ROPs.
B) Coordination Committee Strategic goal 4 of the NSRF – the Balanced Regions Development
This coordination Committee will be a platform for mutual consultation on selection criteria,
specification of boundaries, preparation of invitations and informing applicants between ŘO ROP and
ŘO IOP. MSC2007 as intermediary will ensure that ŘO ROP and ŘO IOP have access to information
about the projects chosen to be carried out under both operational programs. Apart from this, working
groups which will ensure coordination of the implementation of midterm national strategies in the
Smart Administration area (representing MV, MPSV, MMR and the regions) and in the area of travel
(representing MMR and the regions) will be established under this coordination committee.
This Coordination Committee will at the same time provide for coordination between ROP „Northeast“,
IOP and Prague - Competitiveness.
The IOP managing body in cooperation with the managing body of the Regional Operational Program
ensures that activities realized within the IOP framework do not duplicate the ROP activities, i.e., that
the same type of activity will not be realized for the same target group.
C) The working group for intervention by ROP „Northeast“, IOP and EAFRD (composed of ŘO ROP
„Northeast“ and the SZIF, MZe, MMR workplaces).
D) Factual and territorial definition of intervention IOP and definition of beneficiaries
1) Intervention Area 3.2. – Public health services
a) Providing medical technology - IOP will support acute care centres in selected national networks –
these centres will be specified by MZd in terms of specialization and location in selected hospitals.
ROPs will support complementary investments tied to the development of these centres and further
provision of medical technology in other healthcare facilities or parts of healthcare facilities which will
not belong to these networks.
b) Projects for the prevention of health risks – IOP will support projects realized by state healthcare
institutions and health insurance companies and national or supra-regional NNO projects.
ROPs will support projects for the prevention of health risks of regional significance.
2) Intervention Area 3.1. – Social integration services
a) The transformation of residential social facilities – IOP will involve itself in pilot transformation
projects, namely the above specified residential facilities chosen in cooperation with MPSV and the
regions. ROP „Northeast“ will complement this by dealing with the infrastructure of social services.
b) The return of members of the most threatened and socially excluded Roma localities back to the
labour market and into society will be dealt with within IOP using a project system aimed at the most
threatened localities, which will chosen on the basis of special studies. These are localities in which
there has been a failure identified of the tools utilized at the local and regional levels. ROPs may
intervene via the social service infrastructure or via combined interventions employing integrated
urban development plans in other localities not specified within IOP.
c) Promoting and realizing the tools of social economics – innovative approaches to the development
of the social economy will be developed within IOP, while ROP „Northeast“ supports well tried and
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legislatively managed procedures like protected workshops. These types of interventions will be
specifically labelled by the ROP „Northeast“.
3) Intervention Area 5.1. – National support of potential of cultural heritage utilization
a) The establishment of national cultural heritage centres. The Minister of Culture as an IOP
intermediary will prepare proposals for specific centres, with the decision approved by the regions.
b) Realization of example projects and the building of infrastructure for modern cultural services. The
Minister of Culture will prepare a list of historic sites which will be supported by the IOP. This list will
be approved by the region, in which these sites are located. ROP „Northeast“ will follow this with
thematically and locally specific invitations to present projects in the area of tourist development (if
necessary also in other areas, such as transportation infrastructure and capacity) which are focused
on activities complementary to projects supported by the IOP.
E) Regions’ approval of projects presented by the IOP. In the areas of social integration, public health
and culture the ŘO IOP will request regions’ approval of projects proposed for realization within the
IOP.
F) Urban integrated development plans
One condition to get support for housing from IOP will be inclusion of the support into urban
integrated development plans. These will be processed by towns for zones fulfilling criteria mentioned
in article 47 of Coucil Regulation No 1828/2006 (e.g. chosen problematic housing estates with more
than 500 flats, approximately 1,300 inhabitants within towns over 20,000 inhabitants).
3.2 Coordination with the Transportation (hereinafter “OP D”)
An agreement for mutual cooperation and coordination in the implementation of the Integrated
Operational Program and Regional Operational Programs (ROPs) shall be made between the
Regional Councils of all seven NUTS II cohesion regions and OPD. In accord with this agreement,
representatives of ŘO OPD will take part in monitoring committees of ROPs and representatives from
ROP managing bodies will be reciprocally present in OPD monitoring committees. The indicated
managing bodies will work together in preparing selection criteria, announcing auctions, choosing
projects, communicating information about selected projects and other areas, with an eye toward
improving coordination, boosting program effectiveness and ensuring the greatest possible synergistic
effect.
A) Monitoring Committee
The MD is represented in the ROP „Northeast“ Monitoring Committee. In this way, access of the ŘO
OPD to project selection criteria determination in ROP „Northeast“ is ensured along with reports on the
course of ROP „Northeast“ realization.
B) Providing information
To inform the MD of the ČR, ROP „Northeast“ Management Authority will provide it with
documentation for applicants which will focus on the area “Support of Renewal of Vehicles of Public
Mass Rail Transportation”. This will always be done prior to making the particular invitation public.
MSC2007 as intermediary will ensure that ŘO ROP „Northeast“ and ŘO OPD have access to
information about projects selected for realization in both operational programmes and to reports on
the course of the operational programmes’ realization.
C) Consultation
ŘO ROP „Northeast“ will take advantage of expert consultation with the MD in the process of
determining the technical conditions for selection of rail vehicles.
3.3 Brownfields – coordination with OP ŽP and OP PI
The following coordination mechanism for dealing with the area of brownfield regeneration and old
ecological burdens is agreed between ROP „Northeast“, OP ŽP and OP PI:
A) Solution for old ecological burdens
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
•
•
The Ministry of Environment (MŽP) will be informed in advance about brownfield regeneration
projects presented to ROP „Northeast“ and OP PI. MŽP will inform ŘO ROP „Northeast“ or OP
PI whether the project presented contains a serious old ecological burden which will be deal
with by OPŽP, or which may be dealt with by ROP „Northeast“ (OPPI). This mechanism
functioned between OPI and OPPP in the prior programming period.
MŽP will provide ŘO ROP „Northeast“ and OPPI, if necessary, with the information from a
database of old ecological burdens whose mapping is being carried out by the MŽP.
B) Providing information
• Management authorities will mutually inform each other of prepared invitations in the area of
old ecological burden elimination (OPŽP) and brownfield regeneration (ROP, OPPI)
• MSC2007 as intermediary will ensure that ŘO ROP and ŘO OPŽP and OPPI have access to
information on projects selected for realization in these operational programmes and to reports
on the course of operational programme realization.
C) Factual definition of interventions
The factual boundary of brownfield regeneration is agreed between ROP „Northeast“ and OPPI based
upon the future use of the area:
- The PI Operational Programme will support regeneration of brownfields whose future use will
be primarily for commercial purposes (future property use will be the responsibility of OKEČ:
15-37 or will concern strategic services or technology centres)
- ROP „Northeast“ will support regeneration and revitalization of other types of brownfields on
condition that individual invitations will be focused on specific area of use.
- In relation to EAFRD, ROP „Northeast“ and OP PI will not deal with regeneration of
brownfields for future agricultural use.
The role of ŘKV and NOK is key for coordination with other programmes.
3.4. Coordination with the Operational Programs for Human Resources and
Employment (OP LZZ) and for Education for Competitiveness (OP VK)
ROP „Northeast“ will support infrastructure necessary for the realization of both these operational
programs. Intervention in the framework of ROP SV, OP LZZ and OP VK is thus mutually
complementary. The subject of this close mutual cooperation will be regular mutual information
exchange and cooperation between managing bodies of the programs financed by ESF and the ROP
managing bodies at the level of the Management and Coordination Committee, which is a mechanism
at the national level for insuring the broadest possible coordination, with the participation not only of
bodies involved in implementation but also of economic and social partners.
The ROP „Northeast“ managing body provides managing bodies of the ESF programs with
information about regional needs in the areas of education, schooling, health, social services and
development isolated in the analysis worked out in the creation of the ROP. The managing bodies of
the ESF programs may take these needs into consideration in announcing individual auctions. The
ROP managing body will provide information about projects for which the use of cross financing has
been designated to the managing bodies of the ESF programs. The ROP „Northeast“ managing body
will evaluate projects with an eye to their links to the ESF. The managing body of the Regional
Operational Program will provide managing bodies of the ESF programs with documentation for
informational purposes concerning applicants. This information will focus on the areas of "schooling,
education, healthcare and social services", always before announcement of the pertinent auction. The
managing bodies of the Regional Operational Programs will enable participation by employees of the
managing bodies of the ESF programs in training and seminars concerning the Regional Operational
Programs (and vice versa), as a result of which these employees will be able to provide information for
subsidy applicants about the way in which program activities financed by ROP and ESF mutually
complement each other. In some cases, the region and its regional authority will serve as intermediary
for OP LZZ and OP VK programs, and will thus play a significant role in implementation.
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6
Priority Axes and Areas of Intervention in ROP
„Northeast“
6.1
Structure of the Priority Axes and Areas of Intervention in
ROP „Northeast“
The Regional Operational Programme of the Northeast Cohesion Region is implemented
through 5 Priority Axes that are subdivided into 12 Areas of Intervention.
Priority Axes and Areas of Intervention by overview:
Priority Axis 1:
Development of Transport Infrastructure
Area of Intervention 1.1:
Development of Regional Road Transport Infrastructure
Area of Intervention 1.2:
Serviceability
Support for Projects Improving Regional Transport
Area of Intervention 1.3:
Development of International Public Airports
Priority Axis 2:
Development of Urban and Rural Areas
Area of Intervention 2.1:
Development of Regional Centres
Area of Intervention 2.2:
Urban Development
Area of Intervention 2.3:
Rural Development
Priority Axis 3:
Tourism
Area of Intervention 3.1:
Development of Basic Infrastructure and Supporting Activities in
the Field of Tourism
Area of Intervention 3.2:
Marketing and Coordination Activities in the Field of Tourism
Priority Axis 4:
Development of Entrepreneurial Environment
Area of Intervention 4.1:
Support for Development of Entrepreneurial Infrastructure
Area of Intervention 4.2:
Support for Development of Cooperation with Secondary
Schools, Training Institutions and Other Regional Education
Institutions and Labour Offices, development of innovative
activities in region
Priority Axis 5:
Technical Assistance
Area of Intervention 5.1:
Support for Activities Related to the ROP „Northeast“
Implementation and Management
Area of Intervention 5.2:
Region
Support for Absorption Capacity of the Northeast Cohesion
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
6.2
ERDF Financial Allocations to Each ROP “Northeast“ Priority
Axis
Priority Axis
Priority Axis 1
Development of
Transport Infrastructure
Area of Intervention
Priority Axis
Share in
ROP
„Northeast“
1.1 Development of Regional Road
Transport Infrastructure
1.2 Support for Projects Improving
Regional Transport Serviceability
37 %
1.3 Development of International Public
Airports
2.1 Development of Regional Centres
Priority Axis 2
Development of Urban
and Rural Areas
2.2 Urban Development
34 %
2.3 Rural Development
Priority Axis 3
Tourism
3.1 Development of Basic Infrastructure
and Supporting Activities in the Field of
Tourism
22 %
3.2 Marketing and Coordination Activities
in the Field of Tourism
4.1 Support for Development of
Entrepreneurial Infrastructure
Priority Axis 4
Development of
Entrepreneurial
Environment
Priority Axis 5
Technical Assistance
4.2 Support for Development of
Cooperation with Secondary Schools,
Training Institutions and Other Regional
Education Institutions and Labour Offices,
development of invovative activities in
region
5.1 Support for Activities Related to ROP
„Northeast“ Implementation and
Management
4%
3%
5.2 Support for Absorption Capacity of the
Northeast Cohesion Region
For a more detailed breakdown of financial allocations, see Chapter 9 – ROP „Northeast“
Funding.
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6.3
Priority Axis 1: Development of Transport Infrastructure
According to NSRR, the necessary condition for increasing competitive strength of the ČR and its
regions is the completion of backbone and auxiliary networks and bypasses of the municipalities and
cities, the absence of which is nowadays causing frequent traffic collapses with a negative impact on
the environment and traffic safety. In compliance with NSRR and SOZS, environment-friendly means
of transport should be preferred, especially mass transport, including creation of integrated transport
systems, as well as railway and combined transport. With the sole exception of the capital city of
Prague, the development of air transport infrastructure is insufficient.
By its focus, the Priority Axis “Development of Transport Infrastructure” significantly
contributes to meeting the NSRR priorities listed in Picture No 13:
Picture No 13: NSRR priorities and aim of priority axis Development of Transport Infastructure
Development of Rural Areas
Development of Urban Areas
Balanced Regional Development
Improvement of Transport Availability
Environmental Protection and Improvement
Smart Public administration
Development of Information Society
Strengthening of Social Cohesion
Increase of Employment and Employability
Education
Support for R&D Capacities and Innovation
Development of Sustainable Tourism
Competitive Business Sector
NSRR Priorities
Priority Axis 1: Development of Transport Infrastructure
6.3.A
State-of-the-art
The issues of regional transport infrastructure resemble in many respect those of the whole CR. These
include a bad condition of regional road networks and an insufficient transport serviceability. With
freight transport having been taken off the railways and ships brought to the roads and with the shift of
passenger transport performance from public railway and road transports to individual motor transport,
the condition of roads deteriorated considerably and traffic load on regional roads increased. The fairly
dense regional network of roads is chiefly made up of secondary and tertiary roads, managed by the
individual regions. These roads have been handed over to the regions in a much-neglected condition.
The main problem is a bad connection of the individual regions and settlements to the supra-regional
road network (the TEN-T road network), which is why this connection needs to be improved through a
modern backbone network of secondary and tertiary roads. A related problem is an inadequate
constructional and technical condition and a high number of spot defects on the secondary and tertiary
roads, with an adverse financial situation persevering in respect of maintenance and defect
remedying. Traffic is often conducted through city and municipality centres and the roads are
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permanently congested with transit, particularly freight transport, which has a negative effect on both
the environment and population.
Another area of transport falling largely within the competence of regions is transport serviceability. In
the 1990’s, a number of connections were cancelled or considerably limited because of unprofitability,
which mostly affected citizens of smaller rural communities, situated off the main traffic arteries, and
people living in the regions’ marginal and border areas, as these are also areas with an
underdeveloped transport infrastructure. The situation is currently improving, but nationwide variation
along with insufficient service in the marginal municipalities persists. This is accompanied by a general
trend, marking decreasing interest in public transport to the advantage of individual motor transport,
which makes the economic parameters of public transport worse. In the vicinity of large residential
agglomerations, the so-called Integrated Transport System (IDS), interconnecting different means of
transport, is becoming all the more important. Most regional railway routes, including their additional
infrastructure, does not meet the current requirements on fast and high-quality transport and a
comfortable and more effective connection of the regional railway routes to the upgraded corridor
Prague – Pardubice – Česká Třebová is missing. Problems in the area of railroad transportation
include the aging pool of cars.
Cycle traffic as part of the daily commute sees above-average use primarily in the flats around Polabí
and in the largest cities in the region. In spite of this, the region possesses an inadequate
infrastructure for cyclists.
From the existing international public airports, it is the international public airport in Pardubice that is
best suited for development, being the region’s most significant airport and one of the CR’s five
backbone airports and enjoying the status of civil airport. Its main advantage rests in its profitable
geographic location in the centre of the CR, allowing its prospective use as a reserve airport for
Prague, Brno and Ostrava. The importance of the Pardubice airport will even keep increasing as
Hradec Králové, Pardubice and Chrudim are turned into a truly functional agglomeration (now having
st
250,000 inhabitants). The fact that the airport is situated near the upgraded 1 Railway Corridor, along
with the expected canalization of a stretch of the Elbe from Chvaletice to Pardubice and the
subsequent construction of the Pardubice port and an adjoining logistics centre, will permit a
convenient combination of water – railway – road – air transport that will contribute to the development
of the Pardubice-Hradec agglomeration, and even of the whole Northeast region.
Justification of the Type of Public Intervention
The development of transport infrastructure requires public interventions, both to ensure optimum
transport serviceability, on which the regions expend considerable public funds every year, and to
develop regional road networks, which are under the administration of each region. According to the
concept of krajs the need of resources for essential reconstructions and enhancement of Class II and
Class III roads would be estimated several times higher than currently available within their budgets.
These involve non-profit-making events, which is also the case of investment in the airport
infrastructure of the region’s international public airports, the development of which would not be
possible without public subsidies owing to their financial demand. In any high-quality transport
infrastructure, there is a certain potential for market development within the region, and it is therefore
necessary to use the public interventions and offers for public services to ensure certain standard.
The amount of costs for the reconstruction of existing Class II and Class III roads is affected by the
extent of reconstructions and constructions. The road sections often include bridges, roadway carrying
capacity requires subsoil reconstruction and drainage. Regarding the fact that some roads are situated
in mountain or piedmont terrains, the work often includes reconstruction of buttress and approach
retaining walls.
The aid amount is also established with respect to historic unit prices. The historic unit prices are
calculated from a sample of projects that were administered within the Joint Regional Operational
Programme in the territory of NUTS II Northeast. The sample of projects includes projects of lower
financial volumes as well as projects requiring a lot of money. The amount of costs for the
reconstruction of existing and construction of new Class II and Class III roads depends on the extent
of these reconstructions and constructions as well as on project localization.
It is expected that projects within the ROP Northeast will be focused especially on the solution of
major communications so that a palpable positive effect can be assured from the implementation of
these projects on region’s economy.
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Table: Examples of roadworks realized within NUTS II Northeast with the bill of actual costs
Average
Year of
Total costs
costs per
Structure
Length in km
realization
(mil. EUR)
1 km road
(mil. EUR)
Reconstruction of Road II/303 –
Part 1.
2005 - 2006
5
2.56
0.51
Modernization of Road II/333 in section
Přelouč - Živanice - Lázně Bohdaneč
2005 - 2006
8.78
2.50
0.28
III/29024 Jablonec nad Nisou - Tovární
Str.
2006 - 2007
0.29
0.43
1.49
Rekonstruction of Roads II/277 and
III/27716 in Český Dub
2005 - 2006
0.36
0.55
1.52
III/28733 Jablonec nad Nisou rekonstruction Novoveská Str.
2006 - 2008
0.73
0.96
1.32
6.3.B
Global target and Specific targets of the Priority Axis
6.3.B.1 Global target of the Priority Axis “Development of Transport Infrastructure”
To improve the region’s transport availability and effectiveness while respecting environmental
protection principles
The aim of the Priority Axis is to improve regional road and air transport infrastructure, particularly its
backbone network, including the infrastructure of international public airports, and to improve transport
serviceability across the region, in agreement with environmental protection respecting the principles
of sustainability.
The Priority Axis “Development of Transport Infrastructure” is based on specific targets of
ROP „Northeast“. Its focus is on supporting regional road infrastructure, development of regional
transport serviceability and development of airport infrastructure for international public airports.
Modernized transport infrastructure is a necessary precondition for ensuring competition ability across
the region.
The Priority Axis is developed through 3 Specific targets, resulting from a socioeconomic and
a SWOT analysis and focusing on covering activities to be implemented under the present thematic
field. In their formulation, account was taken of the results of the 2007-2013 National Development
Plan of the CR. The targets are in compliance with EC Regulation on the European Regional
Development Fund.
6.3.B.2 Specific targets of the Priority Axis “Development of Transport Infrastructure”
•
•
•
To improve the condition of regional road transport infrastructure, particularly its
backbone network, with an emphasis on improving the region’s transport availability,
ensuring the region’s better connection to the superordinated transport network (the
TEN-T road network) and increasing traffic safety
To improve the region’s transport serviceability
To improve the region’s conditions of air transport by developing international public
airports
Specific target – To improve the condition of regional road transport infrastructure, particularly
its backbone network, with an emphasis on improving the region’s transport availability,
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ensuring the region’s better connection to the superordinated transport network (the TEN-T
road network)and increasing traffic safety
This target focuses on supporting investment in regional transport infrastructure, particularly its
transport network (if it regards roads of second and third class which the regions’ property) that will
lead to improving the region’s transport availability, ensuring better connection of the region to the
superordinated transport network (the TEN-T road network) and increasing safety of traffic, as well as
to reducing adverse effects of transport on the population and environment. Within the framework of
the ROP „Northeast“, the present Specific target is developed through the Area of Intervention 1.1
Development of Regional Road Transport Infrastructure.
Specific target – To improve the region’s transport serviceability
This target focuses on supporting the improvement of optimum transport serviceability and availability
across the region, which represent one of the essential conditions of ensuring life quality in the
Northeast Cohesion Region. Within the framework of the ROP „Northeast“, the present Specific target
is developed through the Area of Intervention 1.2 Support for Projects Improving Regional Transport
Serviceability.
Specific target – To improve the region’s conditions of air transport by developing international
public airports
This target focuses on supporting investment in the development of airport infrastructure of
international public airport, which will lead not only to improving conditions of air transport in the
region, but also to further economic development. Within the framework of ROP „Northeast“, the
present Specific target is developed through the Area of Intervention 1.3 Development of International
Public Airports.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Picture No 17: Target Tree – Priority Axis 1: Development of Transport Infrastructure
GLOBAL TARGET OF PRIORITY AXIS 1
To improve the region’s transport availability and
effectiveness while respecting environmental protection
principles
The aim is a high-quality condition of the regional road and air
transport infrastructure, including optimum transport serviceability
across the region, in agreement with environmental protection
respecting the principles of sustainability . By improving quality
and scope of the transport infrastructure, transport availability, the
region’s attractiveness for investors, and labour force mobility will
increase.
Specific Target
To improve the condition of
regional road transport
infrastructure, particularly its
backbone network, with an
emphasis on improving the
region’s transport availability,
ensuring the region’s better
connection to the superordinated
transport network (the TEN-T
road network) and increasing
traffic safety
Specific Target
Specific Target
To improve the region’s
transport serviceability
To improve the region’s
conditions of air transport by
developing international
public airports
Area of Intervention 1.1
Area of Intervention 1.2
Area of Intervention 1.3
Development of Regional
Road Transport
Infrastructure
Support for Projects
Improving Regional
Transport Serviceability
Development of
International Public
Airports
6.3.C
Strategy
In accordance with the above-provided targets, action will be taken for the development of regional
transport infrastructure to ensure improvement of the region’s transport availability and effectiveness.
The condition of regional transport and serviceability is a limiting factor for the region’s development.
Under the region’s conditions, widening the scope of air transport possibilities is considered another
significant opportunity for development.
Priority Axis 1 is focused on selected regional transport infrastructure having an influence on
the region’s development possibilities, i.e. secondary and tertiary roads, and on international public
airports. The Priority Axis further considers transport serviceability and availability across the
Northeast Region. The strategy to achieve these targets is derived from a coincidence matrix (table) of
the relationship between a thematic SWOT analysis and the Specific targets, provided below.
The strategy is based on strengthening the most significant strengths the region has, including
a convenient location of the metropolitan agglomerations, a dense network of roads and railways, and
the existence of an international public airport. On the other hand, it aims at eliminating the
weaknesses, suggesting the resolution of which issues should be given priority. In particular, these
include an absence of highways and speedways and the ensuing congestion of the existing regional
road network, insufficient transport serviceability of the region and a missing coordination and linkingup of railway and road mass passenger transport. To achieve the set targets such attractive features
may be used as the geographically advantageous location of the region, increasing share of the public
transport in the overall transport performance and development of air transport. Serious threats to be
avoided include postponed completion of the region’s backbone roads, as well as a failure to ensure
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
adequate connection of the region to the superordinated road networks, an ever increasing traffic
intensity (traffic collapses, accident frequency, deterioration of the environment in cities and
municipalities heavily congested with transit, particularly freight transport), and an ever continuing
decrease of the population’s interest in public transport.
Through mutual interaction of factors of the strategy of Priority Axis 1 “Development of
Transport Infrastructure”, ROP „Northeast“ Specific target 1 – “Increasing the region’s transport
availability and effectiveness while respecting environmental protection principles” – will be met in
particular.
The Areas of Intervention for the present Priority Axis have been designed with regard to the Specific
targets, decisive competencies of the region and compatibility with other operational programmes and
the other ROP „Northeast“ Priority Axes. The remaining transport infrastructure (highways, primary
roads, roads of first class, railways, water transport, multimodal freight including public logistic centres’
support ) is contained in the OP D. The question of local municipally owned roads comes under the
purview of the OP ČR – Republic of Poland 2007 - 2013 and Operational Programme Free State of
Saxony – Czech republic 2007 - 2013 and in the Rural Development programme.
In line with the principle of concentration and in effort to concentrate investments and to prevent aid
fragmentation a part of the project will be assessment of integrated approach and total impact of the
project.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Improving the region’s conditions of air transport by
developing international public airports
Improving the region’s transport serviceability
Improving the condition of the regional road transport
infrastructure, particularly its backbone network, with an
emphasis on improving the region’s transport
availability, ensuring the region’s better connection to
the superordinated transport network and increasing
traffic safety
Coincidence Matrix of the thematic SWOT analysis
and Specific targets
- Priority 1
- Development of Transport Infrastructure
SPECIFIC TARGETS
Table No 18: Coincidence Matrix of the thematic SWOT analysis and Specific targets – Priority 1
Development of Transport Infrastucture
SWOT
STRENGTHS
Advantageous location of the Hradec Králové – Pardubice – Chrudim and the LiberecRegion – Jablonec Region agglomerations
Dense network of roads and railways
XXX
XXX
Upgraded 1st Railway Corridor forming part of the Berlin – Prague – Brno – Vienna Corridor
XXX
XXX
X
X
XXX
X
X
XX
XXX
XXX
XX
X
XXX
XX
X
XX
XXX
X
XX
XXX
X
XX
XX
X
XXX
XXX
XXX
XX
XXX
XX
XX
XXX
X
Existing international public airport in Pardubice, being one of the five backbone airports in
the CR
XXX
WEAKNESSES
Absence of highways and speedways and the ensuing congestion of the existing regional
road network
Inadequate technical condition of secondary and tertiary roads, local roads and railway
network
Insufficient transport serviceability of the region and a missing coordination and linking-up
of railway and road mass passenger traffic
Insufficient transport availability and serviceability in some border and sub-mountain areas
and less densely populated areas
Underdeveloped, or missing technical and transport infrastructure in some rural and less
urbanized areas, particularly small municipalities
OPPORTUNITIES
Geographically advantageous location of the region, running from the northern tip of
theČRbordering on Germany, over the Czech-Polish border area to the eastern part and
frontier with Moravia and penetrating regions of the Czech-Moravian Highlands and
extensive areas in the Elbe valley lowlands
Increasing share of the public transport in the overall transport performance
Development of integrated transport systems, including modernization of backbone railway
networks and construction of interchange terminals between the different means of
transport
Development of air transport: continuous emphasis on the importance of the international
airport in Pardubice, reconstruction of the airport in Liberec and Hradec Králové and
regaining of their status as international airports
Construction of a multimodal logistics centre in Pardubice
Completion of the canalization of a stretch of the Elbe between Chvaletice and Pardubice
and construction of a terminal port in Pardubice
X
XX
XXX
XX
X
XX
X
XX
X
XXX
XX
X
XXX
XX
X
THREATS
Postponed completion of the region’s backbone roads, as well as a failure to ensure
adequate connection of the region to the Trans-European Transport Networks
Ever increasing traffic intensity (traffic collapses, accident frequency, deterioration of the
environment in cities and municipalities heavily congested with transit, particularly freight
transport)
Further reduction of transport availability and significance of marginal and badly accessible
areas
Lack of funds to keep the extent of public transport, causing its decline
Absence of high-quality railway connection of most areas of the region with the other parts
of the Czech Republic, except for the regions connected to the 1st Railway Corridor
Lower attractiveness for foreign investors due to an insufficient transport connection
Legend:
Relation: X – very weak to weak, XX – medium to strong, XXX – very strong
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XX
XXX
X
X
XXX
X
X
XXX
X
XX
XX
XX
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
6.3.D
Area of Intervention 1.1: Development of Regional Road Transport
Infrastructure
NUTS II Northeast does not have a sufficient high-quality transport connection of the individual regions
and settlements to the supra-regional road network (TEN-T) which must be extended with a
modernized backbone network of secondary and tertiary roads. At the same time, it suffers from bad
condition of the secondary and tertiary roads as a result of neglected maintenance and continuous
congestion of the road network. The high traffic intensity burdens the environment and lowers quality
of life. The transport condition brings about a number of other negative impacts. Some of the
significant problems include in particular an inadequate constructional and technical condition of the
secondary and tertiary roads, a large number of defects and barriers and the related adverse impacts
of transport on the population’s living environment. Whereas the largest urban agglomerations in the
region are mutually joined to the backbone network of freeways and Class I highways, vehicle access
of other areas chiefly depends upon quality and safety of regional Class II and III highways. Good
vehicle access for economically weaker areas of the region is no guarantee of their immediate allaround development. Nevertheless, it is one of the most significant factors influencing the extent of
use of their existing developmental potential. Investing into the transportation infrastructure
furthermore presents one of the greatest multiplication effects. With regard to pronounced internal
debt in the area of Class II and III regional highway networks it is thus necessary to financially support
modernization and reconstruction of regional highways under the ROP „Northeast“ framework to fulfil
one of the chief presuppositions of balanced regional development. Improvement in the current
undesirable state will lead to enhanced competitiveness in the region, attractiveness for investors,
visitors and residents and further to an improvement in the quality of public transportation which
makes use of the regional highway network.
That is why the present Area of Intervention develops the Specific target “Improving the condition of
regional road transport infrastructure, particularly its backbone network, with an emphasis on
improving the region’s transport availability, ensuring the region’s better connection to the
superordinated transport network and increasing traffic safety” (see Target Tree). The Area of
Intervention focuses on modernizing, reconstructing and constructing secondary and tertiary roads.
Priority support will go to roads emptying into the TEN-T trans-European highway net and connecting
further to Class II and III highways in such a way as to fully connect the TEN-T network to urbanized
centres, tourism centres and other frequented locations in the region, and furthermore so that remote
areas and areas with a small, scattered economic base also gain access to TEN-T. Another interest
of the Area of Intervention includes the removal of spot defects and barriers from these roads
(improvement of undesirable parameters are technical state of bridges and culverts, re-design of
intersections with poor traffic engineering, etc.) and the elimination of adverse effects which transport
has on the environment and population (building of bypasses, acoustic walls, etc.).
A contribution to the elimination of the negative influences of traffic on the natural environment will be
achieved in particular by better quality road surfaces, shortening of driving time and enhanced traffic
flow.
Support is aimed exclusively at reconstruction and modernization of existing roads, and thus
concerns a set of projects of an investment character. Concretely, it will go to coordinated construction
activities designed to re-purpose roads or improve some of their technical specifications, to potentially
build upon their existing purpose, capacity or use. Projects involving repair or maintenance will not
be supported.
6.3.D.1 Specification of the Area of Intervention
•
•
Modernizing, reconstructing and constructing secondary and tertiary roads whose
priority will be to connect the region to the TEN-T network.
Removing spot defects and barriers from the secondary and tertiary roads which
connect the region to the TEN-T road network and eliminating adverse effects of
transport on the population and the environment
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
6.3.D.2 Global and Operational Targets of the Area of Intervention
Global target :
•
By modernizing the regional network of secondary and tertiary roads, to improve the
quality of transport connection within the region and the region’s connection to the
supra-regional transport network (the TEN-T road network).
Operational Targets:
•
•
•
•
•
6.3.E
To ensure the region’s high-quality connection along the transport axes
To ensure the region’s connection to the superordinated road network (TEN-T)
To bring the secondary and tertiary roads into a standard condition
To increase traffic safety in order to decrease accident rate
To reduce negative impacts of transport on the environment and public health
Area of Intervention 1.2: Support for Projects Improving Regional
Transport Serviceability
Despite a fairly dense transport network and the existing Public Municipal Transport systems, public
regional transport has not been coordinated and variable enough to be able to compete with individual
passenger transport. Public transport integration within the region has not been completed, and nor
has the solution for parking fields and interchange terminals, including transport safety and availability
for citizens with limited motive and orientation capabilities. Outside the integrated transport system, no
sufficient transport connection to marginal and badly accessible areas of the region has been ensured.
Public transport attractiveness is lowered by the current standard and comfort of transport often
ensured by obsolete transportation means. Fleet renewal, transport integration and a solution for
interchanging between different means of transport and the introduction of electronic dispatch systems
will reduce passenger handling time and increase traffic safety and speed. An increased competitive
strength of environment-friendly mass transport with the aim of keeping a favourable balance between
the individual and public passenger transport will eliminate the negative impacts of transport on the
population’s living environment. An environment-friendly alternative to other means of transport is
provided by cycling, offering considerable flexibility and partially accounting for transport service in the
region.
The present Area of Intervention develops the Specific target “To improve the region’s
transport serviceability” (see Target Tree). The Area of Intervention thus focuses on building public
transport infrastructure and technical amenities (railway infrastructure for MHD, transfer stations,
parking lots and areas where people transfer from individual automobiles to public transport, stops for
rail and non-rail public transportation, introducing management, telematic, informational and
dispatching systems which make tariff integration possible). These include activities designed to
eliminate the impact of transport on urban and municipal lands in accordance with a program for
improving air quality (purchase of buses, Municipal Mass Transport with ecological drive and technical
service vehicles with alternative drives, building of auxiliary infrastructure, like natural gas refilling
stations for public transport buses and exchange terminals for dependent electric traction vehicles
then provision of dust filters for the diesel engines of Municipal Mass Transport and technical service).
Another activity is the purchase of specific buses for regional public transport links (low-floor or low
capacity vehicles or vehicles operating on alternative fuels with the goal of making buses accessible to
older and disabled citizens, optimizing transport serviceability in remote parts of the region and limiting
the negative impact of bus traffic on the natural environment). Other objects of intervention include
renewal and modernization of the railway rolling stock used for mass passenger transport
(trolleybuses and trams which are part of the Municipal Public Transportation and regional rail
transportation) and development of infrastructure for cycle transport with the aim of increasing traffic
safety as well as attractiveness of cycling as a commuting alternative.
This support area, then, deals with sustainable urban and suburban public transport
(especially in agglomerations with more than 100,000 residents) and regional public transport (intercity
traffic within the framework of the region or the connection of rural portions of the region to hub cities).
This concerns traffic put into service within the framework of the demands of public service, in which
the ordering parties are public entities – towns or regions whose obligation is to ensure basic or other
traffic serviceability within their territory.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
MA will ensure that a minimum amount of 24.6 MEUR in the area of intervention 1.2 – Support of
projects improving transport serviceability in the territory is provided for projects targeted on the
development of city transport, or clean city transport including intelligent transport systems in towns
with the population over 50,000 respectively (categorization of interventions codes 25 – Urban
transport, 28 – Intelligent transport systems, 52 – promotion of urban transport)
Projects for the development of public transport will be evaluated as to whether the project is or is not
based upon public support. Greater support will be determined based upon this fact. The provision of
public resources is dependent upon legislation in the ČR, as well as EC regulations, in the area of
awarding public commissions and ensuring economic competitiveness.
6.3.E.1 Specification of the Area of Intervention
•
•
•
Infrastructure and technical amenities for public transport, integrated transport
systems and adoption of environment-friendly approaches within public transport
Support for renewing railway rolling stock used for mass passenger transport
Development of infrastructure for cycle transport with the aim of increasing traffic
safety
6.3.E.2 Global and Operational Targets of the Area of Intervention
Global target :
•
To ensure high-quality standard for transport serviceability in the region by integrating
different means of environment-friendly transport
Operational Targets:
•
•
•
•
•
6.3.F
To improve transport serviceability in the region through public transport
To improve environment-friendly transport
To increase attractiveness of public transport
To improve availability of public transport to citizens with limited motive and
orientation capabilities
To increase traffic safety in cycle transport
Area of Intervention 1.3: Development of International Public Airports
Airports present an opportunity for development not just in terms of the region’s accessibility, but also
as an opportunity for economic development. They provide a different kind of transport availability than
roads, allowing a very fast connection over long distances. The Cohesion Region Northeast needs a
high-quality and readily available air connection, providing the fastest means of passenger transport,
chiefly in the economic and entrepreneurial field, to other European regions; therefore, new airport and
connecting infrastructure must be built and the existing infrastructure modernized, including transport
connections and international public airport in the region. In the Cohesion Region Northeast the only
one public international airport is going to be supported.
The present Area of Intervention develops the Specific target “To improve the region’s conditions of air
transport by developing international public airports” (see Target Tree). The Area of Intervention
focuses on developing airports infrastructure at international public airport in the NUTS II Northeast
Region. It involves transport connection of the airport terminals, reconstruction, modernization and
building of airport infrastructure with regard to constructional, technical and security airport equipment,
while meeting other conditions of air traffic reflecting the airport status.
6.3.F.1 Specification of the Area of Intervention
•
Development of air traffic at international public airport within the NUTSII Northeast
Region
6.3.F.2 Global and Specific targets of the Area of Intervention
Global target :
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
•
To ensure the region’s high-quality air connection in terms of increased transport
availability at regional and national level and further economic and social development
Operational Targets:
•
•
To build an international public airport with sufficient capacity in the region
To improve quality of air traffic at international public airport in the region
6.3.G
Categorization of the Areas of Intervention
Categories of aid from structural funds for the programme period 2007-2013 are defined in Appendix
No. II to the implementing regulation on detail rules for the application of the general regulation,
consisting of an objective definition of the eligible Area of Intervention and its respective code. Each
Area of Intervention may include one or more categories, depending on Specific/Operational Targets
of the Area of Intervention.
Category
18
23
24
25
28
29
52
6.3.H
Designation
Mobile Rail Assets
Regional/Local Roads
Cycle Tracks
Urban Transport
Intelligent Transport Systems
Airports
Promotion of Clean Urban Transport
Form of Support
Non-returnable direct aid (subsidy).
In the new programme period 2007-2013, the co-financing rate from the EU (SF) funds will only be
applied to eligible public spending.
Co-financing from national public funds will be provided, based upon the type of beneficiary, from the
state budget, from regional budgets and municipal budgets.
The amount of support from the structural funds (ERDF) may reach as high as 85% of the total eligible
public outlay for the projects. In cases in which the project is based upon public support in the sense
of No. 87 Par. 1 Founding Treaty of the European Community, Commission Regulation no. 1628/2006
dated 24.10. 2006 concerning the use of Article 87 and 88 of the Contract for Internal Regional
Investment Support will be applied. According to the regional intensity map of public support approved
for the Czech Republic for the 2007-2013 period, the maximal intensity of support provided does not
exceed 40% of eligible outlays for large firms, 50% for midsized firms and 60% for small businesses.
An exception is the purchase and modernization of means of transport, where notification of this
support regime will be provided to the European Commission, while support may be provided only
upon approval of the regime by the European Commission on conditions determined in its decision.
Following ES Regulation (ES) no.1998/2006 dated 15.12. 2006 concerning the use of Article 87 and
88 of the Contract on De Minimis Support, it is also possible to provide de minimis support in the area
of transport. In support area 1.3., Directions of the Community Concerning Airport Financing and State
Support for Airline Start-ups with Regional Airport Service (2005/C 312/01) will be used.
In order to ensure higher concentration of investments and to prevent fragmentation of resources,
supported will be –in line with the principle- only projects with a minimum amount of total eligible
expenditure of 5 mil. CZK. Stratification by areas of intervention is as follows:
Area of intervention
Minimum Total Eligible
Expenditure (mil. CZK)
1.1 Development of regional road transport infrastructure
5
1.2 Support to projects improving transport serviceability in the
5
territory
1.3 Development of public international airports
10
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
6.3.I
Form of support
Individual projects
6.3.J
Indicators and Their Quantification
Specification and quantification of the indicators to evaluate the Specific targets of Priority Axis/Areas
of Intervention are included in Chapter 7 – Indicators for Monitoring and Evaluation.
6.3.K
•
•
•
•
•
•
Beneficiaries
Regions
Municipalities
Organizations established or founded by the regions, municipalities and the state
Voluntary municipal unions
Nongovernmental non-profit organizations
Business entities
These Beneficiaries will fulfil the individual intervention fields of this priority axis. A detailed
specification of the Beneficiaries by intervention field is given in the implementing document.
6.3.L
•
•
•
•
6.3.M
Target Groups
Regional population and people working in the region
Domestic and foreign visitors to the region and tourists
Local business sector
Domestic and foreign investors
Flexibility
Not considered.
6.3.N
Large Projects
Not considered within the ROP „Northeast“.
6.3.O
Coordination with Interventions of Other Programmes
The ROP „Northeast“ Priority Axis 1 “Development of Transport Infrastructure” bears a relation to the
following operational programmes with a nationwide or regional focus:
OP Transport
The ROP „Northeast“ focuses on road transport infrastructure in the ownership of regions, particularly
on modernizing the reconstruction and construction of secondary and tertiary roads. Priority support
will be given to roads connecting region to the TEN-T road network, eliminating adverse effects of
transport on the population and environment (building of bypasses and anti noise barriers on Class II
and III roads, support for purchase of ecological vehicles for public transportation – trolley buses,
trams, buses which use ecological fuel, rail wheel vehicles for regional personal transportation,
development and modernization of public transportation rail infrastructure), building integrated
transport systems, developing sustainable municipal and regional mass transit and improving
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
transport availability and serviceability in the region’s rural areas and the development of bike
transport. Another area of priority is the development of air traffic at an international public airport.
The Transport operational programme scope includes support for activities which are not dealt with
within the framework of ROP „Northeast“. It regards construction and modernization of infrastructure of
nationwide importance, i.e. highway and road networks within TEN-T, railway networks within TEN-T,
modernization of of primary roads outside of TEN-T, support or multimodal freight transport including
support of public logistic centres, development of inland water transport, and modernization and
development of the Prague Metro and road traffic control systems in the capital city of Prague. The
scopes of the ROP’s and OP D’s areas of public intervention are totally different, and they basically
complement each other thematically. The Transport operational programme doesn’t solve the
problematic of renewal of the public mass transportation fleet.
Areas of public interventions on the part of ROP „Northeast“ and OP D vary in their content focus and
in fact complement each other.
Because issues to do with traffic in the Northeast region are complementarily dealt with in particular by
the Regional Operational Program and OP D, a coordinating system between these two operational
programs is proposed, especially with a view to keeping both sides mutually informed:
• A representative of the managing authority for the OP D (hereinafter ŘO OP D) is a member
of the Monitoring Committee of the ROP „Northeast“. This guarantees, among other things,
access for ŘO OP D in determining criteria for project selection within the ROP and to
information about the course of realizing the ROP „Northeast“;
• The managing authority of the ROP „Northeast“ (hereinafter ŘO ROP) informationally provides
the ŘO OP D with the documentation for applicants which will be aimed at the area Support
for Renewal of Vehicle Pools for Rail Personal Public Transportation, and this shall always be
done before announcing the pertinent invitation;
• ŘO ROP avails itself of specialist consultation with the MD in determining technical conditions
for choosing rail vehicles;
• Representatives of the MD will be consulted as experts in the evaluation of projects in the
area Support for Renewal of Vehicle Pools for Rail Personal Public Transportation;
• MSC2007 as intermediary will provide for ŘO ROP and OPD to have access to information
about projects chosen for realization under both operational programs.
OP Crossborder Cooperation Czech Republic – Republic of Poland 2007 - 2013
The ROP „Northeast“ is thematically related to the Operational Programme Czech Republic – Poland
2007 - 2013, containing a priority focusing on strengthening transport availability solely in border
areas. The operational programme’s public interventions are focused on modernizing and developing
transport infrastructure in border areas, on improving access to the existing transport networks, and on
local roads to complement the existing road network. The public intervention fields of these two
programmes do not overlap as their scope and territorial focus are different. The ROP „Northeast“
public interventions in the area of transport infrastructure will thus be complemented through
interventions focusing solely on the border areas, their objective consisting in crossborder cooperation
by improving transport availability.
OP Free State of Saxony – Czech Republic 2007 - 2013
The scope of the Operational Programme Free State of Saxony – Czech Republic 2007 - 2013
includes the support for transport infrastructure, particularly the connection of the border areas to the
national and Trans-European transport networks, environment-friendly systems of public transport,
and the improvement of information and navigation systems. The scope and territorial focus of the
ROP „Northeast“ is different and does not interfere with any activities supported within the crossborder
cooperation.
EAFRD – Rural Development Programme
From the EAFRD through the Rural Development Programme (RDP), areas and activities related to
construction and reconstruction of local roads, stops and other small investment are funded. The RDP
is locally focused on supporting activities in municipalities with less than 500 inhabitants, including
investment to be made directly in the municipality’s territory. In this way, the RDP complements the
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
ROP „Northeast“ through a number of activities for the improvement of transport infrastructure and
transport serviceability.
The ROP „Northeast“ Priority Axis and the aforementioned operational programmes complement and
condition each other, and as specifically supported projects are implemented, they will create sufficient
synergic effects to intensify the results and impacts of these programmes. At the same time, they will
contribute to meeting the targets and priorities of the superior programme document (NSRR).
6.3.P
Financial Plan
Tables with financial plans are contained in Chapter 9 – ROP „Northeast“ Funding.
6.4
Priority Axis 2: Development of Urban and Rural Areas
The Priority Axis “Development of Urban and Rural Areas” aims at responding to the major problems
identified under the NSRR Priority “Balanced Regions Development”, especially to the ever increasing
differences between urban and rural areas and their specific problems. The Northeast Cohesion
Region, too, has been affected by depopulation of the badly accessible areas, which is to do with a
lack of job and retraining opportunities in the country, but also with a worse availability of public
services. Just like the other cities of the ČR, the cities in the Northeast Cohesion Region are also put
at risk by an ever deteriorating demographic and social situation and an unsuitable transport, civic and
environmental infrastructure. Considering the complexity of its focus, the Priority Axis “Development of
Urban and Rural Areas” will contribute to meeting several NSRR Priorities at a time:
Picture No 18: NSRR priorities and aim o priority axis Development of Urban and Rural Areas
Priority Axis 2: Development of Urban and Rural Areas
140
Development of Rural Areas
Development of Urban Areas
Balanced Regions Development
Improvement of Transport Availability
Environmental Protection and Improvement
Smart State administration
Development of Information Society
Strengthening of Social Cohesion
Increase of Employment and Employability
Education
Support for R&D Capacities and Innovation
Development of Sustainable Tourism
Competitive Business Sector
NSRR Priorities
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
6.4.A
State-of-the-art
The issues of urban and rural areas in the Northeast Cohesion Region resemble in many respects
those of the whole Czech Republic.
A disintegrated and non-homogenous population structure and uneven population density are
characteristic of the region. Two significant urban areas of nationwide importance are found here – the
Hradec-Pardubice agglomeration and the Liberec-Jablonec agglomeration. These partially urbanized
areas lie in the hinterland of the former district cities, serving as regional residential centres. A higher
share of population living in smaller municipalities is typical of the traditionally agricultural areas of the
region, the sub-mountain areas, and the eastern parts of the region. Most heterogeneous and
disintegrated is the population structure of the Pardubice-Region; on the other hand, the LiberecRegion belongs to those with an above-average level of urbanization. Rural regions are all municipal
regions with less than 5.000 residents.
Typical features of the urban areas include a generally higher standard of living, especially in
terms of housing, availability and quality of health, social and other civic services. A network of
education institutions offering a wide range of fields to study has been developed. The cities represent
administrative, cultural, and social centres of the region. City dwellers show higher employment in the
tertiary and quaternary sectors, achieving a higher level of education. Age structure of the population
is usually unfavourable, with older age categories being more strongly represented. A potential threat
contingent on the urban environment is a higher occurrence of social-pathological phenomena (drugs,
crime, …). Urban regions tend to suffer from higher pollution of the environmental components (higher
emission burden, higher concentrations of noise and dust, higher production of communal waste). The
cities deal with problems connected with intense traffic. Green and recreational space areas per
dweller are also smaller. The urban structure and value of cities tends to be impaired by the existence
17
of unutilized, mostly industrial brownfields .
The rural areas of the Northeast Region are affected by gradual depopulation and population
ageing. However, this phenomenon is not seen in those municipalities in the hinterland of big cities,
where suburbanizing processes are underway. Rural areas with a recreational function are becoming
also attractive.
Small settlement dwellers outside the suburbanized areas show higher employment in the
primary sector. The lack of job opportunities and the limited job mobility being primarily due to the
problematic transport serviceability are causing a higher level of unemployment. The deterioration in
Brownfields – uncared and currently unused or little used sites and facilities that have lost their
function and use, which are abandoned or unused or little used.
17
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
quality of the human resources and other negative synergic effects are the result of selective migration
from the peripheral rural areas mostly to the cities.
The quality and availability of health, social and other civic services rendered is fairly low. The
scope of education possibilities in the rural areas is also different. The offer for leisure and community
activities is not wide enough. Municipalities usually have older housing stocks with inferior technical
amenities.
Technical infrastructure does not always reach the necessary level. A low degree of waste
water treatment and unsecured medium and small sources of air pollution, the occurrence of old
environmental burdens, and the existence of unused, mostly agricultural, civic and industrial
brownfields tend to be problematic. Rural areas generally provide a higher quality of natural
environment.
The Priority Axis 2 “Development of Urban and Rural Areas” is chiefly met by the ROP
„Northeast“ Specific target 2: “To improve quality of life and public services for the population while
emphasising reduction of regional disparities”.
The Priority Axis 2 focuses on the reduction of differences between the urban and rural areas
and the solution of their specific problems, with particular regard to the quality of life of their population
and the development of civic infrastructure, as well as a balanced development of these areas.
Share of financial funds on Priority Axis 2 Development of Urban and Rural Areas is 34% of
the total allocation of ERDF sources in terms of the ROP „Northeast“, out of which 80% will be given to
urban development and 20% to rural development.
Justification of the Type of Public Intervention
In the Northeast Region, the difference between quality of life in the cities and in the country and in
their potential and competitiveness with other regions is significantly increasing. The purpose of public
intervention is thus to contribute to a balanced development of the urban and rural areas and to the
solution of their specific problems, to emphasize the positives and stimulate the negatives of these
areas in order to enhance the region’s overall attractiveness for the life of its people, and to contribute
to its economic performance and social stability. There are certain negatives which must be
eliminated in order that their areas may be used subsequently to improve the quality of life of
citizens. Chief among these would be brownfields under public ownership, whose revitalization
is plagued by a chronic lack of funding. Public interventions in this Priority Axis 4 support primarily
areas where a certain standard is to be ensured in the public sector and the fields leading to an
increased quality of life in the urban and rural areas and thus contributing to the development of their
attractiveness and potential.
The main and pivotal axis of the general strategy of ROP Northeast is Development of of urban and
rural areas. The fact was reflected also into the draft financial plan which singles out for it a
considerable share of programme resources. At that, the proposed amount of resources reflects not
only significance of the priority axis but also funds required for implementation of the set up number of
projects in the given area.
Preliminary data provided by 3 towns – poles of development, which may become beneficiaries in the
area of intervention 2.1 – Development of regional centres demonstrate that each of the town is
capable of preparing a minimum of one Integrated Urban Integrated Development Plan (UIDP).
However, strategic planning of towns is in a majority of cases at such a level that a submission of
more UIDPs would be possible. The plans are targeted for example on regeneration of deprived town
centres and municipal zones of historic monuments, revitalization of prefabricated housing estates or
on other activities focused on the change in the overall town attractiveness. Most towns are interested
to include into their UIDP also some activities using resources from other priority axes of ROP
Northeast.
Determining factor is the UIDP size established at 10 mil. EUR, resp. the endeavour of MA ROP NE
will aim at an average UIDP size of 15 mil. Establishment of the allocation for area of intervention 2.1
– Development of regional centres therefore takes into account the condition that a minimum of 1
UIDP from each pole of development can be aided with an average UIDP size being 15 mil. EUR.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
6.4.B
Global and Specific targets of the Priority Axis
6.4.B.1 Global target of the Priority Axis “Development of Urban and Rural Areas”
To improve quality of life and public services for the population while emphasizing reduction of
regional disparities
The goal is to strive for a balanced development of the region while respecting the principles of
sustainability and achieve general improvement of the quality of life for people living in the urban and
rural areas. The present Priority Axis aims at reducing regional disparities limiting increased economic
prosperity and effective decision-making concerning long-term development of the region.
The Priority Axis “Development of Urban and Rural Areas” focuses on reducing regional differences
between the urban and rural areas of the Northeast Region, particularly in the fields of the quality of
life, human resources, civic infrastructure, and sustainability. It is based on a real need for supporting
the development of urban and rural areas leading to their increased economic performance and
competitive strength, to their mutual cooperation and cohesion, and to increased standards and
attractiveness of living while respecting the principles of sustainability. The Priority Axis is developed
through 4 Specific targets, resulting from a socioeconomic and a SWOT analysis. In their formulation,
account was taken of the results of the 2007-2013 National Development Plan of the CR. The targets
are in compliance with EC Regulation on the European Regional Development Fund.
6.4.B.2 Specific targets of the Priority Axis “Development of Urban and Rural Areas”
•
•
•
To strengthen the position and development of regional urban centres, particularly
their social and physical structures
To strengthen the development of and increase in the quality of life in urban
environments, particularly their social and physical structures
To strengthen the position of rural areas, mainly by increasing attractiveness of their
physical structure and ensuring high quality of life for their population
Specific target - To strengthen the position and development of regional urban centres,
particularly their social and physical structures
This target focuses on supporting activities and projects leading to increased living standards of the
population in big cities and aims at improving their image, as well as human and economic potential.
Within the framework of the ROP „Northeast“, it is developed through the Area of Intervention 2.1
“Development of Regional Centres”.
Specific target - To strengthen the development of and increase in the quality of life in urban
environments, particularly their social and physical structures
This target focuses on supporting activities and projects leading to increased living standards of the
population in cities and to improving the image of urban settlements, as well as their human and
economic potential. Within the framework of the ROP „Northeast“, it is developed through the Area of
Intervention 2.2 “Urban Development”.
Specific target - To strengthen the position of rural areas, mainly by increasing attractiveness
of their physical structure and ensuring high quality of life for their population
This target focuses on supporting activities and projects leading to an increased attractiveness of the
rural areas in terms of a high-quality standard of living and to an improved civic infrastructure. Within
the framework of the ROP „Northeast“, it is developed through the Area of Intervention 2.3 “Rural
Development”.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Picture No 19: Target Tree – Priority Axis 2: Development of Urban and Rural Areas
GLOBAL TARGET OF PRIORITY AXIS 2
To improve quality of life and public services
for the population while emphasising reduction
of regional disparities
To strive for a balanced development of the region while
respecting the principles of sustainability . To achieve
general improvement of the quality of life for people living
in urban settlements and rural areas. To reduce regional
disparities limiting increased economic prosperity. To make
effective decisions about long-term development of the
region.
Specific Target
Specific Target
Specific Target
To strengthen the position
and development of
regional urban centres,
particularly their social
and physical structures
To strengthen the development
of and increase in the quality of
life in urban environments,
particularly their social and
physical structures
To strengthen the position of
rural areas, mainly by
increasing attractiveness of
their physical structure and
ensuring high quality of life
for their population
Area of Intervention
2.1
Area of Intervention
2.2
Area of Intervention
2.3
Development of
Regional Centres
Urban Development
Rural Development
6.4.C
Strategy
The strategy to achieve the targets is based on a coincidence matrix relating a SWOT analysis and
the Specific targets of the Priority Axis “Development of Urban and Rural Areas”. One of the basic
materials for deciding strategy for Priority Axis 2, Development of Urban and Rural Areas, consisted of
strategy documents of the regions. Output from these priority axis working group meetings was
incorporated into this strategy whose members are also representatives of cities and municipalities.
The chief strategic and program documents at the regional level are the Strategy for
Development of the Region and Program for Development of the Region. A listing of the relevant
documentation is given in Chapter 3.2, Documentation at the National Level. These documents are
long-term conceptual documents for the regions, which specify priority activities important for
development of the region on the basis of analyses. The prosperity of the region depends upon
multiple factors. Over the long-term, another important condition for boosting competitiveness and
prosperity in the region is the development of human resources, educational growth, social services
and the development of healthcare. The strategy for development of human resources in the regions
is tied to the priority of the government of the Czech Republic given in "Strategy for the Development
of Human Resources in the Czech Republic" for the 2005-2010 period.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Urban areas are continually impacted by the worsening of the natural environment, a higher
concentration of industry and the frequent occurrence of unused brownfields with a low level of
interest in their revitalization. Characteristic is high-quality human resources also accompanied by a
higher occurrence of social-pathological and other undesired phenomena. Within the area of the
Northeast cohesion region, there is a perceptible regional imbalance in social services networks. Basic
social services are inadequate in some areas, and some areas hardly possess any coverage at all.
Good accessibility to services is important for users and their families. Often it is necessary to provide
services directly in their homes. Broad availability of services is of significant importance for good
linkage between social services and healthcare, with a concurrent improvement in the quality of life for
the target groups. Heightened availability of services also solves ethical problems to do with the right
to utilization of social services. The health of the population and individual citizens is without doubt one
of the basic conditions for regional prosperity, the success of its people, and their contentment.
Healthcare, as a category, is not exclusively about medicine but is broadly humanitarian. In achieving
the highest possible development and healthcare, a comprehensive approach to prevention,
diagnostics, therapy and rehabilitation is necessary. This presumes improvements in the quality of
medical technology. Another element of health policy and strategy for the development of the region is
the introduction of a conceptual approach by the regions to healthcare development. Activities in the
area of healthcare are highly important for long-term, sustainable social and economic development in
the region. The health of the population and individual citizens is without doubt one of the basic
conditions for regional prosperity, the success of its people, and their contentment.
The existence of five universities in the Northeast region contributes to an overall growth in education.
Development in the region will depend more and more upon the qualification and quality of human
resources in this region. Demands for the future are flexible people with a broad general education
and the capability for lifelong learning and changing qualifications. A greater number of people, both
currently and in the future will be involved in lifelong learning programs. Awareness must be focused
on new, contemporary educational programs and on further education. In this connection, something
that cannot be overlooked is the importance of developing interest-based activities of citizens,
especially children and young people and those with disabilities. The health, education and social
stability of the populace is a precondition for the development and reinforcement of stability in the
region, and an adequate network of quality social, healthcare and educational facilities is one of the
key areas of human resources.
From the standpoint of regional administrative centres, services and cultural/social life, the position of
cities is strong.
The strategy of Priority Axis 2 is complemented at the same time by the realization of activities in the
rural areas which make up a substantial part of the region.
Rural development is dependent upon enhancing the general quality of the people’s life and
attractiveness of the rural areas, chiefly by increasing the housing quality, strengthening the social and
health infrastructure and the insufficient provision of public utility services, strengthening an active
community life and creating a basis for its development, supporting increased interest in revitalizing
the existing brownfields, while eliminating negative impacts on environmental quality.
ROP „Northeast“ in Priority Axis 2 focuses on material investment in the areas of education, social
services and health care. Provision of support must be in accord with national legislation and EU
legislation and the managing body simultaneously ensures that it will be in accord with material and
processed rules for public support valid in the period in which the support is provided.
ROP „Northeast“ ensures support of the infrastructure through mutual complementarity with the cofinance activities of ESF. The subject of this cooperation will be regular mutual information exchange
and cooperation between managing bodies at the level of the Management and Coordination
Committee, which is a mechanism at the national level for insuring the broadest possible coordination,
with the participation not only of bodies involved in implementation but also of economic and social
partners.
The ROP managing body provides managing bodies of the ESF programs with information about
regional needs in the areas of education, health and social services, along with information about
projects which use cross-financing, and provide information about approved projects. The managing
bodies of the ESF operational programs provide ŘO ROP with information about auctions and project
aims. The ROP managing body enables employees of the managing bodies of ESF operational
programs that take part in training and seminars concerning ROP „Northeast“, on the basis of which
these employees will inform applicants for subsidies from ESF and ROP. The ROP „Northeast“
managing body will take ties between projects and ESF activities into account in evaluating them. The
result of this cooperation between the managing bodies of the ESF and ROP „Northeast“ operational
programs will be functional projects with mutually complementary activities.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
This priority axis will be subject to territorially-integrated approach. Development and regeneration of
urban areas representing the core of this priority axis will be aided both through individual projects and
through integrated plans of town development with an aim to strengthen the principle of complex
approach to problem solutions and to enhance synergic effects of the programme. Also, the
interventions from ROP NUTS II Northeast will be differentiated according to individual types of
territories.
In line with the principle of concentration and in effort to concentrate investments and to prevent aid
fragmentation a part of the project evaluation will be assessment of integrated approach and general
impact of the project.
To strengthen the development of and
increase in the quality of life in urban
environments, particularly their social and
physical structures
To strengthen the position of rural areas,
mainly by increasing attractiveness of their
physical structure and ensuring high quality
of life for their population
XXX
XXX
XXX
X
XX
XXX
XX
X
XX
X
XX
X
XX
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
To strengthen the position and development
of regional urban centres, particularly their
social and physical structures
Coincidence Matrix of the thematic SWOT analysis
and Specific targets
- Priority 2
- Development of Urban and Rural Areas
SPECIFIC TARGETS
Table No 19: Coincidence Matrix of the thematic SWOT analysis and Specific targets – Priority 2
Development of Urban and Rural Areas
SWOT
STRENGTHS
Availability of elementary social and health care services across the region
A rising housing quality and interest in inhabiting certain rural localities, mainly
the hinterland of cities and recreationally attractive areas
Development of the non-profit sector, active community life, developing
influence of the non-profit sector also in the field of cultural, health and social
services
Supra-regional sphere of action of regional hospitals in specialised fields
Existence of 5 universities in the NUTS II Region, offering fields of study in the
technical, economic and natural sciences and humanities
Increase in the general level of the population’s education
A region with high-quality environment, without extremely heavy environmental
burdens
Large conservation areas, including the Krkonoše Mountains National Park.
Existence of a biospheric reservation.
Significant natural resources – mineral wealth, forests, lands, rich underground
and surface water resources – an area important in terms of water supply and
distribution
X
X
WEAKNESSES
Insufficient material and technical equipment for teaching at several schools
Inadequate condition of many school premises and buildings
Existence of unutilised and dilapidating buildings and neglected areas in the
region (mostly agricultural buildings, buildings for civic amenities and other) and
low interest in their revitalisation
Disturbed environment in the industrial and urbanised areas with a higher
concentration of industry; old environmental burdens unresolved
A lack of stabilised business entities and job opportunities in the rural areas, a
missing network of shops and services, low mobility of labour force due to bad
transport serviceability
Inadequate or missing spaces for cultural, leisure and other community
activities in small municipalities
A persisting emission burden, mostly from small, medium and mobile sources
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XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
X
XXX
XX
XX
XXX
XX
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
of pollution, an increased noise load, particularly in municipalities with an
unresolved transit transport
A scattered dwelling structure – a large number of small municipalities vs. high
population density in agglomeration areas
A highly eccentric position of regional cities within the Hradec Králové and the
Pardubice-Regions
Bad social infrastructure and insufficiently secured services for civic amenities
in the country
Insufficient technical equipment and information sharing across the health
infrastructure
A high proportion of prefab house apartments found in the cities, bad technical
condition of the prefab houses
X
X
XX
X
X
X
XXX
XX
XX
X
XX
XX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XX
XX
XX
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
XXX
X
X
X
X
OPPORTUNITIES
Continuing optimisation and increasing quality and technical equipment of the
health, social services, development of new services
Improving conditions for the development of organisations, synergies and
activities in the field of the population’s leisure
A higher quality of education at all types of school through modernised school
equipment, including high-quality learning tools, devices and computers
Supporting alternative or super-standard education programs
Reconstruction of school premises and buildings
Development of environment-oriented and multifunctional agriculture focusing
on the preservation of landscape functions as a source of new jobs in the
country
Using waste for power and materials and supporting utilisation of products
made from wastes
Defining indicators for sustainability in each region
A higher use of support programs to support agriculture, forestry and rural
development
Creating an appropriate environment (both legislative and financial) and
strengthening focus on using local renewable sources of energy and on using
secondary raw materials
Using agrotourism as an alternative source of income and job opportunities
Ensuring protection of a first-rate land stock for the sustainability of landscape
and natural values
X
X
XXX
X
X
X
X
XXX
X
X
XX
XXX
XXX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
X
XXX
XXX
THREATS
Growth of social-pathological and other undesirable phenomena (crime, drugs,
gambling, alcoholism, deteriorating health condition of the population, etc.),
particularly in the urban areas
An overall long-term decrease in population, mostly by natural movement, a
deteriorating demographic structure of the population, gradual population
ageing, an increasing share of old and handicapped citizens as a result of the
adverse demographic situation
Development of unsuitable economic activities having an impact on the
environment, increasing eutrophication of waters, insufficient landscape care
Growth in the number or areas of problematic microregions due to a lack of job
opportunities
Another decline in agricultural production leading to land disturbance
Insufficient attractiveness of job opportunities in the field of agriculture for young
and qualified people
An unbalance between landscape and environmental protection conditions and
requirements for regional development, non-compliance with the principles of
sustainability , useless and inappropriate appropriations of high-quality land
stock
Environmental quality jeopardized as a result of a growing and non-channelised
individual motor transport
Continuing absence of a lifelong education system and qualification recognition
and certification systems
Relation: X – very weak to weak, XX – medium to strong, XXX – very strong
6.4.D
XXX
X
X
XX
XX
XX
XX
X
X
X
Area of Intervention 2.1: Development of Regional Centres
The goal of Support Area 2.1 – Development of Regional Centres is to strengthen the role of cities as
poles of growth and development in the region. Support will be realized solely by integrated and
holistic means – through an integrated plan for city development (hereinafter UIDP).
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
The definition of the IUDP: an IUDP includes a set of time related actions (projects) which are
implemented:
A) In a selected zone of a municipality (zone based approach). The IUDP in principle covers for
example the following types of interventions:
ƒ Regeneration and revitalisation of brownfields
ƒ Revitalisation of specific municipal zones
ƒ Modernisation of public space
ƒ Development of infrastructure in the area of schools and education
ƒ Development of health care infrastructure
ƒ Strengthening of social cohesion, quality of life, health of urban population
The purpose of the zone based integrated urban development approach is to concentrate
financial resources on a limited selected zone of a municipality and to tackle all the existing
problems (deprived area) or to support growth potential (growth pole) in a complex way in this
zone.
B) Through a thematic integrated approach (e.g. urban public transport, greenery) in the whole
municipality.
Consequently, the integrated approach should achieve a defined target of a selected urban zone or of
a thematic area of a given municipality.
Minimum size of the IUDP budget is set as 10 MEUR in order to reach sufficient concentration of
financial resources and to avoid their scattering. The managing authority of the ROP Northeast
commits itself further make effort to reach 15 MEUR as average value of the IUDPs.
The IUDP contains activities co-financed by the ROP Northeast. It can also mention, separately for
information, important projects in the selected zone of the municipality or in the selected thematic area
of a given municipality which are co-financed from other operational programmes. However, these
important projects to be co-financed from other (thematic) Operational Programmes are operationally
not part of the IUDP. Those projects co-funded from other (thematic) operational programmes will get
during the evaluation by the relevant MA of the corresponding OP 10 % bonification in line with the
government resolution No. 883 of 13 August 2007.
UIDP Area of Focus
Indicative amount spent from the ERDF via the IUDP in municipalities with more than 50,000
inhabitants is mentioned under the code 61 in categorization of intervention - Integrated projects for
urban a rural regeneration and it represents 87,051,270 EUR.
Cities with population greater than 50,000 residents are obligated to prepare an UIDP in order to draw
on the fund within the Area of Intervention 2.1 – Development of Regional Centres, which is focused
on the development of these cities. Specifically, within the ROP „Northeast“ framework, the following
cities are in question:
Region
LBK
HK
PK
City
Liberec
Hradec Králové
Pardubice
No. of city inhabitants as of
January 1, 2006
97,950
94,431
94,431
In the cities above, individual projects within Support Area 2.1 – Development of Regional Centres
cannot be presented. The MA of the ROP may also publish call for proposal for IUDP for municipalities
with < 50,000 inhabitants. These IUDPs will not be financed from the above mentioned IUDP funding
under the urban priority axis dedicated only to towns with more than 50,000 inhabitants. Doing that,
the MA of the ROP may adjust the IUDP provisions (modify the IUDP minimal budget) for
municipalities with less than 50,000 inhabitants taking into account geographic, demographic and
economic potential of such municipalities in the region.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Under the code 61 in categorization of intervention - Integrated projects for urban a rural regeneration
– financial means are reserved only for UIDP in municipalities of over 50,000 inhabitants.
Indicative amount spent from the ERDF determined for projects realized in the rural areas (in
municipalities of less than 5,000 inhabitants) represents 44,639,117 EUR.
MA will ensure that a minimum amount of 24.6 MEUR in the area of intervention 1.2 – Support of
projects improving transport serviceability in the territory is provided for projects targeted on the
development of city transport, or clean city transport including intelligent transport systems in towns
with the population over 50,000 respectively (categorization of interventions codes 25 – Urban
transport, 28 – Intelligent transport systems, 52 – promotion of urban transport)
Areas of intervention of the IUDP approach
The IUDP is designed to tackle:
ƒ Deprived areas (zones) with a concentration of negative phenomena, such as high
unemployment, criminality, social exclusion, etc.
ƒ Growth areas; there, the leverage effect of structural funds may be used to enhance the
competitiveness of the zone.
ƒ Thematic area of a municipality
A geographically limited zone for the realization of the IUDP is a continuous area in the territory of the
municipality which should be selected on the basis of the following criteria:
A) Deprived area – in a regional context shows unfavourable values of at least 2 indicators based on
article no.47 Implementing Commission Regulation 1828/2006:
a) a high level of poverty and exclusion;
b) a high level of long-term unemployment;
c) precarious demographic trends;
d) a low level of education, significant skills deficiencies and high dropout rates from
school;
e) a high level of criminality and delinquency;
f)
a particularly rundown environment;
g) a low level of economic activity;
h) a high number of immigrants, ethnic and minority groups, or refugees;
i)
a comparatively low level of housing value;
j)
a low level of energy performance in buildings.
B) Area with high growth potential is characterized by some of the following indicators:
a) High concentration of economic activities
b) High potential for stimulation of business and development of services
c) Significant employment in administration and service sector
d) High concentration of educational activities
e) High importance of the transport system providing the citizens with the mobility and
contributing to the development of the municipality
f)
High importance for assurance of health, social, culture and educational needs of
citizens, the improvement of life quality in the municipality
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
g) High innovation potential, especially in relation to the development of the business
sector and educational institutions, aimed at reaching synergies
IUDP preparation
In the initial phase Managing authority of the OP launches a call for proposals inviting municipalities to
prepare and submit IUDP proposals. Managing authority specifies in this invitation the type and
characteristics of an IUDP, its content, the selection criteria, etc.. Consequently the municipality
prepares an IUDP (selects the zone/theme on the basis of the above indicated criteria, determines the
strategy and quantifies goals, consults with partners, etc.). The municipality can prepare and submit
several IUDPs, whose justification and prioritization is based upon the vision of the municipality's of
the needs of selected zones/theme.
The integrated urban development plan should contain among others the following information:
• Socio economic analysis and SWOT analysis of the municipality
• Justification for selection of the given zone/theme in the municipality on the basis of above
mentioned criteria
• Zone / theme area description
• Quantification of targets; definition of indicators
• Description of expected results
• Description of partners, their involvement in both the preparation and implementation of the
IUDP (application of partnership principle)
• Budget and time schedule (description of the means of financing)
• Description of administrative capacity and management of the IUDP.
• Impact of the IUDP on horizontal themes etc.
• Important projects co-financed from other operational programmes can be mentioned in the
IUDP but they do not represent operationally the part of the IUDP).Their list shall be annexed
to the IUDP
• Description of activities to achieve defined IUDP target (including indicative list of principal
projects)
Evaluation of IUDP
The municipality submits an IUDP to the OP Managing Authority which evaluates and
approves/refuses it. While evaluating the IUDP, the OP Managing Authority pays special attention to:
•
Criteria set by the call for proposal
•
Justification of selected zone / thematic area, analysis of initial situation for the IUDP
implementation strategy
•
defined target, selected strategy, indicative list of actions / projects to achieve the chosen
target, budget and time schedule, foreseen results, respect of partnership principle, impact on
horizontal themes, administrative capacity, management of the IUDP, indicators etc.
•
technical quality and maturity of the proposed IUDP
Once the IUDP is approved by the Managing authority the municipality pre-selects most suitable
projects to reach the defined objective of the IUDP. The pre-selection of individual projects is in the
competence of the municipality, which in line with principles of transparency, equal opportunities and
respect of partnership principle establishes procedures for the assessment and selection of projects.
he projects pre-selected by the municipality are then submitted directly to the MA OP…, which
assesses them. The MA of the OP… can reject these pre-selected projects only on the basis of the
formal / technical (e.g. ineligibility, insufficient budget).
IUDP implementation
During the implementation phase of the IUDP the municipality follows closely progress of all projects
and reports to the Managing authority. Individual projects are implemented by the project holder (the
municipality or its partners). Managing authority monitors projects as in the case of all other projects
within the OP.
The interventions implemented via the IUDP will be carried out while respecting the legislative
framework of the Czech Republic and the European Communities (especially in relation to the public
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
procurement, rules for state aid, principles of free competition, eligibility etc.) to ensure the effective
use of EU Structural Funds, as well as to ensure public interest and to prevent undue profits.
Focus of Area of Support 2.1 – Development of Regional Centres
The support is aimed at regenerating and revitalizing brownfields located within urban areas designed
for citizen facility development or development of business activities. The subject of this support will be
all types of brownfields excluding brownfields in which activities under OKEČ No 15 – 37 section D
Processing industry and strategic services, technological centres (a detailed account is available in
OPPI subprogramme ICT and strategic services) and activities of agriculture character or touristic
activities will be consequently carried on.
The purpose of regeneration and revitalization is to make them an integral part of active urban life, as
well as at renewing selected urban quarters and buildings to increase urban attractiveness and the
quality of life in them, including revitalisation and landscaping of the public spaces leading to the
restoration of their functional use. The Area of Intervention further focuses on the development of
infrastructure in the field of education and training and in the field of health and social affairs to
increase the life quality standards with respect to sustainable residential development and to
developing the human resource potential, including strengthening of social cohesion and health of the
urban populations. Local roads within the framework of the present Area of Intervention may be
treated only as part of an integrated approach to the solution of the region’s problems under the
supported activity. Support is not focused on the area of housing and regeneration of common areas
within problematic housing estates.
6.4.D.1 Specification of the Area of Intervention
•
•
Regeneration and revitalization of brownfields and investing into the transportation
and technical infrastructure of industrial zones and smaller-sized localities
Regeneration of selected city areas and infrastructure development in the area of
education, healthcare and social affairs
6.4.D.2 Global and Operational Targets of the Area of Intervention
Global target :
•
Strengthening a balanced economic and social development of big cities as regional
centres
Operational Targets:
•
•
6.4.E
To regenerate and revitalise the urban environment
To develop an infrastructure in the field of education and training, health and social
affairs
Area of Intervention 2.2: Urban Development
The Area of Intervention 2.2. “Urban Development” focuses on supporting the development of cities in
the Northeast Cohesion Region with a population over 5.000 18 . The support is aimed at regenerating
and revitalizing brownfields located within urban areas designed for citizen facility development or
development of business activities. The subject of this support will be all types of brownfields
excluding brownfields in which activities under OKEČ No 15 – 37 section D Processing industry and
strategic services, technological centres (A detailed account is available in OPPI) and activities of
agriculture character or touristic activities will be consequently carried on. In this area of support, only
brownfields under the ownership of public entities will be supported.
The support´s purpose of regeneration and revitalization is to make them an integral part of active
urban life, as well as to renew selected urban quarters and buildings to increase urban attractiveness
and the quality of life inside them, including revitalization and landscaping of public spaces leading to
the restoration of their functional use. The Area of Intervention further focuses on the development of
infrastructure in the field of education and training and in the field of health and social affairs to
18
According to ČSÚ data as at 01.01.2006
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
increase the life quality standards with respect to sustainable residential development and to
developing the human resource potential, including strengthening of social cohesion, health and safety
of urban population. Local roads within the framework of the present Area of Intervention may be
treated only as part of an integrated approach to the solution of the region’s problems under the
supported activity. Support is not focused on the area of housing and regeneration of common areas
within problematic housing estates.
6.4.E.1 Specification of the Area of Intervention
•
•
Regeneration and revitalization of brownfields 19 and investment into transport and
technical infrastructure of industrial zones and smaller-sized localities
Renewal of selected city parts and development of infrastructure in the fields of
education, health and social matters
6.4.E.2 Global and Operational Targets of the Area of Intervention
Global target :
•
To strengthen economic and social development of cities
Operational Targets:
•
•
6.4.F
To regenerate and revitalize the urban environment
To develop an infrastructure in the field of education and training, health and social
affairs
Area of Intervention 2.3: Rural Development
The Area of Intervention 2.3 “Rural Development” focuses on supporting the development of rural
municipalities in the Northeast Cohesion Region with a population ranging between 500 and 5.000. 20
Regions and organizations founded by them can also carry out projects in municipalities with less than
500 residents. As part of the field, activities are supported which aim at regenerating and revitalizing
brownfields located within urban areas designed for citizen facility development or development of
business activities. The object of supported activities will be all types of brownfields excluding::
•
brownfields with tha extent up to 5 ha, on which agriculture activity was operated in the past
and that are located in municipality with less than 2000 habitants.
•
brownfields in which activities under OKEČ No 15 – 37 section D Processing industry and
strategic services, technological centres (A detailed account is available in OPPI) and
activities of agriculture character will be consequently carried on.
brownfields with the future use for tourism.
•
In this area of support, only brownfields under the ownership of public entities will be supported.The
purpose of regeneration and revitalization is to make them an integral part of active life, as well as at
rural development, at improving quality of life in the rural areas, chiefly by strengthening the units of
19
The object of supported activities will be all types of brownfields excluding::
•
¾
brownfields with tha extent up to 5 ha, on which agriculture activitiy was operated in the past and that are located in
municipality with less than 2000 habitants.
brownfields in which activities under OKEČ No 15 – 37 section D Processing industry and strategic services, technological
centres (A detailed account is available in OPPI) and activities of agriculture character will be consequently carried on..
Brownfields – uncared and currently unused or little used sites and facilities that have lost their
function and use, which are abandoned or unused or little used.
19
20
According to ČSÚ data as at 01.01.2006
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
rural settlement and their infrastructure of public utility services for the population, including
revitalization and landscaping of the public spaces leading to the restoration of their functional use.
The Area of Intervention further focuses on the development of infrastructure in the field of education
and training and in the field of health and social affairs to increase the life quality standards with
respect to sustainable residential development and to developing the human resource potential,
including strengthening of social cohesion, health and safety of the urban populations. Local roads
within the framework of the present Area of Intervention may be treated as part of an integrated
approach to the solution of the region’s problems under the supported activity. Support is not focused
on the area of housing and regeneration of common areas within prefab housing estates.
6.4.F.1 Specification of the Area of Intervention
•
•
Regeneration and revitalization of brownfields 21 and investments into transport and
technical infrastructure of smaller industrial zones and localities
Rural development, improving the quality of life in rural areas and development of
infrastructure in the fields of education, health and social matters
6.4.F.2 Global and Operational Targets of the Area of Intervention
Global target :
•
To increase attractiveness of the country for the life of its people
Operational Target:
•
•
•
To regenerate and revitalize the rural environment, including its cultural heritage
To develop an infrastructure in the field of education and training, health and social
affairs
To introduce sustainability and the local Agenda 21 in self-administration activities
6.4.G
Categorization of the Areas of Intervention
Categories of aid from structural funds for the programme period 2007-2013 are defined in Appendix
No. II to the implementing regulation on detail rules for the application of the general regulation,
consisting of an objective definition of the eligible Area of Intervention and its respective code. Each
Area of Intervention may include one or more categories, depending on Specific/Operational Targets
of the Area of Intervention.
Category
61
75
76
79
80
6.4.H
Designation
Integrated Projects for Urban and Rural Regeneration
Education Infrastructure
Health Infrastructure
Other Social Infrastructure
Promoting partnerships, pacts and initiatives through the networking of
relevant stakeholders
Form of Support
Non-returnable direct aid (subsidy).
21
The object of supported activities will be all types of brownfields excluding::
•
¾
brownfields with tha extent up to 5 ha, on which agriculture activitiy was operated in the past and that are located in
municipality with less than 2000 habitants.
brownfields in which activities under OKEČ No 15 – 37 section D Processing industry and strategic services, technological
centres (A detailed account is available in OPPI) and activities of agriculture character will be consequently carried on.
Brownfields – uncared and currently unused or little used sites and facilities that have lost their
function and use, which are abandoned or unused or little used.
.
26
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
In the new programme period 2007-2013, the co-financing rate from the EU (SF) funds will only be
applied to eligible public spending.
The amount of support from the structural funds (ERDF) may reach as high as 85% of the total eligible
public outlay for the projects. In cases in which the project is based upon public support in the sense
of No. 87 Par. 1 Founding Treaty of the European Community, Commission Regulation no. 1628/2006
dated 24.10. 2006 concerning the use of Article 87 and 88 of the Contract for Internal Regional
Investment Support will be applied. According to the regional intensity map of public support approved
for the Czech Republic for the 2007-2013 period, the maximal intensity of support provided does not
exceed 40% of eligible outlays for large firms, 50% for midsized firms and 60% for small businesses.
In certain cases, it is also possible to apply ES Regulation (ES) no.1998/2006 concerning the use of
Article 87 and 88 of the Contract on De Minimis Support, it is also possible to provide de minimis
support in the area of transport.
In order to provide for a greater concentration of investments and to prevent fragmentation of
resources projects to be aided will be only those with a minimum amount of eligible expenditure as
indicated in the below table:
Area of intervention
Minimum Total Eligible
Expenditure (min. CZK)
5 (for 1 action within UIDP) 22
5
1
2.1 Development of regional centres
2.2 Development of towns
2.3 Development of rural areas
There are only 2 activities within the areas of intervention 2.2 and 2.3 in which also projects with a
lower minimum amount of total eligible expenditure can be aided, viz:
1) Investment into equipment and furnishing of secondary schools conditioning the introduction
of new educational programmes or alternative educational forms
2) Investment into equipment and furnishing in connection with extended education offer.
Area of intervention
Minimum Total Eligible
Expenditure (mil. CZK)
2.2 Development of towns
1
2.3 Development of rural areas
0.5
6.4.I
Types of support
Individual projects, individual projects in the framework of UIDP.
Funds may employ the Jessica financial engineering tool for the preparation and financing of projects
of cities, municipalities, municipal clusters and organizations founded by them under ROP „Northeast“
for the purpose of enhancing the financial effect and recycling finances. For sustainable urban
development in cities, a unified approach will be promulgated. For this reason planning and decisionmaking about municipal investments must be made on the basis of UIDP The Managing Authority will
consider, within the framework of the new JESSICA initiative, the possibility of a contribution to urban
development funds which invest in direct revenue-generating municipal projects on the basis of UIDP.
6.4.J
Indicators and Their Quantification
Specification and quantification of the indicators to evaluate the Specific targets of Priority Axis/Areas
of Intervention are included in Chapter 7 – Indicators for Monitoring and Evaluation.
22
10 mil. EUR for 1 UIDP, resp. Managing Authority will strive for a minimum average UIDP size to be
15 mil. EUR
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
6.4.K
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Beneficiaries
Regions
Municipalities
Organizations established or founded by the regions
Organizations established or founded by municipalities
Voluntary municipal unions
Non-governmental non-profit organizations
Providers of health and social services (entities with legal subjectivity)
Economic Chamber and its bodies
Interest groups of legal entities
These Beneficiaries will fulfil the individual intervention fields of this Priority Axis. A detailed
specification of the Beneficiaries by intervention field is given in the implementing document.
6.4.L
•
•
•
•
6.4.M
Target Groups
Regional population and people working in the region
Local business entities and entities ensuring regional services
Entities operating in the non-profit sector
Domestic and foreign visitors to the region and tourists
Flexibility (Cross-financing)
The operational program is financed only by ERDF. Cross-financing provides the opportunity for
supplementary methods within a given limit per priority axis to finance measures (activities) falling
under the ESF, provided such measures (activities) are necessary for satisfactory implementation of
projects and are directly tied to them. In application of cross-financing, it shall be proceeded in
accordance with “Directives for cross-financing for programming period 2007-2013” released on a
national level, so that all the relevant EC directives are hold on to.
Cross-financing may be used for these activities:
o
educational and social activities accompanying investment into the infrastructure
o
education of personnel having to do with the introduction of new services (educational, social,
leisure time)
the creation of educational programs connected to the educational infrastructure
o
The applicant chooses the possibility for cross-financing or activities implemented under crossfinancing directly in the subsidy application. The necessity and relevance of these activities will be
judged during project evaluation, and only when the project is approved and chosen for financing will
the allocation for these activities be stated in the Contract for Subsidy Provision. The applicant shall
state expenditure trends in each monitoring report and payment request, making sure that the given
limit of overall eligible project expenditures is not exceeded. This will ensure holding to the given limit
for cross-financing on the priority axis.
In cooperation with:
- OP Human Resources and Employment (LZZ) – Area of intervention 3.1 Support to social
integration and social services, Area of intervention 3.2 Support to social integration of the
members of Romany localities. OP Education for Competitiveness (VK) Priority axis 1 Basic
education and Priority axis 3 Further education (for the professional education of social
service providers and providers of education)
- OP LZZ – Area of intervention 3.1 Support to social integration and social services, Area of
intervention 3.2 Support to social integration of the members of Romany localities (for the
professional education of providers of social services to persons socially excluded or
threatened by social exclusion, a.o. ethnic minorities)
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
-
-
-
-
OP LZZ – Area of intervention 3.1 Support to social integration and social services, Area of
intervention 3.2 Support to social integration of the members of Romany localities, Area of
intervention 3.3 Integration of socially excluded population groups on labour market, and Area
of intervention 2.1 Strengthening active policies of employment (for activities targeted onto
return onto labour market and in the society, including innovative tools, extension or
completion of education for members of target groups, a.o. ethnic minorities)
OP LZZ – Area of support 3.1 Support to social integration and social services (for education
focused on strengthening of cohesion and development of partnerships at local and regional
levels – in towns and rural areas)
OP LZZ – Area of intervention 3.4 Equal opportunities of males and females on labour market
and harmonization of working and family life (for development of education provided to
employers and employees and to other subjects working in the area of harmonization of
working and family life)
Exchange of experience and transfer of good practice between member countries in the
solution of social inclusion of specific target population groups (persons socially excluded or
threatened by social exclusion, a.o. ethnic minorities) and further professional education (OP
LZZ – Area of intervention 5.1 International cooperation)
The applicant will choose the possibility of cross-financing or activities to be implemented within crossfinancing as early as in his application for subsidy. The need and relevance of these activities will be
assessed during the project evaluation, and in case that the activities and the project are selected for
financing, the financial allocation for them will be stated in the contract on aid provision. Development
of the withdrawal within the framework of cross-financing will be provided by the applicant in each
monitoring report with the request for payment, where non-overdraft of the set-up limit – contribution
from the Community will be watched. Large projects are not considered in the Cohesion Region
Northeast.
6.4.N
Large Projects
Not considered for the Northeast Cohesion Region.
6.4.O
Coordination with Interventions of Other Programmes
The ROP „Northeast“ Priority Axis 2 “Development of Urban and Rural Areas” bears a relation to the
following operational programmes with a nationwide or regional focus:
Integrated Operational Programme
The scope of Priority Axis 2 ROP „Northeast“ includes the “Development of Urban and Rural Areas”,
especially by improving the infrastructure of public services, particularly in the health, education,
training and social services, by improving public spaces, regenerating and revitalising any improperly
used or unutilised areas and buildings, and by supporting State administration in the regions, while
applying projects aimed at the region’s sustainability. Another part of the ROP „Northeast“ is support
of activities related to the preservation of the cultural heritage and traditions. On the other hand, IOP
focuses on the infrastructure designed to increase the population’s security, ensure the prevention and
find risk solutions by implementing specific projects at national level for all bodies of the life support
system (police, fire department, first-aid service). Another sphere of activity is the strengthening of
capacities (professional base) of the regional State administration bodies. These interventions further
include building a data- and information-base for the management, monitoring and evaluation of the
region’s sustainability, aimed at improving the quality of the information environment, both at the
national and regional level. As for the support of investment in the social integration and health care
infrastructure, the IOP focuses on general investment projects within the defined national network of
social and health care facilities. The IOP is further focused on taking central system action for the
prevention of health risks and on the development of health and social care for persons disadvantaged
by their health condition or age. On the other hand, the scope of the ROP „Northeast“ in this field
includes the support for infrastructure projects in health and social services beyond the national
network.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Public interventions of the IOP and ROP „Northeast“ complement each other in the restoration
and economic use of the immovable historical and cultural heritage, with the ROP „Northeast“ focusing
on regenerating urban and municipal regions of local importance. The IOP merely considers national
cultural monuments and monuments put on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The IOP complements
the ROP „Northeast“ in improving the environment, particularly in the cities, through public
interventions in the refurbishment of prefab apartment houses and complex revitalisation of the
environment in the prefab housing estates.
OP Business and Innovation
Regeneration of brownfields with future use for business purposes (note: future use of the property will
fall under OKEČ 15-37 or will concern strategic services or technology centres) on the condition that
large projects will be supported.
Regeneration of all other brownfields with the exception of future agricultural use will be supported via
ROPs.
The thematic scope of the ROP „Northeast“ is similar, except that it defines the subsequent
use of these revitalized properties – as an infrastructure for civic amenities. The ROP „Northeast“
Priority Axis 4 focuses on regeneration and revitalization of the brownfields for business entities.
OP Education for Competitiveness
In the field of education, the boundary line between the ROP „Northeast“ and the Operational
Programme “Education for Competitiveness” is defined mainly by the type of intervention. The ROP
„Northeast“ public interventions, funded from the ERDF, focus on “hard” investment, i.e. on the
support for the renewal of the physical infrastructure in education and training. On the other hand, the
OP Education for Competitiveness, funded from the ESF, is focused on “soft” projects, including
system changes, a support for qualification extensions and increasing the level of the population’s
education in general. The public intervention fields of these two operational programmes do not
overlap because of their different scopes. With the public interventions co-acting, considerable
synergies can be achieved. Coordination between ROP and OP VK is mentioned in chapter 5.16.
OP Human Resources and Employment
Public interventions under the ROP „Northeast“ Priority Axis “Development of Urban and Rural Areas”
focus on increasing quality of the infrastructure base for ESF interventions in the field of education,
health and social services (the ROP „Northeast“’s emphasis being on the “hard projects”) and
therefore mutual complementarity with the Operational Programme “Human Resources and
Employment” is expected, the scope of which includes interventions focusing on the establishment
and development of systems in the field of public services for employment with a nationwide impact.
Coordination between ROP and OP LZZ is mentioned in chapter 5.16.
EAFRD – Rural Development Programme
From the EAFRD through the Rural Development Programme, renewable sources of energy, WWTP
up to 2000 EO, local roads and waste management up to 5 mil. CZK in municipalities with a
population less than 500, agricultural brownfields (brownfields having an agricultural basis) up to 5 ha
in municipalities with a population less than 2000, as well as elementary civic amenities (education,
health and social services) in municipalities with a population less than 500 will be supported. The
ROP „Northeast“ has a similar focus, but its regional focus is different (municipalities with a population
over 500), excluding activities related to the renewable energy sources, waste management and
WWTP. From the EAFRD through the Rural Development Programme, fields and activities connected
with the construction and reconstruction of local roads in municipalities with a population less than 500
are also funded.
The ROP „Northeast“ Priority Axis and the aforementioned operational programmes complement and
condition each other, and as specifically supported projects are implemented, they will create sufficient
synergic effects to intensify the results and impacts of these programmes. At the same time, they will
contribute to meeting the targets and priorities of the superior programme document (NSRR).
6.4.P
Financial Plan
Tables with financial plans are contained in Chapter 9 – ROP „Northeast“ Funding.
157
6.5
Priority Axis 3: Tourism
The relation of the ROP „Northeast“ to NSRR in the field of sustainable tourism in the Northeast
Cohesion Region is very strong, as the most attractive mountain localities of theČRare found there,
allowing tourists to spend their winter and summer holidays. In accordance with the findings of the
NSRR, not even in this region has the tourist potential been fully used these days, which is due to an
insufficient infrastructure and low quality of the basic and additional services but also to problems
connected with skilled labour.
The Priority Axis “Tourism” should therefore contribute to the development of sustainable
tourism in the cohesion region, meeting the following NSRR Priority:
Picture No 20: NSRR priorities and aim of Priority Axis 3 Tourism
Development of Rural Areas
Development of Urban Areas
Balanced Regions Development
Improvement of Transport Availability
Environmental Protection and Improvement
Smart State administration
Development of Information Society
Strengthening of Social Cohesion
Increase of Employment and Employability
Education
Support for R&D Capacities and Innovation
Development of Sustainable Tourism
Competitive Business Sector
NSRR Priorities
Priority Axis 3: Tourism
6.5.A
State-of-the-art
A typical feature of the Northeast Cohesion Region is a great potential for natural beauties and
historical-cultural monuments. Tourist-attractive places are followed by a great number of social,
cultural and sporting events. There are areas attracting greater interest of tourists and other visitors,
around which a richer offer for accommodation and catering capacities, active leisure, information
centres, and a number of related tourism services is centred. The more intense development of
tourism infrastructure and services thus more or less focuses on areas with a considerably higher
potential for traditional tourism.
There are objective conditions (natural environment, cultural and historical heritage, etc.) for
all the segments of tourism identified in virtually all regions. However, subjective conditions for the
development of tourism are very differentiated, with the region’s economic potential for tourism being
fairly unbalanced. The coordination of tourism activities within the tourist regions is either completely
missing, or insufficient. There is no systematic support for tourism organizations (destination
companies) (mainly involving establishment of relationships in the public and private spheres on a
partnership basis). What is also urgent is the need for increasing the quality and functional
interconnection of the existing regional information systems, including among other things the network
of tourist information centres. Activities and actions to ensure a standard level of certain services or
products and of selected tourism infrastructure mainly required by foreign tourists are absent. These
mostly include meeting the international service standards, which should be considered one of the
necessary conditions for achieving a competitive tourism offer. Marketing focusing on the promotion of
attractive localities is also insufficient.
November 7, 2007
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
The tourism infrastructure in the region has undergone significant changes in recent years,
chiefly by increasing the number of accommodation facilities and their sleeping capacity. The new
construction, however, concentrated more on tourist centres of nationwide importance (the Krkonoše,
Jizera Mountains) and only to a lesser extent on the other, less known centres. As a result, the
demand for services is not satisfied because of low capacities or inadequate structures, but mainly
because of the quality of accommodation facilities and services.
Tourism development in the region is limited by a lack of activity and invention of the tourism
entities in creating program offers which would focus on several days’ stays, by an insufficient
promotion of the region, and the level of information service remaining low. Yet, in addition to the
tourism categories being considered traditional today (e.g. cycle tourism), the whole region has really
good conditions for the development of other categories, within which a lot of new tourism products
could be created, e.g. in the field of rural tourism, hippo tourism, adrenaline tourism, fortress and
relaxation tourisms, etc.
The ROP „Northeast“ Specific target will be met through Priority Axis 3 “Tourism” both by
initiating the natural and the as yet unreleased potential in the field and by a free combination of
business, partnership, promotion and IT supports, as well as a support for the preservation of cultural
and natural heritage from internal and external resources, while respecting the region’s specifics.
Justification of the Type of Public Intervention
Although the Northeast Region has, in the tourism field, a significant specific potential for market
development, the private sector has failed to either discover this potential in many respects and for
many reasons, or use and develop it sufficiently. Thus, the purpose of public intervention is, in the first
place, to stimulate or directly initiate activities through which the tourism field in the region will continue
to develop and the Strategic Target of the Priority Axis will be gradually met.
The present justification should emphasize that no activities in those fields where the market
can manage much better itself will be supported.
The regions for implementing the public intervention are not strictly defined. As no specific
types of region (or area) into which the public support should or should not be channelled have been
specified in the ROP „Northeast“ socioeconomic analysis, the support is to be considered as more-orless general, applying across the NUTS II Northeast Region, with an emphasis on supporting tourism
development in the rural areas. Therefore, uniquely defined selection criteria will mainly be used to
decide on granting support to individual projects.
Even so, the public support under the present Priority Axis should preferably be channelled to
areas with an insufficiently diversified potential for economic development and yet a high potential for
tourism development. In such cases, direct support to business entities, particularly in the field of
improving the quality of tourism infrastructure, is also justified. Here, the support may be granted to
relatively small projects, regardless even of any generally declared integrated approach.
Sustainable tourism strategy
A marked portion of the cohesive NUTSII Northeast region is covered by NATURA 2000 lands (in
broad terms, scores of locations). NATURA 2000 is a collection of protected lands being created within
their boundaries by all member states of the EU, in keeping with the unifying principles. The goal of
this collection is to provide protection for those species of animals, plants and nature areas which are,
from a European point of view, the most precious, the most endangered, the rarest or whose
appearance is limited to a particular area (endemic).
For the reasons indicated above, one of the goals of Priority Axis 3, Tourism, is also the introduction
and development of projects corresponding to strategies for sustainable tourism. Directives concerning
locations are contained in the recommendations to the states during network implementation. Articles
2 and 6 particularly concern tourism. In accordance with these (and also with other requirements),
tourism projects in NATURA 2000 regions must respect biodiversity and, at the same time, the targets
of both directives. It is inadmissible for any tourism project to be realized on this type of land to have a
negative impact on that land. This is the subject of the acceptability criteria. The applicant must
demonstrate, at a minimum, that the project has a neutral impact on the natural environment. If the
project has a positive impact, it receives a point advantage in evaluating project points.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
6.5.B
Global target and Specific targets of the Priority Axis
6.5.B.1 Global target of the Priority Axis “Tourism”
To increase effectiveness of using the region’s natural and cultural potential
The Priority Axis focuses on increasing the share of tourism in the region’s economic prosperity and
rate of employment by using the region’s existing potential and improving the quality and scope of
tourism infrastructure and services, while respecting the principles of sustainability. Efforts must be
made to make tourism one of the factors decreasing the negative impacts of regional disparity.
The Priority Axis is conceived as an important instrument for the development of prosperity across the
cohesion region. The proposed intervention fields have been elaborated into a number of measures
focusing on the development of tourism infrastructure and services with an impact on job creation.
Earnest efforts will also be made to support investment in improving the tourism infrastructure quality,
including reconstruction of the cultural and technical monuments as the region’s tourist attractions. A
specific form of support under this Priority Axis will include interventions directed towards ensuring
better transport availability of the tourist areas and attractions. Activities supported under this Priority
Axis will have to show a clear economic effect; in particular, they should attract visitors (especially
tourists) from the other regions and from abroad and should also fit in the wider framework of tourism
development in the tourist areas of the Northeast Cohesion Region.
For the purpose of tourism support within the Northeast Cohesion Region, the Regional
Operational Programme, under its Priority Axis “Tourism”, sets the following Specific targets, reflecting
the needs for the development of tourism and resulting from a socioeconomic and a SWOT analysis.
In their formulation, account was taken of the NSRR targets. The targets are in compliance with EC
Regulation on the European Regional Development Fund.
6.5.B.2 Specific targets of the Priority Axis “Tourism”
•
•
To improve the quality and extend the scope of infrastructure for tourism development
To improve the quality of tourism services and their effective coordination
Specific target – To improve the quality and extend the scope of infrastructure for tourism
development
This target focuses mainly on the support of investment in the basic and auxiliary infrastructure for
tourism, that is, in the material and technical support as an important condition for establishing tourism
within the region.
Within the framework of the ROP „Northeast“, the Specific target is developed through the
Area of Intervention 3.1 “Development of Basic Infrastructure and Supporting Activities in the Field of
Tourism”.
Specific target – To improve the quality of tourism services and their effective coordination
This target focuses mainly on the support of investment in improving a wide range of tourism services,
support for creating new tourism products and programs (service packages) by using the existing
potential, and for creating and ensuring a more effective and more focused coordination of the
development and marketing activities in the Northeast Cohesion Region. The quality of the rendered
services has the farthest-reaching influence on the region’s visitation rate, and hence on further
general development of tourism in the region. Within the framework of the ROP „Northeast“, the
Specific target is developed through the Area of Intervention 3.2 “Marketing and Coordination Activities
in the Field of Tourism”.
Picture No 21: Target Tree – Priority Axis 3: Tourism
GLOBAL TARGET OF PRIORITY AXIS 3
To increase effectiveness of using the region’s natural and cultural potential
To increase the share of tourism in the region’s economic prosperity and rate of employment by using the region’s existing
potential and improving the quality and range of tourism services, while respecting the principles of sustainability . To strive
for making tourism one of the factors decreasing the negative impacts of regional disparity.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Specific Target
Specific Target
To improve the
quality and extend
the scope of
infrastructure for
tourism development
6.5.C
To improve the
quality of tourism
services and their
effective
coordination
Area of Intervention 3.1
Area of Intervention 3.2
Development of Basic Infrastructure and
Supporting Activities in the Field of
Tourism
Marketing and Coordination Activities in
the Field of Tourism
Strategy
The great opportunities for the development of tourism in the Northeast Cohesion Region include an
expected increase in tourist attractiveness of theČRas a destination for international tourism, as the
visitors of Prague spread into other regions, as well as an increasing interest of tourists in new specific
tourism products and creation of a functional system for the coordination of tourism activities. As for
the potential increase in attractiveness or likelihood of success, other opportunities come to the fore,
such as developing new forms of tourism, using the good name of the well-known winter holiday
centres to extend the general product called “winter tourism”, extending the range of services of the
cultural institutions to develop tourism, increasing the significance of and using the cultural monuments
to develop tourism and, last but not least, for developing crossborder cooperation.
The Risks matrix ensues there are several threats of the highest importance and probability of
event occurrence (e.g. the continuing absence of a true national tourism strategy or the non-existence
of guarantees for long-term financial flows in the development of tourism, the deteriorating condition of
historical buildings and tourism infrastructure due to their insufficient funding, the clogging-up of tourist
areas by individual motor transport). A more detailed examination should be carried out of the risks
resulting from e.g. an insufficient speed of development of an adequate organisational, management
and information infrastructure for tourism, low competitive strength of some less attractive areas, an
uncoordinated development and low quality of tourism services, a low level of coexistence between
the conditions of environmental protection and the requirements for tourism development.
The Strengths of high importance and deep impact of the Northeast Cohesion Region in the
field of tourism particularly include a significant natural potential, the status of an attractive region well
predisposed for the development of tourism, a variety of different types of landscape and attractive
natural localities, a rich historico-cultural heritage of the region, including a monument put on the
UNESCO list, and the status of an area suitable for yearlong holidays and sports activities. Other
strengths should also be maintained and developed, such as the existing basic technical and tourist
infrastructure, the high-quality network of traditional footpaths, the developing offer for and improving
quality of the winter holiday centres of nationwide importance, etc.
The Weaknesses matrix shows which solutions should be given priority. They include an
insufficiently used tourism potential due to a non-systemic coordination and ineffective promotion, an
inadequate composition and quality of the prevailing basic tourism infrastructure, an absence of (or
small offer for) the auxiliary infrastructure and services (activities) in the winter and summer holiday
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
centres and outside of these centres, an absence of a tourist information and orientation system in
certain parts of the tourist regions, lacking finance capital (both private and public) for tourism
investment, a small number of categorised and certified accommodation facilities, and an insufficient
development and application of tourism organisation (destination management). Moreover, account is
to be taken of the incomplete construction of cycletourist tracks, the small number of coherent tourism
products, and the problems caused by a worse availability and an insufficient transport and technical
infrastructure base of some of the tourist areas and attractions.
In line with the principle of concentration and in effort to concentrate investments and to prevent aid
fragmentation a part of the project evaluation will be assessment of integrated approach and general
impact of the project.
To improve the quality of tourism services
and their effective coordination
To improve the quality and extend the scope
of infrastructure for tourism development
Coincidence Matrix of the thematic SWOT analysis
and Specific targets
- Priority 3
- Tourism
SPECIFIC TARGETS
Table No 20: Coincidence Matrix of the thematic SWOT analysis and Specific targets Priority 3 Tourism
SWOT
STRENGTHS
Significant natural potential, an attractive region well predisposed for the development
of tourism, a variety of different types of landscape and attractive natural localities
(water areas and streams, mountain cities, conservation areas…)
An area suitable for yearlong holidays and sports activities
Basic technical and tourist infrastructure (hotels, boarding houses, facilities for sport
enjoyment, marked footpaths)
Developing offer for and improving quality of the winter holiday centres of nationwide
importance
Rich historical-cultural heritage of the region, including a monument put on the
UNESCO list (the castle in Litomyšl)
Price compatibility of the basic tourism services in the international context
A high-quality network of traditional footpaths
XX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XX
X
X
XXX
XXX
XXX
XX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
X
XXX
XXX
XX
XX
XXX
X
XXX
XXX
XX
XXX
XX
X
XXX
XXX
XXX
XX
XX
WEAKNESSES
Uneven distribution of intensity of holiday-making and tourism in respect of the level of
natural, sports and cultural offer in the NUTS II Northeast Region, a high disproportion
between the level of development of the tourism infrastructure in the individual localities
and holiday centres
Lacking finance capital (both private and public) for tourism investment
An insufficiently used tourism potential due to a non-systemic coordination and little
promotion
Problems caused by a worse availability and an insufficient transport and technical
infrastructure base of some of the tourist areas and attractions
A small number of coherent tourism products
Insufficient development and application of tourism organization (destination
management)
Uneven and inadequate quality of the prevailing offer for accommodation and catering
services; structure not meeting demand
Absence of (or small offer for) auxiliary infrastructure and services (activities) in the
winter and summer holiday centres
Absence of a tourist information and orientation system in certain parts of the tourist
regions
Low yield of the accommodation capacities
An incomplete system of cycle paths (an incoherent system of cycle paths, absence of
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
services along the cycle paths, low-quality surfaces of the roads used)
A small number of categorised ad certified accommodation facilities
XXX
X
XX
XXX
Increasing interest of tourists in new, specific tourism products
XX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
Using the good name of the well-known winter holiday centres to extend the general
product called “winter tourism”
XXX
XXX
XX
XX
XX
XX
X
XXX
X
XX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
XXX
A deteriorating condition of historical buildings and tourism infrastructure due to their
insufficient funding
No long-term financial flows (resources) in the development of tourism guaranteed
XXX
XXX
XX
XXX
Clogging-up of tourist areas by individual motor transport as a result of neglecting the
support for public transport, particularly railway transport
Excessive occupancy of the renowned winter and summer holiday centres
XXX
XXX
X
X
XXX
XXX
XXX
X
XX
XXX
XX
XX
Absence of professional associations of tourism businesses
OPPORTUNITIES
Increasing tourist attractiveness of theČRas a destination for international tourism
Developing new forms of tourism
Development of crossborder cooperation in the field of tourism
Creation of a functional system for the coordination of tourism activities, based on
mutual cooperation of the regions, private and state spheres, interest and professional
organizations
Growing interest of tourists in experiencing the regions’ cultural specifics (traditional
crafts, folklores)
Development of congress and incentive tourisms
Extending the range of services of the cultural institutions to develop tourism
Diffusion of the visitors of Prague to the other regions of theČR
Increasing cultural significance of the cultural monuments and using these monuments
to develop tourism
Using sustainability principles to increase the tourist regions’ attractiveness and
competitive strength; a gradual transition from quality certification to the next grade –
environmental certification
THREATS
An outflow of a part of the foreign demand as a result of an inability to find an adequate
offer (accommodation, catering, complex tourism products) and quality on the part of
entities engaged in tourism
Uncoordinated development and low quality of services in tourism (an insufficient offer
for accommodation and gastronomic services)
Low competitive strength of some less attractive areas
Insufficient speed of development of an adequate organisational, management and
information infrastructure for tourism
A low level of coexistence between the conditions of environmental protection and the
requirements for tourism development
Continuing absence of a truly national tourism strategy
Outflow of permanent population from the areas most valuable in terms of landscape
and tourist attractiveness
Legend:
Relation: X – very weak to weak, XX – medium to strong, XXX – very strong
6.5.D
Area of Intervention 3.1: Development of Basic Infrastructure and
Supporting Activities in the Field of Tourism
This Area of Intervention develops the Specific target “To improve the quality and extend the scope of
infrastructure for tourism development”.
The purpose of the Area of Intervention is, first and foremost, to improve the quality of the
existing potential for basic infrastructure in the region. As part of the activities mentioned below,
projects will be supported that focus on increasing the standard of, and extending the offer for,
accommodation and catering services and the follow-up services in concerned tourist areas of the
Northeast Cohesion Region. The Area of Intervention also focuses on supporting the improvement of
quality and extension of a wide range of the standard and as yet non-standard features of the auxiliary
infrastructure that contribute to the region’s tourist attractiveness. Contributing further to the region’s
attractiveness will be a support for revitalizing the historical-cultural and technical monuments with a
clearly definable relation to the tourism development. Ensuring better transport availability of the tourist
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
centres and tourist attractions, including provision of any necessary technical background, is another
indispensable part.
The public intervention under this Area of Intervention should preferably be channelled to
areas with an insufficiently diversified potential for economic development and yet a high potential for
tourism development. Considering the tourism market and its demand trends, as well as the
development of untraditional forms of tourism and tourist attractions, it is not possible or appropriate to
strictly define in advance any specific region for channelling the support. In such cases, direct support
to business entities, particularly in the field of improving the quality of tourism infrastructure, is also
justified. The priority focus of the support shall be on projects created on the basis of an integrated
approach.
6.5.D.1 Specification of the Area of Intervention
•
•
•
•
•
Modernization and extension of capacities for the basic tourism infrastructure
Reconstruction and development of the auxiliary tourism infrastructure
Support for revitalizing historical-cultural and technical monuments, with the aim of
increasing tourist attractiveness of the region
Support for ensuring availability of the tourist attractions
Creation of products and promotion of the tourism infrastructure supported under the
respective Area of Intervention
6.5.D.2 Global and Operational Targets of the Area of Intervention
Global target :
•
High-quality infrastructure and a wide range of services for the development of tourism
within the region
Operational Targets:
•
•
•
•
6.5.E
High quality and sufficient capacity of the basic tourism infrastructure
Developed auxiliary tourism infrastructure within the region
Good availability of the tourist-attractive areas and monuments for the visitors
Use of the region’s attractions and specifics through a wide range of tourism products
Area of Intervention 3.2: Marketing and Coordination Activities in the
Field of Tourism
This Area of Intervention develops the Specific target “To improve the quality of tourism services and
their effective coordination”.
The primary aim is to make the existing systems of tourism development marketing and
coordination more effective. The support under this Area of Intervention will mainly concern activities
and development of tourism organisation (destination management), establishment of partnerships
(PPP) in tourism, and support for tourism marketing activities. Another integral part is the support for
building, developing, and interrelating information systems within the tourist areas of the Northeast
Cohesion Region. As part of the activities below, projects will be supported that focus on developing
different working papers of an analytical and concept nature, needed for planning in the tourism field.
Through the activity concerning introduction of new tourism products and programs, this Area of
Intervention is logically interrelated with the Area of Intervention 3.1.
Much like in the Area of Intervention 3.1, it is desirable, despite the declared general support
across the region, to channel the public support under this Area of Intervention preferably to areas with
an insufficiently diversified potential for economic development and yet a high potential for tourism
development. However, like in the Area of Intervention 3.1, it is not possible or appropriate to strictly
define in advance any specific region for channelling the support. Under the present Area of
Intervention, a significant development effect can be achieved using the “soft” forms of support listed
below, particularly in areas with a diversified economic potential, where tourism is not the key source
of growth. Supported activities that can be implemented as part of the tourism organisation –
destination management (demand analysis, marketing, product offer etc.) will be mainly relevant for
these areas. The priority focus of the support shall be on projects created on the basis of an integrated
approach.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
6.5.E.1 Specification of the Area of Intervention
•
•
•
•
•
Support for the development of analytical and concept papers in the field of tourism
Support for the establishment and operation of tourism organisations and support for
partnership in the field of tourism
Tourism marketing support
Building and development of tourist information systems
Support for tourism products and programs
6.5.E.2 Global and Operational Targets of the Area of Intervention
Global target :
•
Lasting interest of tourists in the region, ensured through coordinated development
and promotion of the local tourism products
Operational Targets:
•
•
•
High-quality marketing and promotion of tourism products in the region
Functionally interrelated information systems and coordination of tourism in the region
Effective introduction of new attractive tourism products
6.5.F
Categorization of the Areas of Intervention
Categories of aid from structural funds for the program period 2007-2013 are defined in Appendix No.
II to the implementing regulation on detail rules for the application of the general regulation, consisting
of an objective definition of the eligible Area of Intervention and its respective code. Each Area of
Intervention may include one or more categories, depending on Specific/Operational Targets of the
Area of Intervention.
Category
24
55
56
57
58
6.5.G
Designation
Cycling paths
Promotion of natural assets
Protection and development of natural heritage
Other assistance to improve cultural services
Protection and preservation of the cultural heritage
Form of Support
Non-returnable direct aid (subsidy).
In the new program period 2007-2013, the co-financing rate from the EU (SF) funds will only be
applied to eligible public spending.
The amount of support from the structural funds (ERDF) may reach as high as 85% of the total eligible
public outlay for the projects. In cases in which the project is based upon public support in the sense of
No. 87 Par. 1 Founding Treaty of the European Community, Commission Regulation no. 1628/2006
dated 24.10. 2006 concerning the use of Article 87 and 88 of the Contract for Internal Regional
Investment Support will be applied. According to the regional intensity map of public support approved
for the Czech Republic for the 2007-2013 period, the maximal intensity of support provided does not
exceed 40% of eligible outlays for large firms, 50% for midsized firms and 60% for small businesses.
In certain cases, it is also possible to apply ES Regulation (ES) no.1998/2006 concerning the use of
Article 87 and 88 of the Contract on De Minimis Support, it is also possible to provide de minimis
support.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
In order to provide for a greater concentration of investments and to prevent fragmentation of
resources projects to be aided will be only those with a minimum amount of eligible expenditure as
indicated in the below table:
Area of intervention
3.1 Development of basic infrastructure and accompanying
activities in the area of tourism
3.2 Marketing and coordination activities in the area of tourism
6.5.H
Minimum Total Eligible
Expenditure (mil. CZK)
5
1
Type of Support
Individual projects.
6.5.I
Indicators and Their Quantification
Specification and quantification of the indicators to evaluate the Specific targets of Priority Axis/Areas
of Intervention are included in Chapter 7 – Indicators for Monitoring and Evaluation.
6.5.J
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Beneficiaries
Regions
Municipalities
Organizations established or funded by regions and municipalities
Voluntary municipal unions
Non-governmental non-profit organizations
Interest groups of legal entities
Business entities
These Beneficiaries will fulfil the individual intervention fields of this Priority Axis. A detailed
specification of the Beneficiaries by intervention field is given in the implementing document.
6.5.K
•
•
•
•
6.5.L
Target Groups
Regional population and people working in the region
Domestic and foreign visitors to the region and tourists
Local entrepreneurs and entities ensuring services
Entities operating in the non-profit sector, professional associations, municipalities and
municipal unions
Large Projects
Not considered for the Northeast Cohesion Region.
6.5.M
Flexibility (cross-financing)
The operational program is financed only by ERDF. Cross-financing provides the opportunity for
supplementary methods within a given limit per priority axis to finance measures (activities) falling
under the ESF, provided such measures (activities) are necessary for satisfactory implementation of
projects and are directly tied to them. In application of cross-financing, it shall be proceeded in
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
accordance with “Directives for cross-financing for programming period 2007-2013” released on a
national level, so that all the relevant EC directives are hold on to.
In Support Area 3.2 Marketing and Coordination Activities in the Area of Tourism, support is directed
into the following priority:
Cross-financing may be used for the following activities:
o
educational activities concerning the need for human resources development in the area of
tourism (in particular, education of tourist agents)
The applicant chooses the possibility for cross-financing or activities implemented under crossfinancing directly in the subsidy application. The necessity and relevance of these activities will be
judged during project evaluation, and only when the project is approved and chosen for financing will
the allocation for these activities be stated in the Contract for Subsidy Provision. The applicant shall
state expenditure trends in each monitoring report and payment request, making sure that the given
limit of overall Community benefit is not exceeded.
6.5.N
Coordination with Interventions of Other Programmes
The ROP „Northeast“ Priority Axis 3 “Tourism” bears a relation to the following operational
programmes with a nationwide or regional focus:
Integrated Operational Programme
The joint themes of the ROP „Northeast“ and the Integrated Operational Programme include tourism
control and management support, implementation of standards, promotion, development of tourism
products and marketing support. While the focus of the ROP „Northeast“ interventions rests solely on
activities with a regional impact, the IOP directs its attention on projects of supra-regional, national, or
international character.
Another IOP’s Area of Intervention bearing a relation to tourism is a national support for using
the potential of the cultural heritage. It involves construction and modernization of buildings used for
the protection, preservation and other use of cultural heritage, creation of new products in the field,
and presentation of the cultural wealth to the advantage of tourism. The IOP further supports a
complex restoration and use of cultural monument networks with a tourist potential that are situated in
several NUTS II Regions.
OP Czech Republic – Republic of Poland 2007 - 2013
The Operational ProgrammeČR– Poland 2007 - 2013 focuses on using the historical and cultural
heritage for the development of cultural infrastructure and services in the border area, thus
complementing similar activities of the ROP „Northeast“ directed to inside of the region. The difference
between these programmes mainly consists in a different territorial focus of their supports.
OP Free State of Saxony – Czech Repubic 2007 - 2013
The Operational Programme Free State of Saxony – Czech Repubic 2007 - 2013 focuses on
developing the tourism potential in creating marketing strategies and cooperation. The ROP
„Northeast“ contains a similar focus in the field of marketing and coordination activities that aim at
using the tourism potential across the region. The difference between these programmes mainly
consists in the territorial focus of their supports.
EAFRD – Rural Development Programme
From the EAFRD through the Rural Development Programme (PRV), tourism infrastructure for
beginning entrepreneurs with business history no longer than 2 years and project placement in a
municipality no larger than 2 000 residents is supported. The support focuses on redevelopment and
construction of low-capacity accommodation and catering facilities, facilities for sport enjoyment, and
building of turistic footpaths. An integral part is a support for the purchase of technology and devices,
equipment, computers, but also the preparation of marketing studies, etc. The ROP „Northeast“ has a
similar thematic focus in the field of modernising and increasing capacities of the basic and auxiliary
infrastructure for entrepreneurs with a two-year accounting period closed or entrepreneurs with
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
business history no longer than 2 years and project placement in a municipality larger than 2 000
residents. The amount of investment expenditure per project is not limited.
In the area of preserving cultural heritage, the PRV focuses on investment in municipalities
with a population less than 500, while in the ROP „Northeast“, the support aims at investment in
municipalities with a population over 500.
6.5.O
Financial Plan
Tables with financial plans are contained in Chapter 9 – ROP „Northeast“ Funding.
6.6
Priority Axis 4: Development of Entrepreneurial Environment
The Priority Axis is conceived as an important tool for achieving the ROP „Northeast“ Global and
Specific targets in terms of increasing the region’s attractiveness for business and investment. The
areas of public interventions focus mainly on improving the entrepreneurial environment by supporting
investment in the infrastructure, developing cooperation between businesses and education
institutions and labour offices, and supporting innovation activities. Public interventions of the Priority
Axis will contribute to better usability of the existing neglected and unutilized buildings and premises
and areas suitable for business use. Other benefits of the Priority Axis may also be perceived in the
area of increasing employment of the education institution leavers by enabling them to acquire
practical knowledge and skills. Another non-negligible positive influence on the growth of the region’s
prosperity will be exercised by a higher number of innovation activities through which the performance
and competitive strength of the entities engaged in commercialising the scientific research and
development outputs will be increased.
Through its focus, the Priority Axis “Development of Entrepreneurial Environment” will contribute to
meeting even several NSRR Priorities:
Picture No 22: NSRR priorities and the aim of Priority Axis 4 Development of Entrepreneurial Environment
Priority Axis 4: Development of Entrepreneurial Environment
168
Development of Rural Areas
Development of Urban Areas
Balanced Regions Development
Improvement of Transport Availability
Environmental Protection and Improvement
Smart State administration
Development of Information Society
Strengthening of Social Cohesion
Increase of Employment and Employability
Education
Support for R&D Capacities and Innovation
Development of Sustainable Tourism
Competitive Business Sector
NSRR Priorities
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
6.6.A
State-of-the-art
In general, the Northeast Cohesion Region qualifies as an industrial-agricultural region with a big
potential for service development. A typical feature of the economic development in recent years is a
growing share of foreign investment in the values of major macroeconomic indicators. Presently, the
economic drives include the manufacture of transport means, production of electrical and optical
devices, metalworking industry, food industry, production of machines and equipment, and the rubber
and plastics industries. The traditional textile and clothing industries are receding.
The macroeconomic assessment of the region nevertheless hides substantial regional disparities. On
the one hand, there are agglomerations of the regional cities with a good infrastructure, qualified
labour and ample representation of business entities in the progressive industrial fields and services;
on the other hand, there are peripheral rural areas with bad transport connections, an insufficient
technical infrastructure, and a worse social and education distribution of population, as well as strongly
mediocre entrepreneurial activities, which are all reflected by a high rate of unemployment.
The economic restructuring in the 1990’s brought with it the reduction of certain fields (textile, clothing
and leather-working industries, partially glass industry), causing several business to go bankrupt. This
trend resulted in a number of unutilised and neglected buildings and premises (brownfields), which
have lost their original purpose, being now deserted and only decreasing the attractiveness of the
cities and municipalities. Although it will take a lot of investment to regenerate and revitalize these
properties, this will contribute to restoring the functional use of these properties and to the subsequent
development of new activities and increase in employment.
Industry still plays the key role in the region. In addition to the well-established large companies, small
and medium-sized enterprises (SME’s) have increasingly found their way on the market in recent
years, shaping a healthy entrepreneurial environment and providing a stabilizing element to the
economic environment. It is SME’s in the first place that mitigate the impacts of structural changes,
create conditions for the development and introduction of new technologies, or adapt faster to market
demands and fluctuations which are of no or little interest for the larger companies. The use of SME’s
full potential in economy depends on the environment which surrounds them. The negative factors
include their small economic strength, difficult access to capital, worse access to professional training,
lower availability of necessary information and consultation services, dumping prices of imported
goods, competition of business chains established by strong capital companies. A problematic area
not just of the SME’s is the lack of qualified labour, particularly of the young school and training
institution leavers, who lack sufficient experience. Businesses thus lose young perspective labour and
the young lose the chance to acquire first work habits and the hope for later high-quality professional
jobs. This problem may be resolved by fostering an efficient and effective cooperation between
businesses, education institutions, and labour offices with the aim of increasing the school-leavers’
real-life achievement through practical training and acquisition of useful knowledge and skills.
The growth of the region’s performance and competitive strength consists in considerably higher
commercial use of the scientific, research and development outputs through innovative products,
services, processes, etc. The potential the region has in this respect is generally little used, the greater
utilization being prevented by a low level of cooperation between the key players among universities,
research and development organizations and businesses. One solution is to create innovation
strategies that would analyze the present condition, direct future collaboration by fostering current
cooperation between the key regional players, and act as one of the sources giving rise to pilot
innovation projects which would launch regional innovation in much a wider scope than is the case
today. These activities should gradually lead to a growing engagement of other entities in creating
conditions for the region’s growing performance and competitive strength in those fields in which it is
today considered eligible for seizing the growth opportunities.
Justification of the Type of Public Intervention
The need for public intervention in this field is important mainly because of the necessity to eliminate,
or at least partially suppress, the regional and structural (industrial) disparities on the labour market
and to reduce the high rate of unemployment by an indirect support for the development of small and
medium-sized enterprises. The support is not territorially restricted and shall be channelled to those
areas and those Beneficiaries who can ensure an effective use of the public funds and maximum
social benefit for the region.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
6.6.B
Global and Specific targets of the Priority Axis
6.6.B.1 Global target
Environment”
of
the
Priority
Axis
“Development
of
Entrepreneurial
To increase the region’s attractiveness for business and investment
The target is a prospering region with a high-quality entrepreneurial environment, high-quality
entrepreneurial infrastructure for small and medium-sized enterprises, and efficient and effective
cooperation between businesses and education institutions for the creation of new job opportunities.
The Priority Axis “Development of Entrepreneurial Environment” is based on Specific targets of the
ROP „Northeast“. It focuses on entrepreneurial infrastructure and support for the cooperation between
businesses and education institutions as the necessary conditions of development and compatibility of
the whole region.
The Priority Axis is developed through 2 Specific targets, reflecting the region’s economic needs. Their
scope and focus have resulted from a socioeconomic and a SWOT analysis. In their formulation,
account was taken of the results of the 2007-2013 National Development Plan of the CR. The targets
are in compliance with the European Parliament and Commission’s Regulation on the European
Regional Development Fund (ES) no. 1080/2006 and on cancellation of the regulation (ES) no.
1783/1999..
6.6.B.2 Specific targets of the Priority Axis “Development of Entrepreneurial
Environment”
•
•
To improve the entrepreneurial infrastructure through the development of entrepreneurial
properties
To improve the school-leavers’ real-life achievement and better use the region’s potential
in terms of commercialising the research and development outputs
Picture No 23: Target Tree – Priority Axis 4: Development of Entrepreneurial Environment
GLOBAL TARGET OF PRIORITY AXIS 4
To increase the region’s attractiveness for business and investment
To increase the region’s prosperity by developing a high-quality entrepreneurial environment, particularly for small
and medium-sized enterprises, by fostering closer cooperation between businesses and education institutions, by
improving entrepreneurial infrastructure, and by creating new job opportunities.
Specific Target
Specific Target
To improve the
entrepreneurial infrastructure
through the development of
entrepreneurial properties
To improve the school-leavers’
real-life achievement and better
use the region’s potential in
terms of commercialising the
research and development
outputs
Area of Intervention 4.1
Area of Intervention 4.2
Support for the Development
of Entrepreneurial
Infrastructure
Support for the Development of
Cooperation between
Businesses and Secondary
Schools, Training Institutions,
Other Regional Education
Institutions and Labour Offices;
Development of Innovation
Activities in the Region
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
6.6.C
Strategy
The ROP „Northeast“ scope and focus have resulted from the findings of a socioeconomic and a
SWOT analysis carried for the region. The Priority Axis “Development of Entrepreneurial Environment”
focuses on eliminating the region’s weaknesses to create a favourable entrepreneurial environment
largely co-determining the region’s economic prosperity. Another part of the strategy includes an effort
to use the region’s existing opportunities and potential.
A great Opportunity for encouraging the region’s economic development is the investment in urban
and rural brownfields with a view to their restoration for various entrepreneurial activities. A significant
role may also be played by investment in the connection of industrial zones to transport and network
infrastructures. The synergies of these Areas of Intervention can be identified in a concurrent growth of
entrepreneurial activities in these localities, in growing job opportunities, and in an improving use of
urban and rural areas having repercussions on their general appearance. The creation of business
incubators in these localities brings about unprecedented activities and business opportunities related
to innovation activities and a subsequent rise in productivity and competitive strength of the
businesses operating in these buildings, as well as businesses involved in joint projects. A significant
impetus for the growth of the innovation activities will be given by regional innovation strategies
developed in collaboration with key scientific, research and development entities and businesses
operating in the field. In this area of the region, they see a great potential for commercialising the
outputs of research and development and a growing prestige of the region. This is an important
reason for directing the interest of regional representations in this area.
Already today, the region is facing risks related to the lack of qualified labour, particularly in technical
fields, which in the near future might be reflected by a slower economic growth caused by the
decreasing competitive strength of the production and services with low added value. The region will
resolve this problem by strengthening the cooperation between businesses, education institutions and
labour offices. The lack of development areas is already today resulting in a decreasing interest of the
investors in some areas of the region, which has a subsequent adverse effect causing job
opportunities to decline. The interest of investors is further jeopardised as a result of the region’s low
expenditure on research and development and limited capacities to commercialise the research and
development outputs. The absence of innovation strategies, or their ineffective implementation, will
certainly lead to the investors’ dwindling interest in the region.
The region’s Strengths consist in a long-term tradition of technical know-how, in a diversified industrial
base across the region and in a substantial number of universities and secondary schools capable of
supplying qualified labour to the labour market. Some of the universities have already become
significant centres of research and development. These major strengths may be used in the fields on
which the ROP „Northeast“ public interventions are focused.
The Weaknesses consist in a relatively high number of unutilised buildings and areas that have lost
their original purpose. These properties will take huge investment to regenerate and revitalise. In
terms of usability of the areas designed for entrepreneurial activities, there is a problem with their
readiness for “immediate” use, which deeply affects a decreased interest of businesses in entering the
region. In particular, this can be seen in the region’s outlying parts, or in the areas with a high rate of
unemployment. Another substantial weakness is the absence or a very low level of cooperation
between universities and businesses in the area of commercialising the outputs of research and
development. This drawback significantly weakens the potential of manufacturing companies and
service providers for supplying products and services with high added value to the market.
Synergies with Other Operational Programmes
Under the Priority Axis “Development of Entrepreneurial Environment”, the ROP „Northeast“ public
interventions focus on those fields, in which synergies that consist in using the effects of cooperation
between the public and private sectors can be traced. The regional public interventions form part of
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
the whole set of operational programmes of the CR, and all despite their different thematic emphases,
a multiple positive effect will eventually be achieved. Thematically closest is the Operational
Programme “Business and Innovation”, the interventions of which aim at the establishment of
businesses, technological development, reduction of energy performance, innovation activities,
education, and consultation. Other operational programmes, in which business-related activities can
be identified, include “Education and Competitiveness” and “Human Resources and Employment”.
Through a synergy of these programmes, the benefits of public interventions can be increased and the
offered financial resources of the structural funds effectively used.
In line with the principle of concentration and in effort to concentrate investments and to prevent aid
fragmentation a part of the project will be assessment of integrated approach and total impact of the
project.
To increase the school-leavers’ real-life
achievement by training and acquisition of
practical skills
To improve entrepreneurial infrastructure
by developing entrepreneurial properties
Coincidence Matrix of the thematic SWOT analysis
and Specific targets – Priority 4 – Development of Business and
Innovation
SPECIFIC TARGETS
Table No 21: Coincidence Matrix of thematic SWOT analysis and Specific targets – Priority 4 Development
of Business and Innovation
SWOT
STRENGTHS
Long-term tradition of technical know-how thanks to a tradition of machine, chemical,
glass and electro-technical industries
Existence of technically-oriented universities in the region with a research potential for
the development of innovative business
Sufficient diversification of the industrial base with a significant share of small and
medium-sized enterprises and their relatively even distribution across the region
Significant representation and a growing number of businesses with foreign investment
and of foreign companies
X
XX
X
XX
XX
X
X
XX
XXX
XXX
X
X
X
XXX
X
XXX
X
XXX
XXX
X
XXX
X
XXX
XX
XXX
XX
X
X
X
X
WEAKNESSES
A large number of industrial and non-industrial brownfields, problematic utilization of old
industrial premises and former military barracks
Insufficiently prepared and invested development areas for the support of investment
Disagreement and insufficient interrelation of professional training and labour market –
lasting lack of technical experts, particularly in the machine and IT industries
Insufficient interconnection and cooperation of the scientific potential of universities and
the industrial companies and businesses of the region
An underdeveloped sector of so-called strategic services (IT, e-business, marketing,
human resources development)
Existence of economically weak micro regions, mostly of a rural character, with a lowquality infrastructure and a lack of stabilized business entities and job opportunities
OPPORTUNITIES
Creation of an investment support system and preparation of areas and premises for
the coming of new investors oriented on production with higher added value
Using transfer of innovations to increase compatibility of all the business entities in the
region; establishment and development of business incubators, technology and
research parks
Development of strategic services, progressive fields with high added value, and hightech industry in cooperation with foreign entities and businesses, including involvement
of the regional research base and the research and technical potential of universities
Entrepreneurial development in the IT and e-business fields, support for new
technologies aiming at increasing competitive strength within the business sphere
Creating and expanding clusters to encourage cooperation among field-related entities
with the aim of facilitating expansion onto foreign markets
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Using the favourable image of the Northeast Region as a region with qualified and yet
relatively cheap human resources to attract adequate investment and activities
Using the NUTS II Northeast Region’s geographic position and attractiveness for the
entrepreneurial activities of domestic and foreign investors
X
XX
XX
X
X
XXX
X
XX
XXX
X
XX
XXX
X
XX
THREATS
A lack of qualified labour in the region, generally declining interest in technical fields,
insufficient interrelation of the education system with industrial needs; drift of tertiary
education graduates into other territories (particularly to Prague) – weakening of the
region’s intellectual base
Low level of support for science, research and innovations and for bringing results of
the scientific and research activities into practice; an insufficient growth of productivity
and hence of wages in the region, having a negative impact on the population’s living
standards
Lower attractiveness of the region for foreign investors due to an insufficient transport
connection and insufficient readiness of the development areas; a lack of funds for the
reproduction and development of technical infrastructure
Growing rate of unemployment, particularly long-term, due to incomplete restructuring
of the businesses and their low competitive strength on the European market and to a
shifting interest of the foreign and domestic businesses with simple production in
looking for cheap labour in other territories
Insufficient development of small and medium-sized enterprises within the secondary
and tertiary sectors; reduced ability of the local market to absorb suitable labour
Legend:
Relation: X – very weak to weak, XX – medium to strong, XXX – very strong
6.6.D
Area of Intervention 4.1: Support for the Development of
Entrepreneurial Infrastructure
In accordance with Specific targets of the Priority Axis “Development of Entrepreneurial Infrastructure”,
the target of this intervention field is to improve entrepreneurial infrastructure through the development
of entrepreneurial properties. Subject to the support is the regeneration and revitalization of the socalled brownfields 23 found within the urbanised areas designed, for the development of entrepreneurial
activities. The support is defined by the size of the brownfield area and the size of the municipality,
where the property is located, and by the type of economic activities to be professed there. All the
types of brownfields for future continual entrepreneurial activities or extension of public accessories
are a matter of support of the overall development and revitalization except:
• Brownfields with future utilization OKEČ 15 – 37 or when strategic services or technological
centers (further defined in OP PI) are concerned; or the future utilization would be for
agricultural activities
• Brownfields up to 5 ha located in municipalities smaller than 2,000 inhabitants and used for
agricultural activities in the past
• Brpwnfields with future utilization in tourism.
The focus further includes investment in the connection of these properties, as well as the small
development industrial zones and localities, to the follow-up transport and technical infrastructure.
6.6.D.1 Specification of the Area of Intervention
•
Revitalisation of brownfields to develop entrepreneurial activities 26 investment in the
transport and technical infrastructure of smaller-scale industrial zones and localities
6.6.D.2 Global and Operational Targets of the Areas of Intervention
Global target :
•
To extend and improve usability of properties designed for entrepreneurial activities
Operational Targets:
23
Brownfields – uncared and currently unused or little used sites and facilities that have lost their
function and use, which are abandoned or unused or little used.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
•
•
To connect the localities destined for business use to the transport and the so-called
network infrastructure
To use the neglected and unutilised buildings and areas for entrepreneurial and
innovation activities of SME’s
6.6.E
Area of Intervention 4.2: Support for the Development of Cooperation
between Businesses and Secondary Schools, Training Institutions,
Other Regional Education Institutions and Labour Offices;
Development of Innovation Activities in the Region
In accordance with Specific targets of the Priority Axis “Development of Entrepreneurial Infrastructure”,
the target of this intervention field is human resources development for the needs of the business
sector, aiming at better real-life achievement of the school and training institution leavers, chiefly by
improving the quality of practical training of students and trainees and of in-service training and further
education of employees in cooperation with the regional education institutions and labour offices.
6.6.E.1 Specification of the Area of Intervention
•
•
Support for investment to improve material and technical equipment and conditions of
schools and training institutions designed for training school-leavers and acquiring
practical skills
Support for the preparation and implementation of regional innovation strategies and
pilot innovation projects
6.6.E.2 Global and Operational Targets of the Area of Intervention
Global target :
•
To improve cooperation of the regional players in the creation of favourable conditions
for a successful achievement of school-leavers on the labour market and to create a
friendly environment for the development of innovation activities
Operational Targets:
• To improve physical conditions for the school-leavers’ education and acquisition of
practical skills
• To enhance the participation of State administration and other key players in the
region’s innovation activities
6.6.F
Categorization of the Areas of Intervention
Categories of aid from structural funds for the program period 2007-2013 are defined in Appendix No.
II to the implementing regulation on detail rules for the application of the general regulation, consisting
of an objective definition of the eligible Area of Intervention and its respective code. Each Area of
Intervention may include one or more categories, depending on Specific/Operational Targets of the
Area of Intervention.
Category
Designation
03
Technology transfer and improvement of cooperation networks
between small businesses (SMEs), between these and other
businesses and universities, post-secondary education establishment
of all kinds, regional authorities, research centres and scientific and
technological poles (scientific and technological parks, technopoles,
etc.)
Advanced support services for firms and groups of firms
Other investment in firms
05
08
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
09
Other measures to stimulate research and innovation and
entrepreneurship in SMEs
Rehabilitation of industrial sites and contaminated land
Support for self-employment and business start-up
Design, introduction and implementation of reforms in education and
training systems in order to develop employability, improving the
labour market relevance of initial and vocational education and
training, updating skills of training personnel with a view to innovation
and knowledge based economy
Education infrastructure
50
68
72
75
6.6.G
Form of Support
Non-returnable direct aid (subsidy).
In the new program period 2007-2013, the co-financing rate from the EU (SF) funds will only be
applied to eligible public spending. The regional map of public spending intensity covering the period
2007-2013 pursuant to EC Rules for National Regional Support No. 2006/C 54/08 for NUTS II
Northeast is 40% per each aid Beneficiary.
The amount of support from the structural funds (ERDF) may reach as high as 85% of the total eligible
public outlay for the projects. In cases in which the project is based upon public support in the sense of
No. 87 Par. 1 Founding Treaty of the European Community, Commission Regulation no. 1628/2006
dated 24.10. 2006 concerning the use of Article 87 and 88 of the Contract for Internal Regional
Investment Support will be applied. According to the regional intensity map of public support approved
for the Czech Republic for the 2007-2013 period, the maximal intensity of support provided does not
exceed 40% of eligible outlays for large firms, 50% for midsized firms and 60% for small businesses.
In certain cases, it is also possible to apply ES Regulation (ES) no.1998/2006 concerning the use of
Article 87 and 88 of the Contract on De Minimis Support, it is also possible to provide de minimis
support.
In order to provide for a greater concentration of investments and to prevent fragmentation of
resources projects to be aided will be only those with a minimum amount of eligible expenditure as
indicated in the below table:
Area of intervention
4.1 Support to the development of infrastructure for enterprise
4.2 Support to the development of cooperation with secondary
schools and vocational schools, other regional educational
institutions and employment bureaus, development of
innovation activities in the region
6.6.H
Minimum Total Eligible
Expenditure (mil. CZK)
5
0.5
Type of Support
Individual projects.
Structural funds can support the tools of financial engineering ensured by Jessica and Jaspers funds
to prepare and finance projects of the cities, municipalities, municipal unions, and the organisations
they establish within the framework of the ROP „Northeast“.
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6.6.I
Indicators and Their Quantification
Specification and quantification of the indicators to evaluate the Specific targets of Prioritiy Axis/Areas
of Intervention are included in Chapter 7 – Indicators for Monitoring and Evaluation.
6.6.J
•
•
•
•
•
Beneficiaries
Regions
Municipalities
Organisations established or funded by regions and municipalities
Business entities
Secondary schools
These Beneficiaries will fulfil the individual intervention fields of this Priority Axis. A detailed
specification of the Beneficiaries by intervention field is given in the implementing document.
6.6.K
•
•
•
•
•
•
6.6.L
Target Groups
Business entities
Cities and municipalities in the territory of which zones and brownfields are found
Employees of businesses operating in new zones and reconstructed buildings
Training institution leavers (trainees and students)
Business entities requiring practical skills from school-leavers
Education institutions
Flexibility (Cross-financing)
The operational program is financed only by ERDF. Cross-financing provides the opportunity for
supplementary methods within a given limit per priority axis to finance measures (activities) falling
under the ESF, provided such measures (activities) are necessary for satisfactory implementation of
projects and are directly tied to them. In application of cross-financing, it shall be proceeded in
accordance with “Directives for cross-financing for programming period 2007-2013” released on a
national level, so that all the relevant EC directives are hold on to.
Cross-financing may be used for these activities:
o
educational and social activities accompanying investment into infrastructure.
In cooperation with:
- OP Human Resources and Employment (LZZ) – Area of intervention 3.1 Support to social
integration and social services, Area of intervention 3.2 Support to social integration of the
members of Romany localities. OP Education for Competitiveness (VK) Priority axis 1 Basic
education and Priority axis 3 Further education (for the professional education of social
service providers and providers of education)
- OP LZZ – Area of intervention 3.1 Support to social integration and social services, Area of
intervention 3.2 Support to social integration of the members of Romany localities (for the
professional education of providers of social services to persons socially excluded or
threatened by social exclusion, a.o. ethnic minorities)
- OP LZZ – Area of intervention 3.1 Support to social integration and social services, Area of
intervention 3.2 Support to social integration of the members of Romany localities, Area of
intervention 3.3 Integration of socially excluded population groups on labour market, and Area
of intervention 2.1 Strengthening active policies of employment (for activities targeted onto
return onto labour market and in the society, including innovative tools, extension or
completion of education for members of target groups, a.o. ethnic minorities)
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
-
-
-
OP LZZ – Area of support 3.1 Support to social integration and social services (for education
focused on strengthening of cohesion and development of partnerships at local and regional
levels – in towns and rural areas)
OP LZZ – Area of intervention 3.4 Equal opportunities of males and females on labour market
and harmonization of working and family life (for development of education provided to
employers and employees and to other subjects working in the area of harmonization of
working and family life)
Exchange of experience and transfer of good practice between member countries in the
solution of social inclusion of specific target population groups (persons socially excluded or
threatened by social exclusion, a.o. ethnic minorities) and further professional education (OP
LZZ – Area of intervention 5.1 International cooperation)
The applicant chooses the possibility for cross-financing or activities implemented under crossfinancing directly in the subsidy application. The necessity and relevance of these activities will be
judged during project evaluation, and only when the project is approved and chosen for financing will
the allocation for these activities be stated in the Contract for Subsidy Provision. The applicant shall
state expenditure trends in each monitoring report and payment request, making sure that the given
limit of overall Community benefit is not exceeded.
6.6.M
Large Projects
Not considered for the Northeast Cohesion Region.
6.6.N
Coordination with Interventions of Other Programmes
The ROP „Northeast“ Priority Axis 4 “Development of Entrepreneurial Environment” bears a relation to
the following operational programmes with a nationwide or regional focus:
OP Business and Innovation
The dividing line between the Operational programme “Business and Innovation” (OP PI) and the ROP
„Northeast“ is drawn by a totally different scope of both operational programmes, with the ROP
„Northeast“ focusing on the support of development of the transport and technical infrastructure of
industrial zones and small-scale localities, and revitalization, the so-called brownfields. As brownfield
areas are primarily defined by their future economic use, the OP PI concentrates on projects aiming to
create conditions mainly for the processing industry (OKEC 15-37), strategic services and
technological centres. The ROP „Northeast“ Priority Axis 4 focuses on regeneration and revitalization
of the brownfields and their subsequent use for systematic entrepreneurial activities or civic amenities,
excluding:
¾ brownfields with future utilization OKEC 15-37, or strategic services or technological centres
(detailed specification in OP PI) or subsequent agricultural utilization,
¾ brownfields with area up to 5 ha which were used for agricultural purposes and located in
towns with population up to 2,000 inhabitants
¾ brownfields with future utilization in tourism.
In the field of innovation support, the OPBI focuses on supporting technical and non-technical
innovations and enhancing capacities for research and development. The supports partly include the
creation of environment for business and innovation, where the programme’s focus is on infrastructure
for the creation of business incubators and extended cooperation between the business sphere and
education institutions in the research and development field. On the other hand, the ROP „Northeast“
focuses on pilot projects in the innovation field, aiming at mapping and creating an environment for
mutual cooperation of the research and development organisations based on regional innovation
strategies (information on regional activities and a better approach of State administration to the
innovation activities).
In the field of education and human resource infrastructure development, the OPBI focuses
solely on further education within industry, while the ROP „Northeast“ concentrates on secondary
school and training institution graduates without any specific professional focus.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
OP Education for Competitiveness
In the area of initial education, the OP Education for Competitiveness (OP VK) focuses on increasing
the quality of education, improving the student’s equal opportunities and improving the competencies
of teachers and other school staff. In the area of tertiary education, research and development, the
programme aims, among other things, at forging bonds between research institutions and the other
entities within the private and public spheres. The OPVK preferably concentrates on creating and
improving the system and on the “soft” projects aiming at increasing the key competences of schoolleavers to increase their chances for real-life achievement on the labour market.
The dividing line between the ROP „Northeast“ and OPVK is drawn by a different scope of
supported activities. While the ROP „Northeast“ focuses solely on investment projects aiming at the
creation of material and technical conditions for ensuring acquiring practical skills and knowledge in
schools and training centres, while the OPVK concentrates on the “soft” system projects.
The Environmental OP
Rehabilitation of old ecological burdens (SEZ) will be dealt within the framework of the Environmental
OP (hereinafter “OP ŽP“). Less significant contamination may be dealt with under OP PI and ROPs on
the basis of MŽP opinion.
OP Czech Republic – Republic of Poland 2007 - 2013
The OP focuses on the development of entrepreneurial environment in the area of cooperation among
businesses, particularly the SME’s, from partner countries. Activities concentrating on the cooperation
between institutions supporting SME’s, on the provision of expert, consultation and advisory services,
and on ensuring better access to information networks will be supported hereunder. The programme
further supports the organization of seminars and trainings developing cooperation between entities
operating in the border area. The ROP „Northeast“ does not support any activities as such, focusing
on investment projects. The operational programmes have a different thematic and territorial scope.
OP Free State of Saxony – Czech Republic 2007 - 2013
The OP focuses on economic development and on fostering economic and scientific cooperation. Its
main goal is to create a unified investment and economic space. Subject to the supports is the
development of cooperation networks, transfer of technologies and marketing strategies, and creation
of investment incentives. The ROP „Northeast“ has a different thematic scope (investment projects
only). The joint action of both programmes may lead to synergies in the field of entrepreneurial support
on the basis of international cooperation.
EAFRD – Rural Development Programme
From the EAFRD through the Rural Development Program (PRV), it is the diversification of agricultural
activities, consisting in redevelopment of buildings and areas in municipalities with a population less
than 2,000 and with an area less than 5 ha, as well as their use for activities resuming the agricultural
production (for the purpose of using renewable energy sources), that will get the chief support.
Another field is the support for the establishment of new and the development of existing nonagricultural businesses, aiming at diversified economic activities in the country (development of crafts,
tourism, etc.).
Much like the ROP „Northeast“, the PRV focuses on regeneration and revitalisation of
brownfields. The difference between both programmes largely consists in a different delimitation of
area of these properties and size of the municipalities where these properties are found.
The ROP „Northeast“ Priority Axis and the aforementioned operational programmes
complement and condition each other, and as specific supported projects are implemented, they will
create sufficient synergic effects to intensify the results and impacts of these programmes. At the
same time, they will contribute to meeting the targets and priorities of the superior program document
(NSRR). Synergy in the area of brownfields will be achieved in particular thanks to mutual
consultations of the Managing Authorities of OP PI and OP ŽP before announcement of invitations for
presenting project proposals concerning brownfields, and thanks to mutual communication on projects
selected.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
6.6.O
Financial Plan
Tables with financial plans are contained in Chapter 9 – ROP „Northeast“ Funding.
6.7
6.7.A
Priority Axis 5: Technical Assistance
State-of-the-art
In accordance with the legislative framework for structural funds, the Priority Axis “Technical
Assistance” focuses on the support and implementation of the ROP „Northeast“. It provides a crosssectional axis, touching upon all Priority Axes and Areas of Intervention of the ROP „Northeast“. Under
the Priority Axis “Technical Assistance”, activities for the support of management, implementation,
control, monitoring, evaluation, promotion of the Regional Operational Programme, and increase of the
region’s absorption capacity shall be funded in particular.
6.7.B
Global and Specific targets of the Priority Axis
6.7.B.1 Global target of the Priority Axis “Technical Assistance”
To ensure activities related to implementation and management of the Regional Operational
Programme and strengthen the absorption capacity of the NUTS II Northeast Region.
The priority Axis is developed through 2 Specific targets the focus of which covers activities that can
be implemented under this Priority Axis.
6.7.B.2 Specific targets of the Priority Axis “Technical Assistance”
•
•
To ensure optimum administration capacity for the purpose of an effective and troublefree implementation of the programme
To ensure sufficient absorption capacity in the region
Specific target – To ensure optimum administration capacity for the purpose of an effective
and trouble-free implementation of the programme
This target focuses on ensuring funding to cover the costs necessary for an effective and trouble-free
management, monitoring, control, audit, analysis, promotion and information provision at all levels of
the ROP „Northeast“. The target is also aimed at supporting activities designed to reinforce the
administrative capacity of the implementing bodies in the area of materials and technology, as well as
in human resources and preparation for the next program period. Within the framework of the ROP
„Northeast“, the Specific target 1 is developed through the Area of Intervention 5.1 “Support for
Activities Related to the ROP „Northeast“ Implementation and Management”.
Specific target – To ensure sufficient absorption capacity in the region
This target focuses on covering the costs related to the support for the creation, preparation and
implementation of projects to be applied under the ROP „Northeast“ Priority Axes. Within the
framework of the ROP „Northeast“, the Specific target 2 is developed through the Area of Intervention
5.2 “Support for Absorption Capacity of the Northeast Cohesion Region”.
Picture No 24: Target Tree – Priority Axis 5: Technical Assistance
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
GLOBAL TARGET OF PRIORITY AXIS 5
To ensure activities related to the
implementation and management of the
Regional Operational Programme and
strengthen the absorption capacity of the NUTS
II Northeast Region
Specific Target
Specific Target
To ensure optimum
administration capacity for the
purpose of an effective and
trouble-free implementation of
the program
To ensure sufficient
absorption capacity in
the region
Area of Intervention 5.1
Area of Intervention
5.2
Support for Activities Related
to the ROP „Northeast“
Implementation and
Management
6.7.C
Support for Absorption
Capacity of the
cohesion region
Area of Intervention 5.1: Support for Activities Related to the ROP
„Northeast“ Implementation and Management
This Area of Intervention develops a specific target “To ensure an effective and trouble-free
implementation of the ROP „Northeast“” with an emphasis on ensuring such conditions for the
programme’s implementation as would guarantee its effective management. The Area of Intervention
focuses on activities related to the preparation, selection and evaluation of advertising of aid and
operations.
6.7.C.1 Specification of the Area of Intervention
•
•
•
•
Programme management and implementation
Programme monitoring and evaluation
Control and control systems
Information and publicity
6.7.C.2 Global target and Operational Targets of the Area of Intervention
Global target:
•
Effective and efficient programme administration, the aim of which shall be a
successful programme implementation
Operational Targets:
•
•
Purchase of equipment needed for managing and implementing of the Operational
Programme
Creation of documents needed for managing the Operational Programme
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
•
•
•
•
•
•
Evaluation of the best practices and international exchange of experience related to the
management and implementation of the Operational Programme
Preparation and development of human resources for implementing of the Operational
Programme
Ensuring administration for the Operational Programme
Ensuring publicity for the Programme
Elaboration of studies and surveys needed for managing, monitoring, and evaluating of
the Regional Operational Programme
Preparation for future program period
6.7.D
Area of Intervention 5.2: Support for Absorption Capacity of the
Northeast Cohesion Region
This Area of Intervention develops the Specific target “To ensure adequate absorption capacity in the
region” (see Target Tree). The main target of the Area of Intervention is to increase the Beneficiaries’
ability to prepare and subsequently implement and account successfully the projects co-financed from
the ERDF through the ROP „Northeast“.
A particular tool will be the provision of assistance to potential project presenters and actual
presenters, and at the same time to aid beneficiaries, particularly in the form of the provision of expert
information, consulting and educational activities implemented via a pilot project. Aid will be targeted at
expert assistance in the phase of project goal identification, through the preparation of project
requests and up to the realization of the project and presentation of monitoring reports and requests
for payment (including preparation of payment requests). One of the means for this aid will be
organizing factually related educational and consultation programs reflect the experience gained in the
realization of pilot projects aimed at transferring know-how to other applicatns and recipients in ROP
„Northeast“. Another tool will be undertaking an analysis of absorption capacity connected to ROP
„Northeast“.
6.7.D.1 Specification of the Area of Intervention
•
•
•
Support for creation, preparation and realization of projects in ROP „Northeast“
Provision of information, advisory and consultation services as part of assistance for
pilot projects
Analyses of absorption capacity in the Northeast cohesion region
6.7.D.2 Global and Operational Targets of the Area of Intervention
Global target :
•
High absorption capacity of the region enabling the targets and planned impacts of the
programme to be met
Operational Targets:
•
•
•
•
•
Support for initiating and preparing regional projects for the successful drawdown of
European funds through the realization of pilot projects
Support for implementing, managing and successful charging of projects in connection
with the realization of pilot projects
Human resources development related to project preparation, implementation and
successful accounting in connection with the realization of pilot projects
Preparation of the future program period in connection with the realization of pilot
projects
Preparing an analysis of absorption capactiy
6.7.E
Category
Categorization of the Areas of Intervention
Designation
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
85
86
Preparation, Implementation, Monitoring, and Inspection
Evaluation and Studies, Information and Communication
6.7.F
Form of Support
Non-returnable direct aid (subsidy).
The extent of co-financing using EU(SF) funds in the new programming period 2007 - 2013 will relate
only to eligible public expenditures.
The amount of support from structural funds (ERDF) may reach up to 85 % out of total eligible public
outlays for the projects.
6.7.G
Type of Support
Individual projects.
6.7.H
Indicators and Their Quantification
Specification and quantification of the indicators to evaluate the Specific targets of Prioritiy Axis/Areas
of Intervention are included in Chapter 7 – Indicators for Monitoring and Evaluation.
6.7.I
•
•
Beneficiaries
Regional Council of the Cohesion Region
Regions and the organisations they have established or founded
These Beneficiaries will fulfil the individual intervention fields of this Priority Axis. A detailed
specification of the Beneficiaries by intervention field is given in the implementing document.
6.7.J
Coordination with Interventions of Other Programmes
The Priority Axis “ROP „Northeast“ Technical Assistance is designed solely for the needs of this
operational programme, however it shows a complementary tie to the Technical Assistance
Operational Programme. Technical Assistance OP will ensure preparation of methodology for the
creation of manuals for implementing SF, for the development of financial management, further
support of the activities of the Payment and Certification Body (PCO) and Auditing Body (AO) and
external education for employees participating in ERDF implementation on the central and regional
levels of ERDF implementation, exceeding the framework of individual OPs including regional OPs.
OP TP will at the same time cover the needs of coordination and support for strategic and
methodological management of the development of absorption capacity and support absorption
capacity with cross-sectional intervention. The ROP „Northeast“ in this connection focuses on the
support of absorption capacity in specific areas which fall thematically under it.
6.7.K
Financial Plan
Tables with financial plans are contained in Chapter 9 – ROP „Northeast“ Funding.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
7
Indicators for Monitoring and Evaluation
Features and Characteristics of Indicator System
The ROP „Northeast“ indicator system was created for the purpose of effectively managing the
distribution of financial resources drawn from the EU structural funds. The aim of the whole
interrelated system of indicators is to enable measurement of outputs, results and impacts of the ROP
„Northeast“ and the individual projects. Its main users will include the programme managers and
monitoring and evaluation staff as well as Monitoring Committee members, NSSR national coordinator
and European Commission.
The indicator system setting is based on article 37 of the General Regulation and on the needs of
programming, monitoring and evaluating the ROP. The aim of the indicator system is to measure how
general targets are met, using indicators to monitor the ROP „Northeast“ implementations and
evaluate its performance in respect of the targets set. It also serves as a decision-making tool and a
tool for flexible monitoring of deviations from the set targets.
The ROP „Northeast“ indicator system is based upon indicators from the National Indicator Code List
for the programming period 2007-2013, common to all operational programmes of the ČR. ROP
„Northeast“ indicators have been selected from the list of National Indicators on the basis of the
principle of pertinence to ROP „Northeast“ goals, transparency and especially linkage to the priorities
of the Community (so-called "core" indicators), transparency with regard to the NSRR (especially
context indicators) and at the same time ties to the Lisbon strategy. The collection of indicators also
contains indicators aimed at monitoring aspects of the horizontal themes within the ROP „Northeast“
framework. In agreement with the methodology of the European Commission, the following types of
indicators were included in the ROP „Northeast“ indicator set on the basis of the framework for the
system of measuring and quantifying program goals.
ƒ
context indicators, expressing, through a presentation of tendency in the main macroeconomic
indicators and through comparisons of the region’s and its districts’ position with the EU averages,
a social-economic framework within which the ROP „Northeast“ programme targets are
implemented; these indicators are linked to NSRR. They follow goals of national policies and the
cohesion policy. Indicator values serve as quantifying starting points for ex-ante, concurrent and
ex-post analyses.
ƒ
programme indicators, bearing a direct relation to the provision of aid and to the side effects.
They include: source indicators, financial indicators, indicators of output, result and impact. For
purposes of the ROP „Northeast“, the following indicators were included into the set
-
output indicators, providing information on the outputs of each event/project within the ROP
„Northeast“ framework (forming part of a continuous monitoring process);
-
result indicators, measuring the results of public interventions. They constitute an important
basis for the ROP „Northeast“ management during the whole period of its implementation;
-
impact indicators, measuring how decisive targets of the Operational Programme are met;
these indicators were selected for the ROP „Northeast“ only for programme level for the
purpose of providing information on fulfilling global goals of the program and making strategic
decisions.
For the purpose of evaluating the ROP „Northeast“’s success by the European Commission, core
indicators have been integrated in the indicator system. These indicators express Community
priorities, have an obligatory character and shall be monitored through annual monitoring reports and
aggregated up to the NSRR level. The core indicators play a key role for the control performed by the
European Commission bodies and are considered the top of the indicator structure.
In the context of fulfilling the horizontal theme Sustainable Development, aside from indicators,
environmental criteria are observed (see Chapter 5.12). The goal of these criteria is an evaluation of
the contribution the program's realization makes to the natural environment of the region.
Basic levels of use of the ROP „Northeast“ indicator set
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
description of the socio-economic environment,
monitoring,
evaluation.
The proposed monitoring and evaluation indicators reflect to the maximum extent the possibilities
yielded by current information sources that are available to the Czech Statistical Office, departmental
statistics or EUROSTAT, as appropriate. Data on programme implementation outputs will be obtained
from implementation information systems by the monitoring and evaluation staff.
The whole indicator system makes it possible to measure the contribution of structural funds to the
implementation of Lisbon Strategy in the Northeast Cohesion Region.
The initial value given in indicator tables provides the initial values from 2004, the target values being
those expected in 2013/2015.
Within the framework of the management of the program partial indicators are also used which serve
to analyze in greater detail development in the individual support areas of the program and horizontal
themes. These partial indicators are organized and evaluated in a very flexible manner according to
the needs of the program, the needs of the Managing Authority or other entity and according to
evaluation studies. The choice of such indicators reflects various specifics of the regions, development
of the program and also conclusions of evaluation studies whose compatibility and use is outlined in
the Operation Manual of the program.
The quality of the ROP „Northeast“ indicator system rests on an unambiguous understanding of the
intervention logic. A significant achievement of the indicator definition includes proportionality, i.e. a
proportionate and balanced coverage across the Priority Axes, fields of intervention, and projects. An
example would be the impact indicators that should only cover the fields requiring large volumes of
intervention. All the required features of the indicators used, i.e. relevance, sensitivity, availability,
feasibility, and cost of measurement/acquisition, etc., have been appreciated by the indicator
definition.
Analysis of indicators
The Managing Authority of the program is responsible for analysis of the indicators: the Regional
Council of the Northeast cohesion region or staff of the Department of Methodological Management of
the program and monitoring.
Indicators are monitored with varying intensity depending upon the publication of statistics by
individual relevant information providers (sources).
Measurement of output indicators takes place every 6 to 12 months in dependence upon data sources
and operations within the ROP „Northeast“ framework. The first evaluation of these indicators is
derived from the temporal course of the realization of the first projects of the program and monitoring
reports on these projects.
Measurement of indicators of results will take place once a year. The first measurement of results will
be carried out as soon as possible after the completion of the first projects, likely two years after the
initiation of activities by the ROP „Northeast“.
Project presenters serve as basic sources of data and fulfilment of indicators. Already at the time of
application the applicant obligates himself to fulfil indicators which are relevant to his project and in
case of realization of the project provides information within the framework of monitoring reports.
At the level of the Managing Authority, this data is assembled in the IS Monit 7+ information system
and is evaluated together with data from statistical sources, serves as a basis for monitoring reports at
the program level, annual reports and concluding reports, management of the program, evaluation
studies, etc., and are provided to the relevant entities: the monitoring committee of the program, NOK
and European Commission. A more detailed description of monitoring indicators and their use may be
found in the Operating Manual ROP „Northeast“.
Set of monitoring indicators for ROP „Northeast“:
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
7.1
Context Indicators
The general implementation and evaluation of the ROP „Northeast“ shall be done within the context of
the following characteristics of the social and economic situation in the region:
Table No 22: Context Indicators
Indicator Type
Indicator
Contex
Total population
Contex
Age index
Contex
Contex
Unit of Measure
Source
2005 value
number
ČSÚ
1, 483, 423
%
ČSÚ
0,89
PPS
ČSÚ
13, 602
%
ČSÚ
84,9
%
ČSÚ
94,8
ČSÚ
5,6
Regional GDP per capita in
PPS
Regional GDP per capita in
PPS, CZ = 100
Net disposable retirement
Contex
income per capita, CZ =
100
Contex
rate
% (date according to
Labour Force Sample
Survey)
Contex
Length of secondary roads
km
ČSÚ
2 301
Contex
Length of tertiary roads
km
ČSÚ
6 265
Contex
Collective accommodation
facilities for tourism – beds
Number of guests staying
ks
ČSÚ
103, 717
thous. people
ČSÚ
7, 700
%
ČSÚ
69
Contex
Contex
7.2
General unemployment
overnight
Share of urban population
Program indicators
Talbe No 23: Program indicators
National indicator
code
Indicator
Quantification
Estimated value
Value 2005
in the year 2015
Unit of
measure
Source
number
region
0
982
number
region
0
93
number
region
0
240
number
region
0
245
Output indicators
51 01 00
NSRR, CORE
51 11 00
NSRR, CORE
Number of supported projects total
Relevant to priority axis : 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Number of supported projects for
transport development (serviceability)
Relevant to priority axis : 1
51 21 00
NSRR, CORE
Number of supported projects for rural
development (municipalities) total
Relevant to priority axis : 2
51 15 00
NSRR, CORE
Number of supported projects aimed at
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
sustainable development and increased
attractiveness of urban areas and large
cities - total
Relevant to priority axis : 2
51 12 00
NSRR, CORE
Number of supported projects for tourism
development
number
region
0
298
number
region
0
46
number
region
0
60
km
region
0
150
km
region
0
40
number
region
0
50
number
Region
0
20
ha
Region
0
70
ha
Region
0
55
number
Region
0
400
number of beds
region
0
450
thous. people
ČSÚ
7 700
number
region
0
89
number
region
0
89
thous. CZK
region
%
ČSÚ
Relevant to priority axis : 3
51 31 00
NSRR, CORE
Number of supported projects for
development of the commercial
environment
Relevant to priority axis : 4
51 41 00
NSRR, CORE
61 01 00
NSRR, CORE
61 01 10
Number of supported projects for
technical assistance
Relevant to priority axis : 5
Total length of new and reconstructed
highways of Class II and III
Relevant to priority axis: 1
Length of newly constructed bicycle paths
total
Relevant to priority axis : 1, 3
22 01 00
Projects focused on waste management
Relevant to priority axis : 2, 4
37 33 00
Number of projects focused on
environmentally friendly forms of transport
Relevant to priority axis: 1
65 01 00
NSRR, CORE
Area of regenerated and revitalized
landscape in total
Relevant to priority axis : 2, 4
65 20 00
Area of revitalized unexploited or
neglected areals (brownfields) in total
Relevant to priority axis : 2, 4
07 42 70
Number of partners involved
Relevant to priority axis : 1.2,3, 4, 5
Result indicators
63 01 00
Number of newly built or reconstructed
beds
Relevant to priority axis : 3
63 05 02
52 01 01
NSRR, CORE
52 01 02
NSRR, CORE
Visitors to the region - number of nights
spent
Relevant to priority axis : 3
Number of newly created employment
positions for men
Relevant to priority axis : 1,2,3,4
Number of newly created employment
positions for women
7 855
Relevant to priority axis : 1,2,3,4
Impact indicators
51 61 11
Total realized expenditures for projects in
thous. CZK
0
21 624 484
5,6
5,5
Relevant to priority axis : 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
52 08 00
NSRR, CORE
General extent of unemployment in NUTS
II region total
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Relevant to priority axis : 1, 3, 4
65 31 02
Exposure of population to PM10 in excess
of limits
%
ČMHÚ
1,65
1,16
kt/year
ČMHÚ
95,9
84,4
Relevant to priority axis : 1
7.3
21 23 00
Lowering emissions of primary particles
and precursor secondary particles
21 11 00
Quantified emissions from stationary
sources – SO2
thous. t/km2
ČMHÚ
27,6
26
21 12 00
Quantified emissions from stationary
sources - NOx
thous. t/km2
ČMHÚ
28,7
27,2
21 13 00
Quantified emissions from stationary
sources - CO
thous. t/km2
ČMHÚ
51,5
50,3
Priority axis indicators
Table No 24: Indicators for priority axis 1: Development of transport infrastructure evaluation
National indicator
code
Indicator
Quantification
Estimated value
Value 2005
in the year 2015
Unit of
measure
Source
number
region
0
93
km
region
0
30
km
region
0
120
km
region
0
20
persons
region
0
30 000
number
region
0
29
%
region
0
2
number
region
0
23
%
region
0
20
Output Indicators
51 11 00
NSRR, CORE
61 01 01
NSRR, CORE
61 01 02
NSRR, CORE
Number of supported projects for
Transport development (serviceability)
Relevance to support areas: 1.1,
1.2,1.3
Length of new Class II and II highways
Relevance to support areas: 1.1
Length of reconstructed Class II and III
highways
Relevance to support areas: 1.1
61 01 10
Length of newly constructed cycle
paths total
Relevance to support areas: 1.2
61 02 05
Increase in the total number of persons
transported by public transport
Relevance to support areas: 1.2
61 02 41
Number of newly obtained ecological
vehicles in public transportation
Relevance to support areas: 1.2
Result Indicators
61 01 08
Share of newly reconstructed and new
highways in the total regional highway
network
Relevance to support areas: 1.1
52 02 11
NSRR, CORE
Number of newly created employment
positions within the transportation
serviceability project framework
Relevance to support areas: 1.2,1.3
61 03 11
Number of dispatched passengers at
regional airports– change of number
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
over time in %
Relevance to support areas: 1.3
Table No 25: Indicators for priority 2 axis: Development of urban and rural areas evaluation
National Indicator
Code
Indicator
Quantification
Estimated value
Value 2005
in the year 2015
Unit of
measure
Source
number
region
0
245
number
region
0
50
number
region
0
195
number
region
0
240
ha
region
0
35
m
2
region
0
85 000
m
2
region
0
28 000
ha
region
0
20
count
region
0
5
count
region
0
5
Output Indicators
51 15 00
CORE
Number of supported projects aimed at
sustainable development and
increased attractiveness of urban areas
and large cities total
Relevance to support areas: 2.1, 2.2
51 15 10
NSRR, CORE
Number of supported projects for
development (increased attractiveness)
of regional cities total
Relevance to support areas: 2.1
51 15 41
CORE
Number of projects increasing
attractiveness – other cities
Relevance to support areas: 2.2
51 21 00
NSRR, CORE
Number of supported projects
increasing the attractiveness of rural
areas (municipalities) total
Relevance to support areas: 2.3
Result Indicators
65 01 00
NSRR, CORE
65 11 00
CORE
Regenerated and revitalized surface
area total
Relevance to support areas: 2.1,
2.2,2.3
Regenerated and revitalized buildings
in cities total
Relevance to support areas: 2.1, 2.2
65 15 00
Surface area of regenerated or
revitalized buildings in rural areas
(municipalities) total
Relevance to support areas: 2.3
65 20 00
Surface area of revitalized unused or
neglected grounds (brownfields) total
Relevance to support areas: 2.1,2.2 2.3
52 02 13
Count of newly created work positions
as part of projects for sustainable urban
development
Relevant to support areas: 2.1,2.2
52 02 15
Count of newly created work positions
as part of projects for sustainable rural
areas
Relevant to support area: 2.3
65 11 03
CORE
Surface area of regenerated or
revitalized buildings for social services
and healthcare
m
2
region
0
20 000
m
2
region
0
20 000
Relevance to support areas: 2.1,2.2 2.3
65 11 01
CORE
Surface area of regenerated or
revitalized buildings designated for
education development
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Relevance to support areas: 2.1,2.2 2.3
Table No 26: Indicators for priority axis 3: Tourism evaluation
National Indicator
Code
Indicator
Quantification
Estimated value
Value 2005
in the year 2015
Unit of
measure
Source
number
region
0
298
km
region
0
20
number
region
0
75
thous. people
ČSÚ
number
region
0
450
number
region
0
10
Output Indicators
51 12 00
NSRR, CORE
Number of supported projects on
tourism development
Relevance to support areas: 3.1, 3.2
61 01 10
Length of newly constructed cycle
paths total
Relevance to support areas: 3.1
Result Indicators
52 02 12
NSRR, CORE
Number of newly created employment
positions within the framework of
projects on tourism development
Relevance to support areas: 3.1, 3.2
63 05 02
Visitors to the region - number of nights
spent
7 700
7 855
Relevance to support areas: 3.1, 3.2
63 01 00
Number of newly built or reconstructed
beds
Relevance to support areas: 3.1
63 22 00
Number of reconstructed historical
sites/buildings
Relevance to support areas: 3.1
Table No 27: Indicators for priority axis 4: Development of commercial environment
National Indicator
Code
Indicator
Quantification
Estimated value
Value 2005
in the year 2015
Unit of
measure
Source
number
region
0
46
thous.CZK
region
0
728 000
number
region
0
70
ha
region
0
35
Output Indicators
51 31 00
NSRR, CORE
Number of supported projects on
commercial environment development
Relevance to support areas: 4.1
51 61 21
Total realized expenditures on creating
industrial zones and revitalization of
brownfields
Relevance to support areas: 4.1
Result Indicators
52 02 21
NSRR, CORE
Number of newly created employment
positions within the framework of
projects on development of commercial
environment total
Relevance to support areas: 4.1
65 20 00
Surface area of revitalized unused or
abandoned grounds (brownfields) total
Relevance to support areas: 4.1
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Table No 29: Indicators for priority axis 5: Technical assistance evaluation
National Indicator
Code
Indicator
Quantification
Estimated value
Value 2005
in the year 2015
Unit of
measure
Source
number
region
0
60
number
region
0
50
number
region
0
20
number
region
0
100
Output Indicators
51 41 00
NSRR, CORE
71 01 00
Number of supported projects
Technical assistance
Relevance to support areas: 5.1, 5.2
Number of meetings of managing and
advisory authorities
Relevance to support areas: 5.1
71 05 00
Realization of evaluation studies and
reports total
Relevance to support areas: 5.1
71 11 01
Number of realized training sessions,
seminars, workshops and conferences
Relevance to support areas: 5.1, 5.2
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
8
Implementation Part
The Northeast Regional Operational Programme’s implementation structure is in compliance with Act
No. 248/2000 Coll., on the Support of Regional Development, as amended by Act No. 138/2006
(hereinafter “Act”). The Managing Authority of the Regional Operational Programme is the Regional
Council.
The description of the individual entities is based on the Council Regulation (ES).
The Managing Authority does not establish any intermediary entities.
The aim is to create a simple and clear implementation structure to be available, to the maximum
extent possible, to all Beneficiaries. To this end, local offices of the Managing Authority shall be
established in each region.
8.1
Programme Implementation
The Managing Authority – Regional Council of the Northeast Cohesion Region (hereinafter “RC”) –
shall be generally responsible for implementing the ROP „Northeast“. The Regional Council bodies are
established under the Act: the Regional Council Committee (hereinafter “Committee”), the Regional
Council Chairman and the Regional council Authority (hereinafter “Office”).
For the purpose of approving criteria for the selection of projects and programme-level monitoring, the
ROP „Northeast“ Monitoring Committee shall be established. The Monitoring Committee will rest on
the principle of partnership in the presence of economic and social partners.
The function of the Certification Body (hereinafter “CO”) shall be performed by the Payment and
Certification Body – NF MF and the function of the Audit Body shall be performed by CHJ MF.
The Managing Authority ensures that any State aid granted under the ROP “Northeast” will comply
with the procedural and material State aid rules applicable at the point of time when the public support
is granted.
Distribution of Powers within ROP „Northeast“
As the ROP „Northeast“’s Managing Authority, the RR is responsible for managing and implementing
the Operational Programme. In accordance with the principle of proper financial management, the RC
shall in particular bear responsibility for ensuring transparent selection of projects, project monitoring,
co-financing from the public funds, managing activities of the Monitoring Committee, providing
information and reports, ensuring the Programme’s publicity, etc. The distribution of powers between
the individual RC bodies is stipulated by the Act. For reinforcing the absorption structure and
administrative capacity of the ŘO, adequate means have been allocated from Priority Axis 5,
Technical Assistance.
Regional Council Committee
The Committee is established under the Act. The Committee members are elected from among the
Members of the Regional Assemblies making up the Northeast Cohesion Region – i.e. the Pardubice,
Liberec and Hradec-Králové-Regions.
Under the Act, the Committee:
A.
B.
C.
D.
approves the implementation and management documentation of the Regional Operational
Programme Northeast;
approves measures concerning publicity and awareness about the Regional Operational
Programme Northeast;
approves selections of the projects to which the Regional Council shall grant a subsidy or
returnable financial assistance;
approves the budget and balance account;
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
E.
F.
G.
H.
elects the Chairman and Vice-chairmen of the RC;
appoints and removes the Office Director on the RC Chairman’s proposal;
defines the RC organisational structure and number of employees;
approves other matters, as long as the Committee’s Code of Procedure so provides.
The Committee is responsible for managing and implementing the ROP „Northeast“, being further
accountable for:
a)
preparing, discussing and submitting the OP to the European Commission;
b)
introducing a system to gather reliable financial and statistic information on the implementation
of the OP, introducing monitoring and evaluation indicators, and transferring these data in the
agreed electronic format to the Monitoring Committee, to the Payment and Certification Body
(MF) and to the European Commission (EC);
c)
ensuring elaboration of annual and final reports on the OP implementation and (following the
approval of the Monitoring Committee) on the submission to the EC (a copy of final report on
the OP implementation will be granted to AO;
d)
the establishment and activities of the Programme’s Monitoring Committee;
e)
ensuring that the Payment and Certification Body receives all the necessary information on the
procedures and audits carried out in respect of expenses for the purpose of issuing a Cost
Justification Certificate;
f)
ensuring that the Auditing Body receives the required documents and data for analytical and
reporting activities;
g)
securing the ROP „Northeast“’s evaluation;
h)
ensuring that entities involved in the OP management and implementation, including support
Beneficiaries and other entities involved in the implementation, keep an independent
accounting system or use an appropriate account reference codes for all the aid-related
transactions;
i)
securing procedures to investigate irregularities and send monthly reports on detection
irregularities and to inform quartrely PCO, representative of the AFCOS net and AO about
irregularities developed within programs´ implementation (including method of resolution of
already identified irregularities);
j)
ensuring measures for correction in case defects occur;
k)
ensuring compliance with national policies and Community policies, particularly with respect to
awarding public contracts, public aid rules, environmental protection, and equal opportunities;
l)
ensuring sources of national co-financing;
m)
providing information enabling the EC to evaluate large projects;
n)
fulfilling duties concerning information on, and promotion of, the OP;
o)
selecting projects to which the Regional Council will grant a subsidy or returnable financial
assistance.
Regional council Authority (hereinafter “Office”)
The Office is the RC’s executive body, taking care of all tasks related to the function of the ROP
„Northeast“’s Managing Authority, excluding matters delegated or reserved to the Committee and the
RC Chairman. The Office also fulfils tasks connected with the professional, organisational and
technical support of the RC activities.
In particular, the Office ensures the following tasks:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
accepting support requests and organising calls for projects;
providing information on the Programme;
considering formal requirements and acceptability of the submitted projects;
ensuring project quality evaluations;
drafting contracts on project funding;
monitoring compliance with the rules for awarding public contracts when successful projects are
implemented;
g) checking work flow in each project;
h) ensuring functioning of the monitoring system, i.e. of the electronic data records for monitoring and
evaluating the Programme implementation;
i) processing cost data as a basis for certification;
j) collecting data for the ROP „Northeast“’s annual and final reports;
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
k) carrying out and ensuring performance of financial inspections for project implementations, aiming
at verifying whether the co-financed products and services have been delivered and the required
cost expended in compliance with the terms of the contract on project funding and theČRand EU
legislation;
l) reviewing submitted requests for the reimbursement of expended costs to any support Beneficiary
(verifying compliance with the defined performance targets and financial plan of the project, as
well as compliance with theČRand EU policies and legislation, considering the cost eligibility, etc.);
m) ensuring publicity;
n) preparing the RC budget and balance account;
o) making the definition of the managing and controlling systems and submitting this definition to
Auditing Body in such a term, so that it was possible to send it to EC within 12 months after the
approval of the programme;
p) submitting the application for editing of the closure declaration to Auditing Body .
The implementation, payment and audit functions of the Office are strictly separated.
Local offices of the Office
An important role within the implementation structure is played by local offices of the Office in each
region of the NUTS II Northeast Region. They secure an effective and user-friendly implementation of
the Programme.
Local offices are supported by the Office staff.
The local offices serve to provide information, accept requests and ensure they are evaluated, draft
contracts with the Beneficiaries and to check the projects.
Regional Council Chairman
Acting as a statutory body of the Regional Council and representing it in public; he reports his activities
to the Committee. In his absence, the Chairman is deputised by a Vice-chairman. If several Vicechairmen are elected, they deputise for the Chairman in the order defined by the Committee.
Administrative capacity
The necessity of valid administrative structures to guarantee efficient use of the Structural Funds
resources has been acknowledged and stipulated in the text of the National Strategic Reference
Framework of the Czech Republic.
Sufficient administrative capacity is necessary in order to ensure not only the absorption capacity and
application of formal procedures but also to spend financial resources in line with sound financial
management principles.
According to the NSRF, the basis of this approach to guarantee sufficient administrative capacity is the
following:
ƒ Analysis of the MA's needs for operational programmes implementation
ƒ Definition of functions and procedures
ƒ Formulation of employees' profiles, jobs description
ƒ Quality of the selection and recruitment of new employees.
Further, in line with the NSRF: "the quality output of all functions within the implementation system of
EU resources is closely related to the profile and stabilization of employees, who participate on
preparation and functioning of this system. Employees of public administration have to be
systematically prepared several years for correct and quality execution of these activities, including
learning of languages. Quality of the selection and recruitment of new employees that takes into
account the best practice is an essential condition for quality human resources management. This
system will be used at all implementation levels. The main objective of the improvement of the human
resources management is to minimize the undesirable outflow of these well-educated and skilled
employees into the private sector. This can be achieved primarily through the setting of such
conditions that create the work in public administration competitive to the private sector".
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These NSRF provisions are more specified in the letter sent by Czech authorities in view of approval
of the NSRF decision to the European Commission on 29 June 2007 (reference number 24 449/200762) in the following way:
ƒ
ƒ
"Attention will be paid to systemic strengthening of the absorption capacity, including also the
analysis of needs, definition of requirements, description of work posts, independent
recruitment procedures, motivation system, training of the staff and the stabilisation of the
staff.
A document called "Procedures to solve the administrative capacity to use the Structural
Funds and Cohesion Fund resources during 2007-2013" was submitted to the Czech
government".
Governmental resolution No 818 of 18 July 2007 approving the above mentioned document is to
be applied to the whole public administration and its implementation will be monitored by the
Prime minister of the Czech Republic.
Subsequently, the above mentioned commitments have to be implemented at the level of each
operational programme. A more detailed report should specify how these commitments are to be
addressed (e.g. analysis of the MA's needs, definition of functions and procedures, formulation of
employees' profile, jobs description, quality of the selection and recruitment of new employees).
Further, it should describe the way in which the Operational Programme Technical Assistance and the
priority axis of the technical assistance of the Regional Operational Programme will be used for this
objective. Other very important issue is the support of absorption capacity of the beneficiaries and
helpful approach of relevant authorities to the beneficiaries.
This implementing report has to be finalised and presented during the first monitoring committee after
the adoption of the Regional Operational Programme.
8.2
Project Selection System. Beneficiary Duties
Project Selection System
The claimant submits a project proposal to a Local Office of the Regional Council, according to the
place of project implementation.
A Local Office of the Office will consider formal completeness and acceptability of the project and
ensure its quality evaluation according to defined selection criteria.
The approval of projects to which financial aid is to be granted from the ROP „Northeast“ funds falls
within the competence of the Committee. The Office shall notify the Beneficiary of the results of the
Committee’s meeting and of its decision.
General Criteria for the ROP „Northeast“ Project Selection
The project evaluation criteria will include both criteria common to all the areas of intervention and
specific criteria for project evaluation under each Area of ROP SV Intervention.
All projects are evaluated on the basis of selection criteria, which consist of:
1) acceptability criteria
2) formal appropriateness criteria
3) point criteria
The following will be used in point assignment/evaluation of projects:
• the project as a whole
• capabilities of the applicant, horizontal themes, fulfillment of indicators (criterion weight
20%)
• technical quality of project (criterion weight 40%),
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• need for and relevance of project (criterion weight 40%).
The resulting evaluation is the sum of the weighted point count from individual areas under point
evaluation.
Detailed point tables for every specific support area are contained in the attached Guide for Applicants
and Recipients.
For the approval of projects, the following general criteria shall be binding:
• Compliance with NSRR priorities
• Regional impact and significance of the project
• Economic and social benefits, especially the impact on regional development
• Evaluation in terms of horizontal themes
• Project sustainability
Projects are awarded points with regard to their quality. In no event is the particular region in
which implementation will take place taken into account in awarding points. This means that
the best projects will be chosen in a given area of support without regard to the region in
which the project will be realized.
The selection of projects will include an assessment of their environmental impact. Support claimants
will be informed in advance of the environmental issues and of any potential link between the projects
they submit and the environment. The aim is to advise the claimants and eliminate any potential
negative impacts the projects may have on the environment and public health, and prefer those
projects whose impact will be either non-existent or negligible.
The claimants’ attention will be drawn to the fact that already during the preparation and subsequent
consideration of the individual projects, Specially Protected Areas, their protection conditions and their
preservation plans must be respected, as must be localities with the occurrence of Specially Protected
Species of plants and animals. Relevant environmental and landscape protection bodies will be
24
involved in the selection of specific projects.
Specific projects supported under the ROP „Northeast“ will have to respect regional protection and
integrity of the European-significant sites, as well as the Important Bird Areas of the Natura 2000
Network, and must not lead to any damage or deterioration of the object of protection in these areas.
Projects included in the regional and local programmes for the improvement of air quality, drafted in
accordance with Act No. 86/2002 Coll., on Air Protection, as amended, will get priority support.
The assessment of impacts the projects may have on the environment shall be done in compliance
with the Environmental Impact Assessment Act. 25 Environmental impact assessments shall be done
using the EIA procedure (assessment of designs). Under the EIA procedure, buildings, activities and
technologies specified in Schedule No. 1 to the Act will be assessed. ŘO ROP „Northeast“ prepares
criteria which will be approved by MV. These criteria will aim at fulfilling in particular Strategic goal 4 –
Balanced territorial development.
Beneficiary Duties
24
During the project selection, account should be taken of whether none of the below circumstances arises in connection with
the project implementation:
violation of the protection conditions of any Specially Protected Area;
violation of any protection and integrity areas and localities within the Natura 2000 Network (European-significant sites
and Important Bird Areas);
damage or elimination of biotopes with the occurrence of Specially Protected Species of plants and animals;
interferences in features of the Regional System of Environmental Stability (ÚSES) and Significant Landscape Features
(VKP), a negative impact on natural habitats, biotopes, fauna and flora;
increased landscape fragmentation, reduced landscape pass ability.
25
Act No. 100/2001 Coll., On Environmental Impact Assessment and Amending Certain Related Legislation (Impact
Assessment Act).
Decree No. 457/2001 Coll., on Professional Qualification and Regulation of Certain Other Issues Related to Environmental
Impact Assessment.
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The claimant shall submit its project proposal to authorised staff in the local offices of the Office. Only
entities with legal subjectivity may become support Beneficiaries.
The Beneficiary shall receive financial aid under a contract on granting subsidy concluded by and
between the Beneficiary and the Managing Authority under Act No. 250/2000 Coll., on Budgetary
Rules for Territorial Budgets.
The support Beneficiary shall ensure:
a) processing of the requests for aid provision, including project identification, evaluation and
preparation, including a financial plan;
b) preparation of project master documentation;
c) awards of public contracts and signing of the relevant contract documents with the contractors
in close coordination with the Managing Authority;
d) proper implementation of project in accordance with the contracts concluded wit the selected
contractors;
e) verification of invoices and payment of the verified invoices to the contractors;
f) functioning of a separate accounting system for the project within the meaning of Act No. 563/
1991 Coll., on Accounting, as subsequently amended;
g) internal financial audits;
h) submission of regular reports to the Managing Authority on the project progress, or eventually
any occasional reports during the preparation stage;
i) processing and submission of documents to the Managing Authority for monitoring;
j) regional and local publicity and information billboards at construction sites, within the meaning
of the applicable EU regulations.
The Beneficiaries shall be responsible for the eligibility of project costs submitted for reimbursement
under the ROP „Northeast“ and for the compliance of project implementation with the terms of the
funding contract and the applicable CR, as well as EU legislation.
When submitting payment requests, the Beneficiaries shall justify the submitted costs and document
their compliance with the project implementation conditions provided by the funding contract. Any
payment claims must be supported by documents showing that the funds are to be expended
effectively, economically, sensibly, and transparently.
The Beneficiaries shall ensure that project documentation is kept to provide a sufficient aid for audits
focusing on financial flows.
The Beneficiaries shall enable the project documents to be available at any time for inspections and
audit investigations carried out by authorised persons or entities. The documents will be kept on file in
compliance with the EU andČRlegislation in force.
8.3
Financial Management
The EU (SF) budget funds shall be sent by the European Commission to the account of the PCO.
Within the PCO, the EU (SF) budget funds will be managed by the Financial Management and
Payment Methodology Department of the MF of the CR, which will also transfer the EU (SF) budget
funds to the state budget (SR).
The ROP „Northeast“ system of financial flows from the EU (SF) budget rests on a principle of funding
requests for payments from the funds of the Regional Council, which has received the funds to fund a
share of the EU (SF) budget from the MMR chapter budget, as well as a share of funds reflected by
national co-financing from the MMR chapter budget and from the regional budgets. The EU (SF)
budget funds will subsequently be paid in arrears to the PCB, to the account of the MMR chapter
administrator. Subsidies provided from SR for pre-financed outlays which should be covered by funds
from the EU budget and by funds for national cofinance in keeping with amended law no. 218/2000 of
the legal code concerning budget regulations are provided by MMR on the basis of a Decision
Concerning the Provision of Subsidies. MMR issues a Framework decision concerning the provision of
subsidies for the 2007-2013 planning period. In connection with this decision, MMR issues a Decision
on Concerning the Provision of Subsidies for the appropriate calendar year within 15 working days
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from the day of receiving an error-free application for the provision of subsidy from ŘO ROP
„Northeast“.
The subsidy shall be granted from the MMR budget mainly based on beneficiaries expenses estimated
for a certain time period.
The subsidy provided for financing of projects of the ŘO ROP „Northeast“ (or its first instalment
respectively) is transferred by the MMR to a special account of the ŘO ROP „Northeast“ within 15
days from the day of receipt of the decision for the provision of RR subsidy.
Dates and transfers of finances of next instalments are determined by MMR in the Decision
Concerning the Provision of Subsidies.
EU resources, resources of Regional council, krajs, and municipalities are included in process of
cofinancing, as well as private resources of a beneficiary. Regional council budget consists primarily of
resources of state budget and krajs´ budgets. Private financing is presumed to with support areas: 1.2
Support for projects improving transport services, 2.2 Urban development, 2.3 Rural development, 3.1
Development of basic infrastructure and accompanying activities in the area of tourism, 3.2 Marketing
and coordination activities in the area of tourism, 4.1 Support for infrastructure development for
commerce.
Systems of SF Financial Flows – Description
Payments to Beneficiaries are made as ex-post payments (arrear payments of costs already
expended by the Beneficiary) or as ex-ante payments (by providing the Beneficiary with funds before
its project costs are expended).
Ex-post payment:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
On the basis of the expended costs, the Beneficiary shall make a request in CZK for fund
reimbursement from the Regional Council’s budget (corresponding to the European and
national share), submitting the request to the Managing Authority for inspection and
approval;
the Managing Authority shall approve the request and instruct the Finance Section to
make a payment to the Beneficiary’s account;
the Office Finance Section shall make a payment from the Regional Council’s budget to
the Beneficiary’s account;
following a confirmation of the Regional Council’s Finance Section of the payments made
from the Regional Council’s budget, the Managing Authority shall issue a collective
request for making a payment from the EU (SF) budget funds to be transferred from the
account of the Payment and Certification Body to an appropriate chapter of the state
budget;
the collective payment request is transferred to the administrator of the chapter of the
MMR who registers it so that it is possible to follow the exploitation of the financial aid from
SF and then the collective payment request is passed to PCO to be payed;
the Payment and Certification Body will check the submitted collective request, its posting
(the determination date for setting an exchange rate to convert the funds from CZK to
EUR being the date of posting by the Payment and Certification Body) and the subsequent
payment of the EU (SF) budget funds to the chapter of MMR;
following the certification, the Payment and Certification Body will ask the European
Commission to refill the funds on its account;
the European Commission will approve the application and send the funds to the account
of the Payment and Certification Body.
Ex-ante payment:
Ex-ante payment proceeds only in a case of Technical assistance, where the beneficiary is ŘO ROP
„Northeast“:
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1) payment in advance for the TA expenses when the beneficiary is kraj is provided only
according to VRR resolution
2) ŘO ROP „Northeast“ pays the eligible costs to suppliers
3) when the project is finished, final account of payment in advance (ex-ante payment) is done
4) following a confirmation of the Regional Council’s Finance Section of the payments made from
the Regional Council’s budget, the Managing Authority shall issue a collective request for
making a payment from the EU (SF) budget funds to be transferred from the account of the
Payment and Certification Body to an appropriate chapter of the state budget;
5) the collective payment request is transferred to the administrator of the chapter of the MMR
who registers it so that it is possible to follow the exploitation of the financial aid from SF and
then the collective payment request is passed to PCO to be payed;
6) the Payment and Certification Body will check the submitted collective request, its posting (the
determination date for setting an exchange rate to convert the funds from CZK to EUR being
the date of posting by the Payment and Certification Body) and the subsequent payment of
the EU (SF) budget funds to the chapter of MMR;
7) following the certification, the Payment and Certification Body will ask the European
Commission to refill the funds on its account;
the European Commission will approve the application and send the funds to the account of the
Payment and Certification Body
Certification Body (CO)
In implementing aid from SF and FS, only one certification body is set up, ensuring activities will be in
accordance with Article 61 of Council Decree. The function of the certification body is in the ČR
performed by the PCB is appointed by the government. Pursuant Government Decree No. 198 of 22
February 2006, the National Fund of the MF of the ČR which is functionally indepndent of the
managing body and the auditing body, and which was committed to the performance of the PCB’s
function for structural funds (“SF”) and the Cohesion Fund (“CF”). The National Fund does not
delegate performance of this function to intermediate entities. The diagram of functional division of the
Managing Body, the Certification Body and the Auditing Body is given in Illustration 28.
In particular, the following activities are performed by the PCB:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
manages and coordinates financial flows from EU budget and ensures the smooth flow of
financial funds from the PCA to beneficiaries;
sets and updates methodical instructions for the certification of SF and CF expenditure;
ensures that beneficiaries receive EU contributions without undue delay;
processes and submits certified statements of expenditure and applications for payment
(interim and final) to the EC, for all programmes on the basis of statements of expenditures
submitted by the managing authorities;
verifies the accuracy of statement of expenditure, that it results from a reliable accounting
system and is based on verifiable supporting documents, certifies this statement and approves
the applications for payments from the EU;
monitors procedure manuals used by the bodies involved in the implementation of SF and CF
and verifies the compliance with these procedures;
continuously monitors and verifies the compliance of activities and procedures of the
managing authorities with applicable Czech and EU acts;
verifies the application of the management processes and control systems used by the
managing authorities (including the on the spot checks);
evaluates drawing performance of allocations;
receives payments from EU budget and ensures transfers of funds to the budget chapters;
provides methodical guidance to the preparation of forecasts of applications for payment from
the EU budget and submits these forecasts to the EC;
provides for the concept, methodology, establishment, development and operation of the
accounting system used for the administration of SF and CF,
provides methodical management in the field of accounting for SF and CF funds;
cooperates with the EC in the mid-term and ex-post verification of the additionality;
ensures the recoveries of amounts unduly paid in the case the principles of operation terms
are violated
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•
passes on the copies of applications for interim and final payment and copies of certificates to
the Audit Body
The Office Finance Section performs the following main activities:
- ensuring current conversions of allocations from EUR to CZK;
- ensuring available financial resources in the RC budget;
- ensuring transfers of funds from the RC’s budget to their Beneficiaries for the funding of
projects co-financed from the EU budget, within 15 workdays from receiving a payment
request from the Managing Authority (MA);
- keeping precise and complete records about transfers from the RC’s budget to the
Beneficiaries;
- providing the MA with any required information on the transfer of funds to their Beneficiaries in
accordance with its records (mostly data about the Beneficiary, amount of transferred funds,
date of payment to the Beneficiary);
- proceeding in accordance with its internal written working practices (manuals) while
performing the activities related to the transfer of funds to their Beneficiaries;
In financial management the finance section proceeds according to the Policy of Financial Flows and
Control of Programmes Co-financed from the Structural Funds, the Cohesion Fund and the European
Fisheries Fund for the Program Period 2007-2013, developed by the MF of the CR.
The management and payment function subsection is set up within a functionally separated
department and is also provided for in terms of human resources. The management and payment
functions are laid out in detail in the Operational Manual for the ROP „Northeast“. A description of
functional divisions, the implementation diagram and the organisation structure diagram are given in
the llustrations 26 – 28.
8.4
Control System
Auditing Body
The Auditing Body (AB) is established within the meaning of Art. 59 of Council Regulation. Under
Government Decree No. 198 of 22.2. 2006, the Ministry of Finance has been appointed to perform the
function of the AB for the SF. By the decision of the MF, the performance of the AB function for the SF
was delegated to the Central Harmonising Unit for Finance Control of the Ministry of Finance, being
functionally independent on the Managing Authorities and the Payment and Certification Body
(hereinafter “PCB”). The diagram of functional division of the Managing Body, Certification Body and
Auditing Body is given in the Illustration 28.
In compliance with the requirements of the applicable EC legislation and legal regulations of the CR,
the AB performs the following main functions:
1. ensuring readiness audits of the programme management and control systems;
2. in keeping with article 71 of the General Regulation, it submits to the European
Commission, prior to filing the first interim payment request and no later than 12
months following an approval of the respective programme, a report considering the
settings of the programme management and control systems, including an opinion on
their compliance with the applicable EC legal regulations;
3. submitting to the European Commission, within 9 months following an approval of the
respective programme, an audit strategy, including entities to perform the audit;
4. ensuring performance of audits in State administration in order to verify functioning of
the programme management and control systems;
5. submitting to the European Commission an annual updated audit strategy, a sampling
method for operation audits and a preliminary audit planning ensuring performance of
the audits for the major entities and an even distribution of the audits over the whole
program period;
6. submitting to the European Commission an annual consolidated audit plan for funds
granted from the SF;
7. checking, once every quarter, performance of the consolidated audit plans and
informing the PCB thereof;
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8. ensuring that the PCB receives, for certification purposes, the results of all audits
performed by the AB or under its authorization;
9. ensuring performance of audits in State administration using an appropriate sample of
operations to verify the expenses reported to the European Commission;
10. ensuring methodological guidance for the other auditing entities involved in the audits
in State administration under all programmes;
11. supervising quality of the audits in State administration performed by the other
auditing entities under projects co-financed from the SF;
12. taking part in the creation and updating of guidelines for the performance of audits in
State administration in respect of programme funds;
13. submitting to the European Commission, on a yearly basis in the period from 2008 to
2015, an annual audit report, containing findings of the audits performed during the
previous year in compliance with the programme audit strategy, as well as any
shortcomings identified in respect of the programme management and control
systems. Any information concerning audits performed after July 1, 2015 will be
included in the final audit report to form a basis of the Closeout Statement;
14. issuing for the European Commission, on an annual basis, an opinion on whether the
function of the management and control system gives an adequate guarantee that the
cost reports presented to the European Commission are correct and the related
transactions legal and regular;
15. taking part in audit missions of the European Commission to verify aspects of the
management and control system which have resulted from the annual audit report;
16. presenting a Partial Closeout Statement to assess legality and regularity of the
expenses concerned under Art. 88 of the General Regulation;
17. submitting to the European Commission, no later than March 31, 2007, a Close-out
Statement to assess validity of the final payment request, as well as legality and
regularity of the related transactions included in the final cost report;
18. cooperating with the European Commission in coordinating audit plans and audit
methods and exchanging results of the audits performed;
19. ensuring that any internationally recognized auditing standards are applied on the
audit activities;
20. carrying out analyses of the reported irregularities to draw up a Closeout or Partial
Closeout Statement;
21. elaborating annual reports on the results of financial controls under the programmes
for the Government of the CR;
22. carrying out supplementary audit in order to verify effective functioning of managing
and control system of operational programme;
23. carrying out supplementary audit of operations on suitable sample to verify
documentary expenses.
The AB is responsible for ensuring the above activities. It can authorize other auditing entities to
perform selected activities, while keeping its own responsibility.
Only one level of authorization to perform the above activities is allowed (i.e. an auditing entity may not
authorize another entity to perform the activities), on the basis of a contract governed by public law.
The Auditing Body appointed RR Northeast Cohesion Region, according to Article 62. Par. 3 Council
Regulation, to perform Auditing Body´s activities. Appointed Auditing Body takes steps in following
activities:
• Audit in order to verify effective functioning of managing and control system of operational
programme
• Audit of operations on suitable sample to verify documentary expenses
Those activities will be for ÚRR Northeast performed by functionally independent section of internal
audit with Article 62. Par. a) and b) of Council Regulation.
A detailed account of competent activities is available in OM ROP „Northeast“.
Financial Control System
Acting as the central Administrative Authority for financial control pursuant to the applicable provisions
of Act No. 2/1969 Coll., on the Establishment of Ministries and Other Central Authorities of the State
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Administration of the CR, as subsequently amended, the Ministry of Finance guides, manages,
coordinates and ensures the performance of financial control under he Operational Programme. The
main basis for releasing separate guidelines, consulted with relevant bodies of the European
Commission, is provided by legal regulations of theČRand EC in force. The control system must
clearly differentiate between a State administration control system and a management system from an
internal audit system and a sample operation audit system.
Internal Control System
All of the bodies taking part in the implementation of the Operational Programme shall implement a
necessary management and control system, complying with national legislation and being capable of
identifying any administrative, system or intentional errors and of creating conditions for the prevention
of errors.
Management Control
is ensured by responsible managers, forming a part of internal management of all the entities involved
in the Operational Programme implementation, in the preparation of operations prior to their approval,
in the continuous monitoring of the performed operations until their full settlement and accounting and
subsequent verification of selected operations, as part of an evaluation of the results achieved and of
the management correctness.
With regard to principles of an efficient and effective management and control system during the
programme implementation, the Managing Authority shall ensure that:
all entities involved in the programme management and control have uniquely defined specific
functions, both within the whole implementation system and within each separate entity;
the principle of separating payment, management and control functions among the entities
involved in the programme implementation and within the entities themselves is observed;
unique procedures are defined for ensuring correctness and eligibility of costs reported under
the programme;
reliable accounting systems, monitoring systems and financial reporting systems are
implemented;
a system of reporting on programme and project implementation and monitoring is
implemented;
measures are taken to audit the management and control system functioning;
such systems are implemented and procedures defined as will ensure records for the audit
(audit trail);
procedures are defined to report and monitor irregularities and to recover unjustified
payments;
For each level of the programme management and implementation, an internal control system manual
will be developed in the form of controlled documentation, containing a detailed description of the
working procedures for the activities performed.
Among the tasks of the Managing Authority in the course of managing and carrying out the operational
program are in particular:
1. to ensure that operations are chosen for financing on the basis of criteria for the given
operational program and that these comply with valid regulations of the Community and
internal regulations for the entire period of their execution;
2. verify whether co-financed products have been supplied and services rendered and whether
expenditures accounted for by beneficiaries have in fact been paid out and whether they are in
keeping with regulations of the Community and internal regulations;
3. ensure that beneficiaries and other entities involved in carrying out the operation keep either
separate accounting systems or a corresponding accounting code for all transactions
connected with the operation without violating internal accounting codes;
4. ensure financing of the program from national public sources;
5. provide evidence, investigation and report suspicions of imbalances and verified imbalances,
and their further monitoring and in particular cases also seizure of the financial means in
question,
6. ensure that the Payment and certification body receives all necessary information concerning
procedures and verification carried out in connection with expenditures for certification
purposes;
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7. in accordance with Article 60, letter f) of the General Regulation determine procedures to
ensure that all documentation concerning expenditures and audits of the program necessary
for the provision of corresponding audit traces be kept in accordance with the requirements of
Article 90 of the general regulations;
8. oversee the work of the Monitoring Committee and provide the committee documents enabling
it to assess the quality of the operational program's execution, taking into consideration its
concrete target;
9. write out annual and concluding reports concerning execution and upon approval by the
Monitoring Committee, present them to the Commission;
10. ensure conformance to requirements concerning the provision of information and propagation
as set out in Article 69 of the general regulations.
Internal Audit
An internal audit division will be functionally independent and organisationally separated from the
governing and executive structures and subordinated to an appropriate Governing Body of State
administration.
The internal audit divisions will check the internal control system at regular intervals. Their activity will
include, among other things, a verification of how basic requirements for the internal control system
are met. Other important tasks will include a submission of recommendations to improve the quality of
the internal control system, to prevent or reduce risks, to adopt measures for removing identified
inefficiencies, and consultation activities.
Reports from internal audits regularly performed at each implementation level will be submitted to an
appropriate Governing Body of State administration. A unified approach to performing audits at all
implementation levels and to reporting the audit findings shall constitute a basis for risk management
at the governing-body level.
Control in Public Administration (Primary System)
The Managing Authority (hereinafter “MA”) is responsible for managing and implementing the
Operational Programme in compliance with the principle of proper financial management, therefore
ensuring that operations for funding are selected according to the Operational Programme criteria and
that they comply with the applicable Community regulations and national legislation throughout the
implementation. The MA ensures inspections within the primary system by checking that co-financed
products and services are delivered and operational costs reported by Beneficiaries actually
expended. The MA ensures system existence for making and keeping accounting records in the
electronic form for each operation and gathering any audit-relevant data. The MA’s task is also to
ensure that procedures and any documents relating to the Operational Programme costs and audits
are available to the European Commission and the Court of Auditors for the period of three years from
the Operational Programme closeout.
Audit (Secondary and Central System)
Pursuant to Act No 62 of General Regulation, the AB is responsible for performing audits in State
administration in purpose to verify effective functioning of ŘO and the control system of operational
programme and to accomplish audit of sample operation. Within the secondary system, it verifies
effectiveness of the financial management and control system, subsequently testing correctness of the
risk transactions against the permissible level of risk for the field of primary system. Within the central
system of the AB, it verifies and assesses, on a residual-risk basis, adequacy and effectiveness of the
primary and secondary system function and performs audits of operation samples.
The audit results will be communicated to the Commission in accordance with Article 73(1) of the
General Regulation.
Control performed by the Supreme Audit Office
The Supreme Audit Office is entitled to perform independent control activities under the applicable
provisions of Act No. 166/1993 Coll., on the Supreme Audit Office, as subsequently amended.
Audit Activities by the European Commission Bodies and the European Court of Auditors
The European Commission will check that under the Operational Programme in question,
management and control systems have been implemented and are working properly, in compliance
with Article 72, Par. 1, of the General Regulation. This audit is performed by the European
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Commission on the basis of annual audit reports, and the AB’s opinion on such reports, and on the
basis of its own audits.
The European Court of Auditors, performing, within the scope of its authority, independent audits given
by its scope of authority.
Irregularities
All the bodies taking part in implementation of the Operational Programme are under an obligation to
report to the MA ROP Northeast any suspected irregularities. MA ROP Northeast is responsible for
examination and solving of irregularities, and it keeps files of any suspection of irregularity (or
confirmed irregularity respectively), takes examination on it and further monitoring. Regional council
staff determined as an AFCOS contact place is responsible for proper reporting on an external level.
Regional council itself exacts financial resources touched by irregularity, proceeding in accordance
with Law No 337/1992 Sb.
The MA will examine such irregularities, referring those that prove legitimate in the light of audit
findings to the appropriate bodies to initiate administrative or legal proceedings. Reports of the
auditing bodies should always be considered legitimate. Also, the MA will, by the 15th day of the
following month, report any legitimate suspicions to entities involved in external reporting.
8.5
Monitoring
In compliance with Council Regulation (General Regulation), the Managing Authority is generally
responsible for programme monitoring. The Managing Authority is responsible for correct, effective,
systematic and timely monitoring during programme implementation, for data entered in the monitoring
system and informing the European Commission of the course and general results of the programme.
Under Article 63 and 64 of the “General Regulation”, the Managing Authority shall establish, within
three months from the approval of the Operational programme by the EC, a Monitoring Committee.
Monitoring Committee
In accordance with Article 63 and 64 of the General Regulation, the monitoring committee is
established by the member state upon agreement with the managing body, within a period of three
months from notification of the decision of approval of the operational program. The committee is
composed of representatives suggested by pertinent organizations and institutions which have been
contacted by the Regional Council. Individual organizations nominate their representatives in
accordance with the principle of equal opportunity. Members of the Monitoring Committee are
appointed by the RC Chairman, taking into account the partnership principle and, if possible, an equal
representation of men and women. The goal of the monitoring committee is to provide effectiveness
and quality in the aid provided.
The partnership principle is ensured in the Monitoring Committee of ROP „Northeast“ by membership
of representative partner institutions from the areas of public administration and territorial
administration, economic and social entities, nongovernmental nonprofit organizations (especially
organizations operative within the area of the horizontal themes, i.e., entities which champion equality
between men and women and those focused on sustainable development and ecology). At the same
time, membership is provided for representatives of other operational programs, with an eye to
achieving synergy and partnership.
Commission representative takes participation in work of the Monitoring Committee as an advisor on
his own request or on request of the Monitoring Committee
Membership of individual partner entities in the Monitoring Committee provides for bilateral linkage,
communication and coordination of information and proposals between the ROP „Northeast“
managing body, its partners and the general public.
The committee chairperson, through the secretariat, sends a definitive version of the program,
together with supporting documentation for the committee meeting, to all members or their authorized
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representatives before the day of the meeting. This ensures that all members have an opportunity to
thoroughly acquaint themselves with the documentation.
In cases of necessity, working groups may be set up to solve particular problems. The committee
members include representatives of:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
the Managing Authority of ROP „Northeast“,
regions,
statutory cities
social and economic partners,
professional associations and the academic community,
non-governmental non-profit organisations,
PCO and AO
the European Commission.
The Monitoring Committee draws up its Code of Procedure which it adopts after agreeing with the RC,
for the purposes of performing its activities in compliance with the General Regulation.
The duty of the Monitoring Committee is to ensure supervision over the ROP „Northeast“’s
implementation, particularly over ensuring compliance with EC regulations andČRlegislation, achieving
the programme targets while using public funds effectively, etc. The Managing Authority shall perform
the functions of a secretariat for the ROP „Northeast“ Monitoring Committee.
In compliance with Article 65 of the Regulation, the Monitoring Committee shall ensure the following
main activities:
a)
monitoring the OP preparation, implementation, and evaluation, including its effectiveness and
efficiency;
b)
considering and approving project selection criteria, including all revisions of such criteria;
c)
evaluating the procedure used to achieve Specific targets of the OP and to achieve targets for
each Priority Axis of the programme;
d)
analysing results of the OP implementation,
e)
considering and approving the annual and final reports of the OP before sending them to the
European Commission;
f)
making proposals to the Managing Authority for revising or reviewing the ROP „Northeast“ in
order to achieve the ROP „Northeast“’s targets, including financial management;
g)
considering and approving all proposals for amending the contents of the Commission
Decision on ERDF contribution.
Monitoring System
Information system for monitoring of programs for the 2007-2013 period (hereinafter also
ms2007)
Creation of the Structural Fund Monitoring System is based upon an EC requirement for the existence
of a monitoring system (see General Regulation), on the requirement for electronic data exchange
(see Implementation Provision, Article 39-42), and in accordance with government resolution no.
198/2006 to build a unified monitoring system.
The managing body is responsible for the direction and provision of the operational program in
accordance with the principle of proper financial management, especially ensuring the existence of a
record-keeping system and a system for preserving accounting records in electronic form for every
operation which is part of the operational program, and for collecting data concerning the provision of
essential financial management, monitoring, certification, auditing and evaluation.
The monitoring system must thus be compatible with ROP „Northeast“ accounting systems.
The information system for monitoring of programs is an information system devoted to the monitoring
implementation of programs and projects co-financed from the Structural Funds. It ensures current
information in adequate form and extent, integrity of the data and contains complete data about the
program. The monitoring system of the Structural Funds serves for effective administration of ROP
„Northeast“ and for ensuring reports for the pertinent General Directorate of the EC, government,
Parliament and last but not least, the region.
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The MMR fulfils a coordinating and methodological role in the monitoring process. MMR issues
directives and methods in the area of management, evaluation, data collection and the electronic
exchange of data, establishment and functioning of monitoring committees, and monitors and
supervises all activities falling under the aegis of the managing bodies of the operational programs.
MMR further establishes and ensures the functioning of an integrated information monitoring system
which is to be used by the managing bodies of all OPs, Payment and certification body and auditor,
and ensures the electronic exchange of documents and data.
The basic means for providing for unity in the monitoring system consists in determining the extent of
obligatory data and obligatory approaches for obtaining and transferring it. The provision of
comparable, factually correct and current data for support management, monitoring and evaluation is
ensured by the binding Methodology monitoring method SF and FS 2007 – 2013. This methodology
defines the extent of centrally obligatory data, obligatory approaches and time periods for monitoring
operational programs and projects at all levels of implementation and which the Ministry for Local
Development has worked out as a binding methodology for all managing bodies. Together with the
determination of unified and binding approaches for transfer of data, a unified monitoring system is
thus provided for at all levels of implementation, which will ensure all data necessary for management,
monitoring and evaluation of programs and projects, including regular data collection from
beneficiaries of aid for purposes of monitoring the progress of project realization via the web account
of the beneficiary.
Data communication between CO accountant system IS VIOLA as a basic tool for support of function
of CO and MSC 2007 as a tool for the central monitoring of EU funds is ensured on a level of MMR.
For monitoring the 2007-2013 programming period, starting 1.1. 2007 full functionality of the
monitoring system – ms2007, which will provide monitoring at all levels of implementation (central
level, executive level, applicant/beneficiary level) will be in place. The system ensures full support for
management, monitoring, evaluation and administration of programs and projects. It respects the
demands of the EC and ensures required functions for data collection and transfer of this data to the
EC and PCO.
The monitoring system ensures observation of the following activities:
ƒ
use of structural fund financing and national co-financing
ƒ
monitoring, evaluation and quality-control activities
ƒ
communication with the EC
ƒ
provision of information in the standard monitoring table of the EC
ƒ
observation of information at the recipient level
ƒ
connection to the relevant public administration system
ƒ
fulfilling monitored indicators (fulfilling stated targets)
Ms2007 is further organized at three levels: central/managing (MSC2007), executive-information
system of the operational program (MONIT7+) and the recipient level - web application (BENEFIT7).
The MRD creates, primarily for monitoring the financial assistance, an information system that
constitutes one of prerequisites for accepting assistance from the SF and from the CF. In conformity
with the Government Resolution No. 198/2006 the MRD provides a uniform central information system
in support of management, monitoring and evaluation at all levels of programmes and projects
financed from the SF and CF. The system is binding on all implementing subjects in the programming
period 2007 - 2013.
The MRD manages the setting of an information system in the area of management, data collection,
monitoring and communication with the EC. It has provided with the readiness of the central
monitoring system, which is an important instrument for managing the implementation of all OP
as well.
The MAs are obliged to enter data in the required scope, structure and in the defined deadlines from
the beneficiary level on the basis of procedures as defined in the operational manuals.
MSC2007 Information System
The central database MSC2007 is the basic tool for gathering and preserving information about the
process of providing aid from the EU to the ČR. The level of this database insurers planning
development, programming and evaluation of operational programs from a factual and financial
monitoring standpoint. It provides overall information about the preparation and state of realization of
the program and overall EU assistance in the ČR. MSC2007 serves as a basic SW tool of the
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Managing Authority of the ROP „Northeast“, CPO and NOK. The MSC2007 administrator is the
Department of Monitoring System Administration of the MMR (OSMS), which is responsible for the
administration of user approaches, transfers, interface definition, emergency plans and system
development.
The basis for electronic data exchange with the EC is MSC2007, from which data concerning all
programs in the ČR is given over to the EC-System for Fund Management in the European
Community 2007 - 2013 monitoring database (hereinafter SFC2007). The module "Data for SFC2007"
was created as part of MSC2007. This serves for authorization of the required output sets of the ŘO
entities responsible for management and coordination of the program. This model ensures the creation
of export files (with obligatory information) sent to SFC2007. Each MSC2007 user has overview
access to the "Data for SFC2007" module in MSC2007. Editorial access, defined by the list of roles, is
granted to representatives of the entities connected with the process of management, monitoring and
quality-control, all on the basis of the assignment of roles and competencies under OSMS MMR.
MSC2007 is also connected to the information system of the Payment and Certification body (IS
VIOLA). This system serves for financial management and accounting of monies from the EU budget.
Total Requests for Payment are transferred from MSC2007 to IS VIOLA. Total Reality is then
reciprocally transferred from IS VIOLA to MSC2007.
MONIT7+ Information System
IS MONIT is an information system for administering projects and program management. It provides
for the execution of preparations and realization of actual projects, i.e., the collection and evaluation of
applications, operational documentation from projects, factual and financial monitoring and the project
and program levels, reporting on providing data to subordinate bodies. IS Monit serves as a basic SW
tool for the implementation of the ROP „Northeast“. The administrator of IS Monit is the CRD of the
ČR, which is responsible for the administration of user approaches, security, backup, transfers,
interface definition and providing for system development. Access to the IS Monit database is via the
web interface.
BENEFIT7 Web Application
The Benefit Web Application is a software tool for recipients. It consists of an electronic application
which serves to help applicants fill in information about the project planned, a new or modified version
of which is created for each invitation to submit projects. A unified application serves for bilateral
communication between ŘO ROP „Northeast“ and applicants/recipients. All users access the
system of web applications via the Internet. The central depository of web applications will be the
MMR server.
EK SFC2007 Information System
The CR has selected a variant whereby data will be transferred to the EC system SFC2007 via a
technical interface and Internet.
The electronic data interchange comprises transfer of data from the Czech database MSC2007 to the
EC database SFC2007. It comprises preparation in, and subsequent transfer of the necessary data
from the Czech database MSC2007. A special module has been created in the Czech database
MSC2007 for data authorisation by MA responsible for management and co-ordination of programmes
utilising the EU funds.
The module will provide for creation and export of validated data from the managing authorities, the
PCA via the Internet to the SFC2007 database of the European Commission. The module satisfies the
requirements imposed by the European Commission on eGovernment
The System for Fund Management in the European Community 2007 - 2013 (hereinafter SFC2007 ) is
an EC information system which aids in keeping to the regulations of EU funds. SFC2007 is created
by the Information System and System of Financial Management (used only by the EC). The member
states and the EC take advantage of the Information System which serves for the communication and
exchange of documentation between member states of the EU and EC, to which all institutions
working with EU funds are obligated to transfer all general information necessary for the
implementation of the provision.
The European Commission Information System is tied to the Central 2007 monitoring system
(hereinafter also MSC2007), thanks to Web Services via the Internet, which enables a direct interface.
Access to the SFC2007 database is possible only for registered users, upon the submission of a
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username and password assigned by the coordinator for SFC2007 with the role of MS Liaison for the
ČR. Every member country, including the ČR, names one person to be assigned the role of MS
Liaison, and who is the contact person for all tasks connected with requests for access. In the case of
the ČR, an MMR representative plays this role. Password privileges are granted only to entities
connected to the implementation of programs for the ČR, primarily in overview mode. Active access to
SFC2007 is granted only exceptionally.
Annual and Final Reports on realization
The MA will ensure that MC’s reports are prepared, discussed, agreed, and subsequently presented to
the EC.
Annual reports will be presented to the EC within 6 months from the end of each completed calendar
year of implementation.
The final report on implementation will be submitted to the European Commission by March 31, 2017.
All annual and final implementation reports should contain the following information:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
important socioeconomic trends relating to support, including national, regional and sector
policies;
progress which has been achieved in the course of ROP „Northeast“ and the priority axes
implementation relating to their specific and verifiable targets, which are (if possible)
quantitatively expressed with help of indicators
financial implementation of aid, a summary of total cost reimbursed by the Payment and
Certification Body for each measure, records of total payments by the European Commission,
and quantification of financial indicators;
all steps taken by the Managing Authority and the Monitoring Committee to ensure quality and
effectiveness of the implementation, including in particular:
− monitoring, financial control and evaluation of measures, including arrangements for
data collection;
− a summary of all substantial problems occurring during the support management and
a summary of the measures taken;
− measures to ensure publicity;
steps to ensure compatibility with the Community policy;
measures adopted to ensure awareness and publicity about the OP;
information on significant problems relating to compliance with Community policies, identified
during the OP implementation, and the measures taken to remedy them;
development in large project financing;
use of aid returned to the Managing Authority or another public body during the period of OP
implementation, under Article 99 (2) of the Regulation.
Every year, after the annual report is submitted to the EC, the EC and the Managing Authority will
consider major outputs of the previous year. Following this consideration, the EC may raise objections,
with the Managing Authority notifying the EC of any measures adopted on the basis of such
objections. If the European Commission concludes that the adopted measures are insufficient, it may
recommend to the Managing Authority any changes making the support monitoring or management
more efficient. The Managing Authority should respond to such recommendations by implementing the
recommended changes or by explaining why the proposed recommendations have not been
accepted.
The removal of insufficiencies in the monitoring and management system – on the Commission’s
recommendations – is one of the conditions for making interim payments.
Earmarking
The ROP North East has identified earmarked interventions in total amount of 55 599 992 EUR, which
represents 8.47 % of the total ERDF allocation of the ROP of 656 457 606 EUR.
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The codes of earmarked intervention areas are the following:
Code
Category of expenditure
28
29
52
3
Intelligent transport systems
Airports
Clean urban transport
Technology transfer and improvement of cooperation networks between
small businesses (SMEs), between these and other businesses and
universities, post-secondary education establishments of all kinds, regional
authorities, research centres and scientific and technological poles
(scientific and technological parks, technopoles, etc.)
5
Advanced support services for firms and groups of firms
8
Other investment in firms
9
Other measures to stimulate research and innovation and entrepreneurship
in SMEs
68
Support for self-employment and business start-up
72
Design, introduction and implementation of reforms in education and
training systems in order to develop employability, improving the labour
market relevance of initial and vocational education and training, updating
skills of training personnel with a view to innovation and a knowledge
based economy
Total earmarked interventions
55 599 992
Total ERDF allocation of the ROP
Amount in
EUR
6 358 214
12 144 466
18 453 917
1 050 332
3 983 746
9 452 989
525 166
2 625 830
1 050 332
656 457 606
Total percent share of earmarked interventions
8,47
The Cohesion Region North East is eligible for funding under the Objective Convergence. The
regulatory obligation in line with article 9 of general regulation 1083/2006 to ensure that 60 % of the
expenditure for the Convergence objective is set for the European Union priorities of promoting
competitiveness and creating jobs, including meeting the objectives of the Integrated Guidelines for
Growth and Jobs is not binding for the Czech Republic since it accessed the European Union after 1
May 2004. Nevertheless, the Czech Republic committed itself in official letter submitted to the
European Commission on 4 July 2007 to earmarking.
The reasons why the share of earmarked interventions within total Community allocation to this
Objective is only 8.48% are above all following ones:
ƒ The interventions in the area of R&TD are out of scope of the Regional operational
programmes
ƒ For efficiency reasons it is mainly OP Enterprise and innovations that support innovation and
entrepreneurship in the regions
ƒ For efficiency reasons the ICT in regions is co-financed mainly from the Integrated Operational
Programme
ƒ The TEN-T is co-financed from the OP Transport
During the implementation of this Regional Operational Programme the Managing authority should
prioritise those projects which fall under earmarked interventions.
8.6
Programme Evaluation
Under the provisions of Articles 47 and 48 of the General Regulation, obligations arise in relation to
evaluation performance. The evaluation performance aims at improving the quality, effectiveness, and
consistency of fund aids and operational programme implementations. Obligations connected
therewith include in particular:
- composing, implementing, updating, and assessing the ROP „Northeast“ evaluation plan (in
connection to NSRR evaluation plan);
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-
-
ensuring major evaluations (ex-ante, on-going, ad hoc, ex-post,),
providing resources for the performance of evaluations and using data and information from
the monitoring system for NOK cross-sectional evaluation, strategic reports 2009 and 2012 in
keeping with the General Regulation (article 29, par. 2) and ex post evaluation carried out by
the EC;
mutual active cooperation with evaluators and evaluation staff on various levels,
implementation of structural funds and the Cohesion fund in the CR
publishing evaluation results.
Under the General Regulation, the aim of evaluation is to:
- improve the quality and effectiveness of aid granted from EU funds and ensure its consistence
with EU goals;
- improve the strategy, and make more efficient, the operational programmes, while
emphasising specific structural problems and sustainability .
According to the General Regulation, the evaluation goal is:
- increase in quality and effectiveness of help provided by EU funds and its consistency with EU
goals
- improving the strategy and enhanced implementation of operational programmes with an
emphasis put on specific structural problems and sustainable development
The realization of the ROP „Northeast“ evaluation is the responsibility of the Managing Authority of
ROP „Northeast“, the independent section of the Department of Methodological Management of the
programme and monitoring acts as the evaluation department. The organization structure of URR
Northeast is given in Annex 10.5.
The evaluation department carries out mostly these activities:
•
compilation, realization and evaluation of the evaluation plan and its annual updates,
•
preparation (assigned project conditions, selection procedure for evaluator), managing and
evaluation of the evaluations,
•
increasing the evaluation capacity,
•
presentation and promotion of the evaluation outcomes, including their practical use,
•
presentation of the evaluation outcomes and evaluation of the evaluation plan to the
Monitoring Committee of ROP and the Monitoring Committee of NSRR,
•
coordination of thespecial Opponent Group,
•
cooperation with the NSRR Evaluation Unit and other evaluation departments.
A special Opponent Group has been set up to aid in the successful carrying out of evaluations and
fulfilling goals of evaluation projects. This group fulfills the task of expert overseer for the
realization of the evaluation project. Group members are chosen according to the partnership
principle, in such a way that the groups contain various viewpoints (e.g., participation of partners
from areas involved with the structural interventions which are the subject of evaluation). At the
same time, members take part in the definition of goals of the evaluation projects, transfer
information about the needs of target groups and provide reciprocal ties to evaluation output.
Other cooperating evaluation entities are:
•
NOK - The NSRR Evaluation Unit which fulfils the task of consulting, coordinating and playing
opponent for NSRR framework evaluation activities. An important area of its activity is
cooperation with other evaluation workplaces: sharing information, providing methodological
support, mutual comments on important output materials.
•
Monitoring Committee ROP „Northeast“,
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•
European Commission,
•
External evaluators.
External evaluators – enactors of evaluation activities must be according to the General
Regulation (Art. 47, point 3) independent. This requirement for the independence of evaluators is
reflected in the means by which evaluation projects are assigned and carried out. Evaluators are
external, independent specialist firms. The choice of evaluators for an evaluation project is subject
to a thorough selection process with an emphasis on the expertise and experience of the
evaluator.
ROP evaluation activities for the 2007-2013 programming period are defined in the ROP Evaluation
Plan which is based upon the NSRR evaluation plan, on the analysis of potential weak locations in the
region and on ex-ante evaluation.
Evaluation activity of ROP „Northeast“ will be based on the following principles:
• Factualness: evaluation of concrete contributions of interventions to NUTS II Northeast
regional development,
• Efficiency: evaluation of whether financial and operational goals set out are being fulfilled,
• Effectiveness: evaluation of costs sacrificed for the opportunity (alternative costs), invested
costs, i.e., whether the possibility exists to use these sources in a better way, evaluation of
intervention effectiveness,
• Impact: evaluation of progress achieved and changes in the region, which originated as a
result of ROP „Northeast“ implementation,
Aside from goals resulting from general regulation, evaluations seek to achieve strategic goals and
NSRR priority axes. They may be strategic (conceptual) are operational in character (supporting
monitoring):
•
Strategic evaluation – evaluation with a goal of assessing development of the program in
relationship to priorities of the Community and member state,
•
Operational evaluation – evaluation of program implementation (identification of weak points
of implementation and monitoring system), evaluation of achievement of planned goals
including fulfilment of indicators in individual target areas.
In accord with Article 48 General Regulation provides for:
•
prior evaluation (ex-ante) - for optimizing sources and enhancing the quality of programming
document preparation,
•
evaluation during the course of the implementation period,
•
o
based on immediate need (ad-hoc) in connection with the findings of the monitoring
system (deviation from target, requirements resulting from oversight),
o
on-going - may be carried out by a member state (or Managing Authority) and also
by the European Commission in the course of program implementation, see Article
48 and 49 of the General Regulations,
o
overall strategic report in keeping with Article 29 Par. 2 of the General Regulations,
evaluation upon conclusion (ex-post) of the implementation period undertaken by the
European Commission in tight cooperation with the state and ŘO.
Evaluation is closely connected and tied to monitoring. Evaluation and the undertaking of evaluation
studies are based upon data and information which are obtained within the framework of monitoring. If
negative deviations are identified within the framework of monitoring, the evaluation workplace will
react flexibly by writing up an ad hoc evaluation study. Monitoring simultaneously brings feedback in
the form of conclusions and recommendations of evaluation studies based upon which its focus and
direction are set. Evaluation and monitoring are therefore closely interrelated activities.
Ex-ante evaluation ROP „Northeast“
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The course of ex-ante evaluation and the consultation process
The Managing Authority, in keeping with Article 48 of the General Regulations, provides an ex-ante
evaluation of the program which is aimed at optimizing the allocation of budget resources within the
framework of the ROP „Northeast“ and at improving program quality. Differences, gaps and potential
development will be assessed as well as goals which are to be reached, expected results, quantified
targets, potentially strategy cohesion, the extent to which Community priorities have been taken into
account, experience gained from prior programming and the quality of approaches to provision,
monitoring, evaluation and financial management.
Ex-ante evaluation of ROP „Northeast“ has been undertaken by the company Finespa CZ, s.r.o.,
which was chosen for ex-ante evaluation in the framework of proper selection procedures.
Evaluation took place in two phases. The first phase consisted of running commentary of portions of
ROP „Northeast“ which had already been worked upon and the formulation of recommendations. This
phase then took place in parallel with ROP „Northeast“ preparations. The second phase consisted of
working out the final conclusions of evaluators about the programming document as a whole, including
their opinion as to the extent to which ideas and recommendations given to evaluators were
incorporated. A complete set of reports on the ex-ante evaluation are available at the Office of the
Regional Council of the Northeast Cohesion region. An electronic version of the final report summary
was sent to the EC.
There were a total of two ongoing evaluations of the analytic portions of the document and three
ongoing evaluations of proposed sections. Even as the ROP „Northeast“ was being worked out, the
Preliminary Final Report was presented, which then served as the basis for the Final Report and
Summary of the Ex-Ante Evaluation.
The RPS MMR Department organized coordination meetings for the evaluator for the purpose of
discussions concerning the methodology of the ex-ante evaluations and the requirements for unified
evaluation structure.
The evaluator participated at regular ROP team meetings (members of the team included the program
holder, designer and the SEA evaluator). The evaluator was also invited to meetings of individual
theme working groups, composed of representatives of regions, municipalities, the private sector and
non-profit organizations on the partnership principle. Partners have the option of repeatedly
acquainting themselves with versions of the document and making comments concerning it. Materials
were always sent before group meetings. Individual comments are part of the record of the meeting of
workgroups. These comments were then dealt with by the ROP „Northeast“ designer. The consultation
process was completely successful.
Ongoing conclusions of the ex-ante evaluation
Within the framework of the heretofore employed evaluation, evaluators consider the Regional
Operation Program as presented to be a document of satisfactory quality which is capable of being
presented to the approval process. It is, however, necessary to stress that it will require further
specification and supplementation.
The analytic portion is acceptable in principle and, in contrast to the original commented version, the
socioeconomic analysis and SWOT analysis were greatly improved. Nevertheless they're still
comments which are yet to be dealt with. From a formal standpoint, it is possible to recommend further
reduction in the analytic portion or, potentially, leaving out repetition of the conclusions from the
analytical portion in the proposal section. The evaluator also recommends, as a way of making use of
the experience from the current programming period, incorporating the most important conclusions
from the ongoing SROP evaluation, including the proposal for their use in designing programs for the
new programming period.
The strategy is relatively concise, but as opposed to the original proposal as presented, has been
modified on the basis of recommendations from the ex-ante evaluator. The decided insufficiencies in
the original strategy lay in inadequate ties to analytic sections and unsuitable and sometimes
misleading determination and formulation of goals. For more advantageous determination of goals, the
project initiator was recommended to utilize a problem tree, which is well elaborated in the ROP
„Northeast“ framework.
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The focus of strategy is based upon the thematic interface between individual OPs and reflects the
division of competencies between individual levels of public administration. On the general level,
strategy reacts to problems identified in the course of the analytic phase of document preparation.
Nevertheless it is necessary to state that in some individual sections, the ties between analytical and
strategic portions remain relatively weak.
The overall goal was reformulated based upon foregoing recommendations by the evaluator and the
current goal is precise and adequately emphasizes the target state. Strategic goals are formally as
well as factually well set out and explained, reflecting actual possibilities for the region to influence its
socioeconomic development and at the same time enable progress to be measured in fulfilling those
goals.
The determination of priority axes achieves very good quality and to a great extent takes into account
prior comments of the ex-ante evaluator. The ex-ante evaluator would appreciate in the description of
priority axes more detail and less formal description of causal relationships, in particular the influence
of intervention. The evaluator appreciates sections touching upon reasons for public intervention into
the proposed areas.
The priority axes proposal is in accordance with national and community policies and documents
(SOZS, Lisbon strategy, NSRR, National Reform Program) as well as with the programming document
of the regions.
In the presented document overlaps between interventions of other operational programmes and the
Programme for Rural Development financed by EAFRD have not been entirely resolved yet. The Exante evaluator is, however, of the opinion that the final solution of these overlaps is partially outside
the competence of the holder of the ROP „Northeast“.
The ROP „Northeast“ proposal as presented does not contain a justification for financial allocation for
individual priority axes and determination of expected financial allocations to individual support areas,
which partially stands in the way of comprehensive program evaluation, especially as concerns
program impact.
In spite of the absence of detailed financial plans, it may be said that intervention is still of a scattered
character. In defining priority axes and areas of support, the approach is not sufficiently strategic,
thematically selective and territorially concentrated, which may influence the impact of the program on
the territory to a great extent.
Viewpoint of the ex-ante evaluator
In spite of the fact that the evaluation of the text is critical in places, the evaluator stressed that ROP
NUTS II Northeast has reacted to all substantial comments by the evaluators and presented a
methodically correct and factually balanced document which contains all important elements for
documents of type OP.
After presenting the Final Report of the Ex-Ante Evaluation of the ROP „Northeast“ to the initiator, all
comments of the ex-ante evaluator were discussed and meetings of working groups with all partners
participating in the preparation of the ROP „Northeast“ and the ROP team. Results of these meetings
were then incorporated into the ROP „Northeast“ programming document.
Evaluation of ROP „Northeast“ by SEA
A. Evaluation Course
Within the meaning of Act No. 100/2001 Coll., on Environmental Impact Assessment, as amended by
Act no. 93/2004 Coll. (hereinafter “Act No. 100/2001 Coll.”), the ROP „Northeast“ shall be subject to a
procedure evaluating the impact of its conceptions on the environment and public health (so-called
SEA – Strategic Environmental Analysis). This procedure was in compliance with the requirements of
the above-quoted Act. The evaluation was elaborated by: RNDr. Petr Anděl, CSc. (EVERNIA s.r.o.,
Liberec) and Ing. Jana Svobodová (Integra Consulting Services s.r.o., Prague).
The Notice of Conception, developed within the scope of Schedule No. 7 to Act No. 100/82001 Coll.,
was submitted to the MŽP on 7.3. 2006. On 13.3. 2006, the Notice of Conception was circulated to the
administration bodies and local government territorial units concerned and published in the SEA
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Information System. A declaratory procedure was initiated on 27.3. 2006 by posting the information
about the Notice of Conception on the Liberec-Region Authority Office Board. The declaratory
procedure was closed on 26.4. 2006 by issuing a conclusion of the declaratory procedure.
The draft conception, including an environmental impact assessment, drawn up within the scope of
Schedule No. 9 of Act No. 100/2001 Coll., was submitted to the MŽP on 23.8. 2006 and, following a
check of the essentials on 29.8. 2006, published in the SEA Information System and circulated to the
administration bodies and local government territorial units concerned. The public discussion on the
draft conception, including an assessment of the conception’s environmental impact, was held on
25.9. 2006 in the Regional Authority building of the Hradec-Králové-Region (Regional Assembly Hall,
2nd floor), seated at Wonkova 1142, 500 02 Hradec Králové. Minutes of the public discussion were
received by the MŽP on 26.9. 2006.
Informing the public 26 and involved bodies on procedures during writing up of the ROP „Northeast“
document and its evaluation from a natural environment and public health impact point of view (in
accordance with Article 6, Directive 2001/42) was carried out using web pages and regular invitations
for submitting comments or participation in public discussions concerning the draft versions of ROP
„Northeast“ or participation in public discussions on evaluating the impact of ROP „Northeast“ on the
natural environment and public health. An overview of comments obtained and the method of
responding to them is contained in chapter SEA O. (O.1, Overall Response of Concepts Received
from the Standpoint of Influences on the Natural Environment and Public Health, and O.2, Conclusions
of Exploratory Proceedings). Evaluation of all opinions received in comments on the proposed
concepts and its evaluation are, at the same time, made public on the web pages of RR Northeast at
(www.rada-severovychod.cz).
Documentation relating to the processing of evaluations of the influence of ROP NUTS II Northeast on
the natural environment are available to the broader public in the SEA Information System managed
by MŽP ČR at http://eia.cenia.cz/sea/koncepce/detail.php?id=MZP027K
B. Evaluation Methodology and Outputs
The assessment of the ROP „Northeast“’s environmental impact was performed in compliance with
Act No. 100/2001 Coll., Schedule No. 9 thereof. The assessment was carried out as the conception
was drafted and recommendations of the SEA authors continuously incorporated in the conception.
For the assessment, a reference goal method was used, i.e. a comparison of potential impacts of the
ROP „Northeast“’s Areas of Intervention on the reference goals set for environmental protection and
public health. The elementary effort also included an assessment of impacts on individual
environmental components. The methodology for elaborating SEA’s of the ROP „Northeast“ is based
on SEA methodology of the National Development Plan. Environmental protection reference goals for
assessing the ROP „Northeast“’s impact on the environment are defined on the basis of a set of SEA
reference goals of the National Development Plan for 2007-2013 and goals of the relevant strategic
documents related to environmental and public health issues at international, national and regional
levels. When assessing environmental impacts, not just the direct impacts but also any indirect,
cumulative and synergic impacts are identified.
A special emphasis within SEA is laid on establishing a system of indicators and environmental criteria
for the selection of projects and a proposal for their inclusion in a system for evaluating and selecting
projects submitted for support under the ROP „Northeast“. The implementation of this system should
ensure that no projects with substantial negative environmental impacts are selected. The ROP
„Northeast“ indicators of environmental impact are defined on the basis of environmental protection
reference goals, i.e. their monitoring will make it possible to evaluate whether or not the set targets are
being met. The definition of indicators is based on SEA indicators for the National Development Plan,
as well as indicators of the National Indicator Code List for the NDP. The NDP SEA defines obligatory
indicators to be used when indicators for the SEA of operational programmes are being defined.
Another part of the ROP N-E’s assessment was the consideration under Sec. 45i of Act No. 114/1992
Coll., on Environmental and Landscape Protection (hereinafter also “Act No. 114/1992 Coll.”), as
26
Public discussion lately took place in August 30 th, 2007. MA ROP Northeast adressed the wide
public and namely sent invitations to the representatives of municipalities, microregions, and nonprofit
organizations, which are involved in enforcing equal opportunities and sustainable development.
Record of the public discussion including coping with all the remarks risen was sent to all participants
and is also published on the web pages of the Northeast Regional Council.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
subsequently amended, in terms of its impacts on the European-significant sites and Important Bird
Areas and the state of their preservation in terms of Sec. 45h of Act No. 114/1992 Coll.
European Parliament and Council Directive 2001/42/ES dated 27.6. 2001 concerning the evaluation of
impact of some plans and programs on the natural environment has been incorporated into the Czech
legal code as Law no. 100/2001 Sb., concerning impacts on the natural environment and changes to
some related laws. SEA evaluation of all ROPs has been carried out in accordance with this law and
thus corresponds to Direcitve 2001/42/ES.
SEA evaluation of individual ROPs are made available at
http://eia.cenia.cz/sea/koncepce/detail.php?id=MZP027K
C. Opinion of the Ministry of Environment
Acting as the competent body under Sec. 21 of Act No. 100/2001 Coll., the Ministry of Environment,
on the basis of the draft conception, the integral part of which includes an assessment performed by
the conception evaluator under Act No. 100/2001 Coll., including a conception evaluation under Sec.
45i of Act No. 114/1992 Coll., of the opinions provided thereon, and of the public discussion, issued on
October 18, 2006 an approving opinion on the draft conception “Regional Operational Programme
NUTS II Northeast”, assuming compliance with the conditions provided in the opinion. Announcement
in the sense of Article 9 (1)(b) of Directive 2001/42 is contained in the response to the Opinion of the
MŽP ČR.
A. Response to the positive opinion of the MŽP:
ŘO ROP „Northeast“:
1) Within the framework of the overall system of monitoring of the impact of implementation of the
ROP „Northeast“ it will monitor the impact on the natural environment.
Within the framework of the overall system of monitoring the impact of the implementation of the ROP
„Northeast“, "Exposure of population to PM10 in excess of limits" was added to the set of indicators.
This measure follows the evaluation system and choice of project and makes use of environmental
criteria.
2) It will take into consideration the question of the natural environment in the framework of the entire
system of evaluation and choice of projects.
Whether the project has a negative impact on the natural environment is evaluated as early as the
selection process. In such a case, the project is unacceptable from the standpoint of acceptability
criteria. Every project is subsequently evaluated and awarded points, taking into consideration its
relation to the natural environment. Within the framework of the entire system of monitoring the impact
of implementing the ROP „Northeast“, the "Exposure of population to PM10 in excess of limits"
indicator has been incorporated into the indicator set.
3) It will take into consideration the proposed measures for decreasing the potential negative impacts
of individual projects on the natural environment and public health in the course of project realization.
This means making use of these measures in determining the conditions for project realization for
obtaining a subsidy within the framework of ROP „Northeast“.
The system of choice and evaluation is set in such a way that no project is allowed to have a negative
impact on the environment, since this would be unacceptable. Further, the project’s relationship to the
natural environment is taken into consideration when each is evaluated and awarded points.
4) In preparing individual projects, it is necessary to respect above all protected areas, their protection
conditions and plans for caring for them. In assessing concrete projects, it is also necessary to respect
localities in which protected species of plants or wildlife are present. It is also necessary to involve the
appropriate bodies for the protection of the environment and countryside in the subsequent choice of
concrete projects.
This issue is taken into consideration in assessing projects from the outset. In turning in an application,
it is necessary to include the obligatory attachment containing the opinion of the relevant bodies
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
(Department of Environmental Protection of the corresponding regional authority) as to whether the
project has a negative impact on the natural environment.
5) It is necessary to set out environmental criteria for the evaluation and choice of projects whose use
would provide for the realization of projects within the framework of individual ROP „Northeast“
measures. Supported projects are not permitted to have significant negative impacts on the
environment and the countryside.
These criteria are established and are monitored within the sustainable development. Projects will be
subsequently evaluated from the point of view of their contribution to the sustainable development.
6) In selecting projects it is necessary to observe whether the following occur in connection with
realization of the project:
- violation of protection conditions of specially protected areas,
- violation of territorial protection and integrity of Natura 2000 (significant European localities and bird
regions),
- damage or liquidation of biotopes with the appearance of specially protected species of plants and
wildlife,
- interference into ÚSES and VKP elements, negative influence on natural stations, biotopes, flora and
fauna,
- increased fragmentation of the countryside, decreased freedom of movement in the countryside.
This issue is taken into account in assessing projects from the outset. In turning in an application, it is
necessary to include the obligatory attachment containing the opinion of the relevant bodies
(Department of Environmental Protection of the corresponding regional authority) as to whether the
project has a negative impact on the natural environment. The points mentioned have been evaluated
in this opinion.
7) We require the incorporation of activities concerning the elimination of the impact of transportation
in city clusters into the ROP „Northeast“ proposal, namely into the Support Area "Support of Projects
Improving Transportation Serviceability of the Territory", i.e., activities consisting of:
- purchase and reconstruction of mass transit vehicles and technical assistance vehicles with
alternative fuels (including building the accompanying infrastructure, i.e., natural gas filling stations,
exchangers for trolley buses, etc.),
- acquiring dust filters for diesel motors for mass transit vehicles, technical assistance vehicles and
public administration vehicles.
These activities form part of Priority Access 1, support area 1.2 "Support of Projects Improving
Transportation Serviceability of the Territory".
8) In the chapter "Indicators for Monitoring and Evaluation", we require that the impact of indicator
"Exposure of population to PM10 in excess of limits" is heeded from an air-quality point of view at the
program level.
Within the framework of the overall system of monitoring the impact of ROP „Northeast“
implementation, both required indicators were incorporated into the indicator set.
9) In the priority access indicators, we require at the Development of Transportation Infrastructure
priority access level to monitor the impact and result indicators in accordance with the current
Environment Operational Programme for the 2007 – 2013 period, priority axis 2. This concerns the
following indicators:
-Exposure of population to PM10 in excess of limits;
-Lowering emissions of primary particles and precursor secondary particles.
Both indicators were also integrated into the overall system of monitoring ROP „Northeast“
implementation impacts.
10) We require that the following comment be included in the ROP „Northeast“ proposal, in the
subchapter "Tasks of the Beneficiary, Project Selection System": those projects contained in local and
regional programs for the improvement of air-quality in accord with Law no. 86/2002 of the legal code
concerning air protection in its current version will be given preference for support.
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
The particulars of the selection criteria system treat this issue. Selection criteria will be approved by
the Monitoring Committee.
11) We recommend incorporating indicators for evaluating the impact on health recommended in the
opinion of the Regional Hygienic Station of the Pardubice Region.
Representatives of the Regional Hygienic Station were involved in the working group creating and
commenting on the ROP „Northeast“. The Regional Hygienic Station did not object to ROP
„Northeast“.
12) The initiator of the concept will make public opinions and comments concerning the outline of the
concept as well as its evaluation on its web pages.
This evaluation is made public on the Internet pages of RR SV at www.rada-severovychod.cz.
Declaration pursuant to Article 9(1)(a,b) of the Regulation 2001/42 in connection to the
settlement of the positive opinion of MZP.
In relation to Article 9, awareness and consultations with relevant authorities (Art. 6, (3)), public, and a
member state are assured within ROP “Northeast”.
The interim versions and the final version of the ROP “Northeast” are available on the web pages of
the Northeast Regional Council, www.rada-severovychod.cz, and the course of assessement of the
programme and its influence on the natural environment is publicly available in the SEA Information
System.
The whole process of the SEA evaluation has been consulted with the relevant authorities of the
member state, as well as the public. The inquiry proceedings were done and the proposal of the
concept was suggested to the Ministry of Environment. The Ministry of Environment gave its own
standpoint to it (see above), which is respected and has been properly incorporated to the ROP
“Northeast”.
During the whole process of the SEA evaluation comments of public and the relevant authorities on
the concept in the light of impacts on environment and public health were collected and settled.
Comments have been taken maximally in consideration and their enumeration including their
settlement is summarized in the SEA documentation (chapter P). 72 comments out of total 93 were
fully incorporated and 7 of them partly incorporated. 14 comments were not accepted for their
irrelevancy.
The final version of the SEA documentation, conclusion of the inquiry proceeding, and the approving
standpoint of the Ministry of Environment are available in the SEA Information System and the web
pages of the Northeast Regional Council.
ROP „Northeast“ pays maximum attention to aspects of the natural environment in the territory and, by
recommending activities, aims to improve the quality not only of features of the natural environment
but public health in the territory of NUTS II SV.
Cross-border influences from a natural environment standpoint and a public health standpoint were
not identified in ROP „Northeast“.
The final ROP „Northeast“ text, along with modified conclusions and results of the process of
evaluating its influence on the natural environment and public health, was submitted for approval.
MA ROP Northeast is obliged to ensure monitoring of influences of the programme on natural
environment and public health. Area of natural environment is to be taken in consideration within the
overall assessment and project selection; influences of all activities performed within ROP „Northeast“
shall be properly monitored and evaluated .
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Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
Conditions for positive opinion from the standpoint of influence on the Natura 2000 locality
system:
Concrete projects supported within the framework of the ROP „Northeast“ V must respect territorial
protection in the integrity of important European localities and bird regions under Natura 2000 and
may not lead to damage or worsening of the state of subjects protected on this territory.
This issue is taken into account in assessing projects from the outset. In turning in an application, it is
necessary to include the obligatory attachment containing the opinion of the relevant bodies
(Department of Environmental Protection of the corresponding regional authority) as to whether the
project has a negative impact on the natural environment. In the framework of this opinion the above
mentioned points have been taken into account.
D. Monitoring the influence of ROP „Northeast“ on the natural environment
The monitoring process, in accordance with Art. 9(1)(c) and 10 of Directive 2001/42 for ROP
„Northeast“ draws on SEA (Chapter J, Determination of Monitoring Indicators of Influence of the
Concept on the Natural Environment and Chapter L, Determination of Indicators (criteria) for choice of
the project) and is closely described in Chapter 5.13 Horizontal Themes.
This process reflects the demands contained in the Opinion of the MŽP ČR (especially points 1 -3) of
this opinion).
E. Conclusions
A nontechnical summary of the information made available in the environmental report in accordance
with Annex I (j), of Directive 2001/42 is contained in Chapter SEA N, Nontechnical Summary of
Information. Nontechnical Summary makes Annex 10.3.
The author of the SEA assessment observes that environmental protection within the ROP „Northeast“
is treated as a basic horizontal theme, being included in all Priority Axes of the ROP „Northeast“. At
the level of the Priority Axes, Specific targets, Areas of Intervention and activities, no facts were found,
leading by definition to substantial negative impacts on the environment and public health. A crucial
point in this respect will be the implementation phase and the specific project selection and solution.
The MŽP issued an approving opinion on the conception and its conditions have been accepted.
8.7 Promotion
Under Article 69 of the General Regulation, adequate information and promotion measures are to be
taken in connection with the OP, focusing on increasing public awareness about the OP and EU
activities. Such promotion shall be a responsibility of the Managing Authority, ensuring in particular the
awareness:
• of prospective support Beneficiaries, economic and social partners, entities advocating
equality of men and women, and appropriate non-governmental organisations, about
opportunities which the offered assistance brings;
• of the wide public, about the Community role in providing assistance through the ERDF and
CF, as well as about the eventual results of such assistance.
Picture No 26: Implementation Scheme
217
Regional Operational Programme NUTS II Northeast
218
NUTS II Northeast
Picture No 27. Organizational structure of theOffice of the Northeast Regional Council
NUTS II Northeast
Picture No 28. Functional division scheme (Managing Authority, Certification Body, Audit Body)
Cohesion Region NUTS II Northeast
9
ROP „Northeast“ Funding
The Regional Operational Programme Northeast will be financed solely from the European Regional
Development Fund. The Financial Plan for the Regional Operational Programme N-E is developed on
the basis of fund allocation under the Convergence Goal defined in the National Development Plan of
the Czech Republic for 2007-2013.
Financial allocations from structural funds of the European Union to the Regional Operational
Programme Northeast are based on an updated material of MMR, Ref. No. 36308/2006-21, “European
Resources in 2007-2013”, dated 5.10. 2006, where an allocation to the amount of 18% of the total
allocations considered for the Czech Republic in the new programming period was appropriated to
Regional Operational Programmes. In value terms, the amount reaches 4 659.0 mil EUR. At its
meeting of 9.6. 2006, the Association of Regions of the Czech Republic decided on allocating 18% of
the total allocations intended for each Cohesion Region to all the ROP’s. The allocation of this amount
to each year of the period 2007-2013 and the individual priority axis of the Regional Operational
Programme Northeast are contained in the following financial tables In keeping with Article 37 of
Council Regulation, the ROP „Northeast“ contains only information at the level of priority axes. A more
detailed description of financial sources including co-finance of projects/beneficiaries is included in the
operating document.
Cohesion Region NUTS II Northeast
Table No 30. Financial allocation EU funds for ROP „Northeast“ by year and fund
ROP „Northeast“
Allocation by Year and Fund
(EUR, Common Prices)
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Structural
Funds (ERDF)
1
81,448,769
85,455,123
89,478,991
93,691,019
97,904,969
102,103,603
106,375,132
Total
2007-2013
656,457,606
Cohesion
Fund
2
Total
3=1+2
81,448,769
85,455,123
89,478,991
93,691,019
97,904,969
102,103,603
106,375,132
0
656,457,606
Cohesion Region NUTS II Northeast
Table No 31: Financial sources by Priority Axes ROP „Northeast“
ROP „Northeast“
Priority Axes by Financial Resource
(EUR, Common Prices)
Priority
Axis
Number
Priority Axis Name
Fund/Level
Community
National
of CoContribution Resources
financing Allocation
Share
Related to
Indicative Allocation
of National
Level of
Resources
Total
CoNational National Resources financing
Public
Private
Funds
Funds
a
b(=c+d)
c
d
d=a+b
e=a/d
For Information
EIB Other Resources
1 Development of Transport Infrastructure
ERDF/Public
37%
242,889,314
42,862,819
42,862,819
0 285,752,133
85%
19,288,269
2 Development of Urban and Rural Areas
ERDF/Public
34%
223,195,587
39,387,457
39,387,457
0 262,583,044
85%
2,201,454
3 Tourism
ERDF/Public
22%
144,420,673
25,486,004
25,486,004
0 169,906,677
85%
57,312,723
4 Development of Entrepreneurial Environment ERDF/Public
4%
26,258,304
4,633,819
4,633,819
0
30,892,123
85%
7,500,756
19,693,728
3,475,364
3,475,364
0
23,169,092
85%
0 772,303,069
85%
5 Technical Assistance
ERDF/Public
Total
3%
100%
656,457,606 115,845,463 115,845,463
0
0
86,303,202
Cohesion Region NUTS II Northeast
10
Annexes
10.1
Annex No. 1: List of Cities by Areas of Intervention under
Priority Axis 2
Table No 32: The list of cities by areas of intervention under Priority Axis 2
Area of Intervention 2.1: Development of Regional Centres
This Area of Intervention is intended for cities with a population over 50,000
as at 1.1. 2006 according to ČSÚ data.
Region
LBK
KHK
PK
City
Liberec
Hradec Králové
Pardubice
City Population as at 1.1. 2006
97,950
94,431
88,260
Area of Intervention 2.2: Urban
Development
This Area of Intervention is intended for cities with a population over 5,000
as at 1.1. 2006 according to ČSÚ data.
Region
LBK
LBK
KHK
PK
KHK
PK
PK
KHK
KHK
PK
LBK
KHK
KHK
PK
LBK
KHK
PK
PK
PK
KHK
PK
KHK
PK
PK
LBK
KHK
PK
KHK
KHK
LBK
City
Jablonec nad Nisou
Česká Lípa
Trutnov
Chrudim
Náchod
Svitavy
Česká Třebová
Jičín
Dvůr Králové nad Labem
Ústí nad Orlicí
Turnov
Vrchlabí
Jaroměř
Vysoké Mýto
Nový Bor
Rychnov nad Kněžnou
Moravská Třebová
Hlinsko
Litomyšl
Nové Město nad Metují
Lanškroun
Nová Paka
Polička
Choceň
Semily
Hořice
Přelouč
Červený Kostelec
Broumov
Frýdlant
City Population as at 1.1.2006
44,748
38,489
31,195
23,385
21,079
17,248
16,533
16,253
16,111
14,918
14,489
13,065
12,767
12,432
12,192
11,672
11,251
10,295
10,118
10,054
9,807
9,263
9,029
8,953
8,924
8,811
8,467
8,419
8,136
7,500
Cohesion Region NUTS II Northeast
LBK
KHK
KHK
LBK
LBK
KHK
LBK
KHK
PK
PK
KHK
LBK
PK
KHK
LBK
KHK
LBK
KHK
KHK
PK
LBK
Hrádek nad Nisou
Nový Bydžov
Dobruška
Tanvald
Mimoň
Hronov
Železný Brod
Týniště nad Orlicí
Holice
Letohrad
Kostelec nad Orlicí
Chrastava
Žamberk
Úpice
Lomnice nad Popelkou
Třebechovice pod Orebem
Jilemnice
Česká Skalice
Chlumec nad Cidlinou
Skuteč
Doksy
10.2
Annex No. 2: Indicative breakdown of the Community
contribution by category in the ROP Nuts II Northeast
7,358
7,126
7,033
6,966
6,742
6,488
6,409
6,303
6,298
6,202
6,159
6,038
6,017
5,927
5,896
5,796
5,710
5,429
5,313
5,304
5,103
Table No 33: Financial expenses ROP „Northeast“ by category
1
Priority Axis 1
Code
Amount
*
**
18
23
24
25
28
29
52
Total
2
3
Form of finance
Code
Amount
*
**
01
242 889 314
Territory
Code
Amount
*
**
01
206 455 917
05
36 433 397
Total
Total
25 712 305
147 878 054
10 482 320
21 860 038
6 358 214
12 144 466
18 453 917
242 889 314
242 889 314
242 889 314
1
2
3
Priority Axis 2
Code
Amount
*
**
61
87 051 270
75
50 589 335
76
21 573 909
Form of finance
Code
Amount
*
**
01
223 195 587
Territory
Code
Amount
*
**
01
178 556 470
05
44 639 117
225
Cohesion Region NUTS II Northeast
79
80
Total
59 517 159
4 463 914
223 195 587
1
Priority Axis 3
Code
Amount
*
**
24
2 888 413
55
8 665 240
56
11 553 654
57
103 982 885
58
17 330 481
Total
144 420 673
Total
223 195 587
Total
223 195 587
2
Form of finance
Code
Amount
*
**
01
144 420 673
3
Territory
Code
Amount
*
**
01
101 094 471
05
43 326 202
Total
Total
144 420 673
144 420 673
1
2
3
Priority Axis 4
Code
Amount
*
**
03
1 050 332
05
3 938 746
08
9 452 989
09
525 166
50
5 776 826
68
2 625 830
72
1 050 332
75
1 838 083
Total
26 258 304
Form of finance
Code
Amount
*
**
01
26 258 304
Territory
Code
Amount
*
**
01
19 693 728
05
6 564 576
Total
Total
1
Priority Axis 5
Code
Amount
*
**
85
14 770 296
86
4 923 432
Total
19 693 728
26 258 304
26 258 304
2
Form of finance
Code
Amount
*
**
01
19 693 728
3
Territory
Code
Amount
*
**
00
19 693 728
Total
Total
19 693 728
226
19 693 728
Cohesion Region NUTS II Northeast
10.3
Annex No. 3: A non-technical summary of the information
given in the report on environmental conditions according to
Annex l(j) of the Regulation 2001/42/ES
Introduction
(1) As a part of the system of operational programmes of the Czech Republic the ROP
„Northeast“ contributes by means of public interventions to the sustainable development in line
with the Strategy of Sustainable Development of the Czech Republic. ROP „Northeast“ tackles
the issue of economic, social and territorial differences by strengthening economic growth,
competitiveness and employment, social inclusion, environment protection and quality.
Strategic objectives and priorities, and the areas of intervention of ROP „Northeast“ as tools of
public intervention are formulated so that they hold down as much as possible the imbalance
in mutual relations between the economic, environmental and social pillars of sustainability. All
priorities of ROP „Northeast“ fulfil with their thematic orientation 3 pillars of the sustainable
development in the region.
Identification data
(2) Submitted by: Regional Authority of the Liberecký, Pardubický kraj and the Královéhradecký
kraj (NUTS II Northeast). Evaluators of the ROP NUTS II Northeast impacts on environment:
RNDr. Petr Anděl, CSc., EVERNIA s.r.o. Liberec, Ing. Jana Svobodová, Integra Consulting
Services s.r.o. Praha. Authority competent to issue the statement pursuant to the quoted Act
of Law: Ministry of Environment of the Czech Republic, Department for the assessment of
environmental impacts and IPPC. Authority approving the conception and its assessment in
terms of environmental impacts is the Regional Council of the Liberecký, Pardubický kraj and
the Královéhradecký kraj.
Contents and objectives of the conception and its relation to other conceptions
(3) In the submitted version, the Regional operational programme of the region NUTS II Northeast
is focused on global objective, strategic objectives and priorities of the National Development
Plan of the Czech Republic for 2007-2013. The ROP content focus is formulated with respect
to the thematic focus of other operational programmes and assertion of the principle of
subsidiarity and thereof derived competence prerequisites and dispositions relating to the
development of the territory. Priorities and areas of intervention of the Regional operational
programme will be modified and precised in line with the results of negotiations between
resorts and regions concerning the precise demarcation of "boundaries" between the thematic
operational programmes and the regional operational programmes.
(4) Entirely essential for the creation of the Regional operational programme are three strategic
documents: Community Strategic Guidelines (EU), National Development Plan (CR), and the
linking National Strategic Reference Framework (CR). The Regional operational programme is
consistent with other national strategic documents, viz. Strategy of Sustainable Development,
Strategy of Economic Growth, and regional development strategies of the respective krajs
constituting the region NUTS II Northeast.
Information on the current state of environment in the concerned territory and its
presumable development without the implemented conception
(5) The assessment followed out from groundwork documents elaborated during the preparation
of ROP NUTS II NE in which fundamental categories of protection were mapped for the
individual environment constituents. The assessment splits into the following sections: (i) air
and climate, (ii) water, (iii) soil, (iv) rock environment and nature resources, (v) flora and fauna,
(vi) ecosystems, (vii) landscape character, (viii) population.
(6) The impact of ROP on NATURA 2000 localities was evaluated in a separate report whose
author is Prof.RNDr. Vladimír Bejček, CSc. The evaluation constitutes a separate attachment
to the SEA documentation.
(7) It is to be stated that the initial condition of environment in the concerned region does not
represent an essentially limiting obstacle for the realization of the proposed priority axes and
areas of support stipulated in ROP. Projects to be implemented within ROP will be those
focused directly on environment conservation, in which a possible non-implementation of the
ROP would lead either to the stagnation of the currently unsatisfactory state, or even to its
further worsening and in other projects with certain negative impacts on environment a
conclusive question will be the measure of these impacts in relation to general legislation and
local conditions. These impacts have to be evaluated in detail within the assessment of the
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impact of conceptions on the environment including a proposal for minimization and
compensation measures.
All current problems of environment relevant to the conception, especially those relating to
areas of particular significance for the environment (e.g. areas requiring protection
according to special legal regulations)
(8) This part brings the assessment of a possible impact of potential intentions realized within
some of the 5 priority axes on the individual constituents of environment. Regarding the fact
that concrete plans are not known at the present, the assessment is made at a general level in
the form of possible risks and limits. A detailed evaluation can be found in Chapter D.2
Evaluation of the impacts of ROP NUTS II NE on individual constituents of the environment.
(9) Air and climate. In general terms, one of dominant sources of air pollution is transport.
Priority axis 1: Development of transport infrastructure includes construction of circumferential
highways in towns, building of speed-highways to increase transport passability in the region,
support to the construction of backbone communications in the region and optimization of
transport serviceability, which should result in smoother traffic, diversion of transport outside
town centres and a greater use of public transport, which should favourably affect air pollution
situation in the region.
(10) Similarly as the development of entrepreneurial environment, the development of urban and
rural areas will have a positive influence on air quality in support and development of central
heat supply and construction of industrial zones outside built-up areas. Which will however
again increase transport; this is why a qualitative transport connection is recommended of
these zones by public transport.
(11)Support to tourism will reflect in air quality namely by increased emissions from traffic.
Therefore, a support is focused onto construction of parking capacities in tourist centres,
promotion of mass transportation to attractive localities from the retaining car parks, which
should lead to reduced individual transportation in tourist localities and hence to reduced air
pollution load.
(12) Water. Any new construction may in general terms adversely impact surface and
underground water. The construction of new linear elements in the landscape often features
crossing of water courses or water surfaces, which has to be resolved through technical
measures (example: bridges, tube and slab culverts). In the case of extensive ground shaping
it is also necessary to evaluate the impact of the planned project on ground water, its extent
and effects, and possible measures for abatement of the negative phenomena.
(13) Positive influence on water is expected from sewage water treatment and from the
recultivation of industrial sites and contaminated soil under Priority axis 2: Development of
urban and rural settlements. Under this priority it is possible to aid the construction of
sewerage systems and sewage water treatment plants, which is to lead to enhanced quality of
both surface and ground water. Regeneration and revitalization of uncared, damaged,
improperly used and neglected sites and objects will markedly reduce the risk of ground water
contamination.
(14) Soils: Based on the SWOT analysis and the set-up priorities (indicators), the preference of
railway, water and air transport can be appreciated with respect to large-scale soil protection.
The draft projects foresee a lower pressure on land appropriation and potential deterioration of
its quality (contamination, loss of biodiversity). Positive is also the use of old unused sites
(brownfields) which are a potential source of soil contamination.
(15) On the other hand, negative impact may have the specific objectives "enhancement of the
condition of regional road transport infrastructure and optimization of transport serviceability in
the region" as well as the development of transport infrastructure (absence of motorways and
speedways and hence overloaded existing communication network) that may increase
pressure on appropriation of particularly qualitative farmland. The persisting air-pollution load
from traffic and industries (even point sources) may potentially contaminate soil resources with
all possible negative impacts on human health and ecosystems.
(16) Rock environment and nature resources. At the stage of construction any new structure
represents a certain intervention into rock environment; ground shaping and earth moving
works may negatively effect both the rock environment and the groundwater table. A positive
influence of ROP on rock environment is foreseen in the reduced risk of contamination
through regeneration and revitalization of unkept, damaged, improperly used and neglected
sites and objects but also in the optimization and enhancement of traffic smoothness, which is
to lead to reduced number of accidents and escapes of oil substances which may contaminate
the rock environment.
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(17) Flora and fauna. Projects implemented within ROP will affect flora and fauna both at the
stage of building various industrial premises, objects of tourism, routes and circumferential
highways in towns and villages, and at the stage of their operation. A newly planned route
running through the open landscape will nearly always reach at least partly into important
botanical or zoological localities with the occurrence of particularly protected plant and animal
species. Similarly, the construction of industrial premises, urban and rural infrastructure or
infrastructure for tourism can be reaching into these localities. Essential for the significance of
the impact on flora and fauna is to select such localities on the basis of biological survey
made prior to the construction.
(18) At the stage of operation, fauna and flora may be markedly affected by soil and water
contamination, air pollution, increased noisiness, in the case of accidents and breakdowns by
escaped oil and other toxic substances into the environment. Within the development of
transport infrastructure it is necessary to ensure a sufficient amount of park places, catering
and accommodation capacities, and to enhance services for tourists also in less visited
localities.
(19) Ecosystems. Negative impact on ecosystems can be expected in the case of projects
focused on the construction of new objects and transport routes which may interfere with
some important ecosystems such as elements of the territorial system of ecological stability,
particularly protected areas, important landscape elements or localities with the occurrence of
particularly protected plant and animal species. Essential for the significance of project impact
on ecosystems is the selection of locality based on previous surveys and search study.
(20) Positive influence on ecosystems will have the building of integrated transport systems,
development of urban mass transportation and enhanced transport serviceability, which
should lead to reduced individual transportation and hence to negative phenomena of traffic
on adjacent ecosystems. Positive effect on ecosystems is also expected from the regeneration
and revitalization of uncared, damaged, improperly used and neglected sites and objects,
which will decrease the amount of toxic substances entering the ecosystems.
(21) Landscape character. Essential factor in assessing the impact of individual projects on
landscape character is the character of the locality in which the project is to be implemented,
landscape type, presence of national park, technical parameters of the project and its
integration into the landscape. These parameters can be evaluated only in concrete projects,
and it is therefore necessary for their implementation within ROP to carry out an assessment
of the impact of the structure on the landscape character as early as at a stage of project
documentation.
(22) Positive influence on landscape character may have projects implemented within the
category of the area of support Conservation and development of natural heritage, which
contributes to the sustained development and renewal of cultural landscape, conservation of
the landscape character and support of environment-friendly forms of agriculture including
agrotourism.
(23) Population. One of the most significant negative impacts in the development of transport
infrastructure, support to industrial activities and development of tourism on the population is
increased noisiness. In general terms, one of dominant sources of noise is traffic. Priority axis
1: Development of transport infrastructure includes construction of bypass roads in towns,
building of speedways to enhance passability of transport throuth the concerned territory,
support to the construction of backbone communications in the region, and optimization of
transport serviceability. The measures ought to result in a greater smoothness of traffic,
diversion of transport outside municipal centres and in a greater use of mass transportation,
which should positively affect noisiness in the region.
(24) Development of urban and rural areas –similarly as development of entrepreneurial
environment- will have a positive influence in the construction of industrial zones outside builtup areas and hence in the abatement of noise burden on the population in towns and villages.
However, this will show in repeated traffic increase, and this is why it is recommended to
ensure a qualitative connection of these zones by the means of urban mass transportation.
(25)Support to tourism will reflect in the noise situation in the region by increased noise from
traffic. Therefore, a support is focused onto construction of parking capacities in tourist
centres, promotion of mass transportation to attractive localities from the retaining car parks,
which will lead to reduced individual transportation in tourist localities.
Objectives of environment protection set up at international, communitary or national level,
which relate to the conception, and the way in which the objectives were taken into
consideration during its prepartion, namely in the comparison of optional solutions
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(26)Reference objectives of environment protection for ROP „Northeast“ are as follows: 1. to
reduce after the end of the first control period of the Protocol the specific CO2 emissions per
capita by 30% and the total aggregate CO2 emissions by 25% until the year 2020 as
compared with the year 2000, and to continue in the commenced trend until the year 2030;
2.to reach national emission ceilings for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic
substances and ammonia before the year 2010, and to reach target values for acidification for
human health and for vegetation until the year 2020; 3. to reduce the disposal of emissions
and escapes of priority substances, and to stop or gradually eliminate the discharge,
emissions and escapes of priority dangerous substances; 4. to reduce appropriation of land; 5.
to put restrictions on landscape fragmentation and to ensure protection and regeneration of
migration routes, corridors and stops for migrating species; 6. to enhance the retention
function of the landscape; 7. to reduce the input of major noxes into the environment and to
seek substitute solutions; 8. to reduce the consumption of primary non-renewable resources at
an absolute amount of 1% per year, in public sector by 1.5% per year; 9. to stabilize the
reduction of energy requirements in GDP creation by 30 per year, requirements of electric
energy by 2% per year; 10. to reduce the consumption of mineral raw materials due to
structural changes of economy and technical development; 11. to increase the utilization of
wastes with preference of recycling at 55% of all generated wastes until the year 2012; 12. to
reduce the specific production of dangerous wastes by 20% until 2010 as compared with the
year 2000 with expected further decrease; 13. to protect nature elements in built-up areas; 14.
to support utilization of brownfields; 15. to promote environment-friendly forms of transport
including management measures; 16. to reduce the load with transit and cargo road transport;
17. to reduce the load of population in settlements by noise exposure and noise from industrial
operations; 18. to encourage demand and supply of environment-friendly products and thus to
stimulate a potential for continual, market-controlled enhancement of the environment.
Relevant impacts (including secondary, synergic, cummulative, short-term, medium-term
and long-term ones, permanent and transitional, positive and negative) of the proposed
conception variants on the environment
(27)The evaluation of specific objectives and measures of the Regional operational programme
NUTS II Northeast is summarized in tables for the individual areas of support in Chapter F.1 of
the SEA documentation.
Measures prepared for prevention, abatement or compensation of all consequential
negative environmental impacts following out from the implementation of the conception
(28)Based on the evaluation of individual priorities with respect to the reference objectives of
environment protection specific conditions were proposed for implementation, which are
reviewed in Chapter G "The SEA documentation" along with some partial recommendations of
a more general nature.
(29)An important part of measures to prevent major negative impacts of the implementation of OP
Northeast on environment is also the proposal of environmental criteria for the selection of
projects and the proposal for their inclusion into the system of evaluation and selection of
projects submitted by applicants for aid from OP Northeast.
Enumeration of reasons for the choice of examined variants and description of how the
assessment was made including possible problems in gathering the required data
(example: technical deficiencies or insufficient know-how)
(30)ROP „Northeast“ is submitted a a single-variant programme. Alternatives may occur during its
implementation, i.e. during the realization of individual concrete projects. With respect to this it
is necessary that the ROP „Northeast“ monitoring system contains environmental indicators
and criteria for the selection of projects according to proposals presented by the SEA
executor.
(31)The assessment of the impacts of ROP „Northeast“ on the environment was made pursuant to
Act no. 100/2001 Coll. on the assessment of environmental impacts, as amended. An
important groundwork was Methodology for the assessment of the impact of conceptions on
environment (Ministry of Environment, edition Planeta 7/2004). Based on the issued
conclusion from the declaratory procedure, the assessment of environmental impacts has
included also the assessment of impacts on the system of NATURA 2000 localities.
Problems in gathering the required data
(32)There were no essential problems in gathering the groundwork documents and all available
data were included into the SEA documentation. During the preparation of the SEA
documentation, no deficiencies were found in the groundworks and knowledge that would
have prevented the formulation of final conclusions.
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Establishment of monitoring indicators for the impact of the conception on the
environment
(33)The SEA executor suggested environmental indicators to monitor the measure of ROP
impacts onto the respective reference objectives. In order to be able to foresee the ROP
impact with respect to the proposed indicators and at the same time to eliminate impacts other
than those of ROP it is necessary that the monitoring of these indicators is linked to the
environmental assessment of projects submitted within the respective areas of support, i.e.
that the environmental indicators are also used as criteria for the assessment and selection of
projects.
(34)The ROP monitoring system includes the following activities: assessment of submitted
projects with the use of environmental criteria, monitoring of environmental indicators (namely
on the basis of aggregated data from the project level), valuation of the monitoring, i.e.
recording of changes of the environmental indicators, initiation of relevant steps on finding
adverse impacts of ROP on the environment, publication of monitoring results, modifications
of environmental indicators and criteria with respect to the character of submitted projects,
communication with the authority relevant for the assessment (Ministry of Environment), and
nature conservation bodies and other entities of state administration with the sphere of action
in the field of environment conservation, provision of counselling services in the field of
environment to the workers of operational programme implementation structure, i.e. namely to
members of evaluation and selection commissions, provision of consulting services in the field
of environment to applicants – project submitting organizations, provision of information on
environmental issues linked to ROP to all stakeholders, both entities and individuals.
(35)The proposed indicators are enumerated in a table presented in Chapter J.2.
Specification of indicators (criteria) for the selection of projects
(36)The SEA executor proposed criteria for individual reference objectives of environment
protection, which are enlisted in Tab. L.1. These criteria should be incorporated into the
system of assessment and selection of projects. Possible foreseen modifications of the
environmental criteria will reflect the focus of the submitted and evaluated projects.
The impact of the conception on public health
(37)A greater part of public health determinants will not be essentially affected by ROP
implementation. In an optimal case, the implementation will have a positive influence on public
health, namely through the enhancement of social and economic determinants of the
inhabitants such as expected enhanced education and increased supply of jobs, and
development of infrastructure for healthy life style as a part of human resources management.
The respect of environment conservation will result in the enhanced environmental quality and
hence public health.
(38)In case of ROP accepting outputs from the SEA process, there is no reason to foresee
deterioration of environment and its determinants for public health. Where possible negative
impacts on health or health-determining constituents of environment are mentioned, their
elimination can be expected in the process of ROP implementation, i.e. during the selection of
individual submitted projects, their approval and permission.
Aggregative settlement of opinions received to the conception with respect to its impacts
on environment and public health
(39)The aggregative settlement of opinions received to the conception with respect to its impacts
on environment and public health is presented in Table O.1., Chapter O.
Conclusions and recommendations including a draft statement to the conception
(40)Based on the current outputs from the assessment of impacts of the Regional operational
programme NUTS II Northeast on the environment a statement can be made that no
consequential negative impacts of ROP were identified on environment and public health. The
ROP being of a greatly general character, its specific impacts on the individual constituents of
environment can be established only during the implementation of concrete projects. An
important element of SEA ROP is therefore the establishment of environmental criteria for the
selection of projects, the use of which ought to ensure the implementation of projects within
the framework of the respective ROP measures or linked programmes.
(41)The draft statement is presented in Chapter P. The SEA documentation.
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