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  A model of transborder cooperation

René SCHWERY - Vice-Chairman of the Transborder Conference Espace Mont-Blanc, Sion, Switzerland

 

 

Implementing the Europe of regions is not only limited to decisions taken on a State level.

It also involves the border regions and in particular the populations living there. With more than 150,000 border workers, 1,881 km of border and 15 border cantons, transfrontalier co-operation is an important factor of Swiss foreign policy. Because of its geographical location, (cf. appendix map) Valais is ideally situated to promote a true policy of tranfrontalier collaboration. It has actively participated in the creation of transfrontalier institutions to encourage an emergence of transfrontalier awareness. Valais contributes to and supports the "Espace Mont-Blanc" which is a model of transfrontalier co-operation.

The Mont Blanc massif is an exceptional area of nature whose development requires the strictest attention. However the Mont Blanc massif is not simply a landscape! It is a living and evolving habitat for the populations of three different countries which have been looking after and managing it for generations. Believing that the notion of "Park" was likely to arouse hostile reactions and lead to a passive form of protection, representatives from Valais (CH), the two Savoies (F) and the Aosta Valley (I) jointly considered the situation and arrived at a concept of active development for the mountain.

The implementation of this new policy is carried out by the Mont Blanc Transfrontalier Conference which was designated by the French, Italian and Swiss Ministers of the Environment. Its main role is to co-ordinate activities which have an impact upon the organisation of the territory aiming at guaranteeing a rational and moderate use of the area having considered the development desired.

 

1. THE SWISS POLITICAL STRUCTURE AND INSTRUMENTS FOR TERRITORY PLANNING

Since 1848, Switzerland has been a federal State. The cantons have given up some of their prerogatives in favour of the Confederation with the aim of increasing common prosperity and improving protection of the rights and freedom of its citizens. The 1848 Constitution which was revised in 1874, provides the Swiss people with fundamental rights and gives them complete authority, making them responsible for electing representatives and controlling their activities by the right of referendum, whilst preserving the separation of authorities both on a horizontal and vertical level. In Switzerland, there are three main levels (Confederation/cantons/communes) and three authorities (legislative/executive/judiciary).

In conclusion, the political structures in Switzerland are very strongly dominated by federalism, the principle of subsidiarity, the respect for communal autonomy and the freedom of the citizen (cf. appendix n° 1).

As planning is above all a matter for the cantons, the latter need to determine what the desired development of the area is, by taking into account the objectives and principles established by the Confederation according to the constitutional mandate, whilst ensuring co-ordination between the Confederation, the cantons and the communes as well as the border regions of neighbouring countries.

To help them carry out their missions, the various authorities are provided with instruments which are noted in appendix n° 2.

 

2. THE CONCEPT

Because of its originality and European dimension, this transfrontalier and participative approach has obtained the support of the French, Italian and Swiss Ministers of the Environment. A general agreement has been reached between the States and the regional and local authorities for a collective approach to the "Espace Mont-Blanc" based on a common concept for active development of the mountain combining the protection of natural habitats and landscapes with the promotion of socio-economic activities towards sustainable development (cf. appendix n° 3).

 

3. THE APPROACH

The idea of "Espace Mont-Blanc" originated in 1986, during the bicentennial celebrating the first ascent of Mont Blanc, when a group of well-know mountaineers proposed the creation of an International Park for the protection of the "roof of Europe". In 1988, the French, Italian and Swiss Ministers of the Environment announced that a study of the Park project would be undertaken.

Elected representatives from the Aosta Valley, the Savoies and Valais met up the following year and agreed to propose that the Mont Blanc massif and the surrounding valleys be managed and developed by the populations concerned. The Ministers of the Environment decided to give their backing to the "Espace Mont-Blanc" project.

In 1991 the Mont Blanc Transfrontalier Conference came into being: a report of close collaboration was drawn up between the autonomous Aosta Valley Region, the Republic and Canton of Valais and the communes of Savoie and Haute-Savoie.

 

4. THE 4 MAJOR OBJECTIVES

4.1 Mountain agriculture

Helping the conservation of cultivated areas by supporting mountain agriculture and pastoral activities, with :

• improvements to alpine pastures, taking into account environmental requirements ;
• the remuneration of services enhancing the quality of the sites ;
• the promotion of alpine pasture heritage ;
• the development of communication between the three regions.

4.2 Safeguard of vulnerable habitats

Developing a common strategy for safeguarding nature and the landscape, especially the most vulnerable or threatened habitats, with :

• the co-ordination and development of research, information and planning activities ;
• measures for the protection and management of natural habitats and the rehabilitation of abandoned habitats ;
• the examination of the compatibility between existing and envisaged economic activities and the safeguard of nature and the landscape.

4.3 Extensive moderate tourism

Encouraging integrated tourism (a balance between intensive and extensive tourism), compatible with the safeguard of resources and the environment, including :

• an improved management of tourist flows ;
• a reduction of the tourist pressure on ecologically vulnerable zones ;
• meetings between local communities in order to enhance complementarity and synergies in the tourist offer.

The key for the success of tourism requires a balance to be found between economic development and protection of the environment. We have come on from the heady times of "intensive" tourism when the super-resorts were constructed. Time has gone by and opinions have changed. We currently need to advance from a period of construction to a period of management. Tourism must become more moderate both for nature and the environment. It must evolve towards a more qualitative development.

Such development requires maintaining the rural populations in mountain areas. The earth must be lived on and cultivated and the landscapes preserved to provide the visitor with new experiences, encounters and pleasure from the scenery. Tourism cannot be developed on landscapes which have been abandoned. Agricultural activity is therefore a necessary support for "green" tourism.

Nature, the landscape, activities, communication, welcome and the population's hospitality form the key to a successful, quality, social and sustainable tourism which will become the tourism of the future.

4.4 Transport

Reducing the impacts of transport and their infrastructures, in the interest of the local population and the environment, by setting up a common strategy encouraging :

• the reduction of road traffic for the transport of goods, on an international level by favouring combined rail-road traffic ;
• improvements to the community transport network, wherever possible, on a local and regional level.

 

5. ACTIVITIES

Since 1995, the Ministers of the Environment of the three countries concerned have put the Mont Blanc Transfrontalier Conference in charge of implementing priority actions in response to fixed objectives.

An assessment of operations undertaken by the Mont Blanc Transfrontalier Conference over the last 4 years, shows the reality of the "Espace Mont-Blanc" and its capacity to accomplish concrete actions in favour of the active development of the "Espace Mont-Blanc" with an ongoing concern for adherence to sustainable development on a transfrontalier scale.

Moreover, some important projects have been carried out notably thanks to Inter-regional funding, (e.g. the implementation of the Geographical Information System (SIG) of the "Espace Mont-Blanc"), the drawing up of a topographical guide of 50 pedestrian itineraries in the "Espace Mont-Blanc" and the project of monitoring the quality of air in the "Espace Mont-Blanc".

With the aim of consolidating its action in the long term, a study of the legal status of the "Espace Mont-Blanc" is currently in progress. The proposition submitted to the Ministers is an agreement of transfrontalier co-operation on a regional scale based on the framework of the Madrid convention of 21 May 1980 and its additional protocol of 9 November 1995 as well as the Karlsruhe agreement of 23 January 1996.

 

6. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The "Espace Mont-Blanc" must be a pilot zone for experimenting the policy of sustainable development, by satisfying the requirements of present generations without compromising the possibility for future generations to satisfy their own requirements, and by taking into account ecological, social and economic aspects. For this to happen, a sustainable development plan must be drawn up (cf. appendix n° 4).

The sustainable development plan must enable the following initial objectives to be achieved :

• helping the conservation of a cultivated area by supportingmountain agriculture and pastoral activities,
• developing a common strategy for the safeguard of nature andlandscapes,
• encouraging an integrated tourism compatible with the safeguard of resources and the environment,
• limiting the impact of transport and their infrastructures in theinterest of local populations and the environment by setting up acommon strategy which favours the combined rail-road traffic on an international level and community transport.

The sustainable development plan, must respect the complementary nature of the various institutions, whilst respecting their individual roles and responsibility as well as the role of regional communities within the system.

 

7. CONCLUSION

The "Espace Mont-Blanc" is a highly innovative transfrontalier project capable of federating populations from a defined geographical zone around a challenge aiming to create lasting enthusiasm as a result of dialogue and the taking into account of the different aspirations. We are perhaps currently establishing the foundations of a Europe of regions which knows how to show and encourage its differences, assets and complementary natures.