Montana174

FULL NAME OF THE PROJECT: Montana174 – How does cohesion policy shape mountains?

DURATION: 1.10.2021. – 30.9.2022.

FINANCING: European Commission – DG REGIO

PROJECT VALUE: € 344,965.86

WHY MONTANA174: Mountains cover nearly 29% of EU-27 countries and 13% of its population. Mountain regions are sensibly different from all other territories, both in terms of assets and challenges. Because of this, the European Union decided that a “particular attention shall be paid to […] mountain regions” (Article 174 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union), by funding specific projects and programmes in mountain areas. Cohesion policy is a European policy which, with the collaboration of regional authorities, makes it possible to rebalance territorial inequalities and to encourage regional development. However, mountain citizens and actors are too often unaware of what the Cohesion Policy supports in mountain areas.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: On the first day of October 2021, Euromontana launched a new Montana project174: a 12-month major communication campaign about Cohesion Policy in mountain areas. This campaign aims to raise awareness of how Cohesion Policy supports the development of mountain areas and offers many opportunities for their progress.

Montana174 will collect best practices and stories on how Cohesion Policy has in recent years contributed to shaping mountain areas in Europe directly from the citizens of the mountain areas themselves. Workshops will be organized for local stakeholders and educational tables will be produced with practical advice on how to use Cohesion tools and resources in the future.

The partner countries in this project are France, Italy, Slovenia, Spain and Croatia.

CROATIA: Here mountains cover 21% of the national surface. In particular, stretching from Slovenia to Albania, the Dinaric Alps forms a narrow arc and allows an easy connection between the coast and the hinterlands. In the last century, mountains suffered from steady exodus of its citizens, and they now have only 11 inhabitants/km2.  Croatia recently developed a New Law on Hilly and Mountainous Areas and it addresses regional competitiveness and

territorial cohesion via specific programmes (called Operational Programmes). Both tools are used to promote investments in mountain areas. The Local Development Agency PINS is Montana174’s contact point in Croatia.

Contact PINS to be informed and involved at [email protected][email protected]

Find out more at: https://www.euromontana.org/en/project/montana174/