Πέμπτη 3 Μαρτίου 2016

Εισήγηση του Δρ. Απόστολου Παπαφωτίου στο Haarlem Ολλανδίας στις 18 Φεβρουαρίου 2016 με θέμα: «Obstacles to investment and access to finance in Europe for the maritime economy: What role for European regions?»



Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear friends,

I want to thank CPMR, the Province of North Holland as well, for the kind invitation.
I am very privileged to participate to this high-level Conference.
According to my presentation I separate it in two main parts.



The first part is a little bit generalized. Asks for answers to the question about the role of the Region of Peloponnese within European investment efforts  in Greece. Peloponnese is one of 13 regions of Greece, the Southest of the mainland.

The second part is dealing more specifically with the issue of the implementation of the Strategy and the Policies of Blue Growth in the Region of Peloponnese (RoP) through the application of proper measures taking advantage of the corresponding funding means that support the effort.

Regarding the first part, I would say that there are five distinguished actions taken by the RoP in order to serve the investing European efforts in our region and, lato sensu, in Greece.

Shortly, these five Key-Facts, are the following:

1. The efforts and the actions are described analytically, through SWOT/PEST/GAP Analyses, Porter’s 5 Forces, Social Cost – Benefit approaches and Input-Output Methods in the continuously upgrading and modifying Integrated Strategic and Operational Plan  supported by Specific Sectoral and Thematic Programms, all being in harmony with Sustainable Regional Development as it is described by the European 5th Programming Period 2014-2020 issues. Something that we also did in the past, since 1/1/2011, as far as the issues imposed by the 4th Programming Period 2007-2013 are concerned.


2. The efforts are expanded in the adoption of policies and actions regarding Climate Change constituents especially in matters of RES (Renewable Energy Sources) and Green Development especially in Tourism, Agricultural Production and Substructures of Transportation, finding means of funding from two main sources: (a) BOOT (Build, Own, Operate, Transfer) cooperation of the Public and Private Sector with a very distinguished example the Integrated Regional Waste Management (b) The application of a big variety of other European Programms including Programms of the European Economic Area (EEA) Grants.


Needless to say, that on this basis we are processing the regulation and the methodology of using two new means of funding that are related to BOOT solutions through the Regional Fund of Entrepreneurship and Development and the European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI) proposed by the President of European Commission Jean Claude Yuncker.

For that purpose, we have already started the Regional Smart Specification applications in the field of Tourism.

3. Issues that up to the moment are performing quite well in RoP, despite the economic crisis in Greece, where RoP managed to achieve many good results regarding the absorption and the materialization of the Regional Operational Programme 2007-2013 (along with the Sectoral Operational Programms of the Central Government that were granted to us) as well as relatively good performance as far as macroeconomic indicators prove (big increase in Exports, big increase of Tourism, unemployment reduction, anti-poverty support, expansion of substructures, etc.)

4. To cut a long story short all the above are concentrated under the slogan that we use: RoP a smart European Region incuding the European culture and European governance in our field of administration.


5. In order to overcome some difficulties imposed by the Greek Legislation regarding the Relation between Central Government and Regions that may affect the operation and the performance of the Regions, our Head of the Region Dr. Peter Tatoulis has started a political struggle with a big variety of methods in order to manage to integrate, deepen and expand the Legal Authoritization and Decentralization of the Greek Administration System for the benefit of Sustainable Development that must have the Regions as the more effective means for confronting the crisis and start the new road to growth and development.

Regarding the second part of the text, it is obvious that it is not necessary to repeat the issue of the Strategy of the Integrated Blue Growth (including matters regarding Blue Economy, Blue Innovation,etc.), but to come straight to the point as far as the fields of applying Blue Growth are concerned, such as:


1. Knowledge of the Sea by creating Regional Institute of Sea Sciences and Sea Biotechnology with legal certainty and security in Blue Economy.
2. Sea Energy in two ways: Wave Energy and Floating Renewable Energy Sources.
3. Sea and Coastal Tourism and Civilization, including classical types of tourism as well specific and alternative tourism (e.g  cruising, diving tourism, submerged ancient cities, etc.).
4. Sea Biotechnology from every point of view with the cooperation with the Institute and other bodies of Science and Research .
5. Sea Inspection with Monitoring Systems and Safeguarding.
6. Maritime Ports (e.g. cruising) and Ship Navigation (especially short distances and connection with islands).
7.  Water Airports.
8. Fishery - Aquaculture.
9. New type of specialized and flexible Shipyards (traditional boats).
10. Continental self and Exclusive Economic Zone sources exploitation according to the rules and contitionalities of the International Law, United Nations  Convention on the Law of the Sea and the European Union Law.

Some of them are already started with funding from RoP΄s income e.g. study for Energy by Sea Waves and Floating Wind Generators, Diving Tourism including a Net of Archaeological issues (submerged civilization), Harbors for Cruising, etc.

All efforts include a brand new way of approaching, meaning the use of Innovation and the connection with the Regional Smart Specialization.

Funding is based in motivating BOOT solutions and using sources from NSRF (National Strategic Reference Framework) 2014-2020 Operational Programs (Sectoral and Regional), Horizon 2020 and other European Programs.

We work on Sea basins strategies to ensure tailor-made measures and to foster cooperation between countries. Some of them will be suggested to participate in Interregional Cooperation especially in the fields of Mediterannean Sea as well Adriatic-Ionian Macroregion.

Finally:

It is ongoing an effort of RoP to start a Multi Dimensional (down up, up down) Consultation with Social Partners and NGOs based on an already existing Basic Guidelines Study on Blue Economy, Growth and Innovation in order to proceed fast and further on in the exploitation of the chances for Sustainable Regional Blue Development as we did in the past for the Green Development.

Thank you for your attention.





















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