Moravia-Silesia (Moravskoslezský kraj) – The Czech Republic

• Spatial planning conference
• INTERREG project being planned
• Climate change presentation
• NE England colleges working up training plan for Czechs
• Co-operation mooted for Czech EU Presidency
• Sharing of experience in the automotive manufacturing sector

Background

Moravia-Silesia is an industrial and rural region in the east of the Czech Republic. It borders Poland and Slovakia. The capital is Ostrava. It has a regional parliament, which has significant powers devolved from central government - more than an English region, but fewer than Scotland. It is slightly smaller in area than North East England, with about half the population. GDP is lower, but catching up.

The region-to-region agreement between North East England and Moravia-Silesia was signed by GONE and NEA in September 2004. It acts as an umbrella, within which co-operation can be undertaken across sectors.

Spatial planning conference

This year's Investment and Business Forum in Moravia-Silesia will focus on development - in particular regenerating and developing brownfield sites. North East England has been invited to send a representative to speak at the conference, which will take place from 30 September to 1 October. Neil Wilkinson from Newcastle will attend. More details are at http://www.ifo.cz/

EU funding: INTERREG project being planned

Moravia-Silesia wishes to team up with North East England and three other partner regions in an INTERREG proposal under the Innovation and Knowledge Economy theme. The other regions are Silesia (Poland), Žilina (Slovakia) and Lorraine (France). Worth some EUR2.1m, it would bring some EUR400,000 to North East England for an outlay of around EUR40,000.

The theme of events and sub-projects would include innovation, information society, environmental and energy technology development, and inward investment in industry. The NEA will wish to work with colleagues in the region to help prepare and consider the proposal before it is submitted. Should it be approved, work would begin on events and projects in late 2009/early 2010.

Climate change presentation

Building on the South Shields climate change conference in June, Aidan Stradling gave a presentation to Czech and Polish colleagues in August. The key message was that climate change, and adapting to it, were not solely issues for environmental officers to take forward: they needed to be addressed by officers across all sectors of regional governance. This reinforced the message delivered through an earlier event organised by the British Embassy in Prague, with whom the issue was discussed. 

Training Czechs

NEA member Alan Dixon, representing North East England's college sector through the Association of Colleges, recently asked Wendy Ridley of the City of Sunderland College to go to Moravia-Silesia. She held discussions with the regional government on the possibility of our colleges training Czech regional civil servants here in North East England. The plan is that batches would come as part of a rolling programme for intensive English language tuition for a week, concentrating particularly on the type of English used in local government; this could be followed by a week's secondment or shadowing at local authorities or regional organisations.

Czech EU Presidency

In discussions with the British Embassy in Prague, Aidan Stradling agreed to work with diplomats to examine possibilities for joint working during the forthcoming Czech Presidency of the EU (Jan-Jun 2009). This might include briefing a UK minister on the link prior to an EU ministers' meeting in Moravia-Silesia; embassy support for regional events and networking; and liaison with the Czech Embassy in London on reciprocal activities in North East England. The purpose would be to highlight the region-to-region link during a time that Europe is being led by the Czech Republic.

Automotive sector

A new Hyundai car manufacturing plant has recently been built in Moravia-Silesia. We are working closely with the regional government there to share experience in spatial planning and the social and societal impact that such a facility can have. Dr Andrew Robinson, who was involved in bringing the Nissan plant in Sunderland, met regional government representatives to highlight some of the lessons learnt here. Sunderland will host an automotive fuel conference from 17-18 September at which the NEA will be represented. See http://www.partners4automotive2008.co.uk/