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384 73 Stachy 206, P.O.Box 25
Telephone, Fax :
+420 388 428 242
E-mail:
rrasumava@iol.cz
Branch Offices :
382 79 Frymburk 5
Tel / Fax: +420 380 735 121
Mobil: +420 604 205 705
E-mail: lubosk@iol.cz
342 01 Sušice, Klostermannova 255/I
Tel / Fax: +420 376 523 655
At a time when the Czech Republic is preparing itself for entrance into the European Union, the role that development agencies play in this process has been gaining importance. Many organizations have been established over the past two years: the Regional Development Agency in Plzeň in the Western Bohemian Region, the Regional Development Agency in České Budějovice for the Southern Bohemian Region and the Regional Development Agency Šumava in Stachy for the Šumava Region.
While the first two of the above-mentioned agencies were established rather recently and their geographic areas of activity roughly correspond to the new divisions of the country called higher territorial administrative units, the Regional Development Agency Šumava has been in operation since 1997 and serves an area which is more typical of regions defined by Phare, which means, an area which borders with Germany and/or Austria. The Regional Development Agency Šumava therefore serves the following four districts: Domažlice, Klatovy, Prachatice and Český Krumlov.
Though the Regional Development Agency (RDA) Šumava was established at the end of 1996 with assistance from the Phare Program and from the initiative of the Šumava municipalities, employees of the agency began to receive training by foreign experts, such as the Austrian company šAR Regionalbertatung, the English LRDP, the Irish Shannon Development, etc. as early as the summer of 1995. From the establishment of the agency the communities hoped for a flow of financial resources into the region from the European Union, service and consultation in the application for state grants, procurement of other financial resources, and the processing of development programs and projects, etc.
Since the time of its establishment, the agency has focused on the Phare program, which has been realizing projects in the Czech Republic through the Ministry of Regional Development since 1995. RDA Šumava has taken part in the application of a number of Phare “large” projects and in the realization of the Phare program’s Small Projects Fund in the region. The first two funds were released into the Šumava Region in autumn of 1997, and were followed in the summer of 1998 by an additional two funds which are presently near completion. In the four rounds of the Small Project Fund that have been completed, or that are still in the process of completion in the Šumava Region, more than 300 projects (with an approximate total value of 23 million crowns) have been realized . Currently, there are two new Small Projects Funds, which will bring in a further 21 million crowns into the region. The RDA Šumava is already prepared for the management of these funds.
Since the beginning of its operation, RDA Šumava has justified its existence. As a result of its initiative new bike paths have been built in Šumava, new promotional and informational material has been created, significant cross-border exchange activities and folk festivals have been financed. The development of cross-border cooperation and tourism are the main aims of its work. In the process of integration into Europe the RDA Šumava has an irreplaceable role in Šumava.
What have we been involved in?
In 1996:
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Cooperation in the creation and publishing of “The Development of a Concept of Tourism in Šumava” |
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The application to Phare Cross Border Cooperation (CBC) Program for the year 1997 for the municipality of Borová Lada—reconstruction and strengthening of technical infrastructure |
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The application of a project to the Phare CBC for the year 1997 for the municipality of Běšiny- development of tourism in the Western Bohemian Šumava Foothills |
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The application of the Phare CBC Program for the year 1997 for the development of a center for the support of enterprise in Sušice |
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The establishment of the Association of Quality Restaurants of Šumava |
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Assistance in the accession of funds from the Rural Renewal Program for the municipality Kolinec |
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The arrangement of a series of various seminars for accountants |
In 1997:
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Preparation of the feasibility study EIA Phare project for the year 1997 for the municipality Borová Lada—reconstruction and strengthening of technical infrastructure |
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Preparation of the feasibility study EIA Phare project 1997 for the municipality Běšiny- tourism development in the Western Bohemian Šumava Foothills |
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Management of the Small Projects Fund in the Šumava Region for the Phare program 1996—function as Secretary, processing of the proposed projects presented in the 1st and 2nd rounds (1997/1998) |
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Gained membership into the European Association of the Development Agencies EURADA |
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Secure the selection of an operator for the quarry that belongs to the municipality of Kolinec |
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Organization of a series of various seminars (accounting training, the possibilities of the Leonardo da Vinci Program, Civic Forum Český Krumlov |
In 1998:
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Management of the Small Projects Fund in the Šumava Region for the Phare Program 1997- serve function of Secretary; carried out the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rounds of project proposals (1998/1999) |
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Cooperation in the realization of the project “Indicators of Sustainable Development for Český Krumlov”, which is supported by a grant from NROS |
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Application to the EU program Ecos-Overture—Rural tourist information system for Šumava |
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Participation in the preparation and publication of the promotional material Euroregion Šumava and District Authorities in the framework of the program Small Projects Fund “Šumava- Czech forest” |
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Preparation of the management of the Phare CBC Program project for 1997-- “Sušice-Center for the Support of Enterprise” |
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Technical assistance to the municipality Borová Lada in the realization of the Phare CBC 1997 project “Borová Lada – Reconstruction and Strengthening of Technical Infrastructure” |
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Participation in the development of the Regional Development Strategy of the future Plzeň VUSC (higher territorial unit) including participation in the Regional Coordination Group and the Regional Working Group |
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Initiation of the preparation of the bicycle path project in the district Klatovy for the city of Sušice in connecting new and existing bicycle paths and application of project to the Phare CBC Program |
In 1999:
