TAPE
Territorial Action Plan for Employment
In the framework of the Slovakia-Hungary INTERREG V-A programme the CESCI staff developed a new tool in 2014 called Territorial Action Plan for Employment (TAPE). The novel solution aims to help the implementation of cross-border integrated developments by bringing actors of the two sides of the border together to jointly work out an integrated plan with the maximum of 8 projects and with the aim of supporting the employment situation and cross-border labour mobility.
The tool – which is identified as a good practice by the Interact Secretariat – makes it possible that instead of one-off, random developments, the cross-border regions can work together in the long run along well-defined strategic goals.
Following the two-step application procedure, applicants needed to submit a comprehensive development plan (TAPE) describing their main objectives and activities, which in the first round was taken place in December 2018. After the selection of the best TAPEs, the project promoters were invited to divide and detail their ideas into 3-8 project proposals complementing or strengthening each other. One of the projects had to be dedicated to coordination and communication activities related to the implementation of the projects by the project partners within a 4-year period. Due to the thematic focus of the tool, besides the public authorities, EGTCs and NGOs, SMEs seated in the particular border area are also eligible for ERDF funding.
The final decision on the supported projects was made in mid-April by the Monitoring Committee as a result of which 9 TAPEs with 47 projects. The list of the successful applications is available here. The thematic focus of the action plans is quite colourful, including the branding of local products, setting-up short supply chains, development of SMEs as suppliers of multinational companies, SME and educational developments in the field of metal-processing etc. Then the projects stepped into the contracting phase, thus, the first one, the TAPE coordinated by the Via Carpathia EGTC was launched at the autumn of 2019.
CESCI has undertaken an active role at several stages of the process. In 2017 we assisted the work of the Slovakian-Hungarian Joint Secretariat in the preparation of the relevant tender (background documents, evaluation guide etc.); as well as provided expertise for 6 action plans at the request of local actors (including design-workshops and fieldwork). We provided guidance for three further action plans, but we did not take part in the elaboration process itself. In accordance with the two-round application system, we helped to develop action plans for four TAPEs in 2018. We also supported the Joint Secretariat with advice throughout the whole process.
Supported TAPEs
- Cserehát AP: Employment Cross-border Action plan of the Cserehát micro- region
- Food industry: Cooperation of food industry, scientific and professional institutes to increase rural employment
- FUTURE IN HEMP: Future built on past. Cross-border economic development based on industrial hemp processing
- IG Heritage: Re-discovered heritage. Employment development through cross-border networking of local producers
- JOBS: New jobs in the Ipeľ/Ipoly valley with the eco-friendly development of the building industry
- NOVUM DANUVIUM: Complex innovation program for creating jobs in the Pons Danubii Region
- ORG-EMP: Organic cross-border territorial development along the Ipoly/Ipeľ
- R2 and M3: Between R2 and M3.Toward a new cross-border north-south economic development axis
- RE-START: Creating Needs Based Employment in the Lower Ipel Valley
Source of the photo in the header: Via Carpatia ETT