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EU Organisations

European Association for Development of Mountain Territories (EUROMONTANA)

Introduction

Euromontana is the European multisectoral association for co-operation and development of mountain territories. In 1996, the association has been founded as a non-profit and scientific organization, with international vocation. Its constitution stipulates that the association shall promote living mountains, integrated and sustainable development and quality of life in mountain areas.

Structure, key stakeholders and partners

Euromontana brings together regional and national organisations of mountain people: socio-professional organisations - in particular agricultural - rural development centres, environmental and development agencies, territorial authorities, research institutes, etc. It includes organisations from Western Europe as well as from Central and Eastern European countries in an effort to develop international co-operation.

About 70 organizations across 14 countries (Albania, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Italy, Macedonia, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom) comprise the membership of Euromontana.

It has consolidated its links at international level through several international cooperation, especially in the framework of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Priorities and activities

Euromontana fulfills its objectives by implementing the 4 following types of actions:

  • Representing mountain communities by keeping in regular contact with European institutions, national governments and intergovernmental organizations involved in the governance of mountain areas; by making proposals during the revision of European policies that impact mountain areas, and by elaborating these proposals with all members so that they are representative and strong.
  • Promoting the strengths of mountain areas and the added value for Europe of sustainable investment in these areas by organising events (conferences, seminars, meetings, conventions, etc) and by publishing articles and reports.
  • Organising cooperation between mountain people by developing and managing European projects (research, territorial cooperation, training/exchanges, etc) such as PADIMA project (Policies Against Depopulation In Mountain Areas) co-financed by the ERDF and by the INTERREG IVC programme;
  • To carry out, participate in or compile studies that can enrich our collective knowledge on the situation of mountain areas and the orientations to take for their sustainable development.

Since its foundation in 1996, Euromontana has been active in several working themes that are identified to be a priority for the sustainable development of mountain areas. The list of priority action themes for 2008-2012 is the following:

  • Territorial cohesion;
  • Agriculture and rural development;
  • Mountain products;
  • Energy;
  • Innovation;
  • Services of general interest;
  • Education and training;
  • Forestry and wood supply chains;
  • Sustainable tourism;
  • Environment and climate change;
  • Mobility and infrastructures, ICT.

One very interesting initiative that EUROMONTANA recently participated in was the mountain.TRIP project supported under the EU Seventh Framework Programme. This project aimed to provide practitioners with readily accessible and easily understandable information on the outcomes of research projects relevant to sustainable development in mountain areas. For further information see: https://www.mountaintrip.eu

Further information