7th Euromeeting
Florence, 6th November 2009
The ERNEST PROJECT
Maria Luisa Mattivi
Regione Toscana
Area di coordinamento turismo commercio e terziario
Officier in charge of documentation on tourism policies
and transnational projects
Structuring the ERA
ERA-NET - ERNEST a European project on sustainable tourism
ERNEST project is a new ERA-NET action financed by the
European Community within the 7th Framework Programme.
The European Commission finances the "ERA-NET actions” in
order to develop and strengthen:
-
the coordination & mutual sharing of national and
regional public research programmes
-
the implementation of a common action plan.
The ‘networking and mutual sharing of research
programmes’
is performed by means of a gradual project evolvement
through a 4-step approach:
4 – Financing of transnational research
4
3
3 – Implementation of common actions
2
2 – Definition and preparation of common actions
1 – Exchange of information and good practices
1
ERNEST project
The partnership (12 +3)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Regione Toscana
Cité de la Culture et du Tourisme Durable
Basquetour (Basque Government)
Prefecture of Ilia
South-East Regional Development Agency
Govern de les Illes Balears
Regional Development Agency of North
Hungary
8 South West Tourism
9 Danish Forest and Nature Agency, Nord
Zealand
10 Generalitat de Catalunya
11 Conseil Régional d’Aquitaine
12 Regione Emilia Romagna
new partners:
13* ASRD - Kosice
14* Regione Veneto
15* Visit Wales
ERNEST: WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
(the concept)
The project intends to approach the issue of sustainability of tourism, and to try to
reduce research fragmentation, by means of the coordination of regional research
programmes
ERNEST: Time plan
Ernest activities are organized in 7 work packages, of which 3
are more technical: information exchange, joint activities and
trans-national joint call implementation
ERNEST Work Package 2 - Information exchange
outputs:
Survey 1
‘Mapping and coordination of regional policies,
strategies, programmes & technological capabilities (best
practices and weak points)’
Survey 2
‘Interregional comparison’
both available on line on www.ernestproject.eu
+ other information exchange activities continue through WP3
(‘knowledge’ cooperation area)
ERNEST Work Package 3
Definition/preparation/implementation of joint activities
What is the purpose of the joint activities?
- address global issues
- find common answers to common problems
- develope common governance principles
- address specific common geographical issues
- achieve a common voice
- achieve a critical mass
Schedule of WP3 implementation
September 2009
3rd ERA-NET ERNEST meeting (mois 12)
First consultation process :Participatory session
Regional meetings
Presentations of the participatory sessions to the territory actors
Action plan preparation
Circulation and exchanges between partners
Month 18
February 2010
4rd ERA-NET ERNEST meeting
Approbation of the action plan (delivrable 3.1)
Implementation of joint activities
Month 43
(march 2012)
Final report on joint activities (delivrable 3.2)
10
ERNEST Work Package 3
Definition/preparation/implementation of joint activities
action plan - draft (final document febr. 2010)
knowledge
governance
experience exchange
(virtual) study visits
import/export of good practices
common methods of participation
‘capacity building’ in the destinations
interregional evaluation tools
joint call/research
mapping of regional funding schemes
definition of j.c. thematic research areas
workshop with research centres
mapping of research & education offer
Coordination of regional research programmes
How does it work?
ERNEST Work Package 4 - joint call
publication month: September 2010
A joint call is a joint activity where several or all of the national (or regional)
R&D programmes participating in an ERA-NET come together in pooling
financial and administrative resources and publishing a call for proposals
on a common theme.The approach is long-term and flexible.
Researchers from the participating countries can submit project proposals
which will then be put through an evaluation procedure that is jointly
organized by the participating programmes.
the ‘Coordination of programmes’ works as follows:
- Programme owners/ managers agree and fund joint calls/programmes
- EU funding only for coordination
In the joint call to be launched by ERNEST project, the funding for the selected
projects will be administered according to the “virtual common pot” funding model,
that enables countries and regions to pay for their own participants.
To be defined in the next months: themes & structure of the joint call (scope of the
research, who can submit research project proposals, submission modes,
evaluation systems etc).
Project proposals will be evaluated both at regional and interregional level (2 stage
procedure) by a team of experts.
The projects will be in the form of interregional research projects or actions on
sustainable tourism.
The projects will be particularly concentrated on the joint pillar topics of social
dialogue and measurement. However, the financing of joint projects will not be
limited to these themes. Work in WP2 and WP3 will bring to light any other areas
of research interest for participating regions
Areas of research interest identified so far:
Social dialogue
partecipation (tools and methods)
public/private relationships
communications (levels, tools and methods)
social dialogue processes
legal frameworks
Measurement
impact of transport
quality of life and work
de-seasonalization
active protection of the cultural & natural heritage and identities
reduction and better use of natural resources (especially water)
reduction and better use of energy
reduction and better management of waste
Areas of research interest identified so far:
Social dialogue
+ Applications of the European
agenda for sustainable
and competitive tourism
Measurement
key elements:
sustainable destinations
sustainable businesses
responsible tourists
…..
+ other areas identified (in the period end of 2009-june 2010):
-as outputs of WP2 (knowledge exchange) and WP3 (joint actions)
activities & confrontation within ERNEST consortium
- meetings with stakeholders
- workshop with research centres
More info on www.ernestproject.eu
….Thank you!
REGION OF TUSCANY: DRAFT STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT DIAGRAM
Sub-regional administration
 APT – tourist offices (15 )
 Provinces (10)
 ANCI Toscana (representing
the municipalities)
Regional Networks
 Coordination of the regional 21
agendas
 Vetrina Toscana (Tuscany
Showroom)
 Fabbrica Ethica (Regional CSR
network)
 EVIMED (Balances of life in the
Mediteranean)
 Regional Convention Bureau
Network
 Network for sustainable,
responsible and accessible
tourism/CNV Lucca
European
related
networks
 NECSTouR
 EARTH
Regional
media
Research Institutes
 University of Florence –
Interuniversity center ABITA
 University of Florence – Economy
Faculty
 University of Siena – Observatory for
Tourism Sustainability (OpTS)
 University of Pisa – Master in
political governance
 IRPET
 CNR – IBIMET
 ORTS - Osservatorio Regionale del
Turismo Sostenibile
Regional Labor Unions, Trade
unions
Tourist enterprises and their
associations
 Confcommercio
 Confturismo
 Other trade associations
 Syndacates/Unions
 Ente Bilaterale Turismo Toscana
(EBTT)
 EVIMED network (see also
regional
networks)
National
Administration
 Other
SME
 ENIT –networks
Italian government
tourist board
Presidiency of the Council of
the Ministers – Dept. For the
development and
competitivity of Tourism
Regional Departments, Agencies and
Technical support organizations
 Office for the support to the
environmental and social certification
of enterprises and innovation
 Office for the integrated tools for
sustainable tourism
 Commerce office
 ARPAT (Regional Agency for the
Environmental Protection of Tuscany)
 ARSIA (Regional Agency for
development and innovation in the
Agriculture and Forestry Sector)
 IRPET (see also Research Institutes)
 ORTS - Osservatorio Regionale del
Turismo Sostenibile (see also Research
Institutes)

ERNEST
REGION OF TUSCANY
Environmental
Associations and
Networks
 Legambiente Turismo
 AITR (Italian
association for
responsible tourism)
 Qualitambiente
ERA-NET actions
Activities
ERA-NET may include the following activities to foster
coordination and cooperation between programmes:
1 – Systematic exchange of information & best practice
2 – Definition and preparation of joint activities
3 – Implementation of joint activities
4 – Funding of transnational research
ERNEST PROJECT - rationale
The fundamental nature of tourism and its related services and production is
reflected in all the regions participating in this project.
However, they also recognise the need to promote this economic sector without
causing irreparable damage to the natural and cultural heritage and environment.
Research in this sector is important to project partners, all of whom have or are
intending to implement a coordinated research programme on tourism.
The ERNEST project is of great potential impact in these regions as it works
towards:
•promoting and rendering more efficient related research programmes
•bringing in elements of success from other areas
•coordinating joint, concrete actions which increase value and potential impact.