INTERREG III C

With INTERREG IIIC, interregional co-operation between regional and other public authorities across the entire EU territory and neighbouring countries will be promoted. It allows regions without joint borders to work together in common projects and develop networks of co-operation.

The co-operations under INTERREG IIIC shall give access to experience of other actors involved in regional development policy and create synergies between "best practice" projects and the Structural Fund’s mainstream programmes.
The overall aim is to improve the effectiveness of regional development policies and instruments through large-scale information exchange and sharing of experience (networks) in a structured way.

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  RUSE
From 2004 onwards, the Structural Funds (SF) are available in the new member states (NMS) and one of the main challenges we are facing is to use this new opportunity in the most sustainable way, especially regarding energy issues which are a full component of regional development. On the other hand, experience has already been gained in the former EU-15, including both good and bad practice.

With the financial support of INTEREG IIIC the “RUSE” operation aims at “Redirecting Urban areas development towards Sustainable Energy” and its overall objective is to improve the use of SF - and other financial resources - in the urban projects of at least 4 NMS, progressing towards a better integration of sustainable energy issues in their projects, based on improving capacity building in collective structures (city networks, agencies) and individual bodies (municipalities).
Energie-Cités, as a very experienced network of European municipalities promoting local sustainable energy policies, will be in charge of coordinating the “RUSE” operation together with 4 major partners in Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Lithuania (3 city networks from Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia are expected to be associated) as well as 10 municipalities and municipal energy agencies and 2 national energy agencies from the former EU-15. All these bodies have a great deal of experience in urban development related to energy issues.

Exchange of experience and knowledge; creation of a network of expertise; preparation and dissemination of good practice case studies and guidelines; provision of information to municipalities and relevant bodies; promotion of the project are all part of the main activities that “RUSE” will implement over a 3 year period (2004 – 2007).

The main activities will include:
- exchange of experience, knowledge; and transfer of know-how,
- creation of a network of expertise,
- preparation / dissemination of good practice case studies/guides,
- provision of information and advice to municipalities and relevant bodies in each new member states,
- promotion of the project.

The RUSE operation is implemented by a consortium of 20 partners from 14 countries:

1 European co-ordinator

Energie-Cités, the association of European local authorities promoting a local sustainable energy policy

4 partners from the New Member States

Polish Network "Energie-Cités" (PNEC)
Slovak Energy Agency (SEA)
Lithuanian Energy Institute (LEI)
South-Bohemia Region (SBR)

3 associated partners from Third Countries

Romanian Energy Cities Network (OER)
Bulgarian Municipal Energy Efficiency Network (EcoEnergy)
Standing Conference of Serbian Municipalities for Energy Efficiency (SCSMEE)

2 national energy agencies

Dutch Energy Agency (SenterNovem - NL)
French Agency for the Environment and Energy Management (ADEME - FR)

10 municipalities or local energy agencies from the EU-15

Clermont-Ferrand Energy Agency (FR)
Delft City Council (NL)
Grenoble Energy Agency (FR)
Kirklees Metropolitan Council (GB)
Leicester City Council (GB)
Munich City Council (DE)
Rome Local Energy Agency (IT)
Tampere City, Tampere energy agency (FI)
Vila Nova de Gaia Energy Agency (PT)
Zoetermeer Energy Agency (NL)