Metropolitan Areas+

The focus of MA+ is laid on a balanced polycentric development of BSR and its metropolitan regions. MA+ intends to strengthen metropolitan regions as a whole with the transnationally agreed development measures already in the preliminary stages to reduce the traditional metropolitan conflict situation of functional and growth competition between centre of conurbation, surrounding area and the region of integration by exemplary new forms of inter-communal and interregional co-operation like Eastern Norway County Network (ENCN), Work Team of Regional Development Centres (ArgeREZ) or Mälar-region to enable a sustainable balance of interests, functions and resources in the whole metropolitan regions by metropolises, nodes, outskirt-centres and regions. The transnational value of the project is threefold: Strategic transnational network of BSR metropolitan areas on key development issues, transnationally coordinated demonstration projects to use MA potentials and to diminish conflicts and promoting integration of metropolitan areas of «Western» and «Eastern» BSR. Main goal is to strengthen the competitiveness of each metropolitan region as integrated economic, functional, social and resource region and by this of BSR as a counterpole to the established economic regions of Central Europe. In the medium-term, balance of interests of metropolises and their poly-central nodes, on the one hand, as well as of the metropolitan regions and their poly-central settlement centres, on the other hand, shall increase conditions for settling jobs, improving the quality of traffic and the quality of life of all social and generative groups of population and to strengthen political co-operation in general.In the short-term, strategic key projects of marketing and management accompanying investment proceeding will reach real development and investment effects in an exemplary manner and will be implemented on regional and local level in public private partnership. So transnational, regional and local level work together within three work-packages of 1) the network of transfer of know-how and common actions with other Interreg-projects, esp. Baltic Palette II, MECIBS, Baltic Sea Rail and for integration of new partners; 2) integrated space-saving management of poly-central land use and transport strategies; 3) establishment of transnational and regional strategies to market potentials of economy, education, training, culture and science for development of polycentric regions.The project?s International Steering Group (SG) will make strategic decisions in common.Every work package will be pushed by a transnational work group (WG) under leadership of one nation.An extended professional network shall be established with political decision and efficient working structures.