The Alpine Convention-IMA (International Mountain Agreements) Coordination Unit was set up during the Italian presidency of the Alpine Convention (2001-2002 period), on the basis of an agreement between EURAC and the Italian Ministry of Environment and Territory. It is mainly intended to provide continuity to the activities carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment for the promotion of sustainable development in transboundary mountain areas, in the framework of the Alpine Convention, of the Carpathian Convention and of the Mountain Partnership.

The Alpine Convention – IMA Coordination Unit co-operates and provides technical-scientific support to major international organizations, such as UNEP/ROE (UNEP Regional Office for Europe) , FAO , the European Commission, OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), REC (Regional Environmental Centre for Central and Eastern Europe) and the Mountain Partnership.

The IMA Coordination Unit works in synergy with other EURAC institutions, if requested, and it supports the Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention, in performing the tasks assigned to the Bolzano operational branch.



The IMA Coordination Unit tasks can be summarised as follows:

• Support activities to the Ministry of the Environment and Territory mainly concerning technical-scientific research activities.

• Promotion of sustainable development in mountain areas through projects related to the implementation of the Alpine Convention and activities aimed at fostering the development of other Transboundary Co-operation agreements. These activities have first mainly concerned the Carpathian countries, and they are now being extended to the South-Eastern European countries, to Caucasus and also to other overseas countries.

• Scientific and legal research activities, in collaboration with the other EURAC institutes, in the framework of sustainable development of mountain areas, such as, for example, the rationalisation of transport in the alpine arc (SWOMM, AlpFrail project) and Transboundary Co-operation for a joint management of protected areas in mountain territories.