INTESI

The design and delivery of services of general interest (SGI) are a prerequisite for high location and living quality in the Alpine space. Various authorities and service providers at different levels are responsible for providing SGIs. Up to now, they are still applied in a strictly sectoral approach, which leads to isolated solutions and prohibits synergies between different SGIs. With the proposals for horizontal and vertical coordination of SGIs and the application of integrated territorial strategies, INTESI seeks to overcome this sectoral approach.

Under the coordination of SAB (Swiss Centre for mountain regions) it is the main objective of the Alpine Space project INTESI to analyse the feasibility of delivering SGIs via an integrated territorial approach in 10 Test Areas (TAs) across five Alpine countries (Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Switzerland and France). Therein, 10 project partners analyse and survey SGIs concerning telecommunication, transport, energy, basic goods, health, social care and education. In a transnational study among the 10 TAs, the EURAC Institute for Regional Development establishes regional profiles to compare the currently applied SGIs according their availability (GIS maps), accessibility (spatial-statistics) and service quality (workshops and interviews). Regarding the spatial framework conditions, the demography and the local stakeholder’s assessment, future challenges, needs and potentials for cooperation and integration are covered up, to optimize SGIs in mountain areas. Finally, the INTESI think tank, consisting of SGI service providers, authorities and other stakeholders, will valorise with their expert knowledge the project’s recommendation on SGI issues. This input provides an essential contribution to the EUSALP Action Group “connect people electronically and promote accessibility to public services”.