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 The Conference of Atlantic Arc Cities (CAAC) is a network that brings together more than 100 local entities and 7 million inhabitants of the Atlantic Arc. This network works for the urban development of the European Atlantic territories.
Last November, CAAC welcomed the publication of a European Commission communication on the Atlantic Arc whose content and themes reflect the initiatives that this network has been advocating for more than ten years. The sea is at the heart of the identity of the territories of the Atlantic Arc.
The sea presents a global issue of economic, social and cultural development, of security and sustainable development. The valorisation and preservation of this exceptional environment contribute to the attractiveness and the radiation from these territories. A better consideration of the interface of sea-land, the promotion of strategic infrastructure, the definition of a coherent and efficient transportation system, the issues related to knowledge, research and innovation, or the fight against climate change, are themes which must feed this strategy.
The cities of the Atlantic façade have all the capabilities to become major European economic actors. Their port cities are clearly best placed to feed the traffic with the American or African continent and to decongest the maritime traffic in the English channel and the North Sea. So they invented a new means of transport such as the motorways of the sea which are used to strengthen the necessary link between and within regions. Cooperation between the port places and with the hinterlands are key to territorial cohesion in the Atlantic Arc.
Finally, CAAC wishes to emphasize that the European strategy for the Atlantic must also rely on local authorities and the stakeholders of the territory, so as to ensure an integrated development approach.
You can read the contribution of the CCAA on the Atlantic strategy here
You can read the analyses of the CCAA on the Atlantic macroregion here |
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 As reflects the chapter 3 of the Charter of San Sebastian, the Atlantic cities are committed to "Support initiatives in favour of solidarity and social cohesion, promoting equal opportunities, help for the elderly, the poorest, combating all forms of discrimination, and encouraging active community involvement." Accessibility is a key point on this strategy.
This week, Association of Handicap of France has released its barometer of disabled-friendly cities, which features three Atlantic cities in its record: Nantes, first in the ranking for the third time, Caen, third classified and Rennes as fourth.
The barometer evaluates the following concepts: a suitable framework of life, accessible municipal facilities and a proactive local policy. This barometer also takes the vision of the concerned town.
For Nantes, "accessibility is a subject of society which not only affects a part of the population but that serves all. This vision of society is applied to the entire city of Nantes including also the 24 communes of the metropolitan area. A comprehensive policy has been implemented to make it accessible to small businesses". In the case of Rennes, "it is really their long term policy that allows this ranking today. Rennes Metro is fully accessible as almost all bus lines are. The cultural facilities have also been taken into account by the City Hall.” As for Caen, the barometer considers that the Council "no longer considers accessibility as a binding standard, but as something positive" and "A major effort at the level of transport has been achieved this year. Today there is that the vast majority of buses are accessible and fully for the tram. The bus drivers are trained to welcome persons with disabilities".
In this sense, last December, Santander (Spain) has been finalist in EU award for disabled-friendly cities 2012, due to its good planning in urban accessibility programs, which has adhered to an approach of universal design, as well as the quality and sustainability of the results achieved, as acknowledged by the report of the European Commission.
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 TONETA project, begun in June of 2011, is funded by the European Commission - EACEA through the programme "Europe for citizens" in the "Networks of twinned towns" priority. Its objective is to chart a strategy of urban sustainability, drawn from the experiences and observations of Atlantic cities and supported by young people. This initiative is led by Gijón, and counts as partners with Cardiff, AIRE 198, the Association of municipalities of Vale do AVE and with the support of the CAAC.
His primary means of dissemination, TONETA blog, collects the different analysis, with an emphasis on ongoing projects. Thus, it presents features and results of initiatives such as ANATOLE on economy of proximity, Climaatlantic on the reduction of carbon footprint, Know Cities on the economy of knowledge, ImaginaAtlantica on creativity, SPAA on territorial promotion or REVITA on the reuse of spaces.
It also describes actions locally, as performances on the Covenant of Mayors or local climate forums in Poitou-Charentes, Cardiff or Guimaraes, among others.
You can obtain more information on the blog of the project.
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On 19 October, the European Commission published its proposal for a Regulation on the revision of the Trans-European Transport Network accompanied by a list of selected cities and ports.
On the Atlantic Arc, it is clear the weakness of the mesh selected for the French ports around the central network. Moreover, when the inclusion in this network will allow the access to most of the dedicated funding after 2013.
Brest, Brittany first port, is in capacity to become an essential link of the project, recognized as an European interest priority, of the Atlantic Motorway of the Sea.
As a result, Brest and Brittany continue today advocacy with French and European authorities to obtain the full registration of the port of Brest to the future core network.
This mobilization could also be of interest to other ports of CAAC which have been unsuccessful to date to join the core network.
Brest Métropole Océane |
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 In the context of a dynamic adaptation of the Natura 2000 network, the lists of sites of Community importance are reviewed. A fifth update of the Atlantic list was therefore necessary. The Atlantic biogeographical region comprises the Union territories of Ireland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, and parts of the territories of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Spain, France and Portugal as specified in the biogeographical map approved on 20 April 2005. The Member State concerned shall designate the sites included in the list of sites of Community importance for the Atlantic biogeographical region as special areas of conservation as soon as possible and within 6 years at most, establishing conservation priorities and the necessary conservation measures.
Please read the document HERE. |
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