Sonderband 2. International Council on Archives. Dritte Europäische Archivkonferenz, Wien 11. bis 15. Mai 1993. Tagungsprotokolle (1996)

2. Session /Séance. Regional (trans-border) Cooperation / Coopération régionale (transfrontaliere) - Cova, Ugo: The Case of the Adriatic-Alps Zone / Le cas de la zone Alpes-Adriatique (english 145 - français 153)

2. Session/Séancc: Cova, The Case of the Adriatic-Alps Zone

be attributed to recent international changes occurred in some of its territories. In the meantime, ALPE Adria seems to have found a sort of competitor in an initiative started by the Foreign Ministers of some Central and East European countries. That diplomatic initiative was called at first „quadrangular“, then „pentagonal“, then „hexagonal“, and is now known as „Central European Initiative“. It involves Austria, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia- Herzegovina.

The founding ideals of ALPE Adria are thus disrupted, as the new initiative involves States, and States are only partially aware of the needs of the peoples living in the border areas. That is a concrete consequence of the deep changes, both political and institutional, that have characterized Central and Eastern Europe in the past few years.

But let us go back to the past. Several new regions entered ALPE Adria and joined the founding members. ALPE Adria spread rapidly in the Alps-Danube region. In 1981 Trentino-Alto Adige (Italy) became a member, and then in the subsequent years ALPE Adria expanded to include Lombardy (Italy), Ticino (Switzerland), Burgenland (Austria), Györ-Moson-Sopron, Vas, Zala, Somogy and Baranya (Hungary). Trentino-Alto Adige, Lombardy and Ticino were also members of the working community ARGE Alp. At present (1992), ALPE Adria includes 18 regions - 16 full members and two observers (Salzburg and Ticino)6. There are five official languages in ALPE Adria: German, Italian, Croatian, Slovenian and Hungarian. All languages enjoy the same status.

The enlargement of ALPE Adria, a demonstration of the interest in its initiatives and a recognition of its meaningful role in the heart of Europe, has also led to dissipation of strength and practical problems - it is not easy, for example, to organize meetings with the participation of representatives of far-off regions, and all decisions made may be invalidated by a delegate’s unjustified absence.

A brief presentation of the organization and competences of ALPE Adria is now in order (as at 1992). On top there is the plenary Assembly of the presidents of the executive bodies of the regions (Länder) and the other territories which are members of the ALPE Adria. Each of the presidents presides over the assembly for a two-year period and from his institutional seat also presides over the bodies and institutions depending on the Assembly. The latter is supported by a secretariat. There is then a commision which directs and coordinates seven committees each of which has special competences. The committees, in the framework of which there are working groups and project groups, are as follows:

1. committee on territorial problems and environmental protection;

2. committee on transport;

Arbeitsgemeinschaft Alpen-Adria, Radna zajednica Alpe-Jadran, Comunità di lavoro Alpe- Adria, Alpok-Adria munkakôzôsség, Delovna skupnost Alpe-Jadran, Extra 2, Organisation, Zeittafel, Schwerpunkte der Arbeit, Organizacija, kronologija, tezista rada, Organizzazione, cronologia, principali iniziative, Szervezet, kronolôgia, sulyponti témâk, Organizacija, kronologija, tezisca delà. Klageniùrt [et al.] 1992, p. 11 and 19.

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