CROSS BORDER CO-OPERATION
Cross-border co-operation between European Regions: Alentejo (Portugal) and Extremadura (Spain)
Since 1997, the European regions of Alentejo (Portugal) and Extremadura (Spain) have been pursuing the objective of monitoring and evaluating the main territorial transformations in this low-density territory. This collaboration began with the homogeneity of geographical information and the exchange of cross-border information for both entities.
Pursuing the social, economic and environmental sustainability of the territory, the first cross-border Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) OTALEX (www.ideotalex.eu) was created in 2007, which allowed effective exchange of geographical information between Alentejo and Extremadura. This constitutes the actual Territorial and Environmental Observatory of Alentejo (Portugal) and Extremadura (Spain) (OTALEX).
Following the guidelines of the Sustainable Development Strategy of the European Union (EU-SDS), and the national Development Strategies for Portugal and Spain, an indicator system was framed — SI-OTALEX. This is composed of a set of territorial, environmental, social and economic indicators (107), with a common and uniform structure defined by a cross-border multidisciplinary and multilevel (national, regional and local) team.
PEGLA project is one of the most important cross-border actions taking place in Alentejo and Extremadura. It aims to improve political articulation between Spain and Portugal in the management of the Great Lake of Alqueva, which is the biggest artificial lake in Europe and one of the focus points of investment and human pressure in Alentejo and Extremadura. This lake is at the border of Portugal and Spain (figure 1).
One of the main objectives of PEGLA is the articulation and harmonisation of the territorial management plans, providing the same conditions and opportunities to this territory in the two countries. The two management plans that already exist for the surrounding area of Alqueva are now being integrated into the Management and Monitoring Strategy for Alqueva (figure 2). This will be the reference plan for regulation of activities, soil occupation and water uses on both sides of the lake. The territorial domain of PEGLA is represented by the municipalities of Alandroal, Moura, Mourão, Portel, Reguengos de Monsaraz, Serpa and Vidigueira on the Portuguese side and, on the Spanish side, the ‘ayuntamientos’ of Olivenza, Cheles, Alconchel, Villanueva del Fresno and Táliga.
With the geographical harmonisation established by previous common European projects such as GEOALEX (2004–06), OTALEX (2008–10) and OTALEX II (2008–11), it was possible to arrive at a set of continuous common cartography and indicators that allows the development of this common plan and also its divulgation in the SDI-OTALEX (www.ideotalex.eu), busting synergies among European projects to achieve common purposes.
In all this co-operation and I&D in PEGLA project, it was essential the European Founds support (EFDR), through the Operational Programme for Cross-Border Co-operation: Spain-Portugal, 2007-2013 (POCTEP).
