Pieter,
yes, it looks beautiful. In 80s when I spent lots of time in Europe I could not afford anything like that. Now, I can afford it but it is still so far. Pieter, I still hope we will see each other one day. I have also one school friend who lives in Netherlands. I am planning to go to Poland the next year, maybe we could stop by with Ela over there in Netherlands.
Glad to see that you had a good day today and through the weekend. It was very windy in Idaho, hope it would get better soon!
Jaga,
I can understand that. The zloty of the communist era was such a low currency that it was hard to get enough German marks, English pounds, Belgian or French Francs or Dutch guilders for it. Polish friends or family who visited the West most often visited relatives in Denmark, France, Germany or the Netherlands. (we) I remember that well educated, academic, Polish intellectuals visited the West to do sometimes low payed jobs (season work in agriculture or construction work) to just urn some money. Due to the contrast with Polish money and incomes, these low paid part time jobs or assignment were for them high income. Wit these Western currencies they could buy luxery goods, meat -which was scarse in communist Poland- and for instance pay for extra health care -because I remember the corruption which annoyed and saddened my mother.)
My parents every now and then visit my province in the East and stay in a hotel in the forest area The Veluwe. There are a lot of nice Golden Tulip, Bilderberg and other kind of hotels in this environment. Popular with tourists, but also for business people, entrepreneurs, and civil servants and union members. There are business hotels, hotels with congress rooms, places for seminars and workshops (powerpoint presentations, video, 3D animation), facilities for professional sporters, bike rent. There is a Labour Union hotel, andthe national sports development centre of the Netherlands, the National Sports Centre Papendal is located in the Veluwe woods 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from Arnhem. The national (Orange) soccer team trains in the woods North of Arnhem in Hoenderloo. (
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoenderloo )
I hope that this area of my country will develop itself in a positive direction. Politically and financial-economically I think we need to cooperate more with our Eastern neighbors in the EUREGIO (European region) which members are the German Federal states Niedersachsen (Low Saxony) and Nordrhein-Westfalen and the Dutch Saxon Eastern provinces Gelderland, Overijssel und Drenthe.
www.euregio.eu/de/über-euregio/region-mitgliederwww.deutschland-nederland.eu/home/Euregio Rhein WaalGerman and Dutch people can achieve more together!This is what we are convinced of and it is the reason why we support
cross-border activities in the Dutch-German border area.
Cross-border CooperationIt is in the border regions where the European Union intersects and overlaps. In Europe, cooperation across borders makes national borders increasingly less relevant. The European Union created a development programme named INTERREG to support cross-border cooperation. A sum of 8,7 billion euro has been earmarked by the EU to finance innovative cross-border projects from 2007 to 2013
300 million euro for cross-border projectsA partial amount of these funds is available for the German-Dutch border region extending from
the North Sea coast to the Lower Rhine. In the coming years, German-Dutch projects in the region of
the INTERREG IV A-programme "
Deutschland-Nederland" can receive financial aid from funds totalling nearly
300 million euro. The main focus of the aid is directed towards the following fields:
- Commerce, technology and innovation
- Sustainable regional development
- Society and integration
Up to 50% EU aidFunding is only available for projects in which
German and
Dutch partners cooperate with each other.
The EU will finance a project for up to
50% maximum of the project's costs. Further funding must be provided from national and regional aid (e. g. from ministries and provinces) and through contributions of the project partners themselves. Legal and private persons, as well as organisations and companies can apply for funding at any time.
Focus InnovationThe European Union supports cooperative projects between neighbouring countries. A support programme called "Focus Innovation" was especially created for German-Dutch projects which are directed towards economic and innovative cooperation in the border region. The Euregio Rhine-Waal aims to support cross-border cooperation between institutions, companies and organisations with this programme. Both commercial and scientific projects are supported within the framework of „Focus Innovation“.
Eligible projects"
Focus Innovation“ projects support cross-border cooperation and networking. Initiatives and projects in the following areas are especially set to profit from these cooperation networks:
Technology and knowledge transfer between research and development (R&D) and regional companies;
- Development of cross-border networks and cooperation of SMEs;
- Development of cross-border networks and cooperation in the labour market and concerning qualifications;
- Development of cross-border networks and cooperation in tourism.
On average, these projects have a length of 1,5 to 2 years.
Who can apply? German and Dutch municipalities, companies, transnational cooperations and organisations can apply for funding.
General terms of eligibility1 - The project has to initiate a long-term cooperation, which should also be continued after the funding period.
2 - The project has to further German-Dutch contacts in the field of commerce, education or social affairs. The project's cross-border nature has to be evidently clear.
3 - It must be verified that at least one German and one Dutch partner are equally involved in the planning, financing, organisation and implementation of the project.
4 - The number of project participants or the amount of Germans and Dutch set to profit from the project has to be proportional.
5 - The project has to be implemented within the working area of the Euregio Rhine-Waal.
6 - The project has to contribute in the general sense to the aims of the EU support programme INTERREG IV A.
Funding conditions 1. All project costs have to be pre-financed by the applicant on a quarterly basis at the least.
2. The project can only be funded up to a maximum of 50% within the framework of the „Focus Innovation“ programme. The maximum sum for funding is 25,000 euro.
3. All other costs must be financed from regional funds or from one's own resources. Regional funding has to consist of contributions from both the Netherlands and Germany.
4. The Euregio Rhine-Waal is to help the applicant search for co-financiers in the neighbouring country.
Application process Do you have a good idea for a cross-border project and do you think it is eligible for support within the framework of the "
Focus Innovation" programme? Then you should contact the Euregio Rhine-Waal. We will be happy to help you develop your undertaking and help you search for partners and co-financiers. In addition, the Euregio Rhine-Waal offers support for project monitoring. Applications can be filed throughout the whole year (as long as funds are available).
You should however contact the Euregio Rhine-Waal beforehand to discuss your project proposal. A decision regarding an application will be made after a detailed examination within the organisation. Your project may be able to commence within a few months.
www.euregio.org/seiten/index.cfmde.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euregio_Rhein-Waal