Acronym: ESPARRU 17 (E47)

FEDER reference: 961129002AC

Person responsible for the project:	José Antonio Santano
	Director of Economy and Tourism
	Regional Council of Gipuzkoa

II. Period of reference

Beginning: 01/10/96

End: 31/01/97

III.Partnership

3.1) Modifications.

No modifications

3.2) Consolidation of the partnership

Technical seminar of the bodies and members that participate in the project regarding policies and tools associated with the new employment sites, with experts presenting and discussing their papers.

Seminar to disseminate the project, with wide participation by those economic and social agents in the territory of Gipuzkoa who are interested in the project, with experts presenting their papers.

Constitution of the Guiding Council, which enabled the direct participation of companies, bodies, social representatives, economic agents and social interlocutors.

Interviewing privileged witnesses, on potential demand, supplies and obstacles in each and everyone of the 17 areas that might give rise to new employment sites.

3.3) Configuration of the (project) technical team and Steering Committee

Technical committee: made up of  representatives from the bodies promoting the project, Regional Council of Gipuzkoa, EudelAssociation of Basque Municipalities and Garapen-Regional Development Agencies.

Steering Committee: made up of the Deputy and Director of the Department of Economics and Tourism of the Regional Council of Gipuzkoa and six Gipuzkoan mayors as representatives of the Eudel and Garapen Associations.

IV. Actions Carried Out

4.1) Launching transfer projects or actions

Launching the preparation of four feasibility plans (contracted to four consultancy firms) related to the four biocks of employment sites, with the objective of examining the degree of feasibility of the 17 employment site areas. The most feasible areas in the territory of Gipuzkoa will be further examined (phase 11 of the plans, to be started in February)

Carrying out a demand survey in 1,400 Gipuzkoan homes with the objective of examining the feasibility of the 17 employment site areas from the aspect of demand

Preparation of a project bank with the entrepreneurial initiatives recently developed or planned, with a local character, and associated with the employment site areas.

Preparation of surveys before drawing up the feasibility plans related to "Socio-economic Information in the Regions of Gipuzkoa" and "Demographic Projections in the Regions of Gipuzkoa".

4.2) Meetings, Seminars, Steering Committees...

Technical and Dissemination Seminars (aiready mentioned in paragraph 3.2)

3 meetings of the Technical Committee

2 meetings of the Steering Committee

Holding  the constituent meeting of the Guiding Council, with very high tounout (around 90 people) from the economic and social entities in the territory. Presentation of European Union policies related to the new employment sites, in the Esparru project, and the potential capacity to create employment based on their development. Handing out of documentation.

Planning of a public awareness/training activities, to exchange experiences on the model of local development and new employment sites, in co-operation with the University as part of the Summer Basque/European University

4.3) Dissemination, communication and information actions associated with the project

Seminar to disseminate the information among economic and social agents in the Gipuzkoan territory (October'96)

Elaboration and distribution of a general document to present the project and disseminate its main ideas throughout the period of its implementation (500 copies)

Elaboration of a wide spread general information bulletin (mailing of 1,300 copies)

Preparation of a course in collaboration with the Summer Basque University

4.4) Consolidation actions through the creation of structures, agencies,

enterprises or through mobilisation.

The ones already mentioned

V. Assessment

5.1) State of general progressof the project

The terms and objectives planned for this stage were fulfilled

5.2) Difficulties detected and unsolved problems

The difficulties detected were related to the technical development of the feasibility plans, and are being satisfactorily solved

From the perspective of disseminating the project to the general population, we are trying to advance in the field of approaching the contents of the project to said community. Nevertheless, a more intense advance is expected in this area in the next phase of the project.

5.3) Actions, works and initiatives planned for the next 4 months:

Selection of the areas for the new employment sites with the greatest degree of feasibility in the Gipuzkoan territory and specification of the potential projects to be supported (Phase II of Feasibility Plans)

Dissemination and presentation of preliminary results in the different regions in collaboration and co-ordination with the local agents

Holding (monthly) meetings of the Technical Committee and Steering Committee

Holding meeting n#2 of the Guiding Council

Configuration of working groups and debate around the areas selected

Elaboration of Information Bulletin n#2

Intensification of elements to disseminate and increase peoples awareness of the project via INTERNET (WEB Page and Discussion Forum)

Design of the training action at the Summer Basque/European University

Implementation of the programs to validate service-checks and proximity savings as tools to support new employment sites

Vl. Free global commentary from the person responsible for the project

When we began working in the ESPARRU project, on New Employment Sites, we had the feeling that it was fundamental to involve enterprises, universities, associations, technological centers and in general the whole society, to be able to reach the objectives set. Behind this project, there is a change in culture and a variation in the understanding of what economic development means.

After the first few months of our work, I am glad to observe that over 1,000 private and public bodies, of every type, have a wide knowledge of our project, and over a hundred are involved in its present development.

I think that for pilot projects to achieve their best results, this is the best guarantee of success. The existence of a wide consensus in our social environment on the link between economic development and the development of local environments , enables practical experiences to be more than just words on a page.