DANUBE SPACE STUDY Regional and Territorial Aspects of Development in the Danube Countries with Respect to Impacts on the European Union Final Report July 2000 Commissioned by: European Commission DG: Regional Policy
Project Team ÖIR: Peter Schneidewind Bernhard Schausberger Friedrich Schindegger Franz Delapina Günter Eisenkölb Liselotte Matiasek Robert Salmeyer Helmut Fellner ECOTEC: Patrick ten Brink Vicky Pollard Jacques Robert Schuman Associates Ltd. Bulgaria Czech Republic Hungary Romania Slovak Republic Slovenia Ukraine Jan Dröge Julia Spiridonova-Shishkova Alois Andrle Jaroslav Dupal Janos Rechnitzer Mihaly Lados Ileana Budisteanu Serban Nadejde Milan Bucek Miran Gajsek Vladimir Anderson Österreichisches Institut für Raumplanung (ÖIR) A-1010 Wien, Franz-Josefs-Kai 27, Tel. 0043 1 533 87 47, Fax: 0043 1 533 87 47-66, e-mail: oir@oir.or.at Vienna, July 2000 / ANr. A 2204.00
CONTENT Executive Summary I PART I: INTRODUCTION 11 1. THE DANUBE SPACE 15 1.1 Space without Qualities? 15 1.2 The Notion of the Danube Space 17 1.3 Defining the Study Area 18 1.4 Relations to Other Macro-Regions 21 2. THE DANUBE SPACE STUDY 23 2.1 The Objectives of the Study 23 2.2 The Study's Approach 24 2.3 Methods Applied and Procedures 28 2.4 Information Base and Data Issues 30 3. INTRODUCING THE CORE COUNTRIES 33 3.1 Austria 33 3.2 Bulgaria 35 3.3 Czech Republic 37 3.4 Hungary 39 3.5 Romania 41 3.6 Slovak Republic 43 3.7 Slovenia 45 PART II: SPATIAL CONDITIONS IN THE DANUBE SPACE 47 4. DEMOGRAPHIC STRUCTURES AND DYNAMICS WITHIN THE DANUBE SPACE 53 4.1 Demographic Structure 53 4.2 Demographic Dynamics 60 5. SETTLEMENT STRUCTURES 73 5.1 Population Density 73 5.2 Settlement Structure 74 3
6. THE REGIONAL DYNAMICS OF TRANSITION 83 6.1 The Driving Forces of Regional Development 83 6.2 Structural Change in the Transition Process 93 7. REGIONAL DISPARITIES AND THEIR EVOLUTION 115 7.1 The Level of Economic Activity 115 7.2 Regional Development Patterns 121 7.3 Regional Disparities in the Core Countries 126 8. LABOUR MARKETS AND UNEMPLOYMENT 135 8.1 Employment 136 8.2 Unemployment 140 9. THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THE REGIONS 149 9.1 Accessibility on the European Scale 149 9.2 Road Networks 155 9.3 Railway Networks 156 10. ENVIRONMENTAL ENDOWMENTS OF THE REGIONS 159 10.1 Diversity of Environments 159 10.2 Natural Heritage Highlights - Biodiversity and Habitats 160 10.3 Water Resources 165 10.4 Legacies of the Socialist Era and the Risks During the Period of Economic Transition 170 10.5 Risks during Economic Transition 172 11. ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORKS 175 11.1 Towards Sustainability 175 11.2 Main Characteristics of the Grids 183 11.3 Improving a Location's Economic Advantage 184 11.4 Regional Impacts of Short and Mid-term Investments 186 PART III: ISSUES OF REGIONAL/SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT 191 12. THE URBAN SYSTEM 197 12.1 Historical Roots of the Urban System in the Danube Space 197 12.2 Typology of Urban Settlements 200 12.3 Urban Changes during the Transition Period 202 12.4 Urban Environmental Issues 208 4
12.5 Issues Related to Urban Governance 210 12.6 Cross-Border Issues Related to Urban Systems 211 13. RURAL REGIONS 215 13.1 Rural Areas in the Danube Space 215 13.2 Demographic and Socio-Economic Characteristics 216 13.3 Infrastructure and Equipment of Rural Settlements 220 13.4 Main Challenges Related to the Evolution of Rural Areas 223 14. BORDERS AND BORDER REGIONS 225 14.1 The Permeability of Borders 225 14.2 Border Crossings 227 14.3 Main Border Crossing Activities 237 14.4 The Spatial Impact of Cross-Border Co-operation 243 15. THE TRANSPORT NETWORKS 245 15.1 The Pan-European Transport Corridors in the Danube Space 245 15.2 Inland Waterways 250 15.3 Maritime Shipping Activities in the Danube Space 256 15.4 Air Transportation in the Danube Space 260 16. THE INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORKS OF REGIONAL POLICY AND SPATIAL PLANNING 263 16.1 Introduction 263 16.2 The Former Period 264 16.3 Features of Transition 266 16.4 The Main Settings of Regional Policy 269 16.5 Perspectives 274 PART IV: THE IMPACT OF ENLARGEMENT ON THE DANUBE SPACE 279 17. ACCESSION AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT 283 17.1 Impacts of Accession 283 17.2 Regional Economic Impacts 285 17.3 Impacts on Agriculture 287 17.4 Impacts on Manufacturing 289 17.5 Impacts on Labour Markets 290 17.6 Spatial Impacts 292 17.7 Pre-Accession Aid 293 5
18. IMPACTS ON REGIONS IN MEMBER STATES 297 18.1 Spatial Patterns of Challenges and Opportunities 297 18.2 Regional Impacts of Enlargement in the Member States 298 18.3 An Assessment of the Impacts on Member States' Regions within the Danube Space 304 18.4 Regional Perspectives 311 PART V: PERSPECTIVES OF REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE DANUBE SPACE 315 19. THE SCENARIO "PRODANUBE 2010" 319 19.1 Concept and Assumptions 319 19.2 The Danubic Belt 323 19.3 Regions Calling for Attention 327 20. ELEMENTS OF A TRANSNATIONAL STRATEGY OF SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT 333 20.1 Assessment and Preconditions 333 20.2 Towards a Spatial Development Strategy for the Danube Space 334 20.3 Co-operation along and across the River 337 20.4 Preventing Regions from Uncoupling 338 20.5 Promoting Growth Beyond the Capitals 340 20.6 Turning Barriers into Bridges 340 21. RECOMMENDATIONS 343 21.1 Options and Opinions 343 21.2 Spatial Policy Options 345 21.3 Organising Transnational Co-operation in the Danube Space 348 REFERENCES 355 List of Abbrevations 371 ANNEX after page 372 List of Regions 6
TABLES Table 1 Territorial Shares of the Danube River Basin 19 Table 2 Size of NUTS-regions in the Danube Countries 32 Table 3 Data for Austria on the NUTS II Level 1997 34 Table 4 Data for Bulgaria on the NUTS II Level 1997 36 Table 5 Data for the Czech Republic on the NUTS II Level 1997 38 Table 6 Data for Hungary on the NUTS II Level 1996 40 Table 7 Data for Romania on the NUTS II Level 1996 42 Table 8 Data for the Slovak Republic on the NUTS II Level 1996 44 Table 9 Data for Slovenia on the NUTS III Level 1996 46 Table 10 Population in the Danube Space 1996 53 Table 11 Urban and Rural Population in the Core Countries of the Danube Space 74 Table 12 Total Foreign Direct Investment in the Core Countries 1994-1997 89 Table 13 Foreign Direct Investment Stock 1994, 1997 89 Table 14 Structure of Production - Share of Sectoral Gross Value Added 1990, 1995 93 Table 15 Main Agricultural Issues by Countries 100 Table 16 Examples of Concentrations of Heavy Industry and Mining 106 Table 17 Main Tourist Indicators for the Core Countries 111 Table 18 Indicators of Standard of Living 116 Table 19 Typology of Regions under Transformation 122 Table 20 Economic Position of the Capitals 126 Table 21 Austria: Regional GDP per Capita in PPPs on NUTS II Level 128 Table 22 Bulgaria: Regional GDP per Capita (1993-1995) on the Level II - PPPs 128 Table 23 Czech Republic: Regional GDP per Capita on the Level II (1993, 1996) - in PPPs 129 Table 24 Table 25 Czech Republic: Regional GDP for the new Regions 2000 on the Level III (1993, 1995) - in PPPs 130 Hungary: Regional GDP per Capita on the Level II (1994, 1996) - in PPPs 131 Table 26 Romania: Regional GDPs on the Level II (1993-1996) - in PPPs 132 7
Table 27 Slovak Republic: Regional GDP on Level II (1996,1997) - in PPPs 133 Table 28 Slovenia: Regional GDP on Level III (1996) - in PPPs 134 Table 29 State and Development of the Private Sector in 1994 137 Table 30 Shares of the Main Economic Sectors 1990-1996 139 Table 31 Labour Force and Economic Activity Rates in '000's 139 Table 32 Labour Market Issues in the Core Countries 145 Table 33 Railway Transport in the Core Countries - Main Issues by Countries 157 Table 34 International Designated Areas and National Parks in Danube Space Core Countries 161 Table 35 Main Border Crossing Activities and Transnational Co-operations 241 Table 36 Port Traffic in the Balkan Region 256 Table 37 Conceptual Structure of Spatial Development Policy Issues 263 Table 38 Main Settings of Regional Policies 272 Table 39 Comparative Review 275 Table 40 Outline of Funding Structures for the Period 2000-2006 295 Table 41 Types of Regions and the Major Opportunities and Threats 312 8
MAPS Map 1 The Regional Structure of the Danube Space XI Map 2 Scenario prodanube 2010: The Danube Belt XIII Map 3 Scenario prodanube 2010: Regions Calling for Attention XV Map 4 Scenario prodanube 2010: The Border Regions XVII Map 5 Austria - Territorial Units, NUTS II and NUTS III 34 Map 6 Bulgaria - Territorial Units, NUTS II and NUTS III 36 Map 7 Czech Republic - Territorial Units, NUTS II and NUTS IV 38 Map 8 Hungary - Territorial Units, NUTS II and NUTS III 40 Map 9 Romania - Territorial Units, NUTS II and NUTS III 42 Map 10 Slovak Republic - Territorial Units, NUTS II and NUTS III 44 Map 11 Slovenia - Territorial Units, NUTS III 46 Map 12 Age Structure 1995: 0-14 years 55 Map 13 Age Structure 1995: older than 60 years 57 Map 14 Population Change 1990-1996 63 Map 15 Population: Structure and Density 1996 75 Map 16 Spatial Distribution of Population 77 Map 17 Land Use by NUTS II Regions in the Core Countries 95 Map 18 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) 1996 117 Map 19 Typology of Regions under Transition 123 Map 20 Unemployment Rate 141 Map 21 Accessibility of Agglomerations 151 Map 22 Accessibility of Population 153 Map 23 Protected Areas in the Danube Space 163 Map 24 The Main Rivers of the Danube Basin 167 Map 25 Electricity Production in the Core Countries 179 Map 26 Nuclear Power Plants in the Danube Space 181 Map 27 Topography and Cities 213 9
Map 28 Main Border Crossing Points 235 Map 29 Transeuropean and Paneuropean Transport Network - Roads 251 Map 30 Transeuropean and Paneuropean Transport Network - Railway Lines 253 Map 31 Transshipment Volumes in Danube Ports 257 Map 32 Scenario prodanube 2010: Environmental Challenges 325 FIGURES Figure 1 GDP per Capita in PPPs in the Danube Space Core Countries 119 Figure 2 Development of Real GDP in the Danube Space (1989 = 100) 120 Figure 3 Energy Production and Consumption in the Core Countries 1994 177 Figure 4 Dimensions of the Definition of the Scenarios 320 10