The students of EISM (Environment Integrated Assessment)

 visiting the European Parliament

 (Photo by Ștefan Bălăceanu)

The students of Environmental Science Master from Romania have benefited from a European project of professional practice entitled “European institutions and their role in promoting community policies for the environmental protection”, which was organized by the University of Bucharest, Faculty of Geography – Masters program Environment Integrated Assessment (EISM – http://eism.weebly.com/), from where most students attended this EU project, in partnership with Babeș-Bolyai University, Faculty of  Environmental Science and Engineering from Cluj-Napoca, and supported by the European Parliament, which took place in Brussels between September 29 – October 05, 2014.

Established in 2011 and currently reaching the fifth edition, this European project of professional practice in European institutions allowed the students masters of Environmental Science from Romania to develop their knowledge of EU policy in the field of environmental protection, but they also had an opportunity to find out about the role and inner workings of the European Parliament, European Commission, European Council and the Permanent Representation of  Romania to the European Union.

The first visit of this practice has taken place in the European Parliament, where they were presented the powers and structures of the European institutions by Mrs. Laura Popa,  then the students were directed to the Chamber, where Mrs. Mariana Cosac from European Parliament Visits and Seminars Unit has been granted the Faculty of Geography Honor Medal and the Simion Mehedinți Diploma of Excellence for the special role which she had in the professional development of Faculty of Geography students. The visit of Parlamentarium marked the end of a day that introduced us to the history, culture and institutions of European Union.

The group members visiting the Parlamentarium

(Photos by Alexandru Mihail Popescu)

The second visit took place at the European Commission and was focused on the Environmental policy of the European Union, in a sequence of presentations that have allowed to debate the main topics related to the Environmental protection at European level in the present days. The visit included the following presentations:

• “European policy in the field of waste”, Mrs. Madalina Căprușu (Directorate-General for the Environment);
• “European policy for research (Horizon 2020 Program)”, Krastio Preslavsky (Directorate-General of Research and Innovation);
• “Biodiversity Conservation”, Ctibor Kocman (Directorate-General for Environment);
• “Climate Change Policy”, Ana Dănăilă (Directorate-General for Climate Action);
• “Career opportunities with the European Institutions and Selection Procedures”, Koen Hendrix (European Personnel Selection Office);
• “Common Agricultural Policy”, Ioana Rusu (Cabinet of EU Commissioner Dacian Cioloş).

The students of EISM (Environment Integrated Assessment) assisting the presentation “Biodiversity Conservation”, Ctibor Kocman (Directorate-General for Environment) at the European Commission

(Photo by Alexandru Mihail Popescu)

The visit to Permanent Representation of Romania to the European Union brought us an understanding of the third European institution, of its role and its avenues of communication with the other EU and national institutions, as presented by Mr.  Cristian Bădescu, Deputy permanent representative COREPER I. Mrs. Violeta Dragu, Head of  Section, European Environment Agency, demonstrated a series of examples where a series of implementations of EU legislation in Romania has been negotiated by the Permanent Representation of Romania to the European Union. There were also debated problems related to Romania’s representation in the field of Environment protection at EU level and other projects with goals set for 2020, such as circular economy and global climate change.

The group members visiting the EU Council

(Photo by Ștefan Bălăceanu)

The last visit took us to EU Council, where we discussed both issues related to how the institution works and what its role is and also the most important challenges of the EU policies in the field of Environment protection.

                          Debating problems relating the EU policies in the field of Environment protection

(Photo by Ștefan Bălăceanu)

            This European project was a good practice for us because it combined professional, social and touristic activities, leaving us with a better chance for a career in the field of Environment protection. Also the students were encouraged by the EU representatives to apply for internships and jobs within the institutions, increasing their interest and making this opportunity a very “tangible” one.

            The European Parliament, through Visits and Seminars Unit, granted both financial and organizational support for this year’s project for European practice for 34 Environment Sciences Master students and teachers from Bucharest University (Faculty of Geography), Cluj-Napoca Babeș-Bolyai University (Environment Engineering and Science Faculty), Cluj-Napoca Technical University (Baia Mare North University Center) and Galați Dunarea de Jos University (Environment and Science Faculty).

            This project was possible thanks to University Professor Dr. Cristian Iojă, Director of Regional Geography and Environment Department at Bucharest University (Faculty of Geography) and organizer of the professional practice activities in European institution and also thanks to Mrs. Mariana Cosac, European Parliament representative for Visits and Seminars Unit and no less due to the students desire to live an interesting experience that their teachers were keen to provide.

This article was written by Alexandra Cristina Miu and Amalia Cîrstea, students of the masters program EISM, 1^st year, University of Bucharest – Faculty of Geography.

Source:http://topub.unibuc.ro/un-proiect-european-de-practica-profesionala-pentru-studentii-din-domeniul-stiinta-mediului-din-toata-tara/

Iron Curtain Trail Map

The Iron Curtain Trail thereby contributes in a lively and very practical way to the creation of a genuine European identity. In 2005, following the initiative of Green member Michael Cramer, the European Parliament recognized the “Iron Curtain Trail” as a model project for sustainable tourism and called upon the Member States for support.

The European Parliament accepted a proposal with overwhelming majority related to cycling and asked the European Commission and the Member States to consider the EuroVelo-Network and Iron Curtain Trail as an opportunity for promoting European trans-border cycling infrastructure networks, supporting soft mobility and sustainable tourism. Based on this decision special budget lines were allocated in to support preparatory actions for the Iron Curtain Trail (ICT). Thanks to the successful preparatory actions, in 2011, the European Cyclists Federation inaugurated the Iron Curtain Trail as Route 13 as part of EuroVelo, the European cycle route network, and the national cycling NGOs and regional development bodies started to work on the realization.

The Iron Curtain Trail connects most of the South-East-European countries, provides opportunities to learn, to find and to share good solutions for local, regional mobility challenges and to promote sustainable transport (to improve the image of cycling and public transport). The situation is very different in each of the South-East-European countries in terms of combined public transport offers (public transport and cycling), long distance cycle routes, daily cycling and cycling tourism.

The Iron Curtain Trail project received support from the South East Europe Programme with a total budget of 1,403,441.05 euro.

The project involves partners form all South East European countries along the trail.

With the help of this subsidy, the Southern section of the Iron Curtain Trail will be able to catch up to the more developed sections in terms of sustainable transport and tourism and become the engine of all cycling related development in the region, along the following specific goals:

Objectives of the ICT project:

1. Improve the accessibility of the SEE regions by bicycle. The Iron Curtain Trail leads through border regions which were separated during the cold war period and the connections (for cyclists as well) were interrupted. Significant improvements have been made in the (motorized) road and railway infrastructure but at the same time new challenges appeared.

2. Connect cycling and public transport opportunities. Cycling can help to improve the traffic, by increasing the catchment/gravitation area of the public transport lines by making them accessible faster and easier.  In the frame of the project we will collect Best Practices and implement some (minor) pilot actions to improve the bike storage and transportation possibilities connected to public transport. These solutions can help remove the obstacles from public transport use.

3. To connect SEE regions by a European long distance cycle route. The EuroVelo Network connects European countries, and the Iron Curtain Trail, as part of this Network – EuroVelo 13 – can provide a visible and tangible connection between the SEE countries and regions. Being part of a European network means extra motivation for the daily cyclists and for cycling tourists, leisure cyclists to use their bicycle and replace car trips but it motivates the decision makers as well to invest in cycling infrastructure. In the frame of the project we will not build new bicycle infrastructure but we will define the critical deficiencies along the route and will find out what kind of solutions can be realized.
4. Promote cycling and combined sustainable transportation as a means of sustainable mobility. To increase the share of cycling and PT we have provide ready offers for cyclists that answer their problems and communicate them effectively. The communication has to improve the image of cycling (particularly in those countries where the share of cycling is low) and motivate the end-users, the local population. The communication has to reach the decision makers as well and has to stay realistic, be professional and adequate in time and content.

5. The ICT project will significantly improve knowledge, experiences of the leading regional development bodies and the relevant NGOs in the program area and will lay down the basics of the future cooperation.

[Source of information: http://www.ict13.eu/]

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Zilele trecute am primit informaţii despre un proiect frumos – Iron Curtain Trail, care sper să-şi atingă ţintele propuse. Am considerat că merită să vi le împărtăşim şi dumneavoastră, dragi cititori.

Proiectul Iron Curtain Trail este co-finanţat din FEDR (Fondul European de Dezvoltare Regională) prin Programul de Cooperare Transnațională Sud-Estul Europei – SEE, încadrându-se în Axa prioritară 3: Creşterea gradului de accesibilitate, Aria de intervenție: Îmbunătăţirea coordonării în promovarea, planificarea şi intervenţia pentru reţelele de transport primar şi secundar.

Programul Sud-Estul Europei vizează dezvoltarea parteneriatelor transnaţionale de importanţă strategică, având scopul de a sprijini integrarea teritorială, economică şi socială şi de a contribui la creşterea gradului de coeziune, stabilitate şi competitivitate al regiunilor. În acest scop, programul urmăreşte realizarea de proiecte de calitate, orientate către obţinerea de rezultate, având caracter strategic şi fiind relevante pentru aria programului.

Scopul proiectului SEE – Sustainable Mobility Along The Newest Eurovelo Route, The Iron Curtain Trail este să unească regiunile din Sud-Estul Europei printr-un traseu pentru biciclişti, să îmbunătăţească accesibilitatea la serviciile specifice bicicliştilor, să interconecteze cicloturismul şi transportul public, să promoveze cicloturismul şi transportul alternativ şi durabil. De asemenea, acest proiect asigură oportunităţi pentru schimburi de experienţă şi transfer de bune practici între partenerii proiectului.

Durata proiectului: 2 ani (octombrie 2012 – septembrie 2014)

Parteneriatul proiectului este format din 15 instituţii Agenţii de Dezvoltare Regională sau instituţii naţionale şi ONG-uri) din 10 ţări: Austria, Bulgaria, Croaţia, Grecia, Ungaria, Republica Macedonia, România, Slovacia, Slovenia, Serbia.

Instituțiile implicate în proiect sunt:

Care sunt rezultatele aşteptate de la acest proiect?

• realizarea unei reţele de colaborare națională și transnațională cu actorii principali, în domeniul promovării cicloturismului;
• metodologii pentru actorii de pe piața specifică a cicloturismului, în vederea promovării și susținerii dezvoltării turismului la nivel local;
• noi reţele pentru serviciile aferente bicicliştilor de tipul „ cycling friendly service”;
• noi secţiuni semnalizate ale traseelor pentru biciclişti;
• oferte turistice transnaţionale durabile.

Pentru mai multe detalii vă rugăm să consultaţi site-ul proiectului: www.ict13.eu și site-ul INCDT: www.incdt.ro

Mulţumim pentru informaţii doamnei Marioara Musteaţă-Pavel, Manager de proiect, Institutul Național de Cercetare-Dezvoltare în Turism, București.

Surse foto: http://radpropaganda.org/tag/europa/

https://www.facebook.com/ironcurtaintrail

http://www.empower.co.il/healingkiss/edited%20godchannel%20documents/expression6.htm

http://ultravelo.com/?cat=86