IPA - Cross-Border Programme Croatia-Montenegro

The European Union (EU) through its funds and programmes provides support for different kinds of projects and activities. The instrument for pre-accession assistance (IPA) offers assistance to countries having the status as potential candidates and the status as candidate countries under the accession process in the period 2007–2013. The IPA is made up of five components, of which the second component concerns the cross-border cooperation.

Ceremonial conference on the occasion of allocation of grants to the selected project proposals, submitted within the first public call and announcement of the second public call for project proposals within the IPA Cross-Border Programme Croatia-Montenegro 2007 2013, was held at Bečići, Montenegro on 13 December 2010.

On that occasion, the first five approved projects within the cross-border cooperation between Croatia and Montenegro were presented.

Among the first five approved projects within the IPA Cross-Border Programme Croatia – Montenegro is the project of the Hydrographic Institute of the Republic of Croatia with its cross-border partner the Hydrometeorological Institute of Montenegro, entitled:

„Joint Promotion and Increased Level of Safety in Nautical Tourism in Dubrovnik-Neretva County and Montenegrin Coast"

Main objective of the project is to improve the tourism (especially nautical) potential of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County and the Montenegrin coast through its joint promotion as a unique tourist entity with rich cultural and natural heritage.

The project will contribute towards raising the quality of services and increasing the level of safety in nautical tourism through cooperation between:

• hydrographic institutions,
• institutions providing different tourist services (marinas and other tourist ports, charter agencies),
• institutions for maritime safety and safety in general (harbour master’s offices, port authorities, maritime border police).

In order to achieve the targeted goals, it is necessary to accomplish a number of activities, among other things:

• collect and systematize the information on all important natural and cultural features of interest and tourist services in the cross-border area,
• collect and systematize the information important to the safety of navigation in the cross-border area,
• on the basis of the information collected:
  
  • create a website designed for leisure mariners visiting the area in question,
  • issue a nautical tourist guide to the area, designed for yachts (sailboats and motor yachts) and mega yachts,
  • work out the cross-border nautical-tourist navigation routes for yachts (sailboats and motor yachts) and mega yachts,
• organize the round-table talks, and the programme presentations and promotions for all activity holders in the tourism and safety segment of nautical tourism, and for leisure mariners,
• organize the institutional promotion and support for the establishment of Hydrographic department within the Hydrometeorological Institute of Montenegro (training in the hydrographic survey, hydrographic survey of 2 marinas on the Montenegrin coast, production of harbour charts of 3 marinas on the Montenegrin coast), etc.

On the Croatian part, participants in the project are the Hydrographic Institute of the Republic of Croatia (HHI) as leading partner, and the University of Dubrovnik (Maritime department) as its partner.

The participants on the Montenegrin part are the Hydrometeorological Institute of Montenegro (HMZCG) as leading partner, and the National tourist organization of Montenegro as its partner. Associate partners are the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Croatia, and on the Montenegrin part the Department for the Safety at Sea, the Harbour Master’s Office Kotor (LK Kotor), and the Porto Montenegro Marina.

The project was launched in January 2011. The scheduled duration of the project is 23 months (until the end of 2012). Total value of the project for both sides is 451.928,36 €.