Regulations of the IV European Greenways Award
Article 1 – General terms
The role of greenways in various fields is undeniable: transport and mobility, safe access in towns, access to natural and rural areas, discovery of regions, and development of alternative tourism and leisure, redefining and enhancement of regions crossed, discovery of cultural and artistic heritage, exchanges between citizens as part of a European and international movement. To underline and encourage actions conducted to promote greenways in Europe and to co-ordinate this concept as well, the EGWA and the Ministry of Tourism of the German Community of Belgium are organising the fourth European Greenways Award. It proposes to promote examples of best practices and to encourage the qualitative development of these new facilities open to the general public in Europe. The European Greenways Award will be awarded only to greenways and initiatives already existing.
Article 2 – Terms of Organising
The Ministry of Tourism of the German Community of Belgium and the EGWA are organising the IVth European Greenways Award, with the support of the DG of Enterprise and Industry of the European Commission. A jury composed by representatives of European and other International institutions and competent international experts, as well as media representatives, will meet to choose the award winners. The jury will choose between a selection of candidacies previously done by the Organising Committee.
The EGWA will award:
- a First, a Second and a Third Prize on the category “Sustainable Development and Tourism”
- a First, a Second and a Third Prize on the category “Mobility”
- a “Special Prize” can be given by the jury (if it decides to do so) to the candidacy that best combines the spirit of greenways, as defined in the Lille Declaration.
The official award ceremony will take place on the 9th of October 2009 in the “Centre Culturel Triangle”, at St Vith, in the German Community of Belgium. The chair of the jury will inform the prize-winners about the ceremony and the procedures for remitting the awards, in September 2009. The award-winning projects, and those of the finalists chosen by the jury will be published on the EGWA site.
Article 3 – The Organising Committee
3.1 Role
An Organising committee is created to carry out the assignments described below.
The Organising committee will aid and support the organising entities, so that the IV EGA is correctly developed.
The Organising committee will make a preliminary examination of the entries based on the eligibility criteria defined in Article 8.
It is charged with the secretariat of the jury, which will be assured by the Director of the EGWA. It likewise assists the jury in its choice, using the award conditions adopted. It reserves the right to verify locally the achievements submitted in the applications.
3.2 Membership
The Organising committee is made up of:
- A Chairperson: The General Secretary of the EGWA.
- A Secretary: The EGWA Director.
- Up to 5 representative members of the EGWA
- A representative of the Ministry of Tourism of the German Community of Belgium
Article 4 – The jury
4.1 Role
On the basis of a prior examination and selection done by the Organising committee, the jury will be asked to award the Prizes acknowledging an achievement in greenways related to the categories of the awards (Article 2). The jury's decisions are not subject to appeal, and are taken by a majority of votes. The jury reserves the right not to award the prizes.
The chairperson and the secretary of the organising committee will aid the jury, with voice but without vote.
4.2 Membership
The jury will consist of representatives of European and other international institutions and qualified personalities who, as a result of their functions, profession and experience in the fields of urban and rural planning, mobility, environment, leisure, tourism, transport and urban policy, local/rural and territorial development or the safeguarding of architectural and natural heritage, communication and media, youth, handicapped people or health are competent to identify exemplary achievements in greenways in Europe or innovative initiatives in the field of greenways.
Article 5 – Nature of the awards
Each winner will receive a diploma and a trophy symbolising the objectives pursued by the EGWA. The Award-winners will benefit from the publicity and communication on the award which will be broadcasted at European level to publicise examples of best practice and ‘know-how’ in the field of greenways. Also, the award-winning candidates will have their projects exposed at the EGWA site.
Article 6 – Conditions for participation
Applications can be submitted by public or private Organisations, territorial or local communities, and associations having achieved or taken part in the development of greenways or having achieved or taken part in innovative initiatives in the field of greenways, in one of the Member States of the European Union, EFTA countries or official European Union Candidate Countries.
Greenways awarded in the third edition of 2007 with any of the 6 Awards given in will not be eligible in this IVth edition.
This means the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Awarded Greenways in the Development and Tourism Category, and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Awarded Greenways in the Mobility Category will not be eligible.
Candidates wishing to do so, can apply to both categories, but must submit one application per category.
All the information will be available on the IV EGA website www.europeangreenwaysaward.org
Participation in the European Greenways Award entails compliance with and acceptance of the conditions of these regulations by the participants.
Article 7 – Applications
Only dossiers using an application form, and complying with the procedures set down in this article shall be considered. The Organising committee will be responsible for verifying that the dossiers transmitted to the jury comply with the eligibility criteria. As indicated in Article 3, the Organising committee reserves the right to see the achievements proposed by the candidates on site.
The dossiers will consist of:
An Application form: That will be submitted in electronic format through the IV EGA website. Application forms will be available only in english, and must be only submitted in english The application forms must be received by the 30th of July 2009 at the latest.
Supplementary documents supporting each candidate (leaflets, photos, maps, publications...) can be sent in any language.
Applicants are encouraged to send their complementary information in a digital support (CD & DVD)
Any complementary information must be received by the 30th of July 2009 at the latest to the address below. No more than 2 Kg of documentation can be sent.
Please be sure that your supplementary documents are sent with enough time (take into account the timing of international couriers) adequately meet the deadlines.
Documents received after this deadline will not be accepted. Faxes, incomplete dossiers, or dossiers sent in several parts will not be accepted. Please indicate the title of your candidacy and a contact name when sending the supplementary documents. Complete dossiers shall be kept by EGWA.
Supplementary documents must be submitted to:
European Greenways Association (EGWA)-IV EGA
Fundación de los Ferrocarriles Españoles
C/ Santa Isabel, 44
28012 Madrid, SPAIN
Article 8 – Criteria for the Awards.
A number of characteristics of greenways contribute to appreciating the value of these infrastructures. Dossiers will be considered carefully under the following headings: example of best practice, measurable concrete results, enhancement and continuity of actions carried out, sustainability etc. According to the criteria set below, the European Greenways Award will take into account the best integration of the various characteristics that define greenways, which are:
• Communication infrastructures developed, separately from motorized routes, in an integrated and globally coherent manner,
• Exclusively for non-motorised traffic,
• Designed for all users of all types,
• Ensuring convivial, safe use,
• Meeting sufficient conditions of width, slope, surfacing and accessibility,
• Developed with a concern for integrated planning valorising the territories crossed, the cultural and natural environment and quality of life,
and that also proposes, in addition to integrating the above characteristics, particular intrinsic advantages that will make it exemplary through its contribution towards sustainable development and mobility, through the following categories.
8.1 Sustainable development & tourism Award
Eligible criteria, that will be included as so in the application form:
Number and typology of users, jobs created in the sector, availability of tourist information, services created, re-valorisation and re-vitalisation of “depressed” areas, tourist and local development innovative initiatives, interregional and international network initiatives and type and integration of partners in the greenway management.
8.2 Mobility Award
Eligible criteria, that will be included as so in the application form:
Including greenways as part of intermodal transport plans, mobility plans and the creation of services such as cycle leasing. Type and number of programs related with commuting which include the use of greenways (commuting to work, to school, university, hospitals, etc..), use of greenways as connections solutions between transport nodes and safety measures included in mobility plans.
Article 9 – Results and Ceremony of the Awards
The jury will decide the winners of the Prize that will be informed by a letter from EGWA. The prize-winners are asked not to communicate or use any public reference to the award before the official ceremony.
The official awards will be made at a ceremony to be held on the 9th of October 2009 in the Centre Culturel “TRIANGEL”, at St Vith, in the German Community of Belgium.
European Greenways Association (EGWA)-IVth EGA
Fundación de los Ferrocarriles Españoles
C/ Santa Isabel, 44
28012 Madrid, SPAIN
Tel : +34. 91 151 10 98/56
Fax : +34. 91 151 10 68
|
