The European Commission has established a promotion and funding programme for transnational collaboration a number of years ago. Across 6 European regions, international teams were to examine the effectiveness of the exchange of technical and specialist know-how from practical projects.

The Wesermarsch has been active in the North Sea region since 1998 and is successfully involved in various international projects together with representatives from business/industry, administration, institutions and confederations. These undertakings embrace projects to develop maritime competence, to promote the revitalisation of port towns and cities, and to develop a sustained rural tourism industry, with the priority on the furtherance of maritime competencies and the promotion of maritime activities.

Since the beginning of 2004, the Wesermarsch has been a German partner in a transnational project aimed at accompanying structural changes in the rural regions of the North Sea coastal area. Special priorities lie in the issues relating to the key areas of "Traffic and transport", "Economic development" and "Social affairs". With the help of 15 subprojects, examples of effective technical practice are to find integration in national programmes.

In addition, the Wesermarsch represents the interests of Niedersachsen in international committees like the "North Sea Commission" in the context of specialised working groups. www.northsea.org

Further information can be found under www.northsearural.org