Document: Creation, Development and Management of Regional Development Agencies

Over the last two decades, all over Europe and North America, a significant and increasing number of local and regional authorities has been the key for local economic development. 

The most important factor in this was the industrial crisis, now called de-industrialisation, that emerged all over the industrial world, raising unemployment to sometimes over 25% of the active population. Many macro-economic policies, combining industrial, cultural, social, environmental and agricultural sectors, did not address the source of the problem, but only tried to fight its symptoms.

The real challenge is to develop simultaneously a new pattern for economic development and a reduction in the number of those who are socially excluded from the technological revolution of the "quaternary society".

In this context, it is important to state that without doubt some successful policy interventions have been conducted by local and regional authorities. These have played a role in stimulating, organising, supporting and promoting endogenous networks of economic development.

The success of local and regional authorities is linked to some basic attitudes related to the way they see their own role in connection with national and international policies.

Local activities are not only "subsidiaries" of other decisions, but they must interact with other levels of the decision making process, being more pro-active and less re-active.

The only way to act successfully is to create and develop a strong local and regional integrated strategy that can be combined with the national and international dynamics of social and economic development.

The aim of this document is to analyse some of the methods and instruments that can be used to define, promote and improve this need of considering local and regional strategies as one of the core arenas for achieving a better standard for … our life as PEOPLE.