The European Mountain Conventions are an initiative of Euromontana, the European association comprising regional development agencies, agricultural organizations, regional authorities, research institutes, environmental agencies or mountain associations with a strong interest in rural and sustainable development of mountainous areas. This network of organizations covers about 18 countries in all the European mountain massifs, facilitating therefore a co-operation between Western, Central and Eastern Europe. Among the other projects of the association, these Conventions represent special times for gathering together and clarifying issues in a deliberately open and wide debate. European Mountain Conventions are organised every 2 years for the attention of professionals and, in the context of the general theme of mountain rural sustainable development, are intended to provide:
• Updated information on current European issues and their impact on mountain areas
• Open consultations and exchanges between representatives of different countries and different types of organisation
• The extension and strengthening of a European network of co-operation for mountains, beyond the network of Euromontana member organisations.
The 5th European Mountain Convention concentrated on making the case for mountain areas as contributors to the Lisbon Strategy which sets targets for Europe in the fields of growth, innovation and jobs. Until now much debate on the strategy has been dominated by assessments of the contribution that poles of economic activity and centres of academic excellence can make.
The Convention set out to illustrate the significant offering that mountain areas and their unique natural and environmental diversity can make for growth in seven distinct contexts. The Convention took place is Chaves, Portugal on the 14th and 15th September 2006 and gathered over 300 participants and illustrious group of speakers, including the Commissioner for Regional Policy Danuta Hübner and Ministers from Portugal, Norway and Romania.
The following report is providing a short overview of the aims and the context of the Convention, summarizing the presentations held during the conference as well as analyzing the results and outcomes of the speeches, the workshops and the round table discussions.
