Foundation / history
The Regionalverband
Südlicher Oberrhein was founded in 1973 as one of twelve
Regionalverbände (regional planning authorities) in the Land
Baden-Württemberg. Located in Freiburg its area of responsibility
comprises 126 municipalities in four administrative districts: Stadt
Freiburg im Breisgau, Landkreis Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald, Landkreis
Emmendingen and Ortenaukreis.
Legal structure / form of organisation
The elements of this public body are the Verbandsversammlung (regional assembly) and the Geschäftsstelle (administration).
The
Verbandsversammlung is the main decision-making body. Its 80 members,
the Regionalräte (regional councillors), are elected from the district
councils mentioned above. They represent the geographical variety and
the political spectrum of the region. This regional "parliament" assigns
its (honorary) president for five years and the managing director for
eight years
The Region Südlicher Oberrhein
The Region Südlicher Oberrhein (Southern Upper Rhine Area)
is situated in the south- western part of the Land (federal state)
Baden-Württemberg. With approx. 1.1 million inhabitants
and
approx. 0.63 million jobholders it is one the most prosperous regions
within Germany. The territory of the Region Südlicher Oberrhein ranges
from the Rhine Valley to the Black Forest and covers a surface of around
4,062 square kilometres.
Tasks and objectives
The
statutory tasks of the Regionalverband comprise regional planning,
landscape planning on regional level as well as regional development,
promotion of co-operation between public and private institutions, and
the co-ordination of measures with spatial relevance.
As a communal
agency the Regionalverband supports and advises the municipalities in
all matters related to regional planning and development. In dealing
with institutions on federal and state level the Regionalverband
represents interests of supra-local importance - serving as an organ for
the concerns of the region.
Cross-border cooperation
In
accomplishing these tasks, the Regionalverband regularly cooperates
with planning institutions in the neighbouring parts of France and
Switzerland. This cooperation comprises the coordination of projects
with cross-border relevance, e.g. in the field of large retail
facilities or infrastructure. Furthermore, the mutual information and
participation in planning procedures - even at an early stage - as well
as common projects are standard practice in the Upper Rhine area.
Due
to the participation in several trinational working groups and in the
European Programmes on Territorial Cooperation (INTERREG) the
Regionalverband is well integrated in cross-border cooperation.
Moreover, it plays an active role in the further development of these
structures, aiming at the establishment of a "Trinational Metropolitan
Region Upper Rhine".