- Funding Programme
- Year
- 2022
Strengthening Regional Specialisation and Competitiveness
Estonia has set an ambitious agenda with its national strategic plan, Estonia 2035, which emphasises inclusive growth and well-being. Estonia 2035 acknowledges the obstacles that the country faces, many which affect groups of Estonian residents differently. The plan notes unbalanced well-being outcomes, uneven quality of services, and disparities in economic indicators. Thanks to the TSI, Estonia’s pilot regional councils marks a first foray towards a more place-based approach to regional development, using experimentation and agreements as tools.
Context
Estonia, with 1.3 million people and 79 municipalities, has low decentralisation, limited municipal tax revenue, and a negative population trend. About 30% live in Tallinn, creating urban-rural disparities in income, wages, and unemployment. Regional gaps are widening, affecting labour mobility, service provision, and productivity. Despite past OECD Recommendations for stronger inter-ministerial coordination and regional planning, cooperation has weakened since county governments were abolished in 2018. The Estonian government seeks to strengthen subnational governance, multi-level coordination, and territorial development to support balanced growth, regional innovation, and implementation of the Regional Policy Action Plan, requesting Technical Support under TSI Regulation.
Support delivered
The technical support accompanies Estonia as it tests the place-based approach to regional development planning and implementation in Central and Souther Estonia. The project delivers the following: 1. A mapping of foresight practices in Estonia; foresight workshops help actors explore potential futures for Estonian regions and understand applications for foresight techniques. These activities culminate in a foresight recommendation report. 2. Capacity building seminars for local and regional stakeholders, focused on the how of regional co-operation and planning for regional development. 3. Action plans with concrete and actionable steps for Estonian national and subnational authorities to strengthen their ability to implement regional development plans. 4. Finally, a synthesis report analyses multi-level governance practices and co-ordination mechanisms in Estonia.
Results achieved
In Estonia, success has been realized by moving past uniform strategies towards policy tools tailored to the unique needs, opportunities and characteristics of diverse regions. Through a comprehensive evaluation, it was determined that linking pilot objectives with outcomes revealed critical performance data, helping the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture make informed future decisions. Engaging stakeholders in the evaluation cultivated a diverse understanding of both represented and non-represented perspectives, enriching the governance process. Furthermore, a phased approach to scaling up proved effective, as it allowed the gradual introduction of new elements, fostering capacity and confidence among participants. These lessons and recommendations have laid a solid foundation for enhancing regional governance in Estonia.
More about the project
You can read the documents related to the project here: