The partnership
FOKS project partnership consists of seven partners from four countries (Poland, Germany, Italy and Czech Republic), representing five NUTS II regions: Slaskie (PL), Stuttgart (DE), Lombardia (IT), Veneto (IT) and Moravskoslezko. The partnership is cross-sectional, as there are four local authorities and three applied research institutes acting on national level.
For the topic of the project, which is groundwater contamination in industrial areas, local authorities are the key actors and the support from research sector is also necessary. Some of the project partners have experience from participation in preceding projects like INCORE and MAGIC, implemented in similar field under FP 5 and INTERREG III CADSES, which provide the basis for the FOKS activities. FOKS partners are
- lead partner: Główny Instytut Górnictwa (GIG) [Central Mining Institute (CMI)]
- Instytut Ekologii Terenów Uprzemysłowionych (IETU) – [Istitute for Ecology of Industrial Areas (IETU)]
- Miasto Jaworzno [City of Jaworzno]
- Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart – Amt für Umweltschutz [City of Stuttgart – Department for Environmental Protection]
- Comune di Milano – Settore Piani e Programmi esecutivi per l’Edilizia – Servizio Piani di BonificaSettore Attuazione Politiche Ambientali - Servizio Acque [Municipality of Milan – Executive Plans and Programs for Buildings, Department- Office for Reclamation Plans, Environmental Politics Department - Office for Public Water Management]
- Provincia di Treviso [Province of Treviso]
- Zdravotní ústav se sídlem v Ostravě [Institute of Public Health Ostrava].
Further associated institutions representing local, regional and national level, are involved in the project activities. Their association with project partnership ensures networking beyond project partnership in order to successfully implement and disseminate project achievements.
Results of transnational cooperation
In order to achieve the project long term aims for the participating regions and countries and most of all to be able to transfer the results effectively for whole Central Europe space, the transnational approach is necessary. A core output will be a widely applicable toolbox for identification of key sources of groundwater contamination. With such toolbox the development of innovative monitoring systems as a basis for preventing negative impacts could be tackled all around Central Europe. Another important core output would be Transnational guidelines for implementing innovative tools for remediation. Both will be embedded in a Decision support system for local and regional bodies. Focussing their administrative power on the key sources of contamination and the use of innovative techniques will lead to a higher efficiency of the groundwater remediation efforts.
Target groups
FOKS project target groups and indirect beneficiaries are most of all Central Europe’s public authorities dealing with large scale groundwater and soil contamination. They will benefit from decision support and guidance for implementing the EU Groundwater Directive at degradated areas as contaminated sites and brownfields. Another important target group are professional experts that usually provide the services for public authorities. Also research sector should be interested in project achievements.
The toolbox and respective handbook will facilitate the widespread practical implementation of innovative investigation tools and ensure their proper application by a broad range of professional experts.
