Lake Constance four-country region

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The project uses the regional brand VLRB – (FOUR COUNTRIES OF THE LAKE CONSTANCE REGION) as a general communications element in order to strengthen the economic potential as well as the local dialogue within the region, and to convey the regional potential as a metropolitan cross-border area of interconnection. The positive communicative effect of the regional brand VLRB is thereby associated in a targeted way with the important topics of regional development as well as location and regional marketing and cooperation. Understanding of nationally characterised points of view of the partners is also strengthened and the formation of international networks is promoted. The reinforcement of cross-border cooperation as well as the networking of all living and working areas are requirements for the development of the Lake Constance region. Special attention is required here in terms of the areas of activity of politics, the employment market, ensuring the availability of specialists, settlement and investment, knowledge transfer and cluster formation, location positioning and marketing, as well as the communication of potential, and establishment as a cross-border metropolitan interconnected area. There is no uniform boundary for the Lake Constance region. Different perimeters exist for each organisational or administrative unit. This includes an external EU border and two currencies. The cross-border interconnected area is located in a central position in Europe. However, its natural subregions are located far from the capital cities in each case. The region has no clear centre except for Lake Constance. The special structural diversity of the area is evident in the close vicinity of dynamic economic centres, densely populated subregions and rurally structured areas, in which agriculture has played a key role along with SMEs up to today. The exceptional scenic attractiveness as well as the leisure value act as a drive for tourist as well as economic development. However, the region is scarcely recognised as an appealing, growing employment market for (highly) qualified specialists, as well as an innovative and strong economic area. Overall, the Lake Constance region is “growing” and is therefore set apart considerably from the average national development in Germany, Austria and the whole of Europe. This potential is barely communicated and used, however. Economic interdependencies and therefore cross-border commuters to Zurich and Liechtenstein in particular are increasing. The region also represents a transfer area for transnational north-south and east-west traffic, and at the same time the interconnected area is still perceived as a rural area. With its cross-border regional-institutional approach, the project confronts these challenges and sets out to establish the region as a metropolitan cross-border area of interconnection. The objectives of the project are that:  the Lake Constance region be perceived as a strong and forward-looking metropolitan economic area at an international / national level;  the VLRB be identified as having an excellent quality of life and a well functioning cross-border employment market for its population and beyond;  a varied range of innovation and research and excellent international transport connections contribute to the region remaining attractive in the long term for companies established there, as well as attracting new companies;  the national concerns of the bodies involved gain significance in the context of the VLRB;  the institutional cross-border cooperation is further manifested, and existing network structures strengthened and extended;  VLRB becomes known beyond the borders and establishes itself as a brand nationally and internationally. Besides the promotion of the location and knowledge and technology transfer, a positive effect is expected in securing specialists for the region. The measures are the development of new means of communication, marketing and communications strategies, online marketing, the development of marketing and PR instruments, new location marketing services, presence at regional, national and international trade fairs and events, the conception of location campaigns, and extending the network.

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