The Regional Cooperation Support Programme The Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Directorate General Mediterranean and Middle East, and Directorate General European Countries - with the "Regional Cooperation Support Programme" aims to contribute to the definition of a strategy for improving the role of the Italian system and independent regions and provinces under the European policy of support for the growth of South Mediterranean and West Balkan countries. It intends to provide independent regions and provinces with know-how and experiences acquired during the carrying out of external relations activities, as well as from the network of embassies abroad, international representation offices and consulates. The ministry has submitted the proposal in order to create the ideal conditions for the identification and implementation of inter-regional and territorial partnership projects between the Italian regions and West Balkan and South Mediterranean countries. The final beneficiaries of the programme are the 19 Italian regions as well as the 2 independent provinces in accordance with CIPE resolutions n° 17 and 83 of 2003. The purpose is to establish a number of stable and long-term partnership agreements with the beneficiaries of the two geographical areas and the Italian regions in order to realize a number of potential projects. The programme has the general objective of strengthening the know-how on inter-institutional cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the regions for the process aimed at opening of territories internationally with particular reference to the innovative European means for promoting proximity and pre-accession cooperation in accordance with the lines of interventions and strategies as in CIPE resolutions (n° 17 of 2003 and n° 139 of 1999). These resolutions provide the funds to support the programme. After an initial stage of listening and sharing regional experiences, Formez has initiated intensive activities of technical assistance for the independent regions and provinces in order to identify each organization's special needs. Requests from the independent regions and provinces have aimed not only to contribute to the organization of seminars regarding the main financing sources available in Italy and Europe but to support international initiatives, the definition of topics for discussion and the identification of partners, as well as the preparation of project plans and partnership agreements. Moreover, Formez shall offer technical assistance to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in terms of coordination with regional administrations in order to integrate the different activities in national policies. To sustain the activities described above, a communications web environment has been set up in order to connect online, on a daily basis, the many programme operators who are often located in different geographical areas. This contains data, news and other information and organizes periodic activities through shared spaces, virtual rooms or forums with long-distance or real time collaborations. The Regional Cooperation Support Programme foresees the following types of activities: