Major Institutional Partners

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Development and innovation: With 900 km of coastline, 2 100 researchers, 60 000 jobs and 3 billion Euros in sales directly related to the maritime sector, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, the third economical region of France, is an important Euro-Mediterranean maritime region. Two centres of Regional Innovation and Economical Development and Solidarity (PRIDES), which supports innovative cooperative projects, were created from the region's initiative: "PACA Maritime" (maritime safety and security/resources and marine biology) and "Tall Ships" (maintenance / repair of large yachts).

A solidarity, comprehensive and concerted policy: With regional, maritime meetings and the Regional Maritime Advisory Council, the region develops its "maritime" policy (16 million € per year) within a partnership framework. Its actions are aimed at the sustainable development of the sea: coastal management and management of the marine and submarine areas, preservation of natural resources, public training and awareness, maintenance and employment development, support for the different sectors, infrastructure and economical and tourist maritime activities.

Cooperation: Within the Inter-Mediterranean Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions, the region leads a working group involving 49 Mediterranean regions for a coordinated maritime policy. The region is also the leader of the Med Space programme (250 M € by 2013, nine Member States) and initiates bilateral cooperation with the regions of Campania, Catalonia, Andalusia and Liguria.

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VIDEO:

Video Présentation of Conseil General des Bouches-du-Rhône

Click here to discover the video presentation of Business Location in France Provence, Provence Promotion

PRESS RELEASE: Conseil Général Bouches-Du-Rhône

"The Bouches-du-Rhône general council’s support for the international BioMarine event is a natural step given its environmental and development policies, and the international dynamic it nurtures.

The importance of dealing with maritime issues is no longer in question: our quality of life, our health and the beauty of our natural heritage depend on it. With 282 km of coastline, 1750 ha of beaches, and a host of remarkable sites such as the Calanques and the Camargue, the Bouches-du-Rhône region boasts a rich and diverse maritime heritage.

That is why, for several years, the general council has concentrated its efforts on the conservation of the vulnerable natural spaces it is responsible for. In close collaboration with all local partners, and in particular with local associations, the council has drawn up comprehensive management plans for regional domains and the surrounding marine environment such as at La Ciotat. Within the framework of this project a unique ecological anchorage for divers has been designed and installed. Action has been taken to reduce the impact of yacht anchorage on the posidonia meadows, the primary shallow water ecosystem on the Mediterranean coast.
Management of the region’s ports is also governed by the desire to conserve this exceptional environment, notably through original programmes to improve the quality of the environment and countryside.
During BioMarine, the general council will welcome the Surfrider Foundation exhibition at the Hôtel du Département.

Increased awareness of sea-related issues has also had an impact on the general council's commitments in terms of the economy: they are a key partner for the Port of Marseille with whom they collaborate on various investment projects. They have also played an active role in creating a centre for yacht repairs at La Ciotat, a sign that those working on the region's coastline are capable of adapting to a new economic climate. The richness of maritime activity is embodied by the range of facilities from marinas to fishing ports, which have encouraged the emergence or development of trades such as tourism and fishing.
The general council and the economic development agency Provence Promotion are organising an open day at Biomarine, which will provide the opportunity to discover some of the most successful companies and witness first-hand the vitality of the sector.

Finally, in terms of the scientific potential created by the concentration of companies and research laboratories in the region, the general council’s involvement in the PACA sea cluster’s governance and projects gives added impetus to our researchers’ R&D programmes."

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For over 26 centuries, the history of Marseilles has been inextricably linked to the history of the Mediterranean which feeds it.

The port of Marseilles is driving the city’s and the region’s economic activity more than ever before (40,000 jobs).
Forced to adapt in line with changing international trade, this activity has nonetheless experienced impressive growth, as illustrated by plans to construct a new Fos 2 XL container terminal and the huge surge in the number of cruise passengers (500,000 in 2007).

It is the city’s port that is today undergoing the most visible transformation, with the Euroméditerranée operation of national interest and the revamp of its skyline, symbolised by towers designed by the biggest names in architecture.

As Europe’s gateway to the Mediterranean and, beyond, to traffic from five continents, Marseilles is very aware of how vulnerable this nurturing sea is, and is therefore actively involved in its preservation.

This is why, in early 2008, the city became home to the biggest underground biological sewage treatment plant in the world.
This year the city also launched France’s biggest project for the immersion of artificial reefs (30,000 m3) and is investigating the possibility of creating a National Park in Les Calanques. This will be the first to exist in an urban location, just a stone’s throw from the centre of France’s second biggest city!

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Discover Toulon Provence Méditerranée VIDEO here !

65 Zone for Economic Activity
The Toulon Provence Méditerranée urban community is responsible for the “management, maintenance and creation” of 61 Zones for Economic Activity (ZAE). These are located throughout the ten municipalities that make up the urban community which represents around 1000 hectares and 2500 companies.
An area's attractiveness is primarily due to its economic development and the quality of its ZAE. TPM is therefore investing heavily in rehabilitating and developing these zones to meet quality objectives in terms of the facilities, environment, landscaping and the services on offer. Most importantly a holistic view of the development process is required. Housing, planning and transport should all encourage development, which is why the community policy is so important.

A marine business park at Saint-Mandrier-sur-Mer
In December 2007, the urban community purchased the southern part of the former naval air base at Saint-Mandrier-sur-Mer. This added five hectares to the ten hectares the TPM already disposed of thanks to a fifty-year temporary occupation order. The project to create a marine business park then entered into an operational phase, the TPM launched a series of studies and started development work. On 22nd February this year, the two companies planning their implantation on the site, Couach SA and Nautor Swan International, created a joint venture YSEC. The Saint-Mandrier yard dedicated to the maintenance of motor and sail boats of 15 – 50 metres or more is set to be operational as of the end of 2009. Other interested companies are planning their implantation on the business park before the end of 2008.

A business incubator at La Seyne-sur-Mer
Still within the framework of its economic development policy, the urban community has deployed a business creation support system in the form of a business incubator and business centre. Located in the offices of the Espace Noral at La Seyne-sur-Mer (ZAE Les Playes), this “resource” is open to various sectors of activity (agriculture, crafts, marine and maritime, industry, personal services, tourism).
Toulon Provence Méditerranée has put a team in place to support businesses and provide them with personalised assistance in their development.

The “sea techncocluster” to the West of the urban community
In order to meet the development needs of the PACA sea cluster with its international vocation, Toulon Provence Méditerranée has created a “technocluster” to the West of the urban community to draw out sustainable development synergies between companies in the marine sector, implanted within the same perimeter.
The zone between Cagnard and Ollioules has been declared of community interest and was transferred to the TPM at the end of 2007. This parcel of 16 hectares has been added to the other sites that make up the "technocluster" including the ZAE at Seyne-sur-Mer which offers excellent access to the sea. The TPM project should lead to the creation of around 150,000 m² of TNFA (total net floor area) ready for pre-sale as of 2009.

The New University Structure
In order to provide the urban community with a university campus in keeping with the size of the area, Toulon Provence Méditerranée has decided to restructure its higher education provision.
Over a period of 8 years, the NSU (New University Structure) will see the University of South Toulon-Var develop in two centres: one devoted to science and technology on the La Garde/La Valette campus, and the other for human sciences and arts on the new campus in the town centre of Toulon. This ambitious project also aims to offer students an environment adapted to their needs in terms of urban planning, culture and the creation of student housing, not to mention services, facilities and transport.
TPM has already set the project's two main operations in motion: bids for tenders have been issued for the construction of premises for the Institut Ingémédia and the Maison de la Recherche Euro-Méditerranéenne in the centre of Toulon, and the construction of premises for the engineering school Supméca on the La Valette campus. The

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Discover the special VIDEO of the Var region here !

The Var, a department focusing on the sea issues

A maritime, tourism, strategic and economic vocation...

The Var is all about diversity and balance. Thanks to its privileged position at the heart of the Latin Arc, its exceptional environment, its history, its dynamic demography and its high potential, the department is able to meet a number of challenges. Playing a role in European trade, conserving its natural and maritime heritage, controlling its urban development and supporting its rapid economic expansion are all major issues for the Var department. With a coastline that stretches over 432 km, 1.6 million m2 of shoreline, 90 km of beaches, 54 ports, a large number of seaside towns, a rich, well-conserved maritime heritage and a host of economic activities in connection with the sea the Var is a department that lives and breathes
the Mediterranean sea. The protection of the environment and the promotion of its maritime riches are two important aspects of the policy implemented by the general council.

The general council has provided support for the governance and activities of the sea cluster. The general council has provided financial support with the aim of developing a range of innovative products and services for the shipping sector, and confirming the Provence-Mediterranean region’s position as a centre of excellence for underwater technology.

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At a time of market globalisation and a boom in sea transport, Marseille Provence Métropole is taking a position as the euromediterranean capital of exchange and innovation. It benefits from crucial assets in this field:

- the leading French and Mediterranean port, today committed to a vast modernisation plan to boost the growth of cargo and passenger carriage; thus, 1 million cruise travellers are expected by the year 2011.
- the second marina in Europe, complemented by booming ship repair activities for both cruise and merchant vessels;
- state-of-the-art scientific potentialities with an outstanding university concentration that favours life sciences and environment. A striking example is the “Antares” project, which placed a novel type of telescope at a depth of 2,500 metres off the Provence shore. This telescope is to be used to spot and watch high-energy neutrinos, which will be a great help towards better understanding the universe.
- six sea-linked competitiveness centres and some major research and development projects.
- an outstanding environment for sea-related leisure activities, with 125 kilometres of magnificent coastline and beaches spreading over 15 kilometres.

More than ever, the sea is a prevailing asset in the development of Marseille Provence Métropole, which is investing in the development of an economy based on knowledge and exchange.