Italy

The EU MOMO project, which focuses on applied research benefiting small and medium-sized companies, was recently unveiled in the Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. Plastic materials for nanotechnology for example are to be developed at the Centre for Technological Innovations in Amaro.

From the end of this year 80 businesses from Bavaria, Austria, Switzerland and southern Tyrol are to join forces and carry the new umbrella brand Alpine Wellness International GmbH.

The New York Wildlife Conservation Society has developed an early warning system for wolf attacks to help prevent conflicts between man and beast, and as a result also protect the wolves.

The City of Vienna has set up "Scarabeo 2004", the first ever European Youth Competition on Waste Prevention and Separation. Until May 15 young people from more than forty countries can submit projects on ways of preventing and separating waste.

Young scientists now have an opportunity to take part in the second international conference on interdisciplinary research into mountain areas. The conference is to be held at the National Park Centre Stilfserjoch in Stilfs/Trafoi (I) from 29 September to 2 October 2004 and is organised jointly by the Stilfserjoch National Park, the European Academy in Bolzano and Innsbruck University.

On 13 and 14 December 2003 the Centro Multipolare per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile (multipolar centre for sustainable development) in Sardagna/I organised the 5th International Mountain Conference, with the theme of "Matriarchy and Mountains".

The 52nd International Film Festival on the subject of mountains, research and adventure is to be held in Trento/I, the 2004 Alpine Town of the Year, from 29 April to 9 May. Countries from all over the world are invited to submit films in the following categories: mountain films, films on alpinism, alpine landscape films, research films, sports and adventure films.

Preparations for the World Ski Championships in the upper Valtellina in 2005 are in upheaval. The projects for the resort of Santa Caterina Valfurva, which is to stage the women's races, have come under attack. Environmental associations believe that as the Santa Caterina Valfurva skiing region is situated in the Stilfserjoch National Park the environmental impact of the projects should be examined particularly thoroughly.

Tiroler Wasserkraft AG (TIWAG) and Salzachwind GmbH are planning to build several wind farms in the Wipptal/Brenner region on the Austrian-Italian border. The Austrian Alpine Association (ÖAV) is calling for an immediate stop to the planning work for the wind farms as they are to be erected in a conservation and local recreation area.

The Adria-Alpen Euregio has moved one step closer to its founding following a series of meetings of the Chairmen of Carinthia/A, Veneto/I and Friuli/I and representatives from Slovenia (with Croatia also to be involved soon).