The Alpine Think Tank is a platform for the exchange of experiences aiming at providing strategic reflections on service of general interests (SGI) across the Alps. It identifies upcoming challenges for SGI in the Alps; it searches for innovative (transnational) solutions; it discusses about policy recommendations; it reflects the work of projects or initiatives in the field of SGI; finally it proposes solutions on a technical and political level.

The Alpine Think Tank covers diverse thematic fields of SGI but focusses mainly on: mobility, digital accessibility, postal services, energy supply, education, health care, social care and basic goods of daily needs. The geographic focus lies on the EUSALP area and here within more specifically on sparsely populated mountain and rural areas as they face bigger challenges in upkeeping their SGI’s.

The Alpine Think Tank was built up in the framework of the INTESI project (Interreg Alpine Space Program) and is actually acting as a Subgroup 2 of the Action Group 5 of the EUSALP. The Think Tank started working in 2016 and has since held two times a year a meeting. It is composed of various representatives, ranging from pubic authorities at different levels, service providers consumers to researchers. The full list of the members of the Think Tank can be consulted at https://servicepublic.ch/en/alpine-think-tank/think-tank-members/.

This Thesis paper represents an intermediate state of the discussion within the Think Tank and provide food for thought for the next EU-programming period and the upcoming work within EUSALP with the expected AlpGov II project.

Title of the Study: Alpine Think Tank on Services of general interest Thesis paper
Authors: AG5 Subgroup 2 Think Tank
Publication: 30.08.2019