Beyond the Via Alpina, a series of initiatives tailored to the Alpine Range  

A Political Framework: the Alpine Convention

This international treaty, signed in 1991 by the eight Alpine countries and the European Union, bears witness to the political will to ensure sustainable development in the Alps with a supra regional viewpoint.

It consists of a framework convention and eight administrative protocols to enforce:

- Regional planning and sustainable development
- Nature conservation and landscape management
- Mountain farming
- Mountain forests
- Tourism
- Energy
- Soil protection
- Transport.


As well as the protocols the Ministers for the Environment of the eight countries have adopted two further declarations: The Declaration on Population and Culture and The Declaration on Climate Change.

Since 2003 the Convention has had a Permanent Secretariat based in Innsbruck (Austria) and Bolzano (Italy).

A « Memorandum of Understanding » was signed in February 2005 (and renewed in March 2009) between the Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention and the Via Alpina Steering Committee as a basis for the common concrete actions of the two organisations.

The International Commission for the Protection of the Alps CIPRA-International (www.cipra.org): 

A non governmental umbrella organisation founded in 1952 that represents over one hundred associations and organisations in seven Alpine countries, within the framework of a global approach it is devoted to the protection of cultural and natural heritage in the Alpine region.

It also runs the information service Alpmedia and coordinates various international projects and also at national and regional levels through the eight representatives.

The Alpine Network of Protected Areas ALPARC (www.alparc.org):

Network of all large scale protected area management bodies in the Alps, that is to say nearly 1000 national, natural and regional parks, nature reserves and biosphere reserves.

Since 1995 ALPARC has been favouring and supporting exchanges of experiences and know how between the management bodies of protected areas on many different subjects. The network is working in particular towards the creation of an Ecological Alpine Network. It also develops common communication actions and tools for the protected areas.

Alliance in the Alps (www.alpenallianz.org):

Created in 1997 this network now brings together more than 270 municipalities spread over seven Alpine states. They have actively become involved in the implementation of a sustainable common policy. Through meetings and a variety of projects the network allows an exchange of experiences and the exploitation of good practise.

The Club Arc Alpin (www.club-arc-alpin.eu): 

This working group set up in 1995 made up of the eight Alpine clubs aims to defend their common interests above all in the field of mountaineering, nature conservation and the development of the Alpine region, of Alpine culture within the framework of the Alpine Convention.