The Institute started to implement, with certain structures, conventions relating to specific projects carried out by these structures, by involving the available means (personnel and infrastructures) that serve the general project of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe.

advantages of these conventions

This partnership formula should allow the Institute to have the possibility of consolidating its central structure and the tasks assigned to it (information, documentation, database, instruction concerning the projects of the Routes, relation with international and governmental institutions, NGOs, etc). It makes it possible at the same time to set up a true theoretical and practical training of project directors, who are then able to develop the program and to be really its representatives in the territory.

The Institute answers a precise and technical request from a structure, community or State service. The Institute provides remunerated service, either by using its own competence, or by seeking, recruiting and guaranteeing the competence required by the partner.

This activity is the object not only of a convention but also of a contract. The Institute can thus make profitable its technical capabilities in its own fields of competence.

The same holds true for the associates participating in the design, financing and actualisation of projects, while benefiting from general services. The implementation is also mutual thanks to work division.

The distinction between convention and contract is thus clearly established.

The partnership policy thus defined allows the Institute: not to engage in a too centralised structuring of its activities, which could not in any event satisfy the multiplicity of territories and projects, to gear down its capacities of action and presence in the territory, to manage to carry out the objective of constituting, within the association, a true college of route networks. This college will be representative of the inter-disciplinarity of project carriers, of the diversity of territorial situations and actions. In the long run, it will also allow the Institute to be a true partner of the European Union with regard to structural funds policy. It will finally make it possible for the Institute to carry out in agreement the communication and operation of the themes elected within the program. The list and the characteristics of partnerships are in the database.