The following is an extract, shortly to be followed by the publication on the Italian version of this website of the full text and downloadable application forms on the Italian version of this website .

The Province of Milan and Milano Metropoli Development Agency, with the support of Fondazione Banca del Monte di Lombardia, are the promoters of a competition entitled Expo dei Territori: Verso il 2015 (Local area expo: towards 2015).
The aim is to attract projects and ideas from the Milanese Urban Region's most experienced players, in line with the opportunities/ requirements highlighted by the forthcoming universal event to be hosted in Milan.

The competition will be based on 3 major themes: food and agriculture; energy and the environment; culture, hospitality and tourism.

Food and agriculture - the aim is to bring added value to every segment of the food and agriculture chain, improving competitiveness and eliminating the typical weaknesses of the various sectors and compartments involved.
Energy and the environment - the aim is to promote eco-sustainability by reducing emissions, and by using both renewable and low-impact sources of energy.
Culture, hospitality and tourism - the aim is to guarantee a full range of tourist services based on economically, socially and environmentally sustainable criteria.

Project leaders can be: municipalities in the provinces of Milan and of Monza and Brianza also in association; public, private or mixed not for profit public/private players; universities, research centres, training colleges and schools; not for profit organizations and associations; cooperatives and social cooperatives; social partners; other not for profit organizations with legal and/or operational headquarters within the Provinces of Milan or Monza and Brianza.
Applicants can also include - in their capacity as partners - businesses, individual entrepreneurs, free-lance professionals, self-employed persons, any other legal profit-making entities and individuals even from outside the Provinces of Milan or Monza and Brianza.

The competition is open to: civil works projects, among which preference will be given to ideas for brownfield redevelopment and derelict building recovery schemes; operative services and instruments, whether new or linked to existing projects; large-scale territorial projects, including those that may have an impact beyond the Milanese Urban Region; local and territorial enhancement projects, especially those involved with food; international cooperation projects linked to the 3 major themes of the competition.

The projects presented shall demonstrate their ability to have a positive fallout on one or more of the following 9 local areas: South West; Magentino and Abbiatense; North West; Alto Milanese; North Milan; South East; Adda Martesana; Milan; Monza and Brianza.

An Appraisal Commission made up of representatives of the Province of Milan, the new Province of Monza and Brianza, Milano Metropoli Development Agency, Fondazione Banca del Monte di Lombardia, Milan's Politecnico university and experts in the subjects involved in the 3 major themes of the competition, will assess the projects presented according to the following requirements: quality and technical feasibility; sustainability and economic congruity; capacity for innovation; organizational sustainability; ability to generate further partnerships; quality of the subject and/or partnership making the proposal; projects based on the cradle to cradle principle, which foresee such projects being used again and again in the future; projects based on the bottom up principle, which demonstrably answer the areas' needs via participated planning processes.

The competition does not provide direct funds for the projects presented, but support for their future realization:
- those promoting the projects chosen (up to 39, divided per local context and major theme) can display a Logo indicating that they belong to the "Parco Progetti Expo dei Territori"; this Logo is recognized by the Province of Milan and can lead to a credit of "extra" scores if the same project is presented in the context of other competitions promoted by the Province of Milan and by the local sponsors supporting the competition;
- the winners can also receive help in searching for new partners and/or funds via a tutoring scheme developed by Milano Metropoli Development Agency;
- the projects chosen will also enjoy visibility on the Province of Milan and Milano Metropoli Development Agency websites and within the channels used by the Province of Milan to promote Expo 2015 nationally and internationally.