The following three institutions belonging to the MRN are responsible for the operative regional development:
Rhine-Neckar Regional Association (VRRN)
The VRRN was founded on January 1, 2006 on the basis of the Second State Treaty. A statutory body under public law, it is the legal successor to the Rhine-Neckar Spatial Development Association, the Rhine-Palatinate planning department and the Rhine-Neckar-Odenwald Regional Association.
Within the MRN, the VRRN is responsible for trans-border regional planning and spatial development. The association draws up a standardised regional plan, prepares a forward projection and actively contributes to its realisation. The VRRN is also responsible for, and coordinates, the following theme areas (always according to their respective significance for the region as a whole):
- Promotion of economic development and location marketing
- Landscape park and recuperation centres
- Congresses, trade fairs, cultural and sporting events
- Tourism marketing
The association performs a coordinating role with regard to transport planning, traffic management and energy supplies.
Zukunft Metropolregion Rhein-Neckar e.V. (ZMRN e.V.)
ZMRN e.V. was founded in 1989 as Rhein-Neckar-Dreieck e.V. with the aim of assisting the region to establish its own identity and exploit its resource potential. The founding members were the three regional centres of Heidelberg, Ludwigshafen and Mannheim, the Palatinate and Rhine-Neckar chambers of industry and commerce, the Rhine-Neckar Spatial Development Association, together with BASF AG. On April 19, 2006, the members' assembly voted to merge Rhein-Neckar-Dreieck e.V. and "Initiative Zukunft Rhein-Neckar-Dreieck" to form ZMRN e.V. Today, this non-profit organisation has more than 650 members from the fields of commerce, science, politics and public administration.
The purpose of the society is to provide support for MRN and to run associated projects, particularly in the following areas:
- Science and Research
- Family and Education
- Health
- Art and Culture
- Sport
- International Understanding
- Regional Identity and Local Heritage
- Regional Studies
The society consolidates the regional collaboration for non-profit purposes and provides non-material and financial support for non-profit and regional initiatives. ZMRN e.V., with its members, superbly staffed executive board and board of trustees, serves as the platform for strategic dialogue with the MRN.
Metropolregion Rhein-Neckar GmbH (MRN GmbH)
MRN GmbH has the task of furthering the economic, social and ecological development of the region and positioning it as one of the most attractive and competitive regions in Europe. Details:
- MRN GmbH undertakes measures and runs projects on its own account,
- supports and coordinates the work of existing and established regional networks,
- creates synergies in that new networks are initiated from regionally available potential and protagonists,
- ensures public awareness of the MRN by engaging in active public relations – in its own and other regions, as well as throughout Germany and Europe.
In the field of communal regional development, MRN GmbH performs the following activities that are laid down in the partnership agreement:
- Development and forward projection of the regional strategies in dialogue with the relevant committees
- EU lobbying and networking activities
- Public relations activities for the MRN
- Acting as an information hub for corporate and network partners in the MRN
- Initiation, realisation and coordination of projects and measures in the theme areas business and science, education, life sciences and health, family-friendly model region, job market, public administration, internationalisation, congresses, trade fairs, cultural and sporting events, promotion of economic development as well as location and tourism marketing.
