Inforegio-Newsroom
Regions must 'network for results' to tackle financial crisis, climate change and energy fears, says Danuta Hübner
(16 February 2009) On Monday 16 February, Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner will open the annual "Regions for Economic Change" conference, launched by the Commission in 2006. The two-day event will provide an opportunity for more than 800 representatives from Europe's regions to share ideas and showcase their contribution to competitiveness, growth and jobs, One of the highlights of the event will be the announcement on Monday evening of the winners of the 2009 'RegioStars' Awards, celebrating the most inspiring and innovative projects funded by the EU's Cohesion Policy.
More Information & WEBSTREAMING 
Handbook now available for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
(12 February 2009) Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of Europe's economy. In this context, the recent Small Business Act for Europe adopted by the Commission in June 2008 reflects the political will to recognise the central role of SMEs in the EU economy. More recently, a handbook has just been published by the Commission which gives a concise, and accessible overview of Community State Aid rules for SMEs, in particular, as regards support for access to finance in the current financial and economic crisis.
SMEs are eligible for all aid categories allowed under EU State aid rules and for those categories of aid measures which can also be provided to large undertakings, SMEs benefit from higher aid intensities.
The handbook 
Cohesion Policy - helping Europe to bounce back
(06 February 2009) Execution of the budget allocated to Cohesion Policy was successful in 2008, in spite of the prevailing economic downturn. At a press conference in Brussels, Commissioner Danuta Hübner announced that payments made to the Member States in 2008 amounted to more than €38 billion. This includes payments made for the two programming periods: 2000-2006 and 2007-2013. These significant investments have enabled thousands of projects to be carried out all across Europe. A series of measures have also been taken to adapt Cohesion Policy to the new economic realities.
Press release
Commissioner’s presentation
Final Stakeholder Conference on EU's Baltic Sea Strategy in Rostock (DE) 5/6 February 2009
(04 février 2009) The German region of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern plays host to the final EU Baltic Sea stakeholder event taking place in Rostock on 5/6 February. This is last in a series of public conferences and debates organised to act as a 'sounding board' for all interested parties to feed in views to the European Commission's plans for an EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. This event, to be addressed by EU Regional Policy Commissioner Hübner, marks the end of the formal consultation phase.
In December 2007, EU Member States requested the European Commission to prepare an "EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region" by June 2009. The first event held on 30 September in Stockholm kicked-off discussions, with thematic round table conferences, organised in various locations around the region, focusing in greater detail on the main priorities of the Strategy - Accessibility and Attractiveness, Environment, Prosperity, Safety and Security. Alongside the various events which have already taken place throughout the Baltic Sea Region, the Commission held a formal consultation which closed at the end of 2008.
For further information, please consult the webpage
Click here for further details on the conference
Press release
2008 European Innovation Scoreboard now available
(03 February 2009) The 2008 European Innovation Scoreboard, which includes country profiles and data, has now been published. It provides an assessment of innovation performance across European countries based on the most recent statistics. The report shows that the EU has made substantial progress, with virtually all Member States improving their performance and the EU catching up with the US and Japan in most areas of innovation.
The report was accompanied by the 2008 European Innovation Progress report which provides independent analysis of countries' innovation policies and governance. The equivalent indicator for regions (published with 2006 data) is being improved and efforts are being deployed to have new and better figures in the near future.
Live broadcast of Urban-Rural Linkages Seminar on 23 January 2009
(23 January 2009) European, national and regional policies are increasingly stressing the need to address issues related to urban-rural linkages, which also is closely connected to the work ongoing on territorial cohesion. In response, throughout 2008-2009, the Commission is organising a series of thematic seminars, targeted at researchers, practitioners and representatives of civil society, with the aim of launching a debate on urban-rural issues. The second event in this context will take place this week in Brussels on 23 January on the subject of "urban-rural linkages fostering sustainable development". It will be broadcast live via the internet in all available languages.
The first seminar was held on 17 September 2008 on the subject of urban-rural linkages enhancing European territorial competitiveness. A third seminar on urban-rural linkages fostering social cohesion will be organised during the first half of 2009. These events also aim to serve as a stock-taking exercise and an opportunity to disseminate information and learn from experience which already exists across Europe.
Click here for details of the seminar programme and further information
Europe offers cities a new development tool: the urban atlas
(21 January 2009) What do Prague, Leipzig, Cork, Ljepaja, Poznan, Nice, Glasgow, Venice and Gozo have in common? Big or small, Europe’s cities all need reliable and comparable urban-planning information. This year 185 cities in the EU’s 27 Member States will be reaping the initial benefits of this “urban atlas”. The atlas, devised by the European Commission and the Member States using European space technology and compiled on the basis of thousands of satellite photos, provides city planners with detailed and cost-effective digital mapping.
By 2011 the atlas will cover all EU cities. The project, which falls within the framework of the "Global Monitoring for Environment and Security" (GMES) initiative, is receiving support worth one million euro from the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER).
To find out more
Migration plays a key role for population growth in European regions
(20 January 2009) The European Spatial Planning Observation Network (ESPON) has recently published the first issue of “Territorial Observation”. This publication provides concise information on important new evidence related to dynamics of population development and migration in Europe and its regions. These dynamics have an influence on territorial cohesion and regional competitiveness.
European demographic development is showing a number of positive trends which can contribute to a positive regional economic development. However, the territorial pattern is not favourable for all parts of Europe and all types of regions.
The ESPON Territorial Observation concludes with a summary of 13 key points, among them are:
- Regions with growing population both due to the positive natural and migratory balance expanded considerably from 1996-1999 to 2001-2005.
- Regions facing depopulation are in decrease. The main challenge of depopulation seems to concentrate in regions in the Eastern and Northern parts of Europe.
- Migration plays a key role for population growth in Europe and has counterbalanced the impact of a negative natural population development in many regions.
- A trend of East-West polarisation of the pattern of demographic development is visible in 2001-2005, mostly due to negative migration balance in Eastern Europe.
The ESPON Territorial Observation No.1 on dynamics of population development and migration in Europe and its regions, including 8 new European maps are available at the ESPON website
Reminder: Reserve your place for Regions for Economic Change conference. Deadline 2nd February 2009!
(16 January 2009) The European Commission is holding its annual 'Regions for economic change' conference under the title "Regions for Economic Change – Networking for Results" on 16 and 17 February. The two-day event is organised by the European Commission's Regional Policy Directorate-General and other Commission services in cooperation with the Committee of the Regions. Deadline for registration is Monday 2 February. Click here for registration. The conference will also include the 2009 RegioStars award ceremony, rewarding original, inspiring and innovative projects funded under Cohesion Policy, and the launch of the 2010 RegioStars award categories. The list of 25 finalists has been drawn up by an independent Jury of experts.
More than 500 participants from regions all over Europe are expected to attend the conference. The aim is for practitioners in European regional policy to showcase examples of good practice and have an opportunity to translate success stories into mainstream policy and programmes. In nine workshops and four plenary sessions, politicians, academics and experts will debate and discuss projects, strategies and experiences focused on cooperation, within the context of implementing the 2007-2013 programmes. Click here for more information.
Regional Studies Association Annual International Conference
(15 January 2009) Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner will be the keynote speaker at the Regional Studies Association event entitled “Understanding and Shaping Regions: Spatial, Social and Economic Futures”. This will take place at the Katholieke Universiteit of Leuven in Belgium on 6-8 April 2009. Participants have until the end of April to register for the event. Other speakers will include representatives from the European Commission, the World Bank, the London School of Economics and other organisations.
The conference will address themes such as regional policy and evaluation; regions as innovation hubs; spatial planning, cities and regions; regional and local identity; social inequality, and; economic restructuring, amongst others. The Regional Studies Association is a society concerned with analysis of regions and regional issues. Through an international membership it provides a network for academics, students, practitioners, policy makers and other interested parties in the field of regional studies.
Click here for more information and to register for the event
Regional Focus No. 2 comparing labour mobility in the regions of the EU and the US now available
(08 January 2008) The Directorate-General for Regional Policy (DG REGIO) has published the second edition of 'Regional Focus' (one of a series of short papers produced by DG REGIO on regional research and indicators). This latest paper compares labour mobility between the regions of the EU-27 with the USA. The main focus of the paper is the EU's internal labour mobility, but it also looks at the destination of working age populations moving to the US and the EU, and the reasons that make EU working age residents move.
There are a number of significant differences between the US and the EU, not least in terms of language, culture, labour legislation and the fact that the US is a federal state. The analysis shows that the tendency for workers and people in general to move to another country, or to another region in the same country, is much lower in the EU than between the states of the US. It also indicates that labour mobility plays an important role in reducing the gaps in economic development between US states. It identifies the regions that attracted the highest share of working age population from other EU regions over the past year, and takes a look also at some of the main factors that incite people in the EU to move. To read the report in full, click here
Last Inforegio Newsletter in current format
DG REGIO has just published the last issue of its monthly newsletter in the current format.
From now on, an electronic newsletter will be sent only to the subscribers of our mailing list. The Inforegio Panorama Magazine will continue to provide more detailed information about developments in cohesion policy, and the Newsroom on the Inforegio website will continuously be updated with the latest news.
All newsletters from 1994 onwards are available in the newsletter archive.
Table of contents :
- EU Baltic Sea Region Strategy – have your say
- INTERREG IVC : second call for proposals now open
- Debate on future of cohesion kicks off at Paris conference
New Panorama On-line: Regional Policy and Enlargement
(05 January 2009) Developing close relationships with countries seeking to join the European Union is of the utmost importance. The Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) is a new facility aimed at assisting candidate countries and potential candidate countries to better understand how the Union works, and adapt national policies, rules and regulations in preparation for membership. This edition of Panorama takes a look at two IPA components that are managed by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Regional Policy (DG REGIO): cross-border co-operation and regional development.
The former seeks to promote co-operation between authorities in EU Member States and candidate/potential candidate countries which share borders. The latter is designed to support investment in the same way that regions within the Union are supported under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund. Articles covering Croatia, Turkey and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia explain different ways in which these beneficiary countries are preparing to make the best use of IPA funding. Authors from the IPA countries give some insight into their experiences, including on implementation on past IPA-type projects. A special report from Ruse, Bulgaria, shows how EU funds have been put to good use in the field of water management. To access the Panorama magazine in six languages, including Croatian, Turkish and Macedonian, click here.
Towards a Successful Closure of Structural Funds 2000-2006: Q&As now available from EC seminar
(19 decembre 2008) Earlier this year (September 2008), four Commission Directorates-General (DGs) held a joint seminar for structural fund managing and paying authorities and winding-up bodies entitled: "Towards a Successful Closure of Structural Funds 2000-2006". The DGs for Agriculture and Rural Development, Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, and Regional Policy organised the event with the objective of highlighting the crucial role of the managing and paying authorities as well as winding-up bodies, in the preparation of the closure of Structural Funds 2000-2006 assistance. In response to the many questions received by Commission services at and following the event, DG Regional Policy has collated a "Register of Questions and Answers". This document is now available on the conference website.
Event marking close of two Northern Ireland and Border Region of Ireland EU-funded programmes - live web streaming available 18 December
(17 December 2008) At an event taking place in Belfast, Northern Ireland (18 December), the Special EU Programmes Body, the Managing Authority for the two Northern Ireland and Border Region of Ireland European Union funded programmes, PEACE II and INTERREG IIIA, will be marking the programmes’ closure. A short DVD featuring selected projects will be screened during the day and participants will also hear about a range of other projects which received EU support through these programmes. The Commission will be represented by Maurice Maxwell, Head of the European Commission's Representation in Belfast. The event will be streamed live on 18 December from 12:30 (or 11.30 GMT). Join the event via the web on the day.
For more information: Special EU Programmes Body
Investing in the real economy: the contribution from Cohesion Policy
(16 December 2008) The European Commission has adopted a Communication which dovetails with the European Economic Recovery Plan and shows how Cohesion Policy may help in rejuvenating the real economy in Europe. It recommends a series of actions to the Member States so they may make the most expedient use of Cohesion Policy and all the advantages it has to offer. It also outlines new measures which mean implementation of the Operational Programmes can be accelerated. With its budget of €347 billion of European investments, available until 2013, the Policy will stimulate the economy in the short term while allowing the foundations for more long-term growth to be laid down.
One of the keys to re-launch lies in the fact that €230 billion are available for the four priority domains of the renewed Lisbon Strategy: jobs, businesses, infrastructure, energy, research and innovation. Cohesion Policy provides stable investments at local and regional levels, where the effects of the current crisis are most keenly felt.
New measures to promote energy efficiency and renewable energies in the housing sector
(11 December 2008) The Commission has adopted a proposal which will allow all the Member States to invest in initiatives favouring energy efficiency and renewable energy in homes. This proposal, which would amend the current Regulation on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), is part of the European Economic Recovery Plan, and targets low-income households, as defined in the legislation of each Member State.
In current Community legislation, only the new Member States may make use of the ERDF in the housing sector. The Commission’s proposal would extend this to all Member States as well as entail fewer restrictions on the types of buildings and geographical zones concerned. Specifically, however, these measures are designed to target low-income homes.
Commission’s proposal:
REGIONS 2020: Commission working document now on-line
(09 December 2008) Danuta Hübner, Commissioner for Regional Policy, presented the findings of the new report 'Regions 2020' at a press conference held today in Brussels. The document is available on-line in three languages (EN / FR / DE). 'Regions 2020', produced by the European Commission's Directorate General for Regional Policy, provides a first prospective analysis of the likely regional impact of four of the biggest challenges facing Europe: globalisation, demographic change, climate change, and the energy supply. Using a series of indicators, the report maps out the degree of vulnerability of European regions to these challenges, and examines the potential disparities that these may generate across the EU. The findings will feed into the reflection process on the future of European Cohesion Policy.
Networking for Results
(09 decembre 2008) The third annual "Regions for Economic Change" conference will take place on 16 and 17 February 2009 in Brussels. Organised by the European Commission's Directorate General for Regional Policy and other Commission services, in conjunction with the Committee of Regions, the theme of the 2009 event is "Networking for Results". This initiative aims at ensuring that the wealth of knowledge, experience and good practice developed through EU-funded inter-regional cooperation programmes is harnessed for maximum benefit.
At a gala event during the evening of 16 February, the Commissioner for regional policy, Danuta Hübner will present the prestigious 2009 'RegioStars' prizes, which reward original, inspiring and innovative projects funded under European cohesion policy. The list of 25 finalists has recently been drawn up by an independent Jury of European experts.
As one of the most important events on the regional policy calendar, the conference expects to attract more than 500 participants from regions all over Europe. Through nine workshops, the event will showcase strategies, experiences and projects intended to provide learning and networking opportunities for Structural Funds managing authorities. The programme is accessible on the left hand menu.
Please see the conference website for more details.
RegioStars Awards 2009: 25 finalists announced
(03 decembre 2008) On 24 October the RegioStars 2009 Jury held their first meeting under the chairmanship of Mr Job Cohen, Mayor of Amsterdam. As a result of this meeting the jury decided on the 25 finalists of the RegioStars Awards. The actual winners will be announced on 16 February 2009 during the annual Regions for Economic Change conference. The objective of the RegioStars Awards is to identify good practices in regional development and to highlight original and innovative projects which could be attractive and inspiring to other regions.
These projects will subsequently be added to the searchable case studies database now available on the Regions for Economic Change pages of this website. This database (currently holding 120 projects) provides an in-depth analysis of selected projects, additional to the examples of other projects part-financed by EU cohesion policy which are listed under success stories.
You can find more information on the awards
You can find more information on the finalists here:
"Roadmap to recovery: the cohesion package" presented by Commissioner Hübner
(01 december 2008) Following the unveiling by Commission President Barroso on 26 November of the European Economic Recovery Plan calling for a timely, targeted and temporary fiscal stimulus in 2009-2010 of €200bn, or 1.5% of EU GDP, Danuta Hübner, Commissioner for Regional Policy, has presented details of the contribution of Cohesion policy to this package. The Commission is proposing to modify the general regulations on the ERDF, ESF and the Cohesion Funds to allow additional advance payments and is also inviting Member States to explore possible changes in priorities and objectives with a view to accelerate the spending in the areas with more growth potential.
The contribution of Cohesion Policy to the Commission's recovery package consists of a variety of measures, legislative and non-legislative. The main objective is to accelerate payments to Member States and to facilitate access to the Structural Funds, which will help speed up project implementation on the ground and inject confidence and dynamism into the European economy. The advances aim to provide an immediate cash flow at the initial phase of the programming period in order to facilitate the payments to the project beneficiaries. Member States are obliged to respect the minimum national co-financing rates set by the regulations (ranging from 15% to 50%, depending on the programme), but the system is flexible.
For more information and an overview of the Commission's advances to each Member State added by the recovery plan see: MEMO/08/740
See also: PPT "Roadmap to recovery: the cohesion package" 
Informal meeting of EU housing and regional development ministers in Marseille
(28 novembre 2008) Under the aegis of the French Presidency, EU ministers responsible for housing, urban and regional planning, and cohesion policy met in Marseille 24-26 November. Danuta Hübner, Commissioner for Regional Policy, participated in this informal ministerial where discussions centred on three main areas: firstly, on issues around housing, in particular access to housing for the most vulnerable. Secondly 'sustainable cities' were discussed in the context of follow-up to the Charter for integrated urban development adopted in Leipzig. And finally, ministers considered the future of the EU's cohesion policy, and critically, the key role of the policy within the European Economic Recovery Plan against the backdrop of the tumultuous upheavals in the global economic landscape.
Cities and metropolitan areas are the engines of Europe's economic development. They are also at the frontline in the battle to break down barriers to growth and employment – in particular social exclusion and environmental degradation. Commissioner Hübner drew attention to a new Commission working document "Fostering the urban dimension" which analyses the programmes co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund in terms of integration of urban development priorities, and which spells out the important support that cohesion policy plays in the sustainable development of Europe's towns and cities. She also gave some insight into the state-of-play in the reflexion process on the future of cohesion policy. As a first step, the European Commission is undertaking an analysis of the main challenges facing Europe's regions with a 2020 perspective: adapting to globalisation, demographic change, climate change, and the energy challenge. It is assessing the extent to which these challenges will impact upon the core business of driving competitiveness and cohesion. Commissioner Hübner stressed the added urgency of this discussion in the light of the current financial crisis, and presented an overview of the role of Cohesion Policy in the economic recovery plan.
For more information on the informal ministerial meeting
For more information on the urban dimension in operational programmes
See also IP/08/1762
Court of Auditors publishes annual report
(19 November 2008) The EU’s Court of Auditors has just published its annual report in which it acknowledges improvements in management and monitoring linked to the Structural Funds. The number of errors in payment requests made by Member States, which may lead to undue transfers from Community funds, remains however too high. On 16 February 2008 the Commission launched an action plan to strengthen surveillance of the Commission in the joint management of structural actions. An interim report adopted on 5 November 2008 indicates that effects of these measures are already being felt.
Actions taken by the Commission aim principally to help the Member States better verify the eligibility of expenses related to the different projects before making payment requests to the Commission (please see MEMO/08/673).
To see Danuta Hübner’s video message following the adoption of the report: 
Consult the 2007 report: 
€8.25 million for Slovenian regions in the wake of 2007 floods
(18 November 2008) Danuta Hübner and the Slovenian Minister for local administrations and regional policy, Mr Ivan Žagar, have just signed an agreement freeing €8.25 million for the country as part of the EU’s Solidarity Fund. Heavy rain and severe storms ravaged a large part of the country in September 2007, causing serious flooding and landslides. The Member States and the European Parliament validated the Commission’s proposal which allowed Solidarity Funds to be harnessed for the purpose.
"J'avance avec l'Europe" (I’m forging ahead with Europe): the French television campaign on European programmes
(12 November 2008) France has just launched a television campaign to be aired on its national channels to show the French public concrete examples of what Europe has achieved. 13 films will be broadcast from now until the end of the month, and were inspired by the successful paths trodden by those who have benefited from European funds for jobs, innovation, youth mobility, rural development and sustainable development. The campaign is original in that it has mobilised all ministers involved in European Union financial support initiatives: the minister for territorial development, the minister of economy, industry and employment, the minister for agriculture and the minister of foreign and European affairs.
Two new interactive sites have been launched in parallel to further extend the outreach of the campaign: www.leseuronautes.eu for 15-25 year-olds and www.placedeurope.eu, which is aimed at local officials.
The campaign site: www.avecleurope.fr
EU-27 regions under the microscope
(10 November 2008) The 2008 edition of the Eurostat regional yearbook from the Statistical Office of the European Communities is now available. The publication provides an overview of the latest economic, social and demographic developments in the 271 regions of the 27 Member States of the European Union and also in the regions of the three candidate countries (Croatia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Turkey) and four EFTA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland).
The yearbook includes chapters on populations, urban statistics, GDP, household accounts, business structure statistics, the labour market, transport, tourism, science, technology and innovation, health and agriculture. Two new topics have also been introduced: labour costs and sectoral productivity.
Link to the yearbook
Press release
REMINDER: 2 call for proposals under the 'Research Potential' strand of the 7th Research Framework Programme (FP7) now open
(7 novembre 2008) Two calls for proposals under the 'Research Potential' strand of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Development - the European Union's main funding stream for research – have been launched and will remain open until 13 February 2009. The "Research Potential" programme aims at unlocking and developing the research potential of research entities established in the EU´s Convergence and Outermost regions by: developing strategic partnerships and twinning with other research entities and industry; disseminating scientific information; and, facilitating communication. Activities must be based on SWOT analysis and should create synergies with Cohesion Policy investments in the area of innovation and research.
Under the first call entitled REGPOT-2009-1, individual public or private research entities established in the EU's convergence regions and outermost regions can submit proposals for the implementation of an Action Plan to tackle issues identified in their SWOT analysis.
Under the second call entitled REGPOT-2009-2, Mediterranean Partner Countries will get an opportunity to develop partnerships through twinning actions with existing or emerging centres of excellence established in the EU’s convergence and outermost regions and Member States and/or the Associated Countries (Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey and FY Republic of Macedonia). Proposals should include at least 3 research entities: one established in a convergence or outermost region in the EU, one in another Member State or Associated country and one in a Mediterranean Partner Country.
For more details on the two calls for proposals, including information on the stipulations for the action plan, see the CORDIS website.
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/capacities/convergence-regions_en.html
CORDIS is the official portal for FP7 and also covers related developments in European science and technology.
Promoting innovation in the knowledge economy - European launch conference on transferring eGovernment practices to take place in Northern Ireland
(4 novembre 2008) The City of Derry in Northern Ireland will play host to a major European conference on innovative ICT and E-Government Practice on 25 November 2008. This event will mark the launch of one of the selected "fast track" networks under the European Commission's Regions for Economic Change initiative, which aims at providing a platform for exchanges between regional policy makers and represents a further step in involving the region in European policy as set out in the report of the Northern Ireland Task Force set up by President Barroso in 2007. The network, entitled PIKE – Promoting Innovation and the Knowledge Economy – seeks to stimulate the successful uptake of information society practices at a regional level, particularly in the area of broadband and internet access, and eGovernment.
Bringing together experts from business, the public sector, academic and the European Commission, the conference aims to provide a forum for discussion around the promotion of an environment (physical, administrative, social and economic) in which innovative practice in e-government, broadband and wireless technologies can be transferred throughout Europe.
The event will profile award-winning models of good practice and business leaders will provide delegates with an insight into revolutionary innovations for the delivery of public services in the future.
Participation is free and to register on-line go to:
Public consultation on the future of the Baltic Sea Region
(3 November 2008) The Commission is today launching a consultation on the Baltic Sea Region, to be found on this website. It is designed for the Member States, regional and local authorities, NGOs, inter-governmental institutions and the general public. The Commission is inviting all stakeholders in the region to respond to a number of targeted questions before 31 December 2008. The aim of the consultation is to outline the contours of future European strategy regarding the Baltic Sea Region, scheduled to be unveiled in June 2009. In particular, the objective is to improve the state of the environment and the overall competitiveness of the region.
The ongoing consultation process will lead to a proposal for an EU strategy in the form of a Commission Communication to be published in June 2009. This will be accompanied by an action plan identifying key actors, financial instruments to be used for implementation and a timeframe for completion. The adoption of the Strategy by the Member States will be one of the priorities of the Swedish Presidency in the second half of 2009.
The next Baltic Sea Region conferences/debates will take place in Gdansk (13 Nov), Copenhagen (1-2 Dec), Helsinki (9 Dec) and Rostock (5-6 Feb 2009).
Site of the consultation
Interregional co-operation: launch of second call for projects
(29 October 2008) INTERREG IVC is a programme funded by the European Union that helps Europe’s regions establish partnerships, enabling them to work together on common projects. This is the third component of the Territorial Co-operation Objective of the 2007-13 programme for Cohesion Policy. The component is centred on two priorities: innovation and the knowledge economy; the environment and risk prevention. All 27 Member States are eligible as are Norway and Switzerland. The second call for projects has just been launched and will remain open until 30 January 2009. Applications must be sent to the programme secretariat based in Lille, France.
More information
Programme summary
A new stage in the European strategy for the outermost regions
(24 October 2008) The European Commission has just adopted a new communication on the outermost regions (OR). This communication follows a request from the Member States, who wanted to show the importance of the OR for the European Union as a whole. Far from the image of "problem regions", henceforth they are being regarded more favourably as "hidden treasures". Numerous projects supported by the European Union amply bear witness to the capacity of OR to specialise in leading-edge sectors and also provide vehicles for pilot-projects of benefit to the entire Union. The European Union has seven outermost regions: Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Reunion Island, the Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands.
Notable examples include innovative projects conducted in the fields of energy (the "multi-purpose power station" contributing to electricity production in Madeira), agriculture and food (the Martinique Agriculture and Environment Centre), oceanography (the Oceanography and Fisheries Centre of the University of the Azores), astrophysics (the Canary Islands Astrophysics Institute) and the environment (the SEAS project in French Guiana, which aims to monitor the Amazonian environment by satellite). These regions also provide priority testing grounds for combating the effects of climate change by virtue of their exposure to natural hazards. Their biodiversity is more extensive than mainland Europe's and their marine ecosystems are very diverse, allowing innovations in the pharmaceutical and agricultural fields. The communication is also proposing that a "European Outermost Region Forum" be staged every two years with a view to enhancing dialogue and knowledge relating to OR specificities.
Press release
Communication: the outermost regions, an asset for Europe 
Presentation by Commissioner Danuta Hübner
REGIO Newsletter: latest issue now online
(21 October 2008) DG REGIO has just published the latest issue of its monthly newsletter.
The newsletter is available in the 22 official languages.
Table of contents :
- "Health check" on 321 European towns and cities – latest Urban Audit data announced
- Ambitious consultation process furthers Baltic Sea Strategy – Stockholm and Kaunas conferences
- ESPON – three calls for proposals now open
Festival of ideas at the OPEN DAYS!
(20 October 2008) This year's "European Week of Regions and Cities", which has just finished, was once again a fantastic success and gave an opportunity to the 7500 persons who took part in the seminars in Brussels to go back to their regions full of ideas! It is clear from the debates that regions and cities want to see further changes in Cohesion policy, building on the latest policy reform: more innovation, more networking and co-operation, more research and development, more entrepreneurship and sustainability. As summarised by Commissioner Hübner in her final speech: "we are on track".
216 regions and cities signed up as partners and worked in conglomerates on such wide-ranging themes as climate change, growth poles for territorial cohesion, cluster initiatives, the role of small and medium enterprises in Cohesion policy, eHealth (electronic services in healthcare), sustainable transport, renewable energies, synergies in EU funding for research, development and innovation: all the challenges that affect the EU regions. Regions and cities also attended the OPEN DAYS to meet new partners, especially from the private sector, to assist their economic development. But this hasn't finished yet! Throughout the month of October, 230 local "fringe" OPEN DAYS events are taking place all around Europe under the banner "Europe in my region".
Participants can give their feed-back on the OPEN DAYS on the following website
More information:
Speech of Commissioner Danuta Hübner at the closing session
Check the local events in your country
To read the presentations made in the seminars
Austrian village plays green gambit
(17 October 2008) Güssing, a town in the Burgenland, Austria, has made a declaration of energetic independence. It uses wood from the surrounding forests, converting it into gas, heat and electricity. Its electricity production will from now on exceed its domestic consumption and the town is now exporting throughout the region. A European centre for renewable energy was opened in 1996 to promote the "Güssing" model. This ambitious project, supported by the European Union, has signalled the creation of more than 1000 jobs in an area which was undergoing a number of financial difficulties.
Commissioner Danuta Hübner visited the project during a regional tour of the Burgenland.
Press release
Video: interview with Peter Vadasz, Güssing's mayor
Launch of Public Consultation on Territorial Cohesion
(06 October 2008) Today, the European Commission adopted the Green Paper on Territorial Cohesion. This document responds to the demands from the European Parliament, the EU ministerial meeting on urban development and territorial cohesion in Leipzig in May 2007 and the contributions that many stakeholders made during the public consultation on the 4th Cohesion report. It aims to encourage a wide-ranging public discussion until 28 February 2009 to come to a better and shared understanding of territorial cohesion and its implications for EU policies.
Commission President José Manuel Barroso, the French Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries Michel Barnier, the President of the EU Committee of the Regions Luc Van den Brande, and Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner are kicking off the debate at the launching ceremony of the “OPEN DAYS 2008”, the European Week of Regions and Cities.
Countdown to OPEN DAYS – webstreaming of Opening Session and other events…
(03 octobre 08) OPEN DAYS, the European Week of Cities and Regions, kicks off on Monday 6 October with the opening session taking place in the Charlemagne building in Brussels from 16:00 to 18:00. This is one of several sessions to be webstreamed over the course of the OPEN DAYS. In addition, the event "EU funding opportunities for tourism" under the European Day of Tourism on Tuesday 7 October and the Media Day on Wednesday 8 October will also be broadcast on-line.
For more information on the Opening Session and the OPEN DAYS in general, please consult the OPEN DAYS website
Europe’s maritime regions gather for their annual conference
(01 October 2008) The 36th General Assembly of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CRMR) is taking place from 1st to 3rd October at Bayonne in France. Representatives from the conference’s 159 regions will be addressing topics such as the Integrated European Maritime Policy, the Common Agricultural Policy, the energy/climate package, territorial cohesion, and the Lisbon Strategy.
For further details of the conference
Commission gives 321 European towns and cities a health check
(29 September 2008) Commissioner Danuta Hübner has presented the results of the latest urban audit. They reflect the enormous coordination efforts made between the various national statistical institutes in the 27 Member States between 2006 and 2007 with the help of Eurostat. The audit collates 420 000 statistics on urban life and has become a key tool not only for Cohesion Policy in adapting EU activities to the needs of towns and cities but also for all decision-makers and private companies.
It includes new environmental data - for example, it appears that 67 of the 180 towns and cities which provided data on how they treat waste, use open landfill sites to dispose more than 80% of it.
Access the data: Press release; Commissioner's presentation ; Eurostat summary
REMINDER: call for proposals under the ‘Regions of Knowledge’ strand of FP7
(25 septembre 2008) A call for proposals under the 'Regions of Knowledge' (RoK) strand of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Development - the European Union's main funding stream for research - was launched earlier this month. It will remain open until 27/1/2009. The RoK networks bringing together various regional partners, should aim to foster 'research driven clusters' with a thematic focus on enhancing the sustainable use of natural resources and of the natural and man-made environment. Four key themes are covered: water management; forest management; soil and land management; and, waste management.
For more details on the call for proposals see the CORDIS website.
CORDIS is the official portal for FP7 and also covers related developments in European science and technology.
Roundtable in Kaunas kicks off discussions on the EU's Baltic Sea Strategy
(24 septembre 2008) The European Commission (DG Regional Policy) has been tasked with drawing up an EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (BSR). Preparatory work on the strategy is underway with early discussions taking place during the annual Baltic Sea States Subregional Cooperation (BSSSC) conference last week. Meeting in Kaunas in Lithuania on 18-19 September, participants had a chance to exchange views during this first of several events, with a focus on issues of 'accessibility and attractiveness'.
The Baltic Sea States Subregional Co-operation (BSSSC) is a political network for decentralised authorities in the Baltic Sea Region. It was founded in Stavanger, Norway in 1993 and involves regional authorities from across the 10 countries bordering the Baltic Sea. The BSSSC signed a Declaration of Common Interest with the Committee of the Regions in 2007.
The EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (to be presented to the European Council in June 2009) will aim at furthering cooperation between various stakeholders in the region including Baltic Member States, regional authorities, financing institutions, the EU, other pan-Baltic organisations and non-governmental bodies, to promote a more balanced development of the Region. It will build on significant existing work developed between the many stakeholders involved and will be closely aligned with the work of the Northern Dimension. One of the most pressing concerns to be addressed is that of environmental pollution. Tackling this and many other shared challenges calls for more a more structured cooperation. The next roundtable will take place in Stockholm, Sweden on 30 September. For more background information on the strategy and related events please consult the website.
Launch of JASMINE to support micro-credit institutions
(22 September 2008) Speaking at the Eurofi conference which took place in Nice in France which brought together industry players and other stakeholders in financial services, Commissioner Hübner announced the launch of JASMINE - a new facility developed in cooperation with the European Investment Bank. Recognising the importance of micro-businesses in creating employment in Europe, the initiative seeks to provide financial and other assistance to support the development of micro-finance institutions in the Member States as credible financial intermediaries capable of supporting those wishing to establish or develop a micro-business or to enter self-employment. JASMINE will finance certain operations of the non-bank institutions working in this field.
An innovative aspect of JASMINE lies in bringing together institutions of the EU with other partners such as private and public banks, members of the Eurofi network and other donor organisations. Launch aid includes some 40-45 million euros to be initially made available from cohesion policy resources, with additional contributions from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and European Investment Fund (EIF). It will be launched at the start of 2009 as a pilot project which will last for 3 years. The new facility will be managed within the EIF and will contribute to promoting best practice in the micro-finance field, and improving the capacity of the micro-finance institutions. Compliance with agreed standards of good practice will be recognised with the award of a quality label.
Urban-rural linkages
(16 September 2008) European, national and regional policies are increasingly stressing the need to address issues related to urban-rural linkages, which also is closely connected to the work ongoing on territorial cohesion. As a result, during the course of 2008-2009, the Commission will be bringing forward some initiatives with the aim of launching a debate on urban-rural issues. This will also serve as a stock-taking exercise and an opportunity to disseminate information and learn from experience which already exists across Europe.
Thematic seminars on urban-rural linkages enhancing European territorial competitiveness, sustainable development and social cohesion are in preparation. A first seminar in Brussels on 17 September will serve as a kick-off for the Commission activities. The second seminar is planned for the end of 2008 with the third seminar to be arranged during the first part of 2009. A further conference on urban-rural linkages will be organised in spring 2009.
No to illegal discharges
(11 September 2008) While in Greece, Danuta Hübner visited the municipal dumping site of Theva on 8 September. €4.8 million from the Cohesion Fund has enabled a new site to be constructed and the old one to be restored, since it did not comply with European standards. In 2007-13, the Structural Funds will support this type of initiative throughout Greece in accordance with Regional Solid Waste Management Plans. The aim is to reduce the amount of dumped waste and promote recycling and composting.
The Greek government has acknowledged 1125 illegal dumping sites which will have to be closed before the end of 2008 under a European Court of Justice ruling (case C-502/03).
More information: the Environment and Sustainable Development Operational Programme 2007-13
The OPEN DAYS are spreading out!
(09 September 2008) 233 local events under the banner of the OPEN DAYS (European Week of Regions and Cities) will take place all around Europe in October, in tandem with the Brussels seminars. This site provides a map to guide you to the events: festivals, debates, sporting competitions – what better way to celebrate Europe in the regions. Registration closes on 12 September for taking part in the Brussels OPEN DAYS of 6-9 October.
To view the list of OPEN DAYS events in your country
Back to school!
(03 September 2008) As the holidays draw to a close, it's a good time to remember that €43.1 billion will be invested in education in the 27 EU member states from now until 2013 by means of the Structural Funds. In the offing: development of lifelong training (€9.75 billion), education and training reform (€8.6 billion), increasing EU citizen participation in education and training initiatives (€12.5 billion), boosting the potential for innovation and research (€4.9 billion) and building, equipping and renovating schools and universities (€7.4 billion).
Cohesion Policy will also continue to finance numerous cross-border and transnational programmes. To take just one example: INTERREG has helped to set up the "tUL" project (Transnationale Universiteit Limburg) which has allowed research and training programmes to be created, jointly administered by the universities of Maastricht in The Netherlands and Hasselt in Belgium. Students receive a university qualification recognised in both countries. In July, the Commission published a comprehensive report on the education systems of the different EU member states. The EU's overall results are at the same level as those found in the most developed countries around the world - overshadowed only by a decrease in reading abilities!
European funds a source for serendipity
(27 August 2008) The SREPEN (Société Réunionnaise pour l’Etude et la Protection de l’Environnement) has this summer discovered and presented a new species of plant which will enhance biodiversity in France and Europe - the Heterochaenia Fragans. It was its smell which led to its discovery by botanists and volunteer coureurs des bois from the association. Its perfume will now undergo analysis. The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) supports activities carried out by SREPEN, which works for environmental protection. The outermost regions of the European Union house a significant portion of the world's biodiversity, which significantly exceeds that of the whole of continental Europe, underscoring the need to preserve this great abundance.
Operational Programme 'North West Europe' organises conference on demographic change
(25 August 2008) Immigration, the concepts of nationality and citizenship, and the ageing population, are all the subject of impassioned debates in Europe. The INTERREG programme 'North West Europe" is organising its first annual conference on these themes. It will take place on 22 and 23 September in the Abtei Neumünster in Luxembourg and will be attended by representatives from the European Parliament, the World Health Organisation and renowned universities. This trans-national programme brings together Belgium, Germany, Ireland, France, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, the UK and Switzerland.
The conference will also be an occasion to meet with members of the technical secretariat and discuss ideas for projects.
Registration: http://www.nweurope.eu/event2008/
Summary of the North West Europe Programme
Successes of URBAN II Programme highlighted in Aragón
(22 August 2008) More than 20 years since the first plans were drawn up, the people of the town of Teruel in the northern Spanish region of Aragón, are finally able to benefit from a new circular road which should reduce traffic in the centre of the town by around 20%. The new road links previously-isolated neighbourhoods, improves local access and also help to alleviate traffic bottlenecks. The project also comprises excellent dedicated paths alongside the roadway for cyclists and joggers, and for those just out for a stroll in the sun! The project which cost a total of €16.6 million received co-financing from the European Regional Development Fund under the EU's URBAN II programme, as well as financial contributions from the regional government of Aragón and the local municipality.
When plans were first mooted back in 1985, securing the funding for such a project was dismissed as a pipe-dream. However, thanks to excellent collaboration between all the various levels of the public administrations involved, the deal was clinched. Actual construction work started in July 2006, and the new perimeter road was officially inaugurated less than two years later. The EU's Regional Policy Commissioner Hübner recently visited the town of Teruel and was able to see the improvements at first-hand. For more information on the 'Avenida Conexión de Barrios' project and other investments in the area from the EU's URBAN II programme, visit the website: http://www.urbanteruel.com/
German bank KfW joins forces with the JASPERS programme
(19 August 2008) A memorandum of understanding has been signed concerning the participation of the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) in the JASPERS programme. It thus becomes the fourth partner to join this initiative comprising the European Commission, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). JASPERS aims to assist the national and regional authorities of the twelve new member states in preparing major investment projects which will be supported by the Structural and Cohesion Funds. The idea is to help them make swifter and more effective use of aid granted by the Union.
More information:
New Regional Focus on INFOREGIO
(18 août 2008) The Directorate General for Regional Policy (DG REGIO) has created a new 'studies and papers' corner under the publications section of this website. Regional Focus is a series of relatively short papers on a specific theme prepared by DG REGIO. The first paper, which is now available, focuses on rural regions and their relationship with nearby cities.
Working papers will also be added to this page in the future. With the aim of establishing a dialogue with both academics and regional policymakers on specific topics, these working papers will be longer and allow for more detailed research on the selected themes. They will test out new ideas, approaches and methodologies and describe new scientific findings within the scope of regional economic, social and environmental themes.
What water challenges are local governments facing?
(12 August 2008) The Local Governments’ Day will be held on 9 September in Vienna and will look at how local and regional governments can meet the challenges linked to the organisation of water services. It will assess the means available to them in achieving sustainable water management and supplying citizens with quality water. The event will bring together elected representatives from throughout Europe and the rest of the world as well as speakers from international and European organisations and industry experts. Registration is open until 25 August.
The Local Governments’ Day is co-organised by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), United Cities and Local Government (CGLU), the International Water Association (IWA) and the International Association of Waterworks in the Danube Catchment Area (IWAD).
ESPON Info Day
(11 August 2008) The second round of calls for proposals of the ESPON 2013 Programme (European Spatial Planning Observation Network) will be presented during an information day to be held in Brussels on 9 September 2008. All potential beneficiaries who would be interested in learning more about opportunities for taking part in ESPON project activities are invited to the event. The content and eligibility criteria of the three calls for proposals (open on 20 August 2008) will be presented during the first part of the programme.
The programme also features an ESPON Partner Café creating a forum for dialogue between potential project partners. The Partner Café will allow participants the opportunity to network and identify potential Transnational Project Groups - i.e. the consortia of partners that carry out ESPON projects. The ESPON Partner Café will provide a platform for transmitting and receiving information in the field of applied research and targeted analysis, enabling an exchange of information on research interests, skills and resources and facilitating the building of future partnerships.
Participation is free of charge. Deadline for registration is 3 September 2008. Please visit the ESPON website for accessing the preliminary programme.
EU Regional Policy on the MERCOSUR agenda
(8 août 2008) In the context of the EU's ongoing dialogue with MERCOSUR, a European Commission delegation travelled to South America on 10-12 July for a series of meetings on regional policy. The delegation, which included representatives from the Directorate General for Regional Policy (DG REGIO), participated in meetings in the MERCOSUR secretariat in Montevideo (Uruguay) and also met with political representatives in both Uruguay and Asunción (Paraguay), including Mr Fernando Lugo (pictured with Ronald Hall, DG REGIO), the new President-elect of Paraguay. Mr Hall, Director for International Relations in DG REGIO, delivered a speech in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paraguay focusing on the key role played by regional policy in the European integration process.
In his speech, he drew comparisons with the process of integration in Latin America, particularly under the regional free trade agreement of MERCOSUR. Issues of integration and solidarity are high on the MERCOSUR agenda, reflected in the creation in 2005 of a Structural Convergence Fund (FOCEM) to underpin cooperation between the four full member countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay). FOCEM resources are intended to support projects in infrastructure, the competitiveness of the smaller economies, social inclusion and in strengthening institutional structures.
Mr Hall explained the origins of the EU's regional policy, drawing attention to its core objective of reducing geographical disparities and improving economic and social cohesion in Europe. He also talked about the shape of the policy reform in this current programming period 2007-13 and how regional policy adds value and contributes to the integration of the European Union. Concluding his speech Mr Hall considered future challenges facing the EU and its regions, such as changing demography, globalisation and climate change, all which will require regionally differentiated responses. As a next step, and as proposed originally by the Paraguayan authorities, it is intended that the EU will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with MERCOSUR on regional policy during the Paraguayan presidency in the first half of 2009.
Please click here for the full text of the speech
The impact of Structural Funds on coastal tourism
(07 August 2008) A European Parliament study has assessed aid provided by the Structural Funds for tourism improvements in coastal regions. On a European level, the major part of financial aid benefiting tourism comes from Structural and Cohesion Funds. This study outlines recommendations for political decision-makers.
Help provided under Cohesion Policy does not only cover the renovation of traditional seaside infrastructure, it also leads to the implementation of an integrated approach to coastal management, in particular with regards to environmental protection (coastal erosion and biodiversity). The study recommends favouring heritage and cultural tourism with a view to widening the range of tourist activities on offer. It also suggests strengthening cross-border projects which allow European coastal regions to prepare for competition in terms of worldwide rather than European-level tourism. In 2007 - 13, EUR 6.3 billion of European investment is available thanks to the operational programmes for projects linked directly to tourism (other allocations are available for coastal regions through the funds earmarked for the environment, culture, urban renovation, human resources, etc).
On sun-filled beaches…
(04 August 2008) When on holiday we should not forget that the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) makes a major contribution to the management of beaches in Europe. Providing showers for tourists on the beach in Valencia (Spain) and facilities for the disabled on the beach of Grau du Roi (France), the ERDF is everywhere! The INTERREG "CosCo" project has enabled coastal towns in Germany, France, Poland, Spain and Denmark to jointly develop new technologies for cleaning beaches and has also helped them to promote products based on marine-algae.
These towns have discovered that marine algae, found everywhere on beaches, can be used to insulate buildings and even as cat litter. Structural funds have helped organize beach volleyball tournaments in Wismar in Germany as part of a tourism development strategy in the region of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. French and British land management specialists from both sides of the English Channel are pooling their expertise in the “beaches at risk” project to look at the phenomenon of coastal erosion.
For other projects co-financed by the European Union visit:
'Local Authorities and Development' theme for 3rd European Development Days
(31 July 2008) Under the French Presidency of the European Union, the European Commission, in cooperation with the European Parliament, is organising the third European Development Days (EDD) in Strasbourg from 15 to 17 November 2008. The central theme of this major event this year will be 'local authorities and development'. In conjunction with this, the European Commissioner for Development, Louis Michel, is inviting local and regional authorities throughout the EU to share their experience in decentralised cooperation with developing countries and to conclude new twinning covenants.
A number of local authorities have already launched such development projects with often positive results. Commissioner Michel is now calling on many more local and regional authorities to identify twinning schemes with their counterparts in developing countries and send their proposals to the European Commission by 20 September 2008 (devtwinning@ec.europa.eu).
The selected participants will be invited to attend the European Development Days to take place in Strasbourg 15-17 November 2008 and participate in a signing ceremony. Projects already funded by the European Commission are excluded. An independent jury made up of representatives of the European Commission, the Committee of the Regions and the Council of European Municipalities and Regions will examine the twinning projects submitted.
To find out more information and to check out the rules for the call for proposals click on the link: http://ec.europa.eu/development/policies/9interventionareas/twinning_en.cfm
INFOREGIO is looking for examples of your successful projects
(29 July 2008) Tens of thousands of projects across Europe have been made possible through investment from EU Cohesion Policy. INFOREGIO would like to hear about projects in your region that you think have made a real difference to local people. We will try and publicise a selection of your contributions. Whether the projects be in support of research and innovation, environmental and transport infrastructure, renewable energies, eco-innovations or many of the other areas where cohesion policy is investing, we are keen to highlight successful stories. If you are a Managing Authority, and if you know of any interesting projects in your region, please get in touch with INFOREGIO!
Please address details of your chosen project (short description of no more than 500 words and including high-resolution photo) to regio-info@ec.europa.eu (note that only designated Managing Authorities may respond). Please mention "successful project" in the subject line of your e-mail.
REGIO Newsletter: latest issue now online
(25 July2008) DG REGIO has just published the latest issue of its monthly newsletter.
The newsletter is available in the 22 official languages.
Table of contents :
- Celebrating 20 years of Cohesion Policy
- Real convergence and continued support for future Cohesion Policy
- EGTCs making co-operation easier
Royal seal of approval for waterfront regeneration in Liverpool
(22 July 2008) With the Beatles as arguably its most famous sons, the city of Liverpool in the North West of England is certainly no stranger to pop royalty. However royalty in the more conventional sense was on hand recently to formally open the city's new Arena and Convention Centre (ACC) which received a substantial contribution from the European Regional Development Fund (Objective 1). Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II accompanied by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, were given a tour of the ACC Liverpool, before The Queen unveiled a plaque marking its final completion and opening.
ACC Liverpool is home to the Echo Arena and the state-of-the-art BT Convention Centre and is one of the many major regeneration projects which are making a real difference on the Mersey Waterfront, improving the visitor experience and maximising the contribution the coastline makes to the economy in the Northwest of England. The city is also celebrating its reign as European Capital of Culture for 2008 and to mark this, the royal visitors were entertained to a programme of cultural activities.
To find out more about the EU working in Merseyside click on: http://www.euandmerseyside.org/
For further information on the ACC, please see its official website: http://www.accliverpool.com/about/index.asp
Showcasing the Cohesion Policy
(18 July 2008) During a conference in Warsaw, Commissioner Danuta Hübner highlighted the importance of demonstrating the results obtained through Cohesion Policy. She asked the Member States to strengthen their assessment methods for projects, better to able to underscore the impacts of European investment. According to initial estimations, Cohesion Policy may have been the catalyst for 2 million jobs in the 12 new EU Member States, as well as in Spain, Greece, Portugal and Ireland by 2015.
The new Operational Programme "Amazonia"
(17 July 2008) The Operational Programme "Amazonia" was launched in Cayenne on 1 July. It is a new cross-border programme which did not exist during 2000 - 06. It brings together Guyane (France), Suriname and the three Brazilian states of Para, Amapa and Amazonas, and has to its name a budget of EUR 17 million, 75% of which comes from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
The launch took place at the Guyane regional council (management authority for the programme) with 150 socio-economic stakeholders present from Guyane and a delegation of around 10 individuals representing the Brazilian states. Several projects were mentioned, particularly with regard to preserving biodiversity (Amazon forest management), tourism (a tourism concept based on the discovery of Amazonia could be developed between the three countries), research, telemedicine, university exchanges, bridge building among businesses, and the improvement of cross-border communication.
More information: see the programme summary
Register for the 2008 OPEN DAYS!
(15 July 2008) The OPEN DAYS European Week of Regions and Cities will take place from 6 to 9 October, with 143 specialised seminars jointly organised, as each year, by the European Commission and the Committee of the Regions. In tandem with the Brussels events, 235 parallel events under the same name of 'Open Days' will take place in 32 countries. On-line registration is now possible and participation is free.
OPEN DAYS site
Press release
Opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to seize
(09 July 2008) In a press conference held today in Brussels, Commissioner Danuta Hübner explained that 27 billion euros of community investments were available for SMEs during the 2007-13 Cohesion Policy programming period. Now is therefore the time to lodge the applications required for benefiting from this support. The capacity of regions to innovate and create jobs will depend on the proactive approach of these SMEs which represent 99% of European businesses.
Press conference
Targeted spending for SMEs, per Member State
Examples of good practice
PowerPoint presentation
Cohesion policy priorities for the French Presidency
(08 juillet 2008) The French Presidency, at the helm of the EU since 1 July, has spelled out its priorities in terms of cohesion policy. Efforts will be focused on preparing the groundwork for the period after 2013, and for the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, which – if ratified – would add a new objective of "territorial cohesion" to the existing objective of "economic and social cohesion".
These efforts by the French Presidency will carry on the momentum built up by previous presidencies, in particular the German, Portuguese and Slovenian Presidencies, notably through Territorial Agenda and Leipzig Charter. The work programme set out five major topics which the French Presidency will be tackling:
- cohesion policy and spatial planning
- urban development and housing
- the European Social Fund
- territorial governance and local and regional authorities
- the outermost regions
Key events planned during the next six months include a conference on the future of cohesion policy in Paris on 30-31 October and the Informal Ministerial meeting to take place in Marseille on 24-26 November where discussions will centre on territorial cohesion and pursue the debate on the future of cohesion policy.
For further information on the French Presidency's agenda, see its official website
Expo 2008 - Zaragoza
(07 July 2008) Commissioner Danuta Hübner has arrived in Zaragoza, in Spain, for the international exhibition on water and sustainable development, to take place between 14 June and 14 September. The European Union pavilion will feature displays on EU initiatives involving water through various policies: the environment, agriculture, regional policy, maritime policy, research, climate protection and transport. Hübner made a plea for solutions to save water, rather than searching for new sources.
A recent European Commission study showed that at EU level, water savings could be boosted by almost 40%, with about a third of these in public water networks, and 43% in the industrial sector and agriculture. It should be noted that EUR 22 billion have been made available through the Cohesion Policy to this effect.
Expo Zaragoza 2008
Press release
Guide to Cost-Benefit analysis
(02 July 2008) A new version of the "Guide to Cost-Benefit Analysis of Investment Projects" is now available on Inforegio. This guide prepared by the Commission is particularly addressed to people working on cost-benefit analysis of "major projects" co-financed by EU funds in the framework of Cohesion Policy. It provides useful methodological guidance to project promoters in the Member States and candidate countries. At the same time, it serves as a reference to Commission officials involved in the appraisal of "major projects".
The first chapter presents the scope and objectives of cost-benefit analysis, together with the legal framework applicable to the appraisal of "major projects". Chapter two proposes an agenda for the project examiner and illustrates the six steps for a good appraisal. The third chapter outlines the application of cost-benefit analysis to specific fields of intervention (e.g., transport, environment). Chapter four presents five case studies (road, rail, waste, water and industrial investments). In addition, the new guide includes annexes discussing technical issues (e.g., the choice of the discount rate, risk assessment), a glossary and a bibliography.
Analysing innovative ERDF-funded projects: comparative study now on-line
(1 July 2008) A study analysing ERDF co-financed innovative projects is now available on Inforegio. This study was carried out by the consultancy group, Technopolis, and presents 60 case studies which are published on the Regions for Economic Change section of this website. The study also includes ten comparative analyses of projects, and an 'easy-to-use' methodology designed for DG REGIO desk officers - or any analyst in Member States - to apply if undertaking similar case studies.
The main aim of the study was to demonstrate different approaches and common success factors of the innovative projects, as well as to explore and compare characteristics related to their specific regional contexts.
Click here for the study.
The deadline for submitting applications for RegioStars 2009 is approaching fast – 15 July 2008!
(27 June 2008) Do you have an innovative project that you would like to share as a good practice example? Is your project in the area of "research, technological development and innovation" or "climate change"? Do you have a radio or television spot that highlights the contribution of Cohesion Policy? If so, please click here for information and an application form.
Celebrating 20 years of Cohesion Policy
(26 juin 2008) This week marks 20 years since the EU adopted the first regulation grouping together already-existing funds under the banner of a genuine 'Cohesion Policy'. With an ever-increasing allocation of the European budget afforded to the policy, its importance has been consistently underlined.
Twenty years later, the objective of delivering economic and social cohesion across the EU remains true, with the draft Lisbon Treaty proposing to broaden the scope to include a new territorial dimension.
The facts and figures show the EU has achieved impressive economic and social convergence since 1988, with the largest beneficiaries of Cohesion Policy experiencing significant growth in recent years. The policy has also adapted to respond to new challenges by radically shifting its investment priorities towards research and innovation, and measures to combat climate change.
However, the added value of Cohesion Policy goes beyond investment in growth and jobs. Identifying the regions in most need, defining priorities, involving local institutions and setting common management, control and evaluation standards – all these elements have not only created tangible results but also a unique system of multi-level governance.
To celebrate the occasion, a special anniversary event was held in the Museum of Arts and History in Brussels on 24 June. Commissioner Hübner welcomed around 500 invited guests, with President Barroso providing the keynote speech followed by a panel debate including Commissioners Hübner and Spidla and representatives of the other EU institutions.
Click on the link to chart the path of Cohesion Policy from then until today: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/policy/history/index_en.htm
You can also find out more in the latest Panorama magazine "1988-2008: EU Cohesion Policy, the first twenty years" which is now available at:
http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/docgener/panora_en.htm
ESPON survey now online
(24 June 2008) The European Spatial Planning Observatory Network (ESPON 2013 Programme) is inviting stakeholders to take part in a survey which aims to gather views from interested parties on identifying future ESPON applied research themes. This is to respond to requests for evidence and knowledge about cities and regions across the European Union.
As from 16 June you can take part in the survey available on this website. The questionnaire should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete.
The deadline for contributions is 25 July 2008 and results will be made available on the ESPON website by the beginning of September 2008.
More information:
-
ESPON
- Press Release: ESPON 2013 Programme
The EGTC: a new instrument to remove barriers to cross-border and trans-national projects
(19 June 2008) With the Enlargement of the European Union, cross-border, transnational and interregional projects have increased. However blockages in this type of cooperation, arising from the different administrative and legislative systems from one country to another still exist. Today, the European Commission and the Committee of the Regions of the European Union are organising a conference in cooperation with the Slovene Presidency of the EU and the European Parliament in order to raise the awareness of public authorities in the Member States about the existence of a new tool, the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) to facilitate work across border.
The poorest regions of Europe are swiftly regaining ground
(18 June 2008) Commissioner Danuta Hübner will today unveil the 5th progress report on economic and social cohesion. The first part presents an analysis of the results of the public consultation launched last year on the future of Regional Policy. Not only is the Cohesion Policy seen as a vehicle for promoting solidarity, it also favours competitiveness. The second part of the report outlines the factors currently driving growth in Europe, which is based on knowledge-intensive services.
Consult the report
Update of DG Regional Policy address files
(09 June 2008) If you already receive publications from the Directorate-General responsible for Regional Policy or if you would like to receive them in the future, we would like you to confirm your subscription or inform us of your contact details on this site.
In an effort to increase dissemination through its electronic information tools, the Directorate-General for Regional Policy would like to update its address files. If you regularly receive publications from us, a letter will be sent to you in the coming days inviting you to renew your subscription and if you wish, to share your expectations and suggestions. If you do not yet receive our publications and would like to do so in the future, you can register now in our address files by clicking on the following link: http://www.inforegiodoc.eu
More information: regio-info@ec.europa.eu
REGIO's Information and Communication Plan
(06 June 2008) The Directorate-General for Regional Policy has just published its information and communication plan for 2008. The document describes the objectives, priorities, actions, services and tools which can contribute to the improved visibility of EU Cohesion and Regional Policy in the context of shared management and strengthened publicity rules for the period 2007-2013.
The plan's three priorities - enhancing the visibility of the EU Cohesion and Regional Policy including its results and impact; communicating on territorial cohesion in EU Cohesion Policy; communicating the debate on the policy's future - and related actions are mainly addressed to the stakeholders, the general public, and the regional media. In the attachment one finds the major events and planned publications for the years 2008-2010. As a rolling agenda, the plan will be updated every year in spring.
Is Europe still attractive?
(05 June 2008) The sixth edition of the World Investment Conference is currently taking place at La Baule in France. This event brings together actors, decision-makers and experts from companies, research organisations, universities, development agencies, trade unions and European bodies concerned with Europe’s attractiveness and competitiveness
As they do every year, consultants at Ernst and Young have just published their European attractiveness index, which appears to suggest that Europe, despite remaining the world’s most attractive region for investment, has lost its lead, hence the need to act.
For more information:
Press release from Danuta Hübner
World Investment Conference
The Demographic Risk map
(04 june 2008) Demographic change in Europe is already predictable. It is no future scenario with an unknown probability of actually occurring, but a forecastable trend: the population is ageing across Europe, and populations are shrinking at a local level. But what does it mean for business, society and politics? What are the effects on business locations in regions across Europe? Answers to these and many other questions were recently presented by the "Laboratory Demographic Change" with its new online tool "Demographic Risk Map".
The "Demographic Risk Map" analyzes the impact of demographic change from a business perspective in 264 regions across Europe on the basis of selected locations factors. It is therefore the first to provide a direct comparison between time frames, 264 European regions and 27 countries.
For more informationWorldbank goes “territorial“
(02 June 2008) Coinciding with the presentation of the Commission's Green Paper on “Territorial Cohesion” on 23 September, the Worldbank’s 2009 World Development Report (WDR) will “reshape economic geography” while looking at territorial disparities and policies addressing them.
A team led by Worldbank Director Indermit Gill and advised by economists such as Paul F. Krugman, Sir Nicholas Stern and Anthony Venables, is preparing the report which aims at informing the debate on urbanization strategies, territorial development approaches and regional integration initiatives. The report will summarize how the economic topography of the developing world is changing in respect of increased density of economic activity, analyze the determinants of concentration by distilling the literature on economic geography, and inform the debates on the rural-urban transition and territorial development within countries, and regional integration among countries. The WDR is due to be presented in Brussels on 08 October, 9:00-13:00, during the OPEN DAYS.
In search of the territory
(29 May 2008) Today in the European Parliament, the Austrian Institute for Regional Studies and Spatial Planning (ÖIR) will present a follow-up study on the “Territorial Agenda” and the “Leipzig Charta” (on urban development), both agreed in May 2007 in Leipzig by the Member States’ ministers responsible for territorial cohesion and urban planning. With our DG’s Green Paper on Territorial Cohesion in mind and the subsequent launch of a public consultation, scheduled for September this year, the study is of some relevance.
The authors recommend to raise awareness and to stir political leadership for the concept of territorial cohesion, to enhance the policy process within the EU institutions, to add territorial indicators to existing impact assessments, and to agree on indicators to measure progress and impact of the “Territorial Agenda” and the related action plan. Alongside social and economic cohesion, “territorial cohesion” will be introduced by the draft Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (Article 174). Though no final definition of “territorial cohesion” exists, its objective can be described as achieving a more balanced development by reducing existing disparities, avoiding territorial imbalances, and by making sector policies with a spatial impact and regional policy more coherent.
The European Green Capital Award
(28 May 2008) On 22 May, the inauguration of the European Green Capital Award took place at the premises of the Committee of the Regions in Brussels. During the launch event, Commissioner Dimas signed a Declaration establishing the award scheme together with Paddy Bourke, the Lord Mayor of Dublin and Jüri Ratas, former Mayor of Tallinn and current Vice-President of the Estonian Parliament.
Cities with a population of more than 200,000 can apply be selected in December this year as the European Green Capital for 2010 and 2011. Without providing any EU funding, the award requires cities to present their environmental status, future projects to enhance the urban environment and an annual programme of activities and events to disseminate experience and best practice on environmental matters.
Ingredients for creating growth
(27 May 2008) Developing countries can achieve sustainable and equitable growth if they are able to benefit fully from the world economy and have committed leadership. This is part of the keenly awaited findings of the Growth Report published by the Commission on Growth and Development founded under the auspices of the World Bank. The Nobel economics laureate, Michael Spence, in his role as commission chair, and Danuta Hübner, who also actively took part in the commission’ work, have now presented the report in Brussels. This document analyses 13 high-growth economies since the end of the Second World War and outlines ingredients that may explain their success.
Press release
PowerPoint presentation
Read the report
REGIO Newsletter: latest issue now online
(26 May 2008) DG REGIO has just published the latest issue of its monthly newsletter.
The newsletter is available in the 22 official languages.
Table of contents :
- What next for EU Cohesion Policy?
- Governance and partnership in Regional Policy
- Launch of RegioStars Awards 2009
Region seeking partners for European projects…
(16 May 2008) The first projects labelled “fast track” under the “Regions for Economic Change” initiative launched by the Commission have just been adopted. The ten projects will benefit from European Union financial aid and were put forward by regional networks planning to work together and experiment with new ideas in areas in which they want to improve. The main objective is to rapidly spread the good practices gained by these regions across the mainstream European regional policy investment programmes. The selection of these initial six projects was made by the INTERREG IVC and URBACT II programme monitoring committees, following the call for proposals launched in 2007.
More information
Outcome of negotiations on the new operational programmes
(14 May 2008) After negotiating the 450 operational programmes which will see cohesion policy 2007-13 implemented, the Commission went on to analyse the content of the programmes. It has just adopted a Communication which gives a clearer idea about the priorities decided on by the Member States and regions. We are seeing a real change in cohesion policy, insofar as the European objectives set out in the “Lisbon Strategy” have been fully taken on board. European regions are adapting to new challenges including globalisation, climate change, migration trends and the ageing population.
Member States and regions have made major commitments through these programmes; all that remains is for these to be followed through on. The Commission will ensure that the programmes are implemented as planned and it is counting on those involved in the field, who more so than in the past have played a role in negotiations, to ensure that the programmes are successfully carried out.
Communication - annex
Press release
Commissioner presentation
Assessing the quality of life in European cities
(8 May 2008) The Urban Audit -- the brainchild of the European Commission and Eurostat -- allows national statistical offices in all the EU member countries to work together in order to compile a wide range of indicators on the quality of life in European cities. A conference will be held on this very subject in Brussels on 10 June next for city representatives and anyone with an interest in urban statistics. Several key issues for the future of cities will be addressed at the conference: the ageing population, migration phenomena, housing, and the competitiveness and attractiveness of cities. All are areas addressed in the Urban Audit.
Based on statistics supplied by 258 cities in the 27 EU member countries, a ‘State of European Cities Report’ was published in 2007: read the report
10 June conference website
The heightened importance of Brussels regional offices
(7 May 2008) Belgian researchers writing in the “Brussels Studies” e-journal have analysed the changing face of regional representations in Brussels. They have underlined the speed at which the new EU member countries have been opening offices in the capital of Europe. These offices first appeared in the 1980s with a clear purpose in mind: to obtain European funding. Now, these regional ambassadors tell us that their role has changed to become one geared more towards communication and networking.
The representatives of Brussels regional offices are minimising their activities relating to the pursuit of funding, which is now being done more from the region itself. Finding partners, setting up networks and influencing Europe’s politicians now provide the raison d’être for these offices.
Read the article 
REGIO Newsletter: latest issue now online
(05 May 2008) DG REGIO has just published the latest issue of its monthly newsletter.
The newsletter is available in the 22 official languages.
Table of contents :
- Regional Policy is good for us, say EU citizens
- Member States’ spending to come under scrutiny
- 'Lisbonising' Europe’s regions
Brussels conference on outermost regions, 14-15 May
(30 April 2008) Europe's strategy as regards the seven European outermost regions (Canary Islands, Azores, Madeira, Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion) will be the focus of discussions at the conference to be held in Brussels 14-15 May. The meeting will be attended by the seven regional presidents and representatives from the French, Portuguese and Spanish governments, as well as representatives from the European institutions and the academic and socio-professional sectors. The aim of the meeting is to contribute to ensuring that the European OR strategy addresses four issues of key importance for these regions: climate change, demographic change and migration, the future of agriculture, and the role of ORs in EU maritime policy.
These discussions relate to the communication adopted by the Commission in September 2007 and the public consultation launched at the same time on the Inforegio website.
Conference website
The Solidarity Fund is doing a good job
(24 April 2008) The Court of Auditors has just carried out an official audit on the EU's Solidarity Fund to establish whether the latter has thus far been effective, and whether recipient countries have been satisfied with it. Countries which have been granted subsidies said that they were satisfied, or very satisfied, with the aid received, in spite of the lengthy process involved in obtaining it (around one year between submitting the request and actually receiving the aid). The Court has therefore deemed it successful in achieving its main objective: showing solidarity towards Member States detrimentally affected by a disaster.
It should be remembered that the Commission presented a proposal for a revised regulation in 2005 which includes simplified and more transparent criteria for receiving Solidarity Funds more rapidly (including the provision for advances to be paid). It received a very warm welcome from the European Parliament but there has so far been no progress made with the Council, and thus with the Member States.
More information:
The report from the Court of Auditors
The Commission's 2005 proposal
Danuta Hübner in Serbia
(22 April 2008) Danuta Hübner is paying her first visit to Serbia to discuss the outlook for cooperation between the European Union and Serbia within the framework of European regional policy. She will be meeting the Serbian deputy prime minister, Mr Bozidar Djelic, and reiterating the European Commission’s determination to assist Serbia with preparing a future accession to the European Union. Serbia is participating in several cooperation programmes with certain EU member countries, candidate countries and potential candidates within the framework of the new Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA).
More information:
A resource for innovators: 122 case studies of innovative projects from Cohesion policy
(21 April 2008) In order to support the exchange of experience amongst innovation practitioners in Europe's regions and cities detailed case studies of 122 different projects co-financed under the Cohesion Policy of the European Union are now available. These case studies concern the 26 RegioStars 2008 finalists and 58 further case studies from the Objective 1 and Objective 2 programmes 2000-2006. The new project descriptions complement the 38 cases from the regional programmes of innovative actions 2000-2006 published already in 2007.
The case studies present the objectives and activities of the projects, the strategic context, the innovative aspects, partnership, obstacles in terms of design or implementation, problem-solving practices, results and lessons learned.
More information
Danuta Hübner gives the go-ahead for the new European regional policy in Extremadura
(17 April 2008) The European Commissioner for Regional Policy, Mrs Danuta Hübner, has launched the new programme devised by the Autonomous Community of Extremadura in Spain for the period 2007-13, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Despite making extensive progress, Extremadura remains one of the less advanced regions of Spain and will continue to receive priority support under the Cohesion Policy in the years ahead. The region has chosen a new direction for its development strategy: it will be focussing more on European investment in research, development and innovation as opposed to infrastructure.
For more information:
Funding for research, development and innovation – How to see things more clearly?
(16 April 2008) The European Commission is preparing a practical guide on the full range of European funding available for research, development and innovation. The purpose of this guide is to help project sponsors identify the funds best suited to their particular circumstances. The guide will review the various existing Internet sites and information points and explain to what extent several European funds may be combined. The Commission has launched a public consultation on the draft guide, running until the end of April.
Later on, this guide may lead to the creation of an Internet website. A reminder that, as part of "RegioStars 2009", Europe’s regions are being invited to deliver project applications supported by the European Union in the fields of research, development and innovation (deadline for applications: 15 July). These projects may be used subsequently to enhance the website and demonstrate how European funding is being used in these fields.
RegioStars 2009
The Commission has approved the first “Major Projects” for 2007 - 13
(09 April 2008) While the Member States do not have to submit the thousands of projects they aim to finance with the aid of EU Structural Funds and Cohesion Policy for the Commission’s consideration, they do have to obtain the latter’s consent for the ‘major projects’. This applies to projects exceeding a total of €25 million for the environment and €50 million for other areas. Commissioner Danuta Hübner has just ratified the decisions which give the Commission’s seal of approval to the four plans for Romania, which will help restore and spread irrigation systems and sewage collection facilities in four different areas: Cluj-Salaj, Giurgiu, Calarasi-Turda and Campia Turzii.
The newly-adopted grand plans are part of the ‘environment’ programme drawn up by Romania and will receive €348 million in the form of Cohesion Fund aid. The 27 Member States are expected to submit around 900 major projects for the Commission’s perusal during the period 2007-2013.
Summary of the ‘environment’ programme:
The European Solidarity Fund comes to Greece's rescue in the wake of the 2007 fires
(08 April 2008) The Commission has proposed to earmark EUR 89.7 million following the desecrating fires which swept Greece last August and led to the death of 65 victims. This will in part recompense money spent on emergency actions and the restoration of infrastructure. The budgetary authority, conjointly carried out by the Parliament and the Council) will thus have to adopt an amended budget to free up resources.
Press release:
Northern Ireland Task Force report published
(07 April 2008) The Commission adopted today the report from the Task Force for Northern Ireland, responsible since 2007 for improving the region’s access to and involvement in Community policies and programmes. The aim is to help promote the competitiveness of Northern Ireland’s economy and therefore consolidate the peace process. The report takes stock of how Northern Ireland utilised European aid from 2000 to 2006 and suggests areas for possible improvement, e.g. greater participation by the region in the Union’s research and development projects, more student exchanges, and the promotion of quality labelling in the agri-foodstuffs sector.
Commission Communication:
Annex:
Press release:
OPEN DAYS 2008 with 217 regions and cities
(07 April 2008) A record 217 regions and cities from 32 countries have signed up as partners for the OPEN DAYS 2008 European Week of Regions and Cities, the biggest annual gathering of EU and regional policy-makers, experts and representatives of banking, business and civil society groups operator in the regional policy sector.
OPEN DAYS, organised by the Committee of the Regions and the European Commission's Regional Policy Directorate General, is centred in Brussels from 6-9 October 2008 and also involves more than 200 linked events throughout October in the Member States. As in previous years, the regions and cities have divided themselves into thematic conglomerates. Partners from 26 Member States are represented while others come from Turkey, Croatia, Norway, Switzerland and – for the first time – Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iceland. The highest number of regions and cities come from France (22), Italy and Spain (19), the United Kingdom (18), and Poland (17).
More information:
What will prove the most innovative European projects of 2009?
(04 April 2008) With the winners of RegioStars 2008 barely unveiled, management authorities of the European structural funds are already called upon to prepare their submissions for the 2009 event. The prizes will be awarded under three new categories: "research, technological development and innovation", "adaptation to or mitigation of climate change" and "radio or television spot or programme that highlights the contribution of [the] Cohesion Policy". The deadline for submission is 15 July 2008.
More information:
The latest Panorama magazine is available in 22 languages
(03 April 2008) Sustainable development and climate change are the topics of the March edition of the Inforegio Panorama magazine. The articles show how regional policies can play an important role in ensuring sustainability, in mitigating the effects of climate change and in contributing to improved energy efficiency. The total support from the European budget under Structural and Cohesion Funds allocated to environmental programmes in 2007-13 has doubled to around 100 billion euros, compared to the previous funding period 2000-06.
Regions covered in the magazine include
- the East of England, a region likely to meet the ambitious EU carbon reduction targets with the help of the ERDF,
- Poland, with the largest infrastructure and environmental programme of the period 2007-13, and
- the Canary Islands, which aims at achieving energy self-sufficiency.
A toolkit to achieve greener regions helps public authorities give full weight to environmental issues in regional development.
To access the Panorama magazine, click here:
Science, technology and innovation in Europe
(02 April 2008) Almost 30% of research and development (R&D) expenditure in the EU-27 is currently concentrated in ten regions, five of which are in Germany and two in France, with the region of Ile de France in the pole position allocating 7.7% of the total EU expenditure.
The 21 regions which already fulfil the Lisbon target of spending 3% or more of their GDP on Research and Development are currently only to be found in Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Sweden and the UK A recent Eurostat publication confirms differences in science, technology and innovation between EU member States and regions and includes a number of maps, charts and graphs.
REGIO Newsletter: latest issue now online
(01 April 2008) DG REGIO has just published the latest issue of its monthly newsletter.
The newsletter is available in the 19 official languages.
Table of contents :
- Sharing excellence… and RegioStars Awards
- Cohesion Policy to address the energy challenge
- Record payments and programming for Cohesion Policy in 2007
Danuta Hübner in Hungary
(27 March 2008) The Commissioner responsible for Regional Policy will meet Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány in Budapest today, to highlight the challenges to be met by Hungary in implementing the Cohesion Policy of 2007 - 13. She will also take part in the launching of the transnational programme "South East Europe", which brings together 16 different countries of which 8 are Member States and 6 from the Western Balkans; the Ukraine and Moldavia will also take part. This will eventuate in a European investment of EUR 206.7 million over seven years, and Hungary has been selected as "management authority" for the programme.
More information:
Launch of the cross-border programme between Belgium and The Netherlands
(19 March 2008) The new cooperation programme between Belgium and The Netherlands for the period 2007 - 13 has just been launched in Antwerp. The total budget allocated to the programme entitled "Grensregio Vlaanderen-Nederland" (Border region Flanders-Netherlands) is EUR 190 million, with contributions from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) reaching EUR 95 million. This represents a 16% increase in relation to 2000 - 06. This cooperation will allow the densely populated region to meet challenges such as that of congestion, sustainable consumption and production of energy, the conservation of natural resources and improvement of air quality.
More information:
Press release
Memo
http://www.europawerkt.eu/
The impact of globalisation on European territory
(14 March 2008) The European Spatial Planning Observatory Network (ESPON) has just published a report entitled "Europe in the World". Researchers have put forward statistical and cartographical data to stimulate debates such as: the impact of global trade flows on Europe, demographic growth and migration in Europe and the location of 'gateway cities', i.e. the towns and cities which polarise migration in Europe, among others.
Communicating on the Cohesion Policy
(13 March 2008) The proceedings of the conference organised by the European Commission last November analysing different methods of informing the public on Cohesion Policy are now available on this site. More than 400 responsible for communication from various Member States had taken part in the conference and used the occasion to share their experiences. The communication plans prepared by the Member States for each operational programme are currently undergoing validation by the Commission. They contribute to enhancing the information available to citizens on the projects financed by the European Union in their respective regions during the period 2007-2013.
To read the proceedings
To see presentations delivered by the participants
What do Europeans think of Cohesion Policy?
(07 March 2008) A Eurobarometer survey has just been carried out among 27 000 European citizens to gauge their views on Cohesion Policy. The results, presented today by Danuta Hübner, show that one European citizen in two considers themselves informed on the aid provided by European funds for their region. 70% of those who are aware of such an action consider it positive. Citizens also hope that the Policy continues to invest in all European regions, while continuing to pay particular attention to the poorest regions, helping them to bridge the gap.
Summary of the survey
Full report
Press release
Conference on the future of Cohesion Policy, 7 and 8 April
(06 March 2008) In the context of the debate launched in September 2007 at the 4th EU Cohesion Forum, the Slovenian Presidency of the European Union is organising a conference on the future of Cohesion Policy, in Maribor, to be held in April. The main focus will be to clearly formulate questions on the Policy's scope in relation to other European policy areas, its objectives and implementation. The Presidency has outlined a number of questions which will provide structure to the conference, promising an uninhibited debate.
The Commission, for its part, will present the first results obtained from analysing contributions received in connection with the public debate which terminated at the end of January.
(photo: high-speed train on the Ljubjana-Maribor railway line, which has been renovated with the help of European funding)
More information:
An action plan for better control of the expenditure in the Member States
(03 March 2008) The Commission has adopted an Action Plan to address the Court of Auditors’ recommendations which suggested introducing better monitoring of Member States’ systems for controlling and managing structural actions. This involves encouraging the management authorities to carry out more primary controls and the payment authorities to carry out more checks. The idea is to limit the risk of error in the expenditure declared by the Member States and the amounts reimbursed by the Commission in order to improve the management of the funds.
The action plan defines specific measures and deadlines that the Member States have to meet. The Commission will report on its action to the European Parliament every three months starting from the end of March 2008.
Press release:
The action plan: (COM/2008/097)
Cohesion and challenges posed by energy
(27 February 2008) Danuta Hübner has explained in a press conference how Cohesion Policy from 2007 - 13 will contribute to developing renewable energies and enhancing energy efficiency. In total, EUR 9 billion will be poured into these sectors. The Commission will assist the Member States in clinching the ambitious objectives they have set themselves notably by encouraging them to exchange with each other the good practices they have acquired.
Using her 'carbon evaluator' tool, Hübner drew attention to the fact that France and Italy have made renewable energy a priority for the period 2007 - 13. She also gave the example of the island of Samsø ( Denmark), which is entirely self-sufficient in energy terms.
Press release:
Presentation:
And the winner is…
(26 February 2008) The "RegioStars" prize-giving ceremony took place yesterday evening in Brussels, as part of the "Regions for Economic Change" conference. The most innovative and economically effective projects were rewarded, completed using European funds awarded to regions in Europe. A jury, made up of professionals well-known in the area of regional development, analysed the submissions made by hundreds of candidates across the regions. Alsace (France), Øresund (a trans-border region between Sweden and Denmark) and three UK regions (Wales, the Midlands and Yorkshire and Humber) were also recognised for their efforts. Their projects will serve as examples for the other regions of Europe.
More information: Press release - RegioStars website
Regions of Europe get excited about excellence
(25 February 2008) 650 individuals from all over Europe gather in Brussels for the initiative "Regions for economic change" launched by the Commission in 2006. With nine platforms, the conference, this year entitled "Sharing Excellence", will allow management authorities from the various Member States to impart their experiences in the area of regional development and reflect on ways to put good ideas into practice. You may follow the conference's plenary sessions, live, on this site.
More information: Press release - Conference website
Japan turns to Directorate-General Regional Policy for advice on cycling policy - INTERREG experience sought
(22 February 2008) Learning from another is a core concept of European Territorial Co-operation (formerly called INTERREG) programmes. But did you know INTERREG attracts interest as far away as Japan? A delegation of Japanese officials from the Infrastructure Development Institute, which operates under the guidance of the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, recently requested advice from DG REGIO as regards the integration of cycling in urban traffic and the promotion of cycling as a means of transport inside the EU.
A number of INTERREG co-financed projects ("Baltic Sea Cycling" and "UrBike" in particular) had caught the attention of the visiting Japanese officials. This week, colleagues from the Territorial Co-operation unit made a general presentation about the way European Territorial Co-operation programmes function, answered concrete questions in relation to the above projects and directed the visitors towards the European Commission's Green Paper on Urban mobility.
REGIO Newsletter: latest issue now online
(21 February 2008) DG REGIO has just published the latest issue of its monthly newsletter.
The newsletter is available in the 22 official languages.
Table of contents :
- Cohesion Policy at the forefront of sustainability
- ESPON 2013 Programme launched
- "Contracts of Confidence" signed with Portugal and other
Member States
Regional Funds score in British "Oscars"
(20 February 2008) The British Academy Film Awards, the BAFTAs, are considered to be a reference point for excellence in film on a par with the US Academy awards or 'Oscars'. On Sunday, 10 February three films which were supported by the ERDF in the East Midlands received top awards at the BAFTA event. Best film overall was Shane Meadows' 'This is England' about a young man's transition to nationalist extremism following his father's death in the Falklands war. The production received 250,000 pounds and advice on locations in Nottingham from the ERDF via East Midlands Media. The film created jobs for 49 regionally based crew.
Another film, 'Control', about the life and suicide of the Joy Division singer Ian Curtis received similar assistance from EM Media and its writer, Matt Greenhalgh got the Carl Foreman award for Special Achievement. A third film, 'Dog Altogether' picked up the best short film award having received ERDF support of 10000 pounds.
Signing of contracts of confidence with Slovenia and Estonia
(15 February 2008) After Wales, Denmark, Austria and Portugal, now it was Slovenia and Estonia's turn to sign 'contracts of confidence' with the European Commission. The ceremony took place in Brussels in the presence of the Ministers of Finance from the two countries. These contracts warrant the legitimacy of controls carried out by Slovenian and Estonian audit authorities on the programmes currently financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Cohesion Fund.
It is the Commission's desire to extend this type of cooperation to all Member States.
More information 
Record payments for cohesion policy in 2007
(14 February 2008) Cohesion policy budget execution for 2007 was excellent, Danuta Hübner, Commissioner for Regional Policy, announced on Tuesday. She presented details of Member States' record performance in making payments of over €41 billion, against €33 billion in 2006. New Member States are now approaching absorption rates close to those of the EU15. As for the next generation of programmes, running from 2007 to 2013, most of these were adopted before the end of last year in the fastest-ever programming exercise to date.
More information
EUROSTAT releases regional GDP/head figures for 2005
(13 February 2008) According to the new regional GDP/head figures for 2005 published by EUROSTAT on 12 February, 16 regions out of 84 Convergence regions now show a GDP/head in PPS of at least 75% of the EU-27 average. Of the 16 regions, 3 would still have a GDP/head lower than 75% of the former EU-25 average: the increase of GDP/head of these regions shows the statistical effect due to the accession of Bulgaria and Romania.
Within the remaining 13 regions, there are 2 Greek regions, whose GDP/head figures have been revised upwardly because of the Greek national accounts revision. Two changes in the NUTS (Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics) regional breakdown also influence the interpretation of the figures: (1) Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany, is now one single NUTS2 region, with a GDP/head higher than 75% of the EU average, whereas formerly it was composed of 3 NUTS2 regions. (2) Slovenia now contains two NUTS2 regions, one of which has a GDP/head well above the 75% threshold. For nine regions from Germany (4), Spain (3), Poland and the UK (one each), an improvement of their GDP/head in comparison to the EU average can be observed.
More information:
Press
Map
Innovation and Clusters
(07 February 2008) On 22 and 23 January 2008, a conference on "innovation and clusters" gathered high-level policy representatives of Sweden and of the Slovenian and the oncoming French Presidencies as well as of many other Member States and regions. Commissioner Günter Verheugen, representatives of BUSINESSEUROPE as well as top names in cluster theory and policy such as Esko Aho, Michael Porter and Örjan Sölvell were present.
Dirk Ahner, Director-General of the Regional Policy Directorate-General of the European Commission spoke on the strong commitment of Cohesion Policy to innovation and CLOE, a pilot project of the "Regions for Economic Change" initiative organised a workshop. The debate and conclusions are meant to feed the drafting of a Communication of the European Commission on clusters, which is planned for adoption by July 2008. The objective is to present a European cluster policy agenda in order to foster cluster development and cooperation in Europe.
First EGTC Eurométropole Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai
(06 February 2008) On 28 January 2008, the first European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) "Eurométropole Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai" was formally set up by 14 partner institutions from parts the French Département "Nord" and parts of the Belgian regions of "West-Vlaanderen" and "Hainaut". The idea behind the EGTC is relatively simple: to create more effective ways of working across borders in the European single market.
The role of the EGTC is to act as the single authority to manage cross-border programmes and projects including those supported under the Structural Funds or under other EU programmes. Based on an EU regulation, the EGTC is one of the most important improvements of EU cohesion policy for the period 2007-2013 and provides the opportunity for key actors in different regions to work together more effectively. The "Eurométropole" will develop projects in the field of sustainable development, transport and services for the citizens to improve the every-day life of the almost 2 million inhabitants of the region.
More information:
New brochure to summarise NSRFs
(05 Februrary 2008) The European Commission has adopted the 27 NSRFs (National Strategic Reference Frameworks) presented by the Member States during 2007. They will serve as a reference point throughout the programming period as they highlight the priorities designated by the Member States for implementing the Cohesion Policy. A new brochure summarises them all and specifies the regions to benefit and distribution of allocations by theme: culture, energy, Information Society...
It is available on this website: Click here.
Development of Evaluation Capacity in the EU Member States
(04 February 2008) The Directorate General for Regional Policy commissioned a study to develop a methodological framework for assessing evaluation capacity development within Member State administrations responsible for EU cohesion policy. The 38 indicators in this framework highlight different aspects of evaluation capacity and allow areas in need of improvement to be identified. The framework can be used by the Member States as a self-assessment tool and by the Commission to monitor evaluation capacity development across the EU: identifying trends, good practices, learning points...
REGIO Newsletter: latest issue now online
(30 January 2008) DG REGIO has just published the latest issue of its monthly newsletter. The newsletter is available in the 22 official languages.
Table of contents :
- "Regions and cities in a challenging world": OPEN DAYS 2008 launched
- Cohesion Policy at the heart of the Lisbon Strategy
- Slovenia takes over EU Presidency
The East of England is steaming ahead in developing renewable energies
(28 January 2008) Danuta Hübner is on a two-day trip to the East and South East regions of England which are at the forefront in promoting a low-carbon economy and stemming the flow of climate change. She visited the Orbis Energy site, co-financed by the EU in Lowestoft. The building is still undergoing construction and will house 40 renewable energy start-up projects and financial companies to stimulate the sector.
The visit also provides the opportunity to launch the two new programmes for these regions under the new Cohesion Policy of 2007 - 2013.
The Commission signals its trust to Portuguese monitoring authorities
(23 January 2008) Danuta Hübner has signed a "contract of confidence" with Portuguese Finance Minister, Fernando Teixeira dos Santos, which ensures the quality of works carried out during the audit done by Portuguese authorities on programmes financed by the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Funds for 2000 - 06. In future, more use will be made of auditing authorities from all the Member States to reduce the number of assessments made by Commission services.
Similar contracts have been concluded with Wales, Denmark and Austria. The Commission envisages extending this type of cooperation to all the Member States.
More information
New brochure explains Regional Policy 2007-13
(22 January 2008) A new brochure "Working for the Regions. EU Regional Policy 2007-13" is now available in English, French, German, Italian, Polish and Spanish on this website and will be available in other Community languages soon. The 36-pages publication explains how EU regional policy works and how it supports, for example, transport, innovation, environmental and urban development in Europe's regions and cities. Cooperation between regions, evaluation of programmes, as well as audit, control and publicity requirements are other aspects covered. Figures explain how much will be spent by EU structural funds on what in the 27 EU member states in the years to come.
More information: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/docgener/presenta/pres_en.htm
A day in Seville to reflect on the future of regional policy
(18 January 2008) The Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) and the Committee of the Regions are organising a seminar in Seville, to be attended by Commissioner Danuta Hübner, entitled "What future for regional policy after 2013?" To square up to the challenges of the 21st century (globalisation, climate change, demographic change) and ensure the success of the enlargements, the EU must reflect on the future of regional policy, which after 2013 will become the most significant EU policy area in budgetary terms.
Hübner will recall the ensuing deadline (31 January) for participation in the public consultation initiated by the Commission, on the future of Regional Policy: click here to take part.
To find out more on the Seville conference visit:
http://www.crpm.org/en/index.php?act=6,1,2,64
The Commission's press release:
Danuta Hübner pays a visit to the Canaries
(16 January 2008) The Commissioner for Regional Policy is visiting the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands on 16 and 17 January when she will meet the President, Paulino Rivero, and visit various EU co-financed projects. She is doing this following the signing last December of the new programme for the region under the Cohesion Policy of 2007 - 13 as well as the Treaty of Lisbon which bolsters and reinforces the status of marginal regions.
She will also go to El Hierro to see a unique project which aims to make the island self-sufficient in terms of energy, based entirely on renewable energy resources.
More information:
Research in regional development
(15 January 2008) The annual international conference of the British-based Regional Studies Association will take place this year at the Economic University of Prague from 27 - 29 May. It will be entitled "Regions: the dilemmas of integration and competition".
A call for contributions has been launched, whose deadline expires on 28 February. The Association regularly organises scientific conferences and publishes the journal "Regional Studies", which is considered a standard work in regional policy.
More information: http://www.regional-studies-assoc.ac.uk/
Reorganisation of Directorate-General for Regional Policy of the European Commission
(11 January 2008) On 1 January 2008, a new organigramme has entered into force at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Regional Policy. This new organisational structure has been put in place to better address the Cohesion Policy priorities of the new programming period 2007-13.
More information
Launch event for the ESPON 2013 programme in Brussels
(10 January 2008) The launch of the ESPON 2013 programme and the announcement of the first series of calls for proposals and interest will take place on 21 January 2008 in Brussels. Commissioner Danuta Hübner and the Luxembourg Minister Jean-Marie Halsdorf will address the audience along with representatives from the European Parliament and other EU institutions. At this occasion, documentation related to the planned calls including details on their thematic scope, application procedures and information on evaluation criteria will be made available.
The European Spatial Planning Observation Network (ESPON) is set up to provide comparable information, evidence, analyses and scenarios on framework conditions for the development of Europe's regions, cities and larger territories. In addition to the 27 member states of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland participate in the programme. ESPON's 2007-2013 budget amounts to EUR 45.4 million, of which 75% are financed by the European Regional Development Fund.
More information and registration: http://www.espon.eu/mmp/online/website/content/programme/1455/index_EN.html
EU regions sharing excellence
(09 January 2008) On 25 and 26 February 2008, the European Commission will hold the second annual conference of the 'Regions for economic change' initiative under the title "Regions For Economic Change – Sharing Excellence". The event will be organised by the Commission's Regional Policy Directorate General and other Commission services in cooperation with the Committee of the Regions. During the evening of the first day, Commissioner Danuta Hübner will present the 2008 'RegioStars' awards to projects displaying good European practice and innovation in regional policy.
More than 500 participants from regions all over Europe are expected to discuss how European regional policy and its instruments can help regions to learn from one another and translate network outputs into action through mainstream policy and programmes. Through nine workshops, the event will showcase strategies, experiences and projects intended to provide learning and networking opportunities for Structural Funds managing authorities.
REGIO Newsletter: latest issue now online
(07 January 2008) DG REGIO has just published the latest issue of its monthly newsletter.
The newsletter is available in the 22 official languages.
Table of contents :
- Threefold increase in investment in regional innovation
- A new era of regional policy cooperation with Brazil
- Telling the story of EU Regional Policy
Regions at the heart of European maritime policy: discover the latest issue of the Inforegio Panorama magazine!
(03 January 2008) The latest issue of the Panorama magazine places the spotlight on the common objectives of maritime policy and cohesion policy. In October 2007, the Commission adopted the Blue Paper, “An Integrated Maritime Policy for the European Union”. Several objectives of this policy – maximising the sustainable use of the oceans and sea, building a knowledge and innovation base for maritime policy and delivering the highest quality of life in coastal regions – are fully aligned with the objectives of the cohesion policy.
The magazine presents inter alia the role of ports and maritime clusters in regional development and a report on the regional maritime strategy of the Spanish region Asturias. This edition of Panorama is available in English, French and German. It will shortly be online in 22 languages.