On 10 and 11 September, the Committee of the Regions (CoR) will hold an extraordinary Bureau meeting in Uppsala, Sweden which will be chaired by Luc Van den Brande, President of the CoR. This official gathering of local and regional representatives from across Europe is the first of a series of events organized by the CoR in Sweden, in the frame of the Swedish Presidency during the second semester of 2009.

The meeting of the executive body of the EU Assembly of local and regional representatives will be preceded by a debate with Swedish local and regional stakeholders about "Innovation success stories from the regions and cities in crisis time" at the Uppsala University.

During this debate, Swedish elected politicians will be able to share difficulties, ask questions and make suggestions to local and European experts. Panel members will include local politicians such as Arne Sandemo, Chairman of the Uppsala Regional Council and Luc Van den Brande, President of the CoR, as well as experts and stakeholders.

The Bureau meeting on Friday 11 will maintain a strong focus on the economic crisis and its impact at local and regional level, with a speech by Mats Odell, Swedish minister for Local government and financial markets, representing the Swedish Presidency.

Prior to travelling to Sweden, Luc Van den Brande was invited by the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) on the 8 September to conclude a conference on "Climate and Jobs: local solutions?" together with the Swedish Ambassador to the EU, Christian Danielsson. The conference included workshops and an exchange of best practice in the areas of energy infrastructures, transport, environmental issues and their consequences on sustainable economic growth.

This meeting is part of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation, which is particularly emphasizing on the importance of innovation as an engine of growth and development in times of crisis.