European Union News - Regional Policy

MEPs approved a non-legislative resolution at the plenary session in which they underlined that EU and national procedures must be simplified to enable poorer regions in particular to access and invest higher rates of EU funding for regional development and building competitiveness.

A new Commission communication on using research and innovation to boost regional competitiveness highlights the need to exploit synergies between the EU's regional policies and research and innovation programmes. In the communication, the Commission points out that ultimately, the EU's research and regional policies have a common goal, namely creating jobs and growth.

The European Convention of ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability organised the 12-13 September met local authorities committed to sustainability. The main conclusion of the meeting was that without the full involvement of local authorities, EU sustainable development commitments and grassroots promotion of a new EU growth model will not materialise.

The European Court of Auditors (ECA) published a report with the conclusions on the results of touristic projects co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The report shows that all of the projects examined provided positive results in one form or another and furthermore, 98% of projects continuing to be operational at the time of the audit.

120 representatives from 30 member regions of the Assembly of European Regions (AER) met in Italy on the occasion of Eurodyssey’s annual Forum celebrated on 8 and 9 September. During the celebration of such forum, the European Commission promised to give its support for the extension of the programme.

36 mayors and regional politicians from the EU and Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine inaugurated on 8 of September the new platform set up by the EU Committee of the Regions, the Conference of regional and local authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP).

The Committee of the Regions, AGE Platform Europe and the European Commission have issued a brochure presenting EU funding possibilities for regional and local initiatives to promote active ageing and solidarity between generations. The brochure aims to make a particular contribution to the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations 2012.

Created by the Committee of the Regions in 2009, the European Entrepreneurial Region (EER) Prize aims to reward those European regions with outstanding support to entrepreneurial vision. European regions wishing to submit an application for EER 2013 Prize can do so until November 10th 2011. The Committee of the Regions will announce a maximum of three winning regions by the beginning of 2012.

The OPEN DAYS is a key event at which cities and regions showcase their capacity for creating growth and jobs, implementing European Union cohesion policy, and prove the importance of the local level for good European governance. The preliminary programme for this event can now be downloaded, and registration is available in the event website.

The European Commission published a Green Paper which has as main goal how to shape a more targeted and more ambitious strategy for the future, which will make clearer to consumers – both in the EU and beyond - the quality, traditions and added-value of European agricultural and food products.