European Union News - Regional Policy

The Committee on Regional Development of the European Parliament has launched to study a more result and performance-based delivery system in cohesion policy.

The biggest event for cities and regions in Europe is getting closer. The preliminary programme for Open Days 2010 can now be downloaded, and registration is available in the event website.

The European Commission is supporting a project on Active Ageing of Migrant Elders across Europe (AEMEE project) which is realised by the Ministry of Intergenerational Affairs, Family, Women and Integration of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

Due to finance constraints, Regions are facing increasing problems to meet the requirements to get the most from EU funding. For that reason, the Commission has put forward a set of new measures aimed at simplifying management rules for the structural and cohesion funds. The changes should help to facilitate access to the funds and accelerate flows of investment at a time when public budgets are under pressure.

On the occasion of the meeting between the Committee of the Regions and national ministries of Urban Development held in Toledo (Spain), President of the Committee, Mercedes Bresso, stressed the need for future EU regional funding to increase attention in bridging infraregional disparities. At this meeting President Bresso presented the results of the recent CoR opinion, prepared at the request of the Spanish presidency.

According to the data released by Eurostat, the GDP per inhabitant varied in the European Union from 41% to 268%. These data are based on first preliminary estimates for 2009 and provide information for EU27, as well as candidate countries, EFTA and four Western Balkan countries.

The EuropeAid Co-operation Office has published a call for a short-list to improve the professional skills and knowledge about the European Union and the ENP (European Neighbourhood Policy) of relevant staff from within the civil service and public administrations of countries ENP partners to be held for 36 months.

The Spanish Secretary of State for the European Union, Diego López Garrido, and the President of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek have signed an amendment to the Regulation governing Community Funds

The contribution of European territories, regions and cities to the Europe 2020 Strategy is the focus of the Open Seminar “ESPON Evidence for Regional Policy-Making” on 9 - 10 June 2010 in Madrid.