Paris, Ile-de-France (F), 18 May 2013
The Assembly of European Regions (AER) adopted three new political reports. AER developed the concept of reports with the purpose of raising the political voice of European Regions on concrete issues. After adoption, the reports become the tools to lobby key European and National policy makers to determine a way forward.
“The role for regions in enabling a future for electric vehicles” – Melville Kendal – Deputy leader of Hampshire County (UK)
This report aims to highlight the importance of facilitating electric vehicles. The main recommendations include: need for further Inter-operability of the supporting infrastructure behind vehicle charging, ‘Universality’ wich will allow the owners of electric vehicles drive outside there locality, Promotion and Communication to tackle the lack of confidence in electric vehicles and current battery charging systems.
Participating Regions: Västra Götaland (S), Alsace (F), Baden-Württemberg (D), Norrbotten (S), Poitou-Charentes (F), Quebec (CA), Sarajevo (BiH) and Timis (RO).
“IDeal Index: Development of an indicator measuring the region’s true progress”– Beat Vonlanthen, State Councillor of Fribourg (CH)
The Vonlanthen report suggests the use of the IDeal index to improve the lackings of GDP as an indicator of the true progress of a society. This new index takes into account life expectancy, perceived satisfaction over one’s quality of life and socio-economic and environmental parameters. “The enclosed phrase ‘I deal’ also carries the idea of ‘I participate in the sustainable development of my region’. Moreover, the decision to write the word ‘IDeal’ with the twin capitals ‘ID’ also shows a distinct intent to highlight that the identity (ID) of a region is involved”, explains Vonlanthen in the report.
Participating Regions: Bruxelles-Capitale (B), Edirne (TR), Alsace (F), Midi-Pyrénées (F), Limousin (F), Etelä-Pohjanmaa (FIN), Wien (A), Hradec Kralove (CZ), Östergötlands (S), Uppsala (S) and Jönköping (S).
Download the Vonlanthen report
“Rurality and regional development: Unlocking our territories’ economic and social potential”– Jean-Paul Denanot, President of Limousin Region (F)
The report advocates the potential of rural regions in Europe and puts forward suggestions to ensure this potential is fully exploited. Opening up these territories through transport infrastructure and digital development is the key to attract new industries and jobs. Creating a new rural development policy, independent from the agricultural one, becomes therefore necessary. Mr. Denanot underlined the risk of budget cuts on the new 2014-2020 programme: “Increased dialogue is needed to be conducted to improve the EU’s funding system. We should replace the current system, which consists in each Member State giving and receiving a contribution, by a budget based on the Union’s own resources, most notably via taxation on financial transactions or carbon emissions, two taxes which could usefully serve territorial cohesion in Europe”.
Participating Regions: Limousin (F), Andalucia (E), Jämtland (S), Gelderland (NL), Etelä-Pohjanmaa (FIN), Östergötland (S), Gabrovo (B), Hampshire (UK) Vojvodina (SRB), and Fondation rurale de Wallonie (B)
The Assembly of European Regions (AER – aer.eu) is the largest independent network of regions in wider Europe. Bringing together 250 regions from 35 countries and 16 interregional organisations, AER is the political voice of its members and a forum for interregional co-operation.
For more information: infor@aer.eu
