Strasbourg, Alsace (F), 17 October 2012

At a time when the European Union is going through a period of economic instability, European funds play a particular role in the development and restarting of regional economies. The Assembly of European Regions (AER) has therefore published a report that aims at enabling European regions to improve access to European programmes, whether sectoral or structural. This policy report entitled ‘Information and Access to European Funding’ contains facts and findings, examples of best practices and makes practical recommendations that will allow more regions to improve access to EU funds.

The report is provided by the Alsace Region (F) and its First Vice-President André Reichardt, also Vice-President of AER: “This report is based on a diagnosis made on initiatives already implemented in Alsace. Other regions in Europe have identified the same facts as we did, so we have to pool our ideas and efforts together – herein lies the key role of AER on the topic in question. We indeed hope that a maximum number of regional actors could have a better knowledge, understanding and benefit from these opportunities”.

In line with the recommendations of the Reichardt Report, the European Centre for Public Administration (PEAP) in Strasbourg* decided to launch an educational initiative with expertise in training in regional management of European funds.
The training is aligned with the dual outlook of the next programming and management transfer to regions of Structural Funds, in France.
The objectives of this initiative:
– to promote the transfer of knowledge between the Alsace region, already manager of European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) on an experimental level, the services of the government and all the French regions
– to encourage the exchange of experience between European regions
– to provide training for project developers

* The European Centre for Public Administration gathers the National School of Administration, the National Institute for Field Studies, the University of Strasbourg, the The Institute for Political Studies in Strasbourg, the Kehl Euro-Institute, the Government, the Regional Council of Alsace, the City Hall and the Urban Community of Strasbourg.

Partners – the Reichardt Report has been completed thanks to the contributions of the following regions: Alsace (F), Champagne-Ardenne (F), Krapina-Zagorjie (HR), Madeira (P) Picardie (F), Popravljeno (HR) et Wallonie (B).

The Assembly of European Regions (AER – aer.eu) is the largest independent network of regions in wider Europe. Bringing together more than 250 regions from 35 countries and 16 interregional organisations, AER is the political voice of its members and a forum for interregional co-operation.