The political Bureau of the Assembly of European Regions (AER) will meet on Friday 2nd March. At the invitation of Mr Stächele, Secretary of State for Baden-Württemberg (D) and President of the AER Institutional Committee, this meeting will take place in Oberkirch – Baden-Württemberg.

Roughly 50 representatives, chaired by Mrs Prokop, AER President, from the regions of Europe will mainly focus on three priority issues:

1. Governance: only a few months from the publishing of the “White paper on European governance” the Bureau will finalise, among other issues, the preparation of its contribution for the public hearings of the European Commission planned for midMarch.

2. The European constitutional system: The AER Institutional Committee met on 8th and 9 th February in Berlin, chaired by Willi Stächele, and drew up a draft position on this important issue. On the basis of this document, the Bureau will discuss the AER’s position, in particular in view of the next Intergovernmental Conference in 2004.

3. Cohesion: The AER wishes to make a major contribution to the debate on the future of Regional policy in view of the cohesion forum to be held in May 2001. The Bureau will therefore specify the overall lines which will allow AER members to develop an indepth discussion on the future of Regional policy. The contribution of AER member regions’ from EU applicant countries will represent real added value for this debate.

For more information: [email protected]