European regions have agreed to establish an Intercultural Regions Network to better work together to develop comprehensive intercultural strategies to manage diversity and migration. The initiative was presented by the Assembly of European Regions and the Government of Catalonia on 5 November at a meeting held at the Delegation of the Government of Catalonia to the EU in … [Read more...]
AER Debate on Glocalising the Sustainable Development Goals
The AER debate on Glocalising the Sustainable Development Goals will take place in Brussels on 5 December from 14.30-16.00. As we approach the decade of delivery of the 2030 Agenda, including a comprehensive review of its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the European Union (EU) debates how it can follow up on its commitments by 2030, this panel debate will reflect … [Read more...]
AER Political Priorities 2020-2025 – Have your say!
AER is seeking views on its proposed Political Priorities for 2020-2025. This consultation is open to all AER members. Responses to the consultation can be sent using the online form here. The closing date for responses is 10 October. More details about the consultation and on how to respond below. About this consultation This consultation aims … [Read more...]
Intercultural Regions – Where to Next?
Building on the impetus generated at the AER’s Spring Bureau Meeting in Larnaca (CY) on 6 June 2019, Catalonia has taken the initiative to lay out a plan for convening a Network of Intercultural Regions. The network will be based on close cooperation and information sharing between European regions. If your region is committed to developing comprehensive intercultural … [Read more...]
Cohesion Alliance One Year On: “Together for a strong Cohesion policy 2021-2027”
On 10 July, our President Magnus Berntsson spoke at the #CohesionAlliance Conference in Brussels. One year after the presentation of the cohesion policy legislative proposals for 2021-2027 by the European Commission, and following the establishment of the first-reading position by the European Parliament and the agreement of the Council on … [Read more...]
Sustainable Development Goals – Engaging Regions
In 2015, United Nations (UN) Member States adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In that same year, at the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Parties to the UNFCCC adopted the Paris Agreement, addressing the need to … [Read more...]
European Committee of the Regions and Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe celebrate 25th Anniversary
On 27 June, AER marked the 25th Anniversary of the European Committee of the Regions and Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. The President of AER, Magnus Berntsson, has joined the President of the European Committee of the Regions, Karl-Heinz Lambertz, and the President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Anders Knape, to mark … [Read more...]
Developing sustainable and inclusive food systems at regional level
The AER Bureau Meeting in Larnaca (CY) on 6 June included an in-depth panel on "Sustainability from Farm to Fork”, moderated by Irén Lejegren, Chair of the AER Task Force on Food Security, Region Örebro (SE). The session looked at the challenges and opportunities involved in developing sustainable and inclusive food systems at regional level. The Agricultural Research … [Read more...]
Building Intercultural Regions
AER’s General Assembly and Spring Bureau Meeting in Larnaca (CY) on 5-6 June 2019 brought together regional leaders from across Europe to discuss how to harnesses the benefits of migration and diversity for a more inclusive and democratic Europe. Round Table "Connecting the dots - Multi-level, Multi-actor Migration” During the Round Table "Connecting the dots - … [Read more...]
Call for Nominations: AER Political Priorities Task Force
We are seeking nominations from AER Bureau Members to join the AER Political Priorities Task Force by completing the online nomination form available here. Following the decision by the Bureau to set up a Task Force to prepare the AER Political Priorities for the period 2020-2025 at the Bureau Meeting in Gelderland (NL) on 22 November 2018, AER is forming a Task Force to … [Read more...]
AER explores E-Health, Transport & Inclusion during workshops at Spring Committee Plenaries
E-health workshop Agneta Granström (Norrbotten, SE), Chair of the AER E-Health Network, opened the workshop by providing a brief update on the activities of the Network. Highlighting the group’s key successes in bringing e-health to the forefront of the European agenda and fostering interregional cooperation in this field, Agneta mentioned the H2020 SEED project and its Silver … [Read more...]
Debate: “Europe: the way forward. What future for regions?”
What are the main challenges of the European project? Is the EU still fit for purpose? What is the future of regions in a reformed Union? Here are some highlights of the “Europe: the way forward. What future for regions?” debate held in the City of Maastricht on 29 November as part of the AER Autumn Bureau meeting. The future of Europe has been part of many conversations … [Read more...]
Highlights from the AER Youth Regional Network’s Autumn Plenary Meeting!
On the 3-5 November in Brussels, the AER Youth Regional Network held its Autumn Plenary Meeting, with three days of discussions, experience exchange and decisions on some of the most topical issues regarding youth. The meeting outlined debates and reactions to the integration of young migrants, youth mobility and youth participation in sustainability. The Plenary kicked … [Read more...]
AER meets with the European Commission and the Committee of the Regions
A busy week in Brussels On 26 and 27 September, AER President Magnus Berntsson, Vice-President Anna Magyar and Rapporteur on the future of cohesion policy Michiel Rijsberman met with EU Commissioners Corina Creţu and Günther Oettinger, and the President of the Committee of the Regions, Karl-Heinz Lambertz in Brussels. The meetings covered the future of the EU budget and … [Read more...]
Workshop on smart green and integrated transport systems
The AER working group on Transports and Mobility held a workshop on smart green and integrated transport systems on 14 September, during the Nancy plenary meetings. The aim was to enable AER members to discuss issues of sustainable mobility, including the European Strategy on Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS), and the role regions can play in a C-ITS … [Read more...]