On 14th January 2002 in Strasbourg, the Assembly of European Regions met with the Secretaries General of its 13 interregional organisation members, to strengthen interregional cooperation and set up a common political platform for the increased participation of the regional organisations in decision-making at european level. They unanimously decided that today’s european context calls for the organisation of a top level conference of regional leaders and the launch of concrete steps for the conference of the 14 Presidents of the main interregional organisations in Europe to be held in Linz (A) on 21st March 2002.
Four topics will be discussed in particular:
– new governance and the future of Europe as well as the regions participation in the work of the Convention launched by the European Council in Laeken,
– new instruments for European Regional Policy after 2006, in favour of a polycentric development of our continent,
– the regional perspective for the implementation of Trans-European Networks (TENs) and the contribution of interregional cooperation to the development of environmentally sound transport in Europe,
– new quality models for Common Agricultural Policy in line with sustainable development and the concerns of rural populations.
The Committee of the Regions (CoR), the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE) Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CMER) will be involved in this intitative.
AER member interregional organisations are: Assembly of European Wine-growing Regions (AREV), Assembly of European Fruit and Vegetable Growing and Horticultural Regions (AREFLH), European Association of Regions with Industrial Technology (RETI), Association of European Border Regions (AEBR), Working Community of the Adriatic Alps (ALPE ADRIA), Working Community of the Alpine Countries (ARGE ALP), Working Community of the Western Alps (COTRAO), Working Community of the Lower and Middle Adriatic, Working Community of GaliciaNorth Portugal, Working Community of the Jura (CTJ), Working Community of the Danube Countries (ARGE DONAULÄNDER), Working Community of the Pyrenees (CTP) and the Conference of Peripheral and Maritime Regions (CPMR).
For more information: [email protected]
