The AER 2024 General Assembly, the Spring Bureau Meeting, the Bioeconomy Working Group meeting and the 8th Black Sea Summit took place from the 12 to 14 of June in the vibrant city of Batumi, in the Autonomous Republic of Ajara. The three-day event gathered regional representatives and stakeholders across all of Europe and represented an opportunity to foster interregional cooperation at the international level.
Changing perspectives for a sustainable future
On June 12, the three-day event kicked off with the workshop of Working Group on Bioeconomy “Changing perspectives on resources for a sustainable bioeconomy,” which provided a platform to explore diverse regional approaches to enhancing bioeconomy policies and practices. Participants shared examples of innovative strategies aimed at promoting sustainability in the bioeconomy sector. Nataša Ritonija, representative of Eastern Slovenia and CEO of the Regional Development Agency of Podravje Maribor, was appointed as the new chairperson, opening the way for future advancements in sustainable initiatives at a regional level.
The way ahead: AER Bureau discusses political priorities for 2025-2030
On the afternoon of 12 June, the Spring Bureau Meeting set the stage for fruitful discussions with the key objective of defining the political priorities of the network and establishing the strategic direction of its advocacy work.
AER Vice President Johannes Sundelin (Norrbotten, SE) provided an overview of the Bureau activities from December 2023 to June 2024, highlighting the commitment on future cohesion policy aiming to strengthen economic, social and territorial cohesion across Europe. Harold Zoet, Regional Minister of the Gelderland (NL) and Chair of the AER Task Force on Agriculture and Regional Development, shared insights on the recent activities led by the task force. Mr Zoet reframed various challenges as opportunities for further advancement, focusing on issues such as energy, food security, health, water, and agricultural practices relevant across states and regions.
The Bureau meeting also saw the adoption of the Position on Cohesion Policy post-2027. Albert Castellanos, President of AER and Co-chair of the Task Force on Cohesion Policy, presented the key messages of the position. He emphasized that future cohesion policy must strive to build a cohesive, competitive, and inclusive Europe, capable of addressing the challenges of the green and digital transitions while ensuring that no region is left behind.
Pan-European achievements and strategic commitments secured during the General Assembly 2024
The General Assembly 2024 highlighted key achievements and long-term strategic commitments.
The event was enriched by the insightful remarks of Tunc Soyer, President of the Chamber of Regions of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. A significant milestone of the assembly was the ratification of the AER Multi-Annual Strategy 2024-2031, a pivotal document outlining the AER vision for the future. This Strategy reaffirms our core values, restates our ambitions and charts the best course to address new challenges and opportunities for regions, increasing the impact of our work. Read it here.
Updates from Knowledge and Policy Transfer activities
Policy and knowledge transfer activities continued to advance thanks to the constant efforts of the AER Working Groups. Daniel Schützer (Värmland, SE), Chair the Mental Health Working Group. Nataša Ritonija, Chair for Bioeconomy Working Group, Albert Castellanos (Catalonia, ES) for Green Hydrogen Working Group emphasised the working groups’ role as vital hubs for knowledge exchange and collaborative initiatives among AER members.
Highlights from Eurodyssey, Youth Regional Network, Summer Academy
Esther Estany Campos (Catalonia, ES), Eurodyssey President, highlighted recent developments within the program, noting active participation from member regions like the Azores, Catalonia, and Cyprus. The upcoming 2024 forum in Brussels aims to deepen cooperation among members.
Sigrun Myrvang (Innlandet, Norway), First Vice-President of the Youth Regional Network, outlined the transformation of YRN into a vibrant platform for European youth. Myrvang highlighted the role of digital cooperation and capacity building events across Europe, underscoring YRN’s commitment to amplifying youth voices within AER and beyond.
At the same event, Stig Olsen, Åshild Opøyen, and Kassandra Eleni Petsa (Nordland, NO) from the Summer Academy 2024 team invited participants to join the Summer Academy in Bodø, Norway. They showcased Bodø’s cultural richness as the European Capital of Culture for 2024, with numerous events planned throughout the year.
Highlights from the AER EU Projects
Mirjam de Jong, EU Finance and Communication Manager, delivered an insightful overview of the achievements of EU projects led and joined by AER. She highlighted successful engagement with EU funding sources, which have fostered dialogue and collaboration among regions. EU projects have also provided an efficient framework for integrating initiatives of strong interest to member regions, such as the MEET Project and intergenerational debates on Europe’s future. Mirjam encouraged participation in upcoming events like the AER event during the EU Week of Regions and Cities and EU Belong webinars. She also introduced exciting new projects such as “Climbing the Ladder,” which focused on youth empowerment.
2024 Elections at the General Assembly
During the Elections session at the General Assembly, Linda Helén Hautland (Nordland, NO) was elected Vice President. Thomas Hartman (Västerbotten, SE), Erjon Nexhipi (Korçë, AL), and Vyacheslav Berezhnyy (Kryvyy Rih, UA) were elected as members of the Monitoring and Evaluation Group. Marina Medaric (Primorje-Gorski Kotar, HR) and Kenneth Backgård (Norrbotten, SE) were elected Members of the Election Committee.
The 8th Black Sea Summit at a glance
Held on 13 and 14 June, the 8th Black Sea Summit explored the issues of interregional cooperation, innovation, and agriculture and rural development, examining how all these elements can foster partnerships and leverage strategic advantages for mutual benefit.
As Master of Ceremonies of the Opening Plenary, Dr. Leila Alieva, Affiliate at REES, Oxford School for Area and Global Studies, set the tone for the Summit by highlighting the importance of overcoming physical and cultural barriers to build cross-border bridges. Dr. Alieva stressed the evolution from tolerance to appreciation, emphasising the crucial role of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and dignity in nurturing international cooperation.
Tornike Rijvadze, Chairman of the Autonomous Republic of Ajara, expressed aspirations for cooperation between Ajara and other regions within the Assembly. Stressing alignment with common European values as they move towards EU membership, Rijvadze highlighted the significance of intergovernmental and interregional collaboration in driving economic growth and prosperity, positioning the region as a hub for innovation and tourism. He also emphasised the strategic importance of the Black Sea in connecting Europe and Asia, fostering economic activity, trade, and bolstering Europe’s autonomy through collaborative efforts.
Jaba Phutkaradze, Ajara’s Minister of Finance and Economy, highlighted the strategic location of Ajara within the the country and the Black Sea Region, renowned for its rich historical heritage and Georgian hospitality. He promoted Ajara as an inclusive destination welcoming visitors from diverse cultural backgrounds, advocating for rapid progress and development across the region and the nation as a whole.
Connectivity as an asset: the Black Sea region between politics, economics and sustainable development
The three panels of the Black Sea Summit dived in three key issues: interregional cooperation, innovation and start-ups and sustainable agriculture and rural development. In a region whose greatest asset is being a connection between Europe, Russia and Middle East, these issues are deeply intertwined: their successful development is subject to a cross-party, resilient cooperation between local actors with a global mindset.
The first panel, moderated by Dr Alieva, focused on regional dynamics and political cooperation, and it was animated by contributions of Tunc Soyer, President of the Chamber of Regions of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Ambassador Venera Domi, Executive Manager in charge of Environmental Protection of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), and Vadym Shkarivskiyi, Deputy Chairman of Odesa Regional Council.
The second panel, moderated by Natia Tsiklauri, Head of Analysis, Monitoring and Evaluation Department of the Georgia Innovation and Development Agency, explored the progress of start-ups and innovation in the Black Sea region with Zana Gumüš, City Council Member of Sariyer District Municipality and Tornike Zirakishvili, Deputy CEO of Enterprise Georgia.
The third panel, moderated by Vania Freitas, Acting Secretary General of AER, explored the interaction between agriculture, rural development and decarbonisation with the contributions of Ambassador Venera Domi, Black Sea Economic Cooperation, Irakli Goradze, UNDP Coordinator for the agro-farms in the National Park of Machakhela, Ucha Surmanidze, Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy of Ajara, and Aida Karimli, First Vice President, Environmental Committee, Region Västra Götaland.
A study visit to Machakhela National Park – UNDP Funded agro-farms as an example of innovative sustanability
The conclusion of the event was marked by a visit to the UNDP-funded agro-farms in Machakhela National Park. Here, guests were able to witness firsthand innovative activities such as beekeeping, winemaking, and advanced biomass utilisation. These initiatives are the result of collaborative support projects involving UNDP, the Ministry of Environment and Agriculture of Georgia, the Ministry of Agriculture of Ajara Autonomous Republic, and Khelvachauri Municipality, funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and the Japanese Government.
As announced during the General Assembly 2024, the General Assembly 2025 will take place in Maribor (East Slovenia).
