On the week from 12 to 16 December, AER Vice-President Treasurer Magnus Berntsson, Vice-President of the region of Västra Götaland (SE), reached out to five Spanish regions, non members of AER, to inform them about the new ways of working of the organisation, and hear about their needs and priorities. As he stated after the week of meetings: “it is indeed key to constantly adapt our work and our focus, to stay in line with what really matters for the regions of Europe, and there is nothing better than face-to-face meetings with the main stakeholders, in their own region, to understand these needs and the fabulous diversity of our territories!”.

Mr. Berntsson was accompanied in this important task by Charlotte Beijer, Seconded Officer to Mr. Berntsson, from the department of External Relations of Västra Götaland; and Alexandre Brecx, responsible for Members and Institutional Relations in the AER Secretariat. The delegation crossed the country during the week, to meet with representatives from the Basque Country (Euskadi), Castilla y León, Galicia, Andalusia and the Balearic Islands. This mission took place in the framework of a decision of the AER General Assembly to strengthen the links with our Spanish counterparts. In a first trip earlier in 2016, AER President Hande Özsan Bozatli already met with Catalonia, Valencia, Murcia, Aragon, Navarra, Castilla la Mancha and Madrid.

Basque Country

Castilla y León

Galicia

Andalusia

Balearic Islands