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ALEC2010: First international conference on Regions’ e-he@lth

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Luleå – Norrbotten (S), 5 February 2010.

The Assembly of European Regions’ (AER) e-he@lth network has organised the first international e-he@lth conference that targets directly the regions and their partners. Over 200 regional politicians, officers, university experts and entrepreneurs from across Europe have come to the Arctic Light E-health Conference (ALEC2010) in Norrbotten (S) to share their successes and mistakes and discuss how they can work together to make e-health a reality for all citizens.

“The ultimate goal of the AER e-he@lth network is to improve our citizens’ health and quality of life. E-health allows us to harness the potential of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and to provide healthcare where our citizens want it and when they need it. Our citizens are at the centre of our work: we want to give them the knowledge and the tools they need to make informed decisions about their health,” said Agneta Granström, Chairperson of the AER e-he@lth network and County Commissioner of Norrbotten County Council (S).

AER member regions are true incubators for innovation in healthcare. The Province of Noord-Brabant (NL) decided to act as a catalyst for the development of smart care in the region, even though this area is not listed among their primary competences. They have created a platform where regional, commercial and healthcare organisations, as well as user/patient associations, can work together to develop innovative responses to the challenges posed by demographic change and an ageing population.

Regions are cooperating to bring down borders in healthcare. The Canton of Basel-Stadt (CH) is working with neighbouring Germany on a pilot project that will allow citizens to receive medical treatment on the other side of the border. The obstacles they encountered ranged from creating acceptance among the health professionals to amending their respective legal systems, which previously did not allow patients to seek treatment abroad. Their experience has shown them that it is important to adopt an incremental approach to change, taking one step at a time, involving health professionals and end users from the very beginning and communicating success.

ALEC2010 aimed to shape the regions’ e-health agenda for the coming years. “The debates of the past two days have emphasised the importance of cooperation. We have the technology and we have the entrepreneurs. Our role as regions is to make sure that they create the e-health tools that our citizens and patients really need. If we all work together around the same table, we can make sure that e-health delivers not only quality healthcare, but also economic gains for our regions. The AER e-he@lth network will develop an education programme for regional politicians, to increase knowledge about how e-health can be successfully implemented across regions. There is no future without e-health,” concluded Agneta Granström.

For more information: [email protected]

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Hübner in “Deep Water” at AER Summer School in Valencia

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Valencia (E), 28th August 2009

In her first speech as chairwoman of the European Parliament’s Committee for Regional Development, Danuta Hübner has said that water will be a “major priority” of the EU’s Regional Policy.

“There are regions that will require specific responses, which will be more affected than others by droughts, floods or water scarcity,” Ms Hübner said today. “That is why, more than ever, the European regional policy 2007-2013 will be ambitious in its environmental initiatives at local and regional level.”

Ms Hübner was speaking on the final day of the Assembly of European Regions’ (AER) 14th annual Summer School, hosted by the Spanish region of Valencia. Focusing this year on water issues, the week-long event in the city of Valencia brought together around 150 regional politicians, officers and young people, along with international experts and EU officials, to address the many challenges related to water.

AER president Michèle Sabban, speaking earlier this week, said: “We are not in Valencia by accident. Spain is the European country most threatened by desertification and drought.”

“By bringing young people together with experts and politicians to discuss this increasingly global problem, we hope to promote a new “water culture” in the regions. The young people here can take back to the regions what they have learnt this week, thereby raising awareness among peers who will face the consequences tomorrow of what we do today.”

The summer school featured expert speakers, roundtables and workshops, along with study visits where participants could see firsthand the Valencia region’s expertise in water management.

Valencia’s deputy minister for European affairs, Rafael Ripoll, noted that the region of Valencia, whose strong commitment to addressing water scarcity has made it a European leader in the field, is the “perfect framework to talk about promoting the better use of water across all the European regions.”

Background
The proper management of water plays a key role in maintaining biodiversity, human health as well as in economic and social development. The “blue” challenge is of huge importance as the world enters a water crisis. Safe access to water for all is one of the Millennium Goals, while water savings can be improved by around 40% in Europe.
By bringing together decision makers, officials and young people, the AER Summer School in Valencia aimed to provide the tools to regions to tackle the challenges of water management. Participants were able to share experiences, develop new instruments to raise awareness and define strategies to contribute to creating a water-saving culture across the regions of Europe.

For more information: [email protected]

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AER-UNDP conference: European regions and African territories strengthen co-operation on climate change

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Limoges, Limousin (F), 31 March 2009.

Decentralising and strengthening co-operation between the European regions and African territories can play a vital role in tackling climate change, a conference organised by the Assembly of European Regions (AER) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) heard today.

Hosted in Limoges by the AER member region Limousin (F), the two-day conference brought European regional politicians together with their regional and state-level counterparts from Burkina Faso, Senegal, Morocco and Cameroon, along with civil society representatives, experts and academics from across Europe and Africa.

The Limoges Declaration (see link below), adopted at the conference today, recognises the “profound consequences on human health and economic activities” of global warming, and calls on all levels of government, NGOs, the private sector, social movements and international bodies to take a more “holistic approach” to climate change in the form of decentralised and strengthened co-operation.

The declaration further calls on the European regions to support sustainable development initiatives in Africa’s territories, especially in the promotion of energy efficiency, alternative fuel sources and the use of clean technologies. A number of European regions are already supporting such initiatives with growing success, as the partnership between the Limousin region and (the Republic of) Burkina Faso has demonstrated.

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Quotes about the conference:

Michèle Sabban, AER president
I am especially pleased that our colleagues from Burkina Faso, Senegal, Morocco and Cameroon are taking part in this conference. AER’s member regions stand ready to share with African territories their knowledge, experience and good practice in climate change policy, and I am convinced that such decentralised, ground-up co-operation between our two continents can bring a huge contribution to the global fight against climate change.

Cécile Molinier, director, UNDP office in Geneva
Regional authorities play a crucial role in the implementation of climate change adaptation measures in areas such as agriculture, infrastructure planning, training and water resource management. And, due to their close outreach at local levels and to civic society, the regions can encourage public consensus by raising citizen awareness and integrating the poorest populations in climate change and related policies.

Jean-Paul Denanot, president, Limousin Regional Council
I want to underline the importance of diversity in a global issue such as climate change; the diversity of traditions, of approaches, of climates and territorial priorities, of developments and even of languages. This diversity makes our world richer; it also means that the public policy measures against climate change and commitment of global, European, national and regional authorities should be in synergy.

Blaise Compaore, president, Burkina Faso
My participation in this conference shows the personal interest I have in addressing environmental challenges. In my country, the emerging concept of eco-citizenship and environmental education has really raised awareness within the population, especially among young people.

Luc Bas, head of government relations, Europe, The Climate Group
It is impressive to see so many regions acting in the fight against climate change in Europe and especially to see them connect directly with their counterparts in developing countries. This shows that the claim for recognition as an important partner in the text of the Copenhagen agreement is a very rightful one.

Theodora Avgoulidou, advisor to the secretary-general, region of Central Macedonia (GR)
Success stories that have brought together regions from Europe to tackling major challenges can be transferred to third countries too. Co-ordinated action in water management, including the use of efficient and low-cost technologies as practiced at regional level in South-Eastern Europe through, for example, the Balkan Environment Centre, can provide a floor for integrated aquatic resources management globally.

For more information: [email protected]

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Awarded: The Best AER Youth Ambassador on Sustainable Development Project 2007/2008

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The Assembly of European Regions (AER) awarded today its Best AER Youth Ambassador on Sustainable Development Project 2007/2008 to a young Czech who has been raising awareness of the issue in his region.

AER’s Youth Ambassadors had earlier presented their projects on ‘Sustainable Development’ to Ladislav Miko, Director of Directorate B – Protecting the Natural Environment, within the European Commission’s DG Environment. Aiming to involve other young people in their communities, the Youth Ambassadors have implemented some innovative projects in their home regions.

‘I found the idea very interesting. Mr Miko said today. ‘Young people can often come up with new ideas which inspire responsible decision makers. In addition, by developing projects on sustainability they help to increase awareness about environmental problems among young people’.

Following Mr Miko’s evaluation, AER singled out Anton Kuzmin’s ‘Debating tournament for the Healthier surroundings’ project. In his home region of Olomuc (CZ), he had organised in March a single-day, five-round debate tournament for youngsters between the ages of 14 and 20. More than 100 students from high schools across the region took part in the event, along with representatives from the regional office and Association of Debating Clubs. Mr. Kuzmin was given credit for raising young people’s awareness of sustainable development and encouraging them to prepare themselves about the discussion topic. His project was also publicised in regional press and on YouTube.

AER’s Youth Ambassadors were selected by young people from across Europe during last year’s AER Youth Summer School (YSS). This year’s YSS will take place on 24-30 August in Östersund, Jämtland (S), and will focus on ‘Youth Entrepreneurship in the European Regions’.

For more information: [email protected]

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New EU Reform Treaty in Line with AER Position

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The outcome of the European Council held on 22-23 June is fully in line with the position taken by the Assembly of European Regions (AER), and presented to the German Presidency in February this year. The AER called on EU Member States to set up an Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) as soon as possible and to ensure that the European Parliament was properly represented in its work.

At its Brussels summit, the European Council decided that the concept of the European Constitution would be replaced by a new ‘Reform Treaty’. All references to the term ‘Constitution’ and to signs and symbols of the European Union, will be removed. The Reform Treaty will amend and not replace the old Treaties, and will consist of two parts. The first part will be the existing Treaty on European Union, otherwise known as the Maastricht Treaty, which basically corresponds to Parts I and IV of the Constitutional Treaty. The second part of the Reform Treaty will be a Treaty on the Functioning of the Union; this will be an amended version of the Treaty establishing the European Community (otherwise known as the Treaty of Rome), which is comparable to Part III of the Constitutional Treaty. The Intergovernmental Conference, which is due to begin its work in July, will have responsibility for agreeing the amendments to these two treaties, and will take into account most of the provisions agreed under the Constitutional Treaty. Both newly amended treaties have the same legal status and will enter into force at the same time.

The European Council agreed the framework for the negotiations that will take place in the intergovernmental conference, setting out which items of the Constitutional Treaty will be maintained, and which ones will be reformed or dropped. The Council agreed that new Reform Treaty will safeguard the key gains for the regions that the AER had been successful in securing in the Constitutional Treaty. These include the recognition of regional identities, the principle of territorial cohesion and the right of the Committee of the Regions to take the Commission to the European Court of Justice, if the principle of subsidiarity is deemed to have been breached. In some areas, these gains have even been extended further. For example, there will be a new article in the Reform Treaty that will give national parliaments eight weeks to raise objections to a draft law on the grounds that subsidiarity has been breached; this will be advantageous to regions which compose the second chambers of national parliaments, such as the German Länder.

The Charter of Fundamental Rights (Part II of the Constitutional Treaty) will be published as an annex to the treaties. It will have a cross-reference in the reformed Treaty on European Union, which will mean that it is legally binding. However, the United Kingdom has achieved a Protocol which basically allows it to opt out of the Charter. Poland also made a unilateral declaration that seeks to prevent the Charter being used to influence national legislation in public morality or family law.

The agreement on the Reform Treaty will allow the European Union to move forward with confidence and to reform its decision-making procedures. It will allow the EU to confidently address the challenges facing Europe and its regions, such as climate change. The new Treaty will in fact add the fight against climate change to the objectives of environmental policy. New possibilities are also opened up to bring forward action in areas such as energy security, civil protection and public health, and progress is made on common action on terrorism, asylum, migration and human trafficking.

The European Council agreed to retain the provisions on democratic participation, such as the citizens initiative, which allows citizens to request the EU to develop legislation. However, this alone will not be enough to engage citizens in the work of the European Union and to overcome the scepticism which currently surrounds the European project. It is important to ensure that the European Union takes the citizens with it in this reform process. Even if countries chose not to go ahead with the referenda that they had planned to hold on the Constitutional Treaty, there must be a proper flow of information to citizens about the Reform Treaty during the ratification period, which is expected to last until mid-2009, when the Treaty will enter into force. The Council gave the European Parliament an unprecedented 3 representatives in the Intergovernmental Conference, which will also help to ensure that the views of the citizens are not forgotten in the negotiations; the AER will endeavour to work closely with these Parliamentarians. It is imperative that citizens are not given the impression that their views no longer count, as this will only increase the distance between the European Union and the citizens. The AER is ready and willing to equip its member regions with the skills and the information necessary to ensure that their citizens are fully engaged in the debate on the future of Europe.

For more information: [email protected]

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The Assembly of European Regions 2006 vintage: Riccardo Illy re-elected AER President

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Mallorca, Balears Islands (E), 9 November 2006

Riccardo Illy, President of the Region Friuli Venezia Giulia (Italy), was re-elected President of the Assembly of European Regions (AER), for a second two-year mandate. In his speech after re-election, President Illy declared “Since the beginning of my first mandate two years ago, I gave myself the task to bring a new impulse to the AER and to help it take on modern challenges and realities, both at regional and European level. The new priorities and structures we have just adopted will allow our organisation to remain relevant for its members and to ensure that it is the most prominent European regional network and the key partner of European and international institutions on core issues of regional competence. Today, I am very proud that my colleagues have placed their trust in me again and have renewed my mandate as AER President. All the AER members can be confident that, together with the newly elected Presidium and Bureau, I will do my utmost to achieve our aims,” President Illy concluded.

The members of the AER Presidium

To work with President Riccardo Illy, the AER also elected the members of the Presidium:

Michèle Sabban, Vice-President of the Region Ile-de-France (France) and Peter Straub, President of the Landtag (Regional Parliament) of Baden Württemberg (Germany) are elected as Vice-Presidents. Mrs Sabban remains President of the ‘Gender equality’ Group. Mr Straub will chair the new Standing Committee on Institutional Affairs.

Brian Greenslade, Leader of Devon County Council (United Kingdom) is re-elected Vice-President Treasurer. Mr Greenslade will also chair the new Standing Committee on Monitoring and Evaluation.

Adrien Zeller, President of the Regional Council of Alsace (France), Ivan Jakovcic, President of the Region of Istria (Croatia) and David Kirk, Executive Member of Hampshire County Council (United Kingdom) are elected as ‘Invited members of the Presidium’.

The AER General Assembly also re-elected Klaus Klipp as Secretary General for a second five year mandate.

The new AER structure

The AER General Assembly adopted today 6 new key priorities for the period 2007-2012:
ß Promoting the modernisation and internationalisation of regional governance
ß Promoting innovation, growth and employment in Europe’s regions
ß Addressing the challenges of demographic change, migration, health and social exclusion
ß Ensuring sustainable development and combating environmental degradation
ß Delivering democracy through diversity, and promoting the diversity of culture, media and education
ß Creating a secure environment for citizens

In order to deliver these priorities effectively, a new committee structure has been established:

Committee 1: Economy and Regional Development
Committee 2: Social Policy and Public Health
Committee 3: Culture and Education

In addition, two new Standing Committees have been created:

Standing Committee for Institutional Affairs which will focus upon developing the AER core values of regional democracy, good governance and subsidiarity, building upon the past work of the Institutional Affairs Committee.
Standing Committee for Monitoring and Evaluation which will oversee the implementation of the new key priorities and will ensure that the work of the AER Committees and Programmes always results in concrete outcomes.

For more information: [email protected]

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Regional Quality Labels can make your mouth water, or how to promote rural areas’ economic development

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“We are convinced that labels are an excellent promotion tool for the regions and their local producers, particularly in rural or isolated zones. Labels represent not only the quality of a product but also the personality of a region,” stated Klaus Klipp, Secretary General of the Assembly of European Regions (AER). “This is the reason why regions should exploit their full potential to develop their economy. They must, however, respond to problems such as the multiplication of labels and their possible lack of credibility”. To respond to the needs of the European regions, the AER organised today its first Conference on regional quality labels.

70 participants from more than 30 regions took part in this event. Together, they assessed the impact, both positive and negative, that European standards – such as the Protected Geographical Indications or the Traditional Speciality Guaranteed – have on the quality of regional production. They exchanged views and experiences on the opportunities labels offer for local economies, how labels can contribute to better health and environmental sustainability and to what extent they can be employed as a communication tool for the region. The participating regions concluded that a genuine quality policy could respond to citizen requests regarding health, ecology and respect for the environment. “Quality labels can help regions move away from the automatisms of intensive agriculture, which lead to a strong price competition and stifle diversity,” Klaus Klipp added.

“Lets’ take the opportunity of the ongoing consultation on the revision of the European Union’s labelling policy to analyse the potential role of labels in regional policies and the opportunities they provide” said Mr Stavros Arnaoutakis, Member of the European Parliament and host of this event. “No doubt the new EU regulations on traditional quality produce will help us to develop and promote regional products within our countries, in Europe, and even worldwide. For example, in my region of Kriti, we have olive oil and wine protected with a designation of origin which certify the authenticity and quality of these products.”

 After this first step, the AER will support its regions’ initiatives on creating strong and clear regional quality labels. On its side, the AER suggests the EU to create a “GMO free” European label that would respond to the demands voiced by a majority of citizen.

The AER thanks MEP Arnaoutakis, the territorial authorities of Kriti and the Association of European Regions of Products of Origin (AREPO) for their strong support in organising this event.

For more information: [email protected]

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The Vienna conference on co-existence pays lip service to ‘freedom of choice’

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The ‘Freedom of Choice’ conference on co-existence, organised by the European Commission and the Austrian Presidency of the EU, has not born fruit, to the regret of the Assembly of European Regions (AER). Following our meeting at the end of March with European Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel, we expected more from this event. However, once at the conference, we simply realised that even the Commissioners concerned disagreed on the approach to be adopted on the basis of the opinion of the European Food Security Authority, namely: when it comes to authorising a specific product, is this merely an economic problem or also an environmental and health issue? Furthermore, the debate was distorted from the very beginning, due to the divergence in views on how to define co-existence and what thresholds should be introduced for labelling. These differences hinder any significant progress in regulating GMO crops.

The AER is not hiding from the truth: the existence of GMOs in Europe is today a reality which no one can deny. We insist however that guarantees must be put into place immediately, namely the application of the precautionary and polluter-pays principles and the adoption of common European rules, so that the regions can preserve their traditional agriculture. Leaving it up to Member States to individually decide what rules should be applied is definitely not a viable solution. Cross-contamination does not distinguish between national policies, on the contrary it can span the entire European continent!

The European Union should be more attentive to citizens’ concerns. Let us not forget that almost 70% were against the introduction of GMOs. The Vienna initiative could have been a success, as all participants contributed to a fruitful debate. Unfortunately, the Commission was not very present during the debates, despite its well-publicised wish to move towards more communication, transparency and democracy. In the end, this conference proved to be a closed event: for example, only two regions were officially invited to take the floor.

On a more positive note, however, during the March European Environmental Council, a number of Ministers criticised the current procedure for authorising GMOs and it was decided to improve this process in the coming months. We therefore congratulate the Austrian EU Presidency for its open approach to this issue.

The AER will closely monitor the progress of the European institutions and will continue its campaign for the adoption of common rules on co-existence. It will also increase its support for quality and organic agriculture, through the promotion of regional quality labels.

For more information: [email protected]

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Europe’s Regions demand “power-sharing” over GMO crop decision – GMO Free zones reach all time high

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Brussels (B), 16 May 2005

European regions have today reiterated their demand to be included in any decisions over the commercial cultivation of genetically modified crops (GM or GMOs) in order for them to enhance and promote quality agriculture and food products.

Over 250 people from across Europe today attended an over-subscribed conference in Brussels to hear regional Ministers and MEP’s call for a bigger say in whether GM crops are grown commercially in their region. The number of European regions and provinces now declaring themselves ‘GM Free zones’, or publicly wishing to restrict GM crops, has climbed to 162. Over 4500 local governments and smaller areas in Europe are similarly calling for restrictions to commercial growing (see www.gmofree-europe.org for a full list).

The conference, Safeguarding Sustainable European Agriculture, set out clearly that regions want to develop quality food products instead of GM foods. These demands are driven by a combination of concerns over the environment, food safety, food quality, the local and regional economy, and consumer and farmer choice. The conference also heard support for the Agriculture Commissioners notion that there is a need for EU-wide legislation for the coexistence of GM, conventional, traditional and organic farming in order to prevent contamination. The Assembly of European Regions (AER) and Friends of the Earth Europe, published 10 principles that should be included in any such legislation (see www.foeeurope.org/press/2005/10_principles_EN.pdf).

The conference was organised by the AER and Friends of the Earth Europe, and was hosted by Mr Janusz Wojciechowski MEP, with the strong support of Upper Austria and Tuscany.

Quotations:

Mr Janusz Wojciechowski MEP said:
‘In the New Member States the majority of farms are small family farms, particularly in Poland. For this kind of farming we have the opportunity to produce ecologically and traditionally using natural technologies, which respect environmental and animal welfare standards. GMO and other intensive technologies focus on how to produce more and more products as cheaply as possible. That idea threatens not only human health and environment safety, but also the economical and social interest of millions of small farmers.’

Mr Josef Martinz, Carinthian Minister for Agriculture, speaking on behalf of the Assembly of European Regions said:
“I kindly ask the European Commission to lay the ground so that it is feasible to produce food without GMOs.’

Mr Rudi Anschober, Minister for the Environment and Consumer Protection in Upper Austria said:
‘ We have led the way in avoiding the commercial cultivation of GM crops and of seeds and plants containing GMOs with a total ban in our whole region by regional law. . Having in mind the right of self-determination, the precautionary and the polluter-pays-principles, Brussels must allow regions to decide their own form of agriculture.’

Ms Susanna Cenni, the new Agriculture Minister for Tuscany said:
‘Tuscany is recognized around the world for its rural culture, quality local products and its special relationship between the environment and its people. These qualities are treasured, especially economically, and the introduction of GMOs could irremediably destroy them. We are strongly determined to defend these qualities from any external factors that could represent a danger for its delicate balance.’

Mr Adrian Bebb, GM campaigner for Friends of the Earth said:
‘ The European Commission must wake up to the fact that more and more regions are rejecting the cultivation of genetically modified crops. This is at complete odds with the Commission strategy to force more GM foods and crops into Europe.’

For more information: [email protected]

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Promoting Sustainable Development: Learning From Regions’ Experience

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Azores (P), 10 May 2005

“The regions of Europe have to take up the new challenges of a rapidly changing European and global context. Growth and competitiveness depend on the capacity of the regions to enhance their self-development based on sustainability. To achieve this goal, the AER Centurio-Interreg III C Programme, gathering almost 50 regions, provides the best interregional platform for exchange of know-how and experience in three key areas of regional sustainable development: sustainable economic development, environmental protection and sustainable quality tourism. The program also offers an opportunity for developing initiatives in these priority fields.” stated Mr Carlos César, President of the Regional Government of the Azores at the Conference on “Promoting Sustainable Development: Learning From Regions’ Experience”, organised by the AER in Ponta Delgada, Azores-P.

Disseminating experiences and information gained during the first stage of Centurio (2004-2005) was the main target of the Conference, which was organised within the framework of the Programme. More than 100 participants – regional politicians, officers, experts, from Regions within and beyond the EU- focused on the following issues:
•    Public-Private-Partnership as a tool for regional development,
•    Environmental Protection: our environment, our capital,
•    Regions’ economic potential and human resources for sustainable development,
•    Sustainable quality tourism as a key for regional development.

“The Conference allowed some leading regions showing proactive approaches in the field of sustainable development” said Mr Klaus Klipp, Secretary General of the AER.

The successful projects of Public-Private-Partnerships presented by Gloucestershire (UK) and Vejle (DK) were particularly useful for the regions of the new EU Member states. The Gloucestershire initiative involves local authorities, actors from the private sector and regional partners and their main aims are to identify the needs of employers and investors, to promote the region’s economic potential, to form concepts, strategies and to establish partnerships. Vejle’s Green Network is a public private network on sustainable development with focus on continuous improvements within environmental and social responsibility. The network gathers 280 companies, Vejle Region and 9 municipalities from the region.

The examples on clusters presented by Upper Austria (A) and the Canton of Zurich (CH) were also welcomed by the participants as tools for sustainable development. The Upper Austria’s clusterland is one of the best examples how to improve the competitiveness and innovative strengths of companies, particularly SMEs, in the regional industrial and technological agglomerations through co-operation in networks. Clusters operate in the field of automotive, drive technology, plastics, wood, eco-energy, food health, technology, and mechatronics with more than 1600 partners. Zurich’s strategy on economic development also focuses on the growing importance of clusters, concentrating on the industry sectors, on the significance of knowledge and on creating networks between universities, businesses, research and development, the government and the community.

Presentations on different approaches in the field of environmental protection among others by the Region of Valencia (ES), as well as in the field of quality tourism by the Region of Azores (P) or Lapland (FI), gave a unique overview how to focus on sustainability in these areas of development. The Region of Valencia implemented the regional sustainable development strategy in the framework of the Programs LIFE, IEE, e-TEN and Leonardo as well as the projects like Ecobus, Urbanbat or Ecorice cover the priority fields of sustainability and environmental protection.

The closing presentation at the Conference was the integrated approach of tourism development in Lapland. The tourism industry’s most important feature in Lapland is offering all year round attractions with various tourism products and services. To secure controlled and sustainable development, the tourism and public sector are in close cooperation and one of the most important strategic goals are high quality and customer satisfaction.

For more information: [email protected]

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The AER calls upon the European Council to assess the impact of liberalization

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Before adopting the draft Services Directive

The Assembly of European Regions (AER) appeals to the wisdom of the Heads of State and Governments when discussing the draft Directive on Services during the next European Council (16-17 December 2004).

At the last AER General Assembly in Vienna (25-26 November 2004), the AER member regions, representing the entire political spectrum of Europe, expressed their deep concerns over the impact of liberalization of services on social and territorial cohesion in the EU. The draft Service Directive will have a significant consequences for a number of services of general interest which are essential for the European citizens. The European Regions demand therefore that the European Council:

  • – evaluates the consequences of previous liberalization in such sectors as postal and telephone services, energy, water supply, railway transports, in terms of employment, environmental protection, as well as social and territorial cohesion, before any further liberalization of new services sectors,
  • – clarifies the scope and the limits of this Directive, in order to insure that it does not undermine the European social model,
  • – carries out, if the need arises, a prospective study of the consequences of such a uniform, standardized approach to the sensitive sectors of healthcare, social services, education, culture, areas in which each EU Member State has its own traditions.

“We plead for sectorial evaluations, on a State by State basis, which should be run by ideologically independent agencies, in order to make sure that the principles of universality, affordability, quality, permanence and transparency, so essential for the European citizens, are still respected” said Riccardo Illy, the AER President and President of Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region. “We also ask for a comprehensive study in rural, remote and lagging regions, all in all in uncompetitive areas, in order to measure the impact of liberalization on the accessibility of services of general interest outside urban areas” he added.

Furthermore in the “AER Common position on services of general interest”, the AER member regions call upon the European Institutions that no moves be made toward the further liberalization of the areas of culture, education, health, social affairs, water supply, waste and sewage disposal in the international arena. In particular within the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) which rules don’t recognize the notion of services for the general interest of the citizens.

For more information: [email protected]

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Services of General interest in a New Europe Reinforcing the scope for action by the regions

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Vienna (A), 26 November 2004

The members of the Assembly of European Regions, meeting in Vienna on 25th and 26th November 2004 welcomed the signing of the European Constitution as a clear sign that Europe is moving towards the establishment of a Union grounded in the principle of subsidiarity and recognising the key role of the regions in contributing to policy-making. During the meeting in Vienna, the AER decided to commit itself to support the ratification of the Constitution, which creates a significantly improved European framework for regions. The AER urges, however, the EU Member States to respect and to implement the objectives and values set out in the Constitution, notably in the Charter of Fundamental Rights (Part II), which underpins the European social model.

The current developments at European and international level, such as the review and reform of the rules on state aid, the proposed Directive on services in the internal market or the ongoing developments in the context of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) put at stake the very future of services of general interest in Europe. These are mainly delivered by regional and local authorities, in particular in the areas of economic development, education and training, housing, transport, health, care for the elderly and socially-excluded and the protection of the environment.

“Many European regions do not share the EU will to submit all our society to the logic of competition and free trade”, said Liese Prokop, the AER outgoing President. “We also strongly reject any populist arguments that suggest that governments and public administration in general are unable to think and act economically and efficiently. Many regional governments face mounting difficulties, due to the increasingly precarious situation of public budgets in times of moderate economic growth, to rationalise and save costs, and strive for social balance” Ms Prokop added.

In the Final Declaration adopted by the AER members after a two day debate in Vienna, the Regions of Europe call upon the European Council and the national governments to reinvigorate the European social model and the concept of a knowledge society, when reviewing the Lisbon strategy during the Spring Council of 2005.

“The Lisbon strategy should not limit the concept of economic growth to achieving a single market in services, but rather should take into consideration the unique nature of the European social model and how it can contribute to economic growth” pointed out Dr. Riccardo Illy, the new AER President. “We demand that the Union supports the regions’ efforts to combat social exclusion, poverty and promote wellbeing in their territories, by introducing the promotion of social policies as an important objective under the Union’s financial instruments, especially within the Structural Funds, the new instrument for pre-adhesion and the European Neighbourhood and Partnership instrument” Dr. Illy highlighted.

The General Assembly of the Assembly of European Regions opposes any centrally inspired horizontal harmonising of EU legislation in the area of services of general interest, as there is no legal basis for European action in the field. It calls for a wider evaluation of the European rules on competition and state aid, on the basis of an open consultation process that includes the regions, and questions the rigidity of pure economic considerations, which guide the formulation of these rules. The AER also demands that international trade liberalisation be organised in a balanced way, through a democratic process, with the participation of all concerned institutions, including the regions, and stakeholders. Account should be taken of the established values and standards of the European Union, such as human rights, in particular workers’ and children’s rights, and social and environmental standards.

At the initiative of 21 regions of 14 countries, the General Assembly of the Assembly of European Regions adopted the following resolution on Ukraine: “We, the members of the Assembly of European Regions, representing 250 European Regions, express our deepest concern about the situation in Ukraine after the presidential elections. We are convinced of the necessity of finding a political solution which will respect common democratic standards.”

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AER welcomes EU Neighbourhood Policy but criticises Commission’s aviation policies

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Structured dialogue with the EU Commission

Strasbourg (F), 10 May 2004

The AER addressed today the following letter to the Irish Presidency of the European Union and to the National Representatives within the European Council:

“The Assembly of European Regions (AER), representing approximately 250 regions from 30 European countries and 12 interregional associations, welcomes the amendments to the draft Constitutional Treaty as proposed by Mr Bertie AHERN, President of the European Council and Prime Minister of Ireland [CIG 73/04; Presidency note “IGC 2003: Meeting of Focal Points (Dublin 4 May 2004) working document”, Brussels, 29 April 2004].

In particular, we welcome the willingness of the Irish Presidency and the Intergovernmental Conference to continue improving the draft Constitutional Treaty and to not restrict itself merely to institutional questions.

In this respect, the AER would urge you to further amend the draft provisions relating to the Union’s Common Commercial Policy (Article III-217) and to include therein the exemption currently existing under the Nice Treaty (Article 133- § 6), according to which international agreements in the fields of cultural, audiovisual, education, health and social services fall within the shared competence of the Union and the Member States and shall be negotiated by common accord of the Member States and concluded jointly.

Such an amendment would respect the division of competences between the Union and its members, as outlined under Articles 12, 13 and 16 of Part I of the draft Constitutional Treaty. According to these provisions, health, education and culture are primarily areas for Union supporting action. Social policy is an area of shared competence, where primary competence rests with the Member States and the Union takes supporting or complementary action.

Moreover, this amendment proposal would be in line with the opinions voiced during the currently ongoing debate on Services of General Interest in Europe, where emphasis is placed on the primary competence of Member States and their regions to freely organise, provide, commission and finance these services. Indeed, the amendment to draft Article III-6 proposed by the Irish Presidency expressly acknowledges this primary national and regional responsibility.”

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The European Regions say NO to Genetically Modified Organisms

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Conclusions of the Conference of the network ‘GMO free’

Linz, Upper-Austria (A), 28 April 2004

12 European regions* declared to be GMO free and have set up a network, in order to succeed in their struggle. The Assembly of European Regions took part in the Conference organised by this network on April 28th in Linz, in the region of Upper-Austria–A, the leader of this action with the region of Toscana-I.

“The new EU directive on the traceability and labelling of genetically modified crops cannot become a pretext to legitimate the introduction of GMO in the European regional agriculture”, declared Laura De Rose, Executive secretary for the AER Committee ‘Regional Development’, during the debate. “Many scientific studies tell us that the coexistence between genetically modified crops and non-modified crops is impossible due to the dangers of contamination, which are important and, in fact, out of control. In addition, a majority of European citizens claimed their opposition to GMO” she underlined.

“Regional representatives, scientists and environmental associations present in Linz affirmed, rightly, that the approval of the introduction of genetically modified crops without testing the long-term effect on environment and human health is irresponsible. However, nothing seems to be able to stop the approval for introduction of BT11 corn by the European Commission anymore. A large movement from the European regions and their citizens is thus necessary, to obtain that the current system at EU level become more democratic, more transparent and more respectful of the citizens’ will,” Mrs De Rose concluded.

The AER supports with much conviction these regions’ initiative and is committed to spread it to all European regions. It will encourage the development of a strategic alliance between European regions, scientific experts and Non Governmental Organisations.

The AER invites all the regions who care about their citizens’ well-being to the launch of its campaign for the preservation of traditional organic products, on the occasion of its first inter-ministerial conference on the future of rural areas in Europe. This meeting will take place on May, 15th in Bari, Puglia-I.

* Aquitaine-F, Basque Country-E, Burgenland-A, Highlands-UK, Limousin-F, Marches-I, Salzbourg-A, Schleswig-Holstein-D, Thrace-GR, Toscana-I, Upper-Austria-A and Wales-UK.

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The AER welcomes the European Parliament decision in favour of cultural diversity

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Strasbourg(F), 26 January 2004

The Presidium of the Assembly of European Regions welcomed today during its meeting in Strasbourg the adoption by the European Parliament of the “Report on preserving and promoting cultural diversity: the role of the European regions and international organizations such as Unesco and the Council of Europe (2002/2269 (INI))” which strongly supports the AER campaign in favour of cultural diversity.

The AER Presidium has also paid homage to Christa Prets (SPÖ, Austria), Rapporteur, and her efficient work, based on good sense and convictions.

The AER is especially satisfied with the EP decision to call upon the Intergovernmental Conference to consolidate in the draft Constitution, the rule of unanimous voting within the Council for the negotiation and conclusion of international agreements in the field of culture and of the media (such as the GATS), the AER major point of contention since the adoption of the “Brixen/Bressanone Declaration” (Oct. 2002), which has been the reference document for the EP Report.

”Our campaign in favour of cultural diversity supported by many European regions and NGOs is showing signs of institutional success” said Liese Prokop, the AER President.

We won the support of Unesco in October 2003 with the launch of works for a draft International Convention on cultural diversity and now we have a new powerful ally, the European Parliament itself.

Its decision has significant implications and offers the opportunity to modify provisions of the draft Constitution concerning European decision making processes in the field of culture and of the media; currently, these open the way towards liberalization and further commercialization in cultural and audiovisual services and are likely to jeopardize cultural and linguistic diversity in Europe” she added.

The AER is currently campaigning for amendment of the provisions of the draft European Constitution concerning the field of culture, education, health and social policies aiming to reintroduce the principle of unanimous voting under Article I-16 and the shared competencies with the obligation of unanimity under Article III-217 relating to the common commercial policy.

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