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Food for Thought – why regional leadership is a key ingredient in Smart Food Innovation

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Technology has brought many improvements to the lives of people across the globe. Life expectancy has been trending upward, and many diseases can now be successfully treated, contained, or even completely cured. A big part of this improvement is due to the advances made in the domain of food production and supply. However, recent events such as the COVID-19 pandemic have shown us that challenging times lay ahead and that we need to continue improving technology to rise to the challenge. But how can regions lead the way towards more sustainable food systems, while ensuring our citizens are not left behind?

The Innovation Show 2021 – How can we make food our most trusted ally?

On 3 March 2021, the AER and the Province of Gelderland in the Netherlands hosted a unique hybrid event on the opportunities presented by innovation in food value chains, and the key role of regions in driving innovation in the smart food field. ‘How Smart is Your Food?’ brought together local policymakers along with experts from academia and the private sector. Over the course of the morning, our panels discussed synergies between the work of local government and key stakeholders in smart food innovation, and where they can collaborate more closely to meet global goals in health, sustainability and climate. 

After a warm welcome to all the speakers by our host from Gelderland Province, Vivian Stribos, the event kicked-off with an opening statement from AER President, Magnus Berntsson, who underlined the enormous potential smart food innovation has to address global challenges, “a sustainable food value chain has a tremendous effect in terms of fighting and adapting to climate change, as well as in protecting everyone’s health and wellbeing.” Nevertheless, he also stresses it is not feasible to bring about change in such a key aspect of human life without collaboration with regions: “Regions have the power to act upon several levels of the food chain, such as in production, logistics, distribution and waste management. If we want to make our food system future-proof, we cannot do it alone – there must be collaboration.”

The Smart Food & Value Chain Dialogue – why innovation is an urgent matter

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing challenges in food production and supply. The virus has interrupted current practices at these levels of the food value chain due to the high infection rate that has crippled European regions over the last year. We invited Nelly Kalfs, mayor of the city of Lingewaard in the Dutch province of Gelderland, to give her views on how to overcome threats to people’s livelihoods posed by the coronavirus. In her contribution, Ms Kalfs underlined that “now [in the current sanitary crisis] is the right time to invest in food innovation. We have observed that the pandemic has accelerated innovation and that everyone is very energised and motivated to do so.” 

Smart Food and Sustainability – is there an appetite for innovation?

The growing global population has created an ever-growing demand for food, leading to unsustainable supply-chains that put the Earth’s habitats and ecosystems at risk. Moving towards more eco-friendly value chains is vital to protect our planet, but making these changes can be costly, especially for smaller producers.  How can we balance the need for more sustainable value chains, while at the same time protecting people’s livelihoods? Innovation in food systems – starting at local level – offers a way forward. 

During our talkshow on smart food and climate, speakers laid out their thoughts on the complex issue of eco-friendly innovation. Martin Scholten, Principal Advisor to Wageningen University’s Executive Board, stressed that “we all need a high-quality living environment, and we need a food system that is linked to it. Sustainable energy production and farming need to be integrated in this high-quality living environment.” However, he also stressed that a more tailored approach that recognises the needs of Europe’s regions is required, “regions are the living recipients of the transition. If we can go towards regional sourcing and regional marketing for agricultural products, we can set up solutions tailor-made for regions.” He also warned that regions need to be properly supported by the European Commission as they make this shift, “otherwise there will be no Green Deal transition.”

Paul Hospers, Project Leader in Energy Transition at NEXTGarden, was in agreement with Dr Scholten on the urgent need to diversify food value chains, starting at regional level, “Local control and local sourcing have to be prioritised because sometimes big global supply chains are vulnerable and it is good to have multiple sources.”

Victor Serrano, Director of the Institute of Agri-food Research and Development in the Spanish region of Murcia, rounded-up the conversation by stressing a crucial fact yet to be discussed by the other panelists: “a closer relationship between producers and consumers is required to foresee upcoming trends and enable farmers to align their production with the current demand.”

Smart Food Innovation – a cure for Europe’s health woes?

During the Innovation Show’s final panel, speakers discussed the opportunities and challenges of smart food technology in the health field. From monitoring our gut health, to improving food choice, smart food technology has obvious benefits when it comes to helping people lead healthier lives. Indeed, several AER regions are already fostering innovation in this area to help their citizens make better choices when it comes to food. But technology is not a panacea for Europe’s health problems, and brings with it potential risks, especially around costs for individuals and data protection. 

Thea van Kemenade, Director of Health at OnePlanet, believes that technology offers solutions to many problems in health, especially when it comes to making better choices: “we want to concentrate on enhancing food technology, because we strongly believe that consumers need to play a strong role in self-supporting their own health”. Maartje Poelman, Associate Professor of Consumption and Healthy Lifestyles at Wageningen University, stressed that any system change using technology, “cannot just be reserved for the wealthy few, it should be available for all layers of society. Inclusivity is at stake and it needs to be safeguarded.” This “system change” should start at local and regional level in our villages, towns and cities; working in collaboration with citizens “to improve food environments”. 

The value of locally-led innovation was something picked up by our final speaker, Irén Lejegren, Chair of the AER Task Force on Food and Councillor in the Swedish County of Örebro. Ms Lejegren set out how Örebro is a leader in sensory perception and gut health research; which in the long-term will help people make better food choices. She also noted that despite all the opportunities technology can bring, there are also inherent risks, especially when it comes to the use of AI technology and protecting people’s personal data. 

So while technology can certainly help us treat a number of Europe’s health issues, there are several potential side-effects to consider. Policymakers will therefore have to carefully weigh-up the obvious benefits of technology while at the same time ensuring that citizens’ rights are protected. 

Food for thought – a bottom-up approach to smart food innovation 

‘How Smart is Your Food?’ successfully illustrated the complexity but also the necessity of innovation in food value chains to address societal issues, such as unhealthy lifestyle choices and the ecological impact of irresponsible food sourcing and production. 

What is clear is that a bottom-up approach, led by regions as the links between stakeholders is the only way to nurture sustainable, inclusive innovation in the long-run. As AER Secretary General, Christian Spahr put it in his closing remarks, “a single size does not fit all. Regions are different both in terms of production and consumption. We need to form alliances between governments, private stakeholders and researchers to work together towards a common goal: a healthier and more sustainable future for all.” 

***

Regions and other stakeholders can find more information and learn about more opportunities by contacting or visiting the websites of:

Did you ask a question during our Q&A we didn’t get around to? Check out some more responses below!

  • How to support farmers in switching from growing tobacco?

This question is related to different strategies and policies aimed at reducing the consumption and production of tobacco, changing the incentives for farmers, protecting biodiversity and improving soil health
Detailed information related to producers and production of EU tobacco, legal bases and relevant committees is available here:
https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/plants-and-plant-products/plant-products/tobacco_en
Information on Sustainable agriculture in the CAP and the links with the Green Deal, the Farm to Fork Strategy, the biodiversity strategy:
https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/sustainability/sustainable-cap_en
Information on the Mission area: Soil health and food:
https://ec.europa.eu/info/horizon-europe/missions-horizon-europe/soil-health-and-food_en

  • What are the actions and measures in place to reduce the use of penicillin?

The below resources provide reports, examples of projects and policies related to the reduction of the use of antibiotics
Report by European Medicine Agency on reduction of antibiotics in animals:
https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/news/european-countries-increase-commitment-responsible-antibiotic-use-animals
The EIP AGRI Focus Groups have been working on a variety of topics including the use of antibiotics. The results of the EIP-AGRI Focus groups are published in this update: https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/sites/default/files/focus_groups_state_of_play_november_2020_update.pdf
Disseminating Innovative Solutions for Antibiotic Resistance Management: https://disarmproject.eu/ 

  • How can the use of nitrogen fixing trees help to fertilize the soil in Spain?

This topic is related to permaculture and practices that enable the interaction between ecosystems or different layers of the same ecosystem
Reduction of nitrogen fertilisation in the Region of Murcia through the application of native microorganisms that fix environmental nitrogen:
https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/find-connect/projects/reducci%C3%B3n-de-fertilizaci%C3%B3n-nitrogenada-en-la
Innovations for self-sustaining production systems: permaculture, bio-intensive vegetable garden and forest food (Agriculture self-sufficient):
https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/find-connect/projects/innovazioni-finalizzate-alla-creazione-di-sistemi
GO SETOS – Multifunctional borders for sustainable landscape and agriculture
An EIP-AGRI Operational Group working together to increase the implementation of multifunctional hedgerows that offer environmental benefits as well as climate mitigation and adaptation: https://enrd.ec.europa.eu/projects-practice/go-setos-multifunctional-borders-sustainable-landscape-and-agriculture_en

  • Can you give more information about Reko rings in Europe?

REKO is model for selling and buying local food directly from producers to consumers. Products are sold based on pre-orders made through closed Facebook rings:
https://www.interregeurope.eu/policylearning/good-practices/item/1355/reko-rings-local-food-groups/
Reko rings in Italy are GAS (Gruppi d’acquisto solidale): https://www.portalgas.it/cos-e-un-g-a-s-gruppo-d-acquisto-solidale

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Registrations open! Innovation and Farming: Applications of Advanced Manufacturing in the Food Value Chain

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We are pleased to invite you to the webinar “Innovation and Farming: Applications of Advanced Manufacturing in the Food Value Chain” that will take place on 26 March 2021 at 10:00 CET and focuses on advanced manufacturing solutions in driving sustainable change in the agrifood sector

It will offer regions and stakeholders engaged with the agri-food sector the opportunity to learn and share experiences about how regions, companies, and Vocational Education & Training centers can identify common information communications technology (ICT) and advanced manufacturing solutions in driving the change in the food processing and supply chain, in order to foster regional cooperation based on the shared goals and values of the Smart Specialisation Strategies.

A new approach to food production

The agricultural sector, as in the case of other industries, is impacted by global trends related to demographics, economics, and climate change. Therefore the question is how to jointly address the societal and economic challenges in the food sector?

The agri-food sector contributes significantly to the support of the Sustainable Development Goals, from the Zero Hunger to the Decent Work & Economic Growth. Hence, the production of sustainable food is a key priority to ensure both societal and environmental wellbeing across regions. Yet, this poses a set of challenges to the producers when it comes to their capacity to remain competitive in the market. To overcome these challenges, the need to investigate and design innovative approaches involving Advanced Manufacturing techniques and digital tools becomes crucial to unlocking new solutions that can help farmers to work more efficiently and sustainably and, in turn, revolutionise the agriculture sector. 

The webinar will look at

  • How agriculture is making use of data mobility, industry 4.0, and new technologies
  • Regional examples of innovation and skills strategies in food tech and value chain
  • The role of TVET in helping sustain innovation in the agrifood sector

Agenda

Innovation and farming: Applications of Advanced Manufacturing in the food value chain

26 March at 10:00 CET

  • 10.00-10.05 – Housekeeping rules, quick presentation on Skillnet, Valentina De Vico, Communication Manager, Skillman Team
  • 10.05-10.10 – Opening remarks and introduction to the webinar, Cornelia Carmen Madaras, Advisor at the Foreign Affairs Office of the Alba County Council
  • 10.10-10.20 – Applications of digital technologies in the agriculture sector, Miguel de Porras, Director at the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FIBL 
  • 10.20-10.30 – Building innovation in the agri-food sector through EU projects, George Beers, Horticultural Engineer, Wageningen University and Research
  • 10.30-10.40, Regional practice from Vojvodina, Mladen Petres, Assistant Provincial Secretary of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry, Province of Vojvodina
  • 10.40-10.55 – Panel discussion and Q&A session
  • 10.55-11.00 – Closing remarks 

How to join the webinar

Click on the below “register here” button

or go to the Skillnet events page and chose:

  • E 420 – Innovation and farming: application of Advanced Manufacturing in the food value chain; 26/03/2021 10:00 CET
Register here!

This webinar is organised as part of the SKILLNET series of webinars on EU funding opportunities. SKILLNET is a project funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission aiming to strengthen the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system’s role and capacity to design high-quality VET programmes tailored to current societal needs through enhanced transnational and cross-sectoral partnerships.

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How Smart is Your Food?

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At a time where every aspect of our lives is getting “smarter”, can food get “smart”, too? The answer is yes, as will be demonstrated on 3 March at the AER’s 2021 Innovation Show – How Smart is your Food?, hosted by Gelderland (NL) in collaboration with Th!nk East Netherlands.

Every link in the food value chain is being transformed by digital innovation, and in particular by Economy 4.0. Research on nutrition is bringing fresh insights and innovative ideas that affect every stage from production and processing, right through to consumption.

Working towards nutrition security and sustainable diets, moreover, has been found to positively impact issues as diverse as climate change, health and citizen participation.

Food value chain innovation and the Green Deal 

Innovation at all levels of the food value chain is a topic which can mobilise stakeholders from highly diverse backgrounds, generate new collaboration ecosystems, and make a significant contribution to achieving the Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and actions aimed at fighting the economic crisis, it is particularly urgent to ensure that innovation in food and food value chains continues to be adequately supported. As part of the 2021 Innovation Show, regions will share their experiences and elaborate the actions they are taking on this topic. Indeed, the central role of regions in supporting innovation and economic development on the one hand, and in advancing the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs on the other, makes mutual learning all the more important.

The event will also be an opportunity to hear how Europe’s recovery plan will be implemented at regional level, with a focus on smart food and value chain innovation, in order to achieve a resilient, carbon-neutral EU by 2050 as foreseen by the EU Green Deal.

Sharing ideas and shaping the future together

The goal of this event on smart food and value chains is to share ideas and shape the future together. Things do not happen by accident; they happen by design. Major societal challenges, therefore, call for the collaboration between all stakeholders to share ideas and plan the future.

We therefore invite stakeholders from the public and private sector, industry specialists, entrepreneurs, academics, and policymakers to take this opportunity to share their experiences and perspectives at the 2021 Innovation Show. 

During this event, participants will: 

  • Hear what different stakeholders see as opportunities and threats in the field of food innovation
  • Examine the role of regions: are there new roles emerging?
  • Discuss the social and economic impact, as well as needs in terms of policymaking and fields for cooperation
  • Hear about the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on innovation, especially on funding innovation
  • Examine and hear how Europe’s recovery plan will be implemented at regional level, with particular regard to smart food and value chain innovation, in order to achieve a resilient, carbon-neutral EU by 2050 as foreseen by the EU Green Deal

Agenda

10:30Welcome by moderator Simone Balhuizen
10:33Opening
Magnus Berntsson, AER President, Västra Götaland (SE) 
Christianne van der Wal, Regional Minister Innovation, Gelderland, (NL)
10:45The Smart Food & Value Chain Dialogue 
Innovation in food and food value chains presents both new opportunities and new challenges. Sitting at the crossroads between public health, innovation strategies, economic development and climate strategies, smart food and smart food value chains require a multilevel approach.

This Smart Food & Value Chain Dialogue will provide insights on the stakes at different levels of governance in Europe, present examples and give a perspective on future opportunities for regions and the European Union as a whole.

What are the main stakes at European and global level?What are the stakes at regional level?How to innovate for sustainable, climate-resilient, nutrition-dense and diversified food systems?Is it possible to innovate in the midst of a global crisis?

Nelly Kalfs, Mayor of Lingewaard
Representative from DG Agri, tbc
Moderation: Simone Balhuizen
11:00Talkshow: Smart food & Climate/Sustainability
This exchange will bring together different stakeholders to discuss current challenges and sharing examples of smart food and food value chain innovation and their expected impact on mitigating climate change. 

Speakers:
Martin Scholten, Principal Advisor to Executive Board, Wageningen University & Research
Paul Hospers, Project Leader, NEXTGarden
Representative from Murcia (ES), tbc
Moderation: Simone Balhuizen
11:25Talkshow: Smart food & health
Stakeholders will share their experience and how they are contributing to developing smarter food for better health. They will discuss the need for better science for better nutrition, to tackle challenges such as obesity, poor nutrition & poverty or active and healthy ageing. 

Speakers
Maartje Poelman, Associate Professor Consumption and Healthy Lifestyles, Wageningen University & Research
Thea van Kemenade, Director of Health, OnePlanet, (Gelderland, NL) 
Irene Lejegren, Chair of AER Task Force on Food, County Councillor, Örebro, SE
Moderation: Simone Balhuizen
11:50Wrap-up
Christian Spahr, AER Secretary General 
12:00Conclusion
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Building the Circular Economy through Circular Skills: Regions and Universities leading the Change

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The transition towards a circular economy is among the core objectives of policy-makers at all levels of government. Yet, its full and effective achievement strongly depends on the readiness of all the societal and economic actors. In this regard, a growing mismatch between skills and labour needs can hamper both the transition as well as the possibility to exploit its great potential for employment and social inclusion. To counter this trend and facilitate the adoption of effective models by regions and vocational educational and training (VET) organisation, AER launched a dedicated webinar within the 2020 edition of the Skillman International Forum.  

During the first day of the Skillman International Forum (10-11 December 2020), AER held the webinar ‘Circular Economy: Opportunities and Needs in the Labour Market’. The session gathered around 30 regional policy makers and international experts working in the Vocational and Educational Training (VET) system with the aim of sharing knowledge and concrete examples of how regional authorities and educational institutions are assessing and building the professional skills needed in a circular economy.

The event counted upon an international panel of experts in the field as Eva Hallström, the Regional Councillor of the Region Värmland (SE) and Chair of AER Working Group on Environment and Climate change. Mrs Hallström opened the discussion providing insights on the importance of achieving a full circular economy transition and the work that international organisations and institutions – including AER, the EU, and the UN – are doing to this aim. Inspiring examples of how the Värmland region is moving towards an inclusive circular economy were also shared. Värmland is at the forefront when it comes to the green transition through an established system of schools and a dominating university that prepares youngsters to work in a circular bio-based economy, an innovation park, and the recognition of “paper region” due to its long experience with the employment of sustainable materials as paper in the replacement of plastic and over 100 dedicated companies.

Additionally, Belén Gracia, PhD Area Coordinator at Campus Iberius (ES) and Coordinator of the Eramus+ Project PackAlliance, explained how the PackAlliance project is tackling the skills shortage in the circular packaging industry seeking to align academic curricula with industry’s needs, develop a post-graduate programme tailored to this emerging value chain, and extend the model for replication in other contexts. The project is based on open innovation and co-creation approaches that empower the main actors affected by the circular skills transition, as well as on transnational cooperation with higher educational institutions and private companies based in several EU member states. Students and SMEs cooperate in detecting the professional skills shortage in the circular packaging industry, and – through the support of educational institutions – in designing a new post-graduate programme focused on the needed competences.

Lastly, Øyvind Nordstrand, Advisor at the Inland County Council (NO), presented the regional and national efforts to strengthen the bioeconomy in the region and build upon its potential. According to a report published by SINTEF in 2018, 25.000 new jobs related to bioeconomy can be created in the region by 2050. To ensure that SMEs and workers in rural areas in the region are able to meet the future with the necessary competences, the region has launched the Competency Pilot project financed jointly by the County and the Ministry of Local Governments and Modernisation as part of a broader national initiative. Specifically, the project focuses on addressing the competency needs in the forest industry – being Inland the largest wood region in Norway – by applying the competency broker model, and connecting national and regional governments, local businesses, academia and education institutions, and the civil society. Competency brokers visit and liaise with local SMEs to map their needs in terms of skills, and on the basis of the results, the region develops a training programme that can be customised to the specific needs of the SME. At the same time, the project will provide the region with a more general framework that can be applied for other sectors and replicated by other regions.      

The examples and discussions held within the webinar emphasised the importance of directly engaging with local business to understand what skills are needed for a circular economy and to jointly develop educational or training programmes that can meet the needs of the future. At the same time, collaboration among regions and VET organisation across Europe and beyond becomes crucial for designing a model that can be broadly applied and declined to different societal contexts and economic sectors.

To know more, download the webinar’s presentations and engage in the discussions through the Peer Learning Clubs!

Open and Future EU funding opportunities and initiatives:

Photo from Unsplash @resul

This webinar was organised as part of the SKILLNET series of webinars on EU funding opportunities. SKILLNET is a project funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission aiming to strengthen the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system’s role and capacity to design high-quality VET programmes tailored to current societal needs through enhanced transnational and cross-sectoral partnerships. To this aim, after each webinar a bulletin with open and upcoming EU opportunities is circulated among relevant stakeholders.

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The commitment of regions to Sustainable Food Policies in the EU

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Following the first European Green Deal webinar, which covered challenges and opportunities for regions in the time of Covid-19, the AER brought the second in our series: Farm to Fork – The Commitment of Regions to Sustainable Food Policy in the EU, in collaboration with the Advisory Council for Sustainable Development of the Catalan Government (CADS).

The panel debate moderated by Arnau Queralt, Director of the Advisory Council for Sustainable Development of Catalonia, brought together regional authorities as well as EU and global representatives. During this online session, it was discussed the key role that the new comprehensive approach to food sustainability has to play in the European Union and the commitment from European regions towards developing and implementing food policies that contribute to a more resilient and sustainable food system. 

The webinar kicked off with the introductory remarks by AER Vice President for Sustainability, Albert Castellanos, and the video message from the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food from the Government of Catalonia, Teresa Jordà i Roura. Both Catalan representatives highlighted that the Farm to Fork Strategy lays at the core of the European Green Deal, and provides a new comprehensive approach to food sustainability in the European Union, thus aiming at achieving sustainable and resilient food systems around Europe. 

Ricard Ramon i Sumoy, Deputy Head of Unit from DG AGRI at the European Commission, introduced the European Green Deal as the new EU growth strategy launched by the European Commission with the objective of transforming the European Union into a fair and sustainable society with a competitive and green economy where there are net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050. This initiative is an integral part of the European Commission’s strategy to implement the Sustainable Development Goals, which aims at putting sustainability and the well-being of citizens at the centre of the economic policy while at the same time places the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the heart of the EU’s policy-making.

 

The Director of the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food), Nicholas Jacobs, claimed that the EU’s new comprehensive approach to food sustainability arrives in a critical moment that has reinforced the urgency for resilience. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has threatened the current food framework, raising awareness of its lack of proficiency and sustainability. Not only the COVID-19 crisis, but also climate change,  have made us aware of the need to develop new food policies and put into action the Farm to Fork strategy in order to have a resilient and sustainable food system which will not be threatened by future crises, and that is capable of ensuring access to a sufficient supply of affordable food for citizens. 

In this regard, the European Commission recognizes that the transition to food sustainability will change the economic fabric of many EU regions and their patterns of interactions, therefore, it has already allocated technical and financial assistance from existing EU instruments, such as cohesion funds and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. 

Irén Lejegren, Chair of the AER Taskforce on Food Security and regional representative from Örebro (Sweden), introduced the AER position paper on Food Security and highlighted that regional authorities have the power to act at different levels in the food system, be it at the level of production, transformation, logistics and transport or distribution and waste management.

The regional representative from Västra Götaland in Sweden, Aida Karimli, reminded that a holistic and a vertical approach from local, regional, national and international levels is needed in order to promote a more efficient bio-economy in Europe through multi-level governance. 

The regional good practices concluded with Anna Castellví presenting the recently approved Catalan Strategic Plan for Food Sustainability and explained how it remains connected to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Rewatch the webinar!

Further food for thought!

The Assembly of European Regions presented the online consultation launched in partnership with the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) and other partners, and encourage regional authorities to participate in order to contribute to identifying the challenges and opportunities in the successful implementation of the EU Green Deal and to provide policymakers with concrete advice to help achieve climate neutrality at the European continent.

To begin the survey, please, click below.

Survey
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Horizon 2020-funded European Green Deal Calls for Proposals

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The Green Deal Call worth €1 billion has been launched on the 18th of September. The call is the last within the H2020 Programme and just ahead of the launch of Horizon Europe, the next research and innovation programme kicking-off in 2021. Send your proposals by 26th January 2021!

With 10 different areas of intervention, the H2020 Green Deal Call offers the opportunity and resources to achieve the primary objective of a sustainable Europe and planet by tackling the current major environmental, climate, and societal challenges. To this aim, the call attaches pivotal importance to:

  • The impact of the action, with the Commission looking for projects that will deliver fast and visible results. The short term approach is the main difference in comparison to previous calls. This call is yielding tangible results that will bring changes by 2030. 
  • The capacity to build on previous/other projects’ results. Projects under this call should represent the final step of the broader H2020 programme, and make use of the developments of H2020 integrating them into the way of living.

The promotion and achievement of sustainable development and the ensure of a liveable future for citizens are key priorities for the Assembly of European Regions. In accordance with the priorities identified by our members, AER is looking forward to joining its members and external partners in the development of relevant projects’ proposal within the topics ‘circular economy’, ‘smart mobility’, ‘farm to fork’, ‘renewable energy’, and ’empowering citizens’!

If you are currently working on the preparation of a project proposal under one of the above topics, contact AER Project Unit to assess how we can contribute to your project!

Topics of the Green Deal Call

The structure of the call is mirroring the European Green Deal. There are eight thematic areas reflecting the key workstreams of the Green Deal and two horizontal areas which offer a longer-term perspective in achieving the transformations set out in the European Green Deal.

Thematic areas

  1. Increasing climate ambition

1.1 Preventing and fighting extreme wildfires with the integration and demonstration of innovative means (LC-GD-1-1-2020)

1.2 Towards Climate-Neutral and Socially Innovative Cities (LC-GD-1-2-2020)

1.3 Climate-resilient Innovation Packages for EU regions (LC-GD-1-3-2020)

  1. Clean, affordable and secure energy

2.1 Innovative land-based and offshore renewable energy technologies and their integration into the energy system (LC-GD-2-1-2020)

2.2 Develop and demonstrate a 100 MW electrolyser upscaling the link between renewables and commercial/industrial applications (LC-GD-2-2-2020)

2.3 Accelerating the green transition and energy access Partnership with Africa (LC-GD-2-3-2020)

  1. Industry for a clean and circular economy

3.1 Closing the industrial carbon cycle to combat climate change – Industrial feasibility of catalytic routes for sustainable alternatives to fossil resources (LC-GD-3-1-2020)

3.2 Demonstration of systemic solutions for the territorial deployment of the circular economy (LC-GD-3-2-2020)

  1. Energy and resource-efficient buildings

4.1 Building and renovating in an energy and resource-efficient way  (LC-GD-4-1-2020)

  1. Sustainable and smart mobility

5.1  Green airports and ports as multimodal hubs for sustainable and smart mobility  (LC-GD-5-1-2020)

  1. Farm to Fork

6.1 Testing and demonstrating systemic innovations in support of the Farm-to-Fork Strategy (LC-GD-6-1-2020)

  1. Biodiversity and ecosystem services

7.1 Restoring biodiversity and ecosystem services (LC-GD-7-1-2020)

  1. Zero-pollution, toxic-free environments

8.1  Innovative, systemic zero-pollution solutions to protect health, environment and natural resources from persistent and mobile chemicals (LC-GD-8-1-2020)

8.2 Fostering regulatory science to address combined exposures to industrial chemicals and pharmaceuticals: from science to evidence-based policies (LC-GD-8-2-2020)

Horizontal areas

  1. Strengthening our knowledge in support of the European Green Deal

9.1  European Research Infrastructures capacities and services to address European Green Deal challenges (LC-GD-9-1-2020)

9.2   Developing end-user products and services for all stakeholders and citizens supporting climate adaptation and mitigation (LC-GD-9-2-2020)

9.3   Transparent & Accessible Seas and Oceans: Towards a Digital Twin of the Ocean (LC-GD-9-3-2020)

  1. Empowering citizens for the transition towards a climate-neutral, sustainable Europe

10.1 European capacities for citizen deliberation and participation for the Green Deal (LC-GD-10-1-2020)

10.2 Behavioural, social and cultural change for the Green Deal (LC-GD-10-2-2020)

10.3 Enabling citizens to act on climate change, for sustainable development and environmental protection through education, citizen science, observation initiatives, and civic engagement (LC-GD-10-3-2020)

Timeline

Launch of the Call18th September 2020
Deadline for Submitting Projects’ Proposals26th January 2021
Information are sent to ApplicantsMid May 2021
Grant Agreements are signedEnd of September 2021

Who can apply?

The application is open to all legal entities established in the following countries:

  • EU member states (including their outermost regions and the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) linked to the Member States)
  • The 16 associated countries to Horizon 2020 (Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Faroe Islands, North Macedonia, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Norway, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey, Moldova, Switzerland, Tunisia, Ukraine)
  • All non-EU countries listed in the General Annexe A of the Working Programme

The application is also open to International European interest organizations whose main objective is to promote scientific and technical cooperation in the EU.

The call includes opportunities for international cooperation in addressing the needs of less-developed nations, particularly in Africa, in the context of the Paris Agreement as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

For detailed information about all eligible entities, consult the General Annex A of the Working Programme.

Support in preparing your application

Following links can be helpful in preparing project application:

Photo by Li-An Lim on Unsplash

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Wrap-Up: Highlights from the first virtual AER General Assembly, Bureau Meeting and Eurodyssey Forum

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The first ever virtual General Assembly, Bureau Meeting and Eurodyssey Forum took place last week on 19-20 November. Owing to the Covid-19 crisis, these meetings scheduled to take place in Barcelona were moved online. Despite these challenges, AER members from across the continent tuned-in; making the most of the new format and ensuring the important work of the AER could continue in earnest.

The General Assembly

The General Assembly & Bureau meetings began with welcoming remarks from AER President, Magnus Bernttson. The President noted that the challenges posed by the pandemic have impacted the work programme of the AER, but stressed the need for optimism and noted the many achievements of the AER despite these difficulties. Most significantly, rumours of severe cuts to Cohesion funding in the next Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF) have been avoided due in no small part to the AER’s successful lobbying efforts as part of the Cohesion Alliance. The pandemic has also meant that the AER has been able to arrange many more meetings with high-level policy-makers at our virtual events.

Looking forward, the President announced that the top priority for the AER will be providing expert-led training for member regions on how to make the most of new EU funding instruments in 2021, as well as continuing being the leading voice for regions at the EU level.

Following a presentation on responses to the consultation on the revised AER structure by Institutional Relations & Advocacy Coordinator, Vania Freitas, the General Assembly voted to get rid of Committees and replace them with Working Groups to carry out mutual learning activities. Members also voted in favour of a more streamlined Bureau procedure to draft statements on pressing matters, and to allow Working Group and Bureau meetings to take place in tandem.

The meeting was also the first opportunity for Christian Spahr, the new AER Secretary General to address the members of the General Assembly. In his maiden address, Christian thanked his predecessor, Mathieu Mori for his help in ensuring a smooth handover into the role. Outlining his vision for the AER’s future work, Christian emphasised the “interconnectedness” of AER priorities, noting in this context the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), health, digitalisation, citizenship and democracy. To this end, a key priority of the AER Secretariat going forward will be creating synergies and strengthening thematic connections between the internal AER bodies, and aligning the work of the AER more closely with the policy debates shaping the future of Europe.

The rest of the General Assembly was dedicated to voting on key statutory items. This included adopting the AER Action Plan, the 2019 financial accounts and budget for 2021, and the ratification of Bureau Members for 2020 to 2022. All statutory items listed for adoption in the agenda were ratified by the members of the General Assembly.

You can view all of the adopted working documents here.

Closing the General Assembly, Eurodyssey President, Esther Estany and President of AER’s Committee on Culture, Education & Youth, Radimir Cacic took the opportunity to raise a toast to celebrate thirty-five years of the Eurodyssey programme, and debuted the special anniversary video commissioned for the occasion, which you can view above. Radimir underlined the visionary nature of the Eurodyssey programme, which shows that regions “were way ahead” of other organisations in recognising the need for youth exchanges and intercultural dialogue. He also thanked all those involved in the programme for “making the European project real and bringing it closer to its citizens”.

In her speech, Esther noted that Eurodyssey has been a victim of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, Eurodyssey as a driver of mobility and gainful employment will be crucial in ensuring young people can bounce back from the crisis. In closing, she expressed her hope that the success of Eurodyssey will be a source of inspiration, and “act as a model to other regions to invest in youth mobility.”

The morning session concluded with a Slide Show presenting the work of the AER Projects Team and a highlight video from the 2020 Regional Business Forum (RBF), which took place online and in Novi Said, Serbia. The RBF featured speeches from Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi and EU Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Sem Fabrizi; a model example of the AER’s increased engagement with top-tier EU policy-makers and representatives.

The AER Bureau Meeting

The busy afternoon continued with the first virtual meeting of the AER Bureau. As the primary political voice of AER, the important work of the Bureau has continued throughout the pandemic, and during the virtual Bureau meeting, members voted on the adoption of two position papers in line with the political priorities of the AER.

The two position papers under discussion were:

1 . Position Paper on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

Members of the Bureau unanimously adopted a position paper on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which underlines the relevance of the SDGs to achieving a sustainable and resilient future for everyone. This position stresses the key role local and regional authorities play in advancing the 2030 Agenda.

2 . Position Paper on Digitalisation:

Bureau Members also unanimously adopted a position paper on Digitalisation. The paper recognises the importance of digitalisation to ensure long-term prosperity across Europe’s regions. Regions and cities are key enablers of this transformation, and in the new digital reality created by Covid-19, it is crucial that Europe’s regions – urban and rural – have the means to seize the initiative and stay competitive.

Finally, Bureau members decided to establish a Taskforce on Climate, which will capitalise on the work carried out by the Taskforce on the Sustainable Development Goals and the Working Group on Energy and Climate Change.

Upon the proposals of the Executive Board and the decision of members of the Bureau, the key priorities for 2021 will focus on kicking off the Taskforce on Climate, re-starting the work of the Taskforce on Democracy, which will focus on shaping the discussions on the future of Europe; as well as starting the Taskforce on Sustainable Mobility and Connectivity.

AER members are invited to join these Taskforces, to do so, please contact Vania Freitas. You can find out more about the work of the AER Bureau, including all its position papers here.

The Eurodyssey Forum

The first-ever virtual Eurodyssey Forum took place on 19 & 20 of November 2020 following the General Assembly & Bureau. The Forum consisted of virtual sessions bringing together representatives from Eurodyssey regions, hosting companies and youth alumni. Participants discussed the overall status of the programme, and shared experiences and best practices on how to adapt Eurodyssey to the challenges of the pandemic.

You can read more on the Eurodyssey Forum in the dedicated article here.

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Join the Webinar ‘Circular Economy: Opportunities and Needs in the Labour Market’

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Save the date! We are pleased to invite you to the webinar ‘Circular Economy: Opportunities and Needs in the Labour Market’ that will be held online on 10th December from 15:30 to 16:30 as part of the 2020 edition of the Skillman International Forum focused on “redefining the future of learning in the advanced manufacturing sector”!

The event is part of the Skillnet series of 18 webinars designed to bring together experts in different fields linked to vocational education and training (VET) with the purpose of establishing relevant groups of collaboration and partnerships for future EU project proposals.

It will offer regions and stakeholders engaged with circular economy the opportunity to learn and exchange about how regions, companies, and VET organisations can support the transition towards a circular economy and exploit its employment potential by fostering the needed skills in the workforce.

The circular economy is among the core policy priorities of regional, national, and international policy-makers being a major tool to counter negative environmental trends while offering new opportunities for employment and social inclusion. The core pillars of the circular economy – reuse, repair, remanufactured, and recycling – imply a more labour intensive process than the linear economy where resources are wasted or lost. This results in an unparalleled potential for the promotion of employment, with the expected creation of approximately 700 000 new jobs linked to the circular economy (the so-called circular jobs) by 2030 in the EU (Cambridge Econometrics, Trinomics and ICF, 2018).

At the same time, the transition is a broad process involving an overarching redefinition of the economy as a whole, as well as requiring the readiness of all economic and sectors in order to be fully realised. To this extent, this year, the European Union has adopted a new Circular Economy Action Plan for the achievement of a “cleaner and more competitive Europe in co-creation with economic actors, consumers, citizens, and civil society organisations”. As suggested in the document, the labour market plays a fundamental role in this process in that if able to anticipate and prepare for the transition, it can accelerate and maximise the potential of a circular economy. Hence, both the realisation of a circular economy and the effective uptake of its employment opportunities strongly depend on the readiness of the labour market.

In this context, the webinar aims to:

  • Provide information about what are the skills needed in a circular economy with particular regard to the advanced manufacturing sector.
  • Offer the possibility to learn from, and exchange with, experts about how VET can support the circular economy transition by developing new curricula tailored to skill and upskill the ‘circular workforce‘.
  • Create a space for debate and network for experts in the field in order to establish relevant partnerships that can be applied within future EU funding opportunities.

Agenda of the webinar

  • Introduction to the webinar and opening remarks: Eva Hallström, Regional Councillor of the Region Värmland and Chair of the Working Group on Environment and Climate change
  • Assessing the skills shortage of the circular economy: Findings from the PackAlliance project. Belén Gracia, PhD Area Coordinator at Campus Iberius and Coordinator of the Erasmus + Project PackAlliance
  • Competency Pilot: Addressing the competency needs of tomorrow: Øyvind Nordstrand, Advisor Innlandet County Council

Important: How to join the webinar?

Only one registration is given for all the events within the Skillman International Forum (SIF). Hence, to join the event, you have to register to Skillman International Forum and participants will be re-directed from the plenary (main room) to the various sessions in the course the event through break-out rooms.

After registration, you will receive the email with the list of separate sessions among which you have to choose 10 AER – PAVILLION d1.

If you cannot attend the whole SIF, you may access the event at least 15 minutes before the beginning of the webinar “Circular Economy: Opportunities and Needs in the Labour Market” (starting time 15:30) so that you can be re-directed to the session.

REGISTER HERE

This webinar is organised as part of the SKILLNET series of webinars on EU funding opportunities. SKILLNET is a project funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission aiming to strengthen the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system’s role and capacity to design high-quality VET programmes tailored to current societal needs through enhanced transnational and cross-sectoral partnerships.

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Partner Search: new project proposal to support the Farm-to-Fork Strategy

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Are you interested in joining projects within Horizon 2020 European Green Deal Call? Sibiu County Council, local public administration in Romania and member region of AER, is looking for partners to join their new project on the Farm-to-Fork Strategy.

About the European Green Deal Call

Green Deal Call, worth €1 billion, has been launched on the 18th of September. It is the last call of the Horizon 2020 Programme and just ahead of the launch of Horizon Europe, the next research and innovation programme kicking-off in 2021.

The Green Deal Call is all about impact, with the Commission looking for projects that will deliver fast and visible results. This call is yielding tangible results that will bring changes by 2030. 

The structure of the call is mirroring the European Green Deal. One of the ten thematic areas is Testing and demonstrating systemic innovations in support of the Farm-to-Fork Strategy within which proposals should focus on systemic innovations that enhance the resilience of food systems to various shock and maximize synergies and minimize trade-offs to deliver co-benefits on the environmental, economic, and social dimensions.

About the Sibiu County Council’s project proposal

Sibiu County Council is currently developing a project proposal in support of the Farm-to-Fork Strategy within the Horizon 2020 call LC-GD-6-1-2020 “Testing and demonstrating systemic innovations in support of the Farm-to-Fork-Strategy”.

Taking into account that many current production practices and consumption patterns still result in food waste, air, water, and soil pollution and contribute to climate change, the general objectives of the project proposal are decreasing the carbon footprint, shortening the food chain from Farm to Fork and enhancing sustainable rural development.

In view of the current COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences, the project proposal also aims to ensure an easy and secure connection between producers and consumers by transforming weekly supported local markets using digital solutions. In that way, the project would contribute to developing the local economy, stopping food waste, and transitioning to digitalization.

If you are interested in joining this project proposal and contributing to its further development, don’t hesitate to contact AER team by 27 November 2020. We would be happy to liaise you with Sibiu County Council!

Contact: Agnese Pantaloni, European Projects Coordinator

E-mail: [email protected]

Photo by Megan Thomas on Unsplash

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Webinar: EU Green Deal – Farm to Fork – The Commitment of Regions to Sustainable Food Policy in the EU

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Date: 16 December

Time: 16:00-17:30 CEST

Registration: Here

Following the success of our first European Green Deal webinar, which covered challenges and opportunities for regions in the time of Covid-19, the AER is delighted to bring you the second in our series: Farm to Fork – The Commitment of Regions to Sustainable Food Policy in the EU, in collaboration with the Advisory Council for Sustainable Development of the Catalan Government (CADS).

During this online session, it will be discussed the key role that the new comprehensive approach to food sustainability has to play in the European Union and the commitment from European regions towards developing and implementing food policies that contribute to a more resilient and sustainable food system. 

This panel debate will bring together regional authorities as well as EU and global representatives and will be followed by a more open questions and answers session to provide further food for thought.

                                                         See the overview detailed programme here

16:00-16:10 Welcome & Introduction
16:10-16:30 Experts Panel –

Farm to Fork: Achieving Food Sustainability in the European Union
16:30-16:50 Good practice examples–

European Regions as frontrunners towards sustainable food policies
16:50-17:30 Questions & Answers with regions

Regional representatives from the panel and among the audience will have the opportunity to address their questions to the experts.

Committee 1 Annual Report June 2019 – November 2020

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The General Assembly is the highest authority of AER and convenes representatives of all its full members at least once a year. The General Assembly adopts among other things, the annual reports of the Thematic Committees.

This report is the compilation of actions developed and implemented within Committee 1 between the 2019 General Assembly in Larnaka (CY) and the 2020 online General Assembly.

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic the AER Executive Board decided to prolong the validity of the AER Action Plan in order to allow the continuation of knowledge sharing between regions in a structured way.

AER had to define ways to maintain planned activities and offer new opportunities for mutual learning in a radically different and uncertain context, where face-to-face meetings are not possible and all regional stakeholders are focused on fighting the pandemic.

Activities are organised in 3 categories:

  • Projects
  • Good practice sharing
  • Advocacy/ Lobbying

Projects

In terms of knowledge sharing, the idea with projects is to provide a framework, where regions can go deeper in mutual learning and good practices exchange, while being co-financed by the EU. AER always negotiates its implication in projects in a way that will benefit all AER members. In the current situation where face to face events are cancelled, projects offer unparalleled opportunities for online knowledge and experience exchange.

SKILLNET

SKILLNET is a project co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme aimed at improving Vocational Education and Training (VET) systems.

AER joined the SKILLNET project this Spring while most of Europe was in lockdown, specifically because of the opportunities the project is offering for online activities relevant to both Committee 1 and Committee 3. Indeed the project is organising a high number of webinars and offering online platforms for the exchange of knowledge. In order to make sure project activities provide value to members, the topics of SKILLNET webinars are chosen based on the AER Action Plan and further specified together with members which have expressed needs in the process of the definition of workprogrammes at Committee meetings

SKILLNET has launched a series of 18 webinars on EU funding opportunities. Each webinar is open to all interested parties and focuses on different areas of intervention upon which relevant partnerships can be launched.

As a follow-up of each SKILLNET webinar, a Partnerships in Focus bulletin is circulated and stored in the Partnerships in Focus hub on the AER website.

Additionally, the project offers the opportunity for regional stakeholders working on Vocational Education and Training to connect via the Peer Learning Clubs. Stakeholders learn from each other, and get access to relevant information and experts to be applied to develop future partnerships within EU calls.

  • AER members interested in sharing their experience in a webinar should contact AER Coordinator for Policy & Knowledge Transfer Johanna Pacevicius

Together for Cohesion: let’s rEUnite! finished

“Together for Cohesion: let’s rEUnite!” is a project submitted under a call launched by DG REGIO. This project raised awareness on the importance of programmes, projects, and services funded by the cohesion policy funds. It also encouraged the participation of citizens and stakeholders to become active players in the dialogue on cohesion policy. AER coordinated the project and collected experiences on cohesion policy together with regions.

This project was officially launched during the 2019 General Assembly in Larnaca (CY). Six AER member regions were partners in this project: Varazdin (HR), Csongrád (HU), Trentino (IT), Timis and Alba (RO), and Catalonia (ES). The project also had an information stall dedicated to the Together for Cohesion project at 2019 Autumn Committee Plenaries.

Partner regions have organized several local events to raise awareness on Cohesion policy among EU citizens:

The first event of Together for Cohesion held, the “Apulum Agraria” Fair in Alba (RO) held from 20-22nd September 2019, promoting agriculture, the economy of Alba and local farmers and members of professional associations.

The project was also represented at the 37th session of the Local and Regional Authorities Congress, led by the Council of Europe between the 28-31st October 2019.

The project contributed to the organisation of a Career management fair in Alba (RO), which raised awareness on the use and benefits of the EU cohesion policy and funds – with a special focus on how to find employment opportunities and how to receive the appropriate career guidance.

The Forum for Mayors, on the 11th of December, in Szeged, Hungary, by the General Assembly of Csongrand County was an opportunity to learn more about why cohesion policy and funds are crucial for the social and economic development of the cities and towns led by the Mayors taking part in the Csongrad Forum

Regions have also prepared several trainings focused on developing communication skills and understanding of European cohesion policies. The first training, on Together4Cohesion: how to use social media to better communicate the EU cohesion policy took place on the 23rd of January, in Trentino, Italy.

In Varaždin (HR), the annual Gala Ball of Varaždin County on 24 January 2020 was an opportunity to promote the project. On 13 February 2020, Varaždin also hosted an event in the context of the Together4Cohesion Project called “ESI Funds beyond 2020”. On 5 March a third event will be organised, with a contribution by South Ostrobothnia on entrepreneurship education. It is connected with Cohesion Policy since schools will also present how they develop new curricula with the help of EU funds. The recommendations will be sent to AER and be at disposal for all interested members

More events organised in the context of the project can be found on the Together4Cohesion website

CUBES: Cultural Administration Boosting with the Engagement of Sustainability for Local Communities ongoing

The CUBES project was developed to create a bridge between cultural heritage, administrative bodies, and digitalization. The project will:

  • raise awareness
  • emphasizing the importance of culture
  • increase competitiveness and economic growth.

Target: local communities, public authorities, NGOs and CSOs. The kick-off of the CUBES project took place on the 25th of October 2019 in Lisbon, the project will end in April 2020

The experience of the CUBES project on grassroots approaches for sustainable regional development was supposed to inform the discussions at the conference “Territorial Approaches to Regional Development” in Covasna on 11 March 2020. As the plenaries were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an article was written on Culture, a pillar of sustainable regional development by the Lead partner of the CUBES project.

As the project is progressing, the Secretariat is exploring how to use the knowledge and outputs created in the project to benefit members in Committee 3.

Includ-EU: Regional and local expertise, exchange and engagement for enhanced social cohesion in Europe ongoing

AER and the International Organisation for Migration, together with several regional and local authorities have joined forces in the Includ-EU project. This project will improve transnational knowledge and experience sharing, cooperation and partnerships to build a more inclusive and cohesive Europe.

AER will organise 5 workshops to facilitate knowledge and experience sharing as well as to support the implementation of pilot activities around the 5 key priorities of the EU action plan: post-arrival support, education, labour market integration, access to services, citizen participation & inclusion.

In the context of the pandemic, AER anticipated the organisation of the webinars, which were normally planned for later. A first webinar was organised in collaboration with the Intercultural Regions Network, The Council of Europe and the International Organisation for Migration, to share experiences on access to services, especially health services.

The second webinar will take place on 10 November and will be focused on Labour Market Inclusion, with good practices from Greece and the Netherlands and a presentation by the European Commission on upcoming changes in funding for activities on integration.

E-health in rural areas: finished

Members discussed the possibility to develop a pan-AER regional e-health rural project based on innovation and digitalisation. This idea was not followed up by the development of a project.

As the topic is still relevant for many AER members, members were invited to participate in a webinar on integrated care in remote and rural areas, an activity organised in the context of the SCIROCCO Exchange project (see above)

Project development on farming, rural planning, and infrastructure: planned

Members of the AER working group on rural development would like to develop a project to compare and incorporate good practices in farming (cattle, dairy) and infrastructure.

  • Regions interested in developing such a project should share their idea during the development of the 2020-2021 work programme on 12 March in order to find regions who want to cooperate on this and start developing this initiative.

Project on rural development: planned

Members of the AER working group on rural development would like to develop a project on how to invest and develop basic infrastructure in rural areas. For example, water, waste, gas, roads, education, health care.

  • Regions interested in developing such a project should share their idea during the development of the 2020-2021 work programme on 12 March in order to find regions who want to cooperate on this and start developing this initiative.

Good Practice Exchange

2019 AER Autumn Committee Plenaries – Podčetrtek (SI): finished

The annual Autumn Committee Plenaries of the Assembly of European Regions took place on September 24-26 2019, in Podčetrtek, Slovenia.

The topic of the thematic event of the plenaries was Cohesion & Contrasted Regional Realities. The thematic event consisted of discussions with perspectives from all of Europe, with a special focus on Ireland and Slovenia. Despite the varying experiences and realities in the regions represented, it was agreed that a holistic approach to regional development is necessary

The aim was to share experiences, especially from regions with considerable disparities within their territories to learn about different strategies and practices as well as enablers and barriers to more cohesive regional development.

2020 AER Spring Committee Plenaries – Covasna: cancelled

The main focus of the AER 2020 Spring Committee Plenaries in Covasna County (RO) between 10-12 March was to be territorial approaches. Urban-rural divides within regions were going to be in the spotlight.

While the Autumn 2019 plenaries “Territorial cohesion and Contrasted Realities” looked at how regions address territorial differences, this spring’s plenary should have been about taking stock of the situation in Europe. How to bridge the gap between theories on place-based policies and the actual implementation of effective and participative policies?

Members should have in particular, discussed the state of play of smart specialization strategies in Europe, health innovation and wellbeing, as well as brain drain vs brain gain.

In the context of the cancellation of face to face activities, AER tried to ensure that the content, which would normally have been shared at the plenaries, was still shared via the AER website. A series of articles was therefore published, featuring the speakers on the programme of the Covasna events, both from AER regions and from external experts with examples challenges and good practices: https://aer.eu/tag/event-2020-spring-plenaries/

While reading articles about a region don’t replace actually visiting it, special visibility was given to Covasna and the good practices to be presented on the spot on the AER website.

Committee 1 Vice President for Rural development, Energy and Environment, Nicola Campitelli, Abruzzo (IT) shared the Abruzzo governance for rural areas and their vision for the post-COVID-19 recovery

The topic of smart specialisation for inclusion and wellbeing will be further developed in the context of the webinar of the Digital Health network on 18 November 2020

Organisation of the Regional Business Forum

The Regional Business Forum (RBF) is an annual international forum to exchange on support for SMEs, promote business and commerce, incentive the possibility to collaborate and share best practices between regions. The event is organised by AER Vice-President for Regional Economic Developmen Damir Zobenica.

This 3rd edition will be a hybrid-event hosted in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina on 10 November. Following the success of last year’s forum, this year’s Regional Business Forum will focus on three main sectors: Agriculture & Food; the Construction Industry; ICT and Creative industries.

Through B2B (business-to-business) meetings, participants will get the chance to find partners according to their own interests and objectives

Interested candidates can register online for the B2B matchmaking, facilitated by the European Enterprise Network matchmaking tool.

Supporting members to use the TAIEX-Environmental Implementation Review: ongoing

The AER Secretariat disseminated information about the TAIEX-EIR peer to peer learning program and is supporting members to use this program to gain or provide knowledge on environmental policies on topics as diverse as air quality, waste management, water management, the circular economy. This program which is relatively easy and quick to access is a good complement to activities carried out within AER and an opportunity to access support from the Commission to carry out exchanges with other regions.

Gelderland (NL) and the European Commission organized a TAIEX-EIR workshop on “Maintaining and Enhancing Ecosystem Services in Urban Regions” on 4 and 5 July 2019.

In the context of the joint action to protect Romanian forests, the AER Secretariat has been in touch with DG Environment, to identify ways to use the TAIEX-EIR program. This should help improve legislation and practices for the protection of primary forests and biodiversity in Romania.

Mutual learning event on economy 4.0: Finished

On 4 December 2019, AER, the Brussels Capital Region and the Government of Catalonia organized a mutual learning event on economy 4.0. Economy 4.0 describes a new era of productive, industrial and economic development characterized by the implementation of big-scale automatization, artificial intelligence (AI) robotic instruments, computational big data analytics software, and high tech infrastructure. It aims to gather experiences from all three AER Committees and regions who are welcomed to share inputs and regional examples.
The report on the event can be found here.

Workshop ” connectivity vs sustainability?”: finished

On the occasion of the Autumn plenary meeting in Podčetrtek (SI), the working group on transports & mobility chaired by Martin Tollén organised a workshop on connectivity and sustainability. Speakers featured Matej Gojčič from the Regional Development Agency of the Ljubljana Urban Region and Sergi Alegre, President of the Airport Regions Conference.

New mobility services: ongoing

Good practices exchange on electric cars and infrastructure both at AER meetings and in events of the European Innovation Partnership on Smart Cities and Communities (EIP-SCC), where Östergötland (SE) is representing AER.

Workshop on sustainable transport and mobility: cancelled

AER member regions Gelderland (NL) and Östergötland (SE) planned a workshop on sustainable transport and mobility during the European Sustainability Energy Week on Clean Energy from 18-20 June 2019 in the House of Dutch Provinces in Brussels.

Lowering emissions in transport: cancelled

AER member region Norrbotten (SE) would like to organize good practice exchange on identifying how to lower emissions in transports within the Working group on Energy and Climate Change.

Waste collection in rural areas: planned

Within the working group on rural development, members would like to have an exchange of good practices on how to raise awareness of recycling and waste collection in rural areas.
This topic could be addressed either in the context of a meeting of the working group on rural development or in separate events, such as Breakfast seminars in Brussels.

Webinar on agricultural cooperatives for more sustainable and resilient supply chains: cancelled

In the context of the changes brought by the COVID-19 pandemic and the cancellation of face to face meetings, the Chair of the Working Group on rural development Olimpia Neagoe, Dolj (RO) initiated the organisation of a webinar on this topic made highly relevant in the context of lockdowns in Europe. However due to regional elections in Romania, this activity was cancelled.

AER Delegation at Smart City Expo World Congress: finished

AER took part in SCEWC19. The 3-day conference confirmed its role as the world’s greatest meeting point for cities and companies sharing the same goals as regards the future of cities. Different stakeholders gathered together in Barcelona and explored new innovative ways to make cities inclusive, efficient and sustainable.

Small hydropower plants: cancelled

Exchange of good practice on noise reduction with (small) hydro powerplants (finding a suitable location also from an environmental point of view). Lobbying and advocacy with NGOs and governments about the environmental point of view, partnership, and exchange of good practice. National stimulations for developing projects on national tourism strategy on a local and regional level. Members didn’t express interest about this topic anymore.

Creation of a working group on how to attract more workforce: planned

Several regions in AER have expressed the need to exchange experiences on how to attract more workforce to regions that are largely rural.
This action could be developed within the context of the working group on business and SMEs.

The 2020 Spring plenaries in Covasna would have specifically look at territorial approaches and the ways in which regions address challenges linked to regional development, innovation and rurality. Instead content was shared via the AER website and the article by Committee 3 President on a Regional Approach to reduce Brain Drain provides a number of proposals in that respect. Hrvoje Kovač, Chair of the Subcommittee on Youth also prepared a very clear video on the topic.

Effective legislative frameworks: cancelled

Tulcea would like to collaborate with other regions to elaborate good legislative frameworks for tourism, business, industry, research. The goal would be a simplification of administration and the reduction of red tape. No activity was developed on this topic, however, the topic of cutting red tape is the kind of topics which will be addressed by the AER civil servants exchange programme as the programme will aim at facilitating experience exchange on efficient public administrations.

Energy efficiency: planned

Good practice sharing on stimulating energy efficiency, for instance, competition between organizations and OECD. Indicators on energy efficiency and EC energy efficiency directive.

Advocacy/Lobbying

Building a Network of Intercultural Regions: ongoing

The Bureau Task Force on migration organized a Breakfast debate on the occasion of the General Assembly in Larnaca to examine the possibility of creating an intercultural regions programme, similar to the existing Council of Europe Intercultural Cities Programme. The network will support regions for the design and implementation of diversity and inclusion strategies. The Intercultural Regions Network was launched on 5th November 2019. The process to develop this network requires intense dialogue with institutions.

AER and the Council of Europe are now planning activities for the coming months, a first meeting was organised in 16 March. The Intercultural Regions Network is closely involved in activities carried out in the context of the Includ-EU project (see above)

Mobility: engagement in the EIP-SCC: ongoing

AER is involved in the European Innovation Partnership on Smart Cities and Communities (EIP-SCC). This framework is an opportunity for strategic intelligence, state of the art information, partnership building and influence.

Protection of Romanian forests: finished

Primary forests are rare in Europe and the ones in Romania are threatened by excessive logging. AER members, therefore, agreed at the Committee 1 Spring plenary meeting in Örebro, to support Romanian regions to protect this invaluable natural heritage.
At the AER Autumn Committee Plenaries on 26 September, the AER Working Group on Rural Development hosted a Breakfast Debate on European Biodiversity: Protecting Primary Forests. AER was pleased to be joined by some external experts on this topic, among them, Shiroma Sathyapala, Forestry Officer, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia

Joint initiatives for advocacy

Member regions can decide to initiate joint actions and find partners among AER members. Regions can get support from the Secretariat to connect with other regions, get an overview of existing legal framework and identify relevant actions, target institutions.

AER Bureau Task Forces

The 2018 Spring Bureau established the creation of Task Forces on dedicated topics. These Task Forces will gather examples, identify and formulate policy messages which will be brought together in position papers which will then be used for advocacy. Members who would like to contribute to one of the below Task Forces should contact AER Coordinator for Advocacy & Institutional Relations Vania Freitas

-Task Force on Food Security

-Task Force on Cohesion Policy

-Task Force on Digitalisation

-Task Force on Migration

-Task Force on Sustainable Development Goals

The Committees’ work programmes and the AER action Plan

The development of the Action Plan is a collective process to enable all participants to specify needs and decide to initiate activities that add value to their region. The principle is the following: as long as an action fits with the AER values, is in line with the AER priorities and has support from other regions, it can be included in the Committee’s work programmes. The work programmes are developed in spring each year and the 2019/2020 work programme is available here.

The AER action plan is the consolidation of the three Committees’ work programmes with all other activities led by the Bureau and the Executive Board. It is adopted at the General Assembly.

Members can propose new joint initiatives at any time during the year, these are then approved by the Executive Board and included in the Committee’s work programmes and the AER action plan. The action plan for 2019/2020 is available here.

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European regions, implementing the SDGs through Cohesion Policy

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One more year the Assembly of European Regions took part in the European Week of Regions and Cities with the organisation of a webinar together with its partners: Regions 4, ORU Fogar, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Catalan Directorate-General for Development Cooperation (ACCD), and the European Union EUROsociAL+ Programme.

The webinar which took place last 15 October addressed the question of “How cohesion policy can make regions deliver for a sustainable and fair Europe, and progress on the implementation of the SDGs“.

Magnus Berntsson, AER President, moderated the workshop and introduced the relevance of bringing cohesion policy and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development together.

Local and regional authorities play a crucial role in achieving a sustainable future and accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Stefano Marta, OECD, estimated that the achievement of 65% of the 169 targets of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals depends on the regional and local action. Yet, municipalities and regions are not always meaningfully engaged in the implementation, follow up and review of the global goals.

Increasing the pace and scale of implementation efforts of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has become ever more important at this time of crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the structural inequalities within and among countries, bringing to the fore the urgent need for further cooperation, stronger solidarity and resolute actions to build a more fair, sustainable, prosperous and resilient society. Regional inequalities aggravated by the pandemic have consequently under met prospects for realising the SDGs. In this regard, Agustí Fernández de Losada from the EUROsociAL+ Programme from the European Commission, stated that territorial cohesion is key to address regional disparities in Europe, and an indispensable element to allow sustainable development in an integrated regional perspective.

Javier Sánchez Cano from the Directorate-General of Development and Cooperation at the Catalan Government considered how the implementation of the 2030 Agenda can benefit from the policy capabilities of regions to strengthen the effectiveness and legitimacy of localized policy processes, and therefore, generate the necessary support to design and implement policies that will further enhance cohesion. Moreover, he emphasized the relevance to commit enhanced support to local and regional authorities for the localisation of the SDGs through a stronger cohesion policy and other relevant EU funding programme, which leads to a close alignment of the national programmes with the 2030 Agenda. 

When it comes to the implementation of the SDGs, cohesion policy plays a central role. As Marta Marín, Delegate from the Basque Country to the EU, stated during the debate, cohesion policy through its multi-level and multi-stakeholder implementation approach and investments in strengthening people’s skills, creating job opportunities, fighting poverty and social exclusion, supporting small and medium enterprises, as well as in addressing major global issues such as climate change and migration; it will be an essential EU instrument for countries, regions and municipalities to make progress towards the SDGs.

The Sustainable Development Goals should be met leaving no one and no place behind. Regional and local governments must ensure cohesion policy programmes bring about the best outcomes for sustainable development and the localization of the SDGs, turning the 2030 Agenda into reality across Europe. The Secretary of Economy from the Government of Catalonia, Natàlia Mas, showcased how Catalonia has implemented the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development through cohesion policy. 

Rewatch it now!
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AER participating in #EURegionsWeek

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The Assembly of European Regions (AER) is pleased to announce our participation in the European Week of Regions and Cities (EURegionsWeek) in two sessions during the week of 12-16 October.

The EURegionsWeek is an annual event taking place in Brussels dedicated to regional policy. During this week, political representatives, decision-makers, experts and practitioners of regional policy, as well as stakeholders from business, banking, civil society organisations, academia, the EU institutions and the media discuss common challenges for European regions and cities. In 2019, over 9000 participants took part in over 330 sessions.

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the EURegionsWeek will be fully digital over 3 weeks from 5 to 22 October, each week covering a different theme:

October 5 – 9: Green Europe
October 12-16: Cohesion and Cooperation
October 19-22: Empowering Citizens

Achieving 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through Cohesion Policy

On 15 October from 11:30 – 13:00, we invite you to join our webinar in partnership with  Regions 4, ORU Fogar, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Catalan Directorate-General for Development Cooperation (ACCD), and the European Union EUROsociAL+ Programme.

The Sustainable Development Goals should be met leaving no one and no place behind. Cohesion policy will be an essential instrument for countries, regions, and municipalities to make progress towards the SDGs through its multi-level and multi-stakeholder implementation approach and investments in strengthening people’s skills, creating job opportunities, fighting poverty and social exclusion, supporting small and medium enterprises, as well as addressing major global issues such as climate change and migration. Regional and local governments must ensure cohesion policy programmes bring about the best outcomes for sustainable development and the localization of the SDGs, turning the 2030 Agenda into reality across Europe.

The webinar will aim to address the main question of “How cohesion policy can make regions deliver for a sustainable and fair Europe, and progress on the implementation of the SDGs“.

Speakers:

Stefano Marta, Coordinator Territorial Approach to the SDGs, OECD, Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities
Agustí Fernández de Losada, Specialist, EUROsociAL+ Programme.
Leyre Madariaga, Director of Foreign Relations, Basque Government.
Natàlia Mas, Secretary of Economy, Government of Catalonia.
Javier Sánchez Cano, Head of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Directorate-General of Development and Cooperation Catalan Government.
Moderated by Mr Magnus Berntsson, AER President

For further information and programme, please refer to the concept note.   

Deadline: 27 September

Eurodyssey35: Regions on the move

On 14 October from 9:30 – 11, we invite you to join us for our participatory lab about what is at stake for youth development, and the instrumental role of youth mobility in fostering territorial cohesion and a sense of European identity. 

Mobility is at the core of European integration. For over 25 years the EU has actively promoted the mobility of students, researchers and citizens to deliver in strategic policy areas: employment, education and inclusion. Since 1985, the AER has put regions at the forefront of fair mobility for young people through our Eurodyssey programme. Regional and local authorities have a key part to play in driving youth development and tackling barriers to short-term mobility and longer-term cohesion.

Through parallel discussions, the audience will not only take a deep-dive into the ins and outs of youth mobility but will also challenge the invited storytellers to reflect upon the linkages between fair mobility, quality employment, social inclusion and active European citizenship

Speakers:
Mr Hrvoje Kovač, Chair of AER Subcommittee on Youth, Assembly of European Regions (AER)
Ms Andrea Ugrinoska, Chairperson of the Advisory Council on Youth, Council of Europe
Ms Floor Van Houdt, Head of Unit for Youth policy and Volunteer Solidarity, European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture

Deadline: 27 September

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Partner Search: Develop Integrated Interventions for Vulnerable People with Izmir Metropolitan Municipality

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Are you currently developing a project proposal addressing the EaSI call VP/2020/003 “Establishing and testing integrated interventions aimed at supporting people in (the most) vulnerable situations” or do you wish to do so? Then, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, the third-largest municipality in Turkey and a hub for multiculturalism and integration, is eager to either join an established consortium or to find partners willing to co-create an effective project application to be submitted by 15/10/2020.

About the Call

By means of the European Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI), the European Union finances actions needed to pursue one of its core objectives, i.e. “the promotion of high-level quality and sustainable employment, guaranteeing adequate and decent social protection, combating social exclusion and poverty and improving working conditions”.

Despite the increase in the living conditions in the European Union over the last decade, threats to the social and economic wellbeing of people are still persisting and in need of an active response. Long-term employment and activity are still lacking across the continent, while poverty and social exclusion remain a major concern for many individuals. Making social protection and social inclusion as resilient as possible becomes even more urgent at the current time, when, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic crisis, urgent needs of disadvantaged groups are increasing, whereas accessibility to public services and employability rate are dramatically decreasing all over the world.

Through the “(EaSI) – VP/2020/003”, the EU is calling for authorities and organisations to address this persisting gaps in the effectiveness of social benefits hindering the wellbeing, inclusion, and social mobility of most vulnerable people, referring to people facing the greatest barriers to social and labor market integration.  

The call supports the development and testing of policy innovations and experimentations aimed at the effective delivery of Principle 14 of the European Pillar of Social Rights, according to which“everyone lacking sufficient resources has the right to adequate minimum income benefits ensuring a life in dignity at all stages of life, and effective access to enabling goods and service”. The action must build on the integrated approach combining three strands: the provision of adequate minimum income benefits; activation services supporting the access to employment; and effective access to enabling goods and services.   

  • The EU co-financing rate for the projects implemented under this call is 80%
  • The deadline for the submission of the application is 15/10/2020
  • Access the call for more information

About Izmir Metropolitan Municipality

Izmir Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) holds a very important place in the local administration organization of Izmir, being the third-largest city in Turkey and an important logistic hub. IMM, as the local authority of the whole province, is responsible for the wide variety of areas, including social projects, community services, vocational education, health, culture, tourism, environment, climate change, IT, transportation, energy, natural resources, water, and sewerage administration, infrastructure, planning, and development, etc.

Izmir has been a remarkable city for both internal and external migration movements throughout history. Especially internal migration movements (from rural cities to metropolitan cities) that have been continuing since the 1970s and Syrians’ refugee movements for several years their repercussions raise vulnerable groups in Izmir like other metropolitan cities. Since then, IMM has given great importance to these and implemented a variety of projects and activities for vulnerable groups and other disadvantageous groups.

IMM provides a wide range of services in reference to fields of social support and social investment, and it has many service centers peculiar to each vulnerable group. To name a few examples: Milk Fed Lamb (Süt Kuzusu) is providing milk for kids between 1 to 5 years old. Vocational Factory (Meslek Fabrikası) is a project which improves the employability of job seekers with its local labor market-sensitive vocational training programs. Accessible Izmir (EngelsizIzmir) aims to form better conditions in all public services for disabled citizens. Grocery of Public (Halkın Bakkalı) is a project which provides urgent nutrition products to low-income neighborhoods while supplying them from local small producers. Hanging Meal (AskıdaYemek) and Hanging Invoices (AskıdaFatura) are the projects contributing to the solidarity of people who lives in the city for supporting low-income people by paying their invoices and fundamental food needs with donations. We are providing a diversity of services through our infrastructure and participating in grant projects (EU, UN, etc.)  for vulnerable groups such as women, disabled, refugees, NEETs. IMM has a good level of experience, implementation and cooperation capacity, infrastructure facilities, and responsiveness to changing local needs. 

In order to ensure social, cultural, educational, and economic cohesion and to transform the multicultural and multi-identity structure of the city into a richness, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality creates inclusive urban policies with a rights-based and holistic perspective always pushing for delivering the necessary. In light of the new threats posed by the Covid-19 and new migration flows in terms of supporting and providing proper services for vulnerable groups (including NEETs, disabled people, women with low educational attainment), IMM especially values the work that can be developed by being part of the EaSI project as it will enable to structure beneficial and inclusive policies, feed and support coexistence culture and social cohesion in the city.

For more information contact:

Derkay TAN, Directorate of EU Grant Projects at Izmir Metropolitan Municipality [email protected]

Photo from Unsplash Larm Rmah

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Together4Cohesion strengthens Children’s Thinking on Climate Change: Drawing Exhibition and Award Ceremony in Csongrád County

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We may think that children are not yet mature enough to have a say in major political debates but, as shown by the “Fridays For Future” strikes all over the world,  this is not the case – especially when it comes to climate change and the future of our planet. Their thoughts are clear, their demands are spoken laud, and it is important that their voices are heard and encouraged.

This is why the Csongrád-Csanád County Government, within the Cohesion Calendar of the project Together for Cohesion, has given these young actors a space to communicate their views through a drawing competition on climate change.

As pointed by the President of the Csongrád-Csanád County Assembly,  László Gémes, during the award ceremony held on June 23: “As the President of the Csongrád-Csanád County Assembly, I consider it important that saving energy, water, and natural goods become a part of our children’s lives, and that they know and use climate-friendly technologies such as renewable energy, collection or, for example, composting“.

Through the competition, children were encouraged to express by means of colors and fantasy what climate protections means to them, what it is possible and needed to do to save our planet, and what they would like to change in the behaviors of themselves and of adults to make our environment more livable and sustainable.

As a good indicator of children’s enthusiasm and willingness to communicate their views on climate protection, around 600 art-works were sent.  A high professional jury was called to the difficult duty of evaluating and ranking the best works. The jury included László Gémes, President of the Csongrád-Csanád County Assembly, Péter Kertész, Director of the Ópusztaszer National Historical Memorial Park and Balázs Papdi, a professional photographer from Szeged.

Children and parents were all invited to the award ceremony and the exhibition of the top 50 drawings held on June 23 at the Albert Szent-Györgyi Agóra of Szeged. The award ceremony was followed by a flash mob and a workshop consisting of an interactive and playful climate lesson run by Dr. Ágnes Gulyás, a lecturer at the Department of Climatology and Landscape Geography of the University of Szeged.

The exhibition will be opened in the Albert Szent-Györgyi Agóra of Szeged for one week, and all the paintings have been digitized and uploaded in the online exhibition available on the website of the County Government. We encourage you to visit the online exhibition so as to not miss the opportunity of discovering how children wish their planet to be!

Visit the online exhibition here and here! And check Together for Cohesion website to be updated an all the upcoming activities and stories of our campaign to raise awareness on the benefits of cohesion policy for citizens and stakeholders!

Photos’ Credits: Csongrád-Csanád County Government

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