Assembly of European Regions

Connecting regions, inspiring Europe since 1985

You are here: Home / Archives for Climate change

This is the tag for all posts relating to climate change.

Territorial approaches: the governance of Abruzzo for rural areas

By

To facilitate continuous knowledge flow between regions a series of articles and interviews is being published on the topic which was to be discussed in Covasna: “Territorial approaches to regional development”, with a particular focus on urban-rural divides. Indeed, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Spring Committee Plenaries of the Assembly of European Regions (AER) in Covasna were cancelled.

The Committee Plenaries provide an opportunity for our member regions to come together, exchange ideas and experiences and initiate joint projects.

Nicola Campitelli, Regional Minister for Urban Planning, Abruzzo (IT), and AER Committee 1 Vice President for Rural development, Energy and shares here the experience from his region. Rural development has never been more current and the post-COVID-19 economic recovery will require ambitious territorial approaches.

Breath-taking landscapes and huge protected areas

The territory of the Abruzzo region, according to the National Institute of Statistics altimetric classification, is 62.8% mountain, 14.8% internal hill and 22.3% coastal hill. Almost all of the territory belongs to rural areas, while only 0.9% is urban and peri-urban areas. The percentage of agroforestry area in rural areas is 76.3% and the forest area is 438.590 ha, that is 40.6% of the regional surface. The extension of the regional protected areas, 58 sites under the Habitats EU Directive, is 36.3% of the regional territory, first place at national level, thus highlighting the importance of the Region in safeguarding biodiversity.

One metropolitan area and many small towns


Abruzzo has 1,312,507 inhabitants, half of which (54.4%) reside in intermediate rural areas, about a quarter in areas with development problems (26.8%), 12.9% in urban and peri-urban areas and 5.9% in rural areas with intensive and specialized agriculture. The population ,with the exception of the Pescara metropolitan area, is distributed heterogeneously among the many small towns that characterize the Abruzzo region (which counts 305 Municipalities).

Territorial approaches for sustainability & inclusion

This situation requires territorial planning and involves natural, demographic and cultural resources, thus representing a priority component of an effective local development strategy.

The following priorities are at the core of the entire 2021-2027 planning of the Abruzzo Region:

  • quality work
  • territory and natural resources for future generations
  • homogeneity and quality of services for citizens
  • culture as vehicle of economic and social connection.

The focus of the regional planning, therefore, is a sustainable and intelligent growth of the entire territory.

Post-COVID-19 economic recovery should be anchored in sustainable development principles

The newly allocated funds for the restart following the lockdown for Covid-19 has to suit the criteria and guidelines of sustainable development, the circular economy and climate change, to set up a possibly lasting development strategy. Therefore, the 2030 and 2050 planning has to be maintained in all Europe: reduction of energy costs, energy self-supply and sustainable development; this will allow economic security and stable economy recovery.

It is therefore necessary to confirm the use of financial sources for interventions in energy savings and in reducing pollution emissions, in line with the 2030 objective, supporting companies that are already structured and able or, enabled, to develop virtuous activities. Otherwise, there is a high risk of not being able to be competitive and exit the market. Agriculture itself must be developed according to sustainable production systems: techniques that reduce the consumption of raw materials and increase the sequestration of CO2.

Furthermore, the restart has to take place by activating local businesses, e.g. energy efficiency intervention on public and private buildings. This way many local companies and professionals will be activated and the management costs of the buildings and the related services will be reduced, promoting the immediate pollution reduction that, according to new researches, also could be a carrie of viruses . This action is the sole credible strategy, adopted today across Europe: the 2030 strategy. It is therefore essential to finance virtuous enterprises and immediate intervention programs.

A strategy focused on sustainable and inclusive smart growth


In relation to the activities already running in the Abruzzo Region, the Rural Development Program (PSR) represents one of the tools to support the growth of agriculture, forestry, rural areas and is concentrated, as all regional planning, on sustainable and inclusive smart growth. The Plan is implemented in coordination with the National Rural Network, through which Italy joins the European Rural Network (REE), which integrates all activities related to the rural areas development for the 2014- 2020 period.

Participation the essential element for success

The Abruzzo rural development program proposes interventions aimed at encouraging different local actors and at strengthening the bottom-up approach of local communities, in order to create a development based on the resources of the territory, in response to the specific needs of local areas and aimed at stimulating the aggregation of different skills and professionals.

The PSR has been developed also through the participatory process, promoting the participation of stakeholders, local authorities, associations, and agri-food, forestry and environmental operators. In the 2014-20 period, specific policies have been addressed to the less developed rural areas, by integrated planning tools and services to the population, also in connection with the national strategy for internal areas. To achieve the inner areas strategies goal, measures have been promoted to create and develop short supply chains ( even for sustainable use of biomass in food and industrial production) and local markets and to support promotional activities.

The bottom-up approach is also the basis of all regional planning of strategies and interventions for the Climate Change and sustainable development governance, which promotes the coordination of all regional planning and actions. All the municipalities of Abruzzo, and therefore also the municipalities of the rural areas, are coordinated by the Region in the processing of SECAP (Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan) according to a district logic, that are also homogeneous climatic areas. All 305 municipalities have joined the Covenant of Mayors and are monitoring their Energy Action Plans (SEAP) to upgrade SEAPs into SECAPs. In particular, as part of the JOINT_SECAP (Interreg Italy-Croatia) project, two pilot areas have been identified, one of which is represented by 4 municipalities in the internal area (Penne, Elice, Castilenti and Castiglione Mr. Raimondo) . These municipalities under the coordination of the Region and the involvement of experts, have carried out a territorial analysis of the risks and vulnerabilities with the goal of a joint SECAP, identifying pilot actions to be implemented to make territory more resilient and to guarantee sustainable development.

Protection and sustainable management of natural resources

The regional Sustainable Development Strategy, moreover, being implemented with other Italian regions, identifies parks and protected areas as key players in the implementation of sustainable development policies; a specific agreement is foreseen, aimed at implementing the ecological network, supporting the rebuilding processes in the internal areas and implementing the ministerial guidelines on VIncA (Environmental Impact Assessment).

Many municipalities in the rural areas have also committed to a voluntary strategic and planning tool that pursues the protection, the correct management of water resources and the enhancement of river territories, together with the protection from hydraulic risk, contributing to local development: the River Contracts.
These contracts provide the implementation of open and inclusive participatory processes, which allow the sharing of purposes, duties and responsibilities and define a shared Action Program. River Contracts suite and even improve basin plans and programs. 20 river contracts are running in the region. Among these, the Feltrino river contract was included by the Ministry of the Environment and the Protection of the Territory and the Sea (MATTM) in the National Climate Change Adaptation Plan (PNACC) as a “pilot project / good practices / noteworthy initiative”.

Powering effective local collaborations

A further initiative promoted under the Rural Development Plan are the GALs (Local Action Groups), made up of several municipalities, that could get Regional dedicated fund to develop renewable energy supply chain, supply chain innovation, social inclusion and sustainable tourism actions. Cooperation between Municipalities is also carried out through the initiative BORGHI In RETE – ABRUZZO, the union of several Community Cooperatives, under the regional law n.25 /15. They are local businesses set up by the inhabitants of villages and are developed, in particular, in the internal areas and in the most fragile economies at risk of depopulation, with the aim of developing economies with human and environmental value.

Multimodal connectivity

Among the sustainable mobility initiative carried out in the Abruzzo region, the municipalities of the Rocche highlands, in line with the energy and climate objectives of the European Union are activating an interesting project related to the multimodal access to the Ovindoli and Campo Felice ski facilities by energy vehicles (hydrogen powered) with zero environmental impact, thus contributing to the green and economic development of inner areas.

What about you?

If you would like to share your experience, know more about strategies in other regions or initiate a joint project with regions in Europe, contact the AER Secretariat!

Pictures: courtesy of Luigi Filice https://www.luigifilice.com for Regione Abruzzo

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

Call for proposals : LIFE 2020 for Environment and Climate Action

By

If you are a public, private or a non-commercial organization and are committed to taking action for environment and climate change, this call is for you!

AER is happy to introduce this call for proposals launched under LIFE 2020 by the European Commission. The main objective of LIFE 2020 is to contribute to the implementation, updating and development of EU environmental and climate policy and legislation by co-financing projects with European added value.

LIFE, created in 1992, is the European funding Programme for Environment and Climate Action. The LIFE Programme is composed of two sub-programmes: environment and climate action.

The sub-programme for environment covers three priority areas:

  • LIFE Environment and Resource Efficiency
  • LIFE Nature and Biodiversity
  • LIFE Environmental Governance and Information

The sub programme for environment also covers:

  • Integrated projects under the sub-programme for environment
  • LIFE Technical assistance projects under the sub-programme for environment

The sub-programme for climate action covers three priority areas:

  • LIFE Climate Change Mitigation
  • LIFE Climate Change Adaptation
  • LIFE Climate Governance and Information

More information can be found here.

Important to note: An information and networking day online on 30 April 2020 on LIFE call for project proposals is planned (here)

Application and Eligibility

For action grants : Any entity registered in the EU can make a proposal for LIFE traditional, integrated, preparatory, and technical assistance projects under the sub-programmes for environment and climate action. This can be a public body operating under a national government’s authority (e.g. local authority, national administration etc); a private commercial organization; and private non-commercial organisation (NGOs etc.)

A special note for NGOs must be mention : LIFE programme provide operating grants for European non-governmental organisations. Some eligibity criteria must be met. (More information here)

LIFE funding programme is flexible in terms of how you are setting up projects. You can decide if you want to run a project on your own, or if you prefer to join forces with partners from your own or another country. Partnership searches can be set up to help you find the right partners for your project proposal. (More information here)

Important to note, UK applicants and beneficiaries remain eligible to receive LIFE funds. This applies to existing grants, ongoing procedures and calls for proposals published in 2020 even if the grant is signed after 31 December 2020

The deadlines for this call can be found in the tables below. For some of the priority areas, there are two deadlines – deadline for concept notes and the deadline for full project proposals.

Environnement sub-programme Launch of call Deadline for submitting concept notes Deadline for submitting full project proposals
Environment and resource efficiency traditional projects 2 April 2020 14 July 2020 (extended) February 2021
Nature and biodiversity traditional projects 2 April 2020
16 July 2020 (extended)
February 2021
Environnemental governance and information traditional projects 2 April 2020
16 July 2020 (extended)
February 2021
Integrated projects under the sub-programme for environnement 2 April 2020
6 october 2020 (extended)
March 2021
Technical assistance projects under the sub-programme for environment 2 April 2020

16 July 2020 (extended)
Climate action sub-programme Launch of call Deadline for submitting concept notes Deadline for submitting full project proposals
Climate change mitigation traditonal programme 2 April 2020

6 October 2020
Climate change adaptation traditional projects 2 April 2020

6 October 2020
Climate governance and information traditional projects 2 April 2020

6 October 2020
Integrated projects under the sub-programme for climate action 2 April 2020
6 october 2020 (extended)
March 2021
technical assistance projects under the sub-programme for climate action 2 April 2020

16 July 2020 (extended)

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the AER Projects Team.

Photo de Saph Photography provenant de Pexels

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

“Learning from Lockdown: Opportunity to reflect on climate change”

By

The ongoing COVID-19 crisis is having an impact not only on health systems, global travel and work patterns, but also on our environment. 

This week it was announced that the COP26 climate summit, hosted by the UK in partnership with Italy, due to take place in Glasgow in November 2020, would need to be postponed until 2021. Holding an inclusive and ambitious COP this coming November would be impossible in light of the global challenge the world is facing at the moment. 

However, efforts still need to be made. Regions have an important role to play in tackling climate change and protecting the environment. Why not take this time to reflect on how they could take action on a local level? 

Cities and regions are responsible for 80% of climate change adaptation and mitigation measures. We have the opportunity to rethink the way we approach climate change and the role we could play in saving the environment. The emptying of cities and the standstill of many transport means have resulted in positive outcomes for the earth: Dolphins in the ports of Sardinia, clearance of the water in Venice, drops in air pollution and CO2, etc. 

How can we maintain or even improve those changes once quarantine is lifted? Now is the time for cities and regions to (re)think creative solutions to stop climate change and prepare for the future of the planet. 

Photo by Ümit Bulut on Unsplash

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

Global Sustainable Development Report: Is it already too late?

By

On Monday 23rd February representatives from AER attended a Webinar on the 2019 Global Sustainable Development Report.
The webinar was organised by the UN DESA (Department of Economic and Social Affairs), presented by Astra Bonini and Stephanie Rambler and focused in particular on which transformation is needed to attain the sustainable development goals.

As we currently are lagging far behind in progress on the Global Sustainable Development Goals, it is important to highlight the need for all cities and regions to play an active part in achieving these goals.

Overview

The 2019 report was a product of a group of scientists with a diverse background, nominated by UN member states and appointed by the Secretary-General. It aims to be a tool to help develop policies for advancing towards the SDG goals.


The report concludes that it is time to sound the alarm bell. Looking at the table above (1-1 in the report), it is clear that most goals will be impossible to reach by 2030 if we continue along the current trend, with key systemic challenges facing both biodiversity loss, climate change and income inequality.

Another major issue mentioned in the report is that no country has managed to achieve social thresholds without significant environmental impact, shown in Figure 1-9. This clearly shows what was a major point highlighted in the webinar, namely the interconnection between different sustainable development goals, where progress along one goal can have adverse or positive effects on another goal. An example of it would be:
In order to achieve Goal 2, Zero Hunger, more land would need to be allocated to agriculture and food production. This would negatively affect Goal 15, Life on Land, but at the same time have a positive effect on Goal 1, No Poverty, and Goal 3, Good Health and Well-being.

Entry-points and levers

Recognizing this tradeoff effect between goals is especially important as policies are implemented to address sustainable development goals. The report highlights 6 entry-points where action can have a positive effect on several points:

  • Human wellbeing and capabilities
  • Sustainable and just economies
  • Energy decarbonisation with access
  • Food systems and nutrition patterns.
  • Urban and peri-urban development
  • Global environmental commons

Further on, a set of four levers are identified which can be used to bring about the necessary transformations set forth by the entry-points, namely governance, economy and finance, individual and collective action, and at last science and technology. One action can enact upon several levers at once, and the report highlights that there needs to be cooperation between government, the private sector and academia in the development of policies.

Harnessing science for knowledge-based transformation

At last, the webinar highlighted some surprising aspects, and especially how scientists from poorer countries opened the eyes of scientists from richer countries. Institutions in poorer countries do not always have access to paid journals, and as such, it is important for science related to the SDGs to be open-access.

The scientists also highlighted that the agenda needs to be enacted at a local level, and therefore the science also needs to work on the local level. This makes it crucial for research to also be conducted locally, not only internationally. The research should still be made available internationally in order to enhance knowledge-sharing and experience exchange.

The presentation from the webinar can be found here.

Photo by Sam Balye on Unsplash

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

Committee 1 progress Report Spring 2020

By

Twice a year the members of the AER Committee on Regional Development and Economy gather in plenary meetings. This is the opportunity to set goals for cooperation through the elaboration of a joint work programme and to evaluate progress every six months.

On the occasion of the Spring 2019 Committees’ plenaries in Örebro, AER members identified joint actions they wanted to implement with fellow regions. A year later it is time to evaluate progress, celebrate achievements and share experiences!

Evaluating progress

During the elaboration of the work programme in Örebro, planned activities were organized in 3 categories:
Projects
Good practice sharing
Lobbying

The below progress report was compiled for the spring 2020 plenary meeting in Covasna. It gives an overview of the situation, a year after the adoption of the work programme.

Projects

Together for Cohesion: let’s rEUnite! ongoing

“Together for Cohesion: let’s rEUnite!” is a project submitted under a call launched by DG REGIO. This project raises awareness on the importance of programmes, projects, and services funded by the cohesion policy funds. It also encourages the participation of citizens and stakeholders to become active players in the dialogue on cohesion policy. AER coordinates the project and has 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 are 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 Varazdin (HR), the annual Gala Ball of Varaždin County on 24 January 2020 was an opportunity to promote the project.

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 will also inform the discussions at the conference “Territorial Approaches to Regional Development” in Covasna on 11 March 2020.

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. AER will also organise 5 webinars on these topics, to share experiences regarding practical aspects such as housing, health services or the integration of services especially regarding the access to the labour market. These activities will be open to AER members, especially regions in the Intercultural Regions Network (see below “Lobbying”)

E-health in rural areas: planned

Members discussed the possibility to develop a pan-AER regional e-health rural project based on innovation and digitalization.

  • 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 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

Breakfast seminar “Sustainable Development Goals and regional growth”: finished

On 15 May 2019, a breakfast seminar was organized by Oppland (NO) on how to integrate the SDGs in regional planning. This event which gathered speakers from the region and from the OECD revolved around the question of whether it is possible to reach the SDGs and have economic regional development, or if they are mutually exclusive? The Powerpoint presentations and videos are available on the AER event page.

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: ongoing

The main focus of the AER 2020 Spring Committee Plenaries in Covasna County (RO) between 10-12 March will be territorial approaches. Urban-rural divides within regions will 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 will take 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 will, in particular, discuss the state of play of smart specialization strategies in Europe, health innovation and wellbeing, as well as brain drain vs brain gain.

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: canceled

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 in the House of Dutch Provinces in Brussels.

Lowering emissions in transport: planned

AER member region Norrboten (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.

  • 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

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.

  • 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

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.

All member regions and partners interested in attending the next iteration of SCEWC 2020 as speakers can submit an application here

Small hydropower plants: planned

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.

  • Regions interested in developing an activity on this topic 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

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 will specifically look at territorial approaches and the ways in which regions address challenges linked to regional development, innovation and rurality.

  • Regions interested in developing an activity on this topic 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

Effective legislative frameworks: planned

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.

  • Regions interested in developing an activity on this topic 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

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.

  • Regions interested in developing an activity on this topic 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

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 is foreseen on 16 March. This meeting will be followed by a public presentation of the Network, and a training on tactics and strategies for effective intercultural messaging by Nigel Smith, media and communication expert at the Council of Europe. Regions interested to participate in the public meeting and the training should contact Gisela Guari Cañada

European Week of Regions and Cities: ongoing

The European Week of Regions and Cities (EWRC) is an annual four-day event during which cities and regions showcase their capacity to create growth and jobs, implement European Union cohesion policy, and prove the importance of the local and regional level for good European governance. It took place from 7-10 October 2019 in Brussels.

As part of the European Week of Regions and Cities, AER hosted an event entitled “REGIONerating Europe” on the 8th of October 2019, focusing on the role regions can play in regenerating the European Project as well as how citizens in the regions of Europe benefit from EU membership through Cohesion Policy, structural and development funds.
AER is preparing for the next European Week of Regions and Cities 2020.

The call is now open for regions to apply to become a partner at the European Week of Regions & Cities 2020, that will take place from 12-15th October 2020 in Brussels

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: ongoing

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 the existing legal framework and identify relevant actions and target institutions. The AER Secretariat will also organize Breakfast Briefings to help regions organize their advocacy activities.

Cohesion meeting with members of the European Parliament: finished

An AER delegation led by President Magnus Berntsson met a large number of Members of the European Parliament, including the Chair of the REGI Committee, to discuss the future of Cohesion Policy and the upcoming EU Budget for 2021-2027.

AER Bureau Task Forces

The 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 programs 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 programs. The Committees’ work programs are developed in spring each year.

The AER action plan is the consolidation of the three Committees’ work programs 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 programs and the AER action plan.

Photo by Sergey Shmidt on Unsplash

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

Road to the Future Final Conference – The curtain has not yet fallen

By

The EU funded project “Road to the Future” came to an end when its Final Conference took place on 20-21 January 2020. Young Europeans from all over the continent gathered together with civil society organisations and representatives of the European institutions to reflect on the “I Choose Europe” electoral campaign implemented in the run-up to May 2019. 

The two-day conference aimed to analyse the objectives, the activities implemented and the results achieved over the past months, while at the same time, it was an occasion for the participants to discuss the role of young people and civil society in shaping Europe’s future, going beyond the 2019 European elections. 

Share, Coexist & Learn from Each Other

The Assembly of European Regions (AER), as a project partner, contributed to the success of this initiative by taking responsibility for the evaluation and monitoring of the project, at the same time, an active role was played by the AER-Youth Regional Network (YRN). Throughout the project, YRN members attended several events at local and European levels while establishing connections with other European youth organisations. In this context, Gloria Vitaly, President of YRN, was invited to participate in the round table debate entitled ‘The Future of Europe after the 2019 Elections’ where she particularly emphasised the importance of the bottom-up approach as regards youth involvement in the European democratic life. In line with AER-YRN priorities, Gloria Vitaly stated:

Everything starts at the local and regional level, and the YRN tries to involve as many actors as possible, such as all the organisations present today. We cannot do it alone, together we can achieve real change.

The statement was later confirmed by the representatives of the other project partners, the common thread that emerged from the round table was the need for coordination, especially as regards European institutions and local institutions. In addition to this, the ‘I Choose Europe’ campaign confirmed the necessity of engaging young people from the very beginning because the overall goal is not only to enhance participation, but also to achieve meaningful participation.

Conference on the Future of Europe – Shaped by Citizens, Made for Citizens

The second day focused on the upcoming Conference on the Future of Europe, a topic particularly debated in the last weeks. On this occasion, several Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) were invited to give more details about this brand new initiative aiming at giving citizens the chance to contribute in shaping the future of Europe. At this early stage, the Conference is still in the planning phase, but most of the MEPs agreed on the fact that a continuous dialogue with citizens has to be maintained and it is essential to collect as many opinions as possible. Following the discussion with the MEPs, the participants experienced a simulation of a meeting of the Conference on the Future of Europe. The discussion touched on a variety of topics, whereby the main issues that emerged were climate change, education, refugees and migrants. The lively debate ended with a set of policy recommendations addressed to European decision-makers and this interactive exercise gave participants to have a glimpse at how the Conference might look like.


AER is proud to have taken part in this inspiring project, which is just the beginning of even more activities in the youth engagement field. Thanks to the support of our member regions and the YRN, we are strongly committed to promoting youth engagement in European democratic life and we want to make young people’s voices stronger for the sake of the future of Europe. 

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

Territorial approaches to Regional Development

By

The main focus of the AER 2020 Spring Committee Plenaries in Covasna County (RO) between 10-12 March will be territorial approaches. Urban-rural divides within regions will 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 will take 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 will in particular discuss the state of play of smart specialisation strategies in Europe, health innovation and wellbeing, as well as brain drain vs brain gain.

Why do territorial approaches matter?

A territorial approach focuses on the specific characteristics of a region. While this may seem sound and obvious, many economic decisions are still taken by and mainly with national stakeholders.

The territorial approach stresses the importance of negotiation, consensus-building and conflict resolution, through a focus on a region’s caracteristics and its intangible human capital such as knowledge and networks.

In a context where a ‘geography of discontent’ has been identified in Europe, referring to a mix of local economic conditions in many rural areas and medium-sized and small cities, it is all the more urgent to generate better engagement and territorial cohesion.

Similarly, the OECD 2019 Regional Outlook also highlights the need for place-based policies to address the persisting inequalities, which exist between and within OECD countries.

Interregional cooperation, innovation and influence

As the Territorial Agenda of EU 2020, pointed out, the integration of territories through territorial cooperation is helpful in fostering global competitiveness.

Regional interdependencies are increasingly important, which calls for continued networking, cooperation and integration between various regions of the EU at all relevant territorial levels.

At the Assembly of Europe, regions believe that interregional cooperation in Europe increases a territory’s innovation potential via mutual learning and qualitative networking.

The added value however is not only in the increased innovation potential. There is a consistent link between developing coalitions and influence at European level on the one hand, and generating opportunities for regional stakeholders. Which in turn creates engagement from a variety of stakeholders in a territory.

This is one of the highlights of the AER yearly seminar at the European College of Cluny on “Cities and Regions: New Actors of Change in Europe”. Indeed the flow of knowledge and practices, which happens through interregional cooperation, encourages innovation and fosters the resilience of territories

This is why the plenaries in Covasna will also feature a workshop on influence & coalitions at European level for regional development.

Photo by Joel Vodell on Unsplash

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

#COP25: The Way Forward

By

This years’ edition of the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP) has failed to meet expectations – it is now time to work towards a successful COP26.

AER President Magnus Berntsson was present at the COP25 in Madrid during the last week of the conference. AER was accredited observer status to this years’ conference following the networks increased work connected to climate and environment issues.

During his stay in Madrid, the AER president met with several EU representatives, including the European Commission Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans. The European Green Deal is seen as a central component to EU’s ambitions of becoming a climate-neutral continent by 2050. 

Magnus Berntsson also met with Ditte Juul Jørgensen, Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate for Energy – a Directorate that will be heavily involved in the European Green Deal.

In both meetings, the AER President reiterated the need to actively include regions if the European Green Deal and the overall transition to a sustainable society is to be achieved. Further meetings to discuss the details of how AER and regions are ready to make the European Green Deal a success are planned for 2020.

AER reaffirms its commitment to the Paris Agreement and the UN Agenda 2030, as a network whose values and priorities are based on sustainability. This commitment will be especially important when we enter 2020 – the decade of delivery – when society only has ten years left to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

Going forward, AER will play a key role in providing a platform for regional actors to come together to deliver on the SDGs. The network will also apply political pressure to widen the territorial scope of the localisation of the SDGs to include a regional perspective. This theme will be further developed during the AER conference in Strasbourg 24-25 June “Agenda 2030: transforming regions, changing the world”. 

AER is a member of the Local Governments and Municipal Authorities (LGMA) Constituency, which has represented networks of local and regional governments at UN climate negotiations since 1995.

AER and LGMA are now preparing for Glasgow and COP26. Together, they have published a press release calling for a “MULTILEVEL ACTION COP26” with a roadmap to Glasgow. Read the statement in full HERE.

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

AER’s take on the EU Green Deal

By

The latest ‘Europe’s State of the Environment 2020’ report, which was launched by the European Environment Agency earlier this month, states that Europe is facing environmental challenges of unprecedented scale and urgency. This report underlines that Europe will not achieve its 2030 goals without urgent action over the next 10 years to address the alarming rate of biodiversity loss, the increasing impacts of climate change and the overconsumption of natural resources.

In the light of such challenges of major importance, the Assembly of European Regions welcomes the launch of the European Green Deal by the European Commission, which now needs to be approved by the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament. The European Green Deal provides a roadmap with actions to boost the circular economy, reduce greenhouse gases emissions, revert biodiversity loss, and cut pollution. Although the AER will conduct a more detailed analysis of this document, we celebrate the adoption of this roadmap to guide us towards a just and inclusive transition to a sustainable Europe, and especially the political goal to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

AER welcomes the announcement of the first European Climate Law, to be presented within 100 days, and the upping of the Europe’s 2030 emissions targets, but also the new Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the new Industrial Strategy and Circular Economy Action Plan, the Farm to Fork Strategy for sustainable food and proposals for pollution-free Europe. 

AER recognises the magnitude and the urgency of the commitment adopted by the European Commission and underlines the importance of not failing in making this pledge a reality. The Assembly recalls the importance that the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament approve the European Green Deal and, together with the European Commission, do everything possible to accelerate the approval of the different initiatives and ensure their ambition. The joint vision and action of these three institutions are crucial for granting the necessary policy coherence, which should also be achieved between the European and national levels. 

The success of this roadmap to the future requires a firm multi-level and multi-stakeholder approach. AER and its members are ready and willing to contribute to making the European Green Deal a reality. Our vision, knowledge, good practices, and especially the competences that the AER members hold, are valuable for reaching these ambitious goals.

The AER also welcomes the commitment of dedicating at least 25% of the EU’s long-term budget to climate action. It is important, however, to remember that EU spending represents less than 1% of the total value of the EU’s economy and its budget is smaller than the one from some Member States. This reinforces the idea of boosting policy coherence in a real multilevel approach to the Green New Deal.

Read the Commission’s Communication on the European Green Deal here.

The Annex to the Communication on the European Green Deal can be accessed here.

Photo by Appolinary Kalashnikova on Unsplash

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

Glocalising the SDGs – Moving Together in the Right Direction

By

The AER Taskforce on the SDGs organised a Panel Debate entitled ‘Glocalising the Sustainable Development Goals’ in the context of the AER Autumn Bureau Meeting which took place in Brussels on 5 December 2019. The debate was moderated by AER President Magnus Berntsson, who was joined by experts from the UNDP, European Parliament, Committee of the Regions, and the European Economic and Social Committee.

More than Climate Action

The discussion kicked off with a question to the audience, asking them to reflect on what first comes to mind when they hear the phrase “Sustainable Development Goals”. The words that emerged immediately were ‘Future, Social, Climate, Environment, but the uniformity of responses did not surprise our guests. Maria Nikolopoulou – Member of the Sustainable Development Observatory of the European Economic and Social Committee – remarked that it is quite common for people to associate the SDGs with Climate Change and Environment, however, it is important to bear in mind that the SDGs framework is based on 3 main pillars: economic, social and environmental and it is, therefore, necessary to work on all of them simultaneously, otherwise there will be an imbalance. 

Global Challenges tackled at the Local Level

The word cloud of responses led the debate to explore another topic embedded in the SDGs: citizens and their future. In this context, Erik Bergkvist – a former regional politician and now a Member of the European Parliament – was in a unique position to reflect on the role of Cohesion Policy in supporting regions municipalities and cities achieve the SDGs. He stressed that everything happens locally and people have to perceive that they are part of the project and they are not left behind. Concluding his remarks, he stated ‘You have a really important job to do and most of it is still undone. I am encouraged by the quotation of Oscar Wilde: We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars’. 

Following this, Juan Carlos Lopez Cecilia – Territorial Partnership Advisor at the United Nations Development Programme – further elaborated on what it means to “localise” the goals and gave advice to regions on how best to achieve this. A multi-level and multi-actor approach is needed to localise the agenda, only with the full participation of local and regional authorities will it be possible to implement the 2030 agenda.

Not Reachable until 2030?

As we approach the implementation decade, it was interesting to see one of the previous responses to the first question was ‘not reachable until 2030’. Participants were, therefore, asked to define the challenges that regions are facing in their view. Political willingness and financing immediately appeared among the biggest challenges and this was subsequently confirmed by Arnoldas Abramavicius – European Committee of the Regions Rapporteur on Sustainable Development Goals. Mr Abramavicius presented the survey launched jointly by the CoR and the OECD on the contribution of cities and regions to sustainable development. The lack of support was identified by regions as a challenge for localising SDGs and insufficient resources were also at the centre of the matter. It is not surprising that the survey’s findings coincided with the answers from the audience. To help European regions and cities overcome these challenges, all stakeholders have to find a long-term EU strategy for a sustainable Europe by 2030 and organisations such as AER have a large role to play in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals. Maria Nikolopoulou stressed the importance of having different voices from different levels push from the bottom to implement the SDGs.

Because regions need to be more vocal on SDGs, AER has decided to organise a profile-raising conference ‘Agenda 2030: Transforming Regions, Changing the World’ which will take place at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Région Grand Est, in June 2020.

Rubik’s Cubes & Lens

All the panellists agreed on the importance of the regions and the necessity of taking a holistic approach to implementing the goals. Inspirational metaphors came from both Maria Nikolopoulou and Eva Hallström, a strong advocate for the SDGs within the AER network. The former linked the SDGs to a Rubik’s cube: you have many pieces connected together and you can only manage to solve it if you have a strategy, you have to move the pieces in coordination without trying to fix just one part but the cube as a whole. The latter, Eva Halstrom, added that we need to use the SDGs like a pair of glasses, or as a lens, through which we see and elaborate our regional development strategies.

The debate confirmed the AER member regions’ commitment to implementing the 2030 agenda and AER invites all its members to take action together and cooperate for a more sustainable Europe.

Read more about the 2019 Autumn Bureau Meeting here.

2019 Autumn Bureau Meeting in Brussels

2019 Autumn Bureau Meeting in Brussels

The Autumn edition of the twice-annual AER Bureau Meeting took place in Brussels on 5 December 2019, hosted by the ...
Read More
Bureau signs off on Political Priorities 2020-2025

Bureau signs off on Political Priorities 2020-2025

During the Autumn 2019 Bureau Meeting that took place on 5 December in Brussels (BE), Bureau members adopted AER Political ...
Read More
Debating the Role of Regions in the Digital Era

Debating the Role of Regions in the Digital Era

During the AER Bureau Meeting which took place in Brussels on 5 December 2019, the AER Taskforce on Digitalisation hosted ...
Read More
Glocalising the SDGs - Moving Together in the Right Direction

Glocalising the SDGs – Moving Together in the Right Direction

The AER Taskforce on the SDGs organised a Panel Debate entitled ‘Glocalising the Sustainable Development Goals’ in the context of ...
Read More
Regions in the Digital Era

Regions in the Digital Era

The Assembly of European Regions will host a debate focused on the topic of Digitalisation on the 5th of December ...
Read More
AER Debate on Glocalising the Sustainable Development Goals

AER Debate on Glocalising the Sustainable Development Goals

The AER debate on Glocalising the Sustainable Development Goals will take place in Brussels on 5 December from 14.30-16.00. As ...
Read More
Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

Economy 4.0: Shaping a Shared Future

By

The annual mutual learning event hosted by AER, the Brussels Capital Region and the Government of Catalonia took place on 4 December 2019 in Brussels. The theme of the event was “Economy 4.0: shaping a future that works for everybody“. This was the fourth edition of this unique conference format.

The day kicked off with an opening address and welcome by the hosts, Jean Luc Vanraes, AER Vice President for Cooperation & Strategic partnerships, Brussels Capital Region and Lluís Juncà, General Director for Economic Promotion, Competence and Regulation, Generalitat de Catalunya.

Fabrizia Benini, Head of Unit, Digital Economy and Skills, DG CONNECT, European Commission then gave the European Commission’s view on the Economy 4.0 and pointed out some shocking statistics including

“Only 1 in 5 enterprises in the EU are highly digitised”

“1/3 workers don’t have digital skills”

These set the tone for the discussion on what regions can do to promote digital innovation and how we can equip European citizens with the necessary digital skills for the economy of the future.

Sharing Experiences

The most dynamic part of the morning session took the form of the parallel discussion groups on the Future of Work, Innovation, Sustainability and Creative Bureaucracy. These were initiated by a pitch “battle” whereby four of the invited guest speakers pitched the topics of their discussion groups to the audience and explained why their topic was the most pressing.

The discussion groups afforded AER members and participants the opportunity to dig deeper into their chosen topic and exchange experiences with a range of experts from civil society, industry, academia and the public sector.

In the Future of Work discussion group, participants reflected on how to build a workforce fit for purpose in a radically changing environment & how we can foster skills that will be “expensive” in the cyber arena.

Turning to Innovation, this discussion group examined how regions should help businesses, and specifically SMEs, to innovate and flourish in a winner takes all economy.

The disruptive nature of the Economy 4.0 also has an impact on the role of governments, which is why the Creative Bureaucracy discussion group centred their thinking on how the public services of tomorrow should be designed.

As the Economy 4.0 is also a resource-intensive economy, the Sustainability discussion group looked at the challenges facing regions in the transition to a greener economy for the future and the opportunities presented by digitalisation to use our resources more efficiently.

Sharing Solutions

The Economy 4.0 event not only allowed participants to discuss some of the biggest issues facing Europe’s citizens and regions in the digital era. It also presented solutions in the form of information on support & funding opportunities for regional stakeholders.

Dana Eleftheriadou, Head of Advanced Technologies Team at the European Commission’s DG GROW held a detailed info-session on how regions can get involved in the Digital Europe programme. These include the 100 Intelligent Cities Challenge, support to European regions in industrial transition, Smart Specialisation Platform for Industrial Modernisation & the European Social Economy Regions (ESER).

Hugo Thienpont, Vice-Rector of Innovation & Industrial Relations from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel subsequently gave a presentation on support to SMEs in Europe’s regions using photonics. Photonics are a key digital technology driving innovation and the photonics innovation incubator ActPhast4.0 is a project funded by the European Commission via Horizon2020.

The mutual learning aspect of the Economy 4.0 event was furthered through the best practices shared by a variety of stakeholders of the digital economy who showcased their ways of innovating and working in the digital economy for participants. They included:

An action-packed day of exchanges, tackling challenges and seeking solutions, the mutual learning event is a cornerstone of the AER calendar.

Speaking at the event, AER President, Magnus Berntsson, stressed how timely such a conference is.

Society is at a turning point. We are currently faced with challenges that require collective intelligence and action from all stakeholders in society. We see challenges such as an ageing society, digital transformation and perhaps the biggest challenge of our time – climate change.

He continued by emphasising the need to take time to reflect, think outside the box and exchange with partners.

“We need spaces like this where we can challenge ourselves and share perspectives”

He concluded by reiterating the commitment of the Assembly to continue to assist its member regions as we transition together from looking at Economy 4.0 as a topic of tomorrow, to a subject of pertinence today.

All of the presentations from throughout the conference will shortly be available online here.

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

AER selected for the European Youth Event 2020! Apply now!

By

We are eager to announce that the European Parliament has granted AER to participate in the European Youth Event 2020 in Strasbourg! (Keep reading to join us in this exciting adventure…)

What is EYE2020?

From 29 to 30 May 2020, the European Youth Event will bring thousands of young people coming from all over Europe to Strasbourg (FR). The event is aimed to make young people active agents of change in the European democratic life rather than passive beneficiaries, by engaging in debates, workshops, hearings and digital activities on a very diversified range of topics. All the activities are co-created with partners, youth organisations and the participants.

The EYE2020 is the perfect opportunity for youth to share their thoughts, concerns, hopes and meet and inspire each other. And on top of that, some participants will also be able to present the most impactful ideas directly to the Members of the European Parliament.

If you want to find out more, take a look at the tentative programme or just visit the webpage of the EYE2020!

What are the selection criteria?

  • Be aged between 16 and 30 years old representing a regional or local youth entity.
  • Hold EU citizenship and residency. Citizens and residents from candidate countries are also eligible for sponsorship.
  • A clear explanation of your motivation and how you plan to employ the soft skills gained and the takeaways.
  • Proof of experience in youth work or related-initiatives you have carried out.
  • Proof of a mandate or person of reference supporting your application from the organisation/region you stand for.
  • young people with disabilities, from rural or remote areas and from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds will be prioritised.

AER and YRN members, particularly those coming from remote areas in Europe, have priority.

And the financial conditions?

The financial contribution is calculated on the basis of the following 2 elements per sponsored participant:

1. An amount depending on the distance calculated as follows: €0.045/km considering the most direct road return journey between the common point of departure of the group (town/city) and Strasbourg. If there is no common point of departure, it will be calculated based on the average travel distance.

2. Thanks to the sponsorship provided by the European Parliament, the selected youth delegates will benefit from free half-board (breakfast & dinner) accommodation in shared rooms from 28-31 May 2020. Lunch is not included and will be at the expense of the participants.

N.b.: Participants from non-EU territories, EEA or neighbourhood countries canNOT be part of the sponsored group.

Apply now!

If you are a young activist aged between 16 and 30 years old representing a regional or local youth entity and meet the aforementioned criteria, you then cannot afford to miss the fantastic opportunity of taking an active part in the EYE2020 in the name of AER!

Submission deadline:
22 January 2020

Only the 20 best candidates will be confirmed to form the AER’s delegation to the EYE2020 following the submission deadline.

Contact us!

For any questions related to AER’s participation to the EYE2020, please do not hesitate to contact Andrés Muñoz at the AER Secretariat:
e: [email protected] / t: +32 (0) 2 400 10 54

Photo credits: @European Parliament

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

AER mutual learning event: it’s all about the Economy 4.0!

By

This year’s mutual learning event, a cooperation between AER, Brussels Capital and Catalonia on 4 December 2019, will be on the Economy 4.0.

The Economy 4.0 is a new era of productive, industrial and economic development with deep implications on sectors as diverse as education, culture, health, agriculture, industrial production and work in general. The complexity of the societal challenges arising from this transformation makes it all the more important to use collective intelligence and diverse perspectives to shape the future.

Let’s plan the future together!

The goal of this Economy 4.0 event is to think and shape the future together. Things do not happen by accident, they happen by design. Major societal challenges, therefore, call for the engagement of all stakeholders to think and plan the future. 

Stakeholders from the private and public sector, industry specialists, entrepreneurs, academics, creatives, and policymakers will engage in genuine exchange. The idea is to share and discuss initiatives that can be implemented right away. Therefore, this conference will be an interactive event where participants and speakers will meet, talk, discuss and learn together. Participants will:

  • Share regional experiences on the development of the Economy 4.0 and how this is impacting areas as diverse as work, education, culture or health
  • Hear from different stakeholders what they see as threats and opportunities of the Economy 4.0
  • Examine the role of regions: are there new roles emerging?
  • Discuss social and economic impacts, needs in terms of policymaking and fields for cooperation
  • Learn about funding opportunities for regional stakeholders: from companies, organizations, and regional governments
  • Learn about regional examples of economy 4.0: presentations by companies and other stakeholders

Work, innovation, public services or sustainability?

A major asset of this event is to discover projects and initiatives and hear of stories first hand. Participants will choose which topic they would like to focus on and will then join a group of experts sharing their experiences and findings.

Groups will gather in parallel on the 4 following topics:

  1. The future of work in a brave new world
  2. Innovation in an era of massive competition
  3. Creative bureaucracy and public services
  4. Is a sustainable economy 4.0 possible?

The detailed agenda and link to the registration form are available on the Economy 4.0 event webpage. Due to the size of the venue, the number of seats is limited, Registrations will close on 25 November.

Photo by Alex Knight on Unsplash

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

AER President stresses the importance of regional authorities during Strategov Forum

By

The President of the Assembly of European Regions, Mr Magnus Berntsson, recently participated in the 18th Strategic Planning Leaders Forum of Regions & Cities of Russia (Strategov Forum) that took place in St Petersburg from 28-29 October. The forum focused on topics such as international & interregional cooperation, digital economy, green technology and sustainable development. Mr Berntsson took part in the welcome and two roundtables, one dedicated to International Cooperation for Regional Development and the second on International and Cross Border Intermunicipal Cooperation.

During the Strategov Forum, Mr Berntsson stressed the importance of regions and cities as being instrumental in bringing about the 2030 Agenda and its sustainable development goals. This involvement of the subnational level is of utmost importance if we are to bring about this societal change. Next year marks the decade of delivery, and while steps have been made to tackle poverty, inequality and climate change, it is not where it should be. In order to achieve these goals by 2030, there needs to be localization, regionalization and implementation of the 2030 agenda at local, regional, continental and global level – at all levels and involve all stakeholders. These societal challenges are something that unites actors all over the world. The topic of climate change was of big interest to the Russians actors present as Russia ratified the Paris Agreement earlier this year. This has initiated a process where new laws will be implemented in line with the agreement.

The European Committee of Regions noted that 65% of the 169 targets included in the SDGs require the engagement of regions & cities to be achieved. 2020 will, therefore, be a crucial opportunity to reflect on how we are doing in Europe and beyond.  We have just one decade to shift the world into a sustainable and resilient path. The only way to successfully navigate this journey is to work together, ensuring the full and effective participation of local and regional authorities as well as other stakeholders in the sustainable development and climate processes. 

Furthermore, Mr Berntsson stressed the importance of youth participation in society. Providing and giving opportunities for citizens and especially young people the possibility to engage in society and actively participate in decision making can be used to not only spread the seeds of peace but to lay the foundation of their future. Indeed, Mr Berntsson met with Anton Vakulenko, a young activist, in the promotion of the SDGs.

During the forum, AER met with different actors from the regional and local level and discussed areas of collaboration including:

  • Elissan Shandalovich, Chairman of the Assembly of the Republic of Karelia
  • Dmitry Puliaevsky, Vice Chairman of the Leningrad Region Legislative Assembly
  • Alexey Nikitenko, Vice-Governor of the Region of Arkhangelsk
  • Igor Kapyrin, Deputy Director of the Department of the Russian Ministry of International Affairs
  • Maira Mora, General Director of the Council of the Baltic Sea States
  • Alexandra Ignatieva, General Director of the Union of Russian Cities
  • Viatcheslav Kalganov, Deputy Head of the Committee for External Relations for the Government of Sankt-Petersburg
  • Toni Vanhala, Head of International Affairs from the Regional Council of Kymenlaasko
  • Laurent Bardon, Head of the Economics and Trade Section from the EU representation to Russia
  • Vera Meshko, Director of Swedish (Vasterbotten) Karelian Business and Information Centre
Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

Eurobarometer: What do we know about Cohesion Policy?

By

The results of the flash Eurobarometer 480 on “Citizens’ awareness and perception of regional policy” were published on 7 October, just in time for the European Week of Regions & Cities. 

The flash survey was carried out on a sample of 700 -1000 respondents in each EU Member State in June 2019.

4 in 10 European citizens are aware of projects funded by cohesion policy. 

Awareness of EU-funded projects has increased significantly since over the last three years. There could be many explanations for this, including an increased effort by the European institutions to communicate about cohesion policy, the 2019 European elections, or potentially even the ongoing Brexit process drawing attention to the merits of EU membership. 

The increased awareness of cohesion policy is especially noteworthy in Italy, Austria, and France with overall highest awareness in Poland (82%) and Slovakia, Czechia, Malta, Croatia, Latvia, Slovenia, Hungary and Lithuania all above 60%. It can be stated that beneficiary countries are more aware of cohesion policy than countries that receive less funding. 

When people are aware of projects funded by cohesion policy in their region, an overwhelming proportion (81%) believes they have a positive impact on their lives. Interestingly, some 19% apparently do not feel that these projects are useful or beneficial to their region. 

Most citizens surveyed believe the EU should invest in education, health and social infrastructures (91%), as well as the environment (90%) and in renewable and clean energy (87%). Topics such as support to SMEs (81%), research and innovation (80%), training (78%) and transport (75%) follow. These topics are fully in line with the proposed priorities for a smarter, greener and more social Europe as well as with the draft arrangements to strengthen coordination with other EU funds. 

Respondent also believe regional policy should invest in ALL regions (58% in 2019, compared to 47% in 2010) but granting priority to regions with high unemployment (69%), deprived urban areas (54%) and remote rural or mountain areas (52%). These results are similarly coherent with the proposals for 2021-2027 where regions will benefit based largely on GDP per capita but also new criteria such as youth unemployment, low eductaion level, climate change, and reception and integration of migrants. 

The moral of the story? The more people know about regional policy & cohesion funding, the more they see its benefits and perceive its impact as positive.

How can the EU, networks and regions themselves better communicate Cohesion Policy? AER is working on this topic as part of the Together4Cohesion project, where 15 local events will take place in 5 European countries to highlight in the regions, how cohesion funding makes a difference to the everyday lives of EU citizens. Visit together4cohesion.eu to learn more. 

Together4Cohesion
Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

Library

Statutory Documents
AER Strategies
Minutes
Media Kit
Activity Reports
Newsletters
European Regions Map

Join AER!

Become a Member

Job Opportunities

Sign up for our Newsletter

Search

Website map