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Second meeting of Youth Regional Network: A new structure and a president to start working for the future

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Krzyżowa (PL), 22 May 2009.

The second meeting of Assembly of European Regions’ (AER) Youth Regional Network (YRN) held in Krzyżowa, Lower Silesia region (PL) concluded today for the more than 50 youngsters coming from 27 European regions and 18 European countries. Aiming at “Shaping the future of Europe – on the eve of the parliamentary elections”, young members of the network elected Charlotte Kudé, from Ile-de-France region (F), as the network’s first president and adopted a strategic plan for 2009/2010.

While addressing the participants, Marek Lapinski, Marshal of Lower Silesia, “The YRN is a unique initiative, it unites young people and young societies of Europe. Thanks to this initiative the voice of young people, once marginalised, now is heard by older people. The challenges that Europe has to face in the future demand cooperation, the future of Europe depends on this”. This point was also stressed by Jacek Pilawa, representative of Dolnoslaskie Regional Assembly, who said that “there is a particular need in Europe of cooperation between young people and interregional connections. Young people from regions should exchange their best practices, and take advantage of this exchange to improve youth policies in their regions”.

Tomasz Bratek, European Commission Youth in Action programme, stressed that “the EU is the only institution in the world who devolves a great amount of its budget for youth policies. Young people should seize the opportunity and take advantage of this. Young organisations such as the Youth Regional Network have the important role to transfer new ideas to young people back in their regions and at the European level ”.
In adopting the strategic plan for 2009/2010 the YRN established a new structure: the Youth Assembly constituted five  working commissions whose presidents, together with the Youth President, form the Youth Presidium. The Youth President is elected every year by the Youth Assembly. The five working commissions focus and will realise projects on: Sustainable Development, Professional Life and Youth Entrepreneurship, Culture and Education, Healthcare, Media and Communication.

During the meeting, a special focus was also put on a crucial topic: “Should the EU  contribute to young entrepreneurs projects?”. Participants  discussed and prepared a common position that will be submitted to the European institutions. The main ideas of the position are: the EU should support young entrepreneurs, but this help should be given under particular conditions evaluated by an ah hoc committee composed by EU representatives, business people, networks involved in the field, and representatives of the regions. The market is free but everybody needs to be treated equally, and receive not only financial support but also information.

As Stanislaw Longawa, Vice-President of Dolnoslaskie Regional Assembly, underlined during his speech, “one of the most important function of the EU is the subsidiary function. Young people need to be engaged in politics on the European and regional level”.

For more information: [email protected]
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AER launches its Most Innovative European Region Award for 2009

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Strasbourg (F), 17th February 2009.

In this, the European Year of Creativity and Innovation, the Assembly of European Regions (AER) is once again inviting Europe’s most innovative regions to compete for AER’s Innovation Award.

At AER’s General Assembly last November, the 2008 award was presented to the Dutch province of Noord-Braband. Onno Hoes, Regional Minister, said: “I am personally so proud that this project, built in the spirit of support to innovation and entrepreneurship, is awarded by AER. It brings together civil society, companies and local and regional stakeholders to the crucial question of ageing in our populations. This award is not an end in itself; on the contrary, it motivates us to go on. Our region will develop more initiatives on the ground and get even more stakeholders involved, in order to spread the benefits of innovation to all our citizens.”

AER’s Innovation Award aims to reward regional authorities that have stimulated, fostered and implemented innovation in their territory; it also identifies and promotes best practices while demonstrating how regions can contribute to regional economic welfare.

The initiative was first launched in 2006 in collaboration with the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia (I). In that year the award was presented to the Region of Aragón (E) for the project ‘Innov100: Starting Innovation Activities in 100 Companies’, Vorarlberg (A) for its ‘Office for Future Related Issues’ project, and Steiermark (A) for the ‘Regional Internationalisation Strategy’ project. In 2007, the award was presented at AER’s General Assembly by EC President José Manuel Barroso to Lower Austria (A) for continuous improvement of the Regional Innovation System (RIS NOE); second prize went to Valencia (E) for its Regional University – Industry Strategies Network (RUSINET), and third prize went to Upper Austria (A) for its Strategic Program “Innovative Upper Austria 2010”.

For more information: [email protected]

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Communicating Europe and Innovation: AER awards the most dynamic European regions of 2008

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Tampere (FIN), 14 November 2008.

Communicating Europe to citizens
The Assembly of European Regions (AER) has honoured two regions with its “Communicating Europe to citizens” Award.

In the category Regional Media, the prize goes to the French region of Centre for its project “The week of Europe”. Bernard Valette, Vice-President in charge of International Relations of Centre, said: “We made the week of Europe, but not only a week: our region will pursue its mission in bringing together around Europe politicians and citizens for the benefit of everybody.””

The winner of the category Children and Youth was the Hungarian region Heves for its project “Europe classrooms”. “The importance of education to make Europe understandable and relevant for future generations is recognised by everybody, but we are happy to show concretely that statement through our project. This AER recognition is important to us, and we stay at the disposal of every European region that is interested in organising such a project,” said Jozsef Merczel, Vice-President of Heves General Assembly.

“Centre’s project is a great example of dedicated and effective regional communication with citizens, and Heves has shown how much can be done with a very small budget,” the jury underlined.

Mauri Pekkarinen, Finland’s Minister of Economic Affairs, handed over the award to both regions. Since 2007, the AER’s annual Communicating Europe award has raised awareness about regional communication on European affairs.

The significance of the award has been demonstrated further by the fact that last year’s winner, Sisak-Moslavina (HR), has since had its budget doubled by the Croatian Ministry of Foreign affairs and European Integration.

The most innovative European region
AER also presented today its “Award for Innovative Regions”, which this year went to the Dutch province of Noord-Brabant.

Onno Hoes, Regional Minister, said: “I am personally so proud that this project, built in the spirit of support to innovation and entrepreneurship, is awarded by AER. It brings together civil society, companies and local and regional stakeholders to the crucial question of ageing in our populations. This award is not an end in itself; on the contrary, it motivates us to go on. Our region will develop more initiatives on the ground and get even more stakeholders involved, in order to spread the benefits of innovation to all our citizens.”

Established in 2006, this Award recognises the European regional authorities that have stimulated, fostered and implemented innovation in their territory.

Some Photos of the Event:

 

For more information: [email protected]

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AER Summer School 2008: European regions supporting youth entrepreneurship

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We want young job creators, not job seekers!

Östersund, Jämtland region (S), 29 August 2008

Although around half of Europe’s young people are interested in the idea of becoming entrepreneurs, less than 5% of youth are actually following that path. The Assembly of European Regions’ (AER) 13th Summer School and 7th Youth Summer School, which concluded today in Östersund (Jämtland, S), brought together over 150 politicians, officers, experts and young people (known as AER’s “Youth Ambassadors”) from regions across Europe to help change those statistics.

Focusing on youth entrepreneurship in the European regions, this year’s 5-day program offered a number of study visits and specialised workshops, along with around 20 presentations by guest speakers.

Joni Simpson, AER Summer School speaker (International Labour Organization):
“This summer school brings together leaders of tomorrow and allows them to exchange on a level playing field with decision-makers from their regions. Young women and men are interested in bringing about positive and sustainable change in the world, and this forum is a place to learn, exchange ideas, network and promote sustainable development practices across generations.”

This was the first time that the summer school and youth summer school were combined to meet the needs of both regional policy-makers and the young people affected by those policies. While AER’s youth ambassadors from the regions had the opportunity to create, develop and exchange ideas, their politicians and officers learned about the value of supporting youth entrepreneurship in the regions.

Klaus Klipp, AER Secretary-General:
“We want young people to be job creators, not job seekers. For regional authorities, youth entrepreneurship is an under-valued source of job creation, of combating ‘brain-drain’ and contributing to economic growth. So the AER member regions who’ve brought their youth ambassadors to this year’s summer school are investing not only in the future of their young people, but of their whole region.”

Eva Andrea Csep, Mures County Councillor (RO):
“We have a lot of young people in our region, so I want to present to my council the ideas I have brought back from this summer school and set up an entrepreneurship project with our region’s three universities.”

Shannon Visser, AER Youth Ambassador and young entrepreneur, Flevoland (NL):
“Meeting so many new people and hearing about their experiences has given me inspiration for my own business and for projects in my region.”

AER is offering a “Youth Ambassadors Project Award 2008” to encourage its youth ambassadors to develop and implement their youth entrepreneurship projects. Entrants will have the opportunity to present their submissions early next year, when a panel of European policy-makers will select a winning project.

Recognising the valuable role youth entrepreneurship can play in the regions, AER is also planning to initiate “peer reviews” in this area based on the successful methodology of AER’s peer reviews in other policy fields. Multinational review teams of policy experts from European regions would undertake study visits to host regions and provide advice on enhancing regional policies and practices in youth entrepreneurship.

Download AER Acting President Michèle Sabban speech at Summer School:

For more information: [email protected]

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AER Youth Ambassadors bring regional voices to the European stage

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Östersund, Jämtland region (S), 28 August 2008

A theatre house in Östersund (S) is this week hosting a gathering of more than 50 young people, who were nominated by their regions as “AER Youth Ambassadors” to take part in the Assembly of European Regions’ (AER) 13th annual Summer School and 7th Youth Summer School.

The school is this year offering young people from across wider Europe the opportunity to develop projects promoting youth entrepreneurship in their respective regions. Today, the Youth Ambassadors also learned more about AER’s numerous activities involving youth.

A vote was held this afternoon to elect new members of the “Youth Team”, which works with AER’s secretariat to ensure that a youth perspective is “mainstreamed” into AER’s events and programs. Representing the diversity of AER’s 270 member regions, the Youth Team now comprises members from eight regions from across wider Europe.

The ambassadors were also invited to submit their youth entrepreneurship projects from this week’s summer school for the AER Youth Ambassadors Project Award 2008. Entrants will have the opportunity to present their submissions early next year, when a panel of European policy-makers will select a winning project.

Other AER youth initiatives presented today at the summer school included: the bi-annual “Most Youth-Friendly European Region Award”, the “Do you speak European?” public speaking competition, the European Citizens’ Forums taking place across Europe, the AER Scholarship 2008, and AER’s “Eurodyssey” program, which has over the last 20 years offered thousands of young people the opportunity to work in a region abroad.

AER is also planning to establish a Youth Regional Network, conceived as a common platform where regional youth organisations, councils and parliaments from across Europe can share ideas, exchange experiences and together find solutions to the common challenges they face.

Claire Bridges, West Sussex (UK), AER Youth Ambassador and President of Youth Team:
“AER’s Youth Ambassadors project means that my region’s young people can be represented at the European level, not just the local or regional level.”

Olov Oskarsson, Jämtland (S), AER Youth Ambassador
“When young people are together it’s almost impossible to NOT come up with new ideas. So being a youth ambassador has given me a great opportunity to meet other young people offering new ideas and possibilities from all over Europe.”

Anton Kuzmin, Olomuc (CZ): AER Youth Ambassador and Youth Team member
“As AER Youth Ambassadors we can undertake projects which our respective regions don’t have the time and capacities to do themselves.”

For more information: [email protected]

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

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

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

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

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

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

For more information: [email protected]

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Young people from the regions @ work!

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AER hosts four day training for Youth Team

Strasbourg (F), 14 March 2008

An intense four-day training session at the Assembly of European Regions (AER) Secretariat concluded today for the seven members of AER’s Youth Team. Politically involved in their regions and elected by AER Youth Ambassadors for a two-year mandate, their duty is to give young people a voice both at regional and European level.

As part of the AER Youth Team‘s work strategy 2008, the training aimed to broaden the Team’s understanding of AER’s mandate and activities whilst strengthening collaboration with AER’s committees. ‘This training session is a great opportunity to foster that mainstreaming process – AER has been really open to the ideas and projects we want to bring back to our respective regions’, says Claire Bridges, President of the Youth Team.

As part of its future collaboration with AER’s committees, Team member Christoph Landolt (St. Gallen, CH), responsible for co-operation with AER’s Committee on Economy and Regional Development, will lead a workshop to be held during AER’s conference on ‘Regional Innovation in the European Context’. He will present aspects of the subject ‘Young entrepreneurship in the European Regions’, this year’s AER Youth Summer School theme. He is also in charge of the organisation of the Youth Innovation Award, which will be awarded next October during the same conference. The other members of the Youth Team working with AER’s other committees will be involved in the preparation of a conference on ‘Demographic Challenges for Regions’, a ‘Youth and Alcohol’ project, and the organisation of the ‘Most Youth-Friendly Region Award 2009’.

Malgorzata Kucinska, AER Youth and Citizens Officer, highlights that ‘AER wants to provide youth with a real opportunity to get involved, not only in AER’s work, but also in regional and European decision-making processes. We are giving these young people the opportunity to express themselves, since we recognise the freshness, creativity and value of their ideas.’

In order to fulfil its training, the AER Youth Team has held several working meetings at European level, with MEP Goran Farm, Marta Medlinska, in charge of Youth policy at the Council of Europe and with the European Youth Forum.

The newly elected members of the AER Youth Team are:
President: Claire Bridges (West-Sussex, UK)
Elina Andersson (Västerbotten, S)
Madeleine Andersson (Värmland, S)
Annette Lie (Østfold, N)
Gabriela Kovacs-Ross (Maramures, RO)
Anton Kuzmin (Olomouc, CZ)
Christoph Landolt (St. Gallen, CH)

For more information: [email protected]

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AER: Europe must not neglect its rural population

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Assembly of European Regions holds conference on the future of rural development policy and rural regions

Lillehammer, Oppland (N), 29 February 2008

As the European Commission reflects upon the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), a conference gathering 59 regions from 20 countries across the wider Europe has called for greater recognition of rural regions in a modern Europe.

‘Rural regions cover more than 90% of the territory of the enlarged EU, and yet mainstream economic policy has historically favoured urban centres over rural communities. These regions are now facing some serious challenges that can only be overcome by introducing structural changes with the strong support of the EU and its member states,’Assembly of European Region’s (AER) Secretary-General Mr. Klaus Klipp said today.

Those challenges include the decline of emigration, an ageing population, lower skills-base and labour productivity, isolation, lack of infrastructure as well as difficulties in providing basic public services.

Hosted in Lillehammer by the AER in co-operation with the Oppland region of Norway, today’s conference adopted a set of concrete recommendations for future rural development policy.

Adopted by all 180 conference participants, the recommendations are based upon the principle that the rural dimension must be incorporated into all EU policies. The EU’s cohesion policy and rural development policy should be integrated into a single document, with greater priority given to the development of sustainable rural-urban partnerships.

The recommendations also call for more EU funding to be allocated for rural development, and particularly for projects supporting innovative services, infrastructures, New Communications and Information Technologies (NCIT), entrepreneurship and tourism.

Mr. Neil Parish, MEP and Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development in the European Parliament,said: ‘I think the challenge of a reform of the CAP is to be able to move money from general support of agriculture to support for rural development, making sure that we can bring in practical policies that build up the rural environment and get the rural economy moving.’

Today’s conference also looked at how rural regions are using innovative approaches to regenerate and diversify their economies. In particular, regional politicians and officers learned about tourism opportunities, the phenomenon of second homes in rural areas, as well as the development of regional airports. A number of examples of best-practices from rural regions are included in Annex 1 of the conference recommendations (see link, above).

Other speakers at today’s conference included:

Mr. Søeren Kissmeyer-Nielsen, Head of Unit, responsible for rural development, Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission;
Dr. Josef Martinz, Minister for Agriculture, Carinthia (A);
Mr. Jean-Paul Denanot, President of Limousin (F);
Mr. Aksel Hagen, County Councillor, Oppland (N) and Chairman of AER working group on regional development;
Dr. Jiri Vagner, Charles University, Prague (CZ);
Dr. Manfred Perlik, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Institute for Spatial and Landscape Planning (CH).

For more information: [email protected]

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‘No Innovation without Education’: AER’s Declaration on the Regions’ Role in Education and Innovation

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Novi Sad, Vojvodina (SRB), 24 April 2007

Meeting in Novi Sad, capital of the region of Vojvodina (Serbia), the member regions of the Assembly of European Regions (AER) signed up to a declaration that commits them to concrete targets in the field of education and regional development.

The Declaration on ‘The Regions’ Role in Education and Regional Innovation’ was prepared and discussed by the AER Committee 3 plenary session in Novi Sad and officially adopted on Friday, 20th April during the AER Conference ‘No Innovation without Education’.

In the Declaration, the AER member regions acknowledge their responsibility for creating an attractive environment for their citizens, and in particular they highlight the need to continuously integrate young people into regional societies. Furthermore, they are convinced that the full integration of young people requires coherent and comprehensive strategies, combining initiatives in a wide number of policy areas.

The Declaration sets up a list of concrete objectives for regions in the following fields:
a) Promotion of citizenship amongst young people in their home regions
b) Facilitating the transition into the job market for young graduates
c) Promotion of entrepreneurship amongst the young during their education
d) The migration of young graduates and its consequences for the regions
e) Preparing the regions and their educational structures for the challenges of today and tomorrow

These objectives, coupled with the regions’ commitments, should provide guidelines for regions aiming to successfully integrate their young people into their societies.

For more information: [email protected]

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Scenario Europe 2010 – The AER launched its work on the White Paper on the role of the regions

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Dubrovnik (HR), 29 Aprile 2005

‘EU enlargement and globalisation have created new opportunities and challenges for the European regions. The Constitutional Treaty currently in the process of being ratified in the Member States and the Lisbon Strategy imply the greater involvement of regions in all aspects of European governance in the next future, especially if we want to bring the European project closer to the citizens’ stated Lars-Gerhard Westberg (Västra-Götaland-S), Vice-President of the AER ‘Institutional Affairs’ Committee, at the conference on ‘The role of the regions in Europe: a Scenario for 2010’, organised by the Assembly of European Regions (AER) in Dubrovnik on 29th April.

‘European competitiveness and entrepreneurship will not improve unless they can build on existing conditions and opportunities in Europe’s regions, towns and municipalities’, said Mrs Catarina Segersten Larsson, Chair of the Värmland County Council Executive Committee (S). In her contribution “The Lisbon Strategy: the role of the regions in creating the world’s most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy by 2010”, Mrs Segersten Larsson pointed out that it is crucial for achieving the ambitious goals of the Lisbon Agenda, that the EU develop more grass-roots perspectives in all European policies and that the regions accept their responsibility in this process. Referring to the discussion paper by Mr Anders Gustâv, Chair of the ECOS, Committee of the Regions, which will be presented next week, Mrs Segersten Larsson insisted on a two-way approach to the implementation of the Lisbon Agenda on the regional level: improving regional competitiveness and developing public-private partnerships.

The conference also allowed regions to have an in-depth discussion on the impact of the Constitutional Treaty on the role of the regions in European governance, on new opportunities for regional participation in European policy making and on how the regions can contribute to the goal of bringing Europe closer to the citizens.

The conference was held in Croatia, a country where the issue of EU membership is currently at the forefront of the citizens’ minds. If the current stalemate between the EU and the Croatian government over co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ITCY) is settled, it will be the regions that will have a leading role to play in preparing the country for EU membership. Through drawing upon the expertise of its 250 member regions, the AER will assist the Croatian regions in preparing for this challenge.

For more information: [email protected]

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What role for the regions in a Europe of 2010?

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Dubrovnik (HR), 29 Aprile 2005

“European competitiveness and entrepreneurship will not improve unless they can build on existing conditions and opportunities in Europe’s regions, towns and municipalities”, said Mrs Catarina Segersten Larsson, Chair of the Värmland County Council Executive Committee (S), at the conference on ‘the Role of the regions in Europe: a Scenario for 2010’, organised by the Assembly of European Regions (AER) in Dubrovnik on 29th April.

In her contribution “The Lisbon Strategy: the role of the regions in creating the world’s most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy by 2010”, Mrs Segersten Larsson pointed out that it is crucial for achieving the ambitious goals of the Lisbon Agenda that the EU develop more grass-roots perspectives in all European policies and that the regions accept their responsibility in this process and contribute in practical terms to its implementation.

Mrs Segersten Larsson insisted on a two-way approach to the implementation of the Lisbon Agenda on the regional level: improving regional competitiveness and developing public-private partnerships (PPP). Referring to the discussion paper by Mr Anders Gustâv, Chair of the ECOS, Committee of the Regions, which will be presented next week: “Europe needs more entrepreneurs and successful small businesses. Most new companies start out as small-scale local businesses. As public players and democratic institutions, the local and the regional authorities have an important influence on the soil that companies take root in and the climate that helps them to flourish” she highlighted.

Among other solutions, Mrs Segersten Larsson put forward:
-the development of cooperation with universities and colleges in order to promote higher education and disseminate research results,
-encouraging educational institutions, companies and employees to pull together in order to advance life-long learning,
-the promotion of public procurement an active, transparent instrument for promoting competition,
-the promotion of a culture of enterprise by introducing entrepreneurship in schools both as a specific subject and as an integral part of the curriculum
-the improvement of public communications in order to facilitate labour mobility,
-to ensure ease of access to local and regional transport systems as well as to broadband services.

Regarding the development of Public-Private Partnership on which Mrs Segersten Larsson has been rapporteur on behalf of the Committee of the Regions, she said that “public and private parties can no longer view themselves as conflicting parties, but on the contrary new forms ofr collaboration must be given scope to develop where both parties can participate and assume responsibility, share risks and simultaneously develop services in the best interests of the citizens”.

For more information: [email protected]

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Barcelona Conference: The future of Europe depends on gender equality

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Barcelona, Catalunya (E), 26 October 2002

The conference organised in Barcelona by the Assembly of European Regions (AER) and the Institut Català de la Dona on 25th and 26th October 2002 under the heading “Women in decision-making in the Regions of Europe: women and men sharing power” led to several steps forward being made in terms of gender equality:

 

Women in politics…

“The balanced share of responsibilities and equal opportunities must be fully planned for, assessed and resolved. If we do not manage to reconcile the pillars of society, i.e. paid work and family obligations, via enhanced action for the reconciliation of politics and family life, female participation in this field will remain tedious and difficult” declared Carin Palmcrantz, President of the Equal opportunities for men and women group.

Participants unanimously criticised the bad example provided by the EU: the Convention on the future of Europe, responsible for drawing up the future Constitution, has very few female members. “It is our duty to put pressure on Convention members to ensure that the future Constitution pertinently includes gender equality. We must make the proposals of the Regions heard” stated Teresa Freixes Sanjúan, Professor in Constitutional law and President of the European Law Institute. This comes in addition to the AER survey showing significant change in terms of gender representation: in 1997, only 10% of members had Equality action programmes against 55% in 2002.

… and economics

“Claims for gender equality do not only concern women, all members of society are affected” stressed Margarida Álvarez i Álvarez, President of the Institut Català de la Dona. “The struggle for gender equality is not simply a question of justice, it’s profitable” she continued. World Bank statistics prove that countries which protect women’s rights and develop access to financial assistance achieve more rapid economic growth than other countries.

Participants generally agreed on the critical nature of re-organising labour systems in order to adapt the current situation and allow both men and women to live fulfilled professional and personal lives.

The AER Equal opportunities group now intends to distribute the final Declaration adopted in Barcelona to the European Institutions and to the regions themselves. They will also ensure the follow-up to their recommendations.

For more information: [email protected]

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