This is the tag for all posts relating to environment.

#HotlineCohesion: EUTeens4Green – Youth Ways for a Just Transition

15 March, 2023 By Anna Comacchio

Local, but European. Practical, but inspiring. #HotlineCohesion brings you the most interesting youth opportunities linked to EU Cohesion Policy.

HOW TO MITIGATE THE SOCIAL IMPACT OF THE TRANSITION

It is no secret that the very needed green transition will lead to profound changes in the labour market – ‘new jobs will be created, while some jobs will be replaced and other refined’. Ensuring a fair and just transition becomes therefore a crucial point of action for regions and its youth.

In the Zasavska region in Western Slovenia for instance, since 2013 almost 5.000 jobs have been lost and the GDP has been dropping to 53% of the Slovenian average due to the closure of the Zasavaje coal mine and the region’s coal-fuelled power plant. Yet, studies show that the adoption of clean energy technologies in more than half of the EU coal regions can counter this effect through the creation of around 460.000 new jobs by 2050. The need to manage this change and develop appropriate supportive actions (as fostering the s.c. green skills20) to fully exploit the employment potential of the transition is one of the greatest responsibilities of the EU and its regions.

In the coming years, the Cohesion policy will support regions in their transition paths at several levels:

Actions needed to mitigate the impact of the transition on the society (as labour market interventions and reskilling of the workforce) will be supported under Policy Objective 4 ‘A more social and inclusive Europe’. In addition, financial support from the Just Transition Fund will be delivered to regions in the Just Transition Plans to alleviate the social, economic, and environmental impacts of the transition.

HOW DOES YOUTH GET INVOLVED?

Why is it essential to include young people in the Just Transition process?

Enabling young people to have a say in their future, be designers of their own projects and therefore become leaders and future leaders in their own communities are building blocks for achieving a fairer and more equal society. Young people are utterly concerned about the environment and they can be agents of change.

The EUTeens4Green project is a call to action for teens to take ownership in their communities and contribute to a fair and just green transition in the areas most in need to phase out coal and transitioning to forms of less polluting and renewable energies.

Through mini-grants provided directly to groups of young people, the project is designed to empower the next generation to become actors of change in their regions and help to reduce socio-economic disparities. By focusing on regions identified in the preliminary analysis of the Territorial Just Transition Plans and most affected by the low-carbon transition, the project has the potential to alleviate inequalities between regions and create a more equitable future for all.

THE STAKES.

The criteria to run a EUTeeens4Green project are:

Take place in a Just Transition region
Be run by young people aged 15-24
Request a max. refunding of €10.000
Last maximum of 12 months
Must engage social groups negatively affected by the transition to a green economy
Ensure diversity & inclusion and good environmental performance

Projects to be funded in the frame of EUTeens4Green may cover activities like the following (non-exhaustive list):

Awareness-raising/communication activities
Capacity-building actions (education, training, mentoring, events)
Campaigning and advocacy activities
Participatory processes aimed to engage with different groups of people
Innovative solutions or pilots for testing innovative solutions
Exchange of good practices
Research
Other activities in line with the scope of the action

Applications for the first cohort closed on the 9th of January and we are looking forward to knowing more about the successful applicants and their experience!!

Check out the page to find out too and to keep yourself posted when a new call is open!

See you next week at #HotlineCohesion!

The Youthopia Project is co-funded by the Directorate General for Regional and Urban policy (DG REGIO) of the European Commission.

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#HotlineCohesion: Cohesion Policy for a Young and Green Future

15 February, 2023 By Anna Comacchio

Local, but European. Practical, but inspiring. #HotlineCohesion brings you the most interesting youth opportunities linked to EU Cohesion Policy.

The many opportunities for youth employment and green transition offered by Cohesion Policy require appropriate visibility, especially amongst the youth. Widespread information makes sure that opportunities reach their target, and that the future is shaped to the needs of those who will live in it.

Every week the AER will publish its series #HOTLINE COHESION with information concerning new funding opportunities and participatory processes open to youth in your regions!

Youth unemployment is a longstanding challenge for Europe

High youth unemployment in Europe has been a persistent issue for the last decades. Post-pandemic figures show that, as of October 2021, 2.905 million youth (under 25) were NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) in the EU and the youth unemployment rate was 15.9%. Unless appropriate measures are taken, more and more young people may disengage from active job search, and they may grow distant from the political and social life of their communities.

The EU response to youth unemployment

This issue becomes even more relevant in light of the new Cohesion policy 2021-27, especially when it comes to relaunching local economies and jobs which have been largely affected by the pandemic. The new policy provides several novelties such as the new European Social Fund+ and the Youth Employment Initiative, and the Just Transition Fund – which are further reinforced through the financial support coming through Recovery and Resilience Facility and REACT-EU as part of the Recovery Plan for Europe.

The youth action for a green and fair future

On their side, young citizens lead the protests asking for concrete actions to be taken to fight climate change, protect biodiversity and safeguard their future. With the adoption of the European Green Deal, the EU made the response to these requests its highest priority, setting the ambitious goal of becoming the first climate-neutral continent in the world by 2050 while reducing greenhouse gas emission by 55% by 2030. When it comes to climate change, Cohesion policy is key as it provides the place-based framework and the financial support needed to ensure that a ‘just’ and ‘sustainable transition becomes an opportunity for European regions.

Youth for a Just Transition

The magnitude of the transition requires the active involvement of the young generations, as those mostly concerned by the transition. ‘Youth for a Just Transition: A Toolkit for a Youth Participation in the Just Transition Fund’ promoted by the European Commission highlights that young people’s participation in the transition process is essential because:

They have the ‘right to participate’ in decisions concerning their future;
They own ‘valuable ideas and skills’ that should be applied to develop a sustainable transition path and solutions to possible challenges;
They can foster the ‘intergenerational dimension’ of the transition raising the awareness of their local peers about its reasons and consequences;
‘Achieving a successful transition‘ requires providing ‘sufficient opportunities and good alternative jobs for young people’.

The Commission is also putting its money where its mouth is, fostering concrete actions to ensure meaningful participation of the youth in the transition process with calls for proposals such as ‘EUTEENS4GREEN’ (coming up soon in our #HotlineCohesion).

On its side, at AER we recognise the major importance to build upon the space that the transition provides for actions that are explicitly targeted to (re)launch youth employment in the context of a future and green economy and society. YOUTHopia is our space to make cohesion real for the NextGeneration.

See you next week at #HotlineCohesion!

The Youthopia Project is co-funded by the Directorate General for Regional and Urban policy (DG REGIO) of the European Commission.

Bio-based Innovation to Decarbonise the Construction Sector

7 November, 2022 By Johanna Pacevicius

On 6 December, the day before the AER Bureau, the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy is organising a workshop on “The Bioeconomy & the New European Bauhaus“, which will look at bio-based innovation in the construction sector.

Bio-based innovation: a catalyst for change

The bio-based sector or bioeconomy, is a catalyst for systemic change. Indeed it opens new ways of producing and consuming resources while respecting our planetary boundaries. It contributes therefore directly to achieving the economic, social and environmental goals of the European Union’s Green Deal.

Massive impact in the construction sector

The construction sector has a considerable environmental impact, during the whole life cycle of buildings (construction, use, demolition) as well as the life cycle of construction materials.

In this context, bio-sourced construction materials, if managed in a sustainable way during their whole life cycle, have a major role in the decarbonisation of the construction sector. The development of technological innovation, value chains and skills ecosystems require however intense collaboration across sectors.

Creativity, sustainability, inclusion: it’s possible!

The New European Bauhaus is a creative and interdisciplinary EU initiative that connects the European Green Deal to our living spaces and experiences.

The New European Bauhaus was launched by President von der Leyen in September 2021. It adds a cultural dimension to the Green Deal and accelerates the green transition with change on the ground that combines the values of aesthetics, sustainability, and inclusion.

Mutual learning to accelerate the development of the bioeconomy

The ambition of the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy is to create a community amongst European regions to share challenges and opportunities. The activities organised by the working group are also laying the ground for future partnerships and projects.

The workshop “The Bioeconomy & the New European Bauhaus” will therefore look at:

European strategies supporting the decarbonisation of the construction sector
Societal challenges, the territorial approach
Technical innovations in bio-based materials, which are being explored and implemented in the regions
The state of play in the regions.

The programme of this workshop is available on the event webpage. As places are limited, registrations will be taken on a first-come first-served basis.

Share your experience!

It is still possible to propose policies and practices you are proud of in your region to be presented at the workshop on 6 December. Your experience matters and is interesting for other regions: this is what the mutual learning community is all about! If you would like to share your region’s experience in the decarbonisation of the construction sector via bio-based innovation, please get in touch with AER Coordinator for Policy & Knowledge Transfer Johanna Pacevicius.

Proposal for a Working Group on Green Hydrogen Adopted

21 October, 2022 By Johanna Pacevicius

The Executive Board which took place on 13 October 2022 in Brussels (BE) adopted the proposal for the creation of an AER working group on Green Hydrogen.

The proposal for this working group is led by Catalonia (ES). It is supported by Burgenland (AU), Lower Austria (AU), Valle D’Aosta (IT), Flevoland (NL), Maramures (RO), Värmland (SE), Västra-Götaland (SE), Fribourg (CH), and Denizli (TR).

Policy Exchanges to Accelerate the Green Transition

On May 17th, the AER co-organised with Catalonia the event “Green (H)ydrogen: Powering Our Regions’ Future” at the AER premises in Brussels (BE), under the impulse of the Vice President for Sustainability, Environment & Climate, Albert Castellanos.

The event was an opportunity to:

Hear from EU policymakers about opportunities for regions to develop the green hydrogen industry locally; specifically, about funding opportunities under the clean hydrogen partnerships programme and other relevant instruments;
Share regional experiences on the development of renewable hydrogen value chains and the impact on regional development
Get insights from representatives from the hydrogen industry and work towards developing private and public partnerships for regional development of the hydrogen economy;
Have an open discussion/networking session between AER members and identify partnership opportunities.

In the context of this event (presentations are available on the event webpage), as well as through a survey which was circulated, AER members expressed interest in continuing to exchange on the topic, both to exchange experiences in the development of green hydrogen and with views to developing partnerships and EU-funded projects.

Focus of the Exchange and Dissemination of Best Practices

There is significant work to do to scale-up production and demand. At present, hydrogen makes up less than 2% of Europe’s energy mix and is still largely produced from fossil fuels. Producing clean hydrogen from renewable sources like wind and solar is expensive, and while technology has improved and come down in cost, there remain challenges connecting hydrogen production to energy grids and securing enough investment to make it viable.

Regions have a key role to play in scaling up the renewable hydrogen economy across Europe. As noted in a 2020 opinion adopted by the Committee of the Regions, green hydrogen “has the capacity to promote regional and local development because significant parts of the value chain can be established in regions and municipalities”. With the right level of private and public investment, European regions can lead in the creation of self-contained “hydrogen hubs” that link all elements of the value chain.

The role of regions in facilitating, supporting, and developing collaborations for the deployment of green hydrogen was also highlighted during the event on May 17th.

By cooperating and sharing experiences and best practices, regions can inspire each other inter-regionally to the best possible solutions in several areas.

Proposed Activities

The working group aims to

organise an event, either in person or online, on EU-funding opportunities and support systems around green hydrogen for regions.
facilitate the exchange of regional experiences: how are regions encouraging & supporting the development of the hydrogen economy?
develop policy briefs, collect good practices, develop, and share research insights

Next Steps

Regions interested to participate & contribute to the AER working group on Green Hydrogen can fill in this form, to be informed about the activities of the Working Group.

A first online meeting will be announced in the coming weeks on the AER website, to get to know each other, specify interests, identify joint activities, agree on collaboration, and chose a Chair for the working group.

The proposal, which was adopted by the AER Executive Board can be found here.

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Skills for the Bioeconomy @AER Summer Academy in Donegal

27 September, 2022 By Johanna Pacevicius

The ambition of the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy is to create a community amongst European regions to share challenges, and opportunities, and create the ground for future partnerships and projects.

Youth at the heart of the shift to green gold

On the occasion of the AER Summer Academy in Ireland, the AER working group on the Bioeconomy facilitated a workshop with young people, to challenge the current situation and ask how the bioeconomy can become the green gold for a sustainable future.

Getting the opportunity to increase knowledge and awareness around the challenges in the field of agriculture, especially for youth, was a wonderful and rewarding experience. The discussions and conversations we had during as well as after the workshop were very interesting, I learned that youth in other regions face many of the same challenges as we do in Norway with the low profitability, lack of free time and challenges with recruitment and finding substitute workforce when needed. In addition to the aforementioned challenges which I believe are essential to overcome for farming to become more attractive for the future generations, this workshop made me reflect a lot upon the importance of giving young farmers opportunities for development such through exchange programs. I brought this perspective with me into many conversations, and hopefully, it will lead to facilitation of such opportunities in the nearest future in my own and other regions.
Sigrun Myrvang, youth representative, Innlandet (NO)

Indeed sustainability has three pillars: economic, social, and environmental.

In an increasingly resource-scarce world, we want to lift and empower youths and young leaders, through our democratic institutions and build tolerance for each other’s needs. I think young people see this more clearly than previous generations
Aud Hove, Chair of the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy

The AER Summer Academy: a forum for exchanges

The AER Summer Academy is a forum for exchanges of experience when it comes to regional development and expertise in Europe.

Objectives:

Promoting regional democracy and the principle of subsidiarity.
Providing an opportunity for regional representatives to build networks with their counterparts across wider Europe.
Fostering interregional cooperation.
Promoting European integration, identity and sense of belonging among young people.
Facilitating exchanges of experience and good practices between regions, policy-makers and young people.
Supporting mutual learning.

The European Year of youth: an opportunity to reframe policies

The 2022 edition of the AER Summer Academy was a very special edition. Indeed, this was the first in-person edition since the COVID-19 pandemic. As has been shown since, the pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on youth. The event taking place during the European Year of Youth, was an opportunity to reframe policies and policymaking. This was the opportunity to make mobility and exchanges with peers across Europe possible again. To listen to young voices, and learn to listen better too.

Skills & the bioeconomy

The bioeconomy covers all sectors and systems that rely on biological resources. It spans over sectors as diverse as food, construction, energy and waste management. In the context of societal challenges such as climate change, food security, energy independence and environmental sustainability, the bioeconomy is deemed to generate solutions for a better use of resources, life-cycle management and the development of new materials.

Because the industries in the bioeconomy, the value chains, the collaborations between stakeholders are new, there are major challenges in terms of skills: both to develop the right skills and to attract & retain skills in the industry.

The workshop looked specifically at food and food production for the future, with sustainability and security as the tagline. A key focus was on young voices in relation to food production and education, innovation and recruitment.

Speakers:

Aud Hove, Deputy Mayor of Innlandet (NO), Chair of AER working group on the bioeconomy
Gjertrud Nordal, youth representative, Innlandet (NO)
Sigrun Myrvang, youth representative, Innlandet (NO)
Presentation from Innlandet available here
Vivian Stribos, EU Lobbyist for Gelderland (NL)
Freek Beijer, youth delegate, Gelderland (NL)
Presentation from Gelderland is available here
Mairead nic Iomaire, Cill Ulta Centre for Sustainability, Donegal (IE)
Presentation from Udarás Na Gaeltachta is available here

Upcoming activities of the working group

The Working Group will organise an experience-sharing workshop on the sides of the AER Bureau meeting in December. The exact date of the workshop will be communicated ASAP

Regions interested in the topic, could be specifically interested in the following event which take place in the context of the European Week of Regions:

Food 2030: Regions as agents of change for sustainable food systems and biobased solutions
Region Värmland invited the CEO of Paper Province, a cluster organization, to present their experience in the transition to biobased solutions. The session will provide feedback on the Food 2030 policy and emphasise the role of regions in the green transition through a bioeconomic lens. The participatory lab will focus on food and sustainable food production. It will also be an opportunity to provide feedback on food systems and bio-based solutions directly to representatives from the European Commission.

If you would like to be informed about the activities of the Working Group on the Bioeconomy, please fill in this questionnaire (3 questions + contact details), it is possible to join anytime!

Photo taken in Donegal by Ainars Djatlevskis on Unsplash

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Interview with Aud Hove, Chair of the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy

22 August, 2022 By Johanna Pacevicius

How exchanging experiences with other regions leverages knowledge and the ability to create impact: the Chair of the newly created working group on the bioeconomy & skills, Aud Hove, Innlandet (NO), shares about her motivation for setting up a working group within the AER network.

Can you please introduce yourself?

My name is Aud Hove, I serve as the deputy county mayor in Innlandet county, Norway. I come from a small mountainous village and municipality, named Skjåk, but due to my occupation, I currently live in Lillehammer. I have always been interested in bio-based business and nature management.

In Norway we have a saying “from the earth to the table” not different from EU new initiative Farm to Fork, emphasizing that value chains must play together and do no significant harm to others or the environment.

Our region, Innlandet needs our farmers and we need the industry so that people get what they need for a living. At the same time, I also believe that we must change some of our habits and consumption. Norway, Europe, and the western world consume far more than we produce and it is not sustainable in the long run.

What motivated you in launching the working group on the bioeconomy & skills?

The bioeconomy is both the past and the future. We have always harvested from the wood and fields, but oil, gas and coal have taken up too much space in the last decade.

I’m convinced that collaboration, experience sharing, knowledge, and research and education it is the key to success.
Aud Hove, Chair of the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy

The value chain in biomass and green carbon can be used more sustainably, wisely while we at the same time look for new products fit for green Innlandet and Europe.

I’m convinced that collaboration, experience sharing, knowledge, and research and education it is the key to success. Bioeconomy, and circular economy is not only necessary for a green transition, but also our green gold, our future livelihood.

What do you want to achieve with this working group?

Innlandet and Norway cannot solve global environmental challenges alone.

As emphasised in the Paris Agreement, the EU Green Deal, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, international collaboration and solutions are needed. Sharing good examples and tackling common challenges across national borders is a part of Innlandet’s strategy.

We want to create a common understanding of different opportunities and challenges, by learning from others and sharing our best practices. Developing and improving the bioeconomy is part of the solution for climate and environment, and I think Innlandet has expertise and know-how which we can share with the rest of Europe.

What will the working group do in the coming months?

Our ambition is to create a community amongst European regions to share challenges, opportunities and maybe future partnerships and projects.

First we will facilitate a workshop on the occasion of the AER Summer Academy in Ireland with young people, where we will challenge the current situation and ask how the bioeconomy can become our green gold in a sustainable future. Indeed sustainability has three pillars: economic, social, and environmental. All three pillars must be weighted equally to get a fair distribution and a future in harmony. In an increasingly resource-scarce world, we want to lift and empower youths and young leaders, through our democratic institutions and build tolerance for each other’s needs. I think young people see this more clearly than previous generations.

Second, we are planning a meeting of the working group on the side of the AER General Assembly, during the European Week of Cities and regions, the second week of October 2022. This meeting will be focused on experience exchange.

In Spring 2023, we want to organise an online activity around project development.

Another activity we will carry out is the mapping of the specificities of each region and their good practices as a basis for matchmaking, study visits, potential projects

If this collaboration with other regions was a film, what would be the title?

“Together we can build a better and greener future”

Or: “Leapfrogging green bio-based transitions – A tale of European Regions”

Thank you Aud Hove for the interview!

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Bioeconomy & skills: first meeting of working group

28 June, 2022 By Johanna Pacevicius

On 22 June 2022, the AER working group on the bioeconomy and skills held its first meeting to define priorities and develop activities for the coming months

Getting to know each other

The working group aims to be a space for targetted experience sharing, finding resources and strategic intelligence, as well as developing initiatives and projects. For this to be possible it is essential to get to know each other and hear what makes the topic of the bioeconomy a current one in different regions across Europe.

The meeting therefore started with a presentation of each members and a pitch on the situation in each region.

Defining priority areas for exchanges

Members of the group discussed what they hoped to find in this group, and what they could share.

Three main areas stood out:

bio-based construction materials and techniques
new food systems
waste management: including clothes, digital waste (topic also relevant for food systems & construction)

In the context of the bioeconomy, where the industry, the value chain, the collaborations between stakeholders are new, there are major challenges in terms of skills: both to develop the right skills and to attract & retain skills in places where the industry is located

Planning activities

The working group was created based on a proposal by Innlandet (NO). The approach is to have light-weight working group, which will develop a few activities for the coming year, which can take place on the occasion of AER events.

The group agreed on the following activities:

Workshop of the working group on the occasion of the AER Summer Academy on September 1st, in Donegal. More information on the Summer Academy, the general programme of events and registration form is available here

Experience exchange event on the side of the AER General Assembly (onsite), which would also coincide with the European Week of Regions & Cities

Online meeting around project development (tbc whether brokerage event, or information on funding etc)

Mapping of the specificities of each region and their good practices as a basis for matchmaking, study visits, potential projects

About the AER working group on the bioeconomy & skills

The working group on the bioeconomy and skills was set up in Spring 2022, based on a proposal by Innlandet (NO), supported by Lower Austria (AU), Gelderland (NL), Värmland (SE). Indeed, to set up a working group a region has to find at least three supporting regions, which will help shape the activities, participate and contribute to the work.

The working group on the bioeconomy and skills is currently chaired by Aud Hove, Deputy Mayor of Innlandet (NO) and gathers representatives from Värmland (SE), Gelderland (NL), Fribourg (CH), Donegal (IE), Udaras na Gaeltachta (IE), Adana (TR), Eastern Slovenia (SI).

It’s possible to join anytime

If you are interested in collaborating with this working group, please fill in this short questionnaire so we know you better and can contact you. Working groups are exclusively for AER members. If you have any question, you can contact AER Coordinator for Policy & Knowledge Exchange Johanna Pacevicius.

I want to set up a working group on another topic!

An AER working group provides a space for experience and knowledge exchange.

If you’re not yet sure exactly about the activities or the specific focus of the working group you would like to lead, but you know you want to be engaged and lead a working group, contact us!

We’ll schedule a meeting to specify needs. We’ll help you identify the topic and main objective of the working group you’d like to set up and make sure that

this will indeed create value for you
there is a match between expectation and resources

We’ll help you to develop a draft proposal on the focus of the Working Group and identify a few potential activities, which you will then be able to share with other AER members.

What kind of topics?

At the AER we like to say that everything is possible!

Topics need to be in line with the Mission and Objectives of the AER, as defined in the AER Statutes

They need to be in line with the basic fundamental principles of the Council of Europe.

Who will be in the working group?

You may already know with which regions you would like to specifically cooperate with, in that case let us know and when needed we can facilitate the connection.

Working groups are open to all AER members. In order to propose a new working group, a core group of 1 leading region and at least 3 supporting regions are needed for the creation of a working group.

If you don’t yet know which regions you’d like to work with, let’s discuss! Together with the AER Secretariat you’ll be able identify peers in other regions who could be interested to work with you.

What kind of activities?

As per the AER Statutes, working groups are responsible for

Promoting networking and knowledge exchange between AER members on specific issues related to regional development; (8.3a)
Identifying and disseminating good practices. (8.3.b)

In this context, and depending on what you would like to achieve, activities can include activities to raise awareness on a topic and share existing practices, experience sharing, workshops to identify how to address shared challenges and societal changes, information sessions on funding opportunities, project development workshops…

There are many ways in which the AER offer and synergies with other activities can match your expectations. Contact us!

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The AER Summer Academy Is Back!

20 June, 2022 By Justin Sammon

With the European Year of Youth in full-swing, the AER is delighted to announce that our flagship youth event, the AER Summer Academy is returning in 2022 after a two-year hiatus.

In partnership with Donegal County Council and Údarás na Gaeltachta, this year’s Summer Academy will take place from 29 August until 1 September in the stunning surroundings of County Donegal, in Ireland’s Atlantic North-West.

****NOTE: Members of the Summer Academy Organising Committee should contact Communications & Events Manager, Justin Sammon directly before booking tickets on Eventbrite.* All other members and partners can register below.

Why Ireland?

2022 marks fifty years since Irish citizens voted by referendum to join the European Community, precursor the European Union in 1972. 2022 also celebrates the Irish language acquiring equal status to the other 23 languages in our Union for the first time. We are therefore enormously privileged to bring this year’s iteration to Ireland and the Donegal Gaeltacht [Irish-speaking region] during a year of important milestones for the country’s relationship with Europe. The main hosting venue will be the Atlantic Technical University (ATU) Campus in Letterkenny, County Donegal.

What’s it all about? Empowering Youth as Changemakers!

The Covid-19 pandemic, the climate crisis and the war in Ukraine have fundamentally changed expectations about Europe’s future. 2022 has become a time of big, existential questions about what Europe stands for, and what future we shape for the the next generation. Right now, we have a unique opportunity to reimagine Europe from a democratic, economic, cultural and social perspective.

The theme this year focuses on how young people in our regions can be empowered to answer these questions, and shape “A Europe for the Next Generation”. As we look to build back better, this year’s programme will focus on key key topics such as climate change, skills and education, cross-border and transnational cohesion and reconciliation, remote working and entrepreneurship.

As Europe works to build back better, regions are best-placed to ensure young people lay the building blocks for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable future for all. Do not miss this opportunity to join regional leaders from all over Europe for a series of debates, workshops and excursions to enlighten and inspire.

Last but not least, the 2022 Summer Academy programme is offering participants an exciting opportunity to visit Derry/Londonderry City to learn about the Peace Process, take-in spectacular scenery on Inis Eoin island and Glenveagh National Park, visit the region’s unique rural innovation hubs, and sample Irish music and dance as part of our social programme—this is a programme not to be missed!

Draft Programme (to be updated):

For more information, please contact AER Communications & Events Manager, Justin Sammon by email.

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Green (H)ydrogen: Powering Our Regions’ Future

26 April, 2022 By Justin Sammon

You can check out the agenda and full list of speakers HERE.

Why is Europe talking about hydrogen?

Hydrogen is a versatile energy source with significant potential. It can be used as a feedstock, a fuel or an energy carrier, and has many possible applications across industry in the transport, heating and construction sectors. Most importantly, it does not emit CO2 and produces almost no air pollution when used. The European Commission estimates that “green” hydrogen from renewable sources could make up 13-14% of Europe’s energy supply by 2050, and act as a replacement for fossil fuels in high polluting sectors.

However, there is significant work to do to scale-up production and demand. At present, hydrogen makes up less than 2% of Europe’s energy mix, and is still largely produced from fossil fuels. Producing clean hydrogen from renewable sources like wind and solar is expensive, and while technology has improved and come down in cost, there remain challenges connecting hydrogen production to energy grids and securing enough investment to make it viable.

What’s in it for Regions?

Regions have a key role to play in scaling-up the renewable hydrogen economy across Europe. With the right level of private and public investment, European regions can lead in the creation of self-contained “hydrogen hubs” that link all elements of the value chain. Indeed, the EU has committed to a total generation capacity of 40GW of renewable hydrogen by 2030, and in early 2022 launched a call worth €300.5 million for projects to develop “cutting-edge hydrogen technologies” under its Clean Hydrogen Partnerships programme.

In this context, the AER and the Government of Catalonia are initiating discussions among European regions on hydrogen in the energy transition. This knowledge exchange and networking session will be the first step towards sustained exchanges between regions on the development of green hydrogen. It will be an opportunity for AER members to identify common priorities in the field, project and funding opportunities with the European Commission, and accelerate work towards building a hydrogen community within the AER network.

How can I get involved?

Members are welcome to register online to view this event remotely. There will be limited possibilities for those who join online to take the floor during the open session.

Members interested in joining a future working group on green hydrogen can fill in this survey.

Presentations

Presentation by Pere Margalef SVP Technology Officer Hydrogen

Presentation by Albert Ballbé, Head of technical evaluation, monitoring and verification of R&D projects in ACCIÓ, Catalonia (ES)

Presentation by Ana Ursua, General Director, Navarra Industrial Association, Navarra (ES)

Presentation by Giampaolo Canestri, Head of Energy Efficiency and Open Innovation Sector – engineer at Compagnie Valdôtaine des
Eaux, Valle d’Aosta (IT)

Partner Search: Town Twinning for Environmental Action

14 January, 2022 By Mirthe Vogd

The Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, a member region of AER, is searching for project partners to join their project proposal related to climate and environmental issues in the framework of the Town Twinning Action between Turkey and EU-II Grant Scheme (TTGS-II). Working with the vision of offering a cleaner and more sustainable environment to future generations, it aims to enhance dialogue between Turkish and EU local authorities and strengthen the capacity of local authorities for the purposes of climate and environment based actions.

The grant scheme provides support for projects aiming at developing town twinning relationships between local administrations/authorities in Turkey and EU Member States and strengthening their roles in the EU accession process.

About Izmir and the project proposal

Local authorities in Turkey are the implementers of the national and international climate and environment-related policies at the local level. Therefore, climate-related experience sharing, capacity building at the local level, and local policy development would strengthen the vision and enhance climate change strategies for every party.

Over the last decade, the City of Izmir has been taking significant actions towards improving its environmental performance, particularly through strategy development, investment and many projects. Izmir has adopted Green City Action Plan, Izmir Sustainable Energy, and Climate Action Plan and is shaping its roadmap of 2030 through sustainable, innovative, and democratic solutions.

The specific objective of this proposal is to create a concrete and long-term partnership between Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and local authorities in the EU in areas relevant to climate and the environment.

The idea of the project is based on the particular area of both cities that they can work together and establish a common strategy or action plan. Izmir is therefore open to partnering with other EU local authorities in order to design a comprehensive and effective project proposal.

How to take part?

If you are interested in joining this project, please send your expression of interest by 28 January to Mirthe Vogd, European Projects Assistant ([email protected]) & our Member Relations Coordinator, Mr Anne Henk Bloemhoff ([email protected]).

Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us in case you would need additional information!

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Skillnet Training Session II – Making the Most of Direct Grant Funding Programmes

14 December, 2021 By Justin Sammon

“Accessing European funding is often complex. We want to help our nearly 140 members in 30 countries make the best of these possibilities.“

This is how Christian Spahr, AER Secretary General opened our second webinar on EU funding opportunities for regions, “Unboxing the MFF – Accessing Direct Grant Funding Programmes”.

The programmes under discussion: Erasmus Plus, Creative Europe, LIFE, Horizon and Digital Europe are core building blocks of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the EU’s €2.018 trillion long-term budget.

These programmes will be a crucial source of source of funding for regions in areas as diverse as skill development, technological innovation, the green transition and promoting our cultural heritage into the future. As Christian Spahr put it, “These programmes are essential for a sustainable recovery and to create better living conditions for the citizens in our regions.”

So how can regions make the best of the updated programmes? We invited experts from the European Commission to give regions an overview of funding opportunities in the Autumn edition of ‘Unboxing the MFF’.

Our wrap-up below gives a flavour of what is on offer to regions. More detailed information is available through the AER Project Unit. You can check out our speakers’ presentations here.

Erasmus+

Our first speaker, Dario Nicolella, Programme Manager at the #ErasmusPlus Coordination Unit, gives an overview of the newly expanded programme. There is a greater focus on inclusion, sustainability, digital tools, and a new investment in the sport sector.🏃‍♀️💫 pic.twitter.com/6ZYbKbPRR1
— AER (@europeanregions) September 24, 2021

Erasmus+ is perhaps the best-known of the EU’s programmes. Supporting education, training, youth and sport across Europe, it has seen its budget nearly double to €26.2 billion in the new MFF, meaning there are significant opportunities for regions within it. But how can regions tap into the substantial resources available to support their communities?

The first thing is understanding the new “horizontal priorities” for the programme, and coming forward with proposals that are a good match for at least one of them. For the new programme, these are ‘Greening’ the programme to make mobility more sustainable, ‘Digitalising’ it through increasing access to digital learning tools, and enhancing ‘Inclusion & Diversity’, i.e. making the programme more accessible to groups that have not been able to benefit from Erasmus+ before. Our first speaker from the Erasmus+ Coordination Unit, Mr Dario Nicolella stressed that these elements “should really be reflected in project proposals” to improve the odds of being selected.

One novelty he noted that will be of interest to regional and local authorities are the Cooperation Partnerships. Among these, the small scale projects are geared towards “participants with less experience and grassroots organisations.” They have smaller budgets and have simplified rules, with lump sums of either €30,000 or €60,000 available. Those wishing to apply should form a consortium made up of at least three EU or partner countries, and address one of the horizontal priorities mentioned above. For larger activities, the new ‘lump sum’ model will also be applied to projects from 2022, with budgets of €120,000, €250,000 or €400,000 available. The ultimate aim, he explained, is to “transition to a simpler and more flexible budget model.” The AER Project Unit is available to provide further guidance on accessing these funding opportunities.

Creative Europe

Creative Europe provides support to the culture and audiovisual sectors across and beyond Europe. Similar to Erasmus+, Creative Europe has cross-cutting priorities to be addressed by all projects: inclusion, diversity, gender equality and greening.

With an increased budget of €2.4 billion, this programme will finance actions in the cultural and creative sectors to promote European cultural and linguistic diversity and heritage. The programme is divided into three strands:

Culture: covering actions in the cultural and creative sectors (except the audiovisual sector)
Media: covering activities in the audiovisual sector
Cross-sectoral: covering actions across all cultural and creative sectors.

So what’s in it for regions? Ms Kastner said that the supports available under the European cooperation projects are an area “where regions can have a big impact”, including in identifying micro-organisations that might be interested in the programme. The cooperation projects also support cross-border cooperation, and provide higher pre-financing and co-financing rates. There is also greater flexibility on the number of partners in each consortium, with the European Commission adding a new “medium scale” category for consortiums of five partners in five countries. To find out more about these calls, Ms Kastner advised interested parties to contact the Creative Europe Desks in their country.

Are associate countries eligible for calls under Creative Europe programme? Ms Kastner advised regions from these areas to “check how far the accession to the programme has advanced” in their country, and that “it is a good idea to start looking for partners” if they are interested in joining a consortium to join a project.

Digital Europe & Horizon Europe

Our next expert speaker from the European Commission, Mr Andreas Geiss took us through Digital Europe, which is focused on bringing digital technology to businesses, citizens and public administrations, and has a budget of €7.58 billion to spent over the life of the programme.

The aim of Digital Europe, Mr Geiss explained, “is to accelerate best use of digital technologies; increasing digital innovation hubs and focusing on high-impact digital technologies: high-performance computing, Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity and advanced digital skills.” Through this, the goal is for Europe “to become less dependent on systems and solutions coming from other parts of the world.”

There are funding instruments available through Digital Europe that regions can avail of. For example, grants for capacity building and deployment, grants for support and coordination, single entity procurement and joint procurement (you can view the sub-actions below). Of particular interest will be the support action of between 50% and 70% for SMEs. The first set of calls in digital tech and the European Digital Innovation Hubs have already been launched, and you can find out more about the conditions for the calls in the tender opportunities portal.

Next up was the Horizon Europe programme, which aims to boost European research and innovation through its substantial budget of €95.5 billion. Our two experts, Mr Clement Evroux and Ms Vera Fehnle pointed to areas within Horizon that can make a big difference for regions. “Under Pillar 2,” Mr Evroux explained, regions and local authorities “play an active role in a high number of work programmes”.

Pillar II (see chart below) is clustered into an array of areas, including ‘Health’, ‘Culture’, ‘Creativity & Inclusive Society’, ‘Digital, Industry & Space’, and ‘Climate, Energy & Mobility.’

Ms Fehnle highlighted that Horizon’s co-funded partnerships offer national and regional public authorities the possibility of participating as partners. She noted that some co-funded partnerships should include “a geographically representative distribution of national and regional research and innovation authorities and funding agencies from EU Member States.”

Co-funded partnerships are included in Cluster 1 (Health), Cluster 5 (Climate, Energy & Mobility) and Cluster 6 (Food, Bio Economy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment). Participation of regions is also encouraged in Cluster 2 (under ‘Safeguarding Endangered Languages in Europe, Coordination and Support action’) and Cluster 3 (Civil Security for Society, Disaster-resilient society for Europe and one topic on Resilient Infrastructure). More details of actions targeting regions can be found in the presentation slides.

The subsection of the programme dedicated to ‘Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research area’ is “also of particular relevance to regions.”

The LIFE Programme

We closed the session with an overview of the LIFE Programme from our final European Commission presenters, Mr Jean-Claude Merciol and Mr Pierluca Merola. The LIFE programme, worth €5.4 billion, supports projects related to environment and climate action. LIFE’s budget has increased by €2 billion for the 2020-2027 period. Mr Merciol noted there has also been “a shift in priorities towards the circular economy”, and the new programme “has a greater focus on nature and biodiversity.”

Regions "have an important role in the implementation of #energy and #climate objectives," says Pierluca Merola from @Energy4Europe. From empowering citizens in the clean energy transition, to their competencies driving the renovation wave, regional actors will play a key part.🤝 pic.twitter.com/FPKzIfHLpz
— AER (@europeanregions) September 24, 2021

The good news for regions, according to Mr Merciol, is that “smaller projects at regional level can make a big impact,” and most projects take “a bottom up approach”. Indeed, outermost regions, for example, can avail of small scale grants under LIFE for projects that make a contribution to halting and reversing biodiversity loss “up to 100%.”

Mr Merola went into more depth on the sub-programme clean energy transition, which contributes “to creating market and regulatory conditions enabling the green transition in the EU’s territories.” He noted two areas of particular interest to regions: the development of local and regional investment projects and the another aimed at involving citizens in the clean energy transition.

Key takeaways — what advice would our expert panel give to regions?

So what parting advice did our expert panel have for applicants? Their ‘top tips’ were:

Keep an eye on the portals for open calls
Have a clear idea of what you want to do
Look for consortiums and find partners as early as possible

Still not sure where to start? Want a more detailed briefing on this Training Session and other funding opportunities? The AER is on-hand to give one-to-one guidance on how to make the most of EU Funding opportunities. For more information, please contact our European Projects Coordinator, Ms Agnese Pantaloni.

In the meantime, you can find our speakers’ slides at this link. Make sure to keep an eye on our website to find out when the final webinar in our “Unboxing the MFF” series is announced!

***

This training session was organised as part of the Skillnet Project, which is funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission. Skillnet aims to strengthen the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system’s role and capacity to design high-quality VET programmes tailored to current societal needs through enhanced transnational and cross-sectoral partnerships. To learn more about funding opportunities within the Skillnet Project, visit our dedicated Partnerships in Focus Hub.

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AER Activity Report 2021 — ‘Regions Bouncing Back’

8 December, 2021 By Justin Sammon

The Assembly of European Regions is proud to present its annual Activity Report for 2020 – 2021.

As Europe looks beyond the Covid-19 pandemic and towards recovery, the theme of this year’s report is ‘Regions Bouncing Back‘. With a fresh new look courtesy of graphic designers, Habile Studio, this year’s cover visual shows the evolution of employment figures in Europe over the course of the pandemic. Hard copies are available upon request by contacting AER Communications & Events Manager, Justin Sammon. An online pdf copy is available for download HERE.

Welcoming the publication of ‘Regions Bouncing Back‘, AER President Magnus Berntsson pointed to the many successes of the AER network since June last year, despite the pandemic, “It has been a challenging year for all our members, but looking through the impressive body of work in this year’s Activity Report shows how resilient, creative and adaptable our regions are. There is plenty here to inspire us in 2022 and beyond.”

AER President, Magnus Berntsson & Secretary General, Christian Spahr unveil ‘Regions Bouncing Back’ at our Agenda 2030 Conference in October 2021.

So what’s inside this year’s Activity Report?

Despite the pandemic, the twelve months since the last Activity Report were action packed. From welcoming Christian Spahr as our new Secretary General, to hosting our long-awaited Agenda 2030 Conference in Grand Est (FR) this October, the AER has worked hard to continue to bring value to our members and raise their voice at European and international level.

In this year’s edition, you can learn about our advocacy work with member regions on the sustainability agenda, the Conference on the Future of Europe, with our Cohesion Alliance partners and more. There is inside look at our new Working Groups, where we have created new spaces for policy learning on topics as diverse as skills development, healthcare and the integration of migrants. If your region has knowledge to share or showcase that can help our members, please let us know if you are interested in leading or setting up a new Working Group!

As ever, European Projects were a core part of our ongoing work this year. You can read more about our projects, and how we can help your region find partners and implement EU-funded projects in our chapter on Projects & Funding.

2021 was a challenging year for youth mobility, nevertheless, our Eurodyssey traineeship programme has already started to bounce back from the pandemic, thanks to the commitment and creativity of its member regions. Sticking with the topic of youth, the Activity Report also includes a sneak preview of what’s in store for our first post-pandemic AER Summer Academy in 2022.

You’ll also find an overview of the 35 events that AER organised between June 2020 and June 2021. Making the best of technology, this was a year where the AER embraced fresh, innovative formats to bring members ‘together apart’, and continue connecting our more than 130 regions across Europe.

Flip through a digital copy of ‘Regions Bouncing Back’ below!

Click here to download the Activity Report.

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Join our Bureau Debate on Sustainable Mobility & Connectivity — the Road to Recovery and the Green Transition

17 November, 2021 By Justin Sammon

Want to join online?*

***UPDATE*** — we are delighted to announce that completing our panel will be Mr Ciarán Cuffe, Member of the European Parliament’s Committees on Transport and Tourism and Industry, Research and Energy!

According to the European Parliament, transport accounts for 30% of the EU’s total emissions. If we are to keep global temperatures below 1.5C and achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, a change of gears is required to make our transport systems more efficient, less polluting and better value for money.

Local and regional authorities have a clear and important role in making mobility more sustainable and inclusive through their strategic planning, provision of transport infrastructure and services, support to technological innovation and incentives for green transport options. Yet, there is still a lack of financial and technical support to fulfil their potential in advancing sustainable mobility and connectivity.

That’s why as part of our Bureau meeting on 2 December, the AER is organising a debate on the role of local and regional authorities in building sustainable mobility systems.

The aim is to explore how local and regional authorities can help achieve the objectives set out in the the European Green Deal, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Climate Accords. At the same time, this debate will be a chance to discuss how these ambitious goals can be aligned with Europe’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

This debate will feed into to an AER position paper on sustainable mobility and connectivity by developing recommendations to improve regions’ contribution to economic growth, inclusive and sustainable development across Europe.

The debate will consider two key questions:

How to make mobility more sustainable and improve connectivity across Europe, focusing on prosperity and environment?
What is the role of local and regional authorities in making the transition to green, fair and sustainable mobility systems?

This interactive debate will bring together regional and European policymakers and experts. It includes an extended thirty-minute Q & A where participants will have the opportunity to share their views and insights with our expert panel. Don’t miss the chance to help shape AER’s work on sustainable transport!

Share your views with our expert panel!

Our line-up has been announced — check out our expert panel below!

Moderator: Martin Tollén, Chair of the AER Working Group on Transport & Mobility, County Councillor in Östergötland (SE)

Alessandra Zedda, AER Vice President and Chair of the AER Task Force on Sustainable Mobility and Connectivity, and Vice President and Regional Minister for Labour, Vocational Training, Cooperation and Social Security, Autonomous Region of Sardinia (IT)

Ciarán Cuffe MEP, Member of the European Parliament’s Committees on Transport and Tourism and Industry, Research and Energy

Yuwei Li, Director of the UNECE Sustainable Transport Division of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Axel Volkery, Deputy Head of Unit Sustainable and Intelligent Transport, Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, European Commission

Robert van Asten, Member of the European Committee of the Regions and Rapporteur of the Opinion “Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy”

*Note: Those who have registered for the AER Bureau already have the Zoom link and do not need to register.

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Agenda 2030 Conference: Transforming Regions, Changing the World

10 November, 2021 By Eléonore Debeve

On 28-29 October, the Assembly of European Regions held our long-awaited Agenda 2030 Conference in Strasbourg, in partnership with Region Grand Est and the City of Strasbourg.

Against the backdrop of the hugely consequential COP26 Conference in Glasgow and the IPCC’s recent “Code red” report on global emissions, ‘Transforming Regions, Changing the World’ came at a crucial time where difficult decisions need to be made to save our planet for future generations. Now more than ever, regions, alongside cities, must have a key role in implementing and achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set out in the 2030 Agenda.

Having entered the decade of action, this conference represented an opportunity to set out how regions can deliver on the commitments that were made six years ago. Over two days at the Regional Council of Grand Est, policymakers, civil society and AER members gathered in person and tuned-in online to discuss how to achieve the 2030 Agenda, and guarantee a sustainable and inclusive recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

2030 Agenda: Europe’s ambitious goals for the next decade

“I think Archimedes once said ‘Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world’. Well, I think that the Sustainable Development Goals are the lever and the regions of Europe are the fulcrum which the lever must be applied to, and we will go a long way towards changing our reality for the better.”

Speech at @europeanregions Conference 2030 Agenda.

Sustainable development has its roots at the local and regional levels. This is why #CohesionPolicy is key to ensure it becomes a reality.

The recovery package will serve to boost the efforts to achieve the SDGs. pic.twitter.com/3s6OUqbZC4
— Elisa Ferreira (@ElisaFerreiraEC) October 28, 2021

With these words European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, opened the first session of the conference, “Sustainable Development,” Commissioner Ferreira continued, “must be put in practice on a local and regional level, it can not remain on a theoretical level.”

The same principles were embraced by AER President, Magnus Berntsson, who addressed the key role of local authorities and the business community in fighting against social and economical inequalities, and accelerating the transition process towards an inclusive economy.

In her keynote address, Member of European Parliament, Anne Sander, pointed to the host city of Strasbourg as a proof of the effectiveness of a local, regional, and and multi-stakeholders approach in the policy-making process, as ‘a city where the voices of citizens are heard.’

Localisation and strong engagement of regions and cities were also the main topics addressed by Executive Secretary of UNECE, Olga Algayerova; who reminded participants that time is running short, and we must facilitate the creation of a circular economy through cohesion policy, digitalisation, community investments and the transition to a green economy.

To achieve the SDGs, it is essential to promote partnership among national, regional and local governments, as the most proximate representatives of citizens’ needs. In this regard, European Commission Vice-President Dubravka Šuica, had an encouraging message, affirming that “regions and cities are the places where the inter-linkages among SDGs are boosted and where innovative green solutions can genuinely be implemented.”

Indeed, getting buy-in from citizens in their own communities is a core building block of a more sustainable Europe. Sharing the results of a recent AER Survey of more than 6,000 Europeans in six countries, AER Secretary General, Christian Spahr explained that among the different levels of government, regional and local authorities enjoy the highest level of public trust; giving them credibility to implement the SDGs in a way that meets the needs of citizens. Regional and local government were trusted by 52% of respondents, compared with 49% for European institutions and 41% for national governments.

Heureuse d'accueillir les membres de @europeanregions. La @regiongrandest s'engage à intégrer les objectifs de #Agenda2030 des @ONU_fr : placer les personnes, la planète et la prospérité au centre de nos priorités. @MagnusBerntsson @Regions2030 @c_spahr pic.twitter.com/wsgIv4ncym
— Anne Sander (@AnneSanderElue) October 28, 2021

Cohesion & Cooperation: sharing expertise on a regional level

How can we actually put SDG policies into practice on a regional and local level? Some noteworthy examples were shared by our guest-speakers during the high-level panel debate ‘Agenda 2030: Transforming Regions, Changing the World’ . Mohamed Boudra, President of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), stressed the importance of localisation and building permanent and constructive cooperation among different levels of government. The existence of UCLG’s ‘Global Taskforce‘, whose goal is the coordination of local governments internationally, is a model of how this can be done.

Indeed, when it comes to the SDGs, it is crucial to prevent siloed implementation. Multi-level governance must avoid a “strictly sectoral approach”, said Regions4‘s representative, Iker Atxa Zaitegi, stressed the need to boost cooperation within regions by taking advantage of the interlinkages among the Sustainable Developments Goals.

In his contribution, AER Vice President for Sustainability, Albert Castellanos, emphasised the importance of building towards a “fair, balanced and equal labour market” which will reduce social inequalities and improve economic stability in regions and cities, in line with Goal 8, “Decent Work and Economic Growth”. The idea of equality must be also applied to safeguarding our environment. In her speech, Prof. Dr. Daniela Kleinschmit shed light on the urgency of bridging the gap between rural and urban areas and ensuring real opportunities for the generations to come.

Representatives of the regional and local level of governance are closest to citizens & in a unique position to make a connection between the seemingly “far away” Europe and the local issues. Pleasure to address @europeanregions #Agenda2030 Conference. pic.twitter.com/WVGzrYRDIy
— Dubravka Suica (@dubravkasuica) October 28, 2021

In this regard, Deputy Mayor of Strasbourg, Julia Dumay, explained how promoting a “culture of equality” throughout the city made possible to put human rights, citizens’ participation and the fight against discrimination on top of the local government’s priorities. This sense of community cooperation clearly came to light when, thanks to the help of City and Eurometropolis of Strasbourg, conference participants were able to visit the city “Eco-Quartier Danube“, where the local authorities promote living together within the neighbourhood and where sustainable innovative buildings meet the traditional port identity of the site.

From theory to action: how to put SDGs principles into practice

The second day of the conference started with a series of workshops focused on five main topics: peace, planet, partnership, people and prosperity. The aim of each session was to share knowledge on how to concretely implement the SDGs policies involving regions and cities.

In our workshop on Planet: ‘Biodiversity for Sustainable Development’, in partnership with Regions4, speakers discussed the key role of regions in protecting biodiversity by ensuring a green and resilient recovery from the pandemic; Renata Gómez, Biodiversity Programme Manager at Regions4, remarked on the need to ‘mainstream biodiversity’ by communicating it and creating public awareness. Citizens’ participation and engagement were also a central focus of the workshop on Peace: ‘The Future is Yours–Inclusive & Participatory Institutions for All‘. Lia Montaldi, Councillor of EmiliaRomagna Region, highlighted the essential features of good governance: an open and transparent government, where citizens’ participation and accountability are paramount to policymakers.

Participation and cooperation also requires encouraging regions to develop strategies and plans for the implementation of the SDGs on a local level; our workshop on Partnership: ‘How can regions deliver on voluntary reviews?’, organised with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (CoE), showcased how through regionalisation and the use of regional reviews this objective can be successfully accomplished.

In the second part of the day, the discussion moved to the topics of people and prosperity. During the workshop on People: ‘Hate Speech: Towards a Comprehensive Approach’ (co-organised by Intercultural Cities Programme, CoE, and our Includ-EU Project), participants discussed effective management of diversity as an integral part of good and inclusive governance. Our moderator, Irena Guidikova, Head of Inclusion and Anti-discrimination at the Council of Europe, stressed that “when Hateful expressions jeopardise other rights such as the right to life or privacy, then those rights take precedence over freedom of expression”. One way to combat hate speech is through the WE CAN tools “to identify hate speech, monitor it, launch responses and evaluate their impact”.

Finally, our workshop on Prosperity: ‘Leaving No Youth Behind: Building resilient, sustainable, and prosperous cities and regions’ shed light on the great input that young people can have to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals — if they are given the right tools to do so. One of our guest speakers, Stefanie De Bock, co-spokesperson for Federation of Young European Greens (FYEG), noted the impact of climate change on young people and the need for greater involvement for them in decision-making, “young people suffer disproportionally from climate change”, yet the political system at present “does not create enough spaces for young people to be policymakers”.

The way forward – Achieving sustainable and resilient regions in a post-pandemic world

A huge challenge going forward will be aligning our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic with the Sustainable Development Goals. The daunting question of “How?” was put to the speakers in our conference’s closing panel.

“There are no universal solutions. The reality of each region should design the changes that need to happen” said Gonzalo Pizarro, Regional Policy Adviser on SDG Integration for UNDP. Policymakers must consider local and regional specificities to guarantee a green and inclusive recovery from the pandemic, starting with ensuring equal access to vaccinations and new social protection measures.

Leen Verbeek, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, shared Pizarro’s view, and underlined the critical importance of supporting regions — especially the poorest ones — in creating plans of action. He further underlined the need to mainstream and increase the visibility of the SDGs in policy development, “we need to integrate the SDGs in every proposal and every paper to increase awareness and motivation” around their implementation.

Ricardo Rio, Mayor of Braga, Portugal and Member of the European Committee of the Regions, reminded participants of the necessity of adopting a holistic and subsidiary approach to meet the global goals, by “strengthening the capacity of regions”.

Closing the debate, AER President, Magnus Berntsson, reaffirmed the hope that the recovery from the pandemic could give us the opportunity to empower partnership and knowledge sharing on a local and regional level, especially regarding the connection between rural and urban areas: “We have this connection between rural and urban areas and if we do not want to leave anyone behind, we need to make this connection work”, concluding that “to not leave anyone behind, we also need to make sure that we do not hold anyone back.”

Agenda 2030 Conference Manifesto: a shared commitment to action

Closing the Conference, the Assembly of European Regions and our partners reaffirmed our shared commitment to deliver Agenda 2030 and achieve the Sustainable Developments Goals by co-signing a Manifesto.

This was co-signed by AER President, Magnus Berntsson and Vice President — Treasurer, Christian Debève on behalf of Region Grand Est — and endorsed by our partners, Regions4 and United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG). The manifesto enshrines the principle of “thinking globally, but acting locally”. As Vice President Debève said in signing the manifesto, “we are humbly contributing to making the 2030 Agenda a framework for trans-border, international and European cooperation.”

You can find the conference Manifesto at this LINK. If your organisation is interested in endorsing it, please contact AER Institutional Relations & Advocacy Officer, Gisela Guari Cañada at [email protected].

We want to thank our co-organisers, partners, member regions and attendees for making such a success of the Agenda 2030 Conference. We look forward to continuing the journey towards 2030 together in a renewed spirit of partnership among all our member regions.

Co-Organisers

Event Partners

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A New Horizon for Europe: Navigating into the European Horizon for Research and Innovation

8 July, 2021 By Birgit Sandu

The launch of the new Horizon Europe funding programme worth 95.5 billion EUR and its first round of calls have being sparking enthusiasm and interest among the multiple actors that were long awaiting for initiating and testing their innovative actions for the green and digital transition, as well as an inclusive economy. Yet, while the scope of the funding programme meets widespread societal demands, it may not be that easy to navigate within one of the world’s largest research and innovation programmes. What do you need to know? The article provides an overview of the main opportunities under this programme as well as the links to the recordings from the informative sessions held by the European Commission.

The new HORIZON EUROPE: Priorities and structure

As part of the new Multiannual Financial Framework, the European Union has established the Horizon Europe programme as successor of the well-known Horizon 2020. As its predecessor, #HorizonEU deploys a large-envelop of financial incentives to support research and innovation that will contribute to achieving the EU priorities across and beyond Europe.

As defined in the First Strategic Plan 2021-24, in the first four years, the programme will focus its investments towards actions aimed at:

Promoting an open strategic autonomy by leading the development of key digital, enabling and emerging technologies, sectors and value chains
Restoring Europe’s ecosystems and biodiversity, and managing sustainably natural resources
Making Europe the first digitally enabled circular, climate-neutral and sustainable economy
Creating a more resilient, inclusive and democratic European society

PILLAR II: Clusters, ‘EU missions’, and calls

It is especially under the second pillar ‘Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness’ that the European Commission is providing the ground and support to different kind of stakeholders (universities, research institutions, public authorities, associations, NGOs, SMEs and large companies) for research addressing key societal, economic, and environmental challenges, and to reinforce and innovative the technological and industrial capacities in line with the EU policies and the Sustainable Development Goals.

A key novelty introduced with the Horizon Europe programme are the EU-Missions. Missions are commitments to address the most serious challenges that our world is facing and contribute to the goals of the European Green Deal, the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, and the Sustainable goals through a wide portfolio of actions – research projects, policy measures, or even legislative proposals.

Cluster 1 – Health

Actions supported under this cluster will be aimed at:

Improving and protecting the health and well-being of citizens through new knowledge, innovative solutions and the integration of a gender perspective to the preventions, monitoring, and curing of diseases
developing health technologies, mitigating health risks, protecting populations and promoting good health and well-being
making public health systems more cost-effective, equitable and sustainable

The Cluster is divided in 6 destinations under which the first calls are already open for submission:

4 Calls under Destination 01 – Staying healthy in a rapidly changing society (link to the recording of the info session on Destination 01)
4 Calls under Destination 02 – Living and working in a health-promoting environment (link to the recording of the info session on Destination 02)
7 Calls under Destination 03 – Tacking diseases and reducing diseases burden (link to the recording of the info session on Destination 03)
3 Calls under Destination 04 – Ensuring access to innovative, sustainable, and high quality health care (link to the recording of the info session on Destination 04)
3 Calls under Destination 05 – Unlocking the full potential of new tools, technologies and digital solutions for a healthy society (link to the recording of the info session on Destination 05)
3 Calls under Destination 06 – Maintaining an innovative, sustainable and globally competitive health industry (link to the recording of the info session on Destination 06)

The deadline for all the open calls under the Health Cluster is 21st September 2021. Forthcoming calls under the same destinations will open on 6th October and will close on 21st April 2022 (1st February for 2-stages submissions).

EU-Mission: Preparing UNCAN.eu, a European initiative to understand cancer (deadline 20th October 2021)

Detailed information concerning the Cluster and its calls can be found in the Cluster 1 Working Programme.

Cluster 2 – Culture, Creativity, and Inclusive Society

Actions within this cluster will contribute to strengthening the EU democratic values, safeguarding our cultural heritage, and foster inclusion and growth through socio-economic transformations.

The Cluster is divided in 3 destinations under which the first calls are already open for submission:

5 Calls under Destination 01 – Innovative research on democracy and governance (link to the recording of the info session on Destination 01)
- Activities launched within this destination will contribute to reinvigorating and modernising democratic governance through the development of evidence-based innovations, policies, policy recommendations, and institutional frameworks that expand political participation, social dialogue, civic engagement, gender equality and inclusiveness. Additionally, they will support enhancing transparency, effectiveness, accountability and legitimacy of public policy-making.
6 Calls under Destination 02 – Innovative research on the European cultural heritage and the cultural and creative industries ((link to the recording of the info session on Destination 02)
- Activities launched under this destination will aim at protecting and promoting historical sites and monuments, artefacts, heritage sites, landscapes, museums and other cultural institutions, languages, customs, traditions, and values through new or existing conservation and restoration technologies and methods employing green and digital paths. Innovative management actions and models for cultural institutions will seek to expend the industry triggering inclusive growth, jobs, social cohesion and diversity,
7 Calls under Destination 03 – Innovative research on social and economic transformations ((link to the recording of the info session on Destination 03)
- Actions launched under this destination will contribute to foster social and economic resilience and sustainability through an improved knowledge of the social, ethical, political and economic impacts of drivers of change – as digitalisation, demographic trends, globalisation, and migration. The implementation of research activities in the field will strengthen inclusive growth ensuring that no one is left behind especially in light of old and new societal and economic challenges.

The deadline for all the open calls under the Culture, Creativity, and Inclusive Society Cluster is 07th October 2021. Forthcoming calls under the same destinations will open on 20th January 2022 and will close on 20th April 2022.

Detailed information concerning the Cluster and its calls can be found in the Cluster 2 Working Programme.

Cluster 4 – Digital, Industry and Space

Activities under this cluster will support digital, space, and key enabling technologies that are strategically important for Europe’s industrial future and especially for achieving a global industrial leadership in clean and climate-neutral industries, as well as autonomy in digital technologies and a secure data-agile economy.

The Cluster is divided in 6 destinations under which the first calls are already open for submission:

17 Calls under Destination 01 – Climate neutral, circular and digitalised production (link to the recording of the info session on Destination 01)
21 Calls under Destination 02 – Increased autonomy in key strategic value chains for resilient industry (l ink to the recording of the info session on Destination 02)
5 Calls under Destination 03 – World leading data and computing technologies (link to the recording of the info session on Destination 03)
17 Calls under Destination 04 – Digital and emerging technologies for competitiveness and fit for the Green Deal (link to the recording of the info session on Destination 04)
24 Calls under Destination 06 – A human-centred and ethical development of digital and industrial technologies (link to the recording of the info session on Destination 06)
Calls under Destination 05 – Open Strategic autonomy in developing, deploying and using global space-based infrastructures, services, applications, and data will be launched as of October 2021

The deadline for all the open calls under the Digital, Industry and Space Cluster is 21st October 2021. Forthcoming calls under the same destinations will open on 23rd November 2022 and will close on 05th April 2022.

EU-Mission: Better prepared regional and local authorities to adapt to climate change (deadline 14th September 2021)

Detailed information concerning the Cluster and its calls can be found in the Cluster 4 Working Programme.

Cluster 5 – Climate, Energy and Mobility

Actions under this cluster will contribute to the fight against climate change by increasing the understanding of its causes, evolution, risks, impacts and opportunities, as well as by facilitating the development and implementation of more climate and environment-friendly solutions to the transport and energy sectors.

The Cluster is divided in 6 destinations under which the first calls are already open for submission:

9 Calls under Destination 01 – Climate sciences and responses for the transformation towards climate neutrality (l ink to the recording of the info session on Destination 01)
16 Calls under Destination 02 – Cross-sectoral solutions for the climate transition (link to the recording of the info session on Destination 02)
19 Calls under Destination 03 – Sustainable, secure and competitive energy supply (link to the recording of the info session on Destination 03)
5 Calls under Destination 04 – Efficient sustainable and inclusive energy use (link to the recording of the info session on Destination 04)
17 Calls under Destination 05 – Clean and competitive solutions for all transport modes (link to the recording of the info session on Destination 05)
13 Calls under Destination 06 – Safe, Resilient Transport and Smart Mobility services for passengers and goods (link to the recording of the info session on Destination 06)

The deadline for all the open calls under the Climate, Energy and Mobility Cluster is 19th October 2021. Forthcoming calls under the same destinations will open on 14th October 2021 and will close on 12th January 2022.

EU-Missions (deadline 14th September 2021):

Detailed information concerning the Cluster and its calls can be found in the Cluster 5 Working Programme.

Cluster 6 – Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

Actions financed through this cluster will support the reduction of environmental degradation, reversing the decline of biodiversity and better managing natural resources through transformative changes of the economy and society. They will contribute to the objectives of the EU Green Deal in relation to the Biodiversity Strategy to 2030, the Farm to Fork strategy, the European Climate Pact, initiatives under sustainable industry and eliminating pollution, the long-term vision for rural areas, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Cluster is divided in 7 destinations under which the first calls are already open for submission:

22 Calls under Destination 01 – Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (link to the recording of the info session on Destination 01)
19 Calls under Destination 02 – Fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food systems from primary production to consumption (link to the recording of the info session on Destination 02)
9 Calls under Destination 03 – Circular economy and bioeconomy sectors (link to the recording of the info session on Destination 03)
10 Calls under Destination 04 – Clean environment and zero pollution (link to the recording of the info session on Destination 04)
10 Calls under Destination 05 – Land, ocean and water for climate action (link to the recording of the info session on Destination 05)
6 Calls under Destination 06 – Resilient, inclusive, healthy and green rural, coastal and urban communities (link to the recording of the info session on Destination 06)
28 Calls under Destination 07 – Innovative governance, environmental observations and digital solutions in support of the Green Deal (link to the recording of the info session on Destination 07)

The deadline for all the open calls under the Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Cluster is 6th October 2021. Forthcoming calls under the same destinations will open on 28th October 2021 and will close on 15th February 2022.

EU-Mission: Preparing the ground for healthy soils: building capacities for engagement outreach and knowledge(deadline 14th September 2021)

Detailed information concerning the Cluster and its calls can be found in the Cluster 6 Working Programme.

Are you seeking to develop or join a proposal under the calls above?

All the above topics are key priorities for the AER and its members, hence we are looking forward to support members and their stakeholders in the development of a proposal, as well as in the establishment or search of a consortium. To know more about how we can support you, have a look at this article on the services of the project unit and get in touch with our European Projects Manager! Additionally, the AER is glad to assess the possibility to join consortium working on the calls in light of the strong relevance of the topics for the AER.

SAVE THE DATE! the AER will offer the possibility to further explore the novelties and opportunities introduced by the Horizon Europe programme during the next MFF info session that will be held on September 24th! The session will look at several funding programmes: Horizon Europe, Erasmus+ and Creative Europe, Digital Europe, and Life.

Picture from Unsplash by Christian Lue

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HOW TO MITIGATE THE SOCIAL IMPACT OF THE TRANSITION

HOW DOES YOUTH GET INVOLVED?

THE STAKES.

Local, but European. Practical, but inspiring. #HotlineCohesion brings you the most interesting youth opportunities linked to EU Cohesion Policy.

The many opportunities for youth employment and green transition offered by Cohesion Policy require appropriate visibility, especially amongst the youth. Widespread information makes sure that opportunities reach their target, and that the future is shaped to the needs of those who will live in it.

Every week the AER will publish its series #HOTLINE COHESION with information concerning new funding opportunities and participatory processes open to youth in your regions!

Youth unemployment is a longstanding challenge for Europe

The EU response to youth unemployment

The youth action for a green and fair future

Youth for a Just Transition

See you next week at #HotlineCohesion!

Read more about #HotlineCohesion and #YOUTHopia:

Bio-based innovation: a catalyst for change

Massive impact in the construction sector

Creativity, sustainability, inclusion: it’s possible!

Mutual learning to accelerate the development of the bioeconomy

Share your experience!

More information on this topic

Policy Exchanges to Accelerate the Green Transition

Focus of the Exchange and Dissemination of Best Practices

Proposed Activities

Next Steps

Youth at the heart of the shift to green gold

The AER Summer Academy: a forum for exchanges

The European Year of youth: an opportunity to reframe policies

Skills & the bioeconomy

Upcoming activities of the working group

Can you please introduce yourself?

What motivated you in launching the working group on the bioeconomy & skills?

What do you want to achieve with this working group?

What will the working group do in the coming months?

If this collaboration with other regions was a film, what would be the title?

Thank you Aud Hove for the interview!

Getting to know each other

Defining priority areas for exchanges

Planning activities

About the AER working group on the bioeconomy & skills

It’s possible to join anytime

I want to set up a working group on another topic!

What kind of topics?

Who will be in the working group?

What kind of activities?

***NOTE: Members of the Summer Academy Organising Committee should contact Communications & Events Manager, Justin Sammon directly before booking tickets on Eventbrite. All other members and partners can register below.

Why Ireland?

What’s it all about? Empowering Youth as Changemakers!

Draft Programme (to be updated):

You can check out the agenda and full list of speakers HERE.

Why is Europe talking about hydrogen?

What’s in it for Regions?

How can I get involved?

Presentations

About Izmir and the project proposal

How to take part?

Erasmus+

Creative Europe

Digital Europe & Horizon Europe

The LIFE Programme

Key takeaways — what advice would our expert panel give to regions?

So what’s inside this year’s Activity Report?

Flip through a digital copy of ‘Regions Bouncing Back’ below!

Want to join online?*

Share your views with our expert panel!

2030 Agenda: Europe’s ambitious goals for the next decade

Cohesion & Cooperation: sharing expertise on a regional level

From theory to action: how to put SDGs principles into practice

The way forward – Achieving sustainable and resilient regions in a post-pandemic world

Agenda 2030 Conference Manifesto: a shared commitment to action

The new HORIZON EUROPE: Priorities and structure

PILLAR II: Clusters, ‘EU missions’, and calls

Are you seeking to develop or join a proposal under the calls above?

Library

Join AER!

Website map

****NOTE: Members of the Summer Academy Organising Committee should contact Communications & Events Manager, Justin Sammon directly before booking tickets on Eventbrite.* All other members and partners can register below.