Assembly of European Regions

Connecting regions, inspiring Europe since 1985

You are here: Home / Archives for Inclusion

This is the tag for all posts relating to Inclusion.

Regions important factors for stability and economic growth

By

Odessa (UA), 4 November 2005

About 200 presidents and political representatives of regions from all over Europe are today meeting in Odessa, under the auspices of the AER, to discuss the importance of regions for stability and economic growth.

Experts at the conference, including Professor Charles Ricq of Geneva University, Prof Reinhard Mussgnug of Heidelberg University and Guenther Krug of the Council of Europe, stressed that regions need to be provided with adequate competences and financial resources in order to be able to provide services for the citizens.

The discussion made it clear that the issue of financial resources is at the heart of successful regional democracy. ‘Regions may be given all competences they wish, but without adequate financial resources, they will be unable to successfully carry out their duties and cannot make a useful contribution to the governance of their countries’ pointed out Lars-Gerhard Westberg, Vice-President of the AER Committee on Institutional Affairs and Member of the Executive Board of Vaestra Goetaland (Sweden).

Participants discussed the different models of regional governance existing in Europe, as well as drew lessons from the recent developments in regional democracy in European countries such as the United Kingdom, Sweden and Germany. Special emphasis was placed upon the situation of regions in Ukraine and Russia, both well represented by Governors and political representatives of the Oblasts and Autonomous States (regions) of their countries.

Vasyl Tsushko, Governor of the Region of Odessa stressed the importance of institutional reforms in Ukraine. Cooperation with leading regions from other European countries for the purpose of exchanging experiences and implementing programmes for development is important for regions in Ukraine, in order to achieve this aim. As a first step, Odessa will receive a delegation of economic development experts from other regions in spring 2006, who will evaluate the current activities of Odessa Oblast in the field of economic development.

Governor Tsushko made it clear that, in order to achieve progress, the engagement and support of citizens would be needed and he underlined the importance of regions in ensuring the inclusion of citizens in the political process. Regions in Ukraine have a key role to play in building a strong democratic base for the country. Tsushko said in a press conference: ‘Theoretically we know a lot about regionalism but we have now to learn how to operate on a practical level. This is why exchange of experience with other regions is so valuable to us when we are considering how regional democracy should best work in Ukraine. The aim for Odessa region is to see how other leading regions operate and to develop new solutions for ourselves’.

For more information: [email protected]

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

The European Social Model must be grounded in diversity, the AER stated

By

‘s-Hertogenbosch, Noord-Brabant (NL), 13 October 2005

‘The European Social Model cannot be defined as a single model, which can apply in the same way to all European regions and states. The Europe’s regions are convinced that any definition of the European Social Model must be grounded in diversity and take account of the various traditions and needs in evidence across Europe. Therefore any European action in this area must respect the principle of subsidiarity’ said Stig-Erik Westmark, President of the Social Cohesion, Social Policy and Public Health Committee of the Assembly of European Regions (AER).

During the AER conference on the future of the European Social Model, held in ‘s-Hertogenbosch (Noord-Brabant, NL) on 13th October, the European regions have adopted a common declaration and called upon the Heads of State and Government of the European Union, meeting on 27th October 2005 in Surrey-UK, to fully acknowledge and respect this diversity of social models across Europe, by applying the principle of subsidiarity at European and national level as well.

The European regions have also defined, as the foundation of the European Social Model, a set of common principles and values such as solidarity, social justice, social inclusion, equal access to employment, with particular respect to the young and the disabled, gender equality, equal access to health and social protection, universal access to education, to health and social services, equal opportunities for all society, in particular as regards the elderly, the young, the disabled and the socially excluded.

‘These principles must be respected at all instances of European Union law-making. And if there is any European legislative proposal linked to the European Social Model, this should have as its legal basis the Treaty provisions relating to health and social policy and should not be based on the rules of the internal market’ stressed Stig-Erik Westmark.

The Europe’s regions regret however that the debate on the European Social Model has been launched in a negative climate of citizens’ concern over the future of health and social services, in particular following the outcomes of the French and Dutch referenda on the draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe.

In this context, the Assembly of European Regions will continue to examine specific aspects of this debate on an individual basis, with the aim of helping its member Regions to identify and implement sustainable responses to the challenges they face today.

For more information: [email protected]

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

European Capital of Culture: “Let’s nominate regional capitals in the new Member states”

By

 
The AER Committee on Culture encourages the nomination of regional capitals in the new Member states as European Capital of Culture

Besançon, Franche-Comté (F), 15 September 2005

In view of the forthcoming selection of the European Capital of Culture (ECC initiative), the AER Committee on Culture, who held its plenary meeting in Besançon (Franche-Comté/F) on 15th September, calls upon the European Commission and the Member states to encourage the nomination in the new Member states of regional capitals as European Capitals of Culture.

The AER recommends “to increasingly consider the aspect of the balanced social and economic regional development during the decision making process and to take into account the modest financial resources of regional capitals in the new Member states’.

In recent years the regional and interregional character of the cities’ applications for the ECC initiative has become dominant. One of the reasons is that, in metropolises, the ECC year normally vanishes and the message of the event does not reach the targeted audience, as Robert Palmer’s report conducted by the EU in connection with Paris has shown. The nomination of stagnating or declining cities in the Europe’s regions can not only boost their economies but also present to the European audience the regional cultural diversity.

For more information: [email protected]

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

Professional and social inclusion of young people: a new priority for Europe

By

During the European Conference on “Promoting vocational training and youth mobility – an investment in Europe’s future”, organised today by the Assembly of European Regions (AER), Pierre Moscovici, Vice-President of the European Parliament, stated:

“The EU Member states must absolutely promote youth employment, in order to reduce unemployment among young people. They have to set up adequate paths towards youth employment and provide an appropriate assistance in job seeking. Most of the young people, who voted ‘no’ in the referenda on the European Constitutional Treaty in France, in Netherlands and in Luxembourg, wanted to express their worries: Europe is more a threat to them than a protection”, he added. “If we wish to involve them in the achievement of the Lisbon goals, we should help them to acquire knowledge and news skills through vocational training, to find jobs and to reconcile professional and family lives. In order to give an appropriate support to this new priority for Europe, the EU budget 2007-2013 for the European Youth programmes and initiatives should be higher than currently planned” stressed Mr Moscovici at the AER conference in front of 250 participants from 70 European regions

Nearly 20% of the young Europeans are jobless. “The indicators are extremely worrying in many European regions, both in the new Member states and the EU 15” said Raymond Forni, President of the Franche-Comté Region, initiator of this conference, which was aimed at mobilising regional authorities from across Europe and involving them in the AER Eurodyssey programme for the development of youth vocational training and international mobility.

“We wish to involve more regions in this programme which provides our young people a first work experience abroad. It is of major importance at this time of globalisation of our economy. We would be delighted if regions from the new EU Member states, the accession countries and from Ukraine and the Balkan states were to join us. A youth exchange scheme like Eurodyssey also encourages the development of interregional and transborder co-operation in other fields and fosters European integration’ stressed Riccardo Illy, President of the AER.

The AER campaign for the development of youth vocational training and international mobility will continue in 2006, declared the European Year of workers’ mobility, to which the European Commission has allocated a budget of 6 millions Euros and which is also open to local and regional initiatives.

For more information: [email protected]

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

AER Summer School 2005: Crossing the Bridge – Welcome to Europe

By

The Assembly of European Regions (AER) organised its first Summer School ten years ago. This year, at the 10th AER Summer School, we expect a greater number of participants than ever before. We will meet from 28th August to 3rd September 2005 in the city of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The 2005 Summer School will focus upon the theme ‘Regions as the motors for Prosperous and Inclusive Societies’. The main topics for consideration will be the role of the regions in sustainable economic development and the promotion of cultural diversity through regional democracy. “Through a mixture of workshops and plenary sessions, the participants will have the opportunity to express their ideas, share their experiences and initiate new projects with other regions. Moreover, Mostar, historically a town in which people from different cultures have lived side by side, and today a place where a multicultural society is once again being built, provides an excellent venue for us to meet together to examine these issues” underlines Klaus Klipp, Secretary General of the AER.

Parallel to the main Summer School, the AER is also organising its 4th annual Youth Summer School. 50 participants between the ages of 18 and 24 will examine the theme of ‘Youth and Citizenship in a Multicultural Europe’. In addition, after taking into account feedback from former Youth Summer Schools in which young people expressed concern that politicians did not listen to their views, a new AER Youth Team has been created. During this Youth Summer School, eight youth participants will be elected to join the Youth Team, which will be directly involved in the work of all four Committees of the AER.

On the final day, participants from both the Summer School and Youth Summer School will come together to celebrate cultural diversity in the regions. This will certainly provide a unique opportunity for young people and politicians to meet informally and exchange their points of view!

Detailed information about AER Summer School & Youth Summer School available at www.a-e-r.org or www.mostar2005.org

The AER expresses it thanks to the Summer School Organising Committee regions for their support: Brussels Capital-B, Friuli Venezia Giulia-I, Herzegovina-Neretva-BIH and the City of Mostar, Istra-HR, Olomouc-CZ, Vestfold-N, Wien-A, Wallonie-B, Zenica-Doboj-BIH and Zurich-CH

For more information: [email protected]

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

The Assembly of European Regions urges the EU to respond to new challenges

By


Sankt Gallen (CH), 31 May 2005

The Bureau of the AER met in Sankt Gallen (CH) today and urges the EU to respond to new challenges for the future of the Europe, that rise from the outcome of the referendum in France. In the declaration adopted during the meeting, the AER Bureau stresses “that many of the concerns raised during the ratification debate in France as well as in Netherlands, such as the effects of the liberalisation of services and the pursuit of economic objectives without full recognition of the social dimensions, need to be addressed at the national and European level.”

However, the AER Bureau urges the remaining EU Member States to continue with the ratification process “in order to allow their Parliaments and citizens to have their voices heard in the matter, as befits a democratic Europe.”

“The Constitutional Treaty represents a concrete step forward for the regions and their citizens, with the extension of the principle of subsidiarity to the regional and local levels, the inclusion of territorial cohesion within the Union’s objectives, the recognition of regional identities as well as the increased consultation of the regions in the legislative drafting phase” highlighted Riccardo Illy, the AER President, who campaigned in favour of yes by mobilising the Presidents of the French regions. “I call for the European regions to ensure that the gains for the regions embodied in the European Constitutional Treaty are attained regardless of the final outcome of the ratification process” he concluded.

In this context, the AER Bureau expresses its hope that the European Council meeting on 16th and 17th June will result in a consensus on the EU budget for 2007-2013. The AER emphasises that a minimum amount of 0,41% of EU GNP is necessary in order to adequately meet the needs of an enlarged Union, in terms of economic, social and territorial cohesion, as well as the priorities of the Lisbon Strategy, and calls for Heads of States and Governments to make a wise decision.

For more information: [email protected]

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

David Byrne congratulates the AER for its contribution to a new European Health Strategy

By

Bad Hofgastein (A), 7 October 2004

David Byrne, European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, addressed the member regions of AER Committee “Social Affairs and Public Health” at its meeting in Bad Hofgastein (A) on 7th October 2004 and congratulated them on their political activities in promoting good health.

Roel Augusteijn (Noord-Brabant, NL), the Committee Vice President in charge of health affairs, presented Mr Burn with a copy of the AER political resolution on a new European Health Strategy, which supports, amongst other things:

– the mainstreaming of health into other European policy areas, as it is often the case that Union actions in other sectors have a significant impact on health;

– prevention as a central focus of European, national and regional health policy, with a particular focus on youth care;

– the inclusion of health as a main objective under the Union financial instruments, in particular the Structural Funds.

“Interregional partnerships are an effective tool for developing health policy and addressing the health gap in Europe. The new European health strategy should especially encourage cooperation in the prevention of drug and alcohol abuse, in the development of youth care and in responding to problems arising from an ageing society” said Roel Augusteijn.

The member regions also adopted a political statement on social and health services of general interest, emphasising the particular features of these sectors that do not allow a rigid application of market principles. The regions are especially concerned with the reference contained in the White Paper to “consumers” of health and social services. This is an economic concept that does not recognise the fundamental right of citizens to have access to these services.

The AER Committee on “Social Affairs and Public Health” acknowledges the need to review health and social services, but urges the European Commission to strike a balance between the internal market and the general interest.

For more information: [email protected]

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

The AER says: keep it local and user-friendly, as the results of the public consultation showed

By


New generation of European culture, education, youth programmes

Strasbourg (F), 2 June 2004

Following the meeting of the AER Committee on Culture, Education and Youth (27th – 28th May 2004, in Krakow-PL), the Assembly of European Regions (AER) today addressed a letter to Viviane Reding, European Commissioner for Culture and Education.

The letter focuses on the Commission proposals on the future development of European culture, education and youth programmes. According to the AER, the Commission communication “Making citizenship work: fostering European culture and diversity through programmes for Youth, Culture, Audiovisual and Civic participation COM (2004) 154 final (09.03.2004)” did not fully take into account main conclusions of the final report from the public European consultation on the future of these programmes.

Speaking for the AER Bruno Hosp, Minister a.D for Culture of Bozen – Südtirol (I) regretted that the recommendations for better embedding the programmes in the European territories and for greater involvement of regional and local actors by bringing their real know-how to the European fore was not further developed in the Commission’s communication.

Mr. Hosp also pointed out the lack of real respect for the existing cultural and educational structures at regional and local level. ”Is it the right approach on subsidiarity? the members of the AER are asking. Is this the right way to maximize the impact of Community action at national, regional and local level, through a set of top-down planned programmes instead of supporting already existing national, regional or interregional initiatives which cross borders or work on a multilateral basis?”

The AER Committee on Culture, Education and Youth will carefully follow the legislative procedure concerning this new generation of programmes and comment on how far they respond to the concerns of regional representatives for culture, education, training and youth.

In relation to the debate on the European Constitution, the AER again confirmed its firm opposition to the inclusion of culture and education within the Common commercial policy (Art. 217) as an exclusive competence of the European Union. The AER sees the danger that, increasingly, cultural and education services will be treated as purely commercial goods.

For more information: [email protected]

 

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

Future of cross-border cooperation in the enlarged Europe

By


1 May 2004: European citizens build a new Europe

The entry of 10 new countries into the European Union (EU) is the result of many years of work. At the same time it opens up new horizons, opportunities and challenges for the European citizens.

On the occasion of the enlargement, the Presidents of the European interregional organisations ask for the inclusion of the regions as full partners in the enlarged EU. The joint Declaration which they have prepared, entitled “The Future of the European Union”, calls for the following measures:

European Community of values

The integration of the new citizens will be accomplished through a political community of values based on shared cultural, social, economic, and political aims. At the same time, diversity has to be respected, and the regional level has a decisive role to play in this field. “United in diversity” is the regions’ motto.

The new Constitutional Treaty

The discussions that will accompany the finalisation of the EU Constitution will offer the opportunity to discuss the basis of the EU. Of particular importance in this regard are the basic democratic principles, such as clarity regarding the division of competencies and separation of powers. Transparency, information and communication with the citizens on the content are vital in order to ensure that the Constitution is accepted by all the citizens. The regions will pay particular attention to the fields of Services of General Interest, culture, education, health and transport policies.

Cohesion and regional policy in the enlarged Europe

New flexible policies need to be developed for the Structural Funds and the Community Initiatives. Cohesion policy cannot solely focus upon promoting economic growth. It can only be successful if the European Institutions work closely with the regions.

The role of the Regions in the enlarged Europe

The Presidents of the European interregional organisations have mandated their Secretaries General with the preparation of a common White Paper entitled “The role of the regions in the enlarged European Union”.

For more information: [email protected]

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

The New Challenge for Democracy: regions engaging citizens in a changing Europe

By

Strasbourg (F), 18 November 2003

Is European democracy failing its citizens? What role can the regions play in increasing civic participation? To address these questions, the Assembly of European Regions (AER) will hold its 6th General Meeting the 27th-28th November 2003 in Poznan (Wielkopolska Region-Poland).

500 high-level regional politicians and civil servants from “Greater Europe” are expected in Poznan to join in this 2-day open debate, at the invitation of Mr Stefan Mikolajczak, Marshal of the Wielkopolska Region, and Mrs Liese Prokop, President of the AER. The following figure among the main speakers:

Mr. Leszek Miller, Prime Minister RP
Mr. Jozef Oleksy, Former Prime Minister RP and member of the Polish Parliament
Mr. Marek M. Siwiec, Secretary of State in the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland
Mr. Robert Collignon, President of the Walloon Parliament (Belgium)
Mr. Jeremy Rifkin, President of the Foundation on Economic Trends

Within the theme “Regions engaging people in a changing Europe – the importance of decentralization for citizen participation”, participants will analyse the impact on the regions of globalisation and the current advancements in the European construction, and then undertake common political commitments, which will guarantee an equilibrated development and the construction of a democratic Europe close to the citizens.

The future of Services of General Interest, the modernisation of public life, the involvement of new models of citizen inclusion in the political sphere, as well as the reinforcement of interregional cooperation, particularly with the neighbour regions of the new EU, will also be debated.

Also during this event, the AER will honour the Regions Winners 2003 “The Most Youth Friendly Region Award”, which will be given to the British County of Lancashire and “The Most Environmentally Friendly Region Award”, which will acknowledge the Comunitat Valenciana (Spain).

Download the CVs of the Speakers:

For more information: [email protected]

 

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

The AER welcomes the revised draft of the Constitutional Treaty presented by the Convention

By

The latest draft of the EU Constitution includes three key positions of the AER, which we have consistently brought to the attention of the Convention members.

These are:

  • Subsidiarity: this principle has been extended and now explicitly refers to both “the regional and the local level” [Article I-9(2)] – the new extended definition now requires the Union to assess whether policy objectives can be sufficiently achieved at the regional or local level, before taking action in areas not within its exclusive competence – the AER has been steadfast in demanding for the inclusion of the regions within subsidiarity. In all previous texts, subsidiarity has only applied between the Union and the Member States
  • Where the Constitution provides a role for national parliaments, this role is explicitly granted to “both chambers” in the case of bicameral parliamentary systems (‘early warning system’) [paragraph 7-Protocol on the role of national parliaments in the EU]
  • Each chamber can request their respective Member State to bring an action before the Court of Justice for infringement of the principle of subsidiarity [paragraph 7-Protocol on the application of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality]

These revisions constitute significant steps towards the constitutional recognition of a role for the regions within the Union. The AER will continue to promote the regional position to the Convention.

For more information: [email protected]

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

Does the Draft European Constitutional Treaty meet the expectations of the regions?

By

 


Brussels, 4 April 2003

With the theme – Governance closer to the citizens of an enlarged Europe – the political Bureau of the Assembly of European Regions (AER), which brings 50 regional representatives from 28 countries together, is meeting today to examine the first draft articles of the Constitutional Treaty. While acknowledging the progress the Convention has made in creating the current draft articles, the Bureau reiterates the regional demand for the integration in the future Constitutional Treaty of four amendment proposals of the AER. 

  • Regional identity and local and cultural diversity
    “We welcome the inclusion of the notion of “local and regional identity” in article 9, but we nonetheless demand that it be amongst the basic principles of the Union, thus within the first articles of the Treaty”, stated Liese Prokop, AER President, “Even though cultural diversity is refereed to in article 3, we nonetheless feel it must also be integrated within the basic values of the Union”, she added. 
  • The Principle of Subsidarity
    The principle of subsidarity as proposed in article 8 does not meet our demands as it does not extend to the regional level. Mr. Peter Straub, President of the Institutional Committee of the AER, argued for a review of the question of the division of competencies, “The distribution of competencies as formulated in the draft Treaty is not in favour of the application of the principle of subsidarity”. 
  • The Protocol on Subsidarity and Proportionality
    While welcoming the protocol on subsidarity and proportionality as it responds to AER concerns to a certain extent, the Bureau requests that the Convention integrates two amendments. First, in systems with bicameral parliaments, to allow each chamber the right to participate in an “early warning system”. Second, to give both national chambers of parliament, as well as regions with legislative powers, the right to bring actions before the European Court of Justice.To help bring about a final Treaty that will be acceptable to the citizens of Europe, the representatives of the AER commit themselves to reinforce their work towards the Convention.

For more information: [email protected]

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

The regions request the preservation of a strong European cohesion policy

By

 

…and the development of a new regional policy for an enlarged Europe

Pécs, Baranya (H), 15 November 2002

In a common resolution adopted at the closure of a conference organised by the AER on the 14th and 15th of November in Pécs (Baranya-H), the 250 Presidents of Regions, regional Ministers and heads of regional development policy representing 80 regions (EU, candidate countries and those outside of the EU) request the preservation of strong European cohesion policy and the implementation, in consultation with all of the regions, of a modern regional policy that will aid the competitiveness of the regions.

Economic, social and territorial cohesion must remain paramount Community objectives, asserted the Regions that came together in Pécs. They stressed that the European Union must not disregard its responsibility in the matter and must, in addition, develop a new policy aimed at making all of the regions competitive, in order to enable them to face the challenges of globalisation and an enlarged Europe. The AER suggests, in particular, that the new eligibility criteria not only take account of GDP, but also indicators of sustainable development such as unemployment, demographic data and access to transport.

The AER is convinced that “the success of the new cohesion policy (…) will depend on the capacity of all the actors concerned to show a spirit of solidarity and efficiency”. In this respect, the Regions of the AER confirmed in Pécs their unified engagement towards those Regions that are lagging in terms of development and their desire to fortify co-operation with the European Union and the Member States in a true partnership. They underlined that EU Structural and Cohesion policy must fully support the Regional policies of spatial planning, which reflect, primarily, the diversity of the territories and a knowledge of their needs.

This “bottom up”, decentralised approach, must also ensure the increased inclusion of the regions, not only in the development phase, but also in that of the attribution and management of funds, stressed the resolution of Baranya. Within this framework, the AER believes that the idea of tripartite contracts is going in the right direction but expresses serious reservations as for their application. In particular, the AER pointed out the absence of clarity in relation to the role of the regions in this type of contract and formally requests that the regions be recognised as partners, acting on an equal footing with the Member States and the EU. Moreover, the Ministers who came together in Pécs asked that the proposal for bilateral contracts negotiated in respect of the laws be duly taken into account in the current debate.

The AER emphasises that an increase in the allocated budget of the EU is necessary, along with the consequently parallel engagement of the States. Finally, it believes that co-ordination between Community policies remains a major priority necessity.

For more information: [email protected]

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

The AER calls for increased transparency in WTO negociations and for Parliamentary vote on GATS

By

At the initiative of the AER, 150 regional Ministers and political representatives of culture and education from all over Europe and Canada looked at the consequences of negociations in the framework of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) on public policies and services in the fields of culture, education and the media. They unanimously demand the organisation of wide public consultation and deliberation by national and regional Parliaments before opening up these sectors of major importance for the protection and promotion of cultural identities and diversity to privatisation and competition.

Important decisions on the future of public services in our countries and regions are gradually being taken by GATS negotiators without prior consultation or the agreement of elected representatives selected by the citizens to manage public affairs and defend their interests at either national or regional level” stated Liese Prokop, AER President and Vice-Minister President of level (A). “We cannot let the experts in international trade and Economic Interest Groups decide on the future of public service policies for us, particularly in fields such as education and culture. On behalf of the AER, I solemnly call upon all political representatives to act and to participate in later GATS negotiations. I hope that the messages in the Final declaration of the 2nd AER Conference of Regional Ministers of culture will be heard by governments at all levels and that, together, we will manage to make politics the priority in trade talks” added the President.

Bruno Hosp, President of the AER Culture and Education Committee and Minister of Culture for Bozen-Sudtirol (I), host of this Conference, insisted on the importance of protecting national and regional sovereignty in both of these fields. “We do not feel that privatisation in several sectors of culture and education be the right reaction to the needs of individuals and society as a whole. We are particularly against a change from the current education system, subject to the approval of public authorities and acting in the general interest, to a system meeting the needs of the market and of interest groups” stressed Dr. Hosp.

Whilst liberalisation in certain public markets may have a positive effect on global economic development and the future of public finance in general, culture and education are the sources of cultural identity and diversity and therefore represent highly delicate fields. For this reason, in the Declaration adopted at this Conference, the AER calls for both these sectors to be excluded from future GATS negotiations until clear agreement has been found for the inclusion of representatives from regional governments, particularly regions with exclusive or shared (with national government) legislative competences, in later negotiations. Article I-3a on GATS member status must be reconsidered in this light.

The AER also warns the European Commission, main EU negotiator within GATS, against following a unilateral strategy for the promotion of privatisation and reiterates its opposition to further modification of the EU Treaties which would allow the transfer of competences in education and culture to European level.

Download the Final Declaration:

For more information: [email protected]

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

Conference Women’s role in the economic and political scene in Europe

By

 

AER “equal opportunities for men and women”

The Assembly of European Regions (AER) and the Institut Català de la Dona are organising a Conference under the heading “Women in decision-making in the regions of Europe: men and women sharing power” on 25th and 26th October 2002 in Barcelona. The 4th annual Conference of the AER on equal opportunities for men and women will take a look at:

Women in the economic and political scene in Europe
The idea is to study the position of women in both political and economic decision-making circles and to consider means of enhancing their roles and reaching an equal gender balance

A country by country presentation of the political representation of women in regional government
Five years after the first survey carried out within AER member regions on the distribution of mandates within regional political and administrative bodies, the AER has once again launched its enquiry on the evolution of the situation.

Participants will adopt a final declaration for the attention of the European institutions and the regions of Europe aiming at the continued progress of gender equality.

For more information: [email protected]

Follow AER!
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrss

Library

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

Join AER!

Become a Member

Job Opportunities

Sign up for our Newsletter

Website map