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Building Intercultural Regions

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AER’s General Assembly and Spring Bureau Meeting in Larnaca (CY) on 5-6 June 2019 brought together regional leaders from across Europe to discuss how to harnesses the benefits of migration and diversity for a more inclusive and democratic Europe.

Round Table “Connecting the dots – Multi-level, Multi-actor Migration”

During the Round Table “Connecting the dots – Multi-level, Multi-actor Migration” on 5 June, representatives of local and regional authorities, civil society organisations and European Institutions shared experiences and methodologies on how to achieve a common approach among different stakeholders and better multilevel coordination on welcoming migrants and refugees. The event was held in the framework of the “AMiD – Access to Services for Migrants with Disabilities“ project, supported by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) of the European Union.

Breakfast Briefing on Intercultural Regions

At the Breakfast Briefing on 6 June, moderated by the AER Vice President for Democracy, Nina Björby, AER members discussed approaches to more effectively managing migration and diversity for more inclusive communities.  

Albert Castellanos, AER Vice President for Interregional Cooperation and Mediterranean Affairs and Chair of the AER Task Force on Migration, highlighted the importance of interculturalism as a policy approach in our increasingly diverse societies. Projecting a positive attitude towards migration and diversity, interculturalism offers a more valuable narrative for public action, he stated.  

Irena Guidikova, Head of Division Inclusion and Anti-Discrimination Programmes of the Council of Europe, presented the Intercultural Cities Programme. This flagship programme of the Council of Europe assists local authorities in designing policies based on the intercultural integration policy model. Implemented in more than one hundred cities in Europe, it aims to foster connections and inclusive collective identity, managing diversity as an opportunity, while also ensuring equal access to rights and opportunities for all. Introducing the intercultural approach to regional level is key to increasing the impact of intercultural integration on managing migration and diversity in Europe, proclaimed Irena Guidikova.

Member of Limassol Municipal Council, Neophytos Charalambides, presented the experience of the Limassol Intercultural Council. This multi-stakeholder consultative body is based on the Council of Europe Intercultural Cities programme and aims to advise local authorities on the integration challenges faced by migrants. 

AER member regions committed to work even more closely together and exchange on migration, diversity and inclusion policies, governance and practices within a European informal network of intercultural regions.

Bureau Position on Intercultural Regions 

During the AER Bureau Meeting on 6 June, Bureau Members adopted a Position “Towards an Intercultural Europe”, proposed by the Chair of the AER Task Force on Migration, Albert Castellanos, Catalonia (ES). The position calls for European institutions and national governments to adopt a proactive agenda when managing migration, building a comprehensive approach that goes beyond security-driven measures. Regional leaders urged the Council of Europe, the European Union and their Member States to make inclusion a priority and to provide increased funding and resources for the integration of migrants, using a multi-level and multi-actor approach. 

What’s next?!

On 25 June 2019, The Regions for Integration Initiative will host a seminar “Integration of Migrants and Refugees in Small Territories: A factor for local development” in Brussels at the European Committee of the Regions. See the Draft Agenda and register HERE.

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Activity Report 2018-19: Sustainability

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2018-19 was a year of sustainability in more ways than one. The latest AER Activity Report, which was launched at the AER General Assembly in Larnaca on 5 June 2019, illustrates this through the medium of design.

Towards A Sustainable Europe

The theme of the Activity Report is derived from the AER Political Priorities which focused on economic, social, democratic and environmental sustainability. The report was thus conceptualised using elements of circularity to represent the renewable and lasting nature of the idea: sustainability.

At this link you can explore the cover page of the Activity Report, where AER member regions are brought to life in an orbital, interactive graphic representation.

Sustainable Development of AER as an organisation

2018-2019 saw AER bring sustainability to life not only in its policy work but also in the story of our organisation.

A democratic, cooperative, inclusive and sustainable Europe of Regions needs a strong network for regions to interact with each other.
Interregional cooperation and best practice exchange are paramount if we are to strengthen a democratic Europe where citizens are meaningfully engaged in their common future.

As such, AER strives to bring its members closer to one another, hosting events across the regions of Europe, while also facilitating meetings of members in Strasbourg and Brussels with interlocutors from European and international institutions.

In its advocacy work, AER has held meetings with officials from the European Commission, European Committee of the Regions, Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities to name but a few.

In the committees, the work of AER has spanned from the bioeconomy to blockchain, migration to education, SDGs and smart cities.

The project unit had a successful year in securing a number of new and exciting projects that will allow AER and its member regions to boost their work in areas including youth participation, communicating cohesion, and migration.

AER’s flagship programmes, too, provided outlets for young professionals, politicians and activists to gain experience, exchange ideas and grow at the regional level.

The year 2018-2019 is testimony to the work put in by the member regions of the Assembly of European Regions. The collaboration between the AER Secretariat as a facilitator for the regions’ initiatives and our dedicated members goes to show that there is undoubtedly strength, not only in numbers, but also in interregional cooperation and mutual learning.

Download the AER Activity Report 2018-19Download
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Committee 3 Annual Report June 2018 – May 2019

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

This report is the compilation of actions developed and implemented within Committee 3 between the 2018 General Assembly in Lillehammer, Oppland (NO) and the 2019 General in Larnaka (CY).

Activities are organised in 3 categories:

  • Projects
  • Good practice sharing
  • Advocacy/ Lobbying

The AER Action plan, which brings together all the activities carried out within AER, is constantly updated.

Projects

“Road to the Future”: ongoing

“Road to the Future” is a project submitted under the Erasmus+ programme, within the Key Action 3 – Support for Policy Reform, designed around the 2019 European Parliament Elections.

  • First, it encouraged debate among young European on the European elections and increase young voters turnout
    -The I Choose Europe campaign was launched in Paris on 16 March, as part of a large-scale youth event: Quartier Général, le festival des jeunes engagé.e.s en Europe
    -The campaign included a youth mobility exchange programme for youth activists and leaders
    –I Choose Europe was also represented at the Democracy Alive Festival, where AER had a pavilion and organised several debates
    -The project also organised trainings for youth activists and leaders
    -Road to the Future also developed tools and resources for youth activists and leaders to help them encourage young people to vote in the European elections.
  • After the elections, the project will continue the training for trainers and mentors, based on the ideas collected during the first phase. This will ensure that young people gain the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to be engaged for the future of Europe at the local level.

The lead partner is JEF Europe – Young European Federalist. AER represents local and regional authorities. AER is responsible to connect young people and decision makers, especially via the involvement of the YRN. “Road to the Future” will last 16 months, from September/October 2018 to February 2020.

Together for Cohesion: let’s rEUnite! project: ongoing

This project is funded by DG REGIO. It will:

  • raise awareness on the importance of programmes, projects and services funded by Cohesion Policy funds
  • encourage the participation of citizens and stakeholders to ensure they are active players in the dialogue on cohesion policy.

The project officially started on 1st of April 2019 and will last for 12 months. The following regions, which have sent a letter of support for this project will be involved in different actions funded by the project to engage citizens and communicate about Cohesion Policy in their territories:
Trento (IT), Alba (RO), Timis (RO), Catalonia (ES), Varazdin (HR) and potentially Csongrad (HU).
All AER members are invited to share examples of communication campaigns on Cohesion Policy and to participate in the launching event of the project on 5 June 2019 in Larnaka on the occasion of the AER General Assembly.

The project is led by AER with the international communication agency MC Group (DE). The application was submitted to the DG Regio on the media calls for proposals. The project is part of AER’s work on Cohesion Policy.

Bridging the gap project: canceled

Dialogue between elected politicians and Youth representatives to promote the active participation of young people in democratic life and foster debate around the major issues affecting youth. After several exchanges, the project initiator, the Province of Vojvodina (RS), and the potential coordinator, Timis County Council (RO), agreed that there the conditions to finalise the submission were not met.

Silver Economy Awards (SEED): finished

The Silver Economy Awards aimed to catalyse a sustainable European digital Silver Economy movement by promoting and rewarding innovative solutions to improve the quality of life for over 50s. The Awards were an opportunity to raise awareness around the lesser-known notion of the Silver Economy. They illustrate the breadth of the consumer markets and the public spending involved and the size of the opportunities available for entrepreneurs, investors, public authorities and civil society. Last year the Silver Economy Awards replaced the traditional AER Regional Innovation Award. The first Awards Ceremony took place on May 2018 in Brussels. SEED was a two-year project: 10/2016 to 09/2018

Event: EU funding for Croatian & Albanian regions: finished

The event on EU funding for Croatian regions, hosted by Varaždin (HR) and Committee 3 President Radimir Čačić, and the event on EU funding for Albanian regions, hosted by Korcë (AL) and MEG member Ana Verushi brought together about 70 participants, both members and non members of AER to:

-hear about AER’s activities
-learn more on AER services for projects and services
-obtain information on the areas of cooperation with EU
-get a relevant update on the current and forthcoming EU funding opportunities
-become aware of the successful experiences of project applicants

Good Practice Sharing

Civil servants exchange programme: ongoing

This programme is a follow-up programme of the former Centurio programme, which was implemented for several years in AER and was very successful. The programme supports innovation in the public sector & capacity building by allowing civil servants to be placed in another region for a few months, learn processes and practices there and share their experience when they come back. The action is led by Committee 3 President Radimir Čačić, Varaždin (HR)

  • In September 2018, at the Autumn plenaries in Vojvodina a working group, which brought together Radimir Čačić President of the AER Committee on Culture, Education and Youth, Larisa Križan Breljak Seconded Officer for the AER Committee on Culture, Education and Youth, Simon Johnsen Chair of the Subcommittee on Education, Ivana Prikratki Expert Associate for Project Management at the Public Institution for the Regional Development of Varazdin County,  Agnese Pantaloni AER Coordinator for European Projects & Private Partnerships, Esther Esthany President of the AER Eurodyssey Programme, Mathieu Mori AER Secretary General, validated the survey developed to specify needs in order to be able to start a pilot project
  • Varaždin County developed the survey as a starting point for development of the programme
  • In October 2018 the survey was sent to Eurodyssey correspondents, AER single points of contact and published on the AER website. Eurodyssey correspondents have already a wealth of experience in the coordination of international exchanges, which is why their support will be instrumental for the development of the programme. The feedback from the respondents will be used for preparation of the exchange programme.
  • In March 2019, Radimir Čačić President of the AER Committee on Culture, Education and Youth visited the European College of Cluny to better understand and discuss how the two initiatives could be articulated: the European College of Cluny will offer a post-masters degree, including a seminar developed by AER on interregional cooperation, networks, territorial innovation. The AER exchange programme could be part of this wider programme. This has yet to be further specified.
  • 26-30 August 2019 a pilot training seminar will take place in Cluny (see description below)
  • In 2020, a full-fledged programme will begin, with a one-week introductory seminar at the College of Cluny, the traineeship in one of the regional authorities for a month, and a one-week restitution seminar.

AER Training at European College of Cluny: ongoing

In the framework of the cooperation with the European College of Cluny, AER agreed to offer a training for regional policy makers in the first year the College would be operating. This initiative is now fully integrated with the civil servants exchange programme (see above). The idea in 2017 was to organise a training on youth mobility together with the Eurodyssey Steering Committee. This has now evolved and the AER Seminar in Cluny will focus on interregional cooperation, networks, territorial innovation. The aim is to further support regions to engage in interregional cooperation. With this training, AER will help regions to encourage the flow of knowledge and practices, support innovation and foster the resilience of territories through integrated interregional cooperation.

  • Regular meetings have been taking place between the AER Secretary General and the Cluny Steering Committee.
  • AER is teaming up with Experts from the AER Observatory on regionalisation as well as European Institutions for high level and meaningful contributions
  • The goal of this seminar is to provide participants with actionable knowledge:
    -Clarify the purpose and basis on which to develop interregional cooperation: what regions want to share/ get; Identify allies in their own organisations and territories
    -Identify which resources and frameworks could be used for cooperation: EU projects, programmes, institutions, networks
    –Further explore how to use the different institutions & organisations and meet representatives

Identify best practices on Youth entrepreneurship: ongoing

Committee 3 would like to exchange good practices on youth entrepreneurship and identify best practices in Europe. The idea is to develop curricula, which could be applied in different regions.

EMAX, a Swedish organisation, which organises innovation camps presented their work on the occasion of the Autumn Committee 3 plenary meeting. They organised a Breakfast Debate on youth entrepreneurship on the occasion of the Spring 2019 plenary meetings in Örebro (SE).

Equal opportunities Committee 3: ongoing

Members expressed the intention to follow up on activities on culture and health as well as wellbeing, education and culture to fight obesity.
The AER Transversal Group on Equal Opportunities held regular phone calls to identify joint actions on the topics identified by the Group.

Raise awareness on added value for members of Eurodyssey programme: ongoing

Promote youth mobility for all across wider Europe via the Eurodyssey programme & ensure all AER members are aware of the opportunities the programme offers. This will be lead by the Programme President and will be supported by the Eurodyssey Steering Committee and Eurodyssey members will participate as well. The Eurodyssey programme was presented on the occasion of the Autumn Committee Plenaries by Esther Esthany President of the AER Eurodyssey Programme and Massimo Tenussi from the Sardinian Labour Agency, ASPAL (IT) explained how the Eurodyssey youth mobility programme incentivated the region to join AER.

International Migrants Day: Promoting Diversity in Regions: finished

The three AER committees and the AER Task Force on Migration worked closely together to develop messaging ahead of the International Migrants Day: Promoting Diversity in Regions event in Barcelona on Tuesday 18 December 2018.
Participants shared their experiences and good practices in diversity management at regional level, including examples of policies, programmes and projects promoting inclusion, participation in civic, economic and political life, positive intercultural interaction and the sense of belonging.

Spring plenary meeting Committee for Culture, Education and Youth : finished

On the occasion of the 2019 Spring Committee Plenaries, Committee 3 gathered to assess progress, elect new representatives and define their work programme. The results of the elections are the following:

  • Committee President : Radimir Čačić, Varazdin (HR)
  • Vice-President : Aleksandra Djankovic, Vojvodina (RS)
  • Chair of the Sub-Committee on Youth : Hrvoje Kovač, Varazdin (HR)
  • Chair of the Sub-Committee on Culture: Fereshteh Jalayer, Värmland (SE)

Autumn plenary meeting Committee for Culture, Education and Youth : finished

On the occasion of the 2018 Autumn the Committees Plenary meetings in Vojvodina, the Committee on Culture, Education and Youth a discussion took place on the launch of the Civil Servant Exchange Programme, an initiative proposed by Radimir Čačić, President of this Committee. Members involved in the Centurio programme shared insights on the elements of success of such a programme and insisted on the high value of this experience.

Panel discussion at the Vojvodina plenaries on Open data for regional development: finished

On the occasion of the Autumn plenaries in Vojvodina, the panel discussion “Open data for regional development: governance, start-ups and innovation” took place. The discussion focused on how public institutions collect and generate enormous quantities of data in areas as varied as unemployment, air pollution, hospital consultations etc and how this data can best be re-used to create or improve both public and private services. There is a need to change the political perception of Open Data and instead view it as opportunity for policy-making.

Mutual learning event on the Sharing Economy: finished

Each year Brussels Capital proposes a mutual learning event on a current and transversal topic. On December 4th 2018, Brussels Capital organised a mutual learning event on the sharing Economy together with Catalonia, in Brussels, Brussels Capital Region (BE). This event organised upon the invitation of Committee 1 President Jean Luc Vanraes, aimed to gather experiences from all three AER Committees and regions were welcome to share inputs and regional examples.

The event brought together policymakers, entrepreneurs, academics and representatives of the third sector for vivid exchanges. A follow up article with updates on what happened in Brussels was published.

AER Summer Academy 2018 – Cultural Heritage for Regional Attractiveness: finished

This aim was to create opportunities for inter-cultural exchanges & debates among people from European regions, supporting citizens understanding of the relevance of culture & cultural heritage as a means of promoting social inclusion, equality, combating discrimination as well as increasing the attractiveness of their regions.

Virtual reality: planned

Creation of an informal network of regions with a focus on immersion and visualisation of world heritage and cultural heritage. Best practices, exchange of methods and exchange of “products”, I.E. VR, AR & MR visualisations of different cultural heritages, museums and schools. Gävleborg (SE) will lead the action, other supporting regions are Västragötaland (SE) and Västernorrland (SE).

Cooperation around Cultural Routes: finished

Västra Götland is particularly interested in developing cooperations around walking and hiking paths along cultural routes through the path of St Olov. Västra Götland is a “missing link” in the path from Santiago de Compostela to Nidaros and is developing this path. The path should be completed by 2031 for the big celebration of St Olov.
Members have been made aware of initiatives around cultural routes. So far no additional activities were planned. In case this topic is still relevant to members steps for implementation need to be defined at the Spring 2019 plenary meeting.

Activities around youth mental health: finished

On the occasion of the 2018 Spring plenaries in Arad members decided to refocus the cooperation, which initially was oriented on project development (see here the 2017-2018 action on youth mental health) activity on good practice sharing and awareness raising through

-workshops
-webinars
-data collection
-gathering of prevention resources
-potential topic for a future Summer Academy
-advocacy activities

These activities have yet to be organised, regions are welcome to take the lead.

Youth Mental Health: participation in “Young Carers in a Changing World” event: canceled

Over the Summer the AER Secretariat has been in touch with the President of the Greek Carer Network (EPIONI), who is also a board member of EUFAMI – European Federation of Associations of Families of People with Mental Illness, and of the World Federation for Mental Health.

EPIONI is organising an event at the Office of European Parliament on Mental Health in Athene (GR) the 28 September 2018: “Young Carers in a Changing World” and invited AER members working on youth mental health to speak at this conference. Members involved in youth mental health were not available to contribute to this event.

LGBTIQ rights: canceled

Members at the Committee 3 plenary meeting expressed interest in working on LGTBIQ rights and sexual identity in education systems. After the 2018 Spring plenaries no concrete initiatives were identified. In case this topic is still relevant to members steps for implementation need to be defined at the Spring 2019 plenary meeting.

Sex and relationship education in schools: canceled

Members at the Spring 2018 meeting expressed interest in exchanging experiences on sex and relationship education in schools. After the 2018 Spring plenaries no concrete initiatives were identified. In case this topic is still relevant to members steps for implementation need to be defined at the Spring 2019 plenary meeting.

Digitalisation in education: finished

Nordland (NO) expressed interest in working around the topic of digitalisation in education. The AER Secretariat disseminated information via the website and mail on opportunities in this field, in particular a project development workshop held in Brussels, which was attended by Varazdin (HR). Other opportunities which were shared on the AER website included:
–An update on Erasmus+ calls
–Information about an Erasmus + partner search with Madrid
–Information about a partner search on youth & technology

Advocacy/ Lobbying

Cohesion Policy Activities: ongoing

Members agreed in September 2018 that the Task Force on Cohesion will now be under the responsibility of the Bureau, which is also in charge of the other Task Forces. Joint actions include:
– Convene joint advocacy: Bureau Members adopted an updated position on the European Commission legislative proposals for the future EU cohesion policy, setting out the specific changes European regions propose to make to the new framework.
– Advocate towards the European Union and Member States
– Work in alliance with other relevant stakeholders and European associations
Flevoland (NL) is coordinating the implementation of the action and the cohesion policy task force help implement the action.

AER Bureau Task Forces

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

-Task Force on Food

-Task Force on Cohesion Policy

-Task force on Digitalisation

-Task Force on Migration

-Task Force on Social Innovation

Joint initiatives for advocacy

Member regions can decide to initiate joint actions and find partners among AER members. Regions can get support from the Secretariat to connect with other regions, get an overview of existing legal framework and identify relevant actions, target institutions. The AER Secretariat will also organise Breakfast Briefings to help regions organise their advocacy activities.

The Committees’ work programmes and the AER action Plan

The developement of the Action Plan is a collective process to enable all participants to specify needs and decide to initiate activities which add value for their region. The principle is the following: as long as an action fits with the AER values, is in line with the AER priorities and has support from other regions, it can be included in the Committees work programmes. The work programmes are developped in Spring each year.

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

Members can propose new joint initiatives at any time during the year, these are then approved by the Executive Board and included in the Committees work programmes and the AER action plan.

Committee 3 Coordination & implementation of the work programme

The new Presidium of the AER Committee on Education, Culture and Youth will meet met on 4 June 2019 in Larnaka, to discuss the implementation of the Committee’s work programme for 2019-2020. They will agree on a series of actions to support the actions proposed by members on the occasion of the Spring Plenaries. This work is coordinated by Larisa Krizan-Breljac and Maja Zuber, the seconded officers for Committee 3 President Radimir Čačić , Varaždin (HR).

Photo by Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash

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AER at World Peace Forum in Normandy

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The World Forum Normandy for Peace will take place in Caen (FR) at the Abbey aux Dames, the 4th and 5th June 2019. AER is contributing to this event with a debate panel on the role for local and regional authorities in peace-building.

Peacemaking in Normandy

For its second edition, the World Forum Normandy for Peace will be honouring “The Peacemakers”. The event will take place right before the commemorations of the 75th anniversary of the D-Day Landings of June 6, 1944, and the Battle of Normandy.

An international event open to all, the World Forum Normandy for Peace will be a place for reflection and exchange around tensions in the world and peace-building. Geopolitical experts, alongside representatives of governments, academia, and civil society will be leading more than thirty highly current debates and conferences. The Normandy World Peace Forum is also a laboratory for sustainable peace with initiatives, certified projects and events all year long to promote the values of peace and freedom.

Stepping in the footseps of giants

The first edition brought together more than 5,000 people alongside internationally renowned public figures, including Ban Ki-Moon, former Secretary General of the UN, Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso, Vice President of the European Parliament and Jean-Pierre Raffarin, former French Prime Minister.

This year, no less than five Nobel Prize winners will participate in the event. Among them Denis Mukwege, the joint winner of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize with Nadia Murad for their fight against the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war in conflicts.

A focus on civil society & youth

The peace developments in Columbia will be at the center of discussions. Other highlights include the presentation of the European Parliament’s ‘Normandy for Peace’ index, the signing of the Normandy for Peace Manifesto, the European programme Walk the Global Walk with 800 young people from Normandy and their work on sustainable development projects, the award ceremony of the first Freedom Prize, attended by young people and veterans of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy.

National and international organisations and NGOs will present their work in the Village for Peace. Furthermore, there will be special activities for young people centered on the theme “The Peacemakers”. To conclude the Peace Forum, there will also be a soccer game for peace between a Columbian team and a team from Normandy.

AER & interregionnal cooperation for peace

At the heart of the AER philosophy, lays the idea that local and regional levels form the bedrock of fruitful dialogue for peace and better governance.

Melanie Sully, an expert from the AER Observatory on Regionalisation explains in her article on interregional cooperation in Europe:

As time went by good governance building blocks became an important aspect of security concerns going hand in hand for provision of sustainable peace and security.”

One of the places in Europe where this has been particularly tangible is the Black Sea area, where AER developed cooperations early on. A major achievement is the organisation of seven consecutive Black Sea Summits, which gathered all stakeholders from the regions surrounding the Black Sea to increase their cooperation, develop new partnerships and exchange best practices. In a region which has witnessed tensions and conflicts over the past years, AER has constantly encouraged projects promoting dialogue and joint initiatives.

Regions and peace-building

AER is co-organising a debate with the Congress of the Council of Europe at the World Forum Normandy for Peace about the role for local and regional authorities in peace-building on June 4, 2019, from 15:15 to 16:30.

The debate will be moderated by Thomas Andersson, President of the Regional Council of Jämtland (SE) and an active member of AER. The panel will feature the following speakers:

  • Mr Xavier Cadoret, President of the Chamber of Local Authorities of the Congress
  • Ms Dörte Liebetruth, member of the Chamber of Regions of the Congress
  • Ms Kelly McBride, member of the Democratic Society

More detailed information about the Peace Forum, the programme and registration are provided on the official Peace Forum website.

Photo by Pixabay

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Where do you want to #IChooseEurope?

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Belgian MEP candidates and JEF Europe representatives in Brussels

The #IChooseEurope campaign aims to encourage all Europeans to take part in the elections held on May 24-27 across the continent. To reach out, a series of debates and public events were organised by young activists to raise awareness about the European Elections.

One of the key messages, campaigning for a more united Europe, was literally implemented with a dedicated bus which visited 12 cities. At each stop, the #IChooseEurope volunteers organised a public event where locals, politicians and gathered to speak about their visions for Europe.

The campaign particularly involved young people as a growing social and political force, especially in the current debate on the future of Europe. The young activists and the widely-engaged public were thus starkly contrasting pessimistic observations about increasing disengagement voiced by decision-makers and the media.

The bus toured across Europe during the month of April:
The first trip started in Frankfurt am Main (DE), with stops in Krakau (PL), Vienna (AT) and Budapest (HU).
The second part included stops in Ljubljana (SL), Sofia (BG), Thessaloniki (GR) and Skopje, Macedonia (FYROM).
The final trip started in Rome (IT), passed Barcelona (ES), Paris and Lille (FR), before its final stop in Brussels (BE).

AER is pleased to contribute to the pan-European project as a partner: We strongly support the spirit to encourage citizens across Europe in engaging with matters they care about. Furthermore, being a voice for regions, the #IChooseEurope bus tour suitably united local actors and political activists. In stimulating creativity and encouraging political debate, the project is exemplary for opening up a bottom-up, pan-European discourse.

Besides the main organiser, the Young European Federalists [JEF], other partner organisations included Animafac, Balkans Beyond Borders, Center for Intercultural Dialogue, DYPALL Network, Europe4Youth, European Educational Exchanges – Youth for Understanding, and the Union of European Federalists. 

Together, the civil society organisations aim – in the run-up to the European Parliament elections – to strengthen public participation before and after the elections. Thereby, #IChooseEurope sent a strong message to decision-makers and the public that the European youth is not just a passive audience, but a growing social and political force.

One #IChooseEurope participant, Jimena, tweeted:

Young people were furthermore participating in the tour because they claim to be particularly affected by the outcome of the results and the composition of the next European Parliament. Next to raising awareness about voting, the public events stimulated people to reflect about what kind of Europe they would like to vote for.

On April 30th, 2019, to coincidence with the European Youth Week, the #IChooseEurope bus tour finally arrived in the “Capital of Europe”, in Brussels. Many JEF members as well as interested citizens attended the closing event.

Belgian candidates for the European Parliament were on the panel: Maxim Vandekerckhove (sp.a/ S&D), Saskia Bricmont (ECOLO/ European Greens), Christophe Calis (Volt), Laura Hidalgo (MR/ ALDE) and Jan der Volder (CD&V). After a brief introduction on the elections in Belgium, the audience was excited to ask the political representatives: What would they have to say about the future or Europe?

The discussion touched on many issues around inequalities, a more sustainable Europe, inclusive and fair education – all of pertinence to young people. The candidates agreed to the importance of local political actors and initiatives to strengthen active citizenship. European decision-makers should not only implement policies but also get in touch more frequently with their constituents. “The roots lie in local democracy, it is only in your area where you can understand the way Europe really works.”

It is therefor crucial that young people turn out to vote on 23-26 May 2019. Through the project “European Youth Together: Road to the Future” and the #IChooseEurope campaign, AER hopes to boost citizen participation in the upcoming elections and ensure in particular that young people’s voices are heard.

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What will the future of local and regional news look like? CIRCOM Regional has the answer!

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Headway/Unsplash

The 37th CIRCOM Regional Annual Conference will take place in Novi Sad, Vojvodina, Serbia, on May 30th and 31st, 2019. Placing regional broadcasting at the centre, the annual event gathers experts, thinkers and observers of the media world.

This year’s theme, The Future of Regional Media (FoRM), reflects the numerous challenges and recent developments of the news industry. As advanced technologies are the driving force in media, striving for attractive content and excellent quality becomes more important than ever before. Particularly challenging for the industry are changing workflows due to the digitalisation of news consumption nowadays. Across Europe, local and regional news outlets see their business models coming under pressure: When social media and newsfeeds become more popular than the local newspaper, ensuring the future of regional journalism becomes a key priority.

In response to the challenges, investments in a technology-driven future of news are increasing. Robot reporter-machines, automated posting and Artificial Intelligence (AI) – these technologies represent a change for newsrooms. As such, real-time analytics detect trending topics and content consumption to better know what a certain regional audience is interested in. Introducing innovative approaches to targeting audiences and bringing big data on board aims to provide content with impact for people in the regions. This is related to maintaining and regaining trust in quality journalism which remains the key issue against the background of fake news. But are digital technologies really beneficial to creating meaningful content and better bonds with locals?

How are digital technologies affecting the future of regional news? Image: Hal Gatewood/Unsplash

To discuss the aforementioned questions between news outlets, stakeholders and decision-makers, AER welcomes CIRCOM’s Annual Conference on The Future of Regional Media. Interested professionals can now register on the website.

Since 1983, CIRCOM Regional has held yearly Annual Conferences in various regions across Europe. The aim is to share ideas between colleagues  – everyone should leave the conference with at least two good ideas which they can adapt in their respective local news outlet. Centring around strategic issues such as content, technology, audience, online production and other broadcasting topics, each conference focuses on a theme being topical for the regional host.

The 37th Annual Conference coincides with another special occasion: The 2019 European Youth Capital Novi Sad (OPENS). The hosting organisation is RTV – Radio Television of Vojvodina and is based in the capital of AER member region Vojvodina. Novi Sad is situated on the banks of the Danube River and home to 350.000 inhabitants while being the political, administrative, economic, cultural and educational centre of the autonomous province. AER welcomes the choice of location and hosting organization, not least because the AER Summer Academy will also take place in Novi Sad this July.

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#IChooseEurope is on the Road to the Future!

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From 13 to 18 of March, more than 120 young participants from all over Europe gathered in Île de France for the “I Choose Europe” Youth Exchange in the locality of Jambville and the launch of the campaign at “Quartier Général – the Festival of the Engaged Youth in Europe” in Paris. AER not only joined its counterparts of the “Road to the Future” project to support the event organisation but also delivered a workshop on youth employment and mobility in Europe, being these topics very high on the EU agenda in view of the European Elections in May.

European youths together !

The quiet life of the locality of Jambville (FR) was disrupted by +120 temporary inhabitants from different spots in Europe that came together to exchange, in a creative manner, views and insights relating to the European Elections while contributing to the preparation of the campaign “I Choose Europe”. From its opening to its closure, the atmosphere over the course of the 5-day event was visibly marked by a common conviction around the ideal of a more united and stronger Europe.

JEF Europe Secretary General, Milosh Ristovski, addressing the participants

A broad variety of activities took place in Jambville in a convivial environment during the Youth Exchange, ranging from parallel workshops on the future of Europe to intercultural activities to discover the particularities of each national delegation. Furthermore, the participants got actively involved in preparing and presenting Europe-oriented activities for the high-visibility “Quartier Général, le festival des jeunes engagé.e.s en Europe” youth festival for the launching of the #IChooseEurope campaign.

The 5-day programme allowed the participants to understand the goals and methods used in campaigning, familiarising them with various youth engagement tools and, ultimately, developing skills to promote European debate in their own local communities.

Youth Mobility for European Integration

AER programmes coordinator, Andrés Muñoz, contributed to the programme with a workshop entitled “Youth Mobility for European Integration” aimed at reflecting on how youth mobility programs and cross-border and interregional cooperation can alleviate youth unemployment while increasing the sense of European identity and the inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities.

AER Programmes Coordinator during the workshop sessions

The participants not only discovered the benefits of AER’s Eurodyssey youth mobility programme but also discussed, through a role-play exercise, the opportunities and obstacles to joining Eurodyssey from the perspective of the different mobility stakeholders. Additionally, the participants developed analytical skills by putting the problem/solution tree diagram into practice while simulating the role of policy-makers.

You can download the presentation here!

The #IChooseEurope campaign has taken off!

On Saturday 16, the participants and the Road to the Future crew landed at “Quartier Général – the Festival of the Engaged Youth in Europe”, organised by project partners Animafac, which gathered around 2.000 participants from Europe and all over France for a festive day with an eclectic program imagined for and by engaged youth, including:  a “village of associations”, conferences, debates, workshops, concerts, radio shows…

“I Choose Europe” info-stand

Immediately upon their arrival, the participants set the scene with an info stand and visibility materials of the “I Choose Europe” campaign encouraging the festival attendees to vote in May. Besides flyering, the I Choose Europe campaigners took over several spaces of the festival venue to raise awareness on topics of great concern for young people in view of the European Elections, such as youth turnout in politics, the fight against stigmatization, migration, climate change and many more…

Christopher Glück, JEF President, and some I Choose Europe campaigners

What is more, the peak event of the festival was again led by the “I Choose Europe” campaigners, JEF Europe and the rest of the Road to the Future project partners who performed a flash-mob around the main stage of Quartier Général in order to draw attention to the campaign. Christopher Glück, President of Young European Federalists (JEF), delivered a speech from the main stage calling for a massive mobilization of young people in view of the forthcoming European electoral process.

Let’s all raise our voices to convince our friends, neighbours, workmates and relatives to vote in the European Elections in May!!

Follow us and find out more about the #IChooseEurope campaign in its Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/IChooseEurope/

Photo credits: @JEFEurope

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Need a partner for your Europe for Citizens proposal? Korça (AL) is keen

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If you are building a network of local authorities under the Europe for Citizens programme, AER has a member region ready to complete your partnership.

Korça Region (AL) is looking to join a partnership under the Networks of Towns measure of the Europe for Citizens programme — action grants 2019. Combining the qualities of an attractive destination and a top-notch team member, this Albanian county has what it takes to make a valuable contribution to your project.   

A Dynamic and enchanting locale

The city of Korça is as charming as its name. With cobbled streets, traditional houses full of light, serenades ringing in the night air, and a wealth of historical and artistic treasures, the often unmarked yet unmistakable legacy of a rich history and proud cultural heritage give the city its unique allure. But Korça is far from being frozen in time. Urbanisation and revitalisation is advancing at an impressive pace in this city in in Southeastern Albania.

A Serious and experienced partner

A committed team of professionals have done much to facilitate this growth and deliver positive results for Korça’s citizens. The Regional Council of Korça is an independent local authority in accordance with the requirements of the European Charter of Local Self-Government. The council has experience working in harmony with other local and regional authorities, pursuing interregional cooperation, creating networks among cross-border regions, and collaborating with municipalities in the implementation of a variety of projects.

The Regional Council of Korça is conscientious and deliberate in collecting the necessary information to make a difference in the fields in which it acts. Because of its rigor, the region received funding for cross-border projects in the fields of waste management and water supply through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance in the 2014-2020 funding period.

Get in touch now!

The deadline to submit project proposals under this call is nearly upon us. If you are interested in bringing Korça on board, please reach out to the AER Project Unit at the contact below by 25 February. We will be happy to put you in touch with your consortium’s future MVP.

P.S. Like what you see?

If you are in search of project partners, the AER secretariat is here to help. We can publish articles like this or make targeted appeals to our member regions. Take full advantage of the AER network, and get yourself into a partnership built for success.

European Projects

Agnese Pantaloni

Phone: +32 2 400 10 52 E-mail: a.pantaloni(at)aer.eu Skype ID: agnesepanta Languages: it, en, pt Articles by Agnese
  • EU funding
  • Calls for projects and tenders
  • Partner search

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If you missed the Eurodyssey Website Training in Barcelona…

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On 14 and 15 February, regional correspondents of AER’s flagship programme Eurodyssey gathered in the sunny city of Barcelona for a 2-day Website and Communications Training. The event was kindly hosted by Catalonia’s Employment Office –Servei Públic d’Ocupació de Catalunya (SOC)–.

Redesigned website for flexibility and efficiency

The new Eurodyssey website features stunning new looks and a better user experience thanks to various new functionalities that will significantly improve the day-to-day management of the programme via the website. Andrés Muñoz Rojo, AER Programmes Coordinator & responsible for Eurodyssey, together with Audric Delcour, WordPress Developer, conducted a two-round training session which consisted of a role-play simulation from the different user’s profile –namely, the region, the company and the young trainee/candidate– starting from registration until the end of the traineeship. Participants could therefore witness the website evolve right before their eyes while discovering the main features of the new website.

Furthermore, Eurodyssey regional correspondents provided the AER team with suggestions regarding the user experience, most of which will be taken into consideration to conclude the project before the final website is launched.

Communicating Eurodyssey

Erica Lee, Communications Coordinator at AER, delivered a practical presentation of how correspondents can promote, in a joint coordinated effort, the programme from their respective home regions.

Participants had a chance to reflect on the communications strategy for Eurodyssey as well as to pro-actively engage in a number of group exercises. The aim of the workshop was to reinforce the need for culture of communication throughout the Eurodyssey programme, from posting offers to sending and receiving trainees, there are ample opportunities to communicate about our work. 

During the communication tools workshop, participants were afforded the opportunity to think through the Who, What, When and Whys of communicating a programme such as Eurodyssey. In the second session, they took part in an incubator workshop where the focus was to reflect on the different target audiences for the Eurodyssey programme and to generate tailored messages that really speak to these audiences. 

In sum, the workshop was successful in achieving its aims to showcase the unique selling points of the Eurodyssey programme and in providing the attendees with the means to better communicate about Eurodyssey in their home regions.

See the presentation and outcomes from the discussions here!

Harmonizing procedures

On 15 February, the participants took part in a number of workshops on the operational implementation of the programme in each region. Eurodyssey correspondents were engaged in fruitful discussions sharing best practices, coming up with practical solutions to overcome obstacles and difficulties in managing the programme.

Eurodyssey in numbers: 2018 Statistics

Ugo Poifol, Eurodyssey Programmes trainee at AER, presented the main findings regarding the 2018 Statistics, including the programme’s evolution since 2017 and graphics that shed light on the impact and reciprocity in the exchanges between regions.

​With more than 260 total participants in 2018 and AER being currently in touch with a number of regions that shared their interest in joining Eurodyssey, 2019 seems to be pointing to another promising year!

The session in Barcelona was also the opportunity to share with partners the 2017 Trainee Employability figures. According to the surveys, 61% of the youth participating in Eurodyssey found a steady job within 4 months after their internship. This very positive figure could become a key selling point to attract new regions.

Click here to download the 2018 Eurodyssey Statistics Report. A more detailed version of the report, will be published very soon.

What’s next?

The event closed with a Steering Committee Meeting, where members discussed the next steps to take regarding the definite launching of the website, the organisation of the next Eurodyssey Forum and other important matters for achieving the Eurodyssey’s goals ahead.

On the whole, the two-day event in Barcelona brought together people from 19 regions across Europe. This goes to show that Eurodyssey not only brings young people from different regions together, but also those working with the young people – yet another benefit of interregional cooperation at European level.

Visit the event page to get all the presentations, documents and pictures.

Photo credits: @ServeiPúblicd’OcupaciónDeCatalunya(SOC)

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European Projects Intern Wanted for Assembly of European Regions Secretariat Brussels (Closed)

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Ready to train with the EU projects team for the largest independent network of regions in Europe?

We are looking for an intern to join the Project Unit at our Brussels Office, supervised by the European Projects & Private Partnerships coordinator.

Your main tasks will be:

  • Mapping calls for proposals and collecting information on funding (based on desk research and by attending relevant events as Info Days on funding programmes)
  • Writing articles on the results of your mapping as well as on running projects and activities
  • Disseminating information about projects and funding opportunities on social media
  • Supporting AER’s projects team in its partner searches and follow-ups with its members
  • Contributing to the implementation of ongoing projects for all concerning activities and finances
  • Providing inputs in terms of drafting documents to join new project proposals
  • The intern will also assist the team with general office management tasks.

This is who we are

Here are some things that make working with us great:

  • We are a team where everyone—including interns—is respected and treated equally
  • We are a committed group of professionals, with terrific people on board
  • We have a meaningful mission; helping people across Europe to work together is what drives us
  • We provide a place for personal and professional growth. Working with a diverse group of colleagues and collaborators in an array of different policy areas widens your horizons and gives you the chance to develop valuable skills
  • We use cloud-based team collaboration tools, which allow us to work efficiently, keep in close contact, and strengthen our community despite frequent travel and different locations

 This is the place for you if:

  • You have any knowledge of or previous experience in European project management and funding.
  • You have excellent knowledge of both oral and written English. Knowledge of any other European languages is considered a useful asset for your work here.
  • You are self-motivated and interested in helping people work together to tackle challenges.
  • You are able to perform tasks autonomously and take on responsibilities while coordinating your work with the rest of the team.
  • You are a creative and problem-solving oriented person.

AER is happy to offer you the opportunity to:

  • Gain practical experience in the field of projects funded by European programmes.
  • Be in contact with high-ranking politicians, project officers and partners across Europe and get inspired by them.
  • Learn about regions and gain a deeper insight into contemporary issues in European politics
  • Work in a dynamic, multinational and multicultural environment
  • Develop personal responsibility and initiative
  • Gain invaluable experience in an international professional environment

The internship period will be 6 months, starting at the beginning of March.

You will be considered a full member of the team from Day One.

Before applying, please keep in mind…

An internship contract must be signed by AER, the trainee and a sending University/School/Institute.

You will receive a monthly financial contribution of EUR 150 during your internship period. Travel and living costs must be covered by the intern.

If you are a citizen of a non-EU country, you will have to make sure that you meet all the legal requirements (visa, residence permit, etc.) to stay in Brussels as specified by the Belgian Law for foreigners. Health insurance must be ensured during your stay.

How to apply?

If you are interested in joining us and making AER your next professional experience, please send your CV and cover letter to Ethan Holaday at his email address [email protected] by 25 January h 12:00 CET., with the subject line “AER European Projects Intern”.

Interviews will take place in early February.Follow AER!

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AER President speaks at the UN climate conference on behalf of the world’s regions and municipalities

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AER was present at this year’s UN climate meeting, which took place in Katowice, Poland. The highlight of AER’s involvement was when AER President Magnus Berntsson spoke at the high-level segment 12 December on behalf of all the regions and municipalities of the world. 

Setting the scene

AER has been building a strong voice on how regional climate action can advance global climate goals, convening the engagement of its member regions with the international development policy processes, notably the climate change agenda and its Conferences held in the frame of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Stretching from the 3 of December to 12 of December, this year’s Conference of Parties (COP) is expected to have gathered around 30 000 participants, among them environment and climate ministers from around 196 countries. COP24 Katowice is viewed as one of the most important COPs since COP21 in Paris, 2015, when the Paris agreement was adopted. On the agenda for this meeting was an attempt to adopt a rulebook for the Paris agreement.

A week of many meetings

During these weeks there are many meetings taking place, both in connection to the negotiations but also as side-events. As one of the largest independent regional networks in Europe AER was invited to speak at many venues.

The highlight of AER’s involvement at COP being AER President, Magnus Berntsson’s, speech at the high-level segment of COP24. In his speech emphasised that regions play an important role in implementing the climate goals, arguing that it is on the local and regional level that the practical work on climate action is taking place. By cooperating with other regions, through networks such as AER, the voice of subnational actors become stronger and national and international levels must listen.

Besides speaking at the high-level segment Magnus Berntsson had week full of meetings and conferences. On 10 December he participated at the ICLEI Local and Regional Leaders meeting, named “Accelerating transitions to delivery of the Paris Agreement through multilevel Climate Action.”

Magnus Berntsson speaking at the UfM-event (left), Magnus Berntsson at COP24 (right)

On 11 December Magnus Berntsson held the key note speech at the Union for Mediterranean on “The involvement of sub-national Euro-Mediterranean governments”. During his key note speech Magnus talked about the importance of creating partnerships with actors from both the public and the private sector as well as the civil society. He exemplified with Region Västra Götaland climate strategy developed in broad cooperation with stakeholders from all over the region.

Followed by participating in a panel on the World Climate Summit- The investment COP ‘Creating the Right Policy Environment for Deployment of Innovations & Business-Driven Solutions’. During this session Magnus Berntsson highlighted that the public sector plays an important role in providing the right policy framework that will enable society’s transition to a low carbon economy.

He also paid a visit to the Austrian pavilion on the 13 of December, where he spoke on mitigation and adaption of climate change as well as the work of R20 – Regions of Climate Action.

The President of AER was not the only representative from AER present at COP24, Eva Hallström from Värmland, Sweden, chairing the AER working group on energy and climate change was also in Katowice, Poland sharing good practices and attending negotiations.

The work goes on

With COP24 concluding last week, the delegates finally reached an agreement on how to implement the Paris Climate accord, walking away from Katowice with a rulebook that will ensure the world’s countries are doing what they claim to be doing when it comes to climate action.

However, this does not mean that we are done working. AER will remain an active partner in climate work and we invite all our member regions to cooperate with us on this important societal challenge. Closing this article with the words of AER president at COP24:

“No country, no region, is immune to effects of climate change and we must cooperate across borders, be it geographical and sectorial, in order to deliver and follow through on the commitments of the Paris agreement.”

 

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Romanian-Bulgarian cross-border regional cooperation: successes, challenges, and the way forward

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The Assembly of European Regions counts among its members four Romanian counties that share a border with Bulgaria. The Danube River winds along the southern edge of Mehendenti, Dolj, Olt, and Calarasi. For these regions, as with border regions across Europe, collaborations with neighbours across the border was not historically always the rule.

With the beginning of the EU accession process for Romania and Bulgaria in the mid-2000s, however, came new legal and financial capacities for a deeper interaction between border regions. Two major EU contributions to a reimagining of territorial cooperation in the region are the Romania-Bulgaria Cross-Border Cooperation Programme, currently in the form of Interreg V-A Romania-Bulgaria and the Danube Region Strategy. Nonetheless, several obstacles to coordination and collaboration between Romanian and Bulgarian border regions remain in place and new challenges emerge on the horizon.

On 7 Nov, AER attended  a workshop in the Euractiv offices in Brussels to discuss Romanian-Bulgarian cross-border regional cooperation. The event was co-organised by the Cross-Border Cooperation Regional Office Calarsi, an organisation that works closely with AER member Calarasi County Council (RO) among other stakeholders. Participants with a wide variety of perspectives sat down for an animated discussion about the value of coordinated actions and projects along the border as well as how partners can address challenges and improve upon past successes going into the future.

What do regions gain from cross-border cooperation?

All those present expressed a belief in the value of cooperation between border regions. While harnessing the economic potential of cooperation was a major focal point, participants unanimously praised the boons for human connection across the Romanian-Bulgarian border. Nathalie Verschelde, Deputy Head of Unit Cross-Border Cooperation and Internal Borders DG REGIO, underlined the role of cross-border projects in facilitating intercultural exchange and building trust between neighbouring regions.

Strahil V. Krapchanski, the Vice Mayor of Ruse (BG), presented successes from his city’s sustained collaboration with the Romanian city of Giurgiu. Since 2007, traffic between Romania and Bulgaria has increased fourfold, with much of it crossing over the Danube Bridge connecting Giurgiu and Ruse. Krapchanski attributes much of the increased movement to effective collaboration of authorities on either side of the border. Emblematic of this collaboration is the ambitious common urban masterplan shared by the cities. In addition to facilitating the implementation of solutions to common problems, initiatives like these, with their connections to EU funding programs and regional development strategies, allow local and regional authorities to upscale their priorities and give them leverage in pressuring central administrations in their respective countries, Krapchanski argued.

What challenges do border regions face?

Primary among the obstacles to cross-border cooperation, in the case of Bulgarian and Romanian regions, is the border itself. The Danube River is currently crossed by only two bridges along its stretch between Romania and Bulgaria. Bulgarian MEP Kouroumbashev (S&D) contends this far lower density of road and rail connections than in other stretches of the Danube, puts border regions at a disadvantage, and that political commitments to further bridge construction would be necessary going forward if greater bounds in cooperation were to be made.

A reduction in financial resources is also a challenge that partners are likely to face in the next programming period. The post-Brexit decrease in funding for cohesion funds proposed by the Commission, if confirmed by the Council and the Parliament, will be felt also in a reduction of funds available for Interreg projects. Calin Chira, Coordinator of the Cohesion Policy Section of Romania’s Permanent Representation to the EU, estimated that, in total, Romania would see its cohesion funds fall by 23% under the current proposal. With increasingly limited resources, improving the absorption rate and efficient use of Interreg funds will be a major concern in the coming years.

Where does the future lie for cross-border regional cooperation?

A common theme was the need going forward for cooperation among regions outside the framework of EU funding projects. Kouroumbashev held that national governments in the two countries could not afford to wait for Europe to step in to develop strategic initiatives to connect either side of the Danube. Verschelde, for her part, saw a future in the promotion of multilingualism, non-governmental cooperation, and attempts to “erase legal borders” through neighbours’ recognition of each other’s laws in border areas.

Participants’ visions for the future of cross-border cooperation sometimes differed when it came to the issue of the scale at which cross-border cooperation projects and initiatives should be evaluated. Michaela Kauer, Director of the Brussels Liaison Office for the City of Vienna, argued that cooperation on a bilateral basis was not sufficient and that the expertise and experience of bigger cities in the wider Danube region were necessary in developing smart solutions to common problems. Kouroumbashev often spoke of the wider geopolitical implications of cross-border cooperation, especially concerning relations with Russia, Turkey, and China. Verschelde, meanwhile, voiced a concern that transport infrastructure and other cross-border projects often serve wider EU-level objectives while not adequately responding to the local needs and concerns of those residing in cross-border regions.

Both Verschelde and Krapchanski advocated for a long-term, integrated reframing of territorial cooperation. As Verschelde put it, partners should “conceive of the area as a single territory,” working together to make complementary investments for an efficient employment of available resources. A rebalancing between large-scale and small-scale projects would also likely be necessary, in her opinion, in light of the above-mentioned budget cuts. Karapchanski voiced a desire for decision-makers to build synergies between cross-border cooperation programmes and operational programmes.

Whatever the future holds, AER will be there for its members. If you are looking for funding, project partners, or projects to join, the project unit is ready to give a helping hand. As an AER member, you can also share knowledge with regions facing similar challenges and make your voice heard at the European level. Be on the lookout for an upcoming position paper on the Commission’s Cohesion Policy Proposal as well as a manifesto for the upcoming European Elections. Never hesitate to contact the Secretariat with questions or concerns, and be sure to follow our newsletter for updates like this and to stay up to speed on all of AER’s activities.

European Projects

Agnese Pantaloni

Phone: +32 2 400 10 52
E-mail: a.pantaloni(at)aer.eu
Skype ID: agnesepanta
Languages: it, en, pt

Articles by Agnese


  • EU funding
  • Calls for projects and tenders
  • Partner search

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We’re hiring a Member Relations Coordinator! (closed)

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Interested in managing members for the largest interregional network in Europe?

We are looking for a colleague to help us with the management of the network, accompany our member regions in their AER experience and extend our membership base to new regions. We offer a Belgian full-time employment contract.

This is who we are

Do you want to be our new colleague? Here are the things that are great about this workplace:

  • We’re a very small team, so everybody is really important
  • We’re also a very great team, with awesome people on board
  • The thing we work for is super cool: who could be against helping people across Europe to work together?
  • It is a place for personal growth, as you get to work with so many very different people with different backgrounds your horizon widens and you change
  • We use cloud-based team collaboration tools, which allows us to keep in close contact. despite frequent travels and different locations – and, it helps us for community building.

To put it simple: we’re the coolest network in Europe.

If this is you…

We need someone who is open-minded, respectful and responsive – in other words, communicative. In this position, you will be expected to keep yourself up to date and well informed and to use your insights in a proactive manner, delivering results in a smart, politically sensitive way.

Our new colleague should speak and write fluently in English, have a University degree in a relevant area (International Relations, Politics, Public Affairs, Communications etc), have a work experience in a European/international environment, be interested in the regional dimension in Europe, ready to travel across the continent and have a good working knowledge of all modern channels of communication (Office suite, Mailchimp, WordPress, Slack, social networks…). Creative ideas and a good understanding of online community building would definitely be an asset.

As you may gather from this, “dynamic”, “energetic” and “inspiring” are key words when we look for a new team member. And, it doesn’t hurt if you’re cool and fun to be with.

Your professional profile should fit the responsibilities below.

Managing the AER network 

As Member Relations Coordinator in our Brussels office, you will assist our team on managing the network of member regions and partners, handle their requests, provide them with the relevant flow of information and cooperation proposals, satisfy their needs, go the extra mile to ensure they have a great membership experience and extend the boundaries of the network to welcome new members and partners.

Some examples of this:

  • Be the main point of contact for the regions, and provide assistance to meet their needs
  • Build and maintain close relations with each of the Single Points of Contact (SPoC), and keep them up-to-date
  • Inform and engage members about the latest AER activities, campaigns, projects…
  • Strive to help each region find satisfaction in their membership experience
  • Increase knowledge about each individual region and understand their expectations
  • Propose new activities and reinforce the relevance of AER towards its members and partners

In short: manage relations with the AER members and partners, create new links across Europe, step up the experience of our members.

Apply

If you like the idea and wish to be part of an international and motivated team with interesting and challenging field of activities, do not hesitate and apply now!

Please send a short cover letter with your CV to [email protected] with “AER Member Relations Coordinator“ as subject line.

Deadline for application: 18 November 2018.
Starting date: as soon as possible.

Connecting regions – inspiring Europe

Set up in 1985, The Assembly of European Regions is the largest independent network of regions in wider Europe, bringing together regions from 35 countries – from Norway to Turkey and from Russia to Portugal.

AER is present everywhere on the European continent, inside and outside the European Union. It is the political voice of its members, as well as a forum for interregional cooperation. AER has offices in Strasbourg (FR) and Brussels (BE) as well as representations in Alba (RO) and Dnipropetrovsk (UA).

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We’re hiring an Events and Communications Coordinator! (closed)

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Interested in managing the events organisation and communications for the largest interregional network in Europe?

We are looking for a colleague to build on a renewed brand identity that we launched last year and to continue innovating our communications systems, taking us to the next level.

We want this to be combined with a knack for organising events, from workshops, to multi-day conferences.

We offer a Belgian full-time employment contract, with a competitive salary.

You should have the right to live and work in Belgium.

This is who we are

Do you want to be our new colleague? Here are the things that are great about this workplace:

  • We’re a small team, so everybody is really important;
  • We’re also a great team, with awesome people on board;
  • We share strong values of open-mindedness, honesty, responsibility and a positive-attitude;
  • The thing we work for is super cool: who could be against helping people across Europe to work together?
  • It is a place for personal growth, as you get to work with so many very different people with different backgrounds your horizon widens and you change
  • We use cloud-based team collaboration tools, which allows us to keep in close contact. despite frequent travels and different locations – and, it helps us for community building.

To put it simply: we’re the coolest network in Europe.

If this is you…

We need someone who is creative, responsive and upbeat. In this position, you will be expected to constantly strive to improve AERs visibility, recognition and image, to use your insights in a proactive manner, delivering results in a smart, politically sensitive way.

Our new colleague should speak and write fluently in English, have a work experience in a communications/PR position, as well as event organisation experience, be interested in the regional dimension in Europe, ready to travel across the continent and have a good working knowledge of all modern channels of communication (Office suite, Mailchimp, WordPress, Slack, social networks, Adobe suite…). Creative ideas and a good understanding of online community building are an absolute must.

As you may gather from this, “dynamic”, “open” and “inspiring” are key words when we look for a new team member. And, it doesn’t hurt if you’re cool and fun to be with.

Your professional profile should fit the responsibilities below:

Managing the implementation of AER Events (50%)

The Events and Communications coordinator will also be responsible for coordinating the organisation of all our major events. We have statutory events all around Europe, and each of them requires the development of a good flow and format that suits our members, and their rich discussions.

  • coordinate the sourcing of hosts for all of our statutory events;
  • coordinate, with the Policy and Knowledge transfer coordinator, the organisation of the Spring and Autumn AER Committee Plenaries;
  • coordinate the organisation of the AER General Assembly;
  • Coordinate the organisation of the bi-annual AER Bureau Meetings.

Leading AER’s communications & community (45%)

As Events and Communications Coordinator in our Brussels office, you will assist our team on “telling the story” for our successes, disseminate results of our day-to-day activities, contribute to branding AER as the place to be for regions, and help to bring visibility to individual regions and politicians via our channels.

Some examples of this:

  • build on AER’s new strategy for engagement and community building;
  • continue to reach AER’s audience via social media;
  • continue the development and management of our main communication channel (our website);
  • upscale our mass mailings;
  • communicate on our events (before, during and after) and increase engagement;
  • liaise with the Membership coordinator to promote individual regions and their success stories;
  • liaise with the Policy and knowledge transfer coordinator to bring light to our activities;
  • prepare the annual activity report.

In short: manage the information flow to and from our members and other stakeholders, create new links across Europe, increase the sense of ownership of our members.

Other tasks (5%)

As a small team, all members do more than just their main tasks. As a computer whiz, we hope you’ll be able to take over the handling of our IT responsibilities: handling the email accounts, setting up computers, and making sure the website it up and running efficiently.

Apply

If we have sparked your interest and you are interested in making AER your next professional challenge, here is how to apply:

Please send a short cover letter with your CV in English to [email protected] with “AER Events & Communications Coordinator” as subject line. Please include examples of Europe-related communications work (campaigns/website/brochures) and the types of events that you have organised (workshops/conferences/trainings).

Deadline for application: Tuesday 13 November 2018 (Close of business)
Starting date: Monday 3 December 2018

Due to the large number of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Connecting regions – inspiring Europe

Set up in 1985, The Assembly of European Regions is the largest independent network of regions in wider Europe, bringing together regions from 35 countries – from Norway to Turkey and from Russia to Portugal.

AER is present everywhere on the European continent, inside and outside the European Union. It is the political voice of its members, as well as a forum for interregional cooperation. AER has offices in Strasbourg (FR) and Brussels (BE) as well as representations in Alba (RO) and Dnipropetrovsk (UA).

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European Week of Regions and Cities 2018

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The AER took part in the annual European Week of Regions and Cities, organised by the Committee of the Regions. From 8 – 12 October representatives from all across Europe came to Brussels to discuss best practices and share experiences.

The AER organised a workshop on Cohesion for Enlargement: Thriving in a Stronger Union. The workshop brought together experts to look at the role cohesion policy plays in strengthening the enlargement process for the Western Balkans. There was also a discussion on how the forthcoming legislative proposals for the renewed cohesion policy framework and instruments can deliver the best outcomes for social, economic and territorial cohesion in the view of a stronger and enlarged Union.

Panellists:

  • Vidosava Enderic – Director, European Affairs Fund, Autonomous Province of Vojvodina;
  • Jean-Pierre Halkin – Head of Unit, Macro-regions, Transnational/Interregional Cooperation, IPA, Enlargement, European Commission Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy;
  • Franco Iacop – Member of the European Committee of the Regions, Regional Councillor and President of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Regional Council’
  • Anna Magyar – Vice-President of the Assembly of European Regions, Member of the European Committee of the Regions, Vice-President of County Council of Csongrád Megye; and
  • Moderator: Mathieu Mori – Secretary General, Assembly of European Regions

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