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Assembly of European Regions

Connecting regions, inspiring Europe since 1985

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This tag is for all posts relating to Regional development.

Newsletter Spring 2001: Cohesion policy in an enlarged Union?

1 May, 2001 By Editor

Headlines:

  • Cohesion policy in an enlarged Union?
  • Bureau meeting in Oberkirch – Baden-Württemberg (D)
  • Greater decentralisation in the Czech Republic
  • Seminar on “profitable environmental awareness”
  • Ecological tourism: planning for a gain-gain relation
  • Environmental Care as a Key factor in development and spatial planning
  • Ecology as a basis for sustainable regional development
  • Centurio: launch on 2001 edition
  • Summer School >Constanta, host region for 2001
  • Caravan on regionalism in Hungary >“Regionalism, culture and youth”
  • Gender equality: slowly but surely!
  • Hearings on European Governance
  • Real regions for a modern France by Adrien Zeller
  • Cooperation between Wielkopolska (PL) and Noord-Brabant (NL)

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AER Centurio 2000: Results

6 December, 2000 By Editor

Seinäjoki, South Ostrobothnia (FIN), 6 December 2000

The evaluation seminar 2000 for the Centurio programme of the Assembly of European Regions took place on 6 th December 2000 in Seinäjoki (FIN), bringing together both trainees from regional administrations in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and coordinators from the host Regions in Western Europe.

Around 30 traineeships were included in the edition 2000 of Centurio with candidates from Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, representing ten countries. The “Centurio for the Balkans” branch of Centurio was launched for the first time by the AER this year. This branch organised around ten traineeships for high-ranking civil servants and political representatives from various Cantons in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The Region of South Ostrobothnia accepted two trainees in Centurio 2000: Grzegorz Reizer from Woj. Podkarpackie (PL) and Angela Vörös from Hajdu Bihar (H) under the coordination of Mr Timo Urpala, Head of the Department of Regional Development. “We are delighted to be able to make, thanks to the AER, at out level, a real contribution for the Regions in applicant countries to prepare for joining the European Union or to develop democracy in the other countries in Central and Eastern Europe” stated Timo Urpala of the Regional Council. “We are proud of the interregional partnerships which are currently being set up with the two Regions” he concluded.

Centurio is an AER training programme which exists since 1994 and aims at the promotion of the exchange of experience and know-how between political representatives and civil servants of the Regions of Europe. Through this programme, the trainees become familiar with the organisation of regional administrations in Western Europe as well as the techniques and instruments of interregional and cross-border cooperation. They also gain further knowledge of the Community “acquis” and the development of cooperation projects. “We are delighted with the positive outcome of Centurio 2000, however we are disappointed that we were not able to accept more trainees due to insufficient host Regions” said Laura De Rose, Centurio Head within the AER. “In 2001, we hope that more Regions from Western Europe will participate in the programme which will celebrate its 8th edition and we hope that the scandinavian Regions will be particularly active next year” she added.

In order to strengthen Centurio, it was decided, at this meeting, to create a standing Centurio Committee which will be made up of former trainees and coordinators, the future “ambassadors” for Centurio throughout Europe, and chaired by one of the AER Vice Presidents. It was also decided to link future editions of Centurio and the Summer School, another AER training programme for the Regions of Central and Eastern Europe. This meeting was also the starting point for cooperation with the European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA/Barcelona) in the field of training and the repetition of Centurio in the Balkans in 2001.

It must not be forgotten that Centurio 2000 received funding from the European Commission.

For more information: [email protected]

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AER Summer School: Vilnius hosts edition 2000

19 July, 2000 By Editor

The fifth AER Summer School will take place on 6-11th August in Vilnius, Lithuania (candidate country for the European Union (EU)). Just like every year, the event aims to stimulate exchange and debate between representatives of regions from Eastern, Central and Western Europe on issues related to regional development and EU accession.

The topics to be explored this year will include:
· Regional institutions and the EU
· The EU as a motor for job creation
· Regions as motors of democratic consolidation

The four previous editions – Pest (H), Krakow (PL), Thuringia (D) and Istria (HR).- confirmed the Summer School’s role in the field of training, exchanges of experience and the development of interregional cooperation in Europe. In order to encourage interactivity between the participants, Summer School 2000 will consist of the plenary sessions followed by smaller workshops that will explore each of these topics in more detail.

This year, the Summer School has received the support of the European Commission and of the Council of Europe (Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe), from which several representatives will take part in the debates. Many other participants from regions of candidate countries and experts from the European Union are also expected. The AER invites all persons interested in the topics of the debates during the 2000 edition to take part in this event.

For more information: [email protected]

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“The Regions’ contribution to the Enlargement process”

21 October, 1999 By Editor

 


Wroclaw, Woj. Dolnoslaskie (PL), 21 October 1999

Over 250 representatives from 64 Regions in 20 countries took part in this Conference which gave speakers from the European institutions, interregional organisations, EU and CEEC Regions the opportunity of giving their point of view on the role that the European Regions can or must play in the enlargement process.

Chaired by L. Van den Brande, President of the AER, and J. Waszkiewicz, President of Woj. Dolnoslaskie, the host Region, the conference proved that the issue of Enlargement and European integration arouses great interest in all European Regions. This was made clear by the very high participation rate and the commitment shown by many speakers from the East and West during the debates. The speachess presented sought answers to three key questions: how the territorial units within the applicant countries can be involved in this unprecedented historical process and contribute to its success; what role the EU Member Regions should play to sustain the initial impetus; and how the Regions from East and West can work together to prepare the future of an enlarged Europe.

In the East: pursuing decentralisation, developing training and cooperation

The Regions of the applicant countries believe it is absolutely essential to broaden and reinforce the democratisation process in their countries. Regionalisation and democratisation must be actively pursued in the perspective of Enlargement. The Regions of these countries must also convince their national Governments to involve them or their representatives in the negotiation process at a national level, since, in many fields (especially the domestic market and agriculture), the success of Enlargement will depend on regional policies implemented to smooth out restructuring problems and help economic actors in difficulty.

Priority must also be given to training: regional political and administrative representatives must become more familiar with the EU’s principles, operating methods and programmes in order to implement them, but also to be capable of assessing the impact of resulting changes at the regional level.

Developing cross-border and interregional cooperation with the EU regions, and even a constructive exchange of experiences with those who have recently experienced accession (e.g. Sweden and Austria), constitute the keystone to the success of Enlargement and should be actively supported, especially through stepping up personal exchanges. Regions in these countries must also become more involved in communication on European integration. Their very proximity means they can convey the import of an enlarged Europe, reassure people and foster the spirit of membership.

 

In the West: sweeping stereotypes aside and promoting enlargement

In hundreds of EU Regions, many people perceive Enlargement as a threat to their current prosperity. These Regions must learn to get to know and understand the situation of the CEECs so that they may sweep lingering stereotypes aside and provide reasoned support for accession. But above all, they must fulfil their role as advisors and experts in the field of regional development, and avoid repeating past mistakes, by fostering the transfer of know-how and exchanging experience not only before, but also after, accession.

 

Preparing the enlarged Union together

On this point, the representatives from Eastern and Western Regions stressed the importance of the forum for dialogue, experience exchange and training offered by the Assembly of European Regions in the run-up to EU Enlargement, through their theme-based Committees, European training programmes (Centurio and the Summer School), Internet network and initiatives such as the Wroclaw Conference. They also showed their determination to work together, within the AER, on the perspectives of regionalism in the enlarged, reformed Europe and developing relations with non-EU European regions.

For more information: [email protected]

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Meeting of the AER political Bureau

12 May, 1999 By Editor

 


Brussels, 12 May 1999

The first meeting of the AER political Bureau, in its new composition issued from elections at the General Assembly in Linz (A) in last December, will be held on 12th May in Brussels. Several subjects will be discussed and in particular:

• Regions faced with the situation in Kosovo;

• Project of the European Constitution, the Subsidiarity, the EU Enlargement, the next Intergovernmental Conference (IGC);

• Regionalisation in progress: results of elections in Scotland and Wales, development in Hungary;

• Adoption of resolutions and decisions made by the AER Committees (January to May 1999):

  • Commission A ”Institutional Affairs and East-West Cooperation”
    – Programme of Seminar “Strong Regions for a strong Europe” (27-28 May, Stuttgart-D),
    – Project of the Conference “Regions and EU Enlargement process” (21-22 Sept., Wroclaw-PL),
    – Information relative to the Summer school (28 August, Istra-HR) and Centurio, two AER training programmes;
  • Commission B “Social Cohesion, Social Services, Public Health and Employment”
    – Resolutions and decisions which will be made at the next meeting (6 May, Trondheim-N),
    – Declaration of Turin relative to the men-women equality;
  • Commission C ”Regional Policy” (Meeting of 18-19 March, Umea-S)
    – Views on the last Environmental Action Programme (EAP) of the EU and contribution to the next EAP,
    – Views on the respect of environmental norms in tourism,
    – Participation in the European Sustainable Cities and Towns Campaign and in the next Earth Summit,
    – Role of the Regions and interregional cooperation in the implementation of ESDP,
    – Declaration of Grado – Interregional Organisations common position on the Interreg III,
    – Regional twinnings ;
  • Commission D “Culture, Education/Training, Youth, Medias, Sport” (Meeting of 19- 20 April, Nyborg-DK)
    – Preparations for a pan-European Conference of Regional Cultural Ministers (2000) and support to the initiative of creating a network for exchanging information via the Internet between regional public libraries (“Culture” Subcommittee),
    – Requests for amendments of Community programmes, especially following the nonadmission of EU candidate countries to the pilot project “Parliaments representing the Youth of Europe” (“Education & Training” Subcommittee),
    – Creation of a programme of solidarity for Romanian street children and orphans – ”Streetkids-Romania 1999”- organised by the Region of Piemonte (I) and proposal put forward by the Region of Odessa (UKR) to organise a conference on the “Participation of Youth in management and public life at regional level” by spring 2000 (“Youth” Subcommittee).

For more information: [email protected]

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AER Declaration on Regionalism

30 August, 1996 By Editor

The “Declaration on Regionalism” in Europe was adopted by the AER in 1996 during the General Meeting of European Regions in Basel (CH). It is a reference document for new regions or those undergoing expansion. It defines the norms and criteria for regional development and fixes the different steps to be undertaken so that the region can beacknowledged as a fully-fledged political entity. There is currently awide range of different regional structures in Europe. The “Declaration” has not chosen to promote a specific type of regionalism but sets out ageneral framework within which the regions may develop.
“The Assembly of European Regions strives to have regionalism recognised not only within the European Union but also beyond. At a time when, within Europe, the strengthening of the European Union is being reflected upon, the role of the regions in the unification process is gaining importance. Themes such as the distribution of responsibilities and the cooperation through partnerships between the various policy levels have consequently come to the fore, subsidiarity being the basic principle to define everyone’s role. The movement for regionalism is strong within the European Union as well as beyond. It is fuelled by the belief that the powers vested in the European Union, the (Member-) States and the regions are complementary.Regions, federated states and autonomous communities are above all mainstays of democracy; they strongly support cultural diversity in Europe and they are major partners in socio-economic development. This is why they should be able to take responsibilities in the policy areas where they have a competitive advantage, amongst others, in economics (employment), culture, the environment, regional and country planning, scientific research etc.The Declaration on regionalism adopted by the Assembly of European Regions offers a reliable guide for regions on the way to enlargening and strengthening their powers. It is a document of norms and standards, an entity of beacons and stepping stones. It is not a charter that fixes the minimum norms for recognition of a region. The rich diversity of regions in the AER yields a great number of models and structures to streamline regional development. The Declaration on regionalism sets out the guidelines within which the AER member regions develop. Thus they endorse the AER objective: strengthening regional development.
By this Declaration the AER wants to show what it, together with its members, strives for. They can enrich and strengthen the AER. This is why the Declaration is distributed, presented and discussed within the AER as well as beyond. In our capacity as former and current Presidents of the AER, we want to further promote regionalism in Europe, thereby enabling regions to take up more responsibility in a Europe that is closer to the citizen”.

Other language versions

Declaration on regionalism – Basque 
Declaration on regionalism – Catalan
Declaration on regionalism – Deutsche
Declaration on regionalism – Español
Declaration on regionalism – Suomalainen
Declaration on regionalism – Français
Declaration on regionalism – Magyar
Declaration on regionalism – Italiano
Declaration on regionalism – Lietuva
Declaration on regionalism – Nederlands
Declaration on regionalism – Norsk
Declaration on regionalism – Polskie
Declaration on regionalism – Português
Declaration on regionalism – Română
Declaration on regionalism – Pусский
Declaration on regionalism – Svenska
Declaration on regionalism – український
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