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Smart specialisation & rural areas: the case of Covasna

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“Smart specialisation strategies in rural areas, inclusion & wellbeing” was the topic of a debate which was foreseen to take place during the 2020 Spring plenaries. In order to harness the knowledge and expertise of our membership, AER is sharing content from speakers online instead.

In the following article Dr. Marta Tatar, Chief cardiologist at the Dr. Benedek Géza Cardiovascular Recovery Hospital, Covasna, RO, and former Chair of the AER Focus Group on prevention & child healthcare, shares the experience of Covasna on using natural assets in a rural area for regional development and wellbeing.

Social wellbeing and psychical wellbeing are more and more studied. There is a lot of academic research in this field. In different studies, the role and impact of different determinates are researched. It is widely accepted that health is an important factor.

In this context, the role of natural cure factors is increasing. Natural cure-factors can be used to maintain and improve health status, to prevent some diseases, and in the rehabilitation of patients.

Mineral waters: a well-known asset

Covasna County is very rich in natural mineral water springs and mofettas: there are hundreds of mineral water springs in the region. These natural cure factors have been used on an empirical basis for centuries by local people for the treatment of different affections. Mineral waters are used both, as an internal cure or, as mineral water baths.

Carbon dioxide for cardiovascular health benefits

The word “mofetta” is derived from the Latin word ”mephithis” meaning “stinky exhalation”. The term “mofetta” describes a postvolcanic phenomenon that is manifested by gas emanations at relatively low temperatures. The primary gas of mofetta is carbon dioxide. This gas is heavier than air so in sediment in pits and can be used as a “dry bath” (standing with normal clothing in the pit). Carbon dioxide can penetrate through the skin and has important cardiovascular effects.

The hospital: a key player in research and innovation

The Cardiological Hospital in Covasna was founded in 1960. The founder of the hospital was Dr. Géza Benedek. From the beginning of its activities, the hospital started clinical research work in collaboration with the Medical University from Tirgu-Mures and the Institute of Balneology from Bucharest to study the cardiovascular effect of CO2.

As a result, a unique complex cardiovascular rehabilitation model was elaborated. The model combines the general elements of cardiac rehabilitation with the use of mofetta and CO2 mineral water bath.

We are treating yearly 14.000-15.000 patients. The results of the hospital triggered the development of a rich spa activity outside the hospital, offering access to mineral water benefits to a larger public.

Sitting on a gold mine

Spa tourism is a part of the smart specialisation strategy in Covasna. The wealth of mineral springs and natural cure factors in Covasna county is an opportunity to further develop health tourism with an important impact on the economic development of the county and the wellbeing of the people. Compared to regions with similar assets the natural healing resources of Covasna are yet under-exploited.

While the city of Covasna, a recreational city with many hotels and pension houses for health tourism, the surrounding offers more curing possibilities: mineral waters and bath for external and internal cure, walking and hiking path, winter and summer sport facilities. In recent years considerable efforts have been deployed to enhance the hotel offer which created new jobs. At the moment the reputation of Covasna allows it to benefit from a substantial demand on the internal market. Huge potential lies in further opening up to the external market.

In parallel to the wellness hotels that use the natural cure factors in Covasna, there are a lot of small traditional mofettas and mineral water baths which have been used by the locals for a century some of which were renovated with EU funding.

Come and visit us!

The location for the AER meetings, which had to be canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, would have given participants the opportunity to try mofettas and visit the “Dr. Benedek Géza Cardiological Hospital”.
I regret that our meeting was canceled but I hope I will see You soon in Covasna and answer your questions about natural health resources, our mineral waters and mofettas!

More information about the Covasna mofettas can be found in the leaflet “Covasna, Land of mineral water” produced in the context of the EU funded project Off to Spas

Photo credit: Janos Boldizsar KOCSIS

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AER selected for the European Youth Event 2020! Apply now!

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We are eager to announce that the European Parliament has granted AER to participate in the European Youth Event 2020 in Strasbourg! (Keep reading to join us in this exciting adventure…)

What is EYE2020?

From 29 to 30 May 2020, the European Youth Event will bring thousands of young people coming from all over Europe to Strasbourg (FR). The event is aimed to make young people active agents of change in the European democratic life rather than passive beneficiaries, by engaging in debates, workshops, hearings and digital activities on a very diversified range of topics. All the activities are co-created with partners, youth organisations and the participants.

The EYE2020 is the perfect opportunity for youth to share their thoughts, concerns, hopes and meet and inspire each other. And on top of that, some participants will also be able to present the most impactful ideas directly to the Members of the European Parliament.

If you want to find out more, take a look at the tentative programme or just visit the webpage of the EYE2020!

What are the selection criteria?

  • Be aged between 16 and 30 years old representing a regional or local youth entity.
  • Hold EU citizenship and residency. Citizens and residents from candidate countries are also eligible for sponsorship.
  • A clear explanation of your motivation and how you plan to employ the soft skills gained and the takeaways.
  • Proof of experience in youth work or related-initiatives you have carried out.
  • Proof of a mandate or person of reference supporting your application from the organisation/region you stand for.
  • young people with disabilities, from rural or remote areas and from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds will be prioritised.

AER and YRN members, particularly those coming from remote areas in Europe, have priority.

And the financial conditions?

The financial contribution is calculated on the basis of the following 2 elements per sponsored participant:

1. An amount depending on the distance calculated as follows: €0.045/km considering the most direct road return journey between the common point of departure of the group (town/city) and Strasbourg. If there is no common point of departure, it will be calculated based on the average travel distance.

2. Thanks to the sponsorship provided by the European Parliament, the selected youth delegates will benefit from free half-board (breakfast & dinner) accommodation in shared rooms from 28-31 May 2020. Lunch is not included and will be at the expense of the participants.

N.b.: Participants from non-EU territories, EEA or neighbourhood countries canNOT be part of the sponsored group.

Apply now!

If you are a young activist aged between 16 and 30 years old representing a regional or local youth entity and meet the aforementioned criteria, you then cannot afford to miss the fantastic opportunity of taking an active part in the EYE2020 in the name of AER!

Submission deadline:
22 January 2020

Only the 20 best candidates will be confirmed to form the AER’s delegation to the EYE2020 following the submission deadline.

Contact us!

For any questions related to AER’s participation to the EYE2020, please do not hesitate to contact Andrés Muñoz at the AER Secretariat:
e: [email protected] / t: +32 (0) 2 400 10 54

Photo credits: @European Parliament

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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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Celebrating the Heritage of Astrid Lindgren

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At AER’s 2018 Summer Academy in Maramures, Ms. Anna Mellergård from Jönköping County will conduct a seminar on the heritage of Astrid Lindgren, the renowned author of children’s book series featuring beloved characters such as Pippi Longstocking, Karlsson-on-the-Roof, and the six Bullerby children. Originally proposed at AER’s 2018 Spring Plenaries in Arad, Ms. Mellergård will give a presentation on Mariannelund’s Astrid Lindgren Filmbyn (Film Village) and its place in the cultural heritage of the town.

What is Filmbyn?

Filmbyn is an interactive film centre where visitors can experience scenes from classic children’s movies like Emil in Lönneberga, the Bullerby children, and Pippi Longstocking, all based on Lindgren’s novels. Fully immersing visitors in the world’s created by Lindgren, the centre contains famous film clips, original props, and exhibitions where people can singalong with movie music.

Lindgren and Mariannelund

For Mariannelund the life and work of Astrid Lindgren occupies an important chapter in the town’s cultural history reflected today in its film centre. Lindgren’s childhood home is located just 20 kilometres from Mariannelund and her father’s a mere 10. Movies about characters such as Emil i Lönneberga and Baren I Bullerby were filmed in Mariannelund with the local population playing a key role in its production. Even today the fact that these celebrated films were shot in their hometown is a source of pride for the local population.

Despite holding such deep connections to Lindgren and her work, until recently Mariannelund residents have not known how to explore this rich cultural history. Perhaps frightened away by newspaper articles about protracted legal battles over the online rights to Lindgren’s content or the close proximity of Vimmerby who has created an entire Astrid Lindgren world, for many years Mariannelund did not express Lindgren’s importance to their cultural history in public space. However, according to Ms. Mellergård regardless over who officially owns the rights to Lindgren’s works, it is the locals own the rights to their town’s history.  Thus, the impetus for the creation of Filmby was the Mariannelund locals’ reclamation of their own cultural heritage.

During her presentation, Ms. Mellergård will also describe the challenges Mariannelund has faced since deciding to create the centre, along with the satisfaction its progression has brought to those involved. She will also explain how the centre’s leadership created a budget for the project, worked with the region and municipality to give the project direction, and involved locals in the documentation of their own heritage.

Take-Away

All towns, villages, and cities in Europe have their own unique cultural heritage. Each locality’s heritage contributes to the vitality of their region and creates a shared sense of belonging. Throughout the European Year of Cultural Heritage, these histories will be explored through events and seminars like Jönköping’s presentation at AER’s Summer Academy, connecting the past and the present. Moreover, with Ms. Mellergård’s presentation participants can expect to come to understand the importance of local citizens actively engaging in the promotion and celebration of their cultural heritage to ensure its continuity. This presentation will hopefully inspire delegates to take initiative and start similar projects in their own regions. Attendees can also expect to learn about how to interest other citizens in getting involved with these projects and how Mariannelund worked in concert with regional  and local authorities throughout the creation of Filmby.

Registrations open!

If you want to participate in this workshop and in many others, just check the Summer Academy practical information and then fill in the registration form available at the AER event page for the 2018 Summer Academy in Maramures (RO).

Check every detail of the event by clicking on the link below!

2018 AER Summer Academy in Maramures

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The European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018

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Throughout 2018, people across Europe will gather to celebrate Europe’s unique cultural heritage as part of the European Year of Cultural Heritage. For thousands of years, culture has remained a fixture in people’s lives, shaping people’s identities and world views. Culture is reflected in the art and literature people create, the food people eat, and stories passed down through generations. It is visible daily through natural and archeological wonders.

With the emergence of new technologies and the mixing of different societies, culture slowly changes with each generation but still retains its identifiable characteristics. This evolution of culture has given rise to the slogan for the year: where the past meets the future. As part of the celebrations numerous  events organised by governments and institutions will be available for people to enjoy throughout the year.

AER and European Cultural Heritage

AER is playing a leading role in the European Year of Cultural Heritage with our 2018 Summer Academy in Maramures, where the topic will be cultural heritage for regional attractiveness, designed to celebrate the cultural diversity of European regions. This year’s Summer Academy will promote inter-cultural understanding by educating youth on the cultures of other regions, while getting youth to take an active role in their region’s culture, safeguarding its future.

At the AER 2017 Spring Plenaries delegates interested in cultural heritage had the opportunity to participate in a workshop on cultural heritage. Delegates debated inventive ideas such as using the latest technology to bring traditional cultural practices into the digital era and cultural heritage as a mechanism for social inclusion. Cultural heritage was also in the spotlight during the debate “Is there a future for culture in the digital age?” at the Autumn 2017 plenaries in Nancy.  Since the plenary AER has become a partner in the project, “Documenting Cultural Heritage Landscapes in Europe”, which aims to safeguard cultural landscapes around Europe by documenting and advertising them through various channels.

Year of Cultural Heritage in Gävleborg

For some AER member regions, the cultural celebrations have already begun. On January 13th, two events were held in Gävleborg, Sweden, the first one in the city of Gävle at the County Castle. Occurring outside in the blistering cold, the event featured lively music, local food, people in costume as vikings and speeches from the governor Per Bill and the president of the Cultural Affairs and Competence Development Committee at the regional council of Gävleborg Alf Norberg, as well as many others. To the south, a special event commemorating culture in Järvsö (located in the County of Hälsingland) took place where one hundred people in national garb went downhill skiing, bearing torches. 

Today, the Gävleborg region accommodates cultural heritages from various parts of the world, connecting people and livening Gävleborg’s culture. For Gävleborg, the European Year of Cultural Heritage in Gävleborg is about raising awareness about what is happening in the County in the context of cultural heritage. The European Year of Cultural Heritage in Gävleborg is divided into three different periods:

The first period, the Discovery of Cultural Heritage, focuses on the discovery and acquisition of cultural knowledge. The second, centres around experiencing cultural heritage through the senses since cultural heritage becomes accessible and enticing through sensory experiences.  The third involves the appreciation of cultural heritage with the goal of helping people see the benefits of cultural heritage.

Preserving a culture’s vitality is hard work which requires citizens’  engagement and participation. The European Year of Cultural Heritage promises to accomplish this by encouraging people to discover their culture while promoting important inter-cultural conversations between citizens about what they have in common.

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Bureau Members adopt AER’s political priorities for 2018-2019

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During the AER Autumn Bureau Meeting, that took place on the 29th of November in Maastricht, Bureau members voted on the 2018-2019 political priorities for AER.

It was an interesting process, as the priorities were drafted and voted on, in the same day. The discussions leading up to this were therefore very dynamic and fruitful.

Setting the overarching political goal

Members and guests sat in 5 groups of 12 to 15 and each group was asked to develop a sentence made of 10 words, outlining the global political priority.

After this session was complete, Bureau members were invited to vote for the one they thought fit the most with AER’s ambitions.

Defining the political priorities for 2018-2019

Once the political goal was voted on, the next step in the process began.

Groups were once again created and asked to develop 4 points each based on the above-mentioned priority. With 5 varied, engaged and dynamic groups, this process ran very smoothly and the priorities quickly appeared from the various gatherings of regional politicians.

The rapporteurs from each groups were then asked to gather all the suggestions and merge them in a one-pager outlining the AER political priorities for 2018-2019.

See the political priorities here.

The vote

Once the one-pager was ready, member reconvened and constructively amended the document, making it ready to be voted on.

The vote was unanimous, as all members voted to adopt these political priorities for the 2018 – 2019 period.

What next?

Now that the political priorities have been adopted by the AER bureau, they must be ratified by the General Assembly, that will gather in Oppland in May 2018.

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AER 2018 Summer Academy in Maramures

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It’s official! Maramures will host the 2018 AER Summer Academy from August 6-11. This unique forum brings together policy makers and young people to exchange experience related to regional development in Europe. Since its establishment in 1996 AER’s Summer Academy has developed into one of its most popular programs, helping to transfer best practices on issues of common interest.

Introducing the 2018 Summer Academy

Maramures has been a member of the Summer Academy Organising Committee for many years and hosted the 2006 Summer Academy on European integration, which left vivid memories with all participants. The theme of the 2018 edition of the Summer Academy will be Cultural Heritage for Regional Attractiveness. Cultural heritage remains a central part of our lives and societies. It is visible in architectural and natural wonders. It is experienced in the traditions we pass on from generation to generation, the art we create, and the food we eat. Cultural heritage binds communities together and creates a common identity.  It is a vital component to each region’s visual appearance and can be found in things as diverse as industrial and urban heritage. This year, AER’s Summer Academy’s topic coincides with the European Year for Cultural Heritage which encourages people to embrace and explore Europe’s cultural heritage. AER looks forward to another fruitful Summer Academy in 2018.

Photo Credits: CameliaTWU, Flickr

Photo description: Bârsana Monestary in MaramuresFollow AER!

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Regionalisation in Denmark: Centralised, for now.

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Denmark has been a constitutional monarchy since 1848. By the 19th century, Denmark was a centralised, absolutist kingdom. The present administrative structure was established in 2007 with the administrative reform, which merged the previous 271 municipalities to 98 and the 14 counties into 5 regions.

The only direct task of the regions is the organisation of the hospital system. They are also obliged to counsel the municipalities on spatial planning and regional development and have established so-called growth fora. Lastly, they organise regional public transportation (bus services and some non-state owned railways), in cooperation with the municipalities. Both subsidise the routes, and quite a few inter-municipal routes have been cut at municipal boundaries. The regions also have a part to play in cross-border cooperation, especially as far as the Interreg programme is concerned.

On the national level, the regions have established the association “Danske Regioner” to present the work of the regions at the national level and to negotiate with the national government. Danske Regioner also represents the Danish regions at the EU level, in cooperation with the regional representations in Brussels.

The idea of the reform in 2007 was to make administration more effective, creating sustainable units in relation to their tasks. The decision-making process was centralised top-down: the government appointed an expert commission and mediated their recommendations into a set of laws. The whole process took about two years, and there was neither considerable political nor popular opposition to the project. An example of effective policy making!

Currently, no reform of the Danish administrative structure is discussed in politics. During the last election campaign (2011), the bourgeois parties and especially the liberal party Venstre supported the dissolution of the regions. Their main argument was that the regions had not been able to manage their key task, the hospital system, effectively. They had, according to the then governing Venstre, not been able to fulfil the aims set by the state.

Therefore, the hospital system should be centralised for the whole country. The then opposing Social Democrats supported strengthening the regions and delegating more powers to them. They won the election and have since presided over a coalition government, but the structure of the administrative system has not been changed, and is not on the agenda at the present time.

The debate on the regions and their future has been purely functional. The central point has been the assurance of effective government. Regional identity, regional diversity or other aspects of regionalism have not focused on the debate.

The economic crisis has, as yet, not directly influenced the structure of Denmark’s administrative system. Budgetary issues, however, do result in political initiatives to make the public service sector cheaper. The purpose of public service efficiency will probably set administrative reform on the agenda eventually. Then, the regions, as Denmark’s intermediate and undoubtedly weakest layer of administration, could be at disposal again.

by Martin Klatt

The Report on the state of Regionalisation in Europe.

More than 40 experts contributed to this work, by delivering detailed reports about the state of regionalisation and multilevel governance in chosen European countries. The study covers 41 countries, and each country report is based on a similar structure, thereby allowing a comparative approach among all studied countries.

  • The first part of the report gives the political impetus from the main European stakeholders
  • The second part of this report entails a summarised version of the country reports. The objective is to provide interested readers with a short overview of the main features of regionalisation in various European countries. The complete versions of the country reports are available on the AER website, under LINK
  • The third part provides a thematic approach based on the main findings delivered by the country reports and the current state of regionalisation in Europe. The trends and outlooks lead to open questions on the future of the regions in the European landscape, and more broadly on the role of subnational authorities in the shaping of the continent.
  • The fourth part gives the floor to the actual regional decision-makers in Europe, across a series of interviews and statements by Presidents, Vice-Presidents and elected representatives of the European regions.

Over the next months, we will be focusing on a different European country’s approach to regionalisation. During these months, look out for #RoR2017 on Twitter and/or Facebook and follow us at @europeanregions.

Strong European regions are a pathway to a stronger Europe.

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#ShineBright Flevoland

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At the AER Spring Committee meetings in London, the region of Flevoland (NL) was recognised in the #ShineBright session in recognition of its active participation on the topic of Cohesion Policy. A Task Force on Cohesion Policy was set up during the Autumn plenary meeting in Izmir, and Flevoland have been working hard since to develop a survey on the use of structural and investment funds in the regions. The response has been quite good and we now have a broad overview of the situation in the regions. The Task Force met in London to discuss simplification and audit;
 Cohabitation with other funds and programmes; Multilevel governance and gold plating and finally Philosophy and long term goals of cohesion policy beyond the next programming period. The report will be used for advocacy and lobbying for regions, AER member regions are invited to get involved.Follow AER!

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#ShineBright Värmland

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At the AER Spring Committee meetings in London, the region of Värmland (SE) was recognised in the #ShineBright session in recognition of its leading role in Committee 2 on the topic of equal opportunities. Värmland was the first region in Committee 2 to nominate a politician for the role of Committee 2 Representative for Equal Opportunities. It is fair to say they contributed considerably to the vitality of the AER transversal group on Equal Opportunities. Thanks to them, inclusion, the rights of women and very vulnerable migrants and the implementation of human rights at regional level rose high on the agenda of AER, especially via the events they organised both in Timis and in Vienna. Moreover Värmland recently joined the advisory board of a project aimed at helping regions directly affected by the arrivals and relocation of migrants with disabilities to improve their policies and provide better support to these very vulnerable migrants. In short, they’ve proved once again that they were willing to engage in mutual learning and sharing of experiences to make Europe a better place.Follow AER!

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#ShineBright Harghita

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At the AER Spring Committee meetings in London, the region of Harghita (RO) was recognised in the #ShineBright session in recognition of its leading role in Committee 3 on the youth. Harghita organised a workshop together with AER on the occasion of the European Week of Cities and Regions entitled “EU Regions Partners for Youth” which looked at the issues of young people not in education, employment or training, brain drain and youth empowerment. Following this workshop the region is now developing a project to allow for better dialogue between young people and decision-makers and increased youth participation.Follow AER!

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#RoR2017 – This week’s focus: Regions in Finland

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The article describes the Finnish regions from a number of different viewpoints. It delineates the overall politico-administrative architecture of Finland in order to place the regional councils in context. Thereafter it follows a delineation of the basic characteristics of the regions, and the tasks of the Finnish regions, emphasising both their formal characteristics as well as the dynamism of conducting the tasks. Then, the endings and conclusions with challenges facing the regions in the current socio-economic development are discussed.

The political structure of Finland is formally two-fold consisting of the national and the local level of governments. Regions, however, play a role in the Finnish politico-administrative system too; they refer to geographical entities with a long historical background. Secondly, there are regional councils, which have specific tasks, but lack the independence of a political actor more involved with local governance.

The regional councils play different roles in the Finnish politico-administrative system. They deal with technical issues of land use planning, and administer the EU Structural Fund appropriations. They also represent the municipalities and coordinate, more or less, the economic and social development in the regions.

In history, there have been a number of proposals put forward on how to conduct necessary reforms in the regions. A common feature in these proposals is the strengthening of regional councils, and a shift of tasks from the national government regional agencies to the regional councils. A recent proposal, based on discussions of the regional directors, puts forward four scenarios for the future.

In scenario one, regions become a new kind of service province that gather the existing municipal federations and the government’s Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment under the control of direct democracy. The mechanism to introduce this would be general election.

In scenario two, municipalities are essentially larger than they are now and are capable of providing most of their services. Large regional councils under democratic control are responsible for regional development and the most advanced special health care and polytechnic training.

Scenario three is based on large municipalities being controlled by a strong national government. Scenario four focuses on regional councils in 2010 in a situation where no structural reforms have been achieved. Municipalities and regions just drift along, and public nance is in a state of crisis. As it was referred to at the beginning of the paper, the number of inhabitants in the northern and eastern regions is decreasing, and hence the question of balanced territorial development and the best means to achieve it are at stake as well.

Regional councils represent municipal interests. The Finnish regions represent their area and inhabitants in a multitude of ways. Their main tasks focus on spatial planning, but development and coordination are important tasks too. During recent years their role has been grow- ing. The role of the regions has to be seen from a number of angles. In order to fulfil their tasks, they have to be able to define their role in the organisational network.

In other words, we can see regions facing different challenges in order to be successful in the current political climate. Finland has in the second decade of the 2000s experienced structural changes, which have caused turmoil. Regions in Finland are municipally based organisations. In other words, they represent the integrated voice of the member municipalities, and o er a forum for them. The membership is compulsory. Large and small municipalities may look at the regional council differently based on what extent it advocates their interests.

Regional self-government is still a goal, not a reality. One decisive step towards this direction would be popular elections. One further factor undermining the need of municipal cooperation is the trend of increasing municipal size. In addition, in the spring of 2014 the Finnish government decided to reform the health care system. According to the plans there will only be five social and health care regions; however, the details of the reforms are still open to discussion. In recent years, in 2014 in particular, there have been discussions on the social and health services and their organisation. Even now, hospitals, mentally handicapped care, and vocational education, have been inter-municipal responsibilities.

The new plan is to create regions in 2019. The regions would coordinate social and health services, and decide which services and to what extent they will be produced by the local government, private enterprises and non-governmental organisations. The regional council members would be elected by the citizens.

In this sense there is a lot of scaling and rescaling going on in Finland, which probably seems to also a elect the regions and regional councils.

For the full report on Finland, see here.

_____________

The Report on the state of Regionalisation in Europe.

More than 40 experts contributed to this work, by delivering detailed reports about the state of regionalisation and multilevel governance in chosen European countries. The study covers 41 countries, and each country report is based on a similar structure, thereby allowing a comparative approach among all studied countries.

  • The first part of the report gives the political impetus from the main European stakeholders
  • The second part of this report entails a summarised version of the country reports. The objective is to provide interested readers with a short overview of the main features of regionalisation in various European countries. The complete versions of the country reports are available on the AER website, under LINK
  • The third part provides a thematic approach based on the main findings delivered by the country reports and the current state of regionalisation in Europe. The trends and outlooks lead to open questions on the future of the regions in the European landscape, and more broadly on the role of subnational authorities in the shaping of the continent.
  • The fourth part gives the floor to the actual regional decision-makers in Europe, across a series of interviews and statements by Presidents, Vice-Presidents and elected representatives of the European regions.

Over the next months, we will be focusing on a different European country’s approach to regionalisation. During these months, look out for #RoR2017 on Twitter and/or Facebook and follow us at @europeanregions.

Strong European regions are a pathway to a stronger Europe.Follow AER!

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#ShineBright Timis

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At the AER Spring Committee meetings in London, the region of Timis (RO) was recognised in the #ShineBright session in recognition of its leading role in Committee 3 on the topic of youth mobility. Two years ago, Timis applied for the presidency of the Eurodyssey youth mobility programme and has been involved in reforming the programme to ensure its sustainability. This past year the programme has undergone several changes in its organisation in order to enable young people all over wider Europe to do an internship abroad after their graduation. The programme has a very good success rate as most young people find a stable job right after their Eurodyssey internship.Follow AER!

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#ShineBright Lower Austria

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At the AER Spring Committee meetings in London, the region of Lower Austria (AT) was recognised in the #ShineBright session in acknowledgement of its active participation on the topic of Cohesion Policy. Under the leadership of Lower Austria and the Assembly of European Regions, 337 political representatives of regions from 22 member states (71,5% % of EU population) and 5 interregional organisations signed a common declaration to demand the continuation of a EU Cohesion Policy for all regions after 2020. The book of signatures was handed over to representatives of EU institutions as a mandate of regions and local authorities in a Europe of the regions.Follow AER!

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