Mallorca, Balears Islands (E), 9 November 2006
Riccardo Illy, President of the Region Friuli Venezia Giulia (Italy), was re-elected President of the Assembly of European Regions (AER), for a second two-year mandate. In his speech after re-election, President Illy declared “Since the beginning of my first mandate two years ago, I gave myself the task to bring a new impulse to the AER and to help it take on modern challenges and realities, both at regional and European level. The new priorities and structures we have just adopted will allow our organisation to remain relevant for its members and to ensure that it is the most prominent European regional network and the key partner of European and international institutions on core issues of regional competence. Today, I am very proud that my colleagues have placed their trust in me again and have renewed my mandate as AER President. All the AER members can be confident that, together with the newly elected Presidium and Bureau, I will do my utmost to achieve our aims,” President Illy concluded.
The members of the AER Presidium
To work with President Riccardo Illy, the AER also elected the members of the Presidium:
Michèle Sabban, Vice-President of the Region Ile-de-France (France) and Peter Straub, President of the Landtag (Regional Parliament) of Baden Württemberg (Germany) are elected as Vice-Presidents. Mrs Sabban remains President of the ‘Gender equality’ Group. Mr Straub will chair the new Standing Committee on Institutional Affairs.
Brian Greenslade, Leader of Devon County Council (United Kingdom) is re-elected Vice-President Treasurer. Mr Greenslade will also chair the new Standing Committee on Monitoring and Evaluation.
Adrien Zeller, President of the Regional Council of Alsace (France), Ivan Jakovcic, President of the Region of Istria (Croatia) and David Kirk, Executive Member of Hampshire County Council (United Kingdom) are elected as ‘Invited members of the Presidium’.
The AER General Assembly also re-elected Klaus Klipp as Secretary General for a second five year mandate.
The new AER structure
The AER General Assembly adopted today 6 new key priorities for the period 2007-2012:
ß Promoting the modernisation and internationalisation of regional governance
ß Promoting innovation, growth and employment in Europe’s regions
ß Addressing the challenges of demographic change, migration, health and social exclusion
ß Ensuring sustainable development and combating environmental degradation
ß Delivering democracy through diversity, and promoting the diversity of culture, media and education
ß Creating a secure environment for citizens
In order to deliver these priorities effectively, a new committee structure has been established:
Committee 1: Economy and Regional Development
Committee 2: Social Policy and Public Health
Committee 3: Culture and Education
In addition, two new Standing Committees have been created:
Standing Committee for Institutional Affairs which will focus upon developing the AER core values of regional democracy, good governance and subsidiarity, building upon the past work of the Institutional Affairs Committee.
Standing Committee for Monitoring and Evaluation which will oversee the implementation of the new key priorities and will ensure that the work of the AER Committees and Programmes always results in concrete outcomes.
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