Strasbourg (F), 2 December 2011

The Assembly of European Regions (AER) pays tribute to Jacques Robert, who passed away on Wednesday, November 23.

Mr. Robert devoted his entire professional career to European issues related to spatial planning and regional development. He worked as a researcher at the European Research Institute for Urban and Regional Planning and at the European Research Network for Regional, Urban and Environmental Planning in The Hague up to 1984. He then became the Director of the European Research Centre for Regional Development (ECRD) in Strasbourg (1985-1994) and the Director of TERSYN (European Territories and Synergies) and carried those responsibilities until he passed away.

Mr. Robert significantly contributed to the publication of Europe-wide research and policy documents such as Europe 2000+ (European Commission,1994), Community Policies and Spatial Development (ESDP Forum, European Commission, 1999), the Guiding Principles for the Sustainable Territorial Development of the European Continent (CEMAT, 2000), and the Rotterdam Report of the Conference of Ministers responsible for Spatial Development (Dutch Presidency, 2004).

He is also the author of numerous trans-national, cross-border, national and regional studies in various European countries. He had just finished a bilingual book (French/English) of reflections and prospective analyses entitled “The European Territory: From Roots to Global Issues.”

The Assembly of European Regions will keep a lasting memory of this committed European.

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