IP/09/259 Brussell, 13 ta' Frar 2009Ir-reġjuni jridu 'jibnu netwerks li jagħtu riżultati' biex jindirizzaw il-kriżi finanzjarja, il-bidla fil-klima u l-biżgħat dwar l-enerġija, qalet Danuta HübnerNhar it-Tnejn 16 ta' Frar, il-Kummissarju tal-Politika Reġjonali Danuta Hübner se tiftaħ il-konferenza annwali "Reġjuni għall-Bidla Ekonomika", li tnediet mill-Kummissjoni fl-2006. L-okkażjoni maqsuma fuq jumejn se tagħti opportunità lil aktar minn 800 rappreżentant mir-reġjuni tal-Ewropa biex jaqsmu flimkien l-ideat u jippreżentaw pubblikament il-kontribut tagħhom għall-kompetittività, it-tkabbir ekonomiku u l-impjiegi. Wieħed mill-punti ewlenin tal-okkażjoni se jseħħ it-Tnejn filgħaxija meta jitħabbru r-rebbieħa tal-Premjijiet 'RegioStars' 2009, li jonoraw il-proġetti li ispiraw l-aktar u dawk l-aktar innovattivi ffinanzjati mill-Politika ta' Koeżjoni tal-UE. "It-tema tal-konferenza ta' din is-sena 'Nibnu netwerks li jagħtu riżultati' ma tantx tista' tkun iżjed f'waqtha f'mument bħal dan meta r-reġjuni Ewropej qed jiffaċċjaw sfidi globali varji - il-kriżi finanzjarja, il-bidla fil-klima u l-provvista tal-enerġija biex insemmu wħud minnhom. Permezz tan-netwerks tal-Politika ta' Koeżjoni, nistgħu nippromwovu u nintegraw il-prassi t-tajba u l-esperjenza fir-reġjuni biex ikun jista' jgawdi minnha kulħadd," qalet il-Kummissarju Hübner. Ir-reġjuni se jippreżentaw eżempji ta' prassi tajba f'disa' seminars li jkopru l-oqsma tematiċi li ġejjin: il-ġestjoni tal-ilma, l-aċċess għall-broadband, l-immigrazzjoni fl-ibliet, il-kreattività u l-innovazzjoni, ir-riorganizzazzjoni industrijali, l-impatt tal-bidla fil-klima fil-livell reġjonali, ir-rotot ta' ħeffa għan-netwerks ta' innovazzjoni, is-servizzi ta' tagħrif permezz tas-satellita u l-Pjattaforma ta' Liżbona ta' Monitoraġġ, li tivvaluta l-istrateġija tal-UE għat-tkabbir ekonomiku u l-impjiegi. Kelliema oħra waqt il-konferenza se jkunu Cyril Svoboda, il-Ministru għall-Iżvilupp Reġjonali, li jirrappreżenta l-Presidenza Ċeka tal-Unjoni Ewropea, Luc Van den Brande il-President tal-Kumitat tar-Reġjuni, u Ján Figel', il-Kummissarju għall-Edukazzjoni, it-Taħriġ u l-Kultura. F'okkażjoni ta' filgħaxija fis-16 ta' Frar, il-Kummissarju Hübner u l-President tal-Ġurija, Job Cohen, is-Sindku ta' Amsterdam, għandhom jippreżentaw il-premjijiet 'RegioStars' 2009 lill-proġetti ta' politika reġjonali li ispiraw l-aktar u dawk l-aktar innovattivi. Ħadu sehem madwar 52 proġett minn 18-il pajjiż għall-premjijiet ta' din is-sena, li jiffukaw fuq tliet kategoriji ewlenin:Ir-riċerka, l-iżvilupp teknoloġiku u l-innovazzjoni; L-adattament għal bidla fil-klima jew it-taffija tagħha; Riklam jew programm awdjoviżiv li jenfasizza l-kontribut tal-Politika ta' Koeżjoni.Eżempji ta' netwerks eżistenti ta' reġjuni u bliet Mill-2006 'l hawn, żviluppaw bosta netwerks ta' reġjuni, appoġġjati mill-Kummissjoni Ewropea taħt il-kappa tal-inizjattiva Reġjuni għall-Bidla Ekonomika, inklużi: B3 REGIONS, netwerk immexxi mir-Reġjun tal-Piemonte (l-Italja). Huwa jindirizza l-kwistjoni ta' qofol għall-iżvilupp tal-ekonomija tal-għarfien: l-implimentazzjoni ta' konnessjonijiet f'żoni remoti jew żvantaġġati. RAPIDE, ikkoordinat mill-Aġenzija tal-Iżvilupp Reġjonali tal-Lbiċ tal-Ingilterra (ir-Renju Unit), jindirizza r-rwol tas-settur pubbliku biex jistimula l-innovazzjoni fir-reġjuni, b'mod partikolari jgħin lin-negozji ż-żgħar biex iwasslu prodotti innovattivi fis-suq b'mod aktar mgħaġġel. Dan in-netwerk ilaqqa' 12-il reġjun Ewropew. HerO, immexxi minn Regensburg (il-Ġermanja), huwa netwerk ta' għaxart ibliet li jimmira li jipproduċi strateġiji sostenibbli ta' ġestjoni għal pajsaġġi storiċi urbani. Nota lill-edituri Il-konferenza hija organizzata mill-Kummissjoni Ewropea bi sħab mal-Kumitat tar-Reġjuni. L-iskop tal-inizjattiva tar-Reġjuni għall-Bidla Ekonomika huwa li din tippermetti li l-esperjenza u l-prassi t-tajba fir-reġjuni tal-Ewropa jiġu kondiviżi b'mod mifrux kemm jista' jkun, u li tiġi sfruttata bis-sħiħ biex tippromwovi l-kompetittività, it-tkabbir ekonomiku u l-impjiegi. Matul il-perjodu 2007-2013, hemm disponibbli finanzjament ta' EUR 375 miljun permezz tal-Politika tal-Koeżjoni għall-bini tan-netwerks u għall-attivitajiet ta' tagħlim li taqa' taħt il-kappa ta' "Kooperazzjoni interreġjonali". Għal aktar tagħrif dwar "Reġjuni għall-Bidla Ekonomika" u l-premjijiet 'RegioStars': http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/cooperation/interregional/ecochange/index_en.cfmDin il-websajt toffri wkoll każistika u eżempji interessanti tal-aqwa użu tal-investiment Ewropew għall-modernizzazzjoni tar-reġjuni. Finalists for REGIOSTARS 2009- The Awards for regional innovative projects The finalists are listed here (in no particular order): Category1: Research, Technological Development and Innovation ROADEX – Interreg project, Lead partner Västerbotten, Sweden This project involves trans-national collaboration, networking and research on a wide range of aspects affecting rural roads which maximises their potential and contributes to the sustainability of local communities. (EU contribution: €488 333) Lahti Cleantech Cluster, Päijät-Häme, Finland The aim of this project was to strengthen the development work between companies and development organisations specialising in recycling, materials and energy efficiency, water management and soil decontamination. (EU contribution: €1.5 million) Berlin Adlershof – City of Science, Technology and Media, Berlin, Germany This project was the development of a campus (Adlershof) into a leading Science Park improving the links between science, research and technology with innovative business and efficient services. (EU contribution: €87.6 million) Proof of Concept, North East of England, UK The Proof of Concept Fund, an early-stage technology investment fund, is at the heart of science and technology SME development investing at the very earliest stages of business creation and growth. (EU contribution: €5.6 million) Science Park Potsdam – Golm, Brandenburg,Germany As a result of a regional strategy scientific and academic institutions have settled at the Science Centre in Golm, this in turn has become one of the most significant engines of innovation in the region. (EU contribution: €74.3 million) LOFAR, Northern Components, The Northern Netherlands Provinces, The Netherlands The LOFAR project is aimed at developing and constructing a sensor network for the collection and processing of real-time streaming data in support of a very sensitive radio telescope for an array of geophysical sensors and in the field of precision agriculture. (EU contribution: €10.8 million) DIPLE Printing Technologies, Wales, UK The main aim of DIPLE was to perform case study projects with partner companies, develop best practice methodologies and innovative uses of printing to create high quality value added products. These could then be used as the basis for knowledge transfer. (EU contribution: £1.13 million or €1.26 million) Cenaero Recherches, Hainaut, Belgium This project aimed to start up new a centre of excellence in aeronautical research dedicated to advanced simulation and modelling for multi-physics applications, virtual manufacturing, multi-scale material and structure modelling, multidisciplinary optimization, and high performance computing. (EU contribution: €4.12 million) ISFOC, Castilla la Mancha, Spain Focussing on field tests, standardization and know-how in a developing market, the Institute for Concentration Photovoltaic Systems aims to assist, through collaborative projects, companies and universities to adapt their supply to the technological demand in the field of Concentration Photovoltaic. (EU contribution: €5.6 million) West Midlands Technology Network, West Midlands, UK The aim of WMTN was to make university expertise more accessible to companies and to use that expertise in a practical way to make a strategic difference to the region's productivity by increasing the competitiveness of regional companies. (EU contribution: £9.9 million or €11 million) REGENERGY, Interreg project, Lead partners Berlin and Brandenburg Germany This is a Europe-wide network of pioneering communities and regions working on innovative organisational, regulatory, policy and financing solutions in the area of heating and cooling. (EU contribution: €831 000) SpaceInnovation SAAR, Saarland, Germany This initiative organises the innovation process between the European space community and non-space, high-tech, sectors in Saarland, providing a spin-in approach that generates new and high quality collaborations. (EU contribution: €79 826) Lasers for Micromachining and Diagnostics, Lithuania This project brought together four Lithuanian laser technology and photonic enterprises for the purpose of developing top quality industrial lasers intended for particularly subtle micromachining. (EU contribution: €1.09 million) Centre of Excellence "Nanoscience and Nanotechnology", Central Slovenia This R&D project on nano-electronic devices for nanotechnology has combined research facilities at public research units with those in the business sector, providing closer cooperation and better utilisation of research results for economic development. (EU contribution: €829 369) Ashfield Skills Centre, East Midlands, UK This project delivered five discrete, but philosophically linked, learning environments over the course of four years, delivering high quality vocation courses to meet the skills shortages identified by local employers. (EU contribution: £2.25 million or €2.5 million) Corallia – The Hellenic Technology Clusters Initiative, Attica, Greece This project facilitates the advancement of industry-driven innovation clusters in knowledge-intensive and exports-oriented technology segments where there is capacity to build a worldwide competitive advantage and a sustainable innovation ecosystem. Corallia has supported the emergence of the first cluster in Greece in the area of Microelectronics and Embedded Systems. (EU contribution: €3.29 million) ESTIIC: Fostering competitiveness through Innovation and Information Society, Interreg Project, lead partner Asturias, Spain The aim of this interregional project has not only been to improve regional cooperation in specific technological areas but to harness the knowledge obtained through collaborative projects for use in the future. (EU contribution: €3.1 million) Category 2: Adaptation to or mitigation of climate change Photovoltaic Electricity Production – Ile de la Réunion, France This project involves photovoltaic electricity production from panels located on three industrial buildings connected to one transformer, thereby increasing the autonomy of the island's electricity production, adapting techniques in a tropical environment and creating local employment. (EU contribution: €623 691) The Northern Maritime Corridor, Interreg project, lead partner Rogaland, Norway The overall aim and vision of this interregional project is that the Northern Maritime Corridor should be a means of efficient, safe and sustainable transportation, connecting costal areas and enhancing regional development in the North Sea Region and the Northern Periphery Region. (EU contribution: €5.3 million) EnergyAgency.NRW, North Rhine-Westphalia,Germany This service provider acts as a strategic platform with wide-ranging competence in the energy domain, from funding of research, technical development, demonstration and market launch to energy consultancy and continuous vocational training. (EU contribution: €6.3 million) Category 3: Radio or television spot or programme that highlights the contribution of Cohesion Policy "The EU Funds (The Dog)" from the Czech Republic "Do you know about ... ESPA?" and "Now, you know about ...ESPA" from Greece "It's good to be proud" from Hungary "The European Union and the Province Zuid-Holland" from The Netherlands "National Cohesion Strategy Image Campaign" from Poland For more information: http://ec.europa.eu/inforegio/innovation/regiostars_en.htm