IP/09/259 Bruxelles, den 13. februar 2009Regionerne bør "netværke om resultater", således at de er bedre rustet til at håndtere finanskrisen, klimaforandringerne og de energipolitiske udfordringer, siger Danuta HübnerMandag den 16. februar åbner Danuta Hübner, EU-kommissær med ansvar for regionalpolitik, den årlige konference "Regioner for Økonomisk Forandring", som Kommissionen lancerede tilbage i 2006. Mere end 800 repræsentanter for Europas regioner vil på denne todages konference få mulighed for at udveksle idéer og fremlægge deres erfaringer med hensyn til at forbedre konkurrenceevnen, skabe øget vækst og styrke beskæftigelsen. Et af højdepunkterne på konferencen bliver annonceringen mandag aften af vinderne af RegioStars-priserne for 2009, der tildeles de mest inspirerende og innovative projekter, støttet af EU's samhørighedspolitik. "Temaet for dette års konference, som er 'networking om resultater', kan vanskeligt være mere passende på et tidspunkt, hvor Europas regioner står over for en lang række globale udfordringer – finanskrisen, klimaforandringerne og energiforsyningen for blot at nævne et par stykker. Vi kan gennem de specifikke samhørighedspolitiske netværk fremme og udbrede de enkelte regioners bedste praksis og erfaringer, således at alle kan få gavn heraf", udtaler kommissær Hübner. Regionerne vil få mulighed for at fremlægge eksempler på god praksis i ni workshopper med følgende temaer: vandplanlægning, bredbåndsadgang, immigration i byområder, kreativitet og innovation, industriel omstrukturering, klimaforandringernes indvirkning på regionalt niveau, hurtigtfungerende innovationsnetværk, satellitbaserede oplysningstjenester og platformen til overvågning af Lissabon-processen, der løbende vurderer EU's strategi for vækst og beskæftigelse. Cyril Svoboda, minister for regional udvikling og repræsentant for det tjekkiske formandskab, Luc Van den Brande, formand for Regionsudvalget, og Ján Figel', kommissær med ansvar for uddannelse, efteruddannelse og kultur, vil ligeledes tale på konferencen. Kommissær Hübner og juryens formand, Amsterdams borgmester Job Cohen, vil i forbindelse med aftensarrangementet den 16. februar overrække RegioStars-priserne for 2009 til vellykkede og innovative regionalpolitiske projekter. I alt 52 projekter fra 18 lande deltager i dette års konkurrence, der har fokus på tre hovedtemaer:forskning, teknologisk udvikling og innovation tilpasning til eller begrænsning af klimaforandringerne audiovisuelt indslag eller program, der fremhæver samhørighedspolitikkens bidrag.Eksempler på eksisterende netværk af regioner og byer Der er siden 2006 blevet oprettet en række netværk af regioner med støtte fra Europa-Kommissionen under initiativet Regioner for Økonomisk Forandring, bl.a.: B3 REGIONS, som er et netværk, der forvaltes af Piemonte-regionen (Italien), og som har fokus på et aspekt med stor betydning for udviklingen af vidensøkonomien, nemlig gennemførelsen af forbindelser i afsidesliggende eller ugunstigt stillede regioner. RAPIDE, som koordineres af South West England Regional Development Agency (UK), og som har fokus på den offentlige sektors rolle med hensyn til at stimulere innovationen i de forskellige regioner, særlig ved at hjælpe små og mellemstore virksomheder med at bringe innovative produkter i omsætning så hurtigt som muligt. Dette netværk omfatter 12 europæiske regioner. HerO, som koordineres af Regensburg (Tyskland), og som er et netværk af 10 byer, der har til formål at fremme bæredygtige forvaltningsstrategier for historiske bymiljøer. Redaktionel note Konferencen organiseres af Europa-Kommissionen i samarbejde med Regionsudvalget. Formålet med initiativet Regioner for Økonomisk Forandring er at gøre det muligt i videst muligt omfang at udveksle erfaringer og god praksis i Europas regioner og til fulde at udnytte denne viden til at fremme konkurrenceevne, vækst og beskæftigelse. Der vil i perioden 2007-2013 blive stillet 375 mio. EUR til rådighed inden for rammerne af samhørighedspolitikken for networking og uddannelse under indsatsområdet for "interregionalt samarbejde". For yderligere oplysninger om initiativet Regioner for Økonomisk Forandring og RegioStars-priserne henvises til: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/cooperation/interregional/ecochange/index_en.cfmDette websted indeholder ligeledes interessante casestudies og eksempler på den bedste anvendelse af EU-investeringer til modernisering af regioner. 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