IP/09/259 Bruselj, 13. februarja 2009Za dosego rezultatov se morajo regije pri spopadanju s finančno krizo, podnebnimi spremembami in težavami z dobavo energije povezati v mreže, pravi Danuta HübnerKomisarka za regionalno politiko Danuta Hübner je v ponedeljek, 16. februarja, začela letno konferenco „Regije za gospodarske spremembe“, ki jo je Komisija uvedla leta 2006. Dvodnevni dogodek bo več kot 800 predstavnikom iz evropskih regij omogočil, da izmenjajo ideje in predstavijo svoje prispevke h konkurenčnosti, rasti in zaposlovanju. Eden izmed vrhuncev tega dogodka bo v ponedeljek zvečer, ko bodo razglašeni zmagovalci nagrade „RegioStars“ za leto 2009, ki se podeljuje za navdihujoče in inovativne projekte, financirane v okviru kohezijske politike EU. „Tema letošnje konference ‚Povezovanje v mreže za dosego rezultatov‘ je več kot primerna za čas, ko se evropske regije spopadajo s številnimi globalnimi izzivi, kot so npr. finančna kriza, podnebne spremembe in dobava energije. S povezovanjem v mreže v okviru kohezijske politike lahko spodbujamo dobre prakse in izkušnje ter jih uporabimo v posameznih regijah, tako da lahko koristijo vsem“, je povedala komisarka Hübner. Regije bodo primere dobrih praks predstavile v devetih delavnicah, ki vključujejo naslednja tematska področja: upravljanje voda, širokopasovni dostop do interneta, priseljevanje v mesta, ustvarjalnost in inovacije, industrijska reorganizacija, posledice podnebnih sprememb na regionalni ravni, mreže za hitro spodbujanje inovativnih projektov, satelitske informacijske storitve in platforma za spremljanje lizbonske strategije, ki vrednoti strategijo EU za rast in zaposlovanje. Na konferenci bodo sodelovali tudi minister za regionalni razvoj Cyril Svoboda, ki predstavlja češko predsedstvo Evropske unije, predsednik Odbora regij Luc Van den Brande in komisar za izobraževanje, usposabljanje, kulturo in mlade Ján Figel'. Komisarka Hübner in amsterdamski župan Job Cohen, ki je tudi predsednik žirije, bosta 16. februarja zvečer uspešnim in inovativnim projektom s področja regionalne politike podelila nagrade „RegioStars“ za leto 2009. Letos na tekmovanju sodeluje 52 projektov iz 18 držav. Nagrade se osredotočajo na tri velike kategorije:raziskave, tehnološki razvoj in inovacije, prilagoditev podnebnim spremembam ali njihova ublažitev, reklamni spot ali program, ki poudarja prispevek kohezijske politike.Primeri obstoječih mrež regij in mestOd leta 2006 so se razvile številne mreže regij, ki jih v okviru pobude Regije za gospodarske spremembe podpira Evropska komisija, vključno z naslednjimi: B3 REGIONS je mreža, ki jo vodi regija Piemonte (Italija). Ukvarja se s ključnim vprašanjem za razvoj na znanju temelječega gospodarstva: povezovanje oddaljenih ali ogroženih področij. RAPIDE, ki jo koordinira South West England Regional Development Agency (Združeno kraljestvo), se ukvarja z vlogo javnega sektorja pri spodbujanju inovacij v regijah in zlasti malim podjetjem pomaga pri hitrejšem dajanju inovativnih izdelkov na trg. Ta mreža vključuje 12 evropskih regij. HerO je mreža, ki jo vodi Regensburg (Nemčija) in jo tvori 10 mest, ki si prizadevajo za spodbujanje trajnostnega upravljanja strategij za zgodovinske mestne krajine. Opomba za urednike Konferenco je organizirala Evropska komisija skupaj z Odborom regij. Namen pobude Regije za gospodarske spremembe je omogočiti čim širšo izmenjavo izkušenj in dobrih praks v evropskih regijah ter njihov popoln izkoristek, da se spodbudijo konkurenčnost, rast in zaposlovanje. V okviru kohezijske politike je za obdobje 2007–2013 na voljo 375 milijonov EUR za povezovanje v mreže ter učne dejavnosti v okviru „medregionalnega sodelovanja“. Dodatne informacije o pobudi „Regije za gospodarske spremembe“ in nagradah „RegioStars“ so na voljo na: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/cooperation/interregional/ecochange/index_en.cfmTa spletna stran vsebuje zanimive študije primerov in primere najboljše uporabe sredstev EU za modernizacijo regij. 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