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Noord-Brabant believes in Europe Brabant applied to the European funds for assistance. The support that was forthcoming proved instrumental to the spectacular manner in which the economy of Brabant recovered. This boosted Brabant’s faith in Europe. And today, in 2008, Brabant makes its impact felt throughout Europe, and vice versa. Here is an overview: Noord-Brabant is innovative Ms Annemarie Moons, Regional Minister for Economy and Sustainability of NoordBrabant, with the Councillor and Head of Department of Labor and Economic Development of the City of Munich, Dr. Reinhard Wieczorek during the Innovation Society conference from Munich. According to its Regional Minister for Economy and Sustainability, Ms Annemarie Moons, Noord-Brabant’s strength lies in its capacity to connect: ‘Innovation and progress begin with the exchange of knowledge and encounters. This not only applies to people, but businesses and regions, too.’ Noord-Brabant is a member of the AER And Noord-Brabant also connects within the Assembly of European Regions (AER), a body which comprises 270 European regions. Established in 1985, the AER operates independently of both the European Union and the national governments. Noord-Brabant is a member of the AER, as are its fellow Dutch provinces of Flevoland, Gelderland and Limburg. The aim of the AER is to promote regional democracy and support the regions within Europe. The AER is a highly significant body in Brabant’s view: It is a platform for the exchange of knowledge with other European regions. Noord-Brabant also recently received the AER Innovation Award for its programme called ‘Innovatieve Acties Brabant’. The aim of the programme which roughly translates as ‘Innovative Activities in Brabant’ is to apply smart technology in the areas of health care and care for the elderly. Noord-Brabant cooperates within Europe Noord-Brabant has a sound reputation in the field of European cooperation. ’s -Hertogenbosch and Brussels are less than one hundred and fifty kilometres from one another by road. What’s more, Noord-Brabant is also quite close to the European Union in terms of attitude. This influential province in the south of the Netherlands has a rich history of European partnerships. It all started back in the nineteen eighties, when it participated in cross-border projects with the Flanders region of Belgium. And international contacts have continued to expand ever since, to the four corners of the current European Union. Noord-Brabant also has a positive view of European funds. In the early nineteen nineties, when major employers such as Philips and DAF experienced difficulties and unemployment became rife throughout the region, Noord Noord-Brabant is one of the European Union’s most innovative regions. Over three percent of Brabant’s gross regional product is spent on research & development. This implies that Noord-Brabant is already compliant with the European Union’s Lisbon objective. Some eighteen percent of the Netherlands’ entire R&D workforce is employed in NoordBrabant. The province is home to leading technological firms, such as Philips, ASML and TomTom. While many of Europe’s innovative regions are found in urban areas, NoordBrabant’s is characterised by a balanced combination of urban and rural locations. In 2006, the EU’s innovative regions united to form the Innovation Alliance. Seventeen regions are currently members of this partnership: Including Noord-Brabant, Stockholm, Budapest, Öresund, Wielkopolska and Munich. The objective of the alliance is to support one another in the field of economic development and innovation. This takes place by means of the intensive exchange of knowledge. Issue 11 December 2008 Celebrating excellence Luc Van den Brande presents this year’s Regional Champions awards Danuta Hübner unveils new plans to help Europe’s outermost regions Greater autonomy for regions could help in resolving conflicts over sovereignty, says Ulrich Bohner Old?ich Vlasák on ?ÓD? A Living City. Shaping of the City’s Natural System. 19th Century ?ód? developed among forests and rivers, fuelling greedy industry with wood and water. Although these resources were wasted, destroying ?ód? Forest and causing rivers to disappear or canalise, a bird’s eye view of ?ód? reveals a Cities The secret of a Winning Destination London, 2nd 4th March 2009 THE GLOBAL EVENT FOR BEST PRACTICE DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT AND PROMOTION By 2050 75% of the world’s population will be living in cities. What are the ingredients of a successful city? And how can you ensure your city’s success Issue 11 December 2008 EDITORIAL TEAM Europe editor Brian Johnson Managing editor Chris Jones Sarah Collins Martin Banks Matt Williams International Press Centre Boulevard Charlemagne 1 Box 2 Brussels 1041 Tel +32 (0) 2 285 0829 / newsdesk@theparliament. PRODUCTION Jearelle Wolhuter Kazimierz Kapus NEWS ANALYSIS OUTERMOST REGIONS | COMMISSIONER FAROE ISLANDS SHETLAND ISLANDS ORKNEY ISLANDS HERBRIDES Gotland FINLAND SWEDEN ALAND ISLANDS ESTONIA LATVIA LITHUANIA DENMARK LA IRE ND UNITED KINGDOM POLAND NETHERLANDS GERMANY BELGIUM CZECH LUXEMBOURG REPUBLIC AKIA SLOV AUSTRIA SLOVENIA HUNGA OUTERMOST REGIONS | COMMISSIONER NEWS ANALYSIS transporting fisheries products from the Azores, Madeira, the Canaries, French Guiana and Réunion are compensated) or indeed through EU research policies (the ORs are granted special status within the FP7 research programme). On 17 October, the Europe NEWS ANALYSIS COUNCIL OF EUROPE | CONFLICT PREVENTION FAROE ISLANDS SHETLAND ISLANDS ORKNEY ISLANDS HERBRIDES Gotland FINLAND SWEDEN ALAND ISLANDS ESTONIA LATVIA LITHUANIA DENMARK LA IRE ND UNITED KINGDOM POLAND NETHERLANDS GERMANY BELGIUM CZECH LUXEMBOURG REPUBLIC AKIA SLOV AUSTRIA SLOVENI COUNCIL OF EUROPE | CONFLICT PREVENTION NEWS ANALYSIS Could greater autonomy for South Ossetia have prevented last summer’s armed conflict there? as a constituent part of any democratic system. The European charter of local self-government, adopted in 1985, boosted the development and strengthenin NEWS ANALYSIS NAVARRA | RECYCLING ASTURIAS GALICIA CANTABRIA PAIS VASCO NAVARRA LA RIOJA CATALUNA ARAGON CASTILLA Y LEON Madrid EXTREMADURA CASTILLA-LA MANCHA VALENCIANA Working with waste The northern Spanish region of Navarra has launched an innovative project combining recycling with so TERRITORIAL COHESION | ARF NEWS ANALYSIS NORD-PASDE-CALAIS A different kind of Europe As Europe debates the issue of territorial cohesion, Alain Rousset calls for regions to stake their claim for a bigger role HAUTENORMANDIE BASSE NORMANDIE BRETAGNE PAYS DE LA LOIRE PICARDIE CENTRE BOURGOGNE NEWS ANALYSIS CEMR I TWINNING FAROE ISLANDS SHETLAND ISLANDS ORKNEY ISLANDS HERBRIDES Gotland FINLAND SWEDEN ALAND ISLANDS ESTONIA LATVIA LITHUANIA DENMARK D LAN IRE UNITED KINGDOM POLAND NETHERLANDS GERMANY BELGIUM CZECH LUXEMBOURG REPUBLIC AKIA SLOV AUSTRIA SLOVENIA HUNGARY ROMANIA Virt TWINNING I CEMR NEWS ANALYSIS ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ???? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? Air travel is not as effective as town twinning in forging international links, says P NEWS ANALYSIS Orkney Western Isles REGIONS OF CULTURE Skye Highland Grampian Tayside Mull Fife Central Islay GLASGOW Strathclyde Arran Borders SCOTLAND Lothian Dumfries And Galloway North Umberland Tyne & Wear Durham Cumbria Isle Of Man Cleveland North Yorkshire Lancashire Humberside We REGIONS OF CULTURE NEWS ANALYSIS Europe sometimes seem more fruitful than relating to the centre. Further, international connectedness is vitally important to Cornwall’s future health – for its markets, for its access to innovation and for the cohesion of its communities (now playing host to a new THE EUROPEAN PLAN 2000/06 HAS COME TO AN END N ow underway is the new plan for 2007/13, which we are looking to with particular interest not only in terms of the provisions contained in the Community Regulation aimed at rural development, but also in terms of the raft of European Community regulat behind local development lies in the exploitation of an area’s own resources, deriving from scenic beauty, traditions and local culture and the varieties of gastronomic and tourist attractions typical of coastal strips as well as other forms of tourism (nature, equestrian, etc.), so as to raise the NEWS ANALYSIS REGIONAL CHAMPIONS AWARDS SOCIAL POLICY INNOVATION FAROE ISLANDS SHETLAND ISLANDS ORKNEY ISLANDS HERBRIDES Gotland FINLAND SWEDEN ALAND ISLANDS ESTONIA LATVIA LITHUANIA DENMARK D LAN IRE UNITED KINGDOM POLAND NETHERLANDS GERMANY BELGIUM CZECH LUXEMBOURG REPUBLIC AKIA SLOV REGIONAL CHAMPIONS AWARDS NEWS ANALYSIS COMMUN ICATION TRANSPORT ENVIRONMEN T EUROPEAN REGIONAL CHAMPIONS AWARDS 2008 in association with MARITIME The Parliament Magazine’s WINNERS INNOVATION CHAMPION JINNOVE Nord-Pas de Calais, France COMMUNICATION CHAMPION EU-Villages Smedjebacken, Swed NEWS ANALYSIS CITIES Urban development European cities should have equal footing with regions when it comes to EU cohesion and structural policy, argues Old?ich Vlasák M ost of us, 80 per cent of the citizens of the EU, live in cities. In our cities we generate 70-80 per cent of the goods and se CITIES NEWS ANALYSIS current local councillor, I’m delighted to lead this report as a rapporteur and guide its results in the debate on future of cohesion policy. European urban policy needs to accommodate the needs of metropolises such as Rome, London and Paris, as well as mid-sized cities like P NEWS ANALYSIS Orkney Western Isles REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES Skye Highland Grampian Tayside Mull Fife Central Islay GLASGOW Strathclyde Arran Borders SCOTLAND Lothian Dumfries And Galloway North Umberland Tyne & Wear Durham Cumbria Isle Of Man Cleveland North Yorkshire Lancashire Hu REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES NEWS ANALYSIS agree to work directly with the east of England development agency (EEDA) board to develop and agree on a single regional strategy (SRS). Essex county council, which has taken an active role in defining a new regional government relationship, pitches dir COUNTRY FOCUS THE NETHERLANDS Development through cooperation IN THIS SECTION 28 Above average Noord-Brabant’s strategic position and friendly, dynamic population mean that the province has much to offer, claims Hanja Maij-Weggen 31 A new future for old waste An innovative plan to turn old landfi Crossing borders within a Technological Top Region – a letter of intent Mönchengladbach and Krefeld) resolved to smooth the way towards a Technological Top Region (TTR). The partners have joined together to draw up and approve an administrative assignment that will ultimately lead to a shared agenda “Joining forces and accelerating towards a cross-border Technological Top Region” development potential the cross-border region has. The focus is on sectors (clusters) that are by their nature “top technological”. On 3 November 2008 the regional governments determined the specific focus, so that rea COUNTRY FOCUS NETHERLANDS | NOORD-BRABANT WEST FRISIAN ISLANDS FRIESLAND GRONINGEN DRENTHE NOORDHOLLAND FLEVOLAND OVERIJSSEL UTRECHT ZUID-HOLLAND GELERLAND Above average Noord-Brabant’s strategic position and friendly, dynamic population mean that the province has much to offer, claims Hanja NETHERLANDS | NOORD-BRABANT COUNTRY FOCUS largest urbanised region in the country after the Randstad conurbation. Urban dynamics and innovation are high on the list of priorities. The Eindhoven area has not been ranked among the top 10 innovative regions of Europe for the past 20 years for nothing Kennispark Twente: an example of a successful triple helix cooperation I This unique cooperation is taking shape in Kennispark Twente. The organisation is making an effort to create 10.000 new highprofile jobs in Twente with a main focus on three points. The first is facilitating the start and gro NETHERLANDS | NOORD-BRABANT COUNTRY FOCUS WEST FRISIAN ISLANDS GRONINGEN FRIESLAND A new future for old waste An innovative plan to turn old landfill sites into new public spaces is being championed by the Noord-Brabant province, boasts Onno Hoes ZEELAND DRENTHE NOORDHOLLAND FLEVOLAND OVERIJS COUNTRY FOCUS NETHERLANDS | NOORD-BRABANT The landfill challenge Europe has around 150,000 former and abandoned landfill sites covering approximately 300,000 hectares, which is equal to the combined size of Madrid, Paris and Rome. Noord-Brabant has around 600 closed landfills, covering 1200 hectare SufalNet4EU Is your old landfill a problem? We see the opportunities! SufalNet4EU is here for you! The new SufalNet4EU project will help regional and local authorities make Action Plans for redevelopment of former and abandoned landfills. Aim is to finance the redevelopments with money from Objecti Eindhoven Brainport: development through cooperation T he Eindhoven region is undergoing a far-reaching process of transformation: from a traditional, technically-oriented manufacturing industry to a knowledge industry driven by innovation, research and development. The significance of the region fo Mary Fiers, Alderman of housing and planning concept, in which the quality of life is seen as a fundamental condition for prosperous and durable economic development. Quality of life is connected to working, living and recreation. The municipality of Eindhoven is facing a number of interesting cha COUNTRY FOCUS NETHERLANDS | DRENTHE WEST FRISIAN ISLANDS FRIESLAND GRONINGEN DRENTHE NOORDHOLLAND FLEVOLAND OVERIJSSEL UTRECHT ZUID-HOLLAND GELERLAND NOORD-BRABANT ZEELAND LIMBURG Help from the stars Drenthe is home to some of Europe’s most powerful space sensors – but the technology is als NETHERLANDS | DRENTHE COUNTRY FOCUS laboration with the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) is to measure the wind speed in the north of the Netherlands. With the right wind direction, the speed can forecast the amount of electricity that the wind turbines in north Germany will produ The largest radio telescope in the world is located in the north of the Netherlands: LOFAR seeks out the furthest corners of the universe and also conquers new markets L OFAR, the LOw Frequency ARay, is a radio telescope which covers a good part of North West Europe. LOFAR consists of dozens of sm Energy, water technology and sensor technology are the leading sectors in the North Netherlands he North Netherlands recognises the importance of knowledge as the key factor in production in the future. The transition to a knowledge – based economy is thus also the main thread running through this v Managing EU funds for the region The Netherlands region of South Limburg had to reinvent itself after the closure of the coalmines. ERDF funding, regional cooperation and professional programme management were two key factors. U nder the auspices of Objective 2 the first joint European regional de NETHERLANDS | UTRECHT COUNTRY FOCUS WEST FRISIAN ISLANDS GRONINGEN FRIESLAND Silent running Susan van Wersch welcomes Utrecht’s new electric-powered beer boat, keeping the city’s historic centre clean and quiet ZEELAND DRENTHE NOORDHOLLAND FLEVOLAND OVERIJSSEL UTRECHT ZUID-HOLLAND GELERLAND COUNTRY FOCUS NETHERLANDS | UTRECHT Susan van Wersch is an advisor on international affairs for the city of Utrecht CO2 reduction is the equivalent of 11 football fields of trees. The new boat has already raised international interest. Just recently, experts from Paris and Lille visited Utrecht to Twente Technologie Technologies and craftmanship, world-wide N o business exists in a static environment, and these days the rate of change is faster then ever. Globalisation, the challenge from emergingeconomies, greater customer choice & power, and increased service expectations are just a few Noord-Brabant believes in Europe Brabant applied to the European funds for assistance. The support that was forthcoming proved instrumental to the spectacular manner in which the economy of Brabant recovered. This boosted Brabant’s faith in Europe. And today, in 2008, Brabant makes its impact felt t Consider for example, Interreg 4c: A programme that focuses on networking and knowledge exchange between regional administrations and other public bodies within the EU. Interreg 4c attracted almost five hundred project proposals from all over Europe, while Noord-Brabant itself participated in four. COUNTRY FOCUS NETHERLANDS | THE HAGUE WEST FRISIAN ISLANDS FRIESLAND GRONINGEN DRENTHE NOORDHOLLAND FLEVOLAND OVERIJSSEL The Hague UTRECHT GELERLAND ZUID-HOLLAND Energy from the sea An innovative system using the heat of seawater to power houses in the Scheveningen district of The Hague is NETHERLANDS | THE HAGUE COUNTRY FOCUS T he municipality of The Hague is currently working on an environmental policy plan to 2010, which will make the city even more liveable, healthy and safe. This development was partly prompted by European environmental legislation, regionalisation and the exp Quality of life in airport regions Creating competitive airport regions in which economic development and the improvement of quality of life are equally balanced. O ne of the largest airports in Europe, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, is located in the province of Noord-Holland. The airport is recogni REGIONAL ASSOCIATIONS | CPMR SPECIAL REPORT SPECIAL REPORT FAROE ISLANDS SHETLAND ISLANDS ORKNEY ISLANDS HERBRIDES Gotland FINLAND Stand up and be counted Regions need to make their voices heard more clearly if they are to play their part in tackling climate change, a recent CPMR conference hea SPECIAL REPORT REGIONAL ASSOCIATIONS | CPMR “There is no contradiction between defending economic interests and defending the interests of the planet” Claudio Martini, CPMR president tier with regard to good governance. “The EU has a pioneering approach in terms of regional policy. However, for on REGIONAL ASSOCIATIONS | CPMR SPECIAL REPORT Spain’s Canary Islands could be among many outermost regions to suffer if air travel costs rise as part of the climate change measures regions, since they are totally dependent on such means of transportation. Another point is that many measures outlined DISSEMINATION England’s Northwest E ngland’s Northwest is a key EU region with nearly 7 million people and an economy of €140 billion, larger than 15 EU countries. The region consists of the key cities of Manchester and Liverpool – the latter being the 2008 European Capital of Culture – as well as REGIONAL ASSOCIATIONS | EUROCITIES SPECIAL REPORT Building the modern city Making life better and easier for people who live in Europe’s cities was the focus of this year’s Eurocities conference in The Hague. Chris Jones reports FAROE ISLANDS SHETLAND ISLANDS ORKNEY ISLANDS HERBRIDES Gotland FIN Wielkopolska Region Ladies and gentlemen, B eing a part of the European Community is an obligation. Wherever the democratic laws of the 21 st century are broken, we are obliged to intervene. The fall of the Tsarist Russia, then of the USSR, gave Georgia hope for independence. The dramatic events an important example of actions enforcing the cooperation of EU regions with Georgian local governments. The presence of eminent guests, including Luc Van den Brande President of the Committee of the Regions, also tells the importance of the meeting and the issue discussed at the conference. The con SPECIAL REPORT REGIONAL ASSOCIATIONS | AER LAPLAND NORTHERN OSTROBOTHNIA KAINUU FINLAND CENTRAL OSTROBOTHNIA OSTROBOTHNIA SOUTHERN OSTROBOTHNIA PIRKANMAA SATAKUNTA Tampere A warm welcome? NORTH KARELIA NORTHERN SAVONIA CENTRAL FINLAND SOUTHERN SAVONIA PÄIJÄNNE TAVASTIA EASTERN UUSIMAA SOUTH K REGIONAL ASSOCIATIONS | AER SPECIAL REPORT The Tampere Declaration Delegates at the AER meeting set out their position in the Tampere declaration on migration and integration. Among other things, the declaration states that “integration of migrants implies mutual learning, respect and give and tak SPECIAL REPORT REGIONAL ASSOCIATIONS | AER Arno Fougeres/AER New AER president The AER meeting also saw the election of France’s Michèle Sabban as the new president of the organisation and the first to be elected by popular vote. Sabban, who is vice president of the Ile-de-France region around Pa Consultancy for succeeding in Europe for your development projects n Soci uropea get E F) ? How to (ES al Fund Regi ropean RDF) ? get Eu nd (E Fu How to velop onal De ment e l coop ritoria an ter ding Europe fun ration r und fo ltural F Agricu ropean nt (EAFRD) ? get Eu e How to ral Developm La banque européenne d’investissement Oeuvrer pour le développement des régions Nous soutenons le développement économique dans les régions les moins favorisées de l’Union européenne, en particulier au titre de l’objectif de convergence. Notre mission est de contribuer au développement équilibré, a