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AUSTRIA | CARINTHIACOUNTRY FOCUSGerhard Dörfler (2nd left) together with the presidents of the regions Friuli-Venezia Giulia Renzo Tondo and Veneto Giancarlo Galan and commission Vice-President for Transport Antonio Tajani great opportunities for their communities but for the entire Alpine-Adriatic region. Carinthia offers a variety of cultural institutions as well as cultural and sporting events with various summer festivals, the museum of modern art of Carinthia, the Werner Berg museum and many more. In 2009 the Benedictine abbey of St.Paul/Lavanttal will organise the “2009 European exposition” in cooperation with the city of Bleiburg, the federal province and numerous other partners. Two complementary expositions, “The power of words” in St. Paul and “The power of pictures” in Bleiburg, will I’m sure equally enchant visitors from across Europe with a multitude of art treasures and exhibits. Carinthia does not only guarantee a great time to enthusiasts of music. Wellness and adventure tourists also enjoy rich offerings. The annual beach volleyball tournament, the Ironman triathlon, the Franz-Klammer word-championship field-day are known across Europe. Austria’s southernmost federal province has many other facets including culinary festivals, an adventure tour “Water-Life” at Lake Millstätter See, and the annual Harley Davidson reunion. I’d like to take the opportunity to welcome you to our region embedded between mountains and lakes. Welcome to Carinthia.Gerhard Dörfler is governor of the Austrian federal province of CarinthiaSchools in Alpine Regions A transnational research projectWhat value have schools in small villages in alpine regions? That’s the central question of a transnational project of the University Colleges of Teacher Education Vorarlberg (A), St. Gallen, Graubünden and Wallis (CH). The participating four regions are experiencing very similar problems: The migration of young people and the decline of the number of children in villages. This has profound effects on schools in rural areas, in its extreme case: school closure. The advantage of a school nearby is not only that it provides the shortest school journey for children. Beyond this the village schools plays an important role in the formation of identity for children and villagers in general. The answers of policy makers to deal with the challenges are different in the four regions. In Austria for example there are strong attempts to maintain every school, even very small ones, where the children are taught in age-mixed classes. Therefore, the chances of this didactical arrangement will be a main research question. The aim of this project is to develop empirical based assistance for educational policy makers regionally and nationally. Coordination: PH Vorarlberg (Prof. Reinhard Müller) office@ph-vorarlberg.ac Supported by: Interreg IV Alpenrhein – Bodensee – Hochrhein Duration: January 2009 till December 2011www.schulealpin.orgProject funded by the European UnionMarch 2009 REGIONAL REVIEW39 Issue 12 March 2009Danuta Hübner looks at how the RegioStar awards can promote regional creativityCountry focus: Gerhard Dörfler says Carinthia is an important gateway to central and south-east EuropeReinventing Berlin “Berlin has become the perfect example of an exciting and creative city right in ?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 g Issue 12 March 2009EDITORIAL TEAM Managing editor Brian Johnson Martin Banks Martha Moss Francesca Ross International Press Centre Boulevard Charlemagne 1 Box 2 Brussels 1041 Tel +32 (0) 2 285 0829 / newsdesk@theparliament. PRODUCTION Jearelle Wolhuter Kazimierz Kapusniak David Nobakht Advertising p North East England UK RegioStars Award Finalist 2009The Proof of Concept (POC) Fund, for which North East Finance Limited received ERDF investment to deliver, was selected as a finalist for the European Commission RegioStars 2009 Awards. The theme for the 2009 awards was Research, Technological Deve REGIOSTARSNEWS ANALYSISFAROE ISLANDS SHETLAND ISLANDSFINLANDNetworking for results Recognising regional achievements can foster and promote creativity explains Danuta Hübner, as she tells us more about the 2009 RegioStars awards PORT UGALORKNEY ISLANDS HERBRIDESSWEDENALAND ISLANDSESTONIA LATVIA LITH NEWS ANALYSISREGIOSTARSOne of the key messages to emerge from the conference was that the challenges faced by Europe do not stop at national borders, and neither therefore will the solutions. The EU has a vital role to play in brokering cooperation between regions to help come up with integrated and ECONOMIC CRISIS | FOGARNEWS ANALYSISFAROE ISLANDSFINLANDUnited in adversity Philippe Le Corre explains how the La Baule World Investment Conference will be debating the future of Europe in a global context PORT UGALSHETLAND ISLANDS ORKNEY ISLANDS HERBRIDES GotlandSWEDENALAND ISLANDSESTONIA LATVIA LI NEWS ANALYSISSMALL BUSINESS ACTFAROE ISLANDS SHETLAND ISLANDS ORKNEY ISLANDS HERBRIDES GotlandFINLANDSWEDENALAND ISLANDSESTONIA LATVIA LITHUANIADENMARK LA IRE NDUNITED KINGDOMPOLAND NETHERLANDS GERMANY BELGIUM CZECH LUXEMBOURG REPUBLIC AKIA SLOV AUSTRIA SLOVENIA HUNGARY ROMANIAReap the rewards BULGA ECONOMIC CRISIS | FOGARNEWS ANALYSISFAROE ISLANDS SHETLAND ISLANDS ORKNEY ISLANDS HERBRIDES GotlandFINLANDChain reaction Representatives from regions throughout the world met earlier this month to discuss the impact of the global financial meltdown on their towns and cities. Martin Banks reports POR Limitless innovation...... contracts to knowledge institutes. The best projects received additional financial resources to realise RD. The entrepreneurs in the Dutch-German border area made full use of these options. Their enthusiasm to participate in the project is reflected by the substantial fina ...tastes like more This inspiring booklet can be ordered through project manager Maaike Lugtenaar (maaike.lugtenaar@oostn Whoever reads this booklet will immediately realise that the German-Dutch small and medium-size companies and the knowledge institutes have countless innovative ideas and aspira NEWS ANALYSISCZECH REG DAYSLIBERECKÝ ÚSTECKÝKRÁLOVÉHRADECKÝ Praha ST ? EDO ? ESKÝ PARDUBÍCKÝ MORAVSKOSLEZSKÝ OLOMOUCKÝ VYSO ? INA JIHO ? ESKÝ JIHOMORAVSKÝ ZLÍNSKÝKARLOVARSKÝPIZE ? SKÝCooperation rather than competition The Czech presidency is a significant milestone for a country that has brought mu CZECH REG DAYSNEWS ANALYSISthe contact lens Otto Wichterle, or the sugar cube of Jakub Kryštof Rad, then the Czech king and the Roman Emperor Charles IV, king Ji?í of Pod?brady or the leader of his diplomatic mission promoting peace cooperation in Europe, as early as the 15th century, South Bohemian NEWS ANALYSISCOHESION POLICYFAROE ISLANDS SHETLAND ISLANDS ORKNEY ISLANDS HERBRIDES GotlandFINLANDSWEDENALAND ISLANDSESTONIA LATVIA LITHUANIADENMARK LAN IRE DUNITED KINGDOMPOLAND NETHERLANDS GERMANY BELGIUM CZECH LUXEMBOURG REPUBLIC AKIA SLOV AUSTRIA SLOVENIA HUNGARY ROMANIAFRANCEITALYBULGARIACorsic COHESION POLICYNEWS ANALYSISEU finance because of the complicated procedures. An important change of the ERDF regulation refers to the eligibility of energy efficiency improvements and for the use of renewable energy in the existing housing within each member state. In addition to the benefits which ProcureA shared regional platform makes public e-procurement more competitive and attractive for small and medium-sized enterprises. Funded by the eTEN programme, PROCURE has developed regional e-procurement platforms in five pilot regions. The regions of Uddevalla (Sweden), Brittany (France) and Pi Following the experimentation, elected representatives of the Central Bohemia have recently decided to keep the Procure solution running and to start constructing their regional platform of e-services. Deploying the platform The project also deployment a fully functional regional e-procurement platf NEWS ANALYSISSUMMIT OF REGIONS AND CITIESLIBERECKÝ ÚSTECKÝKRÁLOVÉHRADECKÝ MORAVSKOSLEZSKÝ OLOMOUCKÝ VYSO ? INA JIHO ? ESKÝ JIHOMORAVSKÝ ZLÍNSKÝKARLOVARSKÝPrague ST ? EDO ? ESKÝ PARDUBÍCKÝPIZE ? SKÝUnited we stand Hundreds of local politicians visited the Czech Republic earlier this month to attend t SUMMIT OF REGIONS AND CITIESNEWS ANALYSIS(from left to right) Pavel Bém, Luc Van den Brande, Danuta Hübner, José Manuel Barroso, Cyril Svoboda and Matthias Kollatz-Ahnenvote,” he said. He told the Regional Review that European unity was needed to mobilise voters.” At a local level, there is of cours Finland Tampere DEMOLA! Multi-disciplinary creativity for tangible innovation projects he global economy is unwell. In Tampere, the prescription to ward off recession is open innovation. Among those administering this remedy is Demola. The Demola open innovation environment was established in autumn REGIONAL NEWSNEWS ANALYSISStructural funds top revenue stream EC plan under fire The European Investment Bank (EIB) says funding from the structural funds to the regions will overtake the common agricultural policy as the number one EU revenue stream in the period to 2013. The renewed EU cohesion po Investitionsbank Schleswig-Holstein as EU competence centre for Schleswig-HolsteinProgress comes in many forms. To become reality ideas need freedom to develop.Projects need solid foundations. Housing developments or the Europe-wide expansion of a company: good guidance and sound financity is needed GERMANY | COHESION POLICYCOUNTRY FOCUSKielStralsundSCHLESWIGHOLSTEINEurope’s unique territory Dr Michael Schneider explains why cohesion policy is uniquely European and how it can take a key role in tackling today’s key issuesMECKLENBURG-VORPOMMERN Bremerhaven Emden Oldenburg Bremen Hamburg Schwerin COUNTRY FOCUS GERMANY | COHESION POLICYThe European council building is reflected in a photograph of the EU flag in the council building in BrusselsDr Michael Schneider is state secretary for federal and European affairs, the president of the commission for territorial cohesion and the representativ A balance of tradition and innovation avaria is well-known as a state that combines tradition and innovation, strong economic performance and superb cultural achievements, a beautiful landscape and high tech industry. Throughout the last decades, Bavaria evolved from a rather underdeveloped agricult From the edge of Europe to its centre – Berlin and the new dynamics of interregional cooperation Berlin – Symbol of a united Europe For many of us, 2009 will mark the year of the deepest recession since the end of the Second World War. While the cooperation within the EU proves to be more challengin initiatives benefit from the common interest of all partners to fill their regions at the former borderlines of Europe with new life and economic impetus. In this regard, the creation of a joint, leading innovative space around the Baltic Sea is as well on the agenda as the formation of a closely ne DISSEMINATIONFeeling EuropeCross-border cooperation along the German-Dutch border gave the whole region important impulses. The launching of the INTERREG IV A-Programme Germany-Netherlands in December 2007 took this form of cooperation to a new level. For the first time, the area covered by the prog GERMANYCOUNTRY FOCUSKielSCHLESWIGHOLSTEIN Schwerin Hamburg BremenStralsundMECKLENBURG-VORPOMMERNThis way out The European economic recovery plan will do much to turn around our current woes but we must be looking to the long term, argues Dietmar BrockesEmden OldenburgBremerhavenNIEDERSACHSEN Hannove COUNTRY FOCUS GERMANYReforming the financial sector The Brockes report states that the institution is “extremely concerned about the rapid deterioration of the economic situation in the EU member states and in their regions and municipalities as well as the fact that the crisis has had a huge impact REURIS Revitalisation of Urban River Spaces A developing project network under the Central Europe ProgrammeFor decades, urban rivers in Central Europe were seen as a threat rather than a benefit. Despite the fact that such areas are particularly important or often the only functioning or potential r Frankfurter Programm – Aktive Nachbarschaft he municipal project „Frankfurter Programm – Aktive Nachbarschaft“ (Project of Frankfurt –Active Neighbourhood) has been proceeding for eight years successfully in Frankfurt am Main. It currently works in eight city districts within the Frankfurt area. A “ GERMANY | HAMBURGCOUNTRY FOCUSKielSCHLESWIGHOLSTEINStralsundThe green green grass of Hamburg With the title of European green capital 2011 in the bag, Lars Friedrichsen looks at the joys to be found in the German cityMECKLENBURG-VORPOMMERN Emden Oldenburg Bremerhaven Hamburg Bremen SchwerinNIEDERSAC COUNTRY FOCUS GERMANY | HAMBURGA container storage site is at a terminal of the Hamburger ‘Hafen und Logistik’ in Hamburg harbourLars Friedrichsen is deputy director of the Hamburg regional officecommission’s initiative covenant of mayors. The first mayor of Hamburg, Ole von Beust, was in Brussels o As Liberals and Democrats in Europe we believe that security is the guardian of liberty. Because without effective security the proper enjoyment of liberty is impossible. Combating terrorism and organised crime, of course, requires endless vigilance and tireless determination but we are increasingly COUNTRY FOCUS GERMANY | BERLINKielSCHLESWIGHOLSTEIN Hamburg SchwerinStralsundMECKLENBURG-VORPOMMERN Emden Oldenburg Bremerhaven BremenNIEDERSACHSEN Hannover Braunschweig MünsterBRANDENBURG BerlinPotsdam MagdeburgFrankfurtSACHSEN-ANHALT Halle Kassel Erfurt Gera LeipzigNORDRHEIN-WESTFALEN Düsseldorf C GERMANY | BERLINCOUNTRY FOCUSA man hammers away at the Berlin Wall in November 1989examples include gas turbine production at Siemens, Bayer Schering Pharma’s position in the health care sector, BMW’s motorcycle plant, the Daimler plant in Marienfelde, Gillette’s razor blade production, the Stadler COUNTRY FOCUS AUSTRIA | CARINTHIAViennaUPPERAUSTRIALOWER AUSTRIABURGENLAND VORARLBERG STYRIASimply different Carinthia is and has always been one of Europe’s special regions, writes Gerhard Dörfler The province plays a leading role in a number of areas, including tourism, technology, social issues a AUSTRIA | CARINTHIACOUNTRY FOCUSGerhard Dörfler (2nd left) together with the presidents of the regions Friuli-Venezia Giulia Renzo Tondo and Veneto Giancarlo Galan and commission Vice-President for Transport Antonio Tajani great opportunities for their communities but for the entire Alpine-Adriatic KommTeam AUSTRIA | VORARLBERGCOUNTRY FOCUSViennaGood things come in small packagesUPPERAUSTRIALOWER AUSTRIABURGENLAND STYRIAVORARLBERGTYROLSALZBURGCARINTHIADr Herbert Sausgruber looks at why the small Austrian region of Vorarlberg is a big successVorarlberg has many exceptional qualities. However, what parti COUNTRY FOCUS AUSTRIA | VORARLBERGDr Herbert Sausgruber is governor of Vorarlbergeconomic recovery measures. The spirit of trust and cooperation between the employer and employee on the one side and the Landerers has a long tradition in Vorarlberg. It is a part of the successful Vorarlberg way, that AUSTRIA | TYROLCOUNTRY FOCUSTyrol and Trentino. International agreements and EU support programmes are leading to the formation of euregios all over Europe and the integration of regional authorities to implement joint cross-border projects which enhance competitiveness in the free market, provide m EU structure fund programmes provide important stimulation for Upper Austriapicture: www.BilderBox.comUpper Austria – with 1.4 million inhabitants and an area of 12,000 km 2 , the fourth largest Federal region of Austria – is the leading economic and industrial region in Austria. It has the highest AUSTRIA | BURGENLANDCOUNTRY FOCUSViennaOn the right trackUPPERAUSTRIALOWER AUSTRIABURGENLAND VORARLBERG STYRIATYROLSALZBURGCARINTHIAA cross-border transport project in Burgenland is helping to improve services. Hans Niessl explainsEvery weekday approximately 5.5 million trips are made by bus and tra ore businesses, more jobs, more purchasing power, more technology and a better quality of life Burgenland, formerly a province with a high percentage of commuters, has developed into an economically successful region today. Since 1995, Burgenland has benefitted from EU-funds which have jump-started WASTE MANAGEMENTPOLICY FOCUSFAROE ISLANDSFINLANDWaste not want not Regional examples of good waste management can teach us lessons for the future, says Gunnel Klingberg PORT UGALSHETLAND ISLANDS ORKNEY ISLANDS HERBRIDES GotlandSWEDENALAND ISLANDSESTONIA LATVIA LITHUANIADENMARK LAN DIREUNITED KINGDOM POLICY FOCUS WASTE MANAGEMENTFAROE ISLANDS SHETLAND ISLANDS ORKNEY ISLANDS HERBRIDES GotlandFINLANDSWEDENALAND ISLANDSESTONIA LATVIA LITHUANIADENMARK LAN IRE DUNITED KINGDOMPOLAND NETHERLANDS GERMANY BELGIUM CZECH LUXEMBOURG REPUBLIC AKIA SLOV AUSTRIA SLOVENIA HUNGARY ROMANIAFRANCEITALYBULGARIACorsi WASTE MANAGEMENTPOLICY FOCUSFAROE ISLANDSFINLANDA load of rubbish Waste management services must treat public and private companies on an equal basis, says Nadine De Greef UGAL PORTSHETLAND ISLANDS ORKNEY ISLANDS HERBRIDES GotlandSWEDENALAND ISLANDSESTONIA LATVIA LITHUANIADENMARK LAN DIREUNITED KING Utrecht, city of science and culture U trecht, the fourth largest city in the Netherlands with 300,000 inhabitants, is a rendezvous point for talent in science and culture. The city has a large population of students and about 60% of its population has a higher professional education or academic deg MALMÖ CONFERENCE | CEMRSPECIAL REPORTBeyond European borders Europe’s towns and regions have a key role in tackling the economic crisis, argues Patrizio FiorilliNORRBOTTENVASTERBOTTENVASTERNORRLANDJAMTLANDGAVLEBORG KOPPARBERGUPPSALA VARMLAND VASTMANLAND Stockholm SODERMANLANDTOREBROhere are 100,000 SPECIAL REPORTMALMÖ CONFERENCE | CEMRNORRBOTTENVASTERBOTTENVASTERNORRLANDJAMTLANDThe heart of europe This year’s Council of European Municipalities and Regions general assembly in Malmö will help local representatives face crucial challenges, says Illmar ReepaluGAVLEBORG KOPPARBERGUPPSALA VARMLAND V MALMÖ CONFERENCE | CEMRSPECIAL REPORTFit for the future? Towns and regions have an ever-increasing role to play in Europe and the world, argues Michael HäuplViennaUPPERAUSTRIALOWER AUSTRIABURGENLAND STYRIAVORARLBERGTYROLSALZBURGCARINTHIABetween 20 and 22 April, the Council of European Municipalities SPECIAL REPORTMALMÖ CONFERENCE | CEMRPeople walk and iceskate over the frozen old Danube river in ViennaMichael Häupl is mayor and governor of Vienna and president of the Council of European Municipalities and Regionsand the EU plays an increasing role in our towns’ and regions’ daily lives. Just re MALMÖ CONFERENCE | REYKJAVIKSPECIAL REPORTThe Icelandic parliament building in ReykjavikFrom boom to bust Iceland may have been hit hard by the economic crisis, but Hanna Birna Kristjansdottir is hopeful that the country will soon embark on the path to recoveryReykjavikICELANDThe worldwide economic The Manchester cityregion looks towards its economic future he Manchester Independent Economic Review (MIER) is the first independent economic review of a city-region to be undertaken in Europe. The review will provide a fresh economic narrative which will both inform and raise the level of debate r MALMÖ CONFERENCE | REYKJAVIKSPECIAL REPORTThe budget for 2009 was marred by the dire prospects for tax revenue and increasing spending on social assistance. A broad consensus was reached within the task force on the main features of the budget. Given the drop in tax revenue and the city’s pledge to SPECIAL REPORTMALMÖ CONFERENCE | ATHENSThe Acropolis amphitheatre, Athens, GreeceNikitas Kaklamanis is mayor of Athensto work on positive outreach, so we need to coordinate our efforts to inspire our citizens towards positive action. The problem usually begins when the management tends to forget to Consultancy for succeeding in Europe for your development projectsSoci ropean get Eu F) ? How to (ESal FundRegi ropean RDF) ? get Eu nd (E Fu How tovelop onal Demente l coop ritoria an ter ding Europe funrationr und fo ltural F Agricu ropean nt (EAFRD) ? get Eu e How to ral Developm Ruwww.welcomeuro Die Europäische Investitionsbank Sich einsetzen für die Entwicklung der RegionenBesonderes Ziel der EIB ist die Unterstützung der ökonomischen Entwicklung in den wirtschaftlich schwächeren Regionen der EU. Unsere Aufgabe ist zur ausgewogenen Entwicklung und zum wirtschaftlichen und sozialen Zusammen