ESPON at the OPEN DAYS 2014

logoOD2014-3-variations-on-white-38 July 2014 - The OPEN DAYS - European Week of Regions and Cities- is the key annual four-day event for regional and local stakeholders. It takes place between 6 and 9 October 2014 in Brussels.

Organised by the EU Committee of the Regions and the European Commission, Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, this communication and networking platform brings together regions and cities from all over Europe and beyond, providing each year thousands of local, regional, national and European decision-makers and experts with a real marketplace for exchanging and discussing projects and issues related to regional and local development.

This year ESPON will contribute to the event with joint workshops and speeches in cooperation with the European Commission DG REGIO, the Committee of the Regions, INTERACT, INTERREG IVC and URBACT.

(1) Workshop “Territorial dynamics for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth in EU cities and regions – Presentation of the 6th Cohesion Report and of the ESPON Synthesis Report”

When: Tuesday 7 October 2014, 11h15 – 13h00

Venue: Conference Centre of Albert Borschette, Room 0C, Rue Froissart 36, 1040-Bruxelles

Code: 07A15

Organiser: European Commission, DG REGIO

The workshop will present the 6th Cohesion Report which shows how Cohesion Policy and EU regions have changed over time and how the new period of Cohesion Policy ensures a greater concentration on thematic objectives and a strong alignment with the Europe 2020 strategy.

The workshop will also present the 3rd ESPON Synthesis Report. The main finding of the report complements the Cohesion Report by taking a deep look into the EU territories and their challenges in terms of territorial development.

(2) Speech at the Workshop "Territorial Impact Assessment as a key instrument for promoting territorial cohesion in the European Union"

When: Tuesday 7 October 2014, 14h30 - 17h00

Venue: Committee of the Regions, Van Maerlant, Room 3, Rue Belliard 99-101, 1040-Brussels

Code: 07C07

Organiser: Committee of the Regions - Unit E2 (Subsidiarity Network, Europe 2020 monitoring platform, Covenant of Mayors, EGTC)

The territorial impacts of EU policies have not been sufficiently taken into account in the legislative process, something both the European Court of Auditors and the European Commission have pointed out. Legislation at European level will be more effective if the challenges and the potentials of the regions are taken into account.

With the Territorial Agenda 2020 and Agenda for a Reformed Cohesion Policy this issue has been brought back into the spotlight. A locality-based approach calls for the policies to be tailored to the needs and potentials of the regions so that EU policy-making can have the most efficient result, opening up the way to economic growth and the creation of new jobs.

Earlier this year, the Committee of the Regions adopted a TIA strategy committing itself to a stronger involvement in the impact assessment process by cooperating with the European Commission and the European Parliament. Territorial Impact Assessments are important tools for assessing the asymmetric territorial impacts of policies in the pre-legislative phase and giving enough time to the European Commission to adapt their proposals if needed, resulting in the most efficient policy possible. The Committee of the Regions also uses TIA for the needs of CoR rapporteurs, providing a factual support in the opinion-making process.

This workshop is followed by a networking session.

(3) Workshop "Getting the most out of pan-European cooperation programmes 2014-2020"

When: Wednesday 8 October 2014, 11h15 - 13h00

Venue: Committee of the Regions, Jacques Delors, Room 62, Rue Belliard 99-101, 1040 - Brussels

Code: 08C10

Organiser: ESPON, INTERACT, INTERREG IVC, URBACT

The next generation of European Territorial Cooperation Programmes – ESPON 2020, INTERACT, INTERREG EUROPE and URBACT III – will address the entire EU territory (and beyond) and share a joint mission: to improve the quality of EU Regional Policy implementation. This workshop will explore the new features of the programmes for 2014-2020 and will present how potential partners (cities, regions, research bodies, public and private stakeholders, and other ESIF programmes) can participate in and benefit from the networking, evidence, exchange and learning, capacity-building, research and capitalisation activities which will be developed by the four European Territorial Cooperation Programmes.

Networking will offer an opportunity to continue the discussion and consultations after the workshop in a non-formal environment.

This workshop is followed by a networking session.

Registration

Registration is open until 22 September 2014. Visit the official website of the Open Days

Useful links and more information

Official website of the Open Days 2014

Contact at the ESPON Coordination Unit: Piera PETRUZZI, e-mail: [email protected]