Welcome to the second electronic ESPON 2013 Newsletter. It offers information on the latest developments of ESPON.
This newsletter informs you on the ongoing stakeholder consultation and the coming calls for proposal during autumn 2008.

MESSAGE FROM ESPON COORDINATION UNIT

The ESPON 2013 Programme shall support policy development in relation to Cohesion Policy. In particular in relation to territorial development and cohesion, will the applied research and analysis of ESPON be able to provide an innovation.  
Stakeholders at European, national, regional, urban, cross-border and transnational levels with comparable facts and evidence on territorial structures, trends, perspectives and policy impacts, all seen from a European perspective. This will enable them to explore their competitive advantages and target possibilities for added value from cooperating in larger territorial context on a common development working together.

The ESPON Monitoring Committee is currently discussing the next applied research projects within the ESPON 2013 Programme and the themes to select.

 In order to reflect the best possible the policy demand, an online survey is currently open for response for policy makers, practitioners, scientists and the wider public. The themes selected by late 2008 will be subject of the next Call for Proposals under Priority 1 for “Applied research on territorial development, competitiveness and cohesion; evidence on European territorial trends, perspectives and policy impacts”, which are planned open during February-March-April 2009.

By taking part in the consultation you will contribute to a sound identification of the themes and territorial issues, considered to be important from your perspective. Thanks in advance for your cooperation.
  

STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION ON APPLIED RESEARCH THEMES

Please take part in shaping territorial knowledge and evidence available covering the entire Europe, its regions and cities.

From 16 June to 25 July 2008 you can contribute to the identification of future ESPON research themes by expressing your demand. You access the survey via the ESPON website at consultation. The questionnaire should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete.

The results of this screening stakeholder demand will be used in the process of the ESPON Monitoring Committee selecting themes for applied territorial research projects and will significantly support the ESPON 2013 Programme in meeting your demands.

CALLS FOR PROPOSALS

The next three calls for proposals will be opened on 20 August 2008. The deadline for submitting proposals will be 15 October 2008. The calls are the following:

(1)   Call for Proposals on Applied Research on the following theme:

• Climate Change and Territorial Effects on Regions and Local Economies (relaunch)

(2)   Call for Proposals on Targeted Analysis Based on User Demand on the following 8 themes:

• The Case for Agglomeration Economies in Europe
• The Development of the Islands – European Islands and Cohesion Policy
• Cross-Border Polycentric Metropolitan Regions
• Success for Convergence Regions’ Economies
• Potential of Rural Regions
• Spatial Scenarios: New Tools for Local-Regional Territories
• Transnational Support Method for European Cooperation
• Territorial Diversity

(3)   Call for Proposals on the Scientific Platform and Tools on the following theme:

• Territorial Indicators and Indices (Phase I).

OPEN ESPON SEMINAR “Territorial Challenges and Cooperation in a Wider Europe”, 2-3 June 2008 in Portorož (Slovenia)

The ESPON 2013 Programme welcomed delegates from EU Member States and neighbouring countries as well as Japan to the Open Seminar “Territorial Challenges and Cooperation in a Wider Europe” in Portorož during the Slovenian EU Presidency.

More than 130 participants attended the ESPON seminar, amongst them policy makers, practitioners at EU, national, regional and local level as well as scientists.

The event offered participants the opportunity to share their experience on how to develop and use the ESPON Programme in order to provide the necessary knowledge on the development of the European territory. The seminar served as well as a platform for creating new contacts and synergies with colleagues from countries outside the Union enlarging the involvement and networking around the ESPON 2013 Programme. The presentations of the seminar are available here. 

THE ESPON COORDINATION UNIT IS LOOKING FOR TWO TRAINEES

You are a student registered at a University (also during the traineeship period) and carry a passport from Member States of the European Union or from Norway, Switzerland, Iceland or Liechtenstein (full partners in the ESPON programme).

You have profound interest and some knowledge in relation to European cooperation in the field of Structural Funds, regional policy and/or spatial development and planning. You are highly motivated and wants to learn more about work in practice in a European programme.

You can access more detailed information about the post and the conditions for applying by entering here.

The deadline for applying for the post is Friday 18 July 2008, at 15.00 CET.

ESPON MAP ON WORLD TRADE, 1996-2000

The current ESPON Map of the Month shows evidence about the globalisation and the extent of influence of the EU in the world. The map is focusing on aspects of international trade flows and shows the EU influence as such as well the parts of Europe mostly involved and integrated in world trade.

The map is the second of a series of Maps of the Month on Europe in the World aiming at improving the understanding of development potentials and a sensibility for a global territorial focus of Europe and its regions which is increasingly important for the development of the European economy in the era of accelerating globalisation.

More here. 

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