Inforegio-Newsroom
The 2008 European Innovation Scoreboard, which includes country profiles and data, has now been published.
It provides an assessment of innovation performance across European countries based on the most recent statistics. The report shows that the EU has made substantial progress, with virtually all Member States improving their performance and the EU catching up with the US and Japan in most areas of innovation.
The report was accompanied by the 2008 European Innovation Progress report which provides independent analysis of countries' innovation policies and governance. The equivalent indicator for regions (published with 2006 data) is being improved and efforts are being deployed to have new and better figures in the near future.
Reminder: Reserve your place for Regions for Economic Change conference. Deadline 2nd February 2009!
(16 January 2009) The European Commission is holding its annual 'Regions for economic change' conference under the title "Regions for Economic Change â€" Networking for Results" on 16 and 17 February. The two-day event is organised by the European Commission's Regional Policy Directorate-General and other Commission services in cooperation with the Committee of the Regions. Deadline for registration is Monday 2 February. Click here for registration. The conference will also include the 2009 RegioStars award ceremony, rewarding original, inspiring and innovative projects funded under Cohesion Policy, and the launch of the 2010 RegioStars award categories. The list of 25 finalists has been drawn up by an independent Jury of experts.
More than 500 participants from regions all over Europe are expected to attend the conference. The aim is for practitioners in European regional policy to showcase examples of good practice and have an opportunity to translate success stories into mainstream policy and programmes. In nine workshops and four plenary sessions, politicians, academics and experts will debate and discuss projects, strategies and experiences focused on cooperation, within the context of implementing the 2007-2013 programmes. Click here for more information.
Regional Studies Association Annual International Conference
(15 January 2009) Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner will be the keynote speaker at the Regional Studies Association event entitled Understanding and Shaping Regions: Spatial, Social and Economic Futures. This will take place at the Katholieke Universiteit of Leuven in Belgium on 6-8 April 2009. Participants have until the end of April to register for the event. Other speakers will include representatives from the European Commission, the World Bank, the London School of Economics and other organisations.
The conference will address themes such as regional policy and evaluation; regions as innovation hubs; spatial planning, cities and regions; regional and local identity; social inequality, and; economic restructuring, amongst others. The Regional Studies Association is a society concerned with analysis of regions and regional issues. Through an international membership it provides a network for academics, students, practitioners, policy makers and other interested parties in the field of regional studies.
Click here for more information and to register for the event
REGIONS 2020: Commission working document now on-line
(09 December 2008) Danuta Hübner, Commissioner for Regional Policy, presented the findings of the new report 'Regions 2020' at a press conference held today in Brussels. The document is available on-line in three languages (EN / FR / DE). 'Regions 2020', produced by the European Commission's Directorate General for Regional Policy, provides a first prospective analysis of the likely regional impact of four of the biggest challenges facing Europe: globalisation, demographic change, climate change, and the energy supply. Using a series of indicators, the report maps out the degree of vulnerability of European regions to these challenges, and examines the potential disparities that these may generate across the EU. The findings will feed into the reflection process on the future of European Cohesion Policy.
Networking for Results
(09 decembre 2008) The third annual "Regions for Economic Change" conference will take place on 16 and 17 February 2009 in Brussels. Organised by the European Commission's Directorate General for Regional Policy and other Commission services, in conjunction with the Committee of Regions, the theme of the 2009 event is "Networking for Results". This initiative aims at ensuring that the wealth of knowledge, experience and good practice developed through EU-funded inter-regional cooperation programmes is harnessed for maximum benefit.
At a gala event during the evening of 16 February, the Commissioner for regional policy, Danuta Hübner will present the prestigious 2009 'RegioStars' prizes, which reward original, inspiring and innovative projects funded under European cohesion policy. The list of 25 finalists has recently been drawn up by an independent Jury of European experts.
As one of the most important events on the regional policy calendar, the conference expects to attract more than 500 participants from regions all over Europe. Through nine workshops, the event will showcase strategies, experiences and projects intended to provide learning and networking opportunities for Structural Funds managing authorities. The programme is accessible on the left hand menu.
Please see the conference website for more details.
REMINDER: 2 call for proposals under the 'Research Potential' strand of the 7th Research Framework Programme (FP7) now open
(7 novembre 2008) Two calls for proposals under the 'Research Potential' strand of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Development - the European Union's main funding stream for research â€" have been launched and will remain open until 13 February 2009. The "Research Potential" programme aims at unlocking and developing the research potential of research entities established in the EU´s Convergence and Outermost regions by: developing strategic partnerships and twinning with other research entities and industry; disseminating scientific information; and, facilitating communication. Activities must be based on SWOT analysis and should create synergies with Cohesion Policy investments in the area of innovation and research.
Under the first call entitled REGPOT-2009-1, individual public or private research entities established in the EU's convergence regions and outermost regions can submit proposals for the implementation of an Action Plan to tackle issues identified in their SWOT analysis.
Under the second call entitled REGPOT-2009-2, Mediterranean Partner Countries will get an opportunity to develop partnerships through twinning actions with existing or emerging centres of excellence established in the EU’s convergence and outermost regions and Member States and/or the Associated Countries (Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey and FY Republic of Macedonia). Proposals should include at least 3 research entities: one established in a convergence or outermost region in the EU, one in another Member State or Associated country and one in a Mediterranean Partner Country.
For more details on the two calls for proposals, including information on the stipulations for the action plan, see the CORDIS website.
cordis.europa.eu/fp7/capacities/convergence-regions_en.html
CORDIS is the official portal for FP7 and also covers related developments in European science and technology.