Brussels, 23/04/2004 (Agence Europe) - The winners of the first 'European Regional Innovation Awards' competition were announced on 22 April Brussels. The winning regions with the most innovative projects were presented with their awards during a plenary session of the Committee of the Regions held in the European Parliament. The competition was organised by the European Commission's Directorate General for Regional Policy and was targeted at regions who are experimenting with new ideas and new ways of promoting innovation at the regional level through the Regional Programmes of Innovative Actions which are co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund. In the category, Regional economies based on knowledge and technological innovation: 1st place, "NanoBioTech-Region Saarland"; 2nd place, "X-PROT" - a biotechnology project submitted by the region of Centro, Portugal and in 3rd place "PRODIMA" - a knowledge transfer project submitted by the regional Ministry for Economy and Labour, in SachsenAnhalt, Germany. In the category: e-Europe-Regio: the information society at the service of regional development: 1st place, "GNULINEX"- from Extremadura, Spain; 2nd place, "PILOT WIRELESS CARE" - an e-medicine project submitted by the Province of Overijssel in the Netherlands and 3rd place, "IT Quality Seal" an e-business project submitted by the regional Ministry of Economic Affairs, Employment and Transport in SchleswigHolstein, Germany. In the category: Regional Identity and Sustainable Development: 1st place, "TANNO meets GEMINI" of Styria, Austria; 2nd place, "TEKNIKBUSSEN (TEKNO)"- by East Central Sweden at the initiative of businesses in the area who want and in 3rd place, "LES CRÉANAUTES"- a regional identity project submitted by the Regional Council of Limousin, France. For more information on the projects can be found at the website http: //europa.eu.int/comm/regional_policy/innovation/concours_en.htm