Brussels, 23/08/2005 (Agence Europe) - The Committee of the Regions (CoR) and the European Commission (DG Regional Policy) are holding the Open Days 2005 - European Week of Regions and Cities from 10 to 13 of October in Brussels together with 106 partners from all the regions of Europe on the theme “Working Together for Regional Growth and Jobs”. The aim is to help the Member States and the regions of the EU to prepare for the new generation of Structural Funds 2007-2013. The strategic orientations and the new perspectives for regional policy 2007-2013, the regions and cities as actors in regional policy and the Lisbon Agenda and regional policy as an instrument in realising the Lisbon and Gothenburg objectives will be at the core of the work, which will be attended by Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner, the President of the CoR Peter Straub, the President of the EP Josep Borrell, the President of the EP's regional development committee Gerardo Galeote Quecedo, the President of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Philippe Maystadt and a representative of the UK Presidency of the Council of the EU.
In a press release, Commissioner Danuta Hübner states that the European Union “should make better use of the unlocked potential of its regions and cities by focusing on best practices in innovation”, and stresses that the Open Days will be “a platform for exchanging experiences in regional development”. According to Peter Straub, the President of the Committee of the Regions, the Open Days, the third of their kind, are actually unprecedented because they will for the first time “focus on the daily, practical concerns of the regions and cities that are Europe's engine of growth”. Mr Straub emphasised: “It's about delivering results and getting the EU's economy back on track”. Josep Borrell, the President of the European Parliament, commented in a message of support for the initiative on the need for “very close cooperation between elected representatives at local, regional, national and international level”, and that the EU should draw inspiration from its regional diversity. On behalf of the UK Presidency, Vice-Prime Minister John Prescott said that he was convinced that the support and expertise provided by local and regional government in assisting economic development can make a real difference in terms of stimulating growth and creating jobs, which are the main priorities of the Presidency.
As part of the Open Days, the CoR and the Commission will hold a “European Meeting” with 75 editors in chief of publicly financed regional television stations on 11 and 12 October. This event is to be held in cooperation with the regional television network Circom. Heads of regional television will have an opportunity to exchange their ideas with the Vice-President of the Commission responsible for communication policy Margot Wallström and the Commissioner for regional policy Danuta Hübner. At the close of proceedings, Ms Hübner will award the 2005 Circom prize for cross-border television in the presence of leading members of the CoR. A CoR press release points out that in the majority of regions and countries of Europe, regional public television is the main provider of news and general information. The Circom Regional network, founded in 1983, brings together 376 public regional television stations, with activities in 38 countries and aims to promote cooperation through coproductions and exchanges of programmes. Circom thereby contributes to the development of culture and regional identity. (Info: http://www.cor.eu.int )