Brussels, 28/11/2005 (Agence Europe) - The hemicycle of the European Parliament in Strasbourg was the scene of a meeting on 24 and 25 November of around 750 participants from 250 regions of Europe, participating in the General Assembly of the Assembly of European Regions (AER) and celebrating its 20th anniversary. “The Committee of the Regions would not exist without the impetus and contribution of the AER, which since 1985 has enabled us to make a quantitative and qualitative leap for the representation of the regions, and to anchor the principle of subsidiarity in the European Constitution”, declared Peter Straub, the President of the Committee of the Regions, noting: the regions have moved from observer to actor, and they much now try to “re-establish the confidence of citizens in the European institutions and explain to them what Europe is and what it does”. Robert Grossmann, the President of the Urban Community of Strasbourg encouraged the AER's regional elected representatives to “reflect on the urban phenomenon and include built-up areas in your work”. In the view of Giovanni di Stasi, President of the Conference of European Local and Regional Authorities (CPLRE), the future of Europe which is closer to its citizens lies in revitalising regionalisation and strengthening regional democracy. The first Euroregion of the Black Sea, bringing together all the European Adriatic regions, is due to see the light of day at the start of 2006, and it will be followed in 2007 by the Baltic Sea Euroregion, Mr di Stasi announced. Better knowledge of how to exploit the creative potential of European regions, to develop innovation under the Lisbon strategy: the theme of the assembly was “well chosen, for those of us who want a dynamic European regional policy, which highlights the capacities for technical and also social innovation of the regions”, welcomed Adrien Zeller, President of the Alsace Region and Vice-President of the AER.
Since 2001, the AER has every two years awarded a prize to the region most open to young people. The Hungarian county of Veszprem was honoured this year, with the Swedish region of Norrbotten receiving an honourable mention. The role of the regions is to create an environment which is favourable to business innovation, such as “landscape gardeners preserving the landscape”, not to impose projects on them, explained Isaac Gretz, professor of innovation management in Paris. Giovanni di Stasi made a plea for decentralised implementation of the Lisbon strategy, involving all levels of authority and replacing national action programmes with regional programmes. We must think globally but act locally, said Riccardo Illy, President of the AER, who stressed that the innovating regions know how to promote the culture of innovation, they have a modern vision and are prepared to meet the challenges of globalisation, which is why they should receive adequate financial resources. “Lisbon needs the regions and the regions need Lisbon”, the President of the Commission José Manuel Barroso summarised. It is high time to stop opposing cohesion and competitiveness, growth and convergence, Mr Barroso repeated, adding that it is clear that the key lies in the adoption of the financial perspectives. “Certain difficult and sensitive decisions must be taken, and I call on all the Member States to assume their responsibilities, particularly the UK Presidency, which has a particular responsibility”, he said, warning that any further failure would be politically very bad for the general atmosphere, because we have had too much bad news recently, and if we continue to procrastinate, the cost will be high for less-favoured regions and the new Member States. “I believe that an agreement is possible if the Member States consent to a compromise attempt and if the UK Presidency does not distance itself too much from a possible compromise”, Mr Barroso concluded.