16/05/2008 (Agence Europe) - EU Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hubner attended the launch in Milan on Friday 16 May 2008 of the new Regional Programme 2007-2013 for the region of Lombardy in Italy. One of the programme's main components is research and innovation. The EU will provide investment of some €211 million, half of which will go to research and innovation. Like the programme for Sardinia, the programme for Lombardy will help cut CO2 emissions (aiming to reduce emissions by 50,000 a year by 2013) by promoting renewable energy sources. It will encourage sustainable mobility by cutting transport's carbon footprint through car pooling and road tolls. It also aims to ensure broadband access for the 8% of the population and the 50,000 companies in areas where broadband is not yet available, explains the Commission in a press release. (G.B.)