IP/09/259
Bruselj, 13. februarja 2009Za dosego rezultatov se morajo regije pri
spopadanju s finančno krizo, podnebnimi spremembami in težavami z
dobavo energije povezati v mreže, pravi Danuta
HübnerKomisarka za regionalno politiko
Danuta Hübner je v ponedeljek, 16. februarja,
začela letno konferenco „Regije za gospodarske spremembe“, ki
jo je Komisija uvedla leta 2006. Dvodnevni dogodek bo več kot 800
predstavnikom iz evropskih regij omogočil, da izmenjajo ideje in
predstavijo svoje prispevke h konkurenčnosti, rasti in zaposlovanju. Eden
izmed vrhuncev tega dogodka bo v ponedeljek zvečer, ko bodo razglašeni
zmagovalci nagrade „RegioStars“ za leto 2009, ki se podeljuje za
navdihujoče in inovativne projekte, financirane v okviru kohezijske
politike EU.
„Tema letošnje konference ‚Povezovanje v mreže za
dosego rezultatov‘ je več kot primerna za čas, ko se evropske
regije spopadajo s številnimi globalnimi izzivi, kot so npr. finančna
kriza, podnebne spremembe in dobava energije. S povezovanjem v mreže v
okviru kohezijske politike lahko spodbujamo dobre prakse in izkušnje ter
jih uporabimo v posameznih regijah, tako da lahko koristijo vsem“, je
povedala komisarka Hübner.
Regije bodo primere dobrih praks predstavile v devetih delavnicah, ki
vključujejo naslednja tematska področja: upravljanje voda,
širokopasovni dostop do interneta, priseljevanje v mesta, ustvarjalnost in
inovacije, industrijska reorganizacija, posledice podnebnih sprememb na
regionalni ravni, mreže za hitro spodbujanje inovativnih projektov,
satelitske informacijske storitve in platforma za spremljanje lizbonske
strategije, ki vrednoti strategijo EU za rast in zaposlovanje.
Na konferenci bodo sodelovali tudi minister za regionalni razvoj Cyril
Svoboda, ki predstavlja češko predsedstvo Evropske unije, predsednik
Odbora regij Luc Van den Brande in komisar za izobraževanje, usposabljanje,
kulturo in mlade Ján Figel'. 
Komisarka Hübner in amsterdamski župan Job Cohen, ki je tudi
predsednik žirije, bosta 16. februarja zvečer uspešnim in
inovativnim projektom s področja regionalne politike podelila nagrade
„RegioStars“ za leto 2009. Letos na tekmovanju sodeluje 52 projektov
iz 18 držav. Nagrade se osredotočajo na tri velike kategorije:raziskave, tehnološki razvoj in inovacije,
prilagoditev podnebnim spremembam ali njihova ublažitev,
reklamni
spot ali program, ki poudarja prispevek kohezijske
politike.Primeri obstoječih mrež regij in mestOd leta 2006 so se razvile številne mreže regij, ki jih v okviru
pobude Regije za gospodarske spremembe podpira Evropska komisija, vključno
z naslednjimi: 
B3 REGIONS je mreža, ki jo vodi
regija Piemonte (Italija). Ukvarja se s ključnim vprašanjem za razvoj
na znanju temelječega gospodarstva: povezovanje oddaljenih ali
ogroženih področij.
RAPIDE, ki jo koordinira South
West England Regional Development Agency (Združeno kraljestvo), se ukvarja
z vlogo javnega sektorja pri spodbujanju inovacij v regijah in zlasti malim
podjetjem pomaga pri hitrejšem dajanju inovativnih izdelkov na trg. Ta
mreža vključuje 12 evropskih regij.
HerO je mreža, ki jo vodi Regensburg
(Nemčija) in jo tvori 10 mest, ki si prizadevajo za spodbujanje
trajnostnega upravljanja strategij za zgodovinske mestne krajine. 
Opomba za urednike
Konferenco je organizirala Evropska komisija skupaj z Odborom regij. Namen
pobude Regije za gospodarske spremembe je omogočiti čim
širšo izmenjavo izkušenj in dobrih praks v evropskih regijah ter
njihov popoln izkoristek, da se spodbudijo konkurenčnost, rast in
zaposlovanje. 
V okviru kohezijske politike je za obdobje 2007–2013 na voljo 375
milijonov EUR za povezovanje v mreže ter učne dejavnosti v okviru
„medregionalnega sodelovanja“. 
Dodatne
informacije o pobudi „Regije za gospodarske spremembe“ in nagradah
„RegioStars“ so na voljo na: 
http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/cooperation/interregional/ecochange/index_en.cfmTa spletna stran vsebuje zanimive študije primerov in primere
najboljše uporabe sredstev EU za modernizacijo regij.
Finalists for REGIOSTARS 2009- The Awards for regional innovative
projects
The finalists are listed here (in no particular order): 
Category1: Research, Technological Development and
Innovation
ROADEX – Interreg project, Lead partner Västerbotten,
Sweden
This project involves trans-national collaboration, networking and research
on a wide range of aspects affecting rural roads which maximises their potential
and contributes to the sustainability of local communities. (EU contribution:
€488 333)
Lahti Cleantech Cluster, Päijät-Häme, Finland
The aim of this project was to strengthen the development work between
companies and development organisations specialising in recycling, materials and
energy efficiency, water management and soil decontamination. (EU contribution:
€1.5 million)
Berlin Adlershof – City of Science, Technology and Media, Berlin,
Germany
This project was the development of a campus (Adlershof) into a leading
Science Park improving the links between science, research and technology with
innovative business and efficient services. (EU contribution: €87.6
million)
Proof of Concept, North East of England, UK
The Proof of Concept Fund, an early-stage technology investment fund, is at
the heart of science and technology SME development investing at the very
earliest stages of business creation and growth. (EU contribution: €5.6
million)
Science Park Potsdam – Golm, Brandenburg,Germany
As a result of a regional strategy scientific and academic institutions have
settled at the Science Centre in Golm, this in turn has become one of the most
significant engines of innovation in the region. (EU contribution: €74.3
million)
LOFAR, Northern Components, The Northern Netherlands Provinces, The
Netherlands
The LOFAR project is aimed at developing and constructing a sensor network
for the collection and processing of real-time streaming data in support of a
very sensitive radio telescope for an array of geophysical sensors and in the
field of precision agriculture. (EU contribution: €10.8 million)
DIPLE Printing Technologies, Wales, UK
The main aim of DIPLE was to perform case study projects with partner
companies, develop best practice methodologies and innovative uses of printing
to create high quality value added products. These could then be used as the
basis for knowledge transfer. (EU contribution: £1.13 million or
€1.26 million)
Cenaero Recherches, Hainaut, Belgium
This project aimed to start up new a centre of excellence in aeronautical
research dedicated to advanced simulation and modelling for multi-physics
applications, virtual manufacturing, multi-scale material and structure
modelling, multidisciplinary optimization, and high performance computing. (EU
contribution: €4.12 million)
ISFOC, Castilla la Mancha, Spain
Focussing on field tests, standardization and know-how in a developing
market, the Institute for Concentration Photovoltaic Systems aims to assist,
through collaborative projects, companies and universities to adapt their supply
to the technological demand in the field of Concentration Photovoltaic. (EU
contribution: €5.6 million)
West Midlands Technology Network, West Midlands, UK 
The aim of WMTN was to make university expertise more accessible to companies
and to use that expertise in a practical way to make a strategic difference to
the region's productivity by increasing the competitiveness of regional
companies. (EU contribution: £9.9 million or €11 million)
REGENERGY, Interreg project, Lead partners Berlin and Brandenburg
Germany
This is a Europe-wide network of pioneering communities and regions working
on innovative organisational, regulatory, policy and financing solutions in the
area of heating and cooling. (EU contribution: €831 000)
SpaceInnovation SAAR, Saarland, Germany
This initiative organises the innovation process between the European space
community and non-space, high-tech, sectors in Saarland, providing a spin-in
approach that generates new and high quality collaborations. (EU contribution:
€79 826)
Lasers for Micromachining and Diagnostics, Lithuania
This project brought together four Lithuanian laser technology and photonic
enterprises for the purpose of developing top quality industrial lasers intended
for particularly subtle micromachining. (EU contribution: €1.09
million)
Centre of Excellence "Nanoscience and Nanotechnology", Central
Slovenia
This R&D project on nano-electronic devices for nanotechnology has
combined research facilities at public research units with those in the business
sector, providing closer cooperation and better utilisation of research results
for economic development. (EU contribution: €829 369)
Ashfield Skills Centre, East Midlands, UK
This project delivered five discrete, but philosophically linked, learning
environments over the course of four years, delivering high quality vocation
courses to meet the skills shortages identified by local employers. (EU
contribution: £2.25 million or €2.5 million)
Corallia – The Hellenic Technology Clusters Initiative, Attica,
Greece
This project facilitates the advancement of industry-driven innovation
clusters in knowledge-intensive and exports-oriented technology segments where
there is capacity to build a worldwide competitive advantage and a sustainable
innovation ecosystem. Corallia has supported the emergence of the first cluster
in Greece in the area of Microelectronics and Embedded Systems. (EU
contribution: €3.29 million)
ESTIIC: Fostering competitiveness through Innovation and Information Society,
Interreg Project, lead partner Asturias, Spain
The aim of this interregional project has not only been to improve regional
cooperation in specific technological areas but to harness the knowledge
obtained through collaborative projects for use in the future. (EU contribution:
€3.1 million)
Category 2: Adaptation to or mitigation of climate
change
Photovoltaic Electricity Production – Ile de la Réunion,
France
This project involves photovoltaic electricity production from panels located
on three industrial buildings connected to one transformer, thereby increasing
the autonomy of the island's electricity production, adapting techniques in a
tropical environment and creating local employment. (EU contribution: €623
691)
The Northern Maritime Corridor, Interreg project, lead partner Rogaland,
Norway
The overall aim and vision of this interregional project is that the Northern
Maritime Corridor should be a means of efficient, safe and sustainable
transportation, connecting costal areas and enhancing regional development in
the North Sea Region and the Northern Periphery Region. (EU contribution:
€5.3 million)
EnergyAgency.NRW, North Rhine-Westphalia,Germany
This service provider acts as a strategic platform with wide-ranging
competence in the energy domain, from funding of research, technical
development, demonstration and market launch to energy consultancy and
continuous vocational training. (EU contribution: €6.3 million)
Category 3: Radio or television spot or programme that
highlights the contribution of Cohesion Policy
"The EU Funds (The Dog)" from the Czech Republic
"Do you know about ... ESPA?" and "Now, you know about ...ESPA" from
Greece
"It's good to be proud" from Hungary
"The European Union and the Province Zuid-Holland" from The
Netherlands
"National Cohesion Strategy Image Campaign" from Poland
For more information:
http://ec.europa.eu/inforegio/innovation/regiostars_en.htm