Some two weeks before the European Council meets to review the Lisbon strategy of March 2000, Danuta Hübner, the Commissioner responsible for regional policy, has invited more than 500 participants - among them the elected leaders of many EU regions, regional policy stakeholders and experts - to discuss how regions can make Lisbon work. The European Union’s 254 regions have a key role to play in a new partnership for growth and employment as recently proposed by the Commission in its re-launch of the Lisbon strategy.
Europe’s regions have much experience in promoting a more competitive economy. With the help of the EU’s Structural and Cohesion Funds, regions are already working to achieve key aspects of the Lisbon agenda. This effort must be continued in future and it is with this in mind that, in 2004, the Commission brought forward proposals for the reform of regional and cohesion policy for the period 2007-2013.
For the future, a clearer focus is needed on contributing to growth and jobs. Greater ownership of the growth and employment agenda on the part of the EU regions means a better performance of the EU economy as a whole. In this respect, Lisbon needs the regions as much as the regions need Lisbon.
Programme: 
  
Background information:
Press release : Commissioner Hübner welcomes the contribution of the regions to the growth and jobs agenda
Regional Policy and the Lisbon Strategy website
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9.25 - 9.45 Opening speech
Mr J. M. Barroso, President of the European Commission: Speech
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9.45 - 11.00 Plenary session and The Kok report
Mrs D. Hübner, Commissioner for Regional Policy: Speech
Mr N. Schmit, Minister Delegate of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (Luxembourg), Presidency of the Council: Web Site
Mr J. OLbrycht, Commission du développement régional, Vice-président (Replacement of M. A. Vidal-Quadras Roca)
Mr A. Rousset, President of the Association of the French Regions, President of the Regional Council of Aquitaine (France) Speech
Mr M. A. Fernández Ordóñez, Secretary of State for Finance and Budget, Ministry of Finance (Spain)
Mr J. Pietras, Secretary of State, Secretary of the Committee for European Integration, Poland (Replacement of M. J. Hausner)
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14.00 - 15.30 Roundtable 1: Competitiveness and Governance
Mr J. Barrot, Vice-President of the Commission, in charge of Transport: Speech
Mrs D. Simsic, Mayoress of Ljubljana (Slovenia) - Eurocities Speech
Mr P. Straub, President of the Committee of the Regions
Mr C. Martini, President of the Conference of Peripheral and Maritime Regions of Europe (CPMR): Speech
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16.00 - 17.30 Roundtable 2: Innovation and the regions
Mrs N. Kroes, Commissioner for Competition
Mr G. Milbradt, Minister-President of Saxony (Germany):
Slide
Statement:
Mr H. Manninen, Minister of Regional and Municipal Affairs (Finland):
Slide
Speech : 
Mr G. Frerichs, Member of the European Economic and Social Committee (replacement of Mrs A.-M. Sigmund) Speech
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17.30 - 18.00 End of Conference - Conclusions
Mrs D. Hübner :
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