Partner up for the EURegionsWeek 2019! Regions and Cities, pillars of the EU's future (30/01/2019)

Preparations for the 17th European Week of Regions and Cities are officially launched today with a kick-off meeting at the European Committee of the Regions. More than 150 partners are expected to participate. Follow our kick-off meeting live at 11:00 TODAY Join us online through web-streaming! After a broad online consultation (2 634 respondents), the emerging 3 top themes for 2019 edition are: The Future of the EU and the roles of Regions and Cities, A Europe Closer to Citizens, A greener Europe In light of these main issues, the European Committee of the Regions and the European Commission Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy are now looking for event partners. Are you interested? Visit the 'Become an Event Partner' section of the 2019 website, read through the guide for partners and the guide for regional partnerships and apply no later than March 29th.

10th Annual Forum for the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region: Open calls for seminar are now open! (22/01/2019)

The 10th Annual forum of the EU strategy for the Baltic Sea Region will take place the 12 & 13 June 2019, in Gdansk (Poland). Under the thematic "Circular and sharing economy as an answer to demographic changes and environmental challenges in the Baltic Sea Region", 18 slots for 90-minute seminars will be discussing essential topics among all interested stakeholders! Have your say! Fill the form for participation here and submit your proposals to the Organiser via e-mail: 10thAnnualForum@pomorskie.eu by 15th February 2019.

Panorama 67: Success stories across our regions and borders (19/12/2018)

The Winter issue of Panorama magazine is now available to download, and it covers a wide range of topics from urban issues to culture and industrial transition. Happy reading! Panorama 67: Success stories across our regions and borders

Enhancing Healthcare Cooperation in Cross-Border regions: REGISTER NOW! (26/11/2018)

On 4 December 2018, the European Commission is organising a large event in Brussels to address healthcare cooperation topics in border regions. The conference will analyse both obstacles to and success factors for effective cooperation and investment in this area. Good practices and practical tools will be also discussed. The conference is jointly organised by DG SANTE and DG REGIO and will provide the opportunity to meet relevant institutions and stakeholders. Discover the agenda and practicalities on the website. For registration, please visit this page.

Training module on Public Procurement for ESIF authorities - REGISTRATION IS OPEN (12/11/2018)

We are pleased to announce the opening of the registration for the training on "Key changes in public procurement directives & strategic procurement (innovative, green & socially responsible procurement)". The training is designed for participants from ESIF managing authorities, intermediate bodies and audit authorities, and is provided free of charge. Authorities in each Member State are kindly invited to nominate technical level experts to participate in the training. Participants have to cover their own travel and accommodation costs. When? 15-16 January 2019 Where? Brussels, DG REGIO Language: English Max. number of participants: 35

Commission announces winners of the 2018 RegioStars 2018 awards (12/10/2018)

This week Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Creţu held the annual ceremony announcing the winners of the RegioStars awards, rewarding this year’s best Cohesion Policy projects. Commissioner Creţu said: “RegioStars are true ambassadors of Cohesion policy. In our effort to better communicate what Europe is doing for its citizens, these projects are valuable assets and I hope they inspire many regions when they select EU-funded projects.”

Commission grants 22 cities with funding for innovative projects (12/10/2018)

The Commission has announced the winning cities of the 3rd call for projects under the Urban Innovative Actions. €92 million from the European Regional Development Fund will finance innovative solutions to urban challenges such as air quality, climate change, housing, and jobs and skills for the local economy. Today, the Commission also launches the 4th call under the Urban Innovative Actions. €100 million is now available to cities to finance innovative projects to protect and reduce the vulnerability of public spaces, as announced in the 2017 Action Plan under the European Agenda on Security. The call will also finance digital, environmental and inclusion projects.

Panorama 66: Lithuania, building a smarter future (12/10/2018)

The Autumn issue of Panorama magazine is now available to download, and it covers a wide range of topics from urban issues to international cooperation and energy policy. Our country focus this time is on Lithuania. In our interview Vilius Šapoka, Minister of Finance, explains how Lithuania has used EU funding to enhance his country’s competitiveness and productivity through investment in business development. This is illustrated with detailed profiles of five new projects. Captured on Camera explores projects funded in the German region of Rhineland-Palatinate. We look at how cohesion policy is supporting sustainable energy and a low-carbon society, our strategic partnerships with cities around the world through the International Urban Cooperation programme, and highlight the results of a recent report into doing business in Croatia, the Czech Republic, Portugal and Slovakia.

Event invitation: Cohesion policy post-2020 and sustainability transitions (10/10/2018)

We would like to invite you to an event organised on 19 October on how the future cohesion policy can better support sustainability transitions. It is organised by DG REGIO, in collaboration with EIT Climate-KIC. The achievement of the European Union's long-term objectives for a low-carbon and circular economy requires systemic transformations at regional and local level. The EU's cohesion policy has for many years helped regions and Member States to invest to protect the environment, reduce emissions, help adapt to climate change and ensure compliance with the Acquis. For the draft agenda and registrations, please go here: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/conferences/post2020_trans/. Feel free to distribute this message among you partners.

SAVE THE DATE of the 10th EUSBSR Annual Forum in Gdansk! (02/10/2018)

The 10th Anniversary of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) will be held in Gdańsk on 12-13 June 2019. The Forum will be hosted by the Pomorskie Region together with the Baltic Sea States Subregional Co-operation in close cooperation with the European Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland and other partners. About 800 participants from governments, international organisations, NGOs, universities, local and regional administrations and businesses will come together to discuss developments and challenges in the Baltic Sea Region. Please book the date in your calendar and visit Gdańsk – city of freedom and solidarity - in June 2019! More information will soon follow at the EUSBSR website.

New thematic seminar on State aid in Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) (02/10/2018)

We are pleased to announce a new State aid seminar. The thematic focus of the seminar is RDI. When? Monday, 26 November 2018, 09:00-16:45 Where? Brussels Who? Practitioners involved in the management of the European Structural Investment Funds who have knowledge of State aid in RDI projects.

Competency framework for ERDF/Cohesion Fund and self-assessment tool: now available in 9 languages (10/09/2018)

Would you like to be able to identify the competencies that are available or are lacking in your administration? The Competency framework for the ERDF/Cohesion Fund and its self-assessment tool, now available in nine languages, can help you to achieve this and address any competency gaps. Achieving the goals of ESIF investment is dependent on more than just funding – it requires skilled public servants working in efficient organisations. Administrations which manage the funds are therefore confronted with how to best attract the right people with the right combination of competencies to their organisations. To this end, the European Commission has developed a competency framework alongside a self-assessment tool in order to help Managing Authorities and other bodies involved in the implementation of the ERDF and the Cohesion Fund to identify the skills and competencies their staff need. The tool can help to identify any competency gaps so that these can be addressed.