ESPON at the OPEN DAYS 2013

The OPEN DAYS-European Week of Regions and Cities- is the key annual event for regional and local authorities.

Marking the new timeline towards the Europe 2020 strategy, this edition of the OPEN DAYS was held under the slogan "Europe's regions and cities taking off for 2020".

This year ESPON contributed to the event with workshops and a joint exhibition in cooperation with INTERACT, INTERREG IVC and URBACT.

Events

(1) ESPON Workshop “How to make regions and cities more resilient to economic crisis”

When: Tuesday 8 October 2013, 11h15 – 13h00

Venue: Conference Centre of Albert Borschette, Room 2D, Rue Froissart 36, 1040 Bruxelles

Code: 08C13

Organiser: European Commission, DG REGIO B1

Brief

ESPON has produced territorial evidence of economic crisis impact and resilience, poverty and social exclusion as well as innovative results to explain the role of accessibility and the efficiency of public institutions in designing and implementing successful development strategies.

This workshop debated the crucial question of what regions and cities can learn from others' experiences to strengthen their position and improve their performance and thus reduce the risk for European citizens of being affected by poverty. It was based on a mixture of presentations and case studies.

(2) Joint Workshop “More jobs, better cities and regions: how can cities and regions best create and support more and better jobs? Lessons from inter-regional cooperation”

When: 8 October 2013, 14h30 – 17h00

Venue: Committee of the Regions, Jacques Delors, Room 62

Code: 08C16

Organisers: URBACT, INTERREG IVC, INTERACT, ESPON

Brief

10% of Europe's population is unemployed. In some regions over half of young people are out of work. More jobs are needed (almost 18m) if EU2020 targets are to be met. This workshop explored what cities and regions can do to create jobs. It unpicked the main challenges faced and showcased what works and what doesn’t based on evidence and practice from ESPON, INTERACT, INTERREG IVC and URBACT. After an introduction presenting the big picture and some common messages from the ETC programmes, project and programme representatives discussed their experience of creating innovative solutions to these complex challenges.

(3) Speech at the Workshop “Territorial Impact Assessment: a tool for better lawmaking and territorial cohesion”

When: Wednesday 9 October 2013, 11h15 - 13h00

Venue: Committee of the Regions, Van Maerlant, Room 3

Code: 09A04

Organiser: Committee of the Regions, Unit E2

Brief

The objective of the Territorial Agenda 2020 is to provide strategic orientations for territorial development, fostering integration of territorial dimension within different policies at all governance levels and to ensure implementation of the Europe 2020 Strategy according to territorial cohesion principles. This workshop showed how the assessment of territorial impacts is a necessary tool to achieve these objectives as well contributing to better lawmaking in the EU. It also presented current activities of the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Committee of the Regions in this field, as well as announcing future prospects and new developments.

ESPON at the Exhibition “100 EUrban solutions”

When: 7-10 October 2013

Venue: Committee of the Regions, Jacques Delors building, 6th floor

Organisers: URBACT, INTERREG IVC, INTERACT, ESPON

OPEN DAYS organisers invited URBACT, INTERREG IVC, INTERACT and ESPON to contribute to the good practices exhibition on smart, sustainable and inclusive urban development.

The objective was to illustrate urban solutions based on case studies and transferable good practices. Selected projects, publications and information stands by the four programmes were hosted on the 6th floor of the CoR building.

Further information

Please find below the programme of the ESPON workshop and the ESPON presentations.

More photos here.

Official website of the Open Days 2013

Contact: Piera PETRUZZI, e-mail: piera.petruzzi@espon.eu

Brussels, 7 - 10 October 2013 

ESPON, URBACT, INTERREG IVC, INTERACT at the Exhibition “100 EUrban solutions”
ESPON Workshop “How to make regions and cities more resilient to economic crisis”
Joint Workshop “More jobs, better cities and regions: how can cities and regions best create and support more and better jobs? Lessons from inter-regional cooperation”
Speech at the Workshop "Territorial Impact Assessment: a tool for better lawmaking and territorial cohesion”