2017 Berlin

Macro-regional strategies - what's in it for Cohesion Policy?

Time:    13th June 2017, 17:00 – 18:30
Venue:   Weltsaal

Background:

The success of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) relies on an optimal use of existing financial sources, a better implementation of existing legislation and better use of existing institutions. In the absence of dedicated funding sources to implement EUSBSR projects and processes, it is essential to mobilise existing European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) for the implementation of the EUSBSR. The Interact programme, providing support services to macro-regional strategies, has recently launched a study on the “Added value of macro-regional strategies: project and programme perspective”.

A year ago, a European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Managing Authorities’ (MA) Network was set-up, which aims to work out ways of more efficient financial support to EUSBSR implementation. Similar networks have also emerged – on a voluntary basis - for the European Social Fund (ESF) and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), which underlines the desire for cooperation across regions and programmes in the Baltic Sea region. The ERDF MA network initially focusses on transnational collaboration in the field of innovation. A first 'pilot', under the lead of the EUSBSR Policy Area "Innovation" and the region of Västerbotten (SE), has elaborated macro-regional collaboration proposals in the field of Clean-tech.

What we aim to achieve:

The main purpose of the seminar is to facilitate an open discussion on the extent to which macro-regional strategies can bring added-value to Cohesion Policy. First experiences and results of the 'pilot' ERDF network of Managing Authorities in the Baltic Sea region, initially focussing on smart specialisation, will be presented and discussed. The seminar will also discuss the added value of macro-regional strategies from the perspective of projects and programmes. What’s in it for them and why should they be interested in contributing to the implementation of macro-regional strategies? What is needed to achieve a stronger engagement of ESIF programmes to Strategy support?

Speakers and/or panellists:

• Baiba Liepa (Interact programme)
• Anders Lindholm (Chair of the ERDF Managing Authorities network)
• Vilma Gaubyte (Director, Lithuanian Biomass Energy Association)
• Erik Bergkvist (President of Region Västerbotten, Board member of CPMR/Baltic Sea Commission)
• Niclas Forsling (Nordic Council of Ministers, EUSBSR Policy Area "Innovation)
• Marc Lemaitre (European Commission, Director General for Regional and Urban Policy)

Moderator:

•    Jean-Pierre Halkin (European Commission, Head of Unit, DG Regional and Urban Policy)

Organiser(s) & contact details:

Peter Schenk, European Commission, Directorate General for Regional and Urban Policy,
Macro-regions, Territorial Cooperation, Transnational & Interregional Cooperation
EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region
+32-2-295-7849, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Åsa Bjering
Executive Secretary Baltic Sea Commission,
Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe
+33 2 99 35 46 35, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.