This year’s Brussels OPEN DAYS for cities and regions will take place from 8-11 October. Under the heading ‘Europe’s regions and cities: Making a difference‘, the OPEN DAYS 2012 seminars and workshops are structured around three thematic priorities:
· Smart and green growth for all – How does cohesion policy contribute to smart, sustainable and inclusive growth?
· Territorial cooperation: an asset for Europe – How can cooperation be used as a tool for regional development and better exploitation of regional potential? What is the added value of co-operation both within cooperation programmes and regional programmes, the European Grouping on Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) and macro-regional strategies? How to make best use of these instruments?
· Delivering results – What are the main achievements of the EU cohesion policy? And how can the intentions of the new regulatory framework proposed by the European Commission for 2014-2020 best be implemented?
The OPEN DAYS 2012 mark the event’s 10th anniversary. Looking back over a decade of debates and exchanges of best practice on European cohesion policy, it will be a time for positive reflection during the overall discussions on the future European cohesion policy. This year again, the event will be an occasion to join forces with a variety of European Commission Directorates-General in order to initiate a cross-disciplinary debate on topics such as community-led local development, a new feature of the European Fund for Regional Development and the European Social Fund after 2013.
During the various events, over 5000 participants from all over Europe – local, regional, national and European policy-makers and practitioners, as well as representatives from academia, the business community and the media – will be able to raise their voices, share their views, come forward with new ideas and remain involved in the discussion.
Online registration for the diverse workshops, seminars and other official events closes on 25th September.
More information is available at: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/conferences/od2012/index.cfm