Registration for the 'Open Days' annual week of cities and regions in Brussels opened on 5 July. A total of 130 seminars and workshops organised by regional partnerships - mainly Brussels-based regional representations - will take place under the broad daily themes of 'Competitiveness' (innovation, regional development and green economic growth by reference to the Structural Funds - mainly Tuesday); 'Cooperation' (Interreg and related international collaboration initiatives – mainly Wednesday); and 'Cohesion' ('territorial' and 'social' cohesion and on the question of how to better integrate different policies at the local level - mainly Thursday).

This week is always the single best attended annual set of events in Brussels so registrations and hotel bookings should be made well in advance.

As part of the Atlantic Alliance consortium, the Irish Regions Office is co-organising two seminars to take place on Wednesday 6 October: 'Cohesion policy for all - Justification for the future' will look at the case for maintaining Structural Funding for all European regions (morning) while 'An integrated strategy for the Atlantic area - A framework for functional maritime cooperation?' will debate whether or not closer collaboration in maritime spatial planning makes sense (afternoon). Both these issues are timely given high-level negotiations currently underway with the future in mind.

Full programme of events
Register until 22 September

The URBACT programme's 'CityLabs' are intended as opportunities for dynamic meetings between participants active in the programme's fields of interest. The latest CityLab - focusing on issues of managing the governance of metropolitan areas across national, regional and local boundaries - will be held on 12 February in Lille and will provide an opportunity for different URBACT projects and other current European projects working on metropolitan challenges to exchange their findings and initial conclusions.

Discussion will focus on the following issues:
* Dealing with the complexity of managing both morphological and functional city regions across administrative boundaries;
* Innovative arrangements to overcome the resulting political, financial, and/or administrative division;
* Maintaining citizen engagement and system legitimacy in increasingly complex governance arrangements.

More information

Project development meetings to bring forward applications based on 6 topics especially designated by the programme authorities ('strategic initiatives') will be organised by INTERREG IVB North West Europe in November. The intention is to identify a ''critical mass'' of relevant actors from across the programme area who are clearly interested in developing ambitions into firm project proposals with the programme's assistance. The themes chosen partly reflect gaps in the areas addressed by the programme's approved projects to date and represent a rare opportunity to access an inside track towards EU funding.

The project ideas to be discussed are:
16th November:
1. North West Europe Renewable ''Energy Agency'' - NWE network of centres
2. Biomass Energy Development
3. Energy from Algae/Bio-solar-safe: tapping energy from green cells
http://www.nweurope.eu/index.php?act=read_event&id=1665
17th November:
4. Economic cluster development across North West Europe
5. North West Europe network of centres co-operating on innovation and technology transfer
6. Freight telematics and logistics chains management (including transnational corridors)
http://www.nweurope.eu/index.php?act=read_event&id=1666

Register your interest in being involved at www.nweurope.eu.
Contact: Antoinette Jordan ajordan@seregassembly.ie to discuss your ambitions.

As part of the EU's Week of Regions and Cities ('Open Days'), the Irish Regions Office along with counterparts from eight other Brussels-based regional offices is organising a seminar entitled 'In search of a Framework for Cooperation in the Atlantic Area' on 7 October. This event will examine and look at means of progressing issues of mutual concern among the nations and regions surrounding this maritime space - Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, South-West England, Normany, Brittany, Galicia and Norte Portugal - through a coordianted marine spatial planning focus. A particular emphasis will be placed on the Atlantic Area Interreg programme as a means of formalising cooperation.

Later that evening, five of these partners will be hosting a 'Celtic Connections' cultural concert. IRO is delighted to have secured full Irish involvement thanks to the input of Clare County Council (from whose ranks the traditional music group Re-Seisiun are drawn) and the support of Tourism Ireland. Other performers include Welsh band Taran, the BellonMaceiras quintetofrom Galicia, and Breabach from Scotland. The concert will take place at the La Tentation venue in Central Brussels and is open to the general public. Admission is free but prior registration and confirmation is required via EUevents@wales.gsi.gov.uk.

Registration for the 2009 edition of the Open Days - European Week of Regions and Cities to be held in Brussels from 5-8 October is now open. A draft programme is also available.

This year, the Irish Regions Office is involved in the Atlantic Alliance consortium which will organise a seminar on future prospects for cooperative activities in the wider Atlantic space.

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