Future of European cohesion policy: Regions from NRW in dialogue with EU representatives in Brussels
What course is Europe setting for the future of its structural policy and regional development? How can competitiveness, innovation and cohesion in the regions be further strengthened? These and other key questions were the focus of an intensive exchange between the regionen.NRW association and representatives of the EU Commission and the European Parliament in Brussels on 2 July.
Among the discussion partners was Dr Stefan Berger, Member of the European Parliament and spokesperson for the CDU North Rhine-Westphalia in the EU Parliament. With a view to the upcoming decisions in the EU, he explained: "In view of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and a changing transatlantic partnership, the EU is facing enormous challenges. This also has an impact on the future EU budget and structural policy. This makes it all the more important to take the regions' perspectives into account - they know best how geopolitical upheavals and political decisions affect life and economic development on the ground and what is needed there to promote equal living conditions and innovation."
Andreas Grotendorst, Chairman of Münsterland e.V., was among those taking part on behalf of the regionen.NRW association. He emphasised: "It is crucial for the Münsterland and the other regions in NRW to incorporate our experiences and expectations into the European decision-making processes at an early stage. The EU remains a key partner for us - not only in financing regional development, but also in building resilient, innovative local structures."
The exchange took place as part of a programme of visits to Brussels, which also included talks with the Directorate-General for Regional Policy and Urban Development (DG REGIO) and the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW). The aim was to ensure that the perspectives of the regions in NRW could be taken into account from the outset in the discussions on future EU funding policy. The aim was also to strengthen the role of regional development organisations as mediators between the European and local levels.
The day concluded with a summer party at the NRW state representation in Brussels, where around 1500 guests from politics, business, science and the media exchanged views.
The regionen.NRW association has brought together the nine regional development organisations in North Rhine-Westphalia and the Zukunftsagentur Rheinisches Revier since 2013. It stands for practical, bottom-up cooperation and pools the interests of the regions vis-à-vis the state, federal government and EU.
