Spring reception of the NRW regions: Ideas for new ways of co-operation
Around 150 guests from politics, local authorities, business and science discussed traditional funding programmes as well as new cooperation models at the spring reception of the regionen.NRW association at the state parliament in Düsseldorf on Tuesday, 17 March. Münsterland e.V. was also present as one of the ten partner organisations of the association.
In his welcoming address, State Parliament President André Kuper pointed out the acute financial challenges facing local authorities, with a shortfall of around 30 billion euros across Germany this year. At the same time, he emphasised: "The major changes of our time are being shaped locally - in our cities and regions. As different as they are, they share the ability to actively shape change and overcome challenges together. The federal government, the state, local authorities and the private sector have a shared responsibility here."
Nathanael Liminski, Minister for Federal and European Affairs, International Affairs and Media and Head of the State Chancellery, also emphasised the importance of the regions in Europe on behalf of the state government: "It must also remain clear in Brussels during the current negotiations on the upcoming EU budget: Euro-pa's strength lies in its regions. We must continue to ensure that decision-making on the use of funding remains in the regions."
Ulla Thönnissen, Managing Director of the Region Aachen Zweckverband, welcomed the participants on behalf of all the regions in the association. In a panel discussion, representatives from business, state, federal and local government discussed specific funding approaches. They included Vera Bökenbrink, Managing Director of STAHLWILLE, Garrelt Duin, Regional Director of the Ruhr Regional Association, Dr Raphael L'Hoest from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and Christof Sommer, Managing Director of the Association of Towns and Municipalities of North Rhine-Westphalia.
"Transformation needs speed - and reliable funding," said Andreas Grotendorst, CEO of Münsterland e.V., referring to the 500 billion euros of special infrastructure funding, the reorganisation of the joint federal and state government task of "improving regional economic structures" (GRW) and the new direction of the European budget. He added: "Equally important are clear responsibilities, less bureaucracy and long-term investment prospects for the regions."
At the reception that followed, the dialogue continued in personal conversations.
www.regionen.nrw
About regionen.NRW
The regionen.NRW association has been in existence since 2013. It strengthens cooperation between the regions and consolidates strategic cooperation with the state government. The association comprises the nine regional management organisations in NRW: Region Aachen Zweckverband, Bergische Struktur- und Wirt-schaftsförderungsgesellschaft mbH, Regionalmanagement Düsseldorf - Kreis Mettmann, Region Köln/ Bonn e.V., Münsterland e.V., Standort Niederrhein GmbH, OstWestfalenLippe GmbH, Regionalverband Ruhr and Südwestfalen Agentur GmbH. The Zukunftsagentur Rheinisches Revier is a partner of the alliance. The office is located at Münsterland e.V.
