OPEN DAYS 2010 Final Programme - European Commission - Europa

Welcome addresses
For the 8th consecutive year the Committee of the Regions
presents, together with the European Commission, the
European Parliament, more than 244 regions and cities
and another 30 companies, banks and associations, the
OPEN DAYS, the annual gathering of experts in regional and
local development. I am sure that the more than 130 seminars
and workshops taking place during the European Week of
Regions and Cities 2010 will stimulate many fruitful exchanges
and interesting discussions among the 6,000 expected
participants.
In 2010, Europe’s regions and cities continue to face many
challenges. The OPEN DAYS will address these challenges
from a ‘territorial’ point of view and present solutions which
have been found by regional and local authorities. This year,
the Committee of the Regions will be the ‘Meeting Place’ for
practitioners in the fields of ‘green economy’ and ‘territorial
cooperation’. Linking the different levels of government in
Europe with the dual aim of creating wealth in our regions
and ensuring the well-being of citizens, has been key to the
OPEN DAYS success since its inception.
Europe needs its regions and cities, and the regions and cities
need Europe. It’s the population and the territory that matter
when Europe is asked to deliver. Local and regional authorities
are responsible for managing many local services such as
public transport, housing, waste and water management, and
the greening of local economies. The shape and design of the
society of the future is in their hands. On the eve of the debate
on the EU budget post-2013, it is essential to provide evidence
that the Europe 2020 strategy is a crucial framework for locallevel
action and, conversely, that the strong involvement of the
local level in delivering the ‘Europe 2020’ strategy is necessary.
This is also why we want to discuss Europe at home. Between
September and November, all OPEN DAYS partners will again
organise around 260 events in more than 35 countries, at
which an audience of 25,000 in town halls, schools, universities
and market places is expected. I look forward to meeting you
at the OPEN DAYS 2010!
Mercedes Bresso
President of the Committee of the Regions
EUROPEAN UNION
Committee of the Regions
As new EU Commissioner for Regional Policy many new and
great experiences have come my way. Among these new
experiences, I am particularly delighted to attend my first
OPEN DAYS, the European Week of Cities and Regions. Now in
their eighth consecutive year, the OPEN DAYS bring together
regional and local stakeholders from across Europe to share
best practices, exchange ideas and foster debate. This event
has become a true highlight of the regional policy calendar,
and the ongoing enthusiasm among its participants reaffirms
its importance as a unique opportunity for networking and
discussion.
OPEN DAYS 2010 will focus on three themes: competitiveness,
cohesion and cooperation. These thematic priorities recognise
the vital role of regions and cities. At the same time, they
represent key elements of the new Europe 2020 strategy for
smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Delivering Europe
2020 will therefore depend on a well-defined cohesion policy
which successfully translates Europe’s strategic priorities into
actual policies on the ground.
Ensuring such a successful cohesion policy remains a
challenging task for which input from regions and cities is
crucial. With the OPEN DAYS 2010 taking place shortly before
the adoption of the 5th Cohesion Report in November, they
represent a welcome opportunity to discuss how we can
maintain cohesion policy’s current strengths while taking
future challenges into account and improving our performance
even further.
I look forward to four days of stimulating debate, valuable
insights and fruitful conversation. Based on the success of its
previous editions, I am sure that the OPEN DAYS 2010 will be a
memorable event for all those involved.
Johannes Hahn
Commissioner for Regional Policy
2 OPEN DAYS 2010 – European Week of Regions and Cities