Workshop on EU funding and implementation of future programmes

The discussions over the future EU budget are in full swing and it is very timely for AER members to make their voices heard on the different policies and programmes that regions can implement everyday thanks to the European Union. If we want to improve the management and efficiency of EU programmes in the next programming period, it is essential for all AER members to bring together their experience and expertise and collaborate to make concrete, constructive and forward-looking proposals.

It is therefore our pleasure to invite you all to a joint workshop of the AER Task Force on future cohesion policy and the AER Working Group on European Funding which will take place in Strasbourg (F), at the Regional Council of Alsace.

The workshop will explore in detail the issues of funding: coordination between EU programmes, management, monitoring and evaluation. The aim of this meeting is two-fold:

• 2nd workshop to prepare for the White paper on future cohesion policy, which will make concrete proposals to improve the whole policy, from programming to evaluation. The White paper will be presented in the AER conference on cohesion policy on 7 December 2010 in Brussels.

• 2nd meeting of the working group on funding to continue with the work initiated at the meeting in June this year, and in particular the regional survey on EU Funding administrative burden and how to streamline the management of funds;

As you will see on the enclosed agenda, we will start the day with a joint session with both groups and we will then split into two groups in the afternoon to discuss in details issues of relevance identified in the morning session. You are of course all free to join the group of your choice.

The EU Funding Regional Survey is attached to this message, both in English and French. We would be grateful if you could complete and return the survey by e-mail(aer.brusselsdelete_me(at)aerdelete_me.eu) by 22 September at the very latest.

The survey will form the basis of our Streamlining EU Funding report and inform the White paper. Both documents will be used as a lobbying tools in the discussions taking place on the future programming period. It will also help us prepare for the discussions on 1 October to make sure these are as fruitful as possible.

We hope to welcome you in numbers, since the question of funding is crucial to all Regions in Europe. You are the ones who can make things change, you are the ones who will benefits from these changes.