Over 600 participants are attending the first ever joint conference of the 13 transnational programmes running under the European Territorial Cooperation objective of the EU Cohesion Policy to meet with high level representatives from the European Commission and Polish Government representatives to discuss the future of transnational cooperation. The event is taking place in Katowice from 15th to 16th of September 2011 in the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music at 3 Zacisze St.
The conference will demonstrate how this type of cooperation is addressing topics not covered by any level of governance and how it helps to improve quality of life in the regions. It will showcase the results and outcomes of the 13 transnational programmes to date and take outset in these findings to discuss the future prospects for transnational cooperation to help in implementing the EU 2020 Strategy.
The conference is jointly organized by the 13 transnational European Territorial Cooperation programmes. The programmes support transnational regional development, co-funding projects that work with different cross-cutting themes within their geographical areas. They operate under the European Territorial Cooperation objective, which is financed by the European Regional Development Fund. The conference is hosted by the Silesian Region and the City of Katowice and is an accompanying event of the Polish Presidency of the EU Council. Moreover the event is supported by INTERACT and ESPON.
More than 600 people will participate from the entire Europe plus representatives of the neighbour and pre-accession countries. The event will feature high level speakers and panels including EU Commission representatives and Polish Ministries such as:
– Elżbieta Bieńkowska, Minister of Regional Development, Poland;
– Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for Regional Policy, European Commission. Special message
– Normunds Popens, Deputy Director-General, DG Regional Policy, European Commission;
– Jan Olbrycht, President of the URBAN Intergroup, European Parliament
Plenary sessions, 6 workshops and an exhibition area will show the cooperation potentials, strengths and challenges of transnational cooperation programmes. The thematic sessions will focus on issues important to all programmes and corresponding to objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy:
– Transport
– Environmental Risk Management
– Innovation
– Energy
– Demographic Change
– Enlargement and cooperation with our neighbours
The cooperation themes will be deepened in conference workshops and can be “life experienced” in
an animated exhibition. For more information check www.transnational-cooperation.eu
