Written by Christiaan Van Lierop,
As the world’s largest annual get-together of local and regional experts, the 2017 European Week of Regions and Cities is without a doubt ‘the place to be’ for the EU’s regional movers and shakers. And with a programme packed full of discovery and debate, this year’s event looks set to be bigger and better than ever before – which is why the European Parliamentary Research Service is delighted to be part of the action once again.
One of the highlights of today’s proceedings will undoubtedly be the European Committee of the Regions President Lambertz’s much awaited speech on the State of the Union: the View of Regions and Cities. Indeed, while yesterday saw the official launch of this year’s event, today is the day that participants will really get down to business. Good preparation is without a doubt the key to successful participation at this week’s events – and the EPRS is on hand to help. We have matched some of our key publications to a selection of today’s workshops, providing you with all the information you need in a clear and easy to read format. So; if you are looking for information about the key issues covered by today’s workshops – keep on reading!
Recommended reading for the workshop on How to shape the future cohesion policy after 2020, Challenges for EU cohesion policy provides a good overview of the key issues at stake. While our briefing on Moving cycling forward contains useful information for the event on European cities – providing leadership for health and wellbeing, Regional competitiveness in the EU is your go-to document if you are planning to attend the workshop on Improving regional governance and competitiveness. A briefing on a key EU initiative, Delivering the Urban Agenda for the EU provides useful reading material for the Circular Cities event with Harnessing globalisation for LRAs, meanwhile, a valuable source of information for participants at the workshops on Regional and Urban Leadership in an era of globalisation and de-globalisation and Investment for industry modernisation in European regions. If you are planning to attend the workshop on Boosting digital skills for youth employment, be sure to read our briefing on Digital skills in the EU labour market: participants at the Communities as change agents event, meanwhile, should consult our publication on Rural poverty in the European Union. Our briefing on Financial instruments in cohesion policy offers a good introduction to the issues up for discussion at Financial instruments as a delivery mechanism for ESIF post 2020, while our in-depth analysis on Access to culture in the European Union provides good background reading for the workshop on European Capitals of Culture: Cities and regions as change agents. Lastly, for an overview of Smarter Europe – smarter funding, turn to our Guide to EU Funding 2014-2020.
| Workshop | EPRS publication |
|---|---|
| How to shape the future Cohesion policy after 2020 | Challenges for EU cohesion policy |
| European cities – providing leadership for health and well-being | Moving cycling forward |
| Improving regional governance and competitiveness | Regional competitiveness in the EU |
| Circular Cities | Delivering the Urban Agenda for the EU |
| Regional + urban leadership in an era of globalisation and de-globalisation | Harnessing globalisation for LRAs |
| Investment for industry modernisation in European regions | Harnessing globalisation for LRAs |
| Boosting digital skills for youth employment | Digital skills in the EU labour market |
| Communities as change agents | Rural poverty in the European Union |
| Financial instruments as a delivery mechanism for ESIF post 2020 | Financial instruments in cohesion policy |
| European Capitals of Culture: Cities and regions as change agents | Access to culture in the European Union |
| Smarter Europe – smarter funding ? | Guide to EU Funding 2014-2020 |
Read also the Topical Digest on ‘European Week of Regions and Cities‘.
