Danuta Hübner at the "Europe Week" organised by the Centre Region of France to give an account of the EU's activities
Danuta Hübner, Member of the Commission responsible for Regional Policy, is visiting the Centre Region of France today on the occasion of its "Europe Week", which runs from 24 to 30 May, in order familiarise the people of the region with the activities of the European Union. She will meet Jean-Michel Bérard, Prefect of the Region, and François Bonneau, President of the Region, and the Presidents of the regions with which the Centre Region has signed cooperation agreements: Małopolska (Poland), Pardubice (Czech Republic) and Sachsen-Anhalt (Germany).
On the eve of her visit, Ms Hübner said:
"I welcome the commitment of the Centre Region in terms of its openness towards other regions in Europe, but also its commitment, reflected both in its own programme and in the Loire multiregional programme, to the new Community guidelines on research and innovation, and the importance that the region attaches to the establishment of networks in these fields."
Danuta Hübner reminds us of the importance of communication at this time – at the beginning of the new programming period for the Structural Funds (2007-2013), since the January Eurobarometer survey on cohesion policy shows that Europe should do more to communicate the positive impact of cohesion policy in France (IP/08/399). She hopes that the Centre Region's initiative aimed at making the people of the Centre Region more aware of European Union activities will be followed by other regions.
The programmes for the region in 2007-2013
The Centre Region's recently adopted "regional competitiveness" programme will involve European investment of €196 million for a total budget of €575 million. In order to boost its innovation capacities, the region will particularly rely on the "poles of competitiveness" as identified by the French Government. "Cosmetic Valley" (the sciences of beauty and well-being), for example, comprises 300 SMEs, large groups such as L'Oréal and LVMH, and universities that specialise in cosmetics and perfumery. The region also hopes to become a European centre of excellence in energy efficiency.
As part of the Cohesion Policy, the region is also involved in a programme focusing on the Loire Basin, together with Lower Normandy, Pays de la Loire, Poitou-Charentes, Burgundy, Auvergne, Limousin, the Rhône-Alpes Region and Languedoc-Roussillon. The aim is to assist businesses in the fields of research and flood-risk prevention and to support measures aimed at preserving biodiversity.
Projects cofinanced by the EU
The persons responsible for several projects conducted over the previous programming period (2000-2006) will present their results to Ms Hübner in Orléans. The Centre d’Etudes et de Recherche sur les Technologies en Microélectronique (CERTEM) [Microelectronics Study and Research Centre] has become a particularly important centre of regional development that enables the University of Tours to cooperate with ST Microelectronics – an international company that manufacturers and markets electronic components. Researchers and teaching staff at the University work in partnership with the company's engineers on the development of new products. The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is contributing € 409 802 to this project.
Ms Hübner will also visit the "Pôle capteurs automatismes" [Sensors and automation systems network] in Bourges. This project links businesses with innovative industrial projects and university research laboratories with a view to developing new electronic components.
Note to publishers
The "Semaine de l’Europe" [Europe Week] is an initiative aimed at making the people of the Centre Region more aware of European Union activities in their day-to-day life. For example, there has been an activity aimed at young people in high schools: European menus in the canteens, competitions, and information on Europe and the scope for mobility for young people. A conference will also be held on 29 and 30 May to present the exchanges of experience that have taken place between the Centre Region, the Region of Valencia in Spain, the Northern Great Plain in Hungary and Sachsen-Anhalt in Germany under the Interreg IIIC programme.
Further information on European regional policy can be found at:
http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/index_en.htm
Published on: 2008-05-26
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