INFO-DAYS 2009. BRUSSELS 28-29 October

INFO-DAYS 2009 BRUSSELS 28-29 October

INFO-DAYS 2009 Informationsdagarna, eller INFO-days är ett årligen återkommande evenemang som arrangeras av SEU:s representation i Bryssel. Tanken är att informationsdagarna ska synliggöra EU:s arbete. Ca 70 procent av EU:s beslut har direkt påverkan på regional och lokal nivå. Vilka verktyg har lokala och regionala företrädare idag för att kunna hantera detta? Behövs nya? Informationsdagarna är till för att bland annat få svar på aktuella frågor, på plats i Bryssel och av aktörer som finns representerade här. Informationsdagarna utgör även ett utmärkt tillfälle till nätverkande samt information om policy och möjligheter till arbete med EU-projekt. INFO-days 2009 arrangeras den 28-29 oktober och fokuserar på den rådande krisen och olika sätt att hantera den. En första generell del behandlar hur EU förhåller sig till krisen, de åtgärder som hittills vidtagits och vilka konsekvenser de får för den regionala/lokala nivån. Den andra delen av den första dagen ägnas åt ett studiebesök i en stad som upplevt flera kriser, hanterat dem och idag står stark den vallonska staden Liège. Den andra dagen utgörs av två tematiska seminarier som behandlar högaktuella teman relaterade till krisen utvecklingen mot ett europeiskt kunskapssamhälle respektive så kallad grön tillväxt. Lissabonstrategin, som syftar till att göra Europa till ett kunskapssamhälle, utvärderas just nu och en framtida strategi kommer att handla ännu mer om just innovation, utbildning och entreprenörskap än tidigare, frågor som tas upp i seminariet kallat Knowledge Society. Det andra seminariet, Green Growth, behandlar utmaningen; miljöanpassning kontra ekonomisk tillväxt. Står de båda i motsatsförhållande eller går de faktiskt att kombinera? På vilket sätt påverkas den regionala/lokala nivån av de klimatanpassningsåtgärder som just nu vidtas på EU-nivå? Vilken roll kan regionala/ lokala organ spela i att uppmuntra medborgare till en grönare livsstil? Varmt välkommen till INFO-days 2009! 2 info - days 2009

Wednesday, October 28 Location: Stockholm House, Avenue Marnix 28, 1000 Brussels Time: 11.00-13.45 Welcome session 11.00 Registration at Stockholm House 11.15 Official welcome to INFO-days 2009 Welcome to Stockholm House mr Thomas Friis Konst, Managing Director, Stockholm Region Welcome to Brussels mr Carlo Luyckx, Vice-Mayor of Saint-Gilles, Brussels Welcome to INFO-days, 2009 mr Jan Holmberg, Mayor of Upplands Väsby, host for the Pre-INFOdays 2009 Seminar session On the EU agenda 11.30 Moderator: Mr. Staffan Jerneck, director CEPS New commission, new budget period mr Peder Jakobsson, head of unit, Budget and Finance, Committee of the Regions The EU s response to the crisis ms Sophia Silvert, SILVERT MEDIA, Strategic Communications The coming mandate period in the European Parliament ms Anna Maria Corazza Bildt, MEP (tbc) Lunch session 12.45 Lunch at Stockholm House With possibility to visit the exhibition The Unknown City Hall, offered by the City of Stockholm info - days 2009 3

STUDY VISIT TO WALLONY 13.45 Departure to Liège Bus transfer from Stockholm House 15.00 Arrival, University of Liège Official welcome to the University of Liège Prof. Bernard Rentier, Rector Magnificus, University of Liège 16.00 A view of Liège - yesterday, today and tomorrow mr Michel Foret, Governor of Liège 17.00 Thematic site visit - St Bartholomew s Church and the Curtius Museum, Liège 19.00 Official buffet dinner at the Curtius Museum mr Jan Holmberg, Mayor of Upplands Väsby and official host for the 2009 Pre-INFO-day Dresscode: Formal 21:00 Departure to Brussels Bus transfer from Curtis Museum in Liège to Brussels City center 4 info - days 2009

Thursday, October 29 Parallell seminars Knowledge Society & Green Growth Seminar 1 - Knowledge Society Introduction The aim of the Lisbon Strategy, adopted for a ten-year period in 2000 by the European Council, is to make Europe, by 2010, the most dynamic and competitive economy in the world. The strategy has been about preparing Europe for a transition to an economy and a society based on knowledge with focus on promoting innovation, education and entrepreneurship. Even if some progress has been made, the actions have not been sufficient to achieve the goals. During the Swedish Presidency the reflections of the reshaping of the Lisbon Strategy after 2010 have begun. Innovation, education and entrepreneurship are likely to feature highly among the strategy s new priorities. The seminar focuses on current EU strategies and initiatives, and on how these, together with local and regional actions, can contribute to achieve a society based on knowledge. Location: Kent Brussels office, Rue du Commerce 45 Time: 09.30-12.00 Registration: from 09.00 Moderator: Mr Marcus Wenig, Director, Representation of the Land Brandenburg to the European Union (tbc) Lisbon Strategy post 2010 - New focus on knowledge society? Mr Andrea Forti, Advisor, Committee of the Regions New Skills for new Jobs - Local authorities adapting to new needs Mr Sebastian Stetter, Policy Co-ordinator, DG Employment, Social Affairs, and Equal Opportunities, European Commission The EU support to promote favourable Business climate and Entrepreneurship on Local and Regional level European Commission, DG Enterprise and Industry (tbc) Coffee break: 10.45 11.00 Youth - Investing and Empowering. How to create opportunities for youth in education and employment Ms Ann-Marie le Clair, Policy officer, European Commission, DG Education and Culture Innovation by Regions European Commission (tbc) Good practice: Asbl Les jeunes enterprises A good example about young entrepreneurship from Brussels Ms Fabienne Baise, responsible of communication, Asbl Les jeunes enterprises info - days 2009 5

Thursday, October 29 Parallell seminars Knowledge society & Green Growth Seminar 2 - Green Growth Introduction We all want to go green and take our responsibility to create a sustainable society. However, would that mean that our society would have to refrain from economical growth or are these two goals perhaps compatible? In order to meet challenging climate targets, new regulations and strategies are produced rapidly at EU level. It goes without saying that the situation for future decision making for local and regional authorities will be affected, but in what way? So far, the path towards an environmental friendly society, has to a large extent involved public authorities and the implications for the citizens has mainly been limited to regulations and laws. However, quite a few are convinced that the individual needs to be more involved in order to succeed in the transformation towards a greener society. How can the behaviour of the citizens be changed and what role could the local and regional authorities play in this process? Location: East of England, EU office, Rue du Trône 4 Time: 09.30-12.00 Registration: from 09.00 Moderator: Mr. Kurt Gaissert, Chief of Protocol of the Baden-Württemberg Representation to the EU (tbc) INTERZA - Municipal work to change individual behaviour Mr Jan Buysse, Managing Director, INTERZA How will the regions and municipalities be affected by the strategies of the European Commission? Head of Unit, Communication and Governance, DG Environment, European Commission We all want to go green and to have economical growth, but are these two goals compatible? Ms Lena Ek, Member of the European Parliament (ALDE) (tbc) Coffee break: 10.45 11.00 Behaviour change at local level Ms Barbara Laveau, WWF (tbc) Saving a common sea and at the same time creating a flourishing common market, The EU Baltic Sea Strategy Mr Anders Lindholm, National expert, DG Regional Policy, European Commission Concluding remarks by the moderator 6 info - days 2009

Common closing ceremony at Stockholm House 12.30 Ceremony The host Pre-INFO-days 2009, Upplands Väsby, Mayor Mr Jan Holmberg - handing over of key of knowledge to the host of the Pre-INFO-days 2010, Municipality of Enköping, Mayor Ms Anna Wiklund Pre-INFO-days 2010: Welcome to Enköping Ms Anna Wiklund, Mayor of Enköping Official opening of the exhibition EU from a child s perspective of the City of Solna, by the Mayor of Solna Mr. Lars-Erik Salminen In presence of to be confirmed 13.00 Common closing lunch at Stockholm House, offered by the City of Solna Hand over of offical gifts to each participant 14.30 End of session info - days 2009 7

Praktisk information Anmälan och avgift Anmälan sker på separat blankett. Seminariedagarna och studieresan kommer att kosta 1.450 SEK exl moms. Kostnaden faktureras innan konferensen. Anmälan är bindande och börjar gälla först när betalning är utförd. Hotell- och resekostnader ingår inte i priset. Boende Hotellrum bokas av deltagarna. En länk till bokningsbolaget Resotel finns på SEU:s hemsida under besöksfliken på www.stockholmregion.org. Språk Föredragen kommer att hållas på engelska och svenska, ingen översättning Kontaktperson För frågor om informationsdagen, vänligen kontakta: Gustaf Lundgren +32-2-740 06 07 +32-473-94 27 74 gustaf.lundgren@stockholmregion.org eller Madelen Charysczak +32-2-740 06 08 +32-476-76 02 25 madelen.charysczak@stockholmregion.org INFO days och Pre-INFO days är arrangemang i nära samarbete mellan SEU, KSL, respektive värdkommuner och organisationer i Belgien. 8 info - days 2009