The EGTC - Ready to use

Interinstitutional conference

and annual meeting of the EGTC Platform of the Committee of the Regions

Thursday 29 March 2012

Committee of the Regions of the EU
Rue Belliard 99-101, Brussels 
Room JDE 52, Listening room JDE 51

Exhibition in foyer JDE 5th floor

Interinstitutional conference on the EGTC:

The Regulation on the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation is under revision and the Groupings will be strategic tools for the next programming period 2014-2020. The European Parliament and the Committee of the Regions want to involve the decision-makers of the EU in a dialogue about the EGTC

The participants in the conference will be the Members of the European Parliament, the European Commission, the representatives of the EU Member States in the Council, and the Members of the Committee of the Regions

The session will be open to the public and to all the participants in the EGTC Platform

Annual meeting of the EGTC Platform:

The EGTC Platform will hold its yearly meeting after the interinstitutional conference. The EGTC themselves will discuss about strategic issues related to their future: Their role in re-activating the economy and in meeting the objectives of the Strategy Europe 2020, and the future use of the EGTC beyond the cohesion policy. Including the future participation of entities from outside the EU

This event will be accompanied by a thematic exhibition

Agenda:

 

 

 Press release:

In collaboration with

09:00-09:30       Registration of the participants

09:30                Welcome and opening  

§         Ms Mercedes Bresso, President of the Committee of the Regions of the EU

§         Ms Danuta Hübner, Chair of the Committee on Regional Development of the European Parliament

§         Mr Johannes Hahn, Commissioner of Regional Policy (video intervention)

09:55-10:30       Keynote speeches: Position of the institutions

 Speakers:

§       Mr Nicholas Martyn, Deputy Director General of DG Regio, European Commission 

§       Mr Joachim Zeller, MEP rapporteur on the proposal of revision of the EGTC Regulation

§       Mr Michel Delebarre, Chair of the Commission of Territorial Cohesion of the Committee of the Regions and rapporteur on the proposal of revision of the EGTC Regulation

§       Mr Luis Miguel Pariza Castaños, Councillor at the European Economic and Social Committee and rapporteur on the proposal of revision of the EGTC Regulation

10:40-11:20       Open floor for representatives of the Member States, Members of the European Parliament and Members of the Committee of the Regions

11:20-11:30       Conclusions and closing of the conference

Coffee break

Moderated by Ms Jacki DAVIES, EU analyst and commentator.

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE EGTC PLATFORM: The EGTC ready to use. State of play and strategies in the perspective 2020

12:00 Opening of the meeting by Dr Gerhard Stahl, Secretary General of the Committee of the Regions.

12:15   Workshop 1: The EGTC ready to use – Facing the crisis 

• Mr José Palma Andrés. European Commission, DG REGIO. Director of Territorial Cooperation
  
• Ms Elise Blais. Interact point Vienna
  
• Mr Juan José Lirón Lago. EGTC Galicia - Norte de Portugal, Director
  
  
• Open debate
  

13:00  Lunch (JDE Atrium 5)

14:30   Workshop 2: The EGTC ready to use – The external dimension 

15:15   Workshop 3: The EGTC ready to use – Beyond cohesion policy

• Ms Ulla Engelmann. European Commission, Joint Research Centre. Head of Unit of Interinstitutionals and Stakeholders Relations
  
• Mr Olivier Girard. European Commision, DG MARKT, Deputy Head of Unit of Single Market Policy and Relations with the Council
  
• Mr Finn Lauritzen. Øresund Committee, Director
  
• Mr Stef Vande Meulebroucke. EGTC Lille – Kortrijk – Tournai, Director 
  
• Open debate