INVITATION

Alentejo Europe Initiative, as the regional representation of Alentejo in Brussels, invites local and regional authorities, and their permanent representations in Brussels to participate, intervene and debate. Innovative businesses, practitioners, technologists, researchers and academicians are invited to enrich the debate and challenge the panel with questions about priorities, ideas, pilots and projects and share opportunities.

Municipalities and regions compete for innovation, resources, creativeness, investment, knowledge, talent, technology, skills and recognition. Concurrently, regions and cities increasingly cooperate to share solutions, resources and risks to address common challenges. Solutions, strategies and innovative governance designs, key for European Emerging Regions, are welcome to be debated.

Alentejo invites its fellow European Emerging regions as well as its municipalities and cities, to use this event to share the best of their innovative projects and so build moment for change, during 2021-2027, towards sustainable solutions for the emerging European challenges. During the event, inspiring projects will be presented and new concepts for the upcoming financial framework 2021-2027 will be discussed aiming at forming new consortia and partnerships for emerging projects and initiatives.

About

On October 11th, 2019, the European Week of Regions and Cities’ Friday, in Brussels, European Emerging Regions will get together open for debate, dialog, partnering and co-creation of innovative and impactful common projects.

Cooperation – more broadly unity – is key to face the European challenges of the future. Cooperation between regions, institutions, clusters, local leaders, innovators, clusters, and regional hubs and networks play vital role.

Science, technology, knowledge, digital skills and capabilities are essence of innovative, multidisciplinary and diverse modern integrated public policies, which are very much the result of enhanced cooperation.

Cooperation is expected to open development corridors across borders, topics, disciplines, institutions or barriers. Those give bottom-up initiatives the critical space to reach competitiveness and deliver impact. Corridors of cooperation to favour innovative governance, increased participation, enhanced dialog, stronger commitment, involvement and engagement on addressing common challenges of the future.

Innovative investment, governance and entrepreneurship are crucial factors for European Emerging Regions to succeed and deliver integrated responses to challenges of the future.

This panel event brings successful regional pilots and strategies together with promising trans-regional corridors giving those the needed single voice to shift strategies towards addressing the emerging challenges of the future under a context of cooperation.

Objectives

Strategic networking is the event’s objective. The event will bring together regions on one hand and pilots on the other. This event is a call for long term partnering for upcoming opportunities and missions. The 2021-2027 period is main target for emerging partnerships to be discussed and presented.

The event is a unique opportunity to network with emerging players, to share emerging ideas and to get involved with emerging regions.

During October 11th, key-notes and case-studies presentations will be delivered. After interventions, the debate will be organized where participants’ contribution is welcome. Partnerships are expected to emerge and to be followed-up during the upcoming financial period.

The dialog to be developed during the event is inspired on the case-studies to be presented and driven by the institutional presentations to be delivered.

Alentejo Europe Initiative represents the Portuguese region of Alentejo. Alentejo is a leading emerging region. Alentejo is one of largest European regions, increasingly a hub of culture, modernity and sustainability, and a climate, nature and biodiversity friendly region open to future, Europe and innovation.

09:00 Welcome coffee and registration of participants

09:30 Opening address
Pedro Lourtie, Deputy Permanent Representative of Portugal to the European Union

09:40 Welcome addresses
Roberto Grilo, President of Alentejo Regional Authority, CCDRAlentejo
José Calixto, President of Alentejo Development Agency, ADRAL

09:50 Key-note institutional address
Thomas Wobben, Director of Directorate C Legislative Work COTER – ECON – SEDEC of the European Committee of the Regions (representing the President of CoR)

10:05 Atlantic Corridor
Isabelle Maës, DG-Move, European Commission

10:20 Moderation introductory address
Marcos António Nogueira, Alentejo / Europe Initiative, Head of EU Office

10:25 Regional innovation ecosystems
Pirita Lindholm, ERRIN, Director

10:35 An integrated vision from European lakes
Riccardo Venchiarutti, nEUlakes, Director

10:45 Coordinating Regional Innovation, Culture and Creativeness
Clementina Piani, RICC, Coordinator

10:55 Regions tackling the demographic challenge
Dr. David Henry Fenner, Policy officer for Research & Innovation,Representation of a State of Saxony-Anhalt to the EU

11:05 City of Akmenė
Tomas Martinaiti, Vice-Mayor

11:15 Coffee break

11:30 European Cities for Trees Alliance
Paula Peiró, IrRADIARE, Science for Evolution / ISG University, Project developer

11:40 Iberian Corridor
Antonio García Salas, Southwest Iberian Network, Coordinator

11:50 Observe project - Sustainable tourism in Algarve
Rui Miguel Madeira Lança, University of Algarve, Assistant to Professor

12:00 City of Brno
Soňa Raszková, Department of ITI Management and Metropolitan Cooperation

12:10 A regional cluster of innovation FundCyT
Irene Palomino, Region of Extremadura, EU liaison officer

12:20 Debate + Questions and Answers

13:00 The European Cluster Policy
Hélène-Diane Dage, Deputy Head of Unit, Clusters, Social Economy and Entrepreneurship, European Commission DG GROW

13:15 Science and innovation impact on emerging regions
Maria da Graça Carvalho, Member of European Parliament/ PPE

13:30 Closure

Region of Alentejo

Alentejo is a geographical, historical and cultural region of south central and southern Portugal. Alentejo includes the regions of Alto Alentejo and Baixo Alentejo. It corresponds to the districts of Beja, Évora, Portalegre and the Alentejo Litoral. The main cities are: Évora, Beja, Serpa, Estremoz, Elvas and Portalegre. It has borders with Beira Baixa in the North, with Spain (Andalucia and Extremadura) in the east, with the Algarve in the South and with the Atlantic Ocean, Ribatejo and Estremadura in the West.

Alentejo's area extends to 27,272 square kilometres (10,530 square miles) (29.6% of the country) and has a population of 537,556 (5.1% of the country). Excluding Ponte de Sor, its area is 26,432 km2 (10,205 sq mi) and its population 520,834. The population density of Alentejo is 19.1/km². Parque Natural da Serra de São Mamede, a Nature Park Area located to the east of Portalegre, includes medieval villages. In the south near Mértola there is another Nature Park Area named Parque Natural do Vale Guadiana. This is more scarcely inhabited than the former. To the west, the coastal strip that runs from the port of Sines down to Cape St. Vincent (this already in the Algarve) comprises the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park.

The area is commonly known as the "bread basket" of Portugal, a region of vast open countryside with undulating plains and rich fertile soil. With very few exceptions all the major towns are mainly reliant on agriculture, livestock and forestry. There are several types of traditional cheeses, wines and smoked hams and sausages made in the Alentejo region, among others: Queijo Serpa, Queijo de Évora and Queijo de Nisa (PDO cheeses); Vinho do Alentejo and Vinho do Redondo (wines); and presunto (smoked ham). Marble, cork, olive oil and mining industries are other important activities in the region and tourism is expected to still have growth potential. The Alqueva Dam is an important irrigation and hydroelectricity generation facility which supports a part of the Alentejo's economy.

The region is the home of the world's most important area for the growing of cork. Cork-oak, known in Portugal as "sobreiro", has been grown commercially in the region for the past 300 years, with the areas between the trees typically given over to grazing, or on the more productive soils, to the growing of citrus fruit, vines or olives. As a consequence, a uniquely rich and varied ecosystem has developed. The bark of the cork-oak is still harvested by teams of men using locally made hand-axes. No mechanical method has yet been invented that will allow the harvest to be achieved as effectively. The stripping of the bark is performed only in midsummer, when the bark can be removed more easily. The cork-oak is the only tree known that will allow this regular stripping of bark without damage. The harvest of one mature tree provides sufficient bark to produce about 4,000 wine bottle corks. The industry provides employment for about 60,000 workers.

Region of Lombardy

Lombardy one of the twenty administrative regions of Italy, in the northwest of the country, with an area of 23,844 square kilometres (9,206 sq mi). About 10 million people, forming one-sixth of Italy's population, live in Lombardy and about a fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in the region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest regions in Europe. Milan, Lombardy's capital, is the second-largest city and the largest metropolitan area in Italy.

One-sixth of the Italian population or about 10 million people live in Lombardy (16.2% of the national population; 2% of the European Union population), making it the second most densely populated region in Italy. As of 2013, the gross domestic product (GDP) of Lombardy, equal to over €350 billion, accounts for about 21% of the total GDP of Italy. When this measure is considered by inhabitant, it results in a value of €33,066 per inhabitant, which is more than 25% higher than the national average of €25,729.

The productivity of agriculture is enhanced by a well-developed use of fertilisers and the traditional abundance of water, boosted since the Middle Ages by the construction (partly designed by Leonardo da Vinci) of a wide net of irrigation systems. Lower plains are characterised by fodder crops, which are mowed up to eight times a year, cereals (rice, wheat and maize) and sugar beet. Productions of the higher plains include cereals, vegetables, fruit trees and mulberries. The higher areas, up to the Prealps and Alps sectors of the north, produce fruit and wine. Cattle (with the highest density in Italy), pigs and sheep are raised.

Besides being an economic and industrial powerhouse, Lombardy has a rich and diverse cultural heritage. The many examples range from prehistory to the present day, through the Roman period and the Renaissance and can be found both in museums and churches that enrich cities and towns around the region. There are nine UNESCO World Heritage sites wholly or partially located in Lombardy. Some of these comprise several individual objects in different locations. One of the entries has been listed as natural heritage, the others are cultural heritage sites.

Emilia Romagna Region

Emilia-Romagna is an administrative region of Northeast Italy comprising the historical regions of Emilia and Romagna. Its capital is Bologna. It has an area of 22,446 km2 (8,666 sq mi), and about 4.4 million inhabitants. Emilia-Romagna is one of the wealthiest and most developed regions in Europe, with the third highest GDP per capita in Italy.] Bologna, its capital, has one of Italy's highest quality of life indices[8] and advanced social services.

Emilia-Romagna is also a cultural and tourist centre, being the home of the University of Bologna, the oldest university in the world], containing Romanesque and Renaissance cities (such as Modena, Parma and Ferrara), a former Eastern Roman Empire capital such as Ravenna, encompassing eleven UNESCO heritage sites, being a centre for food and automobile production (home of automotive companies such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Pagani, De Tomaso and Ducati) and having popular coastal resorts such as Cervia, Cesenatico, Rimini and Riccione. In 2018, the Lonely Planet guide named Emilia Romagna as the best place to see in Europe.]

Emilia-Romagna today is considered one of the richest European regions and the third Italian region by GDP per capita. These results have been achieved by developing a very well-balanced economy that comprises Italy's biggest agricultural sector as well as a long-standing tradition in automobile, motor and mechanics manufacturing and a strong banking and insurance industry.Industry in the region presents a varied and complex picture and is located along the Via Emilia. The food industry is particularly concentrated in Parma, Modena and Bologna as is the mechanical and automotive industry. The ceramic sector is concentrated in Faenza and Sassuolo.

Tourism is increasingly important, especially along the Adriatic coastline and the cities of art. The regional economy is more geared to export markets than other regions in the country: the main exports are from mechanical engineering (53%), the extraction of non-metallic minerals (13%) and the clothing industry (10%).

State of Saxony-Anhalt

Saxony-Anhalt is a Land (State) in the East-Central Germany. Saxony-Anhalt borders the German states of Brandenburg to the east, Saxony to the south, Thuringia to the southwest, and Lower Saxony to the northwest.

Saxony-Anhalt covers an area of 20,447.7 square kilometres (7,894.9 sq mi) and has a population of 2.23 million, 108.69 inhabitants per km2, making it the 8th-largest state in Germany by area and the 10th-largest by population. Its capital is Magdeburg and its largest city is Halle (Saale). Saxony-Anhalt is surrounded by the states of Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony and Thuringia.

Though agriculture in Saxony-Anhalt dominates much of the landscape, it plays a quite modest role in total output and employment. The fertile lowlands of the Börde region and of the Saale and Mulde river valleys support the cultivation of wheat, rye, barley, rape, sugar beets, and fodder crops. This productive agriculture has given rise to important local food-processing industries, especially sugar-refining and flour-milling. Cattle are also raised, and cheese production is important. The heathlands produce some rye, potatoes, and cattle.

Like other eastern German states, Saxony-Anhalt suffered severe economic recisions in production and employment in virtually all sectors following unification. In the early 2000s the state was considered to be among Germany’s poorest, with high unemployment, especially in the former mining and chemical works regions in the south. Decreased economic activity, however, especially reductions in chemical and lignite production, has led to dramatic improvement in air quality in the postunification era. Although Saxony-Anhalt’s economy, including manufacturing, has shrunk, the state’s two main industrialized regions continue to be of some importance. Magdeburg, almost completely flattened during combat in World War II, was rebuilt in the postwar era. It has food-processing and metalworking industries. In southern Saxony-Anhalt a line of cities and towns from Dessau south through Zeitz, including Wolfen, Bitterfeld, Halle, Merseburg, and Leuna, have varied chemical, machinery, and metallurgical plants, as well as food processing. Aspirin manufacturer Bayer has a large complex in Bitterfeld. Saxony-Anhalt also has a modest tourist industry that primarily serves German travelers.

Akmenė Municipality,
Region of Samogitia

Akmenė Municipality is one of 60 municipalities in Lithuania. It lies in the northwest of the country, with administrative centre in Naujoji Akmenė and borders Latvia in the North, Joniškis District Municipality in the East, Šiauliai District Municipality in the Southeast, Telšiai District Municipality in the Southwest, and Mažeikiai District Municipality in the West.

Akmenė district was established in 1950, when the reform of territorial-administrative units was introduced to the Lithuanian SSR. The region merged part of Kuršėnai and Mažeikiai regions. The administrative centre was settled in Akmenė town, and in 1962 it was moved to Naujoji Akmenė. In the same year, the district was merged into Mažeikiai district, and in 1965 it emerged as a separate administrative unit. The district municipality was composed from former Akmenė district in 1995 and in 1999, pursuant to national reform of municipalities, its territory was expanded by incorporating Viekšniai seniūnija(elderate).

Region of Algarve

Region of Algarve is the southernmost region of continental Portugal. It has an area of 4,997 km2 (1,929 sq mi) with 451,006 permanent inhabitants, and incorporates 16 municipalities.

The region has its administrative centre in the city of Faro, where both the region's international airpor (IATA: FAO) and public university, the University of Algarve, are located. Tourism and related activities are extensive and make up the bulk of the Algarve's summer economy. Production of food, which includes fish and other seafood, different types of fruit such as oranges, figs, plums, carob beans, and almonds, are also economically important in the region. Although Lisbonsurpasses the Algarve in terms of tourism revenue,the Algarve is still, overall, considered to be the biggest and most important Portuguese tourist region. Its population triples in the peak holiday season due to seasonal residents. The Algarve is also increasingly sought after, mostly by central and northern Europeans, as a permanent place to settle.

City of Brno,
South Moravian Region

Brno is the second largest city of the Czech Republic, after the capital- Prague and the cultural and administrative centre of the South Moravian Region. Located at the confluence of the Svitava and Svratka rivers, Brno has about 400,000 inhabitants

Brno is the seat of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, the Supreme Administrative Court, and the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office, and a number of state authorities, including the Ombudsman,and the Office for the Protection of Competition. Brno is also an important centre of higher education, with 33 faculties belonging to 13 institutes of higher learning and about 89,000 students.

Brno has a beautiful historic centrewith historic sights from the 11th century, a large number of Baroque and Renaissance buildings.The dominant feature of Brno is a stone promontory called Petrov and the gothic Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul which is built on it.

Region of Extremadura

Region of Extremadura is an autonomous community of the western Iberian Peninsula whose capital city is Mérida, recognised by the Statute of Autonomy of Extremadura. It is made up of the two largest provinces of Spain: Cáceres and Badajoz. It is bordered by the provinces of Salamanca and Ávila (Castile and León) to the north; by provinces of Toledo and Ciudad Real (Castile–La Mancha) to the east, and by the provinces of Huelva, Seville, and Córdoba (Andalusia) to the south; and by Portugal to the west. Its official language is Spanish.

It is an important area for wildlife, particularly with the major reserve at Monfragüe, which was designated a National Park in 2007, and the International Tagus River Natural Park (Parque Natural Tajo Internacional). The government of Extremadura is called Gobierno de Extremadura.