Regions of Europe, Regions of world

Global competition can only be played out by competition rules that are accepted and shared by all competitors. This can be seen in technical standards for products, for example in requirements relating to food safety or sustainable development. The same goes for one of the main achievements of European integration, namely its regional policy.

In the 1980’s, EU leaders perceived that the successive enlargements to countries with dissimilar levels of development would bring about what economists call “asymmetric shocks” in Regions that did not have the same capacity for competitiveness. This led to the introduction of cohesion policy, without which the expansion of the Single Market would have been unbearable for a great many of our businesses and fellow citizens. Today it is the envy of other continents, in particular the emerging economic powers, whose growth is also causing gaps between different geographical areas within them to widen...

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Commissioner Borg at the CPMR General Assembly in Florence

 

The 35th CPMR General Assembly will take place in Florence, Tuscany, (IT) from 17 to 19 October 2007.

As usual, the discussions will start with the Geographical Commissions during Wednesday afternoon, but the true opening session will be on Thursday morning with an opening speech by our President, Mr Claudio Martini who is welcoming us to his Region and our Secretary General Mr Xavier Gizard who will present the 2007 activity report to the Regions.

Agriculture, climate change, the EU budget, economic and social cohesion, and of course maritime policy and globalisation will be the topics under discussion. The CPMR will undertake the formulation of its proposals for Europe for 2010-2020 across all these themes...

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ISEMAR, an independent maritime observatory

ISEMAR (Institut Supérieur d’Economie Maritime – Maritime Economy Institute) is a centre specialised in research, expertise and information in the maritime transport economy. It is based in the metropolitan area of Nantes-Saint-Nazaire in France.

Its aim is to analyse market growth and the strategies led by players within the international maritime and port industries. To this end it carries out research studies and disseminates information in the form of publications and events.

Paul TOURRET, who has been Director of ISEMAR since it was set up in 1997, is proud of his Institute’s originality. ISEMAR receives the backing of different types of local government, the municipalities of Nantes and Saint-Nazaire, the Loire Atlantique Département and the Pays de la Loire Region...

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FOGAR, the voice of the Regions in a global world

Globalisation and the issues it implies need to be addressed as much by regional authorities as national governments and international institutions. Territories and their different social and economic players must all contribute if they are to meet the challenges with which they are faced. The Regions therefore emerge as key actors in the development of the various economic, social and environmental aspects of globalisation, acting both within their own territory as well as through their international cooperation actions.

It is against this background, and in accordance with the medium-term development plan fixed by its members, that the CPMR began examining the question of Regions and globalisation in partnership with various international bodies, including the OECD and United Nations, and with the backing of the European Commission. Two major events focusing on this issue have since been organised by the CPMR, one in the Azores in 2006 and one in Marseille in March 2007...

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Towards safer, cleaner seas

Brest métropole océane, in collaboration with the Technopôle Brest-Iroise and with the support of the Pôle Mer Bretagne hub of economic competitiveness, is organizing a second Safer Seas event, “Towards safer, cleaner seas”, an international conference devoted to issues of maritime safety and security to be held in Brest from 9 to 12 October this year...

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The Annual "VLIZ North Sea award 2007"

The Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) rewards a recent innovative scientific contribution on the structure and functioning of the North Sea ecosystem.

The Belgian Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) awards a scientific prize to foster innovative fundamental or applied research on the structure and functioning of the North Sea ecosystem, with emphasis on coastal and estuarine areas of the Southern Bight and the Channel...

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