Eurocommissaris Hübner over innovatie in de regio (en)
On 2 and 3 September, Regional policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner is visiting the region of Hessen in Central Germany. It will be the occasion for launching the new regional programme, adopted by the European Commission last July, which provides for a total budget of €557 million. The Commissioner meets Mr Roland Koch, Prime Minister of the region and Mr Volker Hoff, Minister for Federal and EU-affairs, to discuss the new opportunities the programme will bring for the region. She also participates in the meeting of the government of Hessen to discuss European affairs.
Speaking ahead of the visit, Danuta Hübner said " I am very happy with the recent adoption of the Hessen operational programme prepared by the German authorities for 2007-13. I have particularly noticed the region's wish to initiate projects in the field of innovation. This pro-active involvement by the regional authorities is totally in line with the Lisbon objectives fixed at European level to create more growth and jobs. I am convinced that these new projects will have a leverage effect in the whole region ".
The Commissioner's first visit will be to the city of Kassel, currently hosting "Documenta 12", which is regarded as the most important exhibition of contemporary art in the world and which is drawing attention from all over Europe. She will also visit the Centre for Applied Metal Forming Technologies (AWZ) in Baunatal, which will start operating in November 2007. This project is a cooperation network of enterprises and research institutions to develop innovative products in metal processing.
The total budget of the new Hessen operational programme is €557 million, of which around €263 million comes from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The difference is Germany's contribution to complement the EU investment (from the public and private sector).
The programme aims to create and safeguard sustainable, competitive and high-income jobs by raising the regional competitiveness of firms. This objective is pursued through four priorities:
O Innovation and science-based economy
O Support for the setting up of companies and support for the economic competitiveness and employment in particular of small and medium sized enterprises
O Increasing specific development potentials and decreasing regional disparities, and
O Technical assistance.
The programme also addresses urban issues and actions for interregional cooperation with partners from France, Italy and Poland. The authorities plan to support seven new clusters, promoting innovation oriented initiatives; and to help found 95 enterprises with risk capital and loan funds. They seek to create or to secure more then 1000 jobs.
Note for Editors:
In Germany, there are regional Structural Fund programmes at the level of each Bundesland. Hessen falls under the regional competitiveness and employment objective. The new Hessian Operational Programme for the ERDF 2007-13 was adopted on the 25th July 2007 by the Commission.
For this new programming period an earmarking approach has been introduced, which ensures that the predominant share of policy resources is invested in sectors to promote jobs and growth (the so-called Lisbon agenda). Thus, 71,5% of all expenditure in the Hessen programme is earmarked for Lisbon measures. In 2000-2006, the region received around 191 million euros of aid from ERDF.
To get more information on the Hessen Operational programme: MEMO/07/340
Further information about European Regional Policy available at:
http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/index_en.htm