EU Cohesion Policy 2014+, Summit of regions, cities & municipalities

2011 is a decisive year for the future of Cohesion Policy. After the presentation of the 5th Report on Economic, Social and Territorial Cohesion and the proposal of the Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020 by the European Commission, the publication of the draft regulations for Structural Funds will mark the next important milestone.

To this end, valuable preliminary work has already been carried out, for example through the initiative of 7 October 2010, initiated by Lower Austria, where 143
competitiveness regions signed a joint statement regarding the significance of the continuing financial support for all regions and passed it on to the highest representatives of the EU institutions, above all to Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the Commission.
In order to continue this successful path of promoting the wealth of European regions and to work on further positioning the interest of European regions, the EU Cohesion Policy 2014+, Summit of regions, cities & municipalities gathered the presidents of the AER member regions as well as other important interregional associations and organisations.
The morning of 21 October was dedicated to political statements by the presidents and the handover of a joint declaration of the regional organisations present to the highest representatives of the EU institutions, the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Committee of the Regions and the Polish Presidency. The meeting ended with a press conference followed by a joint lunch and a short visit of the modern culture area in the government district of St. Pölten.