Commissaris Hübner in Noord-Italië om effect Cohesiebeleid in Ligurië en Emilia-Romagna te zien (en)

Danuta Hübner, European Commissioner for Regional Policy, will visit the northern Italian regions of Liguria and Emilia-Romagna on 3-4 July. The visit will provide the Commissioner with a first-hand opportunity to see impacts of EU investment, and to get an understanding of challenges facing these regions in the current programming period. The Commissioner will congratulate both regions on re-directing their programmes for 2007-2013 to new priorities such as innovation and energy efficiency.

Ahead of her visit, Commissioner Hübner said: “I am looking forward to visiting the projects and hearing about results the regional authorities have achieved through EU investment over the 2000-2006 programming period. And I will underline the challenges ahead: Liguria needs to boost research and development expenditure to ensure future competitiveness. Emilia-Romagna is a successful, dynamic region overall, but needs to address its intra-regional disparities.'

Liguria: exemplary success of URBAN programme

In Genoa on 3 July, guided by Mr Claudio Burlando, President of the Liguria region and Mrs Marta Vincenzi, Mayor of Genoa, the Commissioner will visit a project that has successfully revitalised the historical centre and the ancient harbour area. She will see the Galata Sea and Navigation Museum, part of this complex. Financed under the former URBAN community programme 2000-2006 (EU investment: €11 million), the project is regarded as one of the most successful of its kind in Europe. She will attend a presentation of the 'Urbanlab' initative, a laboratory which analyses the urban transformation of the city. She will also visit Cinque Terre, a UNESCO World heritage site, and a leading asset in the region's tourist economy. In La Spezia, she will visit the Expo Centre (Centro Fiere), a project to upgrade a former industrial area. (EU contribution: €857,000)

Emilia-Romagna: innovation given priority with EU-funded advanced laboratories

On 3 July, the Commissioner will address College of Europe students in Parma with a lecture entitled: 'Why Europe needs the Lisbon Treaty'. She will meet Mr. Vasco Errani, President of the region, and members of the regional government. On 4 July, she will address a conference on Cohesion Policy and the Lisbon Strategy in Bologna. She will visit EU co-financed projects at the University of Ferrara including: a laboratory working on water-related technologies (LARA); a centre specialised in genomics and biotechnology (GenTech); and a laboratory for the study of acoustics and vibration (LAV). (EU contribution: €6.04 million.)

Notes for editors

Liguria, once dependent on heavy industry, notably shipyards, is undergoing intensive industrial conversion. It now has an opportunity to move strongly into the knowledge-based economy and high-technology sectors. In 2007-2013, Liguria will benefit from EU investment of around €168 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and €147.6 million from the European Social Fund (ESF). In 2000-2006, the region received EU contributions totalling €201.4 million from ERDF and €165.7 million from ESF (MEMO/08/474).

Emilia-Romagna is one of the leading Italian regions in socio-economic terms. In 2007-2013, it will benefit from EU investment of €128 million (ERDF), and €295 million (ESF). In 2000-2006, Emilia-Romagna benefited from €128 million from the ERDF and €591 million from ESF (MEMO/08/446).

The two regions will take part in programmes under the European territorial cooperation objective. Cross-border, transnational and interregional exchanges will be further reinforced in 2007-2013. For example, Liguria is part of the transnational programme "Alpine Space" with Germany, France, Slovenia and Austria and of the Alps-Mediterranean Euro-region. Emilia-Romagna is involved in a network of 11 regions, ERIK, to improve the effectiveness of regional development in the field of innovation and knowledge economy.

Italy is the third biggest beneficiary of Cohesion Policy for the 2007-2013 programming period, receiving €28.7 billion of European investment.

More information on regional policy in Italy is available at: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/atlas2007/italia/index_en.htm