New Challenging ESPON Projects for more than 7 million Euro

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1 , 25 August 2011 Welcome to the ESPON Newsletter. It offers information on the latest developments of the ESPON Programme. Message from the ESPON Coordination Unit New Challenging ESPON Projects for more than 7 million Euro Several ESPON projects have in recent months entered their final phase and new projects have just been launched in open Calls for Proposals. The new Calls will further enlarge the evidence and facts on development dynamics, potentials and challenges within the European territory, its regions and cities. In total, four applied research projects, five targeted analyses, six projects within the ESPON scientific platform as well as proposals for transnational capitalization of results shall ensure the continuity of ESPON until the end of This newsletter presents the new Calls in detail. Research institutions, universities, scientists, experts, academic teams from 31 countries are invited to apply and get involved in production of ESPON knowledge that can support evidence-based and result-oriented implementation of EU Cohesion Policy. The themes selected by policy demand include territorial research and analyses related to the Resilience to Economic Crises, the role of Small and Medium-sized Towns in their functional context, the patterns of Poverty and Social Exclusion in Europe, and many more. ESPON encourages the academic society of researchers and experts to contribute to the further development of European knowledge of excellence in the field of territorial science. This will be needed to serve the ambition of European regions and cities in a tailor-made and integrated way contributing to a smart, sustainable and inclusive development. Within ESPON, the selected researchers and experts discuss their project progress and findings with policy makers. This close dialogue between policy makers and project partners shall make ESPON results as relevant as possible for territorial policy development at the different administrative levels. ESPON is by now politically recognized as a provider of useful territorial observation and evidence from a European perspective. In a second article of this newsletter, Commissioner Hahn, Mr. Michael Smith form the EESC and Minister Wiseler from Luxembourg, outlines why Europe need ESPON and how ESPON facts and evidence from the work of the research teams across Europe is helping to shape policy making. Moreover, the newsletter presents several ESPON events taking place during autumn Keep an eye on our website for further details. Looking forward to seeing you at upcoming ESPON events, Peter Mehlbye, Director ESPON Coordination Unit

2 Index Calls for Proposals 24/08/ /10/2011 Videos Coming ESPON Events ESPON at Events ESPON in Your Country List of Beneficiaries ESPON Calls for Proposals 24/08/ /10/2011 Calls for Proposals are now open. The Calls include the following: Applied Research projects, Priority 1 of the ESPON 2013 Programme Targeted Analyses based on Expressions of Interest by Stakeholders, Priority 2 of the ESPON 2013 Programme ESPON Scientific Platform/Tools projects, Priority 3 of the ESPON 2013 Programme Transnational Networking Activities by the ESPON Contact Point network, Priority 4 of the ESPON 2013 Programme The total available budget amounts to ,09. The deadline for submitting proposals is 20 October The themes of the Applied Research are: 1. European Neighbour Regions (budget ,00 ) 2. Small and Medium sized Towns in their Functional Territorial Context (budget ,00 ) 3. The territorial dimension of Poverty and Social Exclusion in Europe (budget ,00 ) 4. Economic Crises: Resilience of Regions (budget ,00 ) The themes of the Targeted Analyses are: 1. Growth Poles in South-East of Europe (budget ,00 ) 2. Key Indicators for Territorial Cohesion and Spatial Planning (budget ,00 ) 3. Liveable Landscapes for Sustainable Territorial Development (budget ,09 ) 4. Landscape Policy for the 3 Countries Park (budget ,00 ) 5. North Sea - Spreading Transnational Results (budget ,00 ) The themes of the projects related to the Scientific Platform and Tools are: 1. EU Territorial Monitoring and Reporting (budget ,00 ) 2. ESPON Atlas on European Territorial Structures and Dynamics (budget ,00 ) 3. Detecting Territorial Potential and Challenges (budget ,00 ) 4. Territorial Evidence Packs for Structural Funds Programmes (budget ,00 ) 5. ESPON Online Mapping Tool (budget ,00 ) 6. Territorial Monitoring in a European Macro Region A test for the Baltic Sea Region (budget ,00 ) The call for transnational networking activities by the ESPON Contact Point network shall provide targeted transnational capitalisation, awareness rising and dissemination of ESPON results. 2

3 Potential beneficiaries Public and private bodies from 31 countries (EU 27 Member States, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) are invited to apply for these Calls. This means researchers and research institutions, universities, scientists, experts, academic teams. The Call on Transnational Networking Activities is dedicated to the institutions confirmed as national ESPON Contact Points. How to Apply All the documentation related to the calls, including the procedure for applying, the eligibility rules, the evaluation criteria and the submission material, is available at the ESPON website. Useful Tools ESPON Info Day on 13 September 2011 The ESPON 2013 Programme invites potential beneficiaries to the Info Day on Calls for Proposals and Partner Café on 13 September 2011 in Brussels. It will be the chance to get information on the new funding opportunities and to meet potential project partners. Deadline for registration is 2 September 2011 at 15h00. More. ESPON Partner Café Overview and LinkedIn Group Researchers and experts that are looking for partners to prepare a proposal are remembered to have a look at the overview of potential partners. The fields of expertise that are indicated in the overview offer a good impression of which institutes might be interested in the same research theme as you and might wish to join you in a Transnational Project Group. Overview The ESPON Partner Café has its own LinkedIn group where potential partners can launch discussions and find partners to carry out ESPON projects. Visit the ESPON Partner Café LinkedIn Group here. FAQ For questions concerning the content of the Calls, please send an to content@espon.eu, for questions related to administrative and application procedures please send an to procedures@espon.eu. You may access the FAQ section here. Videos "Why does Europe need ESPON? Johannes Hahn EU Commissioner for Regional Policy, Michael Smyth (European Economic and Social Committee), Minister Claude Wiseler and Peter Mehlbye talk about ESPON and how it supports policy-making across Europe Commenting on the ESPON`s benefits to the EU, Commissioner Hahn said: "ESPON provides the European Commission with a lot of information and studies dealing with territorial cooperation. The advantage of ESPON is that there are lot of member states participating not only from the European Union but also outside like Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and others". Michael Smyth, commenting on ESPON and its support to territorial policy on national, regional and city level said: "ESPON does support a more streamlined approach to policy making at those levels, simply because ESPON provides information in a very accessible way, in a visual way, in a way that is very easily understood by policymakers, by stakeholders". Minister Wiseler said "ESPON can provide us with targeted analyses comparing our country with small-sized regions and that s very useful for us. As Luxembourg has one of the highest commuting rates, we need data about a greater region, giving us the possibility to analyse what is really happening in and around Luxembourg in order to make policy which takes into account a cross-border 3

4 reality". Watch the videos at the ESPON Website. Video interview Peter Mehlbye talks about ESPON and the way it works in an interview with «Loire River Basin». Watch the interview Coming ESPON Events 13 September 2011 Brussels, ESPON Info Day and Partner Café 20 October 2011 Brussels, ESPON Workshop "Assessing Indicators for Territorial Cohesion" The aim of this workshop will be to present the results of the INTERCO project and discuss its relevance and usability for policy development. Registration will open mid September at the ESPON Website. 14 and 15 November 2011 Luxembourg, Group of Auditors (GoA) Annual Meeting 16 and 17 November 2011 Oslo, Financial Managers Seminar in cooperation with the Norwegian ESPON Monitoring Committee Member 29 and 30 November 2011 Kraków, ESPON Internal Seminar Support to Evidence-Based Cohesion Policy in cooperation with the Polish EU-Presidency ESPON at Events 30 August London, ESPON at the EUGEO Congress At the third congress of EUGEO, to be held on 30 August 2011 in London, key note speakers will address issues ranging from Sustainability, Environment and Politics to New World/New Europe. ESPON will give the presentation European Territorial Dynamics: Towards Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive territories?. Find out more 1 September Brussels, ESPON at the EESC The European Economic and Social Committee invited ESPON to present its activities to the members of the ECO section on 1 September More 15 September - Genoa, Biennial of European Towns and Town Planners The IX Biennial, which is organised by INU (Italian National Town planning Institute) in cooperation with ECTP/CEU (European Council of Spatial Planners), will take place on 15 September 2011 in Italy. At the event ESPON will contribute to the discussions on how cities can support the competitiveness of the European continent with the presentation The challenges of European Territory. More 13 October Brussels, ESPON Workshop at the Open Days 2011 Regional and Local Economies in a Changing Global Context. Performance Monitoring and Territorial Indicators ESPON in cooperation with the European Commission DG Regio organises the Workshop Regional and Local Economies in a Changing Global Context. Performance Monitoring and Territorial Indicators. The workshop will address, in two slots, important project achievements related to EU competitiveness and the contribution of regions and cities to the Europe 2020 strategy. More details on the programme of the ESPON Workshop at the website. ESPON in Your Country ESPON welcomes the new Contact Point from Denmark The ESPON Monitoring Committee recently welcomed the new Contact Point from Denmark. NYKOM - Centre for New Local Development, Strategy and Planning - University of Aalborg is now part of the ESPON Contact Point Network and together with all the ECPs will contribute to the capitalisation of ESPON results in the transnational context. 4

5 ESPON-INTERSTRAT Conference Planning for growth what can we learn from Europe? in London on 30 September 2011 The conference is being organised by the UK ESPON Contact Point and is supported by the Department for Communities and Local Government. The conference aims to draw together planning practitioners, policy-makers and researchers from the UK and Europe to discuss how planning can enable growth, and how outputs from the ESPON Programme can be used to support planning and inform decision-making. More List of Beneficiaries under the ESPON 2013 Programme The list includes 41 projects that have been contracted so far: 17 Applied Research Projects (Priority 1) 15 Targeted Analyses (Priority 2) 4 Scientific Platform / Tools Projects (Priority 3) 5 Transnational Networking Activities by the ECPs (Priority 4) Download the list and the map of beneficiaries at the ESPON Website. Sign-up and communicate If you find the ESPON Newsletter interesting and useful, please tell others to sign-up by subscribing online at the ESPON Website, link: More information The ESPON 2013 Programme is part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, the EU Member States and the Partner States Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. It shall support policy development in relation to the aim of territorial cohesion and a harmonious development of the European territory. ESPON shall support Cohesion Policy development with European wide, comparable information, evidence, analyses and scenarios on framework conditions for the development of regions, cities and larger territories. In doing so, it shall facilitate the mobilisation of territorial capital and development opportunities, contributing to improving European competitiveness, to the widening and deepening of European territorial cooperation and to a sustainable and balanced development. The Managing Authority responsible for the ESPON 2013 Programme is the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Infrastructures, Department for Spatial Planning and Development of Luxembourg. More information: Follow ESPON on Twitter, Linkedin, RSS feed 5