Flemish hospitality at its best: IQ-Net delegates visit Antwerp for the 21st IQ-Net Meeting

http://www.eprc.strath.ac.uk/news/iqnet_antwerp.jpg <img src="http://www.eprc.strath.ac.uk/news/iqnet_antwerp.jpg" width="184" height="103" border="0" align="left The twenty-first meeting of the IQ-Net network was recently held in Antwerp (15-17 January 2007). The meeting, hosted by the Agency for the Economy of the Flanders, was attended by over fifty delegates from 12 EU Member States, as well as by one representative of the European Commission (DG Regio) and observers from the Czech Ministry for Regional Development, the Aquitaine region, and Sweden's economic development agency, NUTEK. <p> The meeting started with an introductory presentation by Bernard De Potter, Administrator General of the Agency for the Economy, on the evening of 15 January. Mr. De Potter provided an overview on the Flemish economy and institutional asset, and the economic development strategy implemented by the government, including through the use of Structural Funds. <p> On the following morning, Mr. André Van Haver - Head of the Europe Economy division of the Agency - welcomed delegates, followed by a presentation by Marlies Peeters (of the same division) on the ERDF strategies implemented in Flanders in the 2000-06 and 2007-13 programming periods. After this, Session 1 entailed a review of Structural Funds programming developments in partner programmes (with a presentation by Tobias Gross of EPRC) and a discussion on Structural Funds innovative interventions (with a presentation by Veronica Gaffey, Head of DG Regio's Innovative Action Unit). John Bachtler and Martin Ferry of EPRC preceded partner discussions with presentations on the 2007-13 OP strategies and implementation arrangements, in Sessions 2 and 3. The final session was devoted to the network development, with a presentation by Laura Polverari, IQ-Net Network manager. The lunch break also offered delegates the opportunity for a guided walk in Antwerp city centre, to view the ERDF co-funded regeneration investments carried out in the area.<p> In the evening, a delightful conference dinner was held at Restaurant Lux in Antwerp Little Island. The study tour on Wednesday 17th involved a visit to Hidrodoe, an interactive water do-centre in the Kempen area of Flanders, and to Flanders drive, an engineering centre which offers testing facilities to the automotive industry in the Limburg programme area.