IQ-Net Meeting 'bridging the gap' on discussions of the 2007-13 Structural Funds strategies

http://www.eprc.strath.ac.uk/news/strasbourg.jpg <img src="http://www.eprc.strath.ac.uk/news/strasbourg.jpg" width="170" height="100" border="0" align="left The 18th meeting of the IQ-Net network was held in Strasbourg, Alsace, on 30 November - 2 December. Hosted by DATAR and the Regional Council of Alsace, the meeting and was attended by over 50 delegates from around 25 partner organisations in 12 EU countries and by a representative from the European Commission (DG Regio).<p> The meeting started with an introductory presentation by Marc Lévy (Director of Territorial Development, Regional Council Alsace) on Alsace and its Objective 2 programme. Plenary sessions the following day were launched by a welcome speech by Adrien Zeller, President of the Alsace Region, and by a review of Structural Funds programming developments in partner programmes (with a presentation by John Bachtler of EPRC). Gaëlle Pinson (DATAR) presented the French work for the up-date of the MTE and Veronica Gaffey of DG Regio provided an up-date on the work planned by the Commission following the receipt of UMTE reports and on the role that evaluation will play in 2007-13.<p> The next session concentrated on the main theme of the conference: the 2007-13 Structural Funds strategies. Irene McMaster and Laura Polverari of EPRC gave a presentation on the process for the development of future strategies and on the initial content of the NSRFs and of future programmes in the partners' regions. This was followed by a presentation by Garry White of ODPM on the preparations of the English chapter of the UK NSRF, and by contributions from Cathy Presland and Diane McLafferty on the Welsh and Scottish chapters of the same document, and by plenary discussions. Following a guided tour of the new European Parliament's hemicycle, two parallel workshops were held on the topic of future Structural Funds strategies. The last session was devoted to discussing the network's developments and the future meeting.<p> The study tour on the final day gave delegates the opportunity to visit some projects implemented with Interreg III funding in the area of Strasbourg. THese included: the Institute Physique du Globe, a research centre on seismology; the passerelle and jardin de deux rives, a bridge linking the French city of Strasbourg with the German town of Kehl; Biovalley, a leading tri-national life-sciences centre, and Transgene, one of the most pioneering firms involved in the Biovalley initiative.