ERPC was represented by Francois Josserand at the 'Objective 2 Seminar' organised by DATAR (the French Spatial Planning Agency) and DG Regio of the European Commission as part of the "Improving the Quality of Regional Operations by Creating New Dynamics: 'Animation' and Partnership as Keys for the Quality of Programmes" Conference in Dijon from 2 to 4 April.
Bringing together local partners from Objective 2 regions (decentralised services of the State, Regional Councils, 'departements' and public agencies) with central administrations and the European Commission, as well as representatives from other Member States and Enlargement countries, the seminar was an opportunity to provide an update on the progress of European programmes in France, especially after the management simplification measures decided last summer by the French government.
It also allowed an exchange of views with the Commission. For EPRC, this was also the occasion to introduce French programme managers to IQ-Net, the network managed by EPRC which brings together regional and national partners from Structural Fund programmes across the European Union with the aim of improving Structural Fund Programming through exchange of experience.