Closer to the European Union

by Mr Mikael Olsson, Ms Asa Fornande and Ms Madelen Charysczak

Stockholm Region is an incorporated association which has been set up by public organisations in the Stockholm-Mälar Region. The stakeholders of the organisation are the City of Stockholm, the Stockholm County Council and the Stockholm County Association of Local Authorities. The counties of Sörmland, Västmanland and Uppsala are associated to the organisation, as well as the organisation Mälardalsradet and the County Administrative Board of Stockholm.

The principal aims of the Stockholm Region are to facilitate the international work of the stakeholders and to promote the region on the European level. This means that networking, EU policy monitoring and dispersion of information in the region are equally important in the daily work of Stockholm Region. The activities are carried out by four representations located in Stockholm, Brussels, St. Petersburg and Warsaw.

Networking
Networking is the key to success when it comes to creating contacts, goodwill and influence. We participate in a number of important Brussels based networks involving other European regional and local actors. These include ERRIN, EPRO, WEnlargement, Lisbon Regions Network, Capital Cities Network and Cities for Cohesion. These groupings of local and regional actors are normally based on specific policy areas such as research, environment, urban issues, etc.

Through a common and coordinated approach the network participants are able to create strong links to the European institutions and in this way make their voice heard. Another reason for cooperating in networks is the possibilities offered for project development and a simplified partner search.

EU policy monitoring
Stockholm Region Representation monitors EU-policies, legislation and EU-programmes that are of relevance to its stakeholders. The organisation also helps to analyse the information and to identify issues that are especially significant for the region. Each year, the Stockholm Region board pinpoints a number of thematic areas which are given the highest priority. During 2006 the following areas have been in focus: economic growth, environment, health care, public health and social welfare, urban issues, research, enlargement, Lisbon Strategy.

In case of initiatives and legislation that have a special impact on our region, the stakeholders can decide to act in order to influence the policies. It is important to receive the information on such policy initiatives as early as possible, since the possibilities to influence policies are bigger in the early phases of the policy making procedure. Our organisation helps to formulate position papers to express the interests of the stakeholders.

Lobbying in Brussels
An example of our lobbying activities towards the European institutions is the 7^th Framework Programme For Research. In 2003 Stockholm Region prepared two Position Papers, with the aim of enhancing the role of cities within the 7^th Framework Programme. The first paper was sent to the European Commission DG Research and the responsible Commissioner Philippe Busquin. This paper argued for an inclusion of the programme called "Cities of Tomorrow" in the new framework programme. "Cities of Tomorrow" was an instrument with an urban focus included in the 5^th Framework Programme. The second Position Paper was a follow-up of the first one and a response to the direct question from the Commission regarding the Stockholm Region's needs in a new "Cities of Tomorrow". Also, Stockholm Region argued that the urban dimension should play a major role in the coming framework programme. We consider that areas such as sustainable growth, city planning, transport, cultural heritage and sustainable tourism are of special importance in order to deal with the challenges in an urban environment. We now know that our work paid off. In the new framework programme many of the areas mentioned have received special attention. The environment field contains funding for sustainable administration and planning of urban environments and in the transport field "urban mobility" is mentioned as a specific action area.

Projects
Project development is another important pillar of the activities of the Stockholm Region. We monitor the call for proposals published by the European Commission and other relevant bodies and transmit the information to the regional and local authorities in the Stockholm-Mälar Region. In case one or more of these authorities is preparing a project in the area of the relevant call, our organisation provides support in searching for partners and assistance in the preparation of the project application. Our organization is presently finalizing applications under the 6^th Framework Programme for Research, as well as under the EEA-financial mechanism.

Information
A good information strategy is the key to a successful international promotion. It is also necessary in order to facilitate the work of our stakeholders and to create new partnerships on the European level. To achieve massive and focused information dissemination, we use different tools like mailing lists and our regular newsletters Stockholm Region News and North West Russia. Our website www.stockholmregion.org contains news, information on events, seminars and conferences and call for proposals. We also produce a bi-monthly newsletter on new EU-initiatives and calls for proposals that are distributed widely among our stakeholders and associated members.

Visits and events
Stockholm Region offers its stakeholders and associated members an opportunity to visit Brussels. Last year our representation hosted more than 3.000 visitors, and in 2006 this number is bound to be surpassed.

In order to promote and attract attention to the Stockholm-Mälar Region, we regularly arrange major events in Brussels and elsewhere. Since the start five years ago, Stockholm Region has participated in the Open Days, the major yearly events for European regions in Brussels hosted by the Committee of Regions. Each December we also arrange the "Nobel Day" in connection with the Nobel Prize ceremonies in Sweden. We also organize seminars and conferences focused on specific areas with relevance for our region. These events include information days on research, seminars on environmental issues, elderly care etc. Recently we hosted more than one hundred representatives from our region on our Program Information Day. This event was dedicated to information on the new EU-programmes that will commence in January 2007.

UBC Antenna Office opens in Brussels

by Ms Lillian Westerberg

Competition among regions for the EU funds and attention is increasing with new players within the EU. Therefore, there is:

• an increasing need to profile the Baltic Sea Region as a common geopolitical and economic space
• a need of a co-ordinated approach when safeguarding common Nordic and Baltic interests
• lobbying -"people's work" not "papers' work": growing need of personal contacts
• focus on access to local know-how and competence.

Discussions have been held between the Executive Board of UBC and the Management of Stockholm Region concerning the UBC Satellite in Brussels.

The UBC Representation Office in Brussels is hosted by the Stockholm Region Office in Brussels since October 2006

The aim is to lobby the UBC cities' interests more effectively, to increase the visibility of UBC among European institutions and to influence EU policies which have an impact on local authorities. The UBC Antenna Office in Brussels will also serve as a useful and effective body for those member cities which not have their own representation in Brussels. Each member city may use the office for a few days when staying in Brussels.

What does the Stockholm Region offer?

• Promoting UBC and increasing its visibility via publications, conferences and seminars in Brussels.
• Informing UBC about relevant events and conferences taking place in Brussels and promoting an active contribution from UBC to these events.
• To have an official location in Brussels and a working space to be used by UBC representatives whenever needed.
• To increase the position of UBC in the EU institutional dialogue and as an official partner in the EU inter-institutional debate by active communication and distribution of information.
• To distribute information and increase awareness of the EU-funding opportunities and projects primarily within the Baltic Sea dimension together with other geopolitical areas such as the Atlantic Arc, Mediterranean Areas, the New Neighbourhood Dimension, when relevant to UBC members. The official opening of UBC Satellite in Brussels will be celebrated in Brussels in December.