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N. 30, November - December 2006
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 | IP & RTD: Articles
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ERRIN: a voice for regions
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The European Regions Research & Innovation Network (ERRIN) is a
Brussels-based network designed to support regions to participate fully and
effectively in the European Research Area.
The network started informally in 2001, initiated by the West
Midlands in Europe. By improving the coordination and communication between
representations in Brussels, ERRIN strengthens the cooperation and synergies
between regions across Europe. From April 2004 to March 2006, ERRIN received
support from the European Commission, DG RTD, through the Regions of Knowledge
Pilot Action. This support has allowed the establishment of a platform for more
than 200 Brussels-based regional actors to facilitate their common work to
further engage their regional practitioners in research and innovation.
ERRIN is now moving toward an autonomous and sustainable network
based on the financial and dynamic contributions of its members. The groundwork
has been laid to establish ERRIN as a non-for-profit organisation under Belgian
law, ASBL (association sans but lucratif) from 1st January 2007. To celebrate
this move toward an autonomous network, a Re-launch event took place on 19th
October 2006, at “La Tour de Freins” in Brussels. ERRIN has
already managed to get 13 regional representations on board: West Midlands in
Europe, City & Region of Eindhoven, Brussels Capital Region, Helsinki
Region, South Denmark, South Sweden, Stuttgart, Unioncamere Lombardia,
Unioncamere Piemonte, Valencia Region, Veneto Region, Tuscany Region and
Yorkshire & Humber Region and is confident that more members will sign up
based on ERRIN’s 2007 policy and project objectives. These include:
contributing its views on the European Commission’s 10-point action plan
for a broad based innovation strategy for the EU; presenting its views on the
rules of participation for the Seventh Framework Programme to the European
Commission; contributing to the 2007 Spring Council with a regional perspective
on Innovation and contributing to achieving the goals of the Lisbon Strategy;
informing members of upcoming developments in relevant policy areas, and,
through small scale dedicated working groups, aiming to achieve rapid responses
to policy initiatives and European Commission consultative processes via a
policy alerts system; organising briefing sessions on topical policy issues;
coordinating policy activities with a view to ensuring the quality of the
Network’s output; supporting members through activities that facilitate
the development of European cooperation projects; developing an “ERRIN
Project Vademecum”
The ERRIN Network has been created by the regions for the regions.
It is ERRIN’s objective to transfer information for the added benefit of
the regions within its network. Therefore, the more members ERRIN has, the more
activities it will be able to organise in favour of its members. The success of
ERRIN depends on you!
To learn more about ERRIN, membership fees and future activities,
visit our web site at www.errin-brussels.org or send
an email to:
communication@errin-brussels.org
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