1. Innovation in cross-border Regions Werner Jostmeier MdL Member of the Regional Diet of North Rhine-Westfalia Brussels, 10 October 2007

2. Content Cross-border cooperation between Belgium, the Netherlands and North Rhine Westfalia INTERREG programmes 2007-2013 Cross-border innovation policy: policy, objectives and strategy

3. Cross-border cooperation 4 cross-border regions covering the whole border with Belgium and the Netherlands Subsidiarity and Partnership as success factors –Euregios result from local initiative and are part of local self-organisation –Bottom-up approach to cross-border co-operation: INTERREG is implemented by Euregios –Regional and national governments see themselves as partners, not supervisors Multitude of permanent cross-border networks and associations –E.g. Technologienetzwerk Rhein-Waal –E.g. Heartbeat of Europe – Life Sciences in the Euregio Meuse-Rhine

4. Operational Programme Germany – Netherlands 2000-2006 (EUREGIO Gronau Euregio Rhein-Waal euregio rhein-maas-nord) Programme area 2000-2006

5. Operational Programme Germany – Netherlands 2007-2013 (Ems Dollart Region EUREGIO Gronau Euregio Rhein-Waal euregio rhein-maas-nord) Programme area 2007- 2013

6. Operational Programme Euregio Meuse- Rhine Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands

7. INTERREG 2007- 2013: Financial Volume and Main Topics Euregio Meuse-Rhine 144 Mio. Euregio Meuse-Rhine 144 Mio. 1.Innovation, Strengthening Regional Knowledge, Job Creation 65% 2.Nature and Environment, Energy, Natural Resources and Mobility 8% 3.Quality of Life 11% 4.Technical Assistance 4% Germany – Netherlands 293 Mio. Germany – Netherlands 293 Mio. 1.Economy, Technology and Innovation 58% 2.Strengthening Regional Development 18% 3.Integration and Society 18% 4. Technical Assistance 6% (Major Projects 35%)

8. Major Projects Relevance to a major part of the programme area Particular relevance and involvement of the bussiness world (projects very close to business) Particular emphasis on a long-term perspective and th e substainability of projects Particular emphasis placed on the relevance of projects for regional and national strategies Added value beyond the programme area

9. Declaration between NL and NRW from 2 nd March 2005:... to improve and foster the strategic cooperation (between both countries) in the areas of science, research, technology and innovation... Identify areas for cross-border cooperation that promise added value for NL and NRW Three main strategic objectives Clustering, Improvement of framework conditions Facility sharing Cross-border innovation: policy, objectives, strategy

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