Network on sustainable regional development:
Sustainable Regions Europe is an information-sharing tool for policy-makers, organisations and individuals that are interested in sustainable development.
Sustainable Regions Europe is run by the European Regional Sustainable Development Network. The network has an initial core membership of 10 regions and is led by Wales (UK). All European regions are invited to participate in the network’s events.
The website of the network is www.sustainable-euregions.net, which has been created as part of the programme "Towards Sustainable Knowledge based Region" that is supported by the European Commission's “Innovative Actions Programme" and the National Assembly for Wales.
The objectives of this network are to:
- Monitor and evaluate innovative approaches to sustainable development at a regional level.
- Report on and disseminate research and best practices in the area of sustainability practices in regions.
- Provide a forum for Trans-regional discussion and sharing of experience on sustainable development.
Disseminate information on approaches to sustainable development to politicians, policy makers, academics, business leaders and the general public.
Network related to knowledge-based regional economies and technological innovation:
This network is called ERIK (European Regions Knowledge- based Innovation Network). It concerns regional innovation systems and technology transfer and is co-financed by the DG Regio of the European Commission and by the 13 founding regions coordinated by the two leading regions: Toscana (I) and Emilia Romagna (I). It aims to support other Network Programmes that are already in function or have been completed, such as IANIS and Sustainable Regions Europe with which it has interacted in order to improve European cohesion and share information, experience and good practices in view of enhancing innovation and knowledge oriented regional strategies.
The activities of ERIK include workshops, seminars, study visits, conferences, policy forum etc. as highlighted in the news and newsletters. ERIK is an open network.
- to benchmark good practices relating to innovation and knowledge policies;
- to exchange experiences progressed in different regions and context in order to develop more effective regional or interregional policies;
- to organise specific discussion groups and workshops on selected topics of common interest;
- to extend at the interregional level the collaboration relationship between the different actors of the regional knowledge system involved;
- to increase the know-how of main regional actors as far as innovation, technology transfer and the knowledge economy promotion are concerned;
- to exchange information on the progress of Regional Programmes of Innovative Actions (RPIAs) led by network participants in view of improving the tools for the future;
- to co-operate with other related EU initiatives.
The website of the network is available at www.eriknetwork.net