6th Conferenceof European Regions and Cities

Connecting Economy and Politics“How can Regions and Cities secure

Public Services in the Future“

Sunday, 19th to Tuesday, 21st September 2010 Salzburg, AUSTRIA

Patronage:Mercedes Bresso, President of the Committee of the Regions (EU)

Reinhold Mitterlehner, Federal Minister for Economy, Family and YouthMichael Spindelegger, Federal Minister for European and International Affairs

Johannes Hahn, EU Commissioner for Regional Policy

www.institut-ire.eu

2

Kindly supported by:

3

The delivery of efficient, affordable and sustainable public services to citizens is a core task of Europe‘s regi-ons and cities. People rely on their regional and local administrations for a vast array of basic infrastructure, from water supply to healthcare or public transport.As in previous years, this sixth edition of the IRE Conference of European Regions and Cities marks a timely contribution to a crucial debate by focusing on how regions and cities can secure public services in the future.On the one hand, due to the economic and financial crisis, many regional and local leaders are facing tough decisions: As revenues decline and social expenses rise, regions and cities are struggling to uphold the variety and quality of their public services.At the same time, the recent debate about public services at European level has taken steps in the right di-rection. In the past, EU lawmakers have all too often been inspired by the ‚new public management‘ school and encouraged privatisation as a panacea, while underestimating the value of public goods and the costs of guaranteeing accessible and quality services for all. As the voice of regional and local authorities in Brus-sels, the Committee of the Regions has instead called for an EU framework that ensures genuine legal cer-tainty for the provision of services of general interest. For the Committee, such a framework must be wholly compatible with the subsidiarity principle, and in particular with the competences of local and regional authorities in defining the tasks of such services, and in managing and financing them.„Territorial cohesion“ which was already associated with the services of general interest, is now recognised as an official objective of the European Union by the Lisbon Treaty. In addition, a new treaty protocol on services of general interest affirms the essential role and the wide discretion of national, regional and local authorities in providing, commissioning and organising these services as closely as possible to the needs of the users. These commitments must now be put into practice. In times of crisis, Europe‘s regions and cities have to make the best use of their public services, encouraging all types of innovation, including social experimentation and empowerment of the final beneficiaries.I wish all conference participants lively and productive debates!

Mercedes BressoPresident of the Committee of the Regions

Considering the globalisation as well as the increasing linkage of the European national economies, good working networks have a more decisive meaning. As a result not only the regions, cities and communities but also the entrepreneurs profit by it.

All the more important is the 6th aligned Conference of European Regions and Cities, by of the Institute of Regions of Europe (IRE) . The meeting offers manifold of informations for stronger use of the chances of the European integration and can be an important initial detonator on regional levels. On these ways can also the benefits of the European integration made visible and come alive for the people.

In this respect, I wish the organisers good luck as well as for all the participants some exciting discussions. A high-quality opinion- and experience exchange can nowadays not be replaced.

Reinhold MitterlehnerFederal Minister for Economy, Family and Youth

This year’s conference shall focus on public services and on ways and means to secure these services in the future.

Public services are essential for everyday life. Regions and cities are well aware of their responsibility to gu-arantee these services and it is precisely this responsibility which makes them the first address for the basic needs of citizens.

Regional and local authorities are in the best position to take the relevant decisions and to take regional and local needs and preferences into consideration, as needs and preferences depend also on geographical, social or cultural factors. This is why the Treaty of Lisbon, which entered into force on 1 December last year, stresses the essential role of regional and local authorities in providing these services.

At present we all experience the effects of the financial and economic crisis and the crisis has an impact on the budgets of regions and cities, too. Therefore this year’s conference rightly addresses the question of how to secure public services in the future at a time of shrinking public budgets. Closely linked to this question is the issue of cost management in regional and local administration.

Public transport and infrastructure, health care and waste and water management prove to become more difficult to provide properly as the budgets of regions and cities need to be redressed. Therefore I congratu-late the organizers of this conference on their choice of the topics to be addressed and would like to wish all the participants a lively discussion and a fruitful exchange of views and of best practice.

Michael SpindeleggerFederal Minister for European and International Affairs, Republic of Austria

6

Kindly sponsored by:

IRE sponsored by:

7

Europe‘s cities and regions have a growing role in ensuring that public investment contributes to solving environmental, economic and social challenges. They often hold the prime responsibility for policies, pro-grammes, legislation and fiscal mechanisms that determine the future for innovation and sustainable de-velopement in their area.

Thus, EU policies in these fields can only succeed if regions are mobilised and empowered to deliver an inno-vatice eco-efficient economy. Europe cannot achieve its goals without its regions and cities.

Regional Policy has proved over the last few years that it is at the heart of economic thinking offering cut-ting edge solutions for today‘s challenges. During the period 2000 – 2006 estimated 1.4 million jobs were created in the companies we supported and we have convincing evidence that EU Regional Funds have helped increase investment in enterprise and Research and Development activity. Regional funds are now key to the drive to modernise our economies.

Some regions have already engaged with this paradigm shift. They are investing in measures that will limit the effects of climate change, and are seeking to restructure their economies towards green growth, taking full advantage of new technologies and their application in the form of new products or services.

We can‘t duck the global competition in these areas; other countries such as the United States, China, Ja-pan and South Korea are now investing massively in sustainable growth. Therefore, our regions need to seize the opportunities on offer without delay and try to cash in on a first mover advantage.

Johannes HahnEuropean Commissioner for Regional Policy

According to the media and different studies, due to economic crisis regions and cities are having trou-ble sustaining public services. Some municipalities are even facing financial collapse and are in danger of becoming incapable of action. The main problem is that the tax revenues are decreasing and that the expenses are rising, e.g. in the social sector. In addition to this national governments are affected by the crisis as well and not able to help regions and municipalities. The consequence of this situation is drastic saving measures in all levels.

Due to the present importance of this topic the 6th Conference of European Regions and Cities deals with the question “How can Regions and Cities secure Public Services in the Future”. Besides a panel discussion on this topic there will be four working groups as well. The participants of the working groups will try to find good practice examples and answers to the questions of cost management in regional and local admini-strations, water pricing and infrastructure modernization, regional public transport services and health-care on regional and local level. The main aim is to exchange experiences and to strengthen connections between regions, cities, investors and companies.

We were able to find excellent speakers for our conference and we are especially pleased that Mr. Johannes Hahn, European Commissioner for Regional Policy will be one of our main speakers. Besides this there will be also many possibilities for networking and exchange of experiences in our evening events. There will be an expert forum focusing on the important topic of new forms of energy generation and their potentials for the regions.

In the name of the Institute of the Regions of Europe I wish all participants an interesting and successful conference.

Franz SchausbergerChairman of the IRE Board

8

PROGRAMME

Sunday, 19th September 2010

Conference Languages: Bosnian, Croatian, English, German, Serbian

13:30 IRE-General Assembly (for IRE Members only) Conference Venue: Hotel Heffterhof, Maria-Cebotari-Straße 1-7, 5020 Salzburg Plenary Hall “Salzburg”

14:30 Coffee Break

15:00 IRE Expert Forum Conference Venue: Heffterhof, Maria-Cebotari-Straße 1-7, 5020 Salzburg Plenary Hall “Salzburg”

“New Energy - Issues and Potentials for Regions”Moderation: Andreas Schiller, Journalist: Real Estate, Urban and Regional Development, CEO: Andreas Schiller Investment Insight, Schiller Publishing House, Germany

Keynote-Speakers:

Josef Eisl, Member of the Regional Government of the State of Salzburg, responsible for Energy Policy, Salzburg, Austria

Andreas Haidenthaler, Austrian Trade Commissioner, Belgrade, Serbia

Andreas Hopf, Central Danube Region GmbH, Vienna, Austria

Christine Lins, Secretary General of European Renewable Energy Council (EREC), Brussels, Belgium

Martin Mitov, Policy Officer - Energy and Transport, European Commission, Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry, Industrial policy and economic analysis Directorate, Unit Sustainable industrial policy, Brussels, Belgium

Wolfgang Pell, Chief Research Officer, VERBUND AG, Vienna, Austria

Igor Raguzin, Head of Unit for renewable energy sources and energetic efficiency, Croatian Ministry of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship, Zagreb, Croatia

17:00 End of Forum

19:30 Traditional Salzburg Welcome Dinner Restaurant Stiegl´s Brauwelt, Gewölbe, Bräuhausgasse 9, 5020 Salzburg

9

Monday, 20th September 2010

Conference Languages: Bosnian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, English, German, Hungarian, Romanian and Serbian

Conference Venue: Salzburg Congress Auerspergstraße 6, 5020 Salzburg, AUSTRIA T+43(0)662/88987-271•F+43(0)662/88987-535 convention@salzburgcb.com•www.salzburgcb.com

Conference Hall “Europasaal”

08:00 Registration

08:30 Opening of the Conference

Franz Schausberger, Chairman of the Institute of the Regions of Europe (IRE), Former President of Land Salzburg, Austria

08:40 Welcome Address Heinz Schaden, Mayor of the City of Salzburg, Vicepresident of the Austrian Association of Cities and Towns, Austria

09:00 Szabolcs Fazakas, Former Minister for Economy of Hungary, Member of the European Court of Auditors, Luxembourg

“The European Court of Auditors and its contribution to cope with the present economic crisis”

09:30 Johannes Hahn, European Commissioner for Regional Policy, Brussels, Belgium

10:00 - 10:30 Coffee Break

10:30 Panel-Discussion

“How can Regions and Cities secure Public Services in the Future“Moderation: Claus Reitan, Chief-Editor “Die Furche”, Vienna, Austria

Participants:

Arnoldas Abramavičius, President of the ECOS Commission, Committee of the Regions (EU), Mayor of the Municipality of Zarasai, Lithuania

10

Edith Frauwallner, Deputy Director General for Economic Policy and International Affairs, Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF), Vienna, Austria

Yordanka Fandakova, Mayor of the City of Sofia, Bulgaria

Zlatko Komadina, President of the Region Primorje and Gorski Kotar, Rijeka, Croatia

Eugenio Leanza, Head of JESSICA and Infrastructure Funds Division, European Investment Bank (EIB), Luxemburg

Claudio Martini, Former President of Tuscany, President of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions, Florence, Italia

Helmut Mödlhammer, President of the Austrian Association of Municipalities, Mayor of Hallwang, Austria

Dragijana Radonjić Petrovic, State Secretary for Economy and Regional Development, Belgrade, Serbia

Musa Xhaferi, Minister of Local Self Government, Skopje, F. Y. R. Macedonia

12.00 Award Ceremony „Austria‘s EU-Mayor 2011“ a common initiative of the Austrian Delegation within the Committee of the Regions, the Austrian Association of Municipalities and the Austrian Association of Cities and Towns

12:30 Lunch

14:00 - 15:30 Working Groups (parallel) in English

I. Cost Management in regional and local administration

Moderation: Alois Steinbichler, Director General, Kommunalkredit Austria AG, Vienna, Austria

Keynote-Speakers:

Gerhard Burian, Director, International Regional Policy and Finance, Austrian Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth, Vienna, Austria

Wenceslas De Lobkowicz, European Commission, Directorate General, Enlargement, Brussels, Belgium (requ.)

Stefan Eder, Partner, Benn-Ibler Rechtsanwälte GmbH, Vice Chairman of the Institute of the Regions of Europe (IRE), Vienna, Austria

Oto Hudec, Expert, The Union of Towns and Cities of Slovakia (UTCS), Košice, Slovakia

Georg Krauchenberg, Austrian Chamber of Commerce, Vienna, Austria

Representative of TPA Horwath, Vienna, Austria (requ.)

11

II. Water Pricing and Infrastructure Modernization

Moderation: Christian Hasenleithner, Energie AG Wasser GmbH, Linz, Austria

Keynote-Speakers:

Stanislav Jecelj, Member of the „Working Group Regulation“ of the Slovenian Water Resources Management, Slovenia

Janka Kleinertova, Expert, The Union of Towns and Cities of Slovakia (UTCS), Bratislava, Slovakia

Inguna Kramina, European Commission, Directorate General for Regional Policy, Brussels, Belgium (requ.)

Thomas Kriegner, WDLGmbH - Energie AG Bohemia/Slovakia/Hungary Cevak, Linz, Austria

Marijan Stimac, Head of Department of Economy and Utilities, Koprivnica, Koprivnica-Krizevci County, Croatia

Pavel Valek, Head of Unit, Water, Environment and EU Funds, Ministry of Environment, Prague, Czech Republic

15:30 - 16:00 Coffee Break

16:00 - 17:30 Working Groups (parallel) in English

I. Regional Public Transport Services

Moderation: Werner Weihs-Raabl, Head of Group Infrastructure Finance & Group Public Sector, Erste Bank der Österreichischen Sparkassen AG, Vienna, Austria

Keynote-Speakers:

Michael Gschnitzer, International Sales Director, Kapsch TrafficCom AG, Vienna, Austria

Franz Lückler, Regional Government of Styria, Strategic Traffic Planning and EU Traffic Affairs, Graz, Austria

Hans Jürgen Miko, Alpine Bau GmbH, Salzburg, Austria (requ.)

Predrag Novikov, Director, European Affairs Fund, AP Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Serbia

Austin Smyth, Head of Department of Transport Studies, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom

Frantisek Stano, Chairman of the Commission for EU-Cooperations of Bratislava Region, Slovakia

Klaus Garstenauer, Head of Department for local and regional traffic, Austrian National Railways, Vienna, Austria

12

Representative of the European Commission, Directorate General for Regional Policy, Brussels, Belgium

II. Health care on regional and local level

Moderation: Michael Zimper, Chief-Editor „Kommunalverlag GmbH“, Vienna, Austria

Keynote-Speakers:

Josip Jurisic, Primarius, Former Deputy Mayor of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Andrea Kdolsky, Former Minister of Health, Director for Health, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Vienna, Austria

Clarissa Kurscheid, Europa Fachhochschule Fresenius, University of Applied Sciences, Cologne, Germany

Dobrica Milovanovic, Professor, Deputy Mayor of Kragujevac, Vice President of ALDA, Member of CLRAE, Serbia

Representative of the Czech Republic (requ.)

Representative of Communidad Autónoma de Valencia, Valencia, Spain

Representative of Health Care Company

17:00 End of Conference

19:30 EVENING Programme and Dinner at Salzburg Open Air Museum, Hasenweg, 5084 Großgmain (dress code: Business)

* * *Conference fee € 350,--

(No fee for IRE-Members, Regions, Cities and Municipalities)

13

Conference Venues

Wirtschaftskammer SalzburgA-5020 Salzburg

Julius-Raab-Platz 1T: +43 (0)662 / 88 88-0

F: +43 (0)662 / 88 88-188info@wks.at

www.wko.at/sbg

HeffterhofA-5020 SalzburgMaria-Cebotari-Straße 1-7T: +43(0) 662 64 19 96-407F: +43 (0) 662 64 19 96-9office@heffterhof.atwww.heffterhof.at

Stiegl´s BrauweltA-5020 SalzburgBräuhausgasse 9T: +43 (0)662 / 83 87-0 F: +43 (0)662 / 83 87-112office@stiegl.atwww.stiegl.at/de/brauwelt

Salzburg CongressA-5020 Salzburg

Auerspergstraße 6T: +43 (0)662 / 88987-613

F: +43 (0)662 / 88987-32info@salzburgcongress.at www.salzburgcongress.at

14

City

Map

1

Hot

el Im

laue

r Stie

glbr

äu 2

H

otel

She

rato

n 3

H

otel

Cas

tella

ni 4

H

otel

Hof

wirt

5

Hot

el H

effte

rhof

6

Heff

terh

of 7

Sa

lzbu

rg C

ongr

ess

8

Stie

gl‘s

Brau

wel

t

9

Wirt

scha

ftska

mm

er 10

Sa

lzbu

rg O

pen

Air M

useu

m

15

1

2

4

3

56

7

8

9

10

Practical InformationInstitute of the Regions of Europe (IRE), Franz-Josef-Kai 1, 2nd Floor, A-5020 Salzburg

T:+43(0)662/843288-5010•F:+43(0)662/8432885050

Bildnachweis: IRE, Neumayr, Tourismus Salzburg GmbH, Stiegl

Organisational Team:

Venues:

Chairman of the InstituteUniv. Prof. Dr. Franz SCHAUSBERGER franz.schausberger@institut-ire.euM: +43 (0) 676 / 8888 1853

Secretary General Dr. Joachim FRITZjoachim.fritz@institut-ire.euM: +43 (0) 676 / 8888 1854

Aiša Hodžić, Msc B.rer.nat.aisa.hodzic@institut-ire.eu

Salzburg CongressAuerspergstraße 65020 SalzburgT: +43 (0)662 / 88987-0F: +43 (0)662 / 88987-32info@salzburgcongress.at www.salzburgcongress.at

Stiegl‘s BrauweltBräuhausgasse 9, 5020 SalzburgT: +43 (0)662 / 83 87-0F: +43 (0)662 / 83 87-112office@stiegl.atwww.stiegl.at/de/brauwelt

Heffterhof5020 SalzburgMaria-Cebotari-Straße 1-7T: +43(0) 662 64 19 96-407F: +43 (0) 662 64 19 96-9office@heffterhof.atwww.heffterhof.at

Salzburg Open Air MuseumHasenweg, 5084 GroßgmainT: +43 (0)662 / 85 00 11F: +43 (0)662 / 85 00 11-9salzburger@freilichtmuseum.comwww.freilichtmuseum.com

Wirtschaftskammer SalzburgJulius-Raab-Platz 1, 5020 SalzburgT: +43 (0)662 / 88 88F: +43 (0)662 / 88 88-188info@wks.atwww.wko.at/sbg

Hotel Reservation:

You can book your hotel directly under the following Conference Hotel links:

Conference Hotels:Hotel CastellaniAlpenstraße 6, 5020 SalzburgT: +43 (0)6246/8977F: +43 (0)6246/8977-49info@hotel-castellani.comwww.hotel-castellani.com/de/home/

Hotel Imlauer StieglbräuRainerstraße 12, 5020 SalzburgT: +43 (0)662 / 88992 - 0F: +43 (0)662 / 88992-71hotel@imlauer.comwww.imlauer.com

Hotel HofwirtSchallmooser Hauptstraße 15020 SalzburgT.: +43 (0)662 / 872172-0F: +43 (0)662 / 881484-99hotel@hofwirt.netwww.hofwirt.net

Hotel Heffterhof Salzburg Maria-Cebotari-Straße 1-75020 SalzburgT: +43 (0)662 641 996-0F: +43 (0)662 641 996-9office@heffterhof.atwww.heffterhof.at

Hotel SheratonAuerspergstraße 4, 5020 Salzburg T.: +43 (0) 662 889990F.: +43 (0) 662 881776andrea.wallant@sheraton.comwww.sheraton.com/salzburg

Other: Taxi:+43(0)662/8111•+43(0)662/2220•AirportSalzburg:+43(0)662/8580-251RedCross:144•Police:133