Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct.12 / Trend, S.Dadashova /
The EU is willing to share its experience of successfully reducing regional disparities and investing in growth and jobs though European structural funds with Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, among other countries, during the European Week of Regions and Cities, held in Brussels from Oct.11 to 13, ENPI Info Centre reported.
A press release said delegations from these countries, as well as from China, Japan, Brazil and Chile, would benefit from discussions with Commissioner for Regional Policy Johannes Hahn, who would explain how EU regional policy works focusing in particular on the Commission's recent proposals for a sweeping change of cohesion policy for 2014 - 2020.
Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia have all concluded a Memorandum of Understanding with the EU on regional policy, which stipulates a formal and structured dialogue based on an agreed programme of high-level meetings, seminars and studies on regional policy and economic development in the countries concerned.
Multi-level governance (involving local, regional, national levels in the decision-making and implementation process), cross-border cooperation, regional innovation systems, classification of regions and the role of smaller towns as poles of balanced development are among the key areas of common interest.