On Thursday 26 and Friday 27 November 2015, Luxembourg Minister of Sustainable Development and Infrastructure, François Bausch, will chair the Informal Ministerial Meetings on Territorial Cohesion and Urban Policy.
The Meetings will be taking place in the Grand Duchy, under the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Talks will aim to shine a light on the uneven development undergone by Europe's territory, which has favoured already well-developed regions and cities. Ministers present at the Meetings on Thursday will therefore discuss concrete actions to support territorial cohesion and their impact on overall growth and development, which could buffer trends such as brain drain in rural areas.
Territorial scenarios and visios are able to illustrate territorial development in Europe by highlighting the impact of long-term trends such as migration and demographic change, policy initiatives such as the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) or sector policies such as the Energy Union or the Digital Agenda for Europe on territories and regions. Ministers will be able to discuss the opportunities and risks deriving from future perspectives of the European territory.
The instrument proposed by the Luxembourg Presidency aimed at strengthening cross-border cooperation and improving living and working conditions in border regions will be another topic of discussion. Despite the open border policy, these regions still pose a number of legal and regulatory obstacles, such as different technical standards for cross-border facilities or the access of people on one side of the border to the healthcare services on the other side. The instrument intends to solve these challenges by establishing certain laws or regulations of one country on the other side of the border, on a voluntary basis and subject to approval from regional or national authorities.
On the second day of Meetings, 27 November, the Ministers responsible for Urban Policy will look at how small- and medium-sized cities could be supported as place of attraction and providers of essential services from both a general and cross-border perspective. A large share of the European population lives in these forms of cities, which are important drivers for dynamic development. It is therefore important to look at city cooperation beyond metropolitan areas and engage in discussions of their development potential with a particular focus on cross-border regions.
Lastly, the Ministers will examine the urban dimension of the refugee crisis, as cities play an essential role in the short, medium and long term with regards to the reception and accommodation of asylum-seekers and the integration of recognised refugees. Meeting participants will explore what kind of support is required by cities in order to deal with the urban challenges of the refugee situations, linked to housing, training, poverty and integration.
Photo by Sarah Graham (Minister of Sustainable Development and Infrastructure of Luxembourg, François Bausch)
