Zagreb Green Cohesion Policy 2014 - 2020
Sustainable development forum
Despite the fact that the European countries and their economies since 2008 faced the rise of public and private debt, high unemployment, many diminishing social rights of the citizens and the consequent drop in the standard of living, it must be emphasized that the situation is not the same in all Member States. There are also good examples in different parts of the EU where countries have managed to retain or even lowered the volume of debt. In more and more parts of Europe a growing part of the energy consumption derives from renewable sources and thus greatly contribute to the preservation of the environment. There are local communities where, in partnership with civil society and the private sector, they have created the conditions for new, sustainable jobs that will stand up well in the long run and provide families with a decent standard of living. It is with this in mind that we must stress the importance of the Cohesion policy in its aim to especially support the less developed regions with extra investments that will help them to fill the existing investment gap and to develop to the level, comparable with more successful regions. As we strongly believe, the performance-oriented Cohesion funds may present an important difference between the sustainable-oriented investments that bring the wider community a long term positive effects and ill-considered investments in projects that serve only the purpose of consumption of 'available' resources. At the Green Cohesion Policy 2014 - 2020 Conference we will present some of successful and sustainable examples of cohesion spending and share the examples of good, proven practices that can help in the revival of economic activity and improving cooperation between public actors at local, regional and national levels, and private bodies. The Greens / EFA strongly believe that particularly in difficult times it is important to show that investments which are focused on areas with the broad, sustainable impact can contribute to improving both the standard of living, as well as maintaining a clean and healthy environment.
DRAFT PROGRAMME
8:30-09:00Registration 09:00
Welcoming Speech
Prof. Dr. Davor Skrlec (MEP, the Greens/EFA) 09:10
Organisers' Speech
Reinhard Butikofer (MEP, the Greens/EFA, co-president of the EGP) 09:20
Keynote Address
Corina Cretu, Commissioner for Regional Policy (video address) 09:30
New elements in the Cohesion Policy funding period 2014-2020
Prof. dr. sc. Davor Škrlec and Monika Vana, Greens/EFA MEPs 9:50
Partnership Agreement with Croatia, 2014 - 2020
Katarina Grgas Brus, European Commission 10:20
Croatian Operational Programmes
Nikša Tkalec, Government department for Regional Development and European Funds 10:50
Audience feedback 11:15
Cohesion Funds based sectorial Policies in Croatia
Kristijan Mavrek, EU funds forum, ORaH 11:45-12:05
Coffee break 11:45
The Greens/EFA News Conference 12:05
Environmental mainstreaming and sustainable development in Cohesion Policy 2014-2020 - the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Marcus Trilling, EU Funds Coordinator, Friends of Earth Europe/CEE Bankwatch Network 12:45
Your Guide to EU Funding 2014 - 2020
Simone Reinhart, REGI Political Advisor, The Greens/EFA 13:00
Lunch break 14:00-15:30
Panel: Good Practice around Europe
- Bronis Ropė (Lithuania)
Municipality-level housing modernization programme - 15' - Benedek Jávor (Hungary)
Morahalom, Hungary - Geothermal Cascade System - 15' - Monika Vana (Austria)
Heating from biomass for the Kleinwalsertal - 15 - Rupert Gole (Slovenia), Mayor of Šentrupert
Green integral economy in local communities - 15 - Petko Kovachev (Bulgaria)
Bulgaria's first Cohesion policy period - Conclusions and cases - 15 - Croatian case
Audience feedback 16:00
Conference wrap-up
Prof. Dr. Davor Skrlec (MEP, the Greens/EFA) Conference moderator: Mladen Iličković
