CoR press release

28/11/2007 - CoR President Delebarre pays tribute to European Regional Champions

The winners of the inaugural 'European Regional Champions Awards', hosted by Brussels magazine Regional Review in association with the Committee of the Regions, were unveiled at a ceremony attended by CoR President Michel DELEBARRE in Brussels last night (27 November).

The awards, aimed at showcasing some of the best and most innovative regional projects in Europe, attracted more than 150 nominations. A jury including CoR Secretary General Gerhard STAHL, MEP Catherine STIHLER, European Policy Centre Chief Executive Hans MARTENS, and the Editor of Regional Review, Chris JONES, drew up a shortlist of 30 finalists. CoR members and regional offices took part in an online vote to select the top 10.

President Delebarre, who was guest of honour at the ceremony, held at the Chatelain Hotel, said that all the nominees should regard themselves as winners for demonstrating the added value of regional policy in the EU.

Committee of the Regions President Michel Delebarre celebrates with winners of the inaugural European Regional Champions Awards

The winning projects are:

• Communication Champion: Scottish Executive (UK) for 'Building a Bridge' report on communicating Europe to its citizens
• Cultural Champion: City of s-Hertogenbosch (Netherlands) – Water in Historic City Centres
• Employment Champion: Union of Czech and Moravian Producer Cooperatives – Social cooperative, social enterprise
• Energy Champion: Austrian Environmental Expert Group – Central European Air Pollution Monitoring
• Environment Champion:  HELCOM (Finland) – Helcom Baltic Sea Action Plan
• European Year of Opportunities for All Champion: JAKK Adult Education Centre (Finland) – NaisWay, female energy to transport and logistics
• Innovation Champion: Andalusian Regional Health Ministry (Spain) – Informarse.Es Salud: A new model of health communication based on innovation
• Maritime Champion: The Baltic Master Project (Sweden) – A bottom-up initiative for increased preparedness and environmental protection 
• Social Policy Champion:  Office for Local Self-Government and Regional Policy (Slovenia) –PLYA, project learning for young adults
• Transport Champion: Pays de la Loire region (France) – Destineo: a regional journey planner

Kaj Forsius and Nikolay Vlasov of HELCOM, winner of the Environment Champion award

For more information, please contact:

Dennis ABBOTT

+32 0)2 282 20 99

+32 (0)2 282 20 85

E-mail: Dennis Abbott

Estelle POIDEVIN

+32 (0)2 282 22 70

+32 (0)2 282 20 85

E-mail: Estelle Poidevin