Positioning Your Region or City to Be Influential in EU Affairs

Introduction
The EU political system is –almost by definition– permeable to influence. Institutions and their officials expect stakeholders, as well as those interested and affected by EU legislation, to be proactive and to provide them with inputs and information which will, no doubt, contribute towards their understanding of problems and issues. Among these stakeholders, regions and municipalities occupy quite a unique position. On the one hand, they are political-administrative bodies with specific legal obligations regarding the implementation of and compliance with European legislation. On the other, they often lack formal mechanisms for political dialogue and participation in the shaping of EU policies and programmes. This is why it is crucial for regions and cities to improve their influence and lobbying capacity towards the European institutions.

Target groups
The seminar is addressed to officials (elected representatives and civil servants) from regional and local levels of the administration, as well as to members of local and regional associations and clusters, academics, lawyers, consultants and other public servants who are dealing with European policies and programmes. The contents of the seminar will be of particular interest to officials in regional and local offices in Brussels.

Method
The seminar will have an eminently practical approach. The key factors for success in territorial EU lobbying will be illustrated with real cases, presented by relevant experts and practitioners. Participants will be provided with genuine case studies along the overall policy-making process; successful practices will be identified and their mechanisms explained. Participants will also engage in practical work through a workshop where they shall develop a lobbying action, as well as discuss it and submit to expert feedback.

Objectives
At the end of the seminar, participants will gain knowledge on the following issues:

Seminar venue
Fundació Pi i Sunyer
Casa Golferichs
Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 491
08015 Barcelona

Working language
The Seminar will be conducted in English.

Fee
The participation fee is € 750 and includes participation, documentation, two lunches, coffee breaks and a certificate of attendance. Accommodation and travel costs are at the expenses of the participants or their administration.

EIPA offers its members a reduction of 10% of the registration fee. This reduction is available to all civil servants working for one of EIPA’s member countries (i.e. AT, BE, BG, CY, CZ, DK, EE, FI, FR, DE, GR, HU, IE, IT, LT, LU, MT, NL, PL, PT, ES, SE, UK) as well as civil servants working for an EU institution or agency. If you are eligible for a discount, please tick the box in the registration form. Please note that reductions cannot be accumulated. For more information, please visit EIPA’s website: http://seminars.eipa.e /en/pages/display/&tid=102).

Payment before the deadline is a condition for participation. For cancellations received after 14th April we will have to charge an administration fee of € 150 unless an alternative participant is nominated.

Hotel reservations in Barcelona
The EIPA-ECR will be pleased to make reservations for you at one of these hotels (where special rates are applied for EIPA-ECR participants):

Should you wish to make use of this possibility, please indicate the name of the hotel and the dates of arrival and departure on the registration form. Payment is to be made directly and personally to the hotel on checking out. Please note that if you register after the closing date, hotel reservations cannot be guaranteed.

Information and Registration
Kindly complete the registration form and return it before the closing date of 14 April 2010. Your name and address will be part of EIPA’s database for our mailing purpose only. If you do not want to be included in our mailing database, please tick the box in the registration form.

Confirmation
Confirmation will be forwarded to participants on receipt of the completed registration form.