Congratulations to the European Regional Champions Awards 2008 winners

"Results for the Regional Review Magazine's European Regional Champions Awards 2008, held in association with the Committee of the Regions (CoR), were announced Wednesday 19 November during an official ceremony in the Committee of the Regions building.
Smedjebacken (Sweden), Tralee (Ireland), Larnaca (Cyprus), Petrosani (Romania), Calabria (Italy), Puglia (Italy), Helsinki (Finland), Bauska (Latvia), Birzai (Lithuania), Nord-Pas de Calais (France), North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany), Pärnu (Estonia), Styria (Austria), Isla (Malta): 14 Regional Champions are awarded this year. With 10 different categories, the awards aim to identify and showcase the very best in regional innovation and best practices throughout EU regions, highlighting projects that can serve as examples to other regions. The winning projects are:

• Communication: "EU villages", Smedjebacken, Sweden
• Culture: Network for the commercialisation of local products and rural tourism, network of regions from Greece, Italy, Spain
• Employment: Announcement for agricultural workers - Accommodation, social and transport services, Puglia, Italy
• Energy: Eco-efficient city energy from cogeneration, Helsinki, Finland
• Environment: "INAWARE Cross-border cooperation on integrated nature and water resources management between Bauska and Biržai districts", Latvia, Lithuania 
• Innovation: "J'innove", Nord-Pas de Calais, France
• Maritime: "LIFE project", France, Germany, the Netherlands
• Social Policy: Taste of Europe, Parnu, Estonia
• Transport: Rapid transit railway, Styria, Austria
• Intercultural Dialogue: "Knowing each other better through diversity,Isla Local Council, Malta

Between 9th June and 1st August 2008, a total of 250 proposals were submitted, covering 26 Member States of the EU. After a judging panel – comprising Catherine Stihler MEP, Member of the European Parliament Regional Development Committee and Editor of the Parliament magazine, Gerhard Stahl, Secretary General, Committee of the Regions, Chris Jones, Editor of the Regional Review Magazine and Hans Martens, Chief Executive, European Policy Centre - decided on the shortlist, 580 members and alternates from the CoR voted for the projects they felt deserved to win recognition for their hard work. Read more:

• Regional champions – website

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