In 1995 Sweden joined the European Union. This step had a profound effect on all levels of the government and local administration. It opened completely new prospects for international co-operation for local authorities and other actors in the Stockholm-Mälar Region. In 1996 the City of Stockholm, the Stockholm County Council and the Association of Local Authorities in Stockholm County signed an agreement on cooperation in EU matters. The agreement addressed the need for greater co-ordination of activities on the EU level. As part of the agreement, the Stockholm Region was established. The role of the organisation was defined in terms of facilitating the international work of the stakeholders and promoting the Stockholm Region in Europe. Agreement called for the organisation to be an information exchange forum on EU related matters with a significance for the Stockholm Region. By being a competence centre, the Stockholm Region shall stimulate international activities of municipalities and counties in the Stockholm-Mälar Region. In concrete terms, The Stockholm Region is fulfilling those tasks by monitoring prioritised thematic areas and EU programmes related to those areas. Over the years, the Stockholm Region assumed the role of a help-desk, helping municipalities and other actors in the Region to explore funding possibilities for their EU projects. Moreover, in order to spread the information on various EU topics and increase the competence of civil servants in the Region, the Stockholm Region is organising numerous conferences and seminars. Below, you will find a closer description of each activity the Stockholm Region is involved in. Do not hesitate to contact the Stockholm Region, for any further information.
Monitoring of Thematic Areas:
Our staff in at the representation in Brussels monitors various thematic areas, which our stakeholders identify as important. Prioritised thematic areas are among others urban matters, social affairs, environment, infrastructure and enlargement. Reports on this areas are send to our stakeholders upon request. We are publishing relevant news on this areas on our web page (in Swedish only).
Searching for Funding Possibilities
The European Commission provides great number of different funding possibilities for projects that complies with the objectives of the EU and its policies. The project support is by the Commission viewed as a tool how to implement various EU aims and policies. To nearly each thematic area there is an EU program linked. We are scanning those programs on a regular basis, analysing the EU policies and advising our stakeholders how to proceed in project funding.
Conferences and seminars
The Stockholm Region arranges number of seminars and conferences. In 2007 we arrange a fact finding mission to Poland in April, in June we host the Lissbom Region Network General Assembly in Stockholm and Sörmland. Moreover we have a hugh conference concerning Regional Development in Warsaw in September and our annual Info day in Brussels will take place in October.
Spreading and gathering of strategic information
Communication is strategic for The Stockholm Region. Offices needs to communicate information gathered in their fields of responsibility to the stakeholders in the Stockholm Region. Simultaneously, the Stockholm Region carries out marketing activities to increase the attractiveness of the Stockholm Region around Europe
