Project implementation and bilateral cooperation – Jasło participated in the conference “Local development”.

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Over 200 people met at the conference on the third stage of the “Local Development” Program – project implementation and bilateral cooperation. Jasło was represented by the mayor Ryszard Pabian, his deputy Małgorzata Adamska-Chmiel and Iwona Domaradzka, the head of the Department of External Funds. The conference was organized by the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy and took place on May 31 and June 1 in Warsaw.

The conference inaugurated the key stage of implementation of projects supported by the Norwegian and EEA Funds in the framework of the Local Development Program. Agreements signed with 29 medium-sized cities enable the implementation of complex projects aimed at reducing negative development phenomena and increasing the standard of living of the inhabitants.

Money for the development of Polish cities comes from a special pool of funds granted by Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein to several countries of Central and Southern Europe and the Baltic states. In return, the three countries have access to the internal market of the European Union, even though they are not members of it.

During the two-day meeting, during panel discussions with the active participation of Polish, Norwegian and Icelandic local government officials, representatives of the Program’s operator (the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy), the OECD, Norwegian and Icelandic partner local organizations, and with the support of advisors from the Polish Association of Municipalities and Communities (ZMP), the participants discussed the effects of implementing projects in towns and cities to date, the benefits of bilateral cooperation, the use of the OECD’s external perspective https://www.miasta.pl/aktualnosci/narzedzie-samooceny-dla-jst-od-oecd, https://www.miasta.pl/aktualnosci/jest-juz-raport-oecd-o-stanie-samorzadu-lokalnego-w-polsce, and plans for the future.

During the conference the first examples of Polish-Norwegian-Icelandic bilateral cooperation partnerships were presented between Starachowice (PL) and Bergen (NO), Jelenia Góra (PL) and Akureyri (IS) and Rydułtowice (PL) and Ovre Eiker (NO). On the second day of the conference workshops were held on 5 areas of cooperation – institutional development, social participation, climate change, youth entrepreneurship and silver economy.

ZMP/UMJ
Photos from Association of Polish Cities website.