ESPON Seminar in Portoroz (Slovenia) on 2-3 June 2008

Open ESPON 2013 Seminar on Territorial Challenges in a Wider Europe

The seminar took place in Portorož (Slovenia) on 2-3 June 2008, during the Slovenian EU Presidency and in the presence of Mitja Bricelj, State Secretary at the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning of the Republic of Slovenia, and Marko Starman, State Secretary at the Government Office for Local Self-Government and Regional Policy of the Republic of Slovenia.

The purpose of the seminar was to exchange knowledge and create awareness on territorial development dynamics as well as a sustainable and balanced territorial development in the European Union and its neighbouring countries.

More than 130 participants attended the seminar, amongst them policy makers, practitioners at EU, national, regional and local level and scientists. It provided information on the ESPON 2013 Programme, on current results and activities from EU Member States and from neighbouring countries and thus stimulated a better mutual understanding of trends, challenges and perspectives facing the EU and neighbouring territories.

The seminar served as a platform for creating new contacts and synergies enlarging the involvement and networking around the ESPON 2013 Programme.