The Lehendakari assures assembly that Euroregion is a leading space of collaboration and “an example of mutual understanding”
- Iñigo Urkullu leads Basque delegation to the Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Euskadi Navarra Euroregion Assembly held in Olite
- Commits to continuing to build secure European spaces “that embraces diversity”
- Navarra assumes presidency of the Euroregion until 2026
The Lehendakari this morning attended the Euroregion Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Euskadi Navarra Assembly at Olite, Navarra. There, he committed to continuing to strengthen European integration to ensure that Europe remains a place of peace, freedom, the rule of law and prosperity and a “safe space that embraces diversity”. Iñigo Urkullu travelled with Regional Ministers Arantxa Tapia, Jokin Bildarratz y Javier Hurtado. During the assembly, the President of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Alain Rousset, passed the presidential makila of the Euroregion to the President of Navarra, María Chivite.
During his address, the Lehendakari expressed concern regarding the rise in populism, demagogy and authoritarianism and the EU’s “inability” in the face of international armed conflict, as well as a “hardening” of migration policies, while also asking what type of Europe we want.
On this point, Urkullu assured the assembly that the Euroregion is a leading space of collaboration and an example of mutual understanding; “the joining of forces around a shared project.”
We must continue to weave relations and mobilise our capacities, now with the ambition of institutionalising the macroregion of Atlantic Europe. We’ll succeed,” he said, finally appreciating and recognising the work of the people in the three governments, Nouvelle Aquitaine, Euskadi and Navarra, over the years.
Subjects covered
The Olite Assembly, with 18 representatives in attendance from the three regions, looked back at the activity in 2023 and the budgetary focuses for the coming year. The framework for the call for Nouvelle Aquitaine, Euskadi Navarra 2024 projects was also approved, and the members of the assembly were approved before the new composition of Navarra government.
In terms of activities in 2023, the Assembly highlighted the efforts to bring the Euroregion closer to citizens, especially through the financing of 27 new projects, 7 partnerships and 93 mobility grants for students and PhD candidates. Development of the Strategic Plan 2021-2027 also continued apace, fostering the promotion of the territory and the coordination of the West Functional Area of the POCTEFA 2021 - 2027 programme, directly affecting the territories of the Euroregion.
In terms of the call for project for 2024, this year, the budget of €900,000 will be maintained, distributed in two lines. The first approved, in today’s session, is allocated €500,000 to develop “Euroregional Citizenship” projects focused on culture, plurilingualism, education, youth, sport and contemporary social challenges. In the second half of 2024, the second call will be approved, dedicated to “Euroregional Innovation”, with €400,000, destined for areas of S4 smart specialisation strategy for the areas involved.
At the same time, the Euroregion will continue to support strategic partnership projects with an allocation of €300,000 to boost new and existing cross-border alliances in areas of economics, culture, education and sport. This year also sees a new edition of the Euroregional Grant, with a budget of €60,000 to foster the academic mobility of students and PhD candidates from the three territories as part of an international local mobility initiative.
The Nouvelle Aquitaine, Euskadi Navarra Euroregion is an instrument of cooperation to promote cross-border, local and European development of the three regions, home to over 8.7 million people in a territory of 101,678 km². This group was founded in 2011 with the Nouvelle Aquitaine Euskadi Agreement to form a European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC), which Navarra then joined in 2017.
