TeleRegions Network (TRN) is an International Non-Profit Organisation of European Regions. Founded in 1997 by key regions from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Finland, Sweden and the UK, TRN has been actively participating in the filed of Regional Development and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).

Teleregions Network is being relaunched with a new structure, and an extended members base, making it more effective in an enlarged Europe, the New Programming Period, as well as more flexible to adapt to the future challenges.

The objective of the TeleRegions Network is to promote the development of Information Society Technologies in European Regions. This objective will be realised by several means, such as

-          The execution of projects, with the help of industrial partners and the European Union,

-          Conferences for dissemination of best practices and

-          Coordinated development of Information Society infrastructure in the regions concerned.

All public authorities, academic institutions and commercial partners in the European Union can become a member of the TeleRegions Network.

Triple Helix model

The importance of ICT in boosting economic growth and providing more and better jobs indicate the clear synergy between ICT policy and Cohesion Policy. In this context, the overall aim of TRN can contribute to the pressing challenge to create a “high productivity, high value-added, high employment economy” using public funding. TRN will use amongst others the experience of the Nordic countries, which have been consistently amongst the best performers in sustaining their competitiveness.

Read more about the Triple Helix

European Regions and Information Society

This declaration expresses the interests of the Regions belonging to the TeleRegions Network, founded on the 11th of September 1996, to promote the regional, economic and social status for improving the quality of life of its citizens, through Telematics Applications and Services.

The Members of the TeleRegions Network are convinced, that new applications and services based on Telematics play a key role in regional development in all kinds of sectors. For example: education, administration, environment, transport, healthcare, economic development, etc.... There is a strong belief that benefits will accrue by the development of the Information Society for the citizens in the Regions and Cities involving their daily life processes in public and private organisations. Using Telematics, Regions and Cities can also enhance the democratic processes by improving the dialogue between the governments and the citizens. Having these benefits in mind the Regions are investing significantly in Telematics based applications and services.

The members of TRN are ready to take the lead in several cross sector proposals for European Flagship projects, within the Telematics Application Programme and other related initiatives. They are ready to form consortia in various sectors like education, healthcare, rural & urban areas and Telematics Digital Sites. The projects will be under the leadership of regional representatives, including regional user groups and industry, along with identified regional needs and interests. These projects will be user driven and built upon private-public partnerships. This approach will ensure a consistently high quality.

Although the Regions of TRN appreciate the support given to a number of regionally oriented projects in the first call of the Telematics Applications Programme, they expected a greater support to their initiatives and a higher level of inter-regional funding. Only a few projects have been accepted for funding, and these only with drastically reduced budgets. We believe that additional funds should come from the European Commission to meet the requirements of regional areas.

Regions are the engines of regional economic and social development. Consequently, they play an important role in the realisation of the Information Society. To achieve this goal, it is essential that European Regions be afforded additional support, with increased funding for Region-based Telematics projects, driven by Cities and Regions.

The Members of TRN also are recommending to strengthen the dialogue between Regions, Cities and the European Commission. This will enable the involved members of the TeleRegions Network to continue to respond to the on-going needs and aspirations of citizens and enterprises.

Done in Brussels, September 1996

TRN Board of directors
TeleRegions Network EEIG