Under the lead of its President, AER elects a new Bureau in order to tackle the numerous challenges that regions will be facing until 2012

Istanbul (TR), 11th November 2010.

Mrs Michèle SABBAN, Vice-President of the Region Ile-de-France (F), was this morning re-elected President of the Assembly of European Regions (AER) for a second two-year mandate, during the AER’s General Assembly in Istanbul.

“Being re-elected as AER President, is not only a honour but also a great challenge, since regions will be playing an important role on the future cohesion policy, the fight against climate change and the economic growth. We need to foster local democracy within and beyond Europe, we need to be the engines of change“ declared Mrs. SABBAN after her election.

The new AER Presidium members
The President, the two Vice-Presidents, the Vice-President Treasurer and the Presidents of the Committees, elected for two years, form the Presidium. In the interim period between the Bureau meetings and by delegation, the Presidium can meet and make decisions, which are then submitted to the following Bureau. To work with President SABBAN, the AER members elected:

Vice-Presidents
Johanna MIKL-LEITNER, Niederösterreich (A)
Giovanni CHIODI, Abruzzo (I)

Vice-President Treasurer
Urs WÜTHRICH-PELLOLI, Basel-Landschaft (CH)

The AER welcomed the following candidates for the Presidency of AER Committee’s to be ratified tomorrow morning by the new Bureau:

 
President of the Committee on Economy and Regional Development (1)
Håkan SANDGREN, Jönköping (S)

President of the Committee on Social Policy and Public Health (2)
Vladimir Kosic, Friuli Venezia Giulia (I)

President of the Committee on Culture, Education and Youth (3)
Hande Bozatli, Istanbul (TR)

President of the Standing Committee on Institutional Affairs
Roy Perry, Hampshire (UK)

President of the Standing Committee on Equal Opportunities
Monica CARLSSON, Norrbotten (S)

President of the Standing Committee on Monitoring and Evaluation
Urs WÜTHRICH-PELLOLI, Basel-Landschaft (CH)

The Presidium in brief

Mrs Michèle SABBAN Vice-President of the Regional Council of Ile-de-France (F) since 1998. Before being elected for her first mandate as AER President in 2008, she was AER Vice-President and also chair of the Gender Equality Group.

Mrs Johanna MIKL-LEITNER Elected Regional Minister for Employment, Women, Family, Social and EU affairs of the Land Niederösterreich (A) in 2003. She’s been President of AER Committee 3 since 2004.
 
Mr Giovanni CHIODI Elected President of the Abruzzo Region (I) in December 2009. Before he was Mayor of the Municipality of Teramo.

Mr Urs WÜTHRICH-PELLOLI Minister for Education, Culture and Sport of the Canton Basel-Landschaft (CH) since 2003. He was elected AER Vice-President Treasurer in 2008.

Mr Håkan SANDGREN County Councillor of Jönköping County (S). Active in AER Committee 1 since many years, he was elected Committee President in 2008.

Mr Vladimir Kosic Current Regional Minister for healthcare and social protection of Friuli Venezia Giulia (I). President of the Regional Council of Associations of people with disabilities since 2000.

Mrs Hande Bozatli Vice President of Istanbul Special Provincial Council since April 2009. Very involved in AER’s activities, Mrs. BOZATLI supported the creation of the AER Working Group on Equal Europe for People with Disabilities.

Mr Roy Perry Deputy Leader Hampshire County Council (UK) and former MEP for 10 years. For the past three years he is the Vice-President of the AER Standing Committee on Institutional Affairs.

Mrs Monica CARLSSON Member of the County Council Executive Committee and County Councillor of Norrbotten County (S), with special responsibilities for gender equality and personnel. She was Vice-President of the AER Standing Committee for Equal Opportunities.

The Assembly of European Regions (AER – aer.eu) is the largest independent network of regions in wider Europe. Bringing together more than 270 regions from 33 countries and 16 interregional organisations, AER is the political voice of its members and a forum for interregional co-operation.

AER Contacts
Francine Huhardeaux
Press & Communications Officer
+33 3 88 22 74 49
f.huhardeaux@aer.eu
   
Valentina Guerra / Antonio Buscardini
Press & Communication Assistants
+33 3 88 22 74 33/44
v.guerra@aer.eu  - a.buscardini@aer.eu

For further information:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Assembly-of-European-Regions/150836174931200