Where the smart money goes

Date: 01/06/06

Just inside the door of the Brussels office of the region of Valencia stands a billboard with a list of projects bearing testimony to the success of this regional hub.

A plan for a common approach for regions in Germany, France and Hungary and Spain for the next generation of structural funds: EUR 3,028,943. A model to eliminate liquid pollutants generated during the treatment of metal surfaces: EUR 2,567,599. A project to make public transport buses more environmentally friendly: EUR 1,721,438.

The Valencia region was allocated EUR 6.16 billion from the EU's structural funds for the period 2000-06. But that is not the concern of the region's Brussels office: its task is to seek out additional EU funding from environment, research or training projects - and it has had a great deal of success.

The regional office has helped attract more than EUR 51 million for 27 projects over the past two years. The bulk of that comes from EU money: the rest is from 'matching' funding from private and public sources. One in three EU-funded projects awarded to Spain last year from the EU's LIFE-environment programme went to Valencia.

Compared to many other regional offices in Brussels, the Valencia office is huge. Only three years ago there was a staff of just six. Now Director Juan Manuel Revuelta has a team of 40 people. They help interested groups or businesses apply for EU-funding, find partners who will match this funding and disseminate information about the projects to a wider audience. "The money is not as important as what you do with it," says Revuelta.

The Valencia office is on rue de la Loi, near to the Cinquantenaire Park, closer to the action at the headquarters of the European Commission and the Council of Ministers than many national representations.

The walls of the office are adorned with images of Valencia's olive trees, some as old as 1,000 years - the office has a role in promoting the image of the region abroad. But the bigger part of the work is following events in the Brussels institutions which might be of interest to groups wanting to set up EU-funded projects. Different departments monitor EU developments in health, social policy, agriculture and environment. Paz Baixaule has just sent out a monthly newsletter via the internet informing clients in Valencia of the latest legislation passed in Brussels. "New laws are being developed all the time...we are thinking about bringing the newsletter out twice a month or even once a week," she says.

Marco Ortiz worked in the Valencia regional office in Brussels between 1990 and 1996 after which he joined the Commission. Now he is back working with the regional office having gained experience on EU agriculture and environment issues. Pilar Izquierda monitors the EU for developments on ports - an important policy area for Valencia. Having just completed an internship in the Commission working on a similar brief, she now brings to the office an in-depth knowledge of EU policy.

People come to work in the Brussels office from municipal administrations or public institutes in Valencia to learn how the EU works, which in turn means the Brussels regional office becomes more attuned to the, often technical, needs of its clients. For example, two people work in the office on sabbaticals from ceramic industry groups helping to translate technical details. "If the ceramic institute people don't send anyone to us it's not the same," says Revuelta.

Young interns also come to work from Valencia. "We have teams of young people coming here to work and so before they begin their careers they know what the EU does and who to contact," says Revuelta.

Civil servants from Valencia travelling to Brussels can also use the well-located office. Jos�amon Bordils Gil, who works in the agricultural and fish section of the Valencia government, was in Brussels last week to meet EU officials and during some spare time is using the office to catch up on paper work. "We are trying to obtain as much as possible a synergy between what's happening in Brussels and happening back in Valencia," explains Revuelta.

The two meeting rooms in the office can be used by groups from Valencia who need to meet potential partners for projects or people from other regions or institutes. This week a seminar on co-operation in the shoe-manufacturing industry drew people from Spain, Germany, the UK, Switzerland and Portugal. "These people from all over Europe could go to Valencia for the meeting but it's easier for everyone to meet here in Brussels," says Revuelta.

But the focus is not just on Valencia. Revuelta says sometimes the key to unlocking funds is to show that a project involves other EU states, and all the better if it involves new member states. Orsolya Szijjrt-, from Hungary, works on developing projects where her knowledge of potential partners and institutes in other member states is important. "We have partners from different countries and that is important for opening up other markets," explains Revuelta.

He believes that this is an important time for Europe's regions to adapt to a changing environment, especially since countries such as Spain will soon see their structural funds much reduced.

The regions are now turning their attention to the money earmarked for research and innovation, often referred to as "the smart money".

The key for Revuelta is to apply the skills of the private sector to the public sector. But this, he says, will take a change of attitude and require constant learning. "Lots of people think because we can attract all this funding we are cleverer than everyone else. This is not true, we just work more."

Article takes a look at the Brussels office of the region of Valencia (Spain) as an example for a large regional representation in the Eu capital.
Article is part of a European Voice Special Report, 'Europe's regions'.