Innovation CircleInnovation Circlehttp://www.innovationcircle.net/CustomPublish.com - Web publishing made easyThu, 16 May 2013 15:36:18 +0200 Planning Aid for Scotland, the independent and impartial organisation, working across Scotland to enable citizens to shape their communities and engage more effectively with planning, has launched a new initiative called Young Placemakers. Thu, 16 May 2013 15:36:18 +0200 http://www.innovationcircle.net/youth-involvement-the-quotmissing-piece-in-the-planning-jigsawquot.5215395.html http://www.innovationcircle.net/youth-involvement-the-quotmissing-piece-in-the-planning-jigsawquot.5215395.html Public finances are scarce and the overall budget of the EU's 2014-2020 multi-annual financial framework has decreased for the first time in history. Both public authorities and private partners face the major challenge to guarantee targeted and long-term investment for qualitative growth and jobs in Europe's regions and cities. Tue, 14 May 2013 23:32:18 +0200 http://www.innovationcircle.net/investing-in-europes-regions-and-cities.5213562.html http://www.innovationcircle.net/investing-in-europes-regions-and-cities.5213562.html The first European Citizien Initiative ever - Water is a Human Right - cleared all the hurdles of the legislation and has collected over 1.5 million signatures across Europe. Eight countries have passed the minimum number of signatures required and the initiative continues counting. Sat, 11 May 2013 22:41:05 +0200 http://www.innovationcircle.net/water-is-a-human-right.5211125.html http://www.innovationcircle.net/water-is-a-human-right.5211125.html Today Europe celebrates the 63rd anniversary of the Schuman Declaration. Sixty-three years ago, on 9 May 1950, the then French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman made the first move towards the creation of what we now know as the European Union (EU). Thu, 09 May 2013 12:48:29 +0200 http://www.innovationcircle.net/empire-state-building-will-lighten-up-in-eu-colors.5209715.html http://www.innovationcircle.net/empire-state-building-will-lighten-up-in-eu-colors.5209715.html Town centres are dying. The economic crisis has highlighted the malaise. There are empty shops, as people head to the edge of town supermarket. Internet shopping replaces the trip to the store downtown. Prominent buildings once used for public functions such as town halls, post offices or churches stand empty too, as services have been rationalised or public attitudes have changed. Mon, 06 May 2013 21:35:36 +0200 http://www.innovationcircle.net/can-innovation-save-town-centres.5201556.html http://www.innovationcircle.net/can-innovation-save-town-centres.5201556.html Territorial cooperation needs more flexibility and less bureaucracy to deliver growth, that is one shared objective of a seminar of the Committee of the Regions Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy (COTER) held in Porto at the end of April. The meeting sought to clarify how European Territorial Cooperation (ETC), and more specifically the European Grouping for Territorial Cooperation (EGTC), can boost regional development and better deliver growth and jobs. Sat, 04 May 2013 14:01:58 +0200 http://www.innovationcircle.net/a-key-driver-of-regional-development.5201345.html http://www.innovationcircle.net/a-key-driver-of-regional-development.5201345.html More than 500 students came to the auditorium at the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium to hear Jürgen Habermas, the renowned German philosopher speaking about the Eurozone Crisis. Amid the audience was a journalist from the German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle who outlined Habermas's thoughts in a recently published article. Sun, 28 Apr 2013 13:23:10 +0200 http://www.innovationcircle.net/a-philosophical-critique-of-eu-politics.5198117.html http://www.innovationcircle.net/a-philosophical-critique-of-eu-politics.5198117.html Last week a delegation from Notodden in Norway visited Suwalki in Poland. Both cities are bound together in a close twin city partnership for five years now. The guests met with the city authorities to sum up five years cooperation and to plan joint activities for the future. Wed, 24 Apr 2013 22:57:52 +0200 http://www.innovationcircle.net/partner-talks.5196950.html http://www.innovationcircle.net/partner-talks.5196950.html Probably your Google Homepage has already reminded you that it is Earth Day. A Day to focus on climate change issues. This can seem like a remote problem for our leaders, but the fact is that it's already impacting real people, animals, and beloved places. These Faces of Climate Change are multiplying every day. Fortunately, other Faces of Climate Change are multiplying too: those stepping up to do something about it. Mon, 22 Apr 2013 01:09:10 +0200 http://www.innovationcircle.net/its-earth-day.5193434.html http://www.innovationcircle.net/its-earth-day.5193434.html In 2010, Stockholm became the first winner of the European Green Capital Award. Since then, the city has kept up the momentum and has set an ambitious target of becoming wholly independent of fossil fuels by 2050. Thu, 18 Apr 2013 08:00:00 +0200 http://www.innovationcircle.net/becoming-independent-of-fossil-fuels.5193426.html http://www.innovationcircle.net/becoming-independent-of-fossil-fuels.5193426.html