Workshop 'New technologies and regional policy. Towards the next Cohesion Policy framework', were held on 16th October 2017, in the premises of the European Parliament, Brussels. A workshop organised by the Science and Technology Assessment (STOA) Panel of the European Parliament addressed these questions on how European investments in ICT technologies and facilities can foster local economies and create innovation and growth.

The workshop highlighted the importance of the territorial dimension for economic growth at European level and the role of the existing cohesion policy funding in planning and implementing ICT infrastructures in the regions, and in accompanying the efforts to digitalise European economy and society.

Second topic of the event was the role and potential of cohesion policy funding in planning and implementing integrated science and technology parks (STPs).

Delegation from the Dubrovnik-Neretva County, led by the Heads of Administration Departments and representatives from the Regional Development Agency DUNEA, from 9th to 12th October 2017, visited Brussels. During the visit, members of the delegation participated on the events within the European Week of Regions and Cities.

In the European Parliament the delegation attended the conference "Together with EU funds - for better transport connectivity" and in the Committee of Region the delegation had opportunity to inform on the work of the Committee and the relevance on the regional policies. The presentation "Investing in Regions and Cities: EU Cohesion Policy 2014-2020” took place at the representation office of Dubrovnik-Neretva Region, where Nevena Biševac from DG REGIO discussed the topics of future of Cohesion Policy. On the last day of the study visit, the delegation had the meeting at the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union with the Ambassador Goran Štefanić and his associates.

The study trip was funded by the DUNEA regional development agency through grants awarded under the Call for Expression of Interest to Regional Coordinators for Priority Axis 10 - Technical Assistance for Operational Program Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014-2020 in Brussels.

The Dubrovnik-Neretva Region and the Regional Development Agency DUNEA have been implementing the internship program for young graduates from Dubrovnik-Neretva Region since 2011. In past six years more than 60 graduates successfully obtained the internship program.

The internship programme gives opportunity to young graduates to learn more about the European Union institutions and how work of EU institutions reflect on the citizens in Croatian and how we can effect he EU decision making.

The University of Dubrovnik (UNIDU), the Rochester Institute of Technology of Croatia (RIT Croatia) and the Libertas International University signed cooperation agreements with Regional Development Agency DUNEA. This agreements allows all tree universities form Dubrovnik to send their excellent graduates on the traineeship program in Brussels.

In 2017, 11 trainees successfully completed the internship program and a new call for internship in Brussels office is expected in early 2018.

Within the European Week of Regions and Cities in Brussels, where President of Dubrovnik-Neretva Region Nikola Dobroslavić and his associates participated, the Cohesion Alliance was officially presented.

The Alliance was created through cooperation between the leading European associations of cities and regions and the European Committee of the Regions. It demands that the EU budget after 2020 makes cohesion policy stronger, more effective, visible and available for every region in the European Union.

Within the framework of the European Week of Regions and Cities, the President of the European Committee of the Regions Karl-Heinz Lambertz, in the plenary session delivered the first speech on the situation of the European Union from the point of view of regions and cities. The focus was given to the local and regional authorities challenges in areas such as migration, employment and growth, climate change, social and territorial cohesion and the launch of the European Broadband platform.

During the plenary session of the Committee of the Regions of the EU, President of Dubrovnik-Neretva County Nikola Dobroslavić was elected as the Vice-President of the Interregional Group for the Adriatic-Ionian Region.

More than five thousand representatives from the local authorities, experts and actors in the European Union's regional policy participated at the 15th European Week of Regions and Cities.

On the October 10th 2017., a conference "Together with EU funds - for better transport connectivity" was held in Brussels in the premises of European Parliament. The conference was opened by the head of the Croatian EPP Delegation Dubravka Šuica, the president of Dubrovnik-Neretva Region Nikola Dobroslavić, the president of Brod-Posavina Region Danijel Marušić and Deputy President of Vukovar-Srijem Region Damir Barna.