Strengthen Bremen's EU expertise and access to EU funds
The SPD wants Bremen to engage more in Europe and win more of the funding awarded directly by the European Commission. It plans a service office, a pool of positions in Brussels and closer exchange between the Senate and European bodies.
Bremen should get more money from EU funding programs. A new service office should help government departments with applications. More staff should work in Brussels for a while. The Senate should talk about Europe more often.
The platform expects cohesion policy funds such as the ERDF and ESF to shrink, while programs awarded directly by the Commission, such as Horizon Europe or LIFE, have grown. A service office in the European affairs department, modeled on the Erasmus coordination office, is to point out funding options and help with applications. A pool of three senior positions is to be created at Bremen's representation in Brussels so departments can send staff to EU institutions for longer periods; short-term placements are to be promoted more. Regular rounds in the Senate are planned in which Bremen's members of bodies such as the Committee of the Regions report on their work. The SPD also aims for more visits by department heads and cabinet meetings in Brussels.
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„Aufgabe der Servicestelle wäre, die Ressorts auf Fördermöglichkeiten aufmerksam zu machen und Hilfestellung bei der Antragstellung zu leisten.“Translation: The task of the service office would be to alert the departments to funding opportunities and to assist with applications.
Placement
- Europeleaning more EU
The SPD wants to deepen the state's ties with EU institutions and sees major challenges as solvable only jointly at the European level, without calling for new EU powers.