Nowadays, more than 300 European regions have their representative offices in Brussels. The Region of Istria is the first Croatian region that opened such office in the political and administrative center of the European Union in order to emphasize the future needs of Istrian economy, citizens, civil society and public administration.
The Office of the Region of Istria was opened in Brussels in June 2005 in cooperation with the Italian region Friuli Venezia Giulia. The seat of the Office is situated in the common “House of Regions” with the offices of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, the Region of Carinthia and the Canton of Sarajevo.
Scope of activities of the Office:
- works in accordance with EU institutions,
- supports Istrian citizens, public administration, economy, civil society,
- develops cooperation with other regional Offices, i.e. other regions,
- develops cooperation with European and other international institutions,
- performs lobbying activities,
- provides information on the events and programmes of the EU,
- provides information about EU programmes and project funding possibilities,
- promotes the interests of the Region of Istria in Belgium,
- promotes Istrian cultural values,
- presents the possibilities of investments in Istrian economy,
- promotes Istrian tourism,
- promotes bilateral cooperation with Belgian regions,
- helps regional delegations during their stay in Brussels,
- promotes relations with the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Croatia to the EU, other embassies of the Republic of Croatia in Belgium and other Croatian representative offices in Brussels,
- provides help to the interested legal or physical entities that want to establish cooperation with the Region of Istria,
- organizes professional training and education – interns,
- performs other tasks at the request of the institutions of the Region of Istria.
The Office in Brussels is in charge of organizing the participation of the Region of Istria in the greatest annual gathering of European regions and cities – the event “Open Days – European Week of Regions and Cities“.
