International cooperation: a window on the world 1 November 2020 2020-2025 POLICY NOTE Mathias De Clercq Mayor in charge of international cooperation City of Ghent Colophon Stad Gent (City of Ghent) Operational Management, Relationships and Networks Service Publication date November 2020 Contact Mayor Mathias De Clercq
[email protected] +32 (0)9/266.54.00 www.gent.be Postal address Stad Gent – Kabinet burgemeester De Clercq Stadhuis, Botermarkt 1, 9000 Gent (Ghent) Address for visitors Botermarkt 1, 9000 Gent (Ghent) Phone: +32 (0)9/266.54.00 2 Contents Preface 5 Course of the project 6 1. Vision en priorities 7 1.1. Our vision: international cooperation en positioning are a necessity 7 1.2. Ghent's international top priorities 8 1.3. Strategy en tools 9 1.4. Initiatives 10 2. Shared international policy agenda: our partners 11 2.1. Introduction 11 2.2. Attracting and keeping international talent 11 2.3. A strong city in a dynamic (international) region 12 2.4. Administrative players Flanders and Belgium 14 2.5. The European policy agenda 15 2.6. Ghent in the rest of the world 19 2.7. External stakeholders active in Ghent 20 2.8. Initiatives 20 3. European subsidies 2021-2027 22 3.1. Introduction 22 3.2. The wider European framework 22 3.3. The Ghent approach 23 3.4. Initiatives 24 4. City diplomacy 25 4.1. Introduction 25 4.2. International networks 25 4.3. Visits and receptions 27 4.4. Foreign missions 28 3 4.5. Consultation with Flemish MEPs and the European Commission 29 4.6.