Directorate-General for Internal Policies of the Union Directorate for Structural and Cohesion Policies

PROGRAMME

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

COMMITTEE ON REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Delegation to , 23 – 25 September 2015

Wednesday, 23 September 2015

Individual arrival of the Members and the Staff to –Fontanarossa Airport

14:30 first transfer to hotel (flights arriving at around 14:00) 16:30 second transfer to hotel (flight arrivings at around 16:00) For both transfer the participants of the delegation meet at the Meeting Point of Catania– Fontanarossa Airport (flight arrivals)

check in at the hotel: Mercure Catania Excelsior 39 Piazza Giovanni Verga 95129 Catania +39 095 74 76 111 http://www.excelsiorcatania.com/

18:30 – 18:45 The delegation meets in the hotel lobby

18:45 – 19:00 Bus transfer to Municipality of Catania

Venue: Piazza Duomo 3, Catania

19:00 – 20:15 Meeting with Mr Enzo Bianco, the Mayor of Catania1 at Palazzo degli Elefanti, sala Giunta

20:15 – 20:30 bus transfer to dinner location (Castello Ursino)

20:30 – 22:00 Dinner hosted by Mr Enzo Bianco, the Mayor of Catania with participation of local authorities. Venue: Castello Ursino Piazza Federico II di Svevia, 3, Catania

23:30 Return by bus to hotel Mercure Catania Excelsior

1 For this event, translation only available in English and Italian Thursday, 24 September 2015

8:30 – 09:00 The delegation meets in the hotel lobby and checks out

09:00 – 09:30 Bus transfer to the Science and Technology Park of Sicily (STPS)

Venue: Z.I. Blocco Palma I Stradale V. Lancia, 57, 95121 Catania

09:30 – 11:00 Welcome by President of STPS, Mr D' Agostino and presentation of the Science and Technology Park of Sicily (STPS)  Visit of the Project;  Meeting with Mr Vincenzo Falgares, Managing Authority of the Sicily 2014-2020 Regional Operational Project (regional authorities);  Meeting with regional and local authorities President Rosario Crocetta, President of regional Assembly Giovanni Ardizzone, Major of Catania Enzo Bianco.

Topics of discussion: the challenges of the 2014-2020 Sicily Regional Operational Programme

11:00 - 11:10 Transfer to 3SUN facilities

11:10 - 12:00 Visit of 3SUN (major project on renewable energy financed by ERDF) Venue: Contrada Blocco torrazze sn - Zona Industriale Catania 12:00 – 13:00  Welcome by President of 3SUN Mr Cuomo and presentation of the 3SUN  Visit of the Project  Meeting with national authorities (Mr Graziano del Rio, minister for infrastructure and Mr Claudio De Vincenti, undersecretary of state, in charge of cohesion policy)

Topics of discussion: the role of the national government in the implementation of the 2014-2020 ERDF operational programmes in Italy (special focus on cohesion policy and migration crisis)

13:00 – 13:30 Press conference

13:30 – 14:30 Light lunch hosted by 3 SUN

15:00 – 16:30 Bus transfer to Modica via highway Catania - Siracusa and Siracusa - Gela (major projects financed by ERDF) and check in at the hotel:

Torre del Sud Hotel C.so Sandro Pertini, 42 - 97015 - Modica tel.+39 0932 762120 http://www.torredelsud.it/

17:20 - 17:30 Delegation meets in the hotel lobby, bus transfer to visit of Castello dei conti di Modica. Welcome by the Mayor of Modica. 17:30 – 18:30 Visit of Castello dei conti di Modica Venue: Corso Francesco Crispi, 97015 Modica 2 18:30 - 19:30 Delegation walks to Palazzo della Cultura-salone Italia. Meeting with local authorities (mayors of cities of Modica, , , Francofonte, Siracusa)

19:30 - 20:00 Meeting with the SMEs (chocolate producers' cluster)

Topics of discussion: SMEs role in Sicily 2014-2020 Regional Operational Programmes' (ROPs) implementation Venue: Palazzo della cultura Corso Umberto I, 149, Modica

20:15-20:30 Delegation walks to dinner hosted by Chocolate producers' cluster association with participation of the local authorities Venue: Palazzo Grimaldi-salone di rappresentanza Corso Umberto I, 106, Modica

22:00 – 22:15 Return by bus to Hotel Torre del Sud

Friday, 25 September 2015

08:00 – 08:15 Delegation meets in the hotel lobby and checks out

08:15 – 10:00 Bus transfer to Piazza Armerina

10:00 – 11:00 Visit of the archaeological site of Villa del Casale and meeting with the director of museum and with local authorities (regional minister for tourism, Ms Cleo Li Calzi) Venue: Strada Provinciale 90 Piazza Armerina

Topics of discussion: Cultural heritage and ERDF funds

11:00 – 12:00 Bus transfer to Enna

12:00 – 13:00 Meeting with University Dean Mr Salerno and visit to the ERDF funded research project in University of Enna “Kore”:  LEDA (Laboratory of Earthquake engineering and Dynamic Analysis)  Aereonautic project “Human Factor”  Energy project” Sinergreen”

Topics of discussion: the Sicily 2014-2020 ROPs strategy for innovation and smart specialisation (RIS3)

Venue: Università degli Studi di Enna "Kore" Cittadella Universitaria 94100 Enna

13:00 - 14:00 Light lunch hosted by KORE University of Enna

3 14:00 – 15:00: Bus transfer to Catania – Fontanarossa Airport

15:00 End of the official program of the Delegation

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