The Information Society and the development of inter-regional exemplars

The second European conference of the One-Stop-Shops (a network of organizations designed to assist SMEs in the use of telematics) will be held in Dublin, Ireland, on 1 and 2 October 1998, organized by the SmileNet Association and the AGORA consortium funded under the EU's Telematics Applications Programme.

The conference will address the theme "The Information Society and the Development of Inter-Regional Exemplars" and will examine the impact of the increasing pressure of globalization on local economies and the challenges posed by technological change for those involved in regional development.

This conference, aimed primarily at local and regional small business support agencies, will bring participants up-to-date on these important trends. An overview of current policy directions at both European and regional level will be complemented by an exchange of local level best practice experiences in urban and rural areas throughout Europe.

The topics to be addressed during the conference will include:

- Regional development policies and issues;
- European Commission regional development policies;
- Globalization and the role of SMEs in the Information Society;
- Inward investment in urban regeneration;
- Tools for networking;
- Future trends and new opportunities;
- The role of telecom operators in regional development;
- Filtering information and sharing resources;
- Making regions work;
- Structural, organizational, funding, legal and quality aspects.
For further information, please contact:

AGORA
Ms. Elaine Miskelly
38 rue Copernic
F-75116 Paris
Tel. +33-1-41384761; Fax +33-1-41384764
E-mail: elaine.sil@agora.org