The Government of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia and EIPA have reached agreement on the creation of an EIPA Antenna situated in Barcelona. The creation this Antenna will ensure the devolved development of EIPA activities concerning the regions of the Member States of the EU and those of other European states which have applied for accession to the European Union.

The aims of the ECR are:

* to offer training activities, seminars and conferences on regional policy and EU policies of interest to the regions;

* to promote regional administrative cooperation;

* to ensure uniform implementation of Community policies at the regional level within the EU Member States;

* to be a forum for reflection on the problems of the regions and their role with respect to European integration and the development of their cooperation;

* to formulate studies/research on regional cooperation in the field of European integration between intra-Community regions;

* to establish a network between regional training centres with a view to increasing their cooperation; The target groups of the ECR are:

* Officials with responsibility at the political level and senior public servants from subnational public administrations of the Member States;

* Officials with responsibility at the political level and senior regional public servants from the public administrations of the countries involved in the next phase of accession and of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe; Scientists and representatives of regional public-service training centres.