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Presentation of the

Rhône-Alpes Region

Foz de Iguaçu, 29th of January 2010

Four Motors for Europe

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France’s 2nd largestregion in France

Rhône-Alpes is one of the European Union’s leading regions : - surface area : 44 000 km²- population : 7 million inhabitants- 1/3 citizens is under 25- GPD : 182 billion euros- second largest national region in terms of research- the most extensive skiing area in the world- urban, gastronomic & cultural heritage

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Towns and HeritageLyon, with about 1.4 million inhabitants, is the Regional capital. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage City.The region has two other cities with more than 300,000 inhabitants: Grenoble and Saint Etienne.

At the crossroads of Europe’s main communication routes• International Airport;• rail links based on regional express transport and high speed train (TGV)• a dense network of expressways specially linked to the Swiss and Italian networks.

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- 233,000 students;- 8 universities with centers in Lyon, Grenoble, Saint Etienne and Chambéry / Annecy.More than 40 ‘grandes écoles’ (institutions of higher education specialized in engineering, business, etc.);- All disciplines are taught

Rhône-Alpes : a major center of higher education and R&D

Saint Etienne20000

Grenoble60000

AnnecyChambéry

12000

Lyon 120000

Rhône-Alpes research at a glance - 30 000 researchers in R&D (public and private)-600 laboratories, 10 public national research agencies- major international laboratories

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- Almost 25 % of regional added value derives from the industrial sector,- Leader in French Metal industry, mechanical construction, chemical industry and plastic transformation

A sound industrial base and a rich tertiary sector

Rhône-Alpes, is a leading region for high technologies sector

- A leader in several growth areas, such as digital technology, health, materials, environmental protection and energy. - Rhône-Alpes is involved in 15 economic clusters. 4 of them are worldwide in scope : Biopôle, Minatec, Axelera, Enerdis

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The French administrative entities

1 State

22 Regions

11 « Départements »

36 000 « Communes »

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The French administrative entities

The national StateGarantees national soverignty and assumes public service mission : justice, defense, public order, laws, education, national economy, social protection, organisation & equipment of the territory

Local authorities

The RegionHigh school, transport, professionnal training, economic & territorial development

The « Département » (county)Social & sanitary actions, junior high school, highways network

The « Commune » (municipality)Primary & nursery school, local services, urban planning

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Rhône-Alpes : a political and administrative entity

Budget : 2,32 billion euros

President Jean-Jack Queyranne

Regional Council :

21 Vice Presidents

157 regional counsellors

7 political groups

Regional Social & Economic Council

116 counsellors

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Rhône-Alpes : Open to the World

In Europe :

- Founder Members of the « Four Motors for Europe »

-Cross-border relations with italian and swiss regions

- Sustainable relationship with Malopolska (Poland) and Southtransdanubia (Hungary)

- Member of a numerous European instituions and associations

The European Union

- Rhône-Alpes benefits from about 870 millions euros for the regional competitiveness and employment objective of the European regional policy

- Rhône-Alpes maintains contact with the European institutions

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Thank you for your attention