The cityregion Eindhoven (SRE)
The cityregion Eindhoven is located between the economic centres of the Dutch Randstad conurbation, the Ruhr conurbation of Central Germany, Brussels and Antwerp. The region covers an area of 1370 km², representing 3.3% of the total area of the Netherlands. The region has 725,000 inhabitants and 32,000 businesses. The economic structure is characterised by the presence of a high quality industrial base, and a service sector which is continuously undergoing steady growth.
Industrial Mainport
The cityregion Eindhoven is known in the Netherlands as the Industrial Mainport. Key industrial clusters include mechatronics, the automotive industry and electronics. New sectors are industrial distribution, environmental technology, medical technology and information technology. Research and development activities are a particularly prevalent in the region. Of the total amount spent annually on research and development in the Netherlands, some 50% goes to the Eindhoven Region. The slogan for the Eindhoven region is therefore justifiably "Leading in Technology". The presence of a sound industrial base and high quality service sector calls for an excellent regional infrastructure. Eindhoven is located at the hub of a number of international transport routes. The region is highly accessible by road, rail and air (Eindhoven International Airport).
Knowledge Infrastructure
Besides this excellent physical infrastructure, the region also has a superb knowledge infrastructure, as home to a large number of centres of knowledge, all of which have an influence which extends far beyond the region. These include the Eindhoven University of Technology, Fontys Hogescholen, the Innovation Center, TNO Centre for Industrial Research, the Center for Microelectronics, the Frits Philips Institute for Quality Management, the Mikrocentrum Nederland and the High Tech Campus.
Tasks and Competences
The SRE looks after the common interests of the municipalities in the region. For example in the field of spatial planning, traffic and transport, housing, the environment, recreation and tourism, education, health, culture and socio-economic affairs. The purpose is to bring about a balanced development of the region, in which there are rural districts in addition to a clearly defined urban district, each with its own set of problems and opportunities. The SRE tasks are mainly of a planning, ordinating and co-ordinating nature. The Regional Council task is for example to define town and country planning, an environmental policy plan and a socio-economic policy plan. The implementation is left to the municipalities. However, there are some large-scale regional projects under the control of the SRE, mainly recreation projects.
As in most other countries, the Netherlands have three levels of government: the state, the provinces and the municipalities. The SRE is an intermunicipal co-operative union in which municipalities co-operate in order to promote common interests; in other words government by the municipalities for the municipalities. The working area covers 21 municipalities with a total population of almost 725,000. Regional Council The Regional Council is the highest administrative body, and consists of 50 members. It is made up of municipal representatives. The Town Councils nominate one or more representatives for the Regional Council in proportion to the number of inhabitants.Executive Committee The Executive Committee or so to say Day-to-Day Management consists of the chairman and 5 members, and is elected by and from the Regional Council.Chairman The chairman is nominated by and from the Regional Council; there is consensus of opinion about the nomination of the Mayor of the city of Eindhoven as the Chairman of the Regional Council. Advisory Committees Advice / Proposals from the Day-to-Day-Management are first presented to Regional Council Committees for advice before decisions are being made.
Staff and Departments
For implementing policy the SRE has a relatively small, highly professional central department and several executive organisations. These executive organisations are:
The Regional Environmental Department
The Regional Archive Department
REDE ltd. (Economic Development Corporation Region Eindhoven)
Information
For more information please contact: Ab Oosting The cityregion Eindhoven (SRE) P.O. Box 985 5600 AZ EINDHOVEN The Netherlands Telephone: +31 40 2594 594 Telefax: + 31 40 2594 540 e-mail: info@sre.nl
