Membership at International Organizations and Networks

Assembly of European Regions (AER) created in 1985, the Assembly of European Regions (AER) is the political voice of the regions and the key partner for the European and international institutions on every issue of regional competence. The AER promotes subsidiarity and regional democracy and enables the regions to form the essential link between the European Union and the citizens.It supports the diversity of the regions and translates this diversity into a strength. The AER has currently more than 250 member regions from 33 European countries and 14 interregional organisations. Banska Bystrica region joined the AER in 2003.

The AER members work together in order to:

Innovating Regions in Europe Network (IRE Network)

European Regions Knowledge Based Innovative Network (ERIK NETWORK)
ERIK's main aim is to sustain and further develop networking and good practice exchange between European regions.ERIK Network’s objectives include:

• benchmarking and disseminating good practices of innovation and knowledge-based policies
• supporting inter-regional networking on technological innovation related topics
• co-operating with European regional networks with similar objectives to create synergies and make networking activities more efficient and better targeted
• Banska Bystrica region joined the network in 2006.