Cooperation is the future! New perspectives for retail development - Germany

[i]4th Transnational Retail Forum and Final Conference[/i] 8/9-11-2007 in Bremen/Osterholz-Scharmbeck, Germany Retail development has a clear urban dimension and a strong impact on urban and regional development. Retail is an economic sector which is grounded in the territory more than others and needs to be close to where the customers live. But retail market and structures are also dynamic and quickly transforming and have implications on the settlement structures. What are the consequences for urban and regional development and for the city centres? New and bigger formats create structural imbalances. Competition between cities for retail locations often reveals as a short-term solution. City centres have to re-invent themselves and have to develop new approaches and innovative solutions. Will the old city survive? The Transnational Retail Forum gives the opportunity to draw the conclusions of the last two and a half years of activities within RENET. A continuous process of coordination and cooperation between different interest groups and a practiceoriented dialogue in a partnership is the only way to provide more planning and investment certainty on the one hand and to create a sustainable development of cities and regions on the other hand. The floor will be open for a discussion within a European dimension offering different perspectives and stimulating exchange on the following questions. • What is the need to co-operate and exchange at an inter-municipal level? • What are the necessities and implications for the city as a market place? What is the future of the European city? • What are the lessons learnt in a transnational competence network on retail development? [b]Registration is free, but for organisational reasons necessary until 19.10.2007[/b]. Please fill in the registration form at http://www.retail-baltic.net where you will also find additional information and details about the Forum.