Cookies We use cookies to provide you with the best experience on our website - find out how we use cookies. By continuing to browse our website, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.

• Advice
• Business
• Community
• Your council
• Environment
• Events
• Leisure and culture
• Jobs

• European affairs
• Introduction
• NIERF
• COMET
• EUROCITIES
• INTERREG
• EU bulletin

• Related links
• Europa – European Union online
• European Union Grants
• European Commissions Office in Northern Ireland
• European Parliament

Councils of the Metropolitan Area (COMET)

COMET is a partnership of the six economic development units of local councils within the Belfast Metropolitan Area.

This includes:

• Belfast City Council
• Lisburn City Council
• Carrickfergus Borough Council
• Castlereagh Borough Council
• Newtownabbey Borough Council
• North Down Borough Council.

What does COMET do?

COMET meets on a monthly basis to:

• look at opportunities for collaboration on economic development issues
• identify sub-regional projects that address the region’s needs
• share experience in implementation of local economic development plans
• monitor and respond (where applicable) to local economic development policy and consultation exercises
• distribute good practice and relevant conference and training opportunities.

The network and respective Economic Development Committees have agreed a five year action plan which will provide the partnership's strategic direction and focus up to 2015.

Initiatives

Successful initiatives from the project include:

• The Connect Project
  Funded through Peace II (Outward and Forward Looking Region Measure) this exchange project looked at how governance impacted on the social, economic and environmental development in Rybnik (Poland), Stockholm (Sweden), Vilnius (Latvia) and Valencia (Spain).

• COMET Plato Project
  This initiative broadens the Belfast project to include manufacturing companies throughout the region. A total of 21 companies were recruited and benefited from independent company analysis, one-to-one mentoring, as well as thematic seminars and training in response to identified needs.

• Best practice
  We have hosted visits from elected members and business associations who have been interested in finding out how the region has implemented and maximised the impact of funding from the European Regional Development Fund.

• Interreg IIIA (2000 - 06) and Interreg IVA (2007 - 13)
  The Interreg programme was introduced in 1991 to provide support for cross-border economic development in the less developed border regions of the EU. COMET initiated the COMET Interreg Partnership to respond to a lack of geographical representation in administering and accessing this fund.

• Urban Lobby
  COMET is working to ensure the region is best placed to access funding opportunities in the next EU funding period (2014-2020) and has developed a strategic position regarding European Structural Funds post 2013.
  
  Download the summary COMET strategy (PDF - 2.55MB)