Biography

Sidony Venema has been working in Brussels since 1997, since 1999 as the EU representative of the Province of Flevoland. Sidony is responsible for advocacy and signaling for both Flevoland and the House of the Dutch Provinces and works closely with the Randstad provinces.

For Flevoland, Sidony mainly focuses on the topics of energy, sustainable and innovative regional development, fisheries and agri-food. In the HNP context, Sidony is file holder for the file Regional economy and the future of cohesion policy.

Sidony is responsible for providing advice and knowledge on a wide range of topics for the region. She supports the Flevoland deputies in the Conference of Peripheral and Maritime Regions and the European Committee of the Regions. To this end, she prepares political opinions and monitors the work of the COTER, ECON, NAT and Brexit committees and the plenary of the Committee. As an expert, Sidony wrote the Committee’s opinions:

1) Implementing the Community Lisbon programme: financing SME growth- adding European value;
2) The financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union;
3) European Regional Development Fund and Cohesion Fund 2021-2027;
4) The role of the EU’s cohesion policy with respect to intelligent and innovative economic change in the regions against the backdrop of the Corona;
5) Do no harm to cohesion – A cross-cutting principle contributing towards cohesion as an overall objective and value of the EU.

Career

1999 – present  Representative of the Province of Flevoland, Lelystad and Brussels
2000 – 2015        House of the Provinces contact person for Air Quality, Biodiversity, Soil and Cohesion Policy, Brussels
1997 – 1999        EU Information officer, Randstad provinces and energy companies, Brussels

Contact

T. +31 (0)6 18 30 01 84
E. venema@nl-prov.eu