The AER General Assembly, in Cooperation With GE Energy, Empowers European Regions to Take Control of Their Energy Future

600 Regional Political Decision Makers Establish the Basis for Sustainable Energy Policies in the Lead up to the Copenhagen Summit

BELFORT, France, November 26 - Until the 27 November, the Assembly of European Regions (AER)
holds its annual General Assembly, hosted by GE Energy at its European
headquarters in Belfort, France, in the region of Franche-Comté (F). For
three days 600 regional decision makers come together to grasp the energy
future for their territories, and develop joint solutions, strengthened by
the expertise provided by AER's partner GE Energy. Presided over by Michèle
Sabban, AER President, the event displays the exemplary commitment of public
and private players to key commitments: sustainable energy, growth and jobs.

The regions will become the key level of all policies in the
next decades: according to the 4th IPCC report, quoted by UNDP in its world
2008 report on Human Development and Climate Change, 50 to 70% of the climate
change adaptation and mitigation measures are to be implemented at a regional
level.

Michèle Sabban, AER President, said that "regions are leading
actors in the implementation of energy solutions. Our objectives are to
promote cooperation, to address the expectations of citizens and to develop
the means of responding to economic and environmental challenges that
territories have to face."

According to Ricardo Cordoba, President of GE Energy for
Western Europe and North Africa, "the European regions need to face three
major challenges: economic effectiveness, sustainability and secure energy
supplies, and finally respect for the environment. This is why they need to
make the right choices when it comes to the energy solutions to implement in
their territories."

About the AER

The Assembly of the European Regions is the largest
independent network of regions in wider Europe. Bringing together more than
270 regions from 33 countries and 16 interregional regions, AER is the
political voice of its members and a forum for interregional cooperation.

About GE Energy in Europe

GE Energy (www.ge.com/energy) has over 18,000 employees
in Europe, with manufacturing sites in France, Germany, Austria, Spain and
Hungary. The Belfort site in France is GE Energy's European headquarters with
over 2,000 employees.

Press contacts: Nicole Jung, T : +44(0)208-133-3140, Email: njung at hopscotch.eu