Luxembourg, 2 May 2016 - At a meeting of the ESPON 2020 Cooperation Programme held in Brussels on 17 March 2016, the appointment of Ms Ilona Raugze as new ESPON EGTC director was announced.

Ilona joined the ESPON EGTC, which includes 15 staff, on the 1st of May 2016.

Before coming to the ESPON EGTC, Ilona was ‎Deputy State Secretary at the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development of Latvia. After completing her studies in 2003 at the Central European University in Budapest, Ilona has spent 13 years of her professional career in the central public administration of Latvia as one of the key policy makers in regional development. During these years she has also represented Latvia in the EU intergovernmental cooperation meetings contributing to the work on territorial cohesion and urban matters.

Peter Mehlbye, the outgoing director, will still be active at the ESPON EGTC until end of June 2016 in order to ensure a smooth transition of the role as director to Ilona. Peter will then terminate more than 14 years as ESPON director setting up ESPON in 2002 and guiding the cooperation and development of European territorial evidence and knowledge to the level of maturity and recognition it has today.