THE fifth annual North-west European Conference is being held by the North-west Regional Assembly in Brussels.

The three-day event, which ends today, involves 150 delegates.

They include North-west regional business leaders, MPs and council leaders.

Workshops are being led by influential members of the business and political community in the North-west and across Europe.

Cllr Derek Boden, Leader of the North West Regional Assembly and a Bury councillor, said: "The North West Regional Assembly, together with the other agencies and organisations who are supporting this event, believe passionately in boosting the region's competitiveness.

"Increasingly this means accessing emerging markets in the East of Europe and with European enlargement very much on the agenda within the corridors of power in Brussels, this conference will keep business delegates on the inside track to these developments."

Peter White, Director of Strategy from event sponsor the Northwest Development Agency, said: "England's Northwest led the world in the first industrial revolution and we believe it is now emerging as a leading focus for the second industrial revolution."