The European Committee of the Regions and the European Alliance for Apprenticeships are organising a joint high-level conference this week. At the opening session on 3 June, the Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights Nicolas Schmit and the chair of the CoR's SEDEC Commission Anne Karjalainen highlighted the pivotal role of regions and cities in providing quality and effective apprenticeships for all.

Borgmesterpagten blev iværksat i 2008 af Kommissionen for at støtte byer og regioner i deres indsats for at nå EU's klima- og energimål for 2020. Pagten styrker nu sin rolle ved at tilpasse sit klimatilsagn til EU's mål om at opnå klimaneutralitet inden 2050 og ved at lancere kammeret af nationale ambassadører for at støtte udrulningen af borgmesterpagten i de enkelte medlemsstater. Borgmesterpagten har over 10.000 underskrivere, som modtager teknisk støtte og økonomisk rådgivning til udformningen og gennemførelsen af energi- og klimaplaner, der bidrager til holde den globale temperaturstigning under 1,5°C – den største ambition i Parisaftalen .

The COVID-19 crisis has underlined the importance of resilient education systems that pave the way towards a green economy based on knowledge and the digital transformation. The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) supports the European Commission's efforts to achieve the European Education Area by 2025 but calls to take better into account regional needs and to address regional disparities in the field of education. The CoR opinion was presented at the plenary session on Wednesday by rapporteur Emil Boc (RO/EPP), Mayor of Cluj-Napoca.

Charles Michel, President of the European Council, will on 17 March make his first address to the European Committee of the Regions, starting a plenary session that will bring into focus local and regional perspectives on policies to end the COVID-19 pandemic and to promote a green and inclusive economic recovery. Four European Commissioners will lead debate about COVID-19 vaccinations and building resilience in EU's regions, the economic recovery package, the Green Deal, and integration of migrants. An award to honour the memory of Paweł Adamowicz, late mayor of Gdańsk, will be launched and the winners of the European Entrepreneurial Region Award will be announced.