look into how the CoR could contribute to the implementation of the "20 Deliverables for 2020" document, in accordance with the commitment expressed in the CoR Resolution on Recommendations to the Heads of State or Government gathering for the 5th EaP summit;
take a position with respect to the reviewed strategic framework and institutional architecture of the Eastern Partnership endorsed at the Summit, including the role of LRAs in shaping the future of the Eastern Partnership;
achieve a general acknowledgement of the contribution and role of LRAs in reaching policy objectives, which is vital in building a strong case for further pursuing decentralisation reforms, and in support of the sustained empowerment of LRAs and targeted resource allocation.
The European Commission agreed that local and regional authorities have a decisive role to play in the successful implementation of the 20 EaP deliverables for 2020. It identified pilot regions in partner countries on which particular emphasis is put within the framework of overall cooperation, to best demonstrate concrete results to citizens.The call for a job-shadowing programme for administrative staff to be set up at local and regional authority level, in order to improve the dissemination of European standards in administrative practice was noted and will be looked at in the context of similar requests from Member States. A CORLEAP non-paper on capacity-building for local public administration (issued in February 2019) further elaborates on this aspect.
The rapporteur participated at the 8th CORLEAP annual meeting in Kyiv on 24 September 2018, where he addressed the audience during the opening session, presenting the main findings of the opinion. He stated that local and regional authorities have a decisive role to play in the successful implementation of the 20 deliverables for 2020, stressing particularly the importance of promotion of exchanges between EU local and regional authorities and those in the EaP countries. He pointed out that the role of CORLEAP should include support for targeted territorial cooperation projects, ensuring visibility of the benefits of EaP policy for citizens.
Mr Herbst was also invited to attend the meetings of the Ukraine Task Force in September 2018 and February 2019, the EESC Eastern Neighbours Follow-up Committee on 15 November 2018, and the EaP High Level conference in Vienna, in December 2018.
THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
points out that local and regional authorities have a decisive role to play in the successful implementation of the 20 deliverables for 2020;
considers it particularly important to promote exchanges between EU local and regional authorities and those in the EaP countries in the form of urban and regional partnerships, as well as between individual authorities within the EaP countries themselves;
calls for a job-shadowing programme for administrative staff to be set up at local and regional authority level, in order to improve the dissemination of European standards in administrative practice;
reiterates that social entrepreneurship should be promoted, as it improves economic development at local and regional level and creates new jobs;
considers it important for the Conference of Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP) not to be restricted to providing an exchange platform, but to concretely support territorial cooperation through activities ranging from effective matchmaking to providing visibility to concrete projects;
is committed to delivering on and measuring up to the regard CORLEAP is held in by its partners by showcasing the success and potential of territorial cooperation and by increasing the understanding and visibility of the benefits of EaP policy for citizens.