Local and regional leaders meeting in Palermo this week emphasised that the challenge of territorial cohesion can only be addressed if the EU's next long-term budget helps cities and regions to improve digital connectivity, digital public services and their accessibility to the public, while ensuring that no region is left behind in the digital transformation. Bridging the digital divide and speeding up the development of Digital Single Market through the involvement of cities and regions have been key components of the work of the current mandate of the SEDEC Commission of the European Committee of the Regions.  

The European Committee of the Regions' (CoR) commission for economic policy (ECON) adopted today by unanimity an opinion on the interlinkages between the European Semester and cohesion policy. ECON members stressed that local and regional authorities must play a lead role in shaping the development of country-specific recommendations on investment and economic reform plans. They also debated the challenges facing the socio-economic transitions of coal regions in Europe, the impact of Brexit, and how to move towards a sustainable Europe. 

In response to the vote on the report on the strategic plans to be drawn up by the Member States under the new common agricultural policy (CAP), the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) reiterates its call for a minimum of 30% of the national payments envelope to be devoted to eco-schemes — measures going beyond the basic climate and environmental conditionality requirements — and for quantified targets to be included in the regulations. 

The European Parliament's plenary vote on the Common Provision Regulation – setting common rules for all EU funds managed in partnership with national actors – endorsed key demands by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), aiming at securing the role of local actors and the effectiveness of EU cohesion policy. 

Цифровизацията на здравните системи може да осигури ефикасно използване на ресурсите и ефективност, като същевременно подобри качеството и персонализираната помощ за пациентите. Въпреки че през последните десетилетия очакваната продължителност на живота нарастваше бързо и устойчиво в ЕС, от 2011 г. насам този темп значително се забави. По-добрата профилактика на заболяванията и по-ефективните действия в областта на здравеопазването биха могли годишно да предотвратят 1,2 милиона случая на преждевременна смърт в ЕС ( ЕК ). Държавите — членки на ЕС, изразходват средно 8,3 % от своя БВП за здравеопазване ( Евростат ).