141st Plenary session

08/12/2020 : 14:30 (CET) - 10/12/2020 : 16:45 (CET) Virtual meeting Cohesion policy reform; Future of Europe; Public administration; Citizenship; EU communication policy

The Members of the European Committee of the Regions met remotely for the 141st plenary session on 8, 9 and 10 December 2020.

The session included the debate on the EU-UK Agreement and territorial consequences of Brexit, with Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, European Commission Work Programme 2021, with Maroš Šefčovič and more…

The Members of the European Committee of the Regions met remotely for the 141st plenary session on 8, 9 and 10 December 2020.

Several debates and political discussions took place, including the:

EU-UK Agreement and territorial consequences of Brexit, with the participation of Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London
European Commission Work Programme 2021, with the participation of Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-president of the European Commission for Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight.

Furthermore, there were debates on: 

the Enlargement Package and European Neighbourhood Policy with the Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi
the New Pact on Migration and Asylum with the Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson
the recovery and resilience in rural areas with the Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski
stepping up climate ambition during the COVID-19 pandemic with the German Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety Svenja Schulze.

The plenary assembly also discussed and voted on the opinions listed below on this page.

There was also a vote on the following resolution:

Resolution on "The European Commission Work Programme 2021"

Agenda

Tuesday 08/12/2020

14:30
Formal opening of the session
• Adoption of the agenda • Approval of the minutes of the October 2020 Plenary • Statement by the President • Election of the First Vice-President
14:35
Presentation of opinions to be adopted and debate with members
• Towards more sustainable tourism for EU cities and regions (NAT-VII/003) - Manuel Alejandro CARDENETE FLORES (ES/RENEW E.) • EU Strategy for Rural Revival (NAT-VII/006) - Enda STENSON (IE/EA) • From Farm to Fork – the local and regional dimension (NAT-VII/005) - Guido MILANA (IT/PES) • Economic governance review (ECON-VII/005) - Elio DI RUPO (BE/PES)
16:15
Debate on Stepping up climate ambitions during the COVID-19 pandemic - statement by the German Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety Svenja Schulze
17:15
Council Presidency referral
Opportunities and synergies of a precautionary adaptation to climate change to promote sustainability and quality of life in regions and municipalities – which framework conditions are required for this? (ENVE-VII/010) - Markku MARKKULA (FI/EPP)

Wednesday 09/12/2020

09:30
Resumption of the Plenary session - Presentation of opinions to be adopted and debate with members
• The impact of climate change on regions: an assessment of the European Green Deal (ENVE-VII/009) - Andries GRYFFROY (BE/EA) • Strengthening local governance and representative democracy via new digital technology instruments (simplified procedure) (CIVEX-VII/002), Rait PIHELGAS (EE/Renew E.) • Challenges for public transport in cities and metropolitan regions (simplified procedure) (COTER-VII/003) – Adam STRUZIK (PL/EPP) • (10:40) Resolution on the European Commission Work Programme 2021 (RESOL-VII/009) • (11:00) European Commission report on the implementation of the renewed strategic partnership with the EU's outermost regions (simplified procedure) (COTER-VII/007) - Ángel Víctor TORRES PÉREZ (ES/PES)
12:00
EU matters for Local and Regional Authorities
• Macro-regional Strategy for the Carpathian Region by Wladyslaw Ortyl (PL/ECR) • Local and regional authorities responding to the damaging effects of heavy transport of goods on roads by Günther Platter (AT/EPP) • Regional health systems facing COVID-19 by Isabel Natividad Diaz Ayuso (ES/EPP)
14:45
Debate on the EU-UK Agreement and territorial consequences of Brexit -Statement by Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London
17:00
Debate on the enlargement package and European Neighbourhood Policy - statement by Olivér Várhelyi, Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement

Thursday 10/12/2020

11:00
Debate on the New Pact on Migration and asylum - statement by Ylva Johansson, Commissioner for Home Affairs
14:30
Debate on Recovery and resilience in rural areas - statement by Janusz Wojciechowski, Commissioner for Agriculture
15:30
Debate on the European Commission 2021 Work Programme and the first EU Strategic Foresight Report - statement by Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-president of the European Commission for Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight
16:30
Announcement of the results of the final votes on opinions and the Resolution
• Election of Bureau members • New CoR members and alternates • Any other business • Date of the next meeting