In September, representatives of ten Libyan municipalities and universities met with European provinces, regions and research institutes to discuss how the competencies of local administrators in Libya could further be strengthened. They built on the consolidated partnership within the Nicosia initiative which had developed a decentralised system of continuous learning over the past three years, establishing structured cooperation between governments and universities in the country.  

The much-needed involvement of cities and regions in shaping the European recovery after the COVID-19 crisis, as well as in shaping a new European economic governance system, were the main focus of the first meeting of the commission for Economic Policy (ECON) after the summer break. 

The organisers have decided to extend the registration deadlines to #EURegionsWeek 2020: registration to week 1 "Empowering Citizens" (5-9 October) remains open until 1 October, registration to week 2 "Cohesion & Cooperation" (12-16 October) remains open until 7 October, registration to week 3 "Green Europe" (19-22 October) remains open until 14 October. Register now to the sessions you do not want to miss! 

On 24 September, the members of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) commission for territorial cohesion policy and EU budget (COTER) met online to adopt their recommendations for the role of cohesion policy against the backdrop of the coronavirus crisis, the implementation report on the partnership with the EU's outermost regions (OR) and public transport in cities and metropolitan regions. Members also discussed the REACT-EU package, Cross-border public services and the state of play of the MFF negotiations. 

On 17 September 2020, the European Commission launched this year’s European Semester cycle with the publication of the Annual Sustainable Growth Strategy 2021 (ASGS). Usually issued in November, this ASGS came unexpected early due to the Commission’s decision to “temporarily adapt the European Semester to the launch of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF)” in order to avoid an overlap between both. This ASGS is also unusual in its content since it largely focuses on setting the strategic guidance for the implementation of the RRF. It was accompanied by two Staff Working Documents providing additional guidance and a template to support Member States in the preparation of their national and Recovery and Resilience plans (RRP). 

he COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically affected our world and our way of living with dire loses and substantial consequences on every aspect of our daily existence. The Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and the EU Budget (COTER) at the European Committee of the Regions will prepare regular bulletins on the policy fields within its remits reflecting recent research, articles and discussions on the socio-economic impact of the pandemic in Europe and on the different actions and response measures planned and implemented at EU, national, regional and local level.​ 

Two of our RegHub contact points will feature on a high-level panel with Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič on 7 October 2020 from 11.30 – 13.00 during this year's edition of the European Week of Regions and Cities (#EURegionsWeek). 

Medlemmerne af RU's Underudvalg for Borgerrettigheder, Styreformer og Institutionelle og Eksterne Forbindelser – CIVEX – debatterede den 22. september den politiske situation i Hviderusland med deltagelse af Petras Auštrevičius (LT/Renew Europe), Europa-Parlamentets ordfører om forbindelserne med Hviderusland. 

The first week (5-11 October) out of three of this year's #EURegionsWeek is dedicated to the thematic cluster Empowering Citizens. Check out the online programme and discover interesting working sessions on various topics. 

The third week (19 to 22 October) of this extended edition of the #EURegionsWeek will revolve around the theme Green Europe. The programme is fully dedicated to the Green Europe theme. Check out our programme and register in order to have the sessions added to your agenda! 

The second week (12 to 16 October) of this year's #EURegionsWeek is dedicated to the thematic cluster Cohesion and Cooperation. This week includes the highest number of working sessions, together with all the political highlights. Do not miss the speech "Annual Regional and Local Barometer - State of the Union from the regional and local perspective", to be given by CoR President Tzitzikostas and add other key moments to your agenda! 

Det Europæiske Regionsudvalg (RU) har lanceret en UK-kontaktgruppe, som skal bidrage til at opretholde kommunikationen mellem de lokale og regionale myndigheder i EU og de britiske byer, regioner og decentrale forvaltninger. Initiativet er en reaktion på Storbritanniens udtræden af EU den 31. januar 2020. 

Covid-19-pandemien har store konsekvenser for de europæiske økonomier. ECON underudvalget i Det Europæiske Regionsudvalg udarbejder regelmæssige økonomiske nyhedsbreve om den seneste forskning, artikler og drøftelser om de socioøkonomiske konsekvenser af pandemien i Europa og om de forskellige økonomiske foranstaltninger, der er planlagt og gennemført i EU samt på nationalt, regionalt og lokalt plan. 

The RegHub secretariat has recently carried out a complete evaluation of the RegHub pilot project.  

The European Union cannot succeed without regions and cities. It is local and regional authorities that are bringing the EU through the COVID-19 pandemic. It is cohesion between regions that is the heart of European solidarity. It is the engagement by regional and local politicians that will deliver the more ambitious targets for climate change announced yesterday. I am confident President Ursula von der Leyen will build an even stronger partnership with our Committee as it is the one million regional and local elected politicians who are Europe's safety net, who are key actors in managing the pandemic and who will be crucial actors in fostering our recovery. 

The European Committee of the Regions' Commission for Natural Resources (NAT) met for the first time after the summer break to discuss sustainable tourism and the responses needed at EU level to face the challenges posed by the Coronavirus and its impact on local communities. At the meeting on 18 September, members also adopted opinions on the Farm to Fork strategy, on EU4Health, on rural revival and on the EU's civil-protection mechanism – all policies with the potential to help build resilient communities across the EU. Members of the commission also exchanged views on agro-ecology.  

On 16 September, the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will, in her first State of the Union speech, share her vision for a stronger Europe and a better world after the pandemic, get familiar with this key moment of democracy. 

Den 11. september drøftede Det Europæiske Regionsudvalgs (RU's) præsidiemedlemmer* covid-19-krisens indvirkning på landsbyer, byer og regioner og behovet for at forbedre Den Europæiske Unions funktionsmåde. Ministerpræsidenten for den tyske delstat Nordrhein-Westfalen, Armin Laschet, og Kommissionens næstformand Maroš Šefčovič deltog også i onlinearrangementet. 

The 2020 edition of the European Natura 2000 Award includes 27 finalists. You can vote now for your favourite project to win the European Citizens’ Award. 

We, the members of the Bureau of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), call on the Belarusian authorities to ensure the respect of fundamental values, human rights and freedoms, and we strongly condemn all violence, repression and arrests of peaceful protesters. 

During his video statement on the occassion of the meeting of the CoR Bureau on 11 September, Maroš Šefčovič, European Commission Vice-President for Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight, once again pointed to the important role the Network of Regional Hubs (RegHub) can play for linking the levels of policymaking and contribute to a more resilient society by providing evaluative evidence on EU policies. 

If you are interested in sharing your experiences, expectations and ideas on how DG TRADE could feed into national / regional level debates and vice versa, please take part in our on-line survey. The deadline for responses is 18 September.  

Byernes og regionernes rolle i genopretningen efter covid-19 og behovet for at gøre dem til en vigtig drivkraft for at fremskynde den grønne omstilling har været midtpunkt i en debat med Kadri Simson, EU-kommissær for energi. Medlemmerne af Det Europæiske Regionsudvalgs Underudvalg for Miljø, Klimaforandring og Energi gentog behovet for at inddrage de lokale og regionale myndigheder i fastlæggelsen og gennemførelsen af prioriterede investeringer, herunder Next Generation EU-fonden, og EU's facilitet for genopretning og modstandsdygtighed (RRF). Renoveringsbølgen af bygninger, biodiversitet, cirkulær økonomi og klimatilpasning var også på dagsordenen . 

Det Europæiske Regionsudvalg opfordrer sine medlemmer og unge folkevalgte politikere til at indsende eksempler på bedste praksis med henblik på at indsamle, vise, fremme og sætte skub i udbredelsen af kulstoffattige projekter i hele EU. Er din by eller region en sand mester i bæredygtighed? Er du stolt af de projekter, I er i færd med at gennemføre i lokalsamfundet i tråd med prioriteterne i den grønne pagt? Så er denne opfordring noget for dig. 

This year the EURegionsWeek will be fully digital and will offer to participants more than 500 digital working sessions to discover over three consecutive weeks in October, from 5-22 October. The registration is open from 27 August to 27 September 2020. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically affected our world and our way of living with dire loses and substantial consequences on every aspect of our daily existence. The Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and the EU Budget (COTER) at the European Committee of the Regions will prepare regular bulletins on the policy fields within its remits reflecting recent research, articles and discussions on the socio-economic impact of the pandemic in Europe and on the different actions and response measures planned and implemented at EU, national, regional and local level.​ 

Roby Biwer (LU/PES) , medlem af kommunalbestyrelsen i Bettembourg, besvarer i dette interview fem spørgsmål vedrørende biodiversitetens betydning for forebyggelsen af et nyt pandemiudbrud, bekæmpelsen af klimaforandringer og opnåelsen af større bæredygtighed gennem EU's genopretningsplan. Roby Biwer er ordfører for udtalelsen Biologisk mangfoldighed i byer og regioner efter 2020 , der skal vedtages på den næste plenarforsamling i oktober. I udtalelsen beskrives de lokale og regionale myndigheders bidrag til EU's biodiversitetsstrategi for 2030 , som Kommissionen fremlagde den 20. maj 2020. Derudover vil Regionsudvalget forsvare den centrale rolle, som de lokale og regionale myndigheder spiller med hensyn til at beskytte biodiversiteten på det 15. møde i partskonferencen under FN's konvention om biologisk mangfoldighed ( UN CBD COP15 ), som løber af stablen fra den 17. til den 30. maj 2021 i Kunming, Kina . 

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically affected our world and our way of living, with the loss of thousands of lives and unprecedented consequences for every aspect of our daily existence. The Commission for Social Policy, Education, Employment, Research and Culture (SEDEC) at the European Committee of the Regions is preparing regular bulletins on the policy fields within its remits, reflecting recent research, articles and discussions on the socio-economic impact of the pandemic in Europe and on the different actions and response measures being planned and implemented at EU, national, regional and local level. 

I dette interview besvarer Tjisse Stelpstra (NL/ECR), der er regional minister i provinsen Drenthe, seks spørgsmål om den nye handlingsplan for den cirkulære økonomi, som er EU's buket af forslag med henblik på at afkoble den økonomiske vækst fra ressourceanvendelse gennem produktion og forbrug af holdbare og genanvendelige produkter, der kan repareres. Handlingsplanen for den cirkulære økonomi blev offentliggjort den 11. marts 2020, og efterfølgende har Tjisse Stelpstra stået i spidsen for Det Europæiske Regionsudvalgs bidrag i form af en udtalelse , som efter planen vedtages på udvalgets plenarforsamling den 12.-14. oktober 2020. Den cirkulære økonomi er en af hjørnestenene i den europæiske grønne pagt, EU's vækststrategi der skal sikre klimaneutralitet senest i 2050. 

Commenting on the conclusion of the European Summit, the President of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), Apostolos Tzitzikostas, said: "The measures agreed by the EU Member States are an historic example of solidarity and address an unprecedented threat. The EU budget and the Recovery Plan must now be quickly put at the service of all people in regions, cities and villages across Europe. It is vital to invest EU funds where they are needed and to make the most out of every euro". 

Krisen som følge af covid-19-pandemien undergraver Europas økonomiske, territoriale og sociale samhørighed og mulighederne for at levere en grønnere, inklusiv og intelligent omstilling til en mere bæredygtig fremtid. Dette er grunden til, at #CohesionAlliance – en EU-omspændende koalition med over 12.000 underskrivere – kraftigt opfordrer EU's medlemsstater til at støtte en stærk flerårig finansiel ramme for 2021-2027 og genopretningsplanerne. FFR og genopretningsplanerne skal støtte samhørighed som en grundlæggende værdi i Den Europæiske Union og et centralt mål for alle EU's politikker og investeringer. Disse krav fremgår af en erklæring , der blev videregivet til EU-kommissæren med ansvar for samhørighed, Elisa Ferreira, og formanden for EP's REGI-Udvalg, Younous Omarjee, under en videokonference den 14. juli, tre dage inden Det Europæiske Råds møde i Bruxelles. 

I dette interview besvarer Vojko Obersnel (HR/PES), borgmester i Rijeka og ordfører for udtalelsen om fonden for retfærdig omstilling (FRO), fem spørgsmål om dette EU-initiativ, der har til formål at støtte de regioner, der er mest berørt af overgangen til en lavemissionsøkonomi. I forbindelse med covid-19 er det foreslåede budget for FRO øget fra 7,5 mia. EUR til 40 mia. EUR. Det Europæiske Regionsudvalg vedtog sin udtalelse om FRO på plenarforsamlingen i juli 2020 og understregede, at det bifalder EU's støtte til en socialt retfærdig og bæredygtig grøn omstilling. 

The network of regional hubs has concluded its third consultation on the first and only EU Directive on the rights of patients in cross-border healthcare. Reaching out to more than 140 local and regional stakeholders active in the area of healthcare provision, this consultation has again been extensive and is providing unique data, based on stakeholders' "user experience" of this EU policy. 

​Catalan Health System makes https://stopcovid19.cat/en/ available altruistically for the International community. A free access cooperative platform to help prevent the global expansion of SARS Cov-2. The main objective is to share the work done with the maximum number of institutions, governments and International organizations. ​ 

The members of the European Committee of the Region's commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget (COTER) discussed and adopted opinions on "Equivalent standards of living" and the "European Year of Rail 2021". At the meeting on 10 July, members also exchanged their views on the challenges for public transport in cities and metropolitan regions. 

​As a continuation of our successful webinars, we are inviting you to our 5th edition of the "Digital Masterclasses" series. Join us for a talk on inclusivity in online communication. This time, the webinar will introduce both academic and practical perspectives on effective strategies of connecting with diverse audiences online. 

The EU's recovery efforts after the Covid-19 pandemic must have a strong social dimension in order to maintain social security networks, safeguard workers' jobs and avoid wrongful dismissals, members of local and regional governments highlighted in a debate with Nicolas Schmit, Commissioner for Social Rights and Jobs. An opinion discussed at the European Committee of the Regions' SEDEC commission on Thursday points out the close link between the EU's social agenda, the Green Deal and the digital transition and calls for more investment in youth, education and life-long learning. 

I dette interview taler Concha Andreu Rodríguez (ES/PES), som er leder af regionalregeringen i La Rioja, om EU's strategi for ligestilling mellem kønnene og covid-19-pandemiens konsekvenser for kvinder. Concha Andreu er ordfører for den udtalelse, som RU's Underudvalg for Social- og Arbejdsmarkedspolitik, Uddannelse, Beskæftigelse, Forskning og Kultur (SEDEC) vedtog i denne uge. Udtalelsen forventes vedtaget på RU's plenarforsamling i oktober. 

The European Commission recently published its report: “Annual report 2019 on the application of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality and on relations with national parliaments“. In the report, the RegHub network is mentioned several times in connection with the COM's efforts to better integrate the experiences of the regional and local level in the future legislative procedure. For the RegHub network it is a further proof of the appreciation of its work by the European Commission. 

Side events must relate to the thematic priorities of the #EURegionsWeek 2020 and must be organised digitally between 5-9 October 2020, 12-16 October 2020 or 19‑22 October 2020. The application must be submitted by 2 September 2020 at the latest. 

Covid-19-pandemien har store konsekvenser for de europæiske økonomier. ECON underudvalget i Det Europæiske Regionsudvalg udarbejder regelmæssige økonomiske nyhedsbreve om den seneste forskning, artikler og drøftelser om de socioøkonomiske konsekvenser af pandemien i Europa og om de forskellige økonomiske foranstaltninger, der er planlagt og gennemført i EU samt på nationalt, regionalt og lokalt plan. 

This year, the European Week of Regions and Cities will spread over three consecutive weeks in October (5-22/10/2020). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the related health and safety measures, the majority of the 500 sessions will be in fully digital format. Registration for the 18th European Week of Regions and Cities will open on 27 August 2020. To view the recording of the meeting and the slides presented, check the event website Partners' page! 

The European assembly of local and regional politicians adopted their recommendations for the Just Transition Fund, which aims at supporting regions to meet the challenges of the green transition. Rapporteur Vojko Obersnel (HR/PES), mayor of Rijeka, calls for an ambitious EU support so that no one and no place is left behind in the transition to a revived and green economy. 

To uger forud for et afgørende europæisk topmøde opfordrer Det Europæiske Regionsudvalg – EU's forsamling af regionale og lokale myndigheder – medlemsstaterne til en rettidig og retfærdig aftale om den flerårige finansielle ramme (FFR) og planen Next Generation EU. I en resolution og en debat med EU's kommissær med ansvar for budget og administration, Johannes Hahn, opfordrede regioner og byer, at samhørighed bliver et kompas for alle EU-politikker, og at gennemførelsen af EU-programmer baseres på fælles ansvar og partnerskab. 

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) adopted a resolution on 2 July setting out its three priorities for the next five years. The political assembly aims to make the European Union more resilient, sustainable and cohesive, by strengthening the involvement of involving regions and cities in EU policy-making and implementation. 

På sin plenarforsamling i juli vedtog Det Europæiske Regionsudvalg så godt som enstemmigt en udtalelse udarbejdet af Roby Biwer med titlen "Intensivering af EU's indsats for at beskytte og genoprette verdens skove" . Ordføreren for RU's udtalelse opfordrer til, at der indføres en stærk EU-certificeringsordning og et informationssystem, der sikrer bæredygtige skovprodukter og gennemsigtige forsyningskæder fra lande uden for EU. 

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) adopted at the July plenary session the opinion The Future of EU Clean Air policy in the framework of the zero-pollution ambition drafted by János Ádám Karácsony (HU/EPP), member of the Local Government of Tahitótfalu. In the context of the COVID-19, the rapporteur of the CoR opinion stresses the possible link between pollution and the gravity of infection’s consequences. Therefore, fighting air pollution must be among the top priorities of the recovery plan. Pollution reduction during lockdown showed the importance of a healthier environment. Local leaders encourage Member States to deliver and update their National Air Pollution Control Programmes as a matter of urgency and to take LRAs' contributions on board. 

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) has adopted the opinion "European Climate Law: enshrining the 2050 climate neutrality objective​" by rapporteur Juanma Moreno (ES/EPP), President of Andalusia. The European Climate Law, as the legal pillar of the Green Deal, needs to fully engage cities and regions in the design of the trajectory towards 2050. Members request local and regional climate inventories and objectives and call for a permanent Multilevel Energy Dialogue Platform and a European climate neutrality observatory. Data for monitoring progress should be collected at regional, rather than national level. Renewables rather than nuclear energy should power the path towards climate-neutrality. 

In a debate with the European Commissioner for Internal market, Thierry Breton, CoR members highlighted the success of the online Exchange Platform created by the CoR to enable local and regional governments share the best practises in responding the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on this successful example, CoR members proposed Commissioner Breton to jointly promote the digitalisation and the innovative use of digital platforms to support the European Commission's work in strategic fields as transport, tourism, social and education services.The assembly of EU regions and cities, also asked for a stronger support to relaunch the tourism industry, highlighting in particular the vital role of regional airport and of the airlines that connect them. Regional and local leaders stressed that the pandemic boosted the adoption of digital and innovative solutions but, at the same time, made visible persisting massive digital gaps. 

The Chair of the CoR's Working Group on the Western Balkans, Mr Nikola Dobroslavić welcomes the end of the Mostar conflict which will lead to the first local elections in Mostar since 2008. The agreement reached between the party leaders to divide political power in the city of Bosnia-Herzegovina is a historic one.