Macro-regional strategies represent an essential aspect of coordination between EU policy and funding instruments. At the same time they represent a true multi-level governance and place-based approach to regional policy. They also play an important role in the integration of regions facing similar challenges due to their geographical situation. A macro-regional strategy for the Carpathian region could facilitate the initiation of cross-border activities in relation to economic, cultural, educational, tourist and environmental cooperation in this mountainous area. The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) has decided to prepare an own-initiative opinion to facilitate this bottom-up initiative to establish this fifth EU Macro-regional strategy and has appointed Mr Władysław Ortyl (ECR/PL), President of the Podkarpackie Region, as rapporteur.  

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is drafting an opinion on a "European framework for regulatory responses to the collaborative economy" for which the rapporteur is Mr Peter Florianschütz (AT/PES), Member of the Vienna State Parliament and Member of the City Council of Vienna. Mr Florianschütz would welcome the opportunity to benefit from stakeholders' input in preparation of his draft opinion during a meeting to be held Thursday, 12 September 2019 at 14:30 (with registration beginning at 14:00) in room JDE 51 of the Committee of the Regions building (Rue Belliard 101, B-1040 Brussels). 

The European Committee of the Regions is currently preparing an own-initiative opinion on "The potential of the rail sector in delivering EU policy priorities". Local and Regional Authorities (LRAs) have prime responsibility for designing and implementing public transport services on their territories and are also tasked with fostering greater territorial cohesion between urban and rural areas.  

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is drafting an opinion on "Platform work: local and regional regulatory issues". This is an own initiative opinion, scheduled to provide clarification and a legal framework on various issues of the work on digital platforms. The rapporteur of the opinion, Mr Dimitrios Birmpas (EL/PES), Mayor of Aigaleo, together with his expert, Mr Michail Kypraios, would be happy to meet with representatives of your organisation and other important stakeholders for a consultation and an exchange of views on the relevant topics of this opinion to gather the different points of views and discuss the main issues.  

​​​The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) has decided to prepare an opinion on "The challenges of metropolitan regions and their position in the future Cohesion Policy post 2020".  

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is drafting an Opinion on "Covenant of Mayors post 2020". To discuss the topic of the opinion, the Rapporteur Ms Benedetta BRIGHENTI (IT/PES) and her expert would be happy to meet with you.  

Cohesion policy is the main European investment policy to achieve the EU Treaty objective of economic, social and territorial cohesion. In that sense, better communicating Cohesion policy projects is very important as it can also affect citizens' perceptions of the EU and raise awareness on the positive impact the EU has on the everyday lives of people. Communicating on cohesion policy is also a shared responsibility. Based on the respect of the partnership and multilevel governance principle, local and regional authorities should play a fundamental role in implementing cohesion policy and in ensuring the visibility of the projects funded by this policy. The European institutions alone cannot be the driving force behind this challenge.  

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is currently preparing an own-initiative opinion on "Improving administrative capacity of local and regional authorities to strengthen investments and structural reforms in 2021-2027". The CoR's ECON Commission has appointed as rapporteur for this opinion Ms Manuela BORA (PES/IT). In the context of the ongoing negotiations on the future MFF and related spending Programmes, the CoR will make the point that there is a strong and urgent need to make access of LRAs to capacity-building measures easier than in 2014-2020.  

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is currently preparing an own-initiative opinion on "Recommendations for the successful design of regional development strategies beyond 2020". The objective of this opinion is to complement the series of legislative CoR opinions on the cohesion policy proposals for 2021-2027 by facilitating a debate on the strategic funding priorities in the next programming period from a local and regional perspective, against the background of the envisaged trends and challenges that will shape the European territories in the coming decade. One important aspect of this debate is the question of how to ensure synergies and complementarities between cohesion policy and sector-specific EU funding instruments and strategies, as well as their role in overall territorial development. 

Digital Europe for all is a strategy that the CoR and its stakeholders would like to develop jointly with the aim of ensuring that deployment of digital solutions and innovation brings benefits to all cities and communities of the EU. A draft strategy document proposed for discussion by the CoR President, Karl-Heinz Lambertz, and the First Vice-President, Markku Markkula, will be sent to the registered participants in the beginning of May.  

The workshop will be an opportunity to look into whether relevant authorities are making full use of the possibilities offered by the EU public procurement rules; present best practices but also the most frequent sources of wrong application or of legal uncertainty and elaborate on ways to encourage a paradigm shift in the public sector towards more entrepreneurial and innovative approaches. Key findings of the CoR study and of the survey carried out in cooperation with the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) on the implementation of the public procurement Directives at regional and local levels will serve as an input to a panel debate on the opportunities and challenges of strategic procurement for local and regional authorities and on possible avenues for improving the implementation of the Directives on the ground. The debate will also feed into the CoR opinion on the implementation of the Directives.  

The European Committee of the Regions is currently drafting an opinion on the "Communication on Better Regulation". 

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is currently drafting an opinion on "African swine fever and the EU pork market". The rapporteur of the opinion, Mr. Sławomir Sosnowski (PL/EPP), Member of the Lubelskie Regional Assembly, together with his expert Mr Przemysław Litwiniuk, would be happy to meet with representatives of local and regional authorities and stakeholders. 

As part of the 17th European Week of Regions and Cities, the Master Class on EU Cohesion Policy, targeting PhD students and early-career researchers, will be held for the seventh time.