​CoR President Lambertz to hold "State of the European Union: the View of Regions and Cities" address

In Brussels on 8 October the European Week of Regions and Cities will be opened with a debate entitled "The Future of Europe is Cohesion" led by European Committee of the Regions' (CoR) President Karl-Heinz Lambertz, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, EU Commissioner, Corinna Creţu and the European Parliament's Vice-President Pavel Telicka. The following day in the presence of the EU Parliament's President, President Lambertz will set out his vision for the future of Europe during his annual "State of the European Union: the View of Regions and Cities" address. During its plenary the CoR will also adopt its position on the EU Budget and topics such as migration, research, climate action and single-use plastics.

8-11 October 16^th European Week of Regions and Cities (#EURegionsWeek)

Under the headline 'For a strong EU Cohesion Policy beyond 2020' the #EURegionsWeek will gather more than 6,000 EU regional policy experts and practitioners in Brussels, President Juncker will join President Lambertz, Commissioner Creţu and Vice-President Telicka during the opening session from 2:30pm on Monday 8 October. Workshops and discussions taking place during the week will examine the need for a strong Cohesion Policy beyond 2020.

See the dedicated media programme; the opening session will be streamed live online on the CoR's website.

#CohesionAlliance events

The #CohesionAlliance, the coalition of those who believe that cohesion policy must remain a pillar of the EU's future, will discuss first achievements and on-going negotiations in a series of #EURegionsWeek events dedicated to the future of cohesion policy as well as in "agora talks" involving partner associations and experts.

For more information visit: www.cohesionalliance.eu

9 October 3pm: "State of the Union: the View of Regions and Cities"

President Lambertz' address will open the CoR's plenary focussing on the most pressing issues facing cities and regions in the European Union today including: the next EU long-term budget (the CoR position will be adopted the same day), the future of EU regional policy, integration, sustainable development and EU democracy, in particular the involvement of regions and cities in EU decision-making and initiatives at local level to reconnect citizens to Europe.

A debate between CoR members and President Tajani will then be held opening the first day of the CoR's October plenary. The debate will be followed by the adoption of the CoR's report on "Reflecting on Europe: the voice of local and regional authorities", as requested by European Council President Donald Tusk. The report represents the culmination of a two-year engagement with more than 40 000 citizens and 110 local and regional authorities.

President Lambertz' speech & the debate with President Tajani will be web streamed live: www.cor.europa.eu/sotreg.go  

9-10 October: Also on the #CoRplenary Agenda

The future EU budget 2021-2027

The EU's budget and priorities for the next decade will be discussed in a debate on the CoR position on The Multi-annual Financial Framework package for the years 2021-2027, led by rapporteur Nikola Dobroslavić (HR/EPP). The assembly will also examine in more detail the following EU budget proposals:

• Horizon Europe: the Framework Programme 9 for Research and Innovation, rapporteur Christophe Clergeau (FR/PES)
• Connecting Europe Facility, rapporteur Isabelle Boudineau (FR/PES)
• The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), rapporteur Nathalie Sarrabezolles (FR/PES)
• Rights and Values programme, rapporteur François Decoster (FR/ALDE)
• Asylum and Migration Fund proposal, rapporteur Peter Bossman (SI/PES)
• The future of the LIFE programme (for Environment and Climate Action), rapporteur Marco Dus (IT/PES)

Other opinions to be adopted during the #CoRplenary:

• A European Labour Authority, rapporteur Doris Kampus (AT/PES)
• Contribution of EU local and regional authorities to the 14th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP14), rapporteur Roby Biwer (LU/PES)
• European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy, rapporteur André van de Nadort (NL/PES)
• Proposal for a single-use plastics directive, rapporteur Sirpa Hertell (FI/EPP)
• Mainstreaming sport into the EU agenda post-2020, rapporteur Roberto Pella (IT/EPP)
• Clean Ports, Clean Seas - port reception facilities for the delivery of waste from ships, rapporteur Spyros Spyridon (EL/EPP)
• Fair Taxation Package, rapporteur Paul Lindquist (SE/EPP)
• Digital Education Action Plan, rapporteur Domenico Gambacorta (IT/EPP)
• Building a stronger Europe: the role of youth, education and culture policies, rapporteur Gillian Ford (UK/EA)
• Risk assessment in the food chain, rapporteur Miloslav Repaský (SK/EA)
• A New Deal for Consumers, rapporteur Samuel Azzopardi (MT/EPP)

Practical information:

 #EURegionsWeek opening session;

Where: Square Conference Centre, Rue Mont des Arts – 1000 Bruxelles

When: Monday 8 October; 2.30pm;

• Streamed live on the CoR's website
• European Week of Cities and Regions media programme

#SOTREG & #CoRplenary session:

Where: Charlemagne Building (European Commission), Rue de la Loi, Brussels

When: Tuesday, 9 October, 3pm-9pm; Wednesday, 10 October, 9am-1pm.

• The plenary agenda & documents
• The plenary will be streamed live on the CoR's website
• Plenary Session media programme

Contact: PresseCdr@cor.europa.eu