#CoRplenary debates the future EU budget, cohesion policy, Brexit and the digital/ecological transition
On 7 October, the
European Week of Regions and Cities
will kick off its 17th edition in Brussels to discuss how
cohesion policy can help to make Europe greener, more inclusive and
smarter. Opened by a high-level debate on the future of Europe, the
Week will hold 200 events including a high-level conference on the
transformation of coal regions. On 8-9 October, the European Committee
of the Regions (CoR) will also hold its
#CoRplenary
session with its members debating the future of EU cohesion policy with
the European Parliament's Regional Development Chair Younous Omarjee,
the future long-term EU budget with Commissioner Oettinger, and the
ecological and digital transition with
Finland's Minister for European Affairs, Tytti Tuppurainen.
17th European Week of Regions and Cities
, 7-10 October,
#EURegionsWeek
#EURegionsWeek will once again provide a unique opportunity to better
understand how regions and cities are using EU funds to improve
citizens' daily life and how cohesion funds are making Europe greener,
more inclusive and smarter. The annual conference co-organised by the
CoR and European Commission is the largest event on regional
development in Europe. This year's edition will gather over 9,000
participants including scholars, public administrators, experts and more then 600 local, regional, national and European
politicians, who will take
part in nearly 400 workshops and debates, exhibitions and networking
opportunities about the different aspects of cohesion policy.
Highlights:
-
7 October, 2.30pm-4.30pm (Watch live) – Opening session: Regions and cities, pillars of the EU's
future
Over 100 young elected politicians will attend the
opening session
and debate the future of European Union together with Karl-Heinz Lambertz, President of the European
Committee of the Regions, Klara Dobrev, Vice-President
of the European Parliament and Elżbieta Bieńkowska,
Commissioner Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs.
- 8 October, 9am-10.30am, (Watch live) – REGI/COTER meeting on “The state of play of negotiations on
the future Cohesion policy beyond 2020"
Members of the CoR and European Parliament will
debate
the ongoing negotiations on the EU budget 2021-2027 and the cohesion
policy package. In this context, EU regions and cities can play a key
role in building a strong cohesion policy for the future, by
emphasising the achievements of the policy over the current programming
period.
- 9 October, 2.30pm-5.00pm, (Watch live) – Coal Regions in Transition High-Level Conference
Cutting dependence on fossil fuels and supporting coal-producing reigons make the clean energy transition vital in the fight against climate change. As well as national support, EU cohesion policy with its shared management will contribute to supporting the regions making the energy transition. During this event EU ministers, MEPS, regional politicians and other high-level representatives from Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Poland, Romania and Spain will share their views on how best to support coal regoins make the transition to a carbon-free future.
See the dedicated
media programme; You can find a full list of the events on the
webpage;
You can also download
pictures
and the recordings of the event for free.
European Committee of the Regions' Plenary Session
, 7-9 October,
#CoRplenary, (Watch live)
The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is the EU's assembly of
local and regional leaders representing the interests of cities and
regions. The CoRs 350 members will gather in Brussels to debate and
adopt a range of opinions on EU legislation and political resolutions.
Highlights:
-
8 October 3.15pm – EU regional development policy beyond 2020:
Younous Omarjee
(FR/GUE/NGL), Chair of the Committee on Regional Development of the
European Parliament (REGI), will join the CoR members to debate the
future of regional development in the next financing period beyond
2020.
- 8 October 4.45pm – The future EU budget:
By the end of 2019 the Finnish Presidency of the Council of the EU
is expected to present compromise figures for the EU's long-term
budget 2021-27. EU regions and cities will share their increasing
concerns with the EU Budget Commissioner, Günther Oettinger, and adopt a
resolution
.
-
8 October 6pm – EU Matters for Local and Regional Authorities:
CoR members will debate Brexit, insular regions and missing
transport links in cross border connections
-
9 October 9.30am – Towards a digital and ecological EU:
All EU regions and citizens must reap the benefit from the digital
and ecological transitions that are shaping our societies. Local
and regional representatives will exchange views with Finland's
Minister for European Affairs, Tytti Tuppurainen,
on how to tackle the digital divide and ensure cohesion and
solidarity for all. This debate is linked to two opinions by the
CoR requested by the Finnish EU Presidency:
o
Digital Europe for All: delivering smart and inclusive solutions on
the ground
, rapporteur Anne KARJALAINEN (FI/PES);
o
Smart cities: new challenges for a just transition toward climate
neutrality - how to implement the SDGs in real life?
, rapporteur Andries GRYFFROY (BE/EA).