​The new chair of the Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs (CIVEX) is Mark Speich (DE/EPP), Secretary of State for Federal, European and International Affairs for the Land of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Culture should be on a more prominent position on the EU's political agenda, and the next multiannual EU budget should provide adequate support for cities and regions in the management, use and development of cultural heritage, the European Committee of the Regions argues in an opinion prepared by Vincenzo Bianco (IT/PES), Member of Catania Municipal Council.

Con la tormenta Gloria como invitada imprevista, la Asamblea Regional y Local Euromediterránea (ARLEM) ha celebrado su 10.º aniversario en la ciudad donde organizó su primera reunión: Barcelona. La capital catalana acogió a más de cien representantes de los entes locales y regionales de las tres orillas del Mediterráneo, y el cambio climático ocupó un lugar destacado del orden del día. Se considera que esta región es especialmente vulnerable al calentamiento global.

Brain drain and negative effects of demographic change have been key concerns for the SEDEC Commission of the European Committee of the Regions during the current mandate period, which is nearing its end. At its last meeting of the year on 27 November, SEDEC members adopted an opinion drafted by Emil Boc (RO/EPP), mayor of Cluj-Napoca, which urges to address the challenge of brain drain in coordination with all levels of government. Otherwise, "the phenomenon will have long-term and permanent effects on the future of the European Union", the draft opinion warns.