The United Nations' climate summit is to kick off in Glasgow in less than two months. Six years after the signature of the Paris Agreement, national governments are to provide concrete answers on how they plan to meet their climate targets. As the world goes through unprecedented heat waves, fires and floods, COP26 will put the spotlight on the need for higher climate ambition to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions. The formal inclusion of local and regional governments and their climate contributions remains a key demand that EU cities and regions will put forward in Glasgow, in close cooperation with international networks of sub-national government actors.  

Commenting on today's State of the European Union speech delivered by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Committee of the Regions, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, said: 

The COVID-19 crisis has shown that cohesion policy is needed now more than ever to strengthen resilience in Europe, protect citizens, bring the recovery to every corner of the European Union and leave no one behind. Since its creation in October 2017, the #CohesionAlliance – an EU-wide alliance of 12,000 signatories advocating for a stronger cohesion policy – has managed to avoid dramatic budgetary cuts after 2020, keep a cohesion policy for all regions in the Union and put forward simpler and more flexible rules. During a videoconference dedicated to the new course of the #CohesionAlliance, its founding members renewed their commitment to join forces and keep cohesion policy as a EU top priority. The #CohesionAlliance will be vigilant that the partnership principle will be fully applied by Member States in the design and implementation of the cohesion policy 2021-27. Coherence and synergies between the recovery instruments and the structural funds are of paramount importance to avoid overlaps and maximise the impact of the European action. 

European Committee of the Regions critical of New Pact on Migration and Asylum at a European Parliament hearing​ Antje Grotheer (DE/PES), rapporteur of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) on the New Pact on Migration and Asylum and Vice-President of Germany's Bremen City Parliament, presented the opinion of EU's cities and regions on the asylum & migration reform package at the hearing of European Parliament's LIBE Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, on 2nd September. She was highly critical of the importance of the first entry criterion in the analysis of asylum applications, a criterion on which Member States “waste too much time", as well as of the failure to take account of the realities of the regions, particularly those on the front line of migration. She urged to this effect for a greater consideration of regional specificities in every aspect of the process. 

​​As rapporteur of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) on the opinion on rural areas, the President of the Region of Andalusia Juanma Moreno, today took part in an exchange meeting between the European Commission and the EU Ministers of Agriculture on the future of rural areas. President Moreno stressed the need to further involve regions and local communities in the implementation of the Next Generation EU funds so as to ensure the sustainable development of rural areas in Europe. The CoR will organise a high-level forum in December dedicated to the recovery of rural areas in the Union.​ 

The deadline for nominations for the 2021 edition of the Mayor Paweł Adamowicz Award has been extended to the end of September. 

Cities are on the frontline for promoting diversity, inclusiveness, social cohesion, and sustainable development and the coronavirus pandemic has even deepened some of the existing social challenges. Thus within its Intercultural Cities and Learning Programme, the Anna Lindh Foundation launches the EuroMed Capital for Dialogue Award – Call for Candidatures. 

The Connecting Europe Express is one of the key initiatives of the European Year of Rail 2021 and aims to draw attention to the many benefits of rail in both the passenger and freight sectors. It also feeds into the EU's overarching goal set out under the European Green Deal of encouraging a 'shift to rail' across the EU in order to decarbonise transport flows and increase sustainable mobility. The importance of the territorial dimension of the initiative has been underlined by the European Commissioner for Transport, Adina Valean, in a letter sent to the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) President Apostolos Tzitzikostas, which invited all members of the CoR to join the project and visit the train at one of its destinations. 

Under the heading "Together for recovery", this year programme is focused on the capacity of the EU and of national and regional governments to support European citizens and their local communities with practical measures and public policies aimed at investing in a fairer, greener and more digital future for recovery 

Trade effects of Brexit likely to become clearer only after 1 October, senior EU official tells EU and UK local and regional politicians at meeting that puts spotlight on Northern Ireland and Gibraltar. Movement across the United Kingdom's borders with Ireland and Spain were central issues discussed at a meeting of British and EU local and regional politicians that focused on connections at risk of being lost by the UK's withdrawal from the EU. 

The results of a survey carried out by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) show a clear demand among local and regional authorities to extend the flexibility measures introduced last year to mobilise EU structural funds and state aid in the fight against COVID-19. Regions and cities need extraordinary rules to be maintained in order to secure the continuity of emergency investment and the deployment of crucial initiatives such as job retention schemes. This request is included in a letter co-signed by the CoR President Apostolos Tzitzikostas and the chair of the CoR's COTER commission Isabelle Boudineau, addressed to the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the commissioners responsible for the relevant policies.  

Euroopa Komisjoni paketiga „Eesmärk 55“ soovitakse vähendada ELi CO 2 heidet 2030. aastaks 55%. Euroopa Regioonide Komitee kutsub üles tagama, et uute ja ajakohastatud õigusnormidega kindlustataks linnadele ja piirkondadele keskne roll ja otserahastamine, sest neil on kliimaneutraalsusele üleminekul õiguslik pädevus ja nad on kodanikele lähedal. 

​​​Countries in the Western Balkans should use significant new financial support from the European Union to make their economies greener and more digital and to advance their case for EU membership, local and regional leaders heard at the Enlargement Day conference held by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) on 13 July. The conference – which was addressed by the Slovenian presidency of the Council of the European Union and the European Commission's Acting Director-General for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations – also identified the post-pandemic recovery as a major milestone in the history of regions' and cities' involvement in the EU accession process.  

Bringing cross-border cooperation back to the forefront of the EU’s policy agenda is one of the European Committee of the Region’s (CoR) top priorities. The Conference on the Future of Cross-Border Cooperation, organized together with the other founding partners of the European Cross-Border Citizens' Alliance, feeds into this objective. During the event, which took place on 5 July, participants reflected on the effects of the COVID-19 crisis, identified the ongoing and future challenges for cross-border regions, and held a debate on the vision for cross-border cooperation as part of the future of Europe. The event took place just a few days after CoR's plenary adopted a resolution on cross-border cooperation which will serve as a contribution to the Conference on the Future of Europe. 

The EU's regions and cities are looking forward to the Social Economy Action Plan, which the European Commission is expected to publish before the end of the year. The opinion adopted by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) on Thursday underlines that it is essential to harness the full potential of social economy enterprises and organisations to ensure economic recovery, to promote collective entrepreneurship and to create high-quality jobs after the COVID-19 crisis. 

​Aviation has been one of the sectors worst affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Smaller regional airports have recorded the greatest decline in direct flight connections, particularly in passenger flights. Treviso (Italy) lost 95% of its connections, Vaasa (Finland) 91%, Quimper (France) 87%, and Burgas (Bulgaria) 82%. 

While the climate emergency is still very much a pressing matter, the path towards carbon neutrality must take into account the challenges posed by the COVID-19 crisis and the specific features of each region. Against this backdrop, rapporteur and Mayor of Autun Vincent Chauvet presented an opinion in today's plenary session that sets out the European Committee of the Regions' positions and demands regarding climate change in view of COP26, the United Nations Conference on Climate Change, which will take place in November 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland. 

The work of the European Commission's Fit for Future Platform (F4F) has taken on speed and its subgroups and experts are about to carry out consultations on selected EU legislation in order to check whether it is futureproof and fit for purpose. 

Euroopa transpordisektori edukaks ümberkujundamiseks ja säästvamaks muutmiseks peavad ELi linnad ja piirkonnad pöörama suuremat tähelepanu heitevaba liikuvuse edendamisele, aktiivsete ja jagatud transpordiliikide edendamisele, linnalise liikumiskeskkonna ümberkujundamisele ja maapiirkondade paremale ühendamisele. Need ettepanekud on pärit arvamusest „Säästva ja aruka liikuvuse strateegia“, mille võttis vastu Euroopa Regioonide Komitee ja mida tutvustas raportöör Robert van Asten (NL/Renew Europe) komitee täiskogu istungjärgul kolmapäeval, 30. juunil. 

Euroopa Liit peab looma uue demokraatliku taristu, et tagada vabad ja õiglased valimised, parandada meedia pluralismi ja suurendada kodanike kaasatust, öeldi Euroopa Regioonide Komitees 30. juunil. Soovitustes, mille eesmärk on tugevdada demokraatiat, võrdsust ja inimõiguste järgimist, rõhutasid kohalike ja piirkondlike omavalitsuste juhid, et omavalitsustel võib olla oluline roll meediapädevuse, kriitilise mõtlemise ja läbipaistvuse edendamisel poliitilistes kampaaniates ning kodanike poliitikas osalemise toetamisel. 

The European Union should make improving the health of the Mediterranean Sea one of the priorities of its cooperation with countries in its southern neighbourhood, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) has said in recommendations that also praise the EU for making support for youth entrepreneurship central to its new strategy for the region.  

Euroopa kohalikud ja piirkondlikud juhid nõuavad, et ÜRO kestliku arengu eesmärgid seataks taas Euroopa Liidu tegevuskava keskmesse, ning paluvad ELi institutsioonidel ja liikmesriikidel tagada nende elluviimine 2030. aastaks. Euroopa Regioonide Komitee võttis tänasel täiskogu istungil vastu arvamuse , milles rõhutatakse, et COVID-19 pandeemia on toonud esile kestliku arengu tähtsuse ning et kestliku arengu eesmärgid võivad aidata teel sidusa ja tervikliku visiooni suunas taasterahastu „NextGenerationEU“ raames. Komitee hiljutises uuringus juhitakse siiski tähelepanu sellele, et paljudes riiklikes taaste- ja vastupidavuskavades puudub selge ja läbipaistev viide ÜRO kestliku arengu eesmärkidele. 

In a bid to put cross-border cooperation back at the top of the EU's policy agenda, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) has adopted a resolution today calling on the European Commission to present a proposal for maintaining cross-border cooperation and cross-border life in the event of future crises. The resolution contains multiple proposals to improve cross-border cooperation and calls on the European Commission to follow up on already existing legislation and treaties, whose implementation could often still be improved. The future of cross-border cooperation will be further discussed during an event organised by the CoR, together with other key European partners, on 5 July. 

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) has adopted its proposals on climate adaptation in the opinion Forging a climate-resilient Europe - the new EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change. The CoR calls for demand-based policies, market incentives, carbon footprints and handprints in public procurement criteria and to accelerate cooperation with academia and businesses to boost broad-scale innovation, sustainable products, services and nature-based solutions. Despite net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2020 estimated to drop 35% below 1990 levels, the economic rebound from the COVID-19 risks bringing emissions back up. Around 40% of EU cities with more than 150 000 inhabitants have adopted climate adaptation plans.  

The European energy infrastructure update and expansion is a key enabler for the green energy transition and must be consistent with the Green Deal objective of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. Therefore, last December 2020 the European Commission adopted a proposal to revise the 2013 Trans-European Energy Infrastructure Regulation (TEN-E). In an opinion drafted by the rapporteur Robert Sorin Negoiță (RO/PES) and discussed today, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) calls on the European Commission to ensure that the new regulation takes into account the needs and specificities of EU regions and that it stimulates sustainable energy security, market integration, fair competition, diversification of energy supply and affordable energy for all.  

As Europe's population is ageing, the need for care services is expected to increase significantly in the coming decades. In an opinion drafted by Heinrich Dorner (AT/PES), Member of the State Government of Burgenland, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) calls on the European Commission to support cities and regions in addressing care worker shortages and highlights that family members – most often women – carrying out informal care work need adequate social rights and protection. 

The European Committee of the Regions' (CoR) discussed the role of cities and regions in reinforcing the resilience of critical entities during its plenary session on 1 July. To ensure a comprehensive approach, each Member State should have a strategy prepared in cooperation with local and regional authorities, setting out objectives and policy measures based on an assessment of all natural and man-made risks that may affect the provision of essential services. 

Kuna paljudel piirkondlikel lennujaamadel on keeruline pandeemiast tingitud majandusraskustest taastuda, võtsid Euroopa Regioonide Komitee liikmed 1. juulil vastu arvamuse, milles Euroopa Komisjoni kutsutakse üles töötama välja paindlikumad ja tõhusamad riigiabi eeskirjad, mis võimaldavad liikmesriikidel anda piirkondlikele lennujaamadele rahalist abi. Arvamuses , mille koostas Władysław Ortyl (PL/ECR), rõhutas komitee samuti, et Euroopa rohelises kokkuleppes sätestatud eesmärkide saavutamiseks tuleb rahaline toetus investeerida lennujaamade säästvamaks muutmisse. 

COVIDi kriis rõhutab vajadust siduda ELi poliitika kujundamine kohalike kogukondade vajadustega kohalikul tasandil valitud poliitikute ulatusliku kaasatuse kaudu: see on sõnum, mille Euroopa Regioonide Komitee liikmed edastasid täna Euroopa Komisjoni asepresidendile Maroš Šefčovičile. Täiskogu arutelu käigus kordasid kohalikud ja piirkondlikud juhid oma pühendumust ELi õigusaktide parandamisele, andes oma panuse tulevikukindluse platvormi . Resolutsioonis, mis sisaldab ettepanekuid Euroopa Komisjoni 2022. aasta tööprogrammi kohta , paluvad komitee liikmed Euroopa Komisjonil tagada kohalike ja piirkondlike omavalitsuste kaasamise riiklike taaste- ja vastupidavuskavade rakendamisse, et tegeleda tulemuslikult pandeemia tagajärgedega kohapeal. Samuti paluvad nad pikendada olulisi paindlikkusmeetmeid, mis kehtestati Euroopa struktuuri- ja investeerimisfondide kasutuselevõtmiseks COVIDi kriisi ajal. 

Kohaliku ja piirkondliku tasandi valitud poliitikud, keda ELis esindab Euroopa Regioonide Komitee, ja Euroopa Parlament, ainus ELi institutsioon, mille liikmed on kodanikud valinud otsevalimiste teel, peaksid ühendama jõud Euroopa tuleviku konverentsi raames. Nende ühine eesmärk peaks olema teha kuuldavaks kodanike nõudmine luua Euroopa Liit, mis peab olema neile lähemal, järgima subsidiaarsuse põhimõtet ja suunama pilgu tulevikku, reageerides uutele raskustele ülemaailmsel ja kohalikul tasandil. See oli Euroopa Regioonide Komitee liikmete läbiv sõnum komitee täiskogu 145. istungjärgul , millest võtsid osa ka Euroopa Parlamendi kolm esindajat Euroopa tuleviku konverentsi juhatuses – Guy Verhofstadt, Manfred Weber ja Iratxe Garcia Perez. Kolm parlamendiliiget rõhutasid, et Euroopa Regioonide Komitee liikmed on tugevad liitlased ulatuslikus, tõeliselt kaasavas, läbipaistvas ning geograafiliselt ja poliitiliselt tasakaalustatud arutelus Euroopa tuleviku üle. 

The publication of the long-term vision for rural areas by the European Commission is a major success for the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), which has been asking for a rural agenda since 2016. Local leaders welcome the proposal of a Rural Pact and Action Plan setting objectives and reinforcing the political ownership for investment on sustainable rural developments. The CoR appreciates the long-term vision of rural areas in all their diversity and the effort to revitalise them in a way that goes beyond agriculture and considers every policy area through the rural lens. As foreseen in the Commission's proposal, the Committee is ready to promote the mobilisation of local communities in the implementation of the rural action plan and vision. At the same time, the CoR demands that EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is coordinated not only with cohesion policy but also with the Recovery and Resilience Facility. 

Euroopa Regioonide Komitee tugevdab oma pühendumust ELi laiaulatuslikule õigusloomeprojektile, mille eesmärk on tugevdada demokraatlikku kontrolli turul domineerivate internetiplatvormide üle ja taastada tasakaalustatud veebipõhine majandus, mis toimib ühtmoodi nii VKEde kui ka üksiktarbijate heaks. Täiskogu juuni istungjärgul võtsid komitee liikmed vastu arvamuse , milles toetatakse Euroopa Komisjoni kavatsust karmistada digiturgude ja -teenuste reguleerimist, tõstes samal ajal esile linnade ja piirkondade pakutavaid uuendusi ja pädevusi, mis võivad aidata kaasa usaldusväärse ja tõhusa reguleerimise loomisele. Komitee arvamus digiteenuste õigusakti paketi kohta on osa laiemast algatuste kogumist, mille eesmärk on suurendada komitee nähtavust ühe ELi liikumapaneva jõuna kaasava digiülemineku saavutamisel. 

Euroopa Regioonide Komitee ja Euroopa Komisjon töötavad kohalike ja piirkondlike omavalitsuste kaasabil ja vabatahtlikkuse alusel välja ühisprojekte, et toetada ELi väärtuste õpetamist koolides. Täiskogu istungil toimunud arutelul euroopaliku eluviisi edendamise eest vastutava Euroopa Komisjoni asepresidendi Margaritis Schinasega rõhutasid ka kohalikud ja piirkondlikud juhid, et haridussüsteemides tuleks täielikult austada ja edendada vabadust, võrdsust, sallivust ja mittediskrimineerimist. Samuti rõhutasid nad, et Euroopa Liidu, selle väärtuste, kultuuripärandi ja mitmekesisuse tundmaõppimine on väga tähtis ning see peab kõigil ja igas vanuses ELi kodanikel olema võimalik kõigis kogukondades. 

​Presidents of regional parliaments with or without legislative powers, Presidents of Regions and other regional entities endorsed today a Declaration which is the starting point of an Alliance of Regions for European Democracy that aims at enhancing the regions' political impact on the European decision making process on matters with direct relevance to the work of local and regional authorities. The endorsement took place during the political event "The place of regions in the European Union architecture in the context of the Conference on the Future of Europe" organised by the European Committee of the Regions , the Conference of European Regional Legislative Assemblies (CALRE), and the Government of the Autonomous Region of the Azores. The Declaration also calls for the Conference on the Future of Europe to discuss the role of regions in the EU institutional architecture and to improve it to better address citizens' needs. 

When migrants move, it is overwhelmingly to cities that they come. Migrant integration happens in cities, and it is overseen by local governments. EUROCITIES recently published its fourth Integrating Cities Report which gives a direct insight into how cities are integrating migrants today. It is now available to read in full here. 

Euroopa Regioonide Komitee avab koos rahvusvahelise pagulaslinnade võrgustiku (ICORN) ja Gdański linnaga kandidaatide esitamise linnapea Paweł Adamowiczi nimelisele 2021. aasta auhinnale julge tegutsemise ja suurepäraste tulemuste eest vabaduse, solidaarsuse ja võrdsuse edendamisel. 

A large number of citizens and experts took part on 23 June in "Towards a multimodal Adriatic-Ionian major line with multiple connections to the Tyrrhenian coast", an event staged by the Abruzzo Region in collaboration with the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) as part of the European Year of Rail 2021. Connecting from L'Aquila and Brussels, speakers included president of the Abruzzo Region and CoR member Marco Marsilio; Portugal's secretary of state for infrastructure, Jorge Delgado on the outlook for the Portuguese Council presidency; the director for Investment, Innovative & Sustainable Transport at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE), Herald Ruijters; and Italy's deputy minister for infrastructure and sustainable transport, Alessandro Morelli. 

Three vice-presidents of the European Commission will address the European Committee of the Regions on 30 June, discussing efforts to strengthen and deepen democracy, build inclusive societies, and improve EU legislation. Vice-President Věra Jourová will present the European Democracy Action Plan to empower citizens and build more resilient democracies, Vice-President Margaritis Schinas will highlight the role of education and culture in protecting the European way of life, while Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič will set out the European Commission's work programme as well as the Commission's efforts to embed strategic foresight into its work. Members of the CoR will also discuss the Conference on the Future of Europe with the three MEPs leading the work of the European Parliament in the EU-wide consultation. 

​​​​​​​The webinar looked at the state of digital transformation in European regions, taking stock of the latest research showing an increasing digital divide across European regions and urban-rural communities. Invited speakers shared their views on how public authorities at all levels can facilitate the digital transition of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), showcasing some best practices and collaboration initiatives from the European Entrepreneurial Regions. 

On 13 July 2021, the CoR, in cooperation with the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU, will hold the Enlargement Day.  

​​​Local communities' needs will weigh more in the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) investment decisions and regions will be among leading actors in shaping, implementing and assessing the national CAP strategic plans. This crucial result was achieved thanks to the work of the CoR, its intense cooperation with the European Parliament and – more recently - with the EU Commission. Regional and local leaders are ready to use the new CAP to deliver the Green Deal on the ground but urge Member States to set adequate rules to make this happen.  

Samal ajal kui ELi riigipead ja valitsusjuhid kohtuvad Brüsselis, et vaadata üle majanduse taastumise hetkeseis, paljastavad Euroopa Regioonide Komitee tellitud uue uuringu tulemused kohalike ja piirkondlike omavalitsuste vähese kaasatuse riiklike taaste- ja vastupidavuskavade koostamisse ja rakendamisse. Tulemusi tutvustati komitee majanduspoliitika komisjoni (ECON) koosolekul. ECONi komisjoni liikmed on väljendanud tõsist muret ka selle pärast, et kavades vähese tähelepanu pööramine piirkondlikele erinevustele ja ebapiisav kooskõlastamine ühtekuuluvuspoliitika eesmärkidega kätkeb endas vahendite kattumise ohtu. 

The President of the European Committee of the Regions, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, has received the International Medal of the Community of Madrid in recognition of his "unconditional support" to the region, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

​​Jari Andersson, member of Sastamala City Council (FI/EPP) has drafted an opinion for the European Committee of the Regions on the EU strategy on the rights of the child and the European Child Guarantee. Mr Andersson's opinion was adopted on Wednesday at the meeting of the Commission for Social Policy, Education, Employment, Research and Culture (SEDEC) of the CoR. 

There are early signs that changes aimed at making the process of accession to the European Union more dynamic and predictable are yielding results, with local and regional leaders, Serbia's EU ambassador and the European Commission detecting a "new momentum" in the past year.  

Regional leaders from Turkey and the European Union have expressed some optimism that the strains in the relationship between Turkey and the European Union may ease and that a more productive period of contacts and collaboration is possible, with economic sustainability a central theme. 

Albanian municipalities are increasingly focused on improving their capacity to absorb European Union money and implement EU-related reforms, political leaders and government officials said as a meeting with the European Committee of the Regions on 17 June. There were, however, warnings about a continuing imbalance between the level of responsibility they have been given by central government and the funding available to them. 

Montenegro must overcome a period of political tension and administrative disruption and "do its homework" on issues related to the rule of law if it is to maintain the pace of its bid to join the European Union, local and regional leaders from Montenegro were told at a meeting and the European Committee of the Regions on 10 June. 

Over 80 young local and regional young elected politicians (YEPs) from 21 European countries participated in an info session organized by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) on the implementation of the Renovation Wave at the local level . They engaged in a debate with the CoR member Rafal Trzaskowski, representatives of the Commission for the Environment, Climate Change and Energy (ENVE) from the CoR, the Covenant of Mayors Initiative, the European Investment Bank, the European Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) and the European City Facility Initiative, who provided them with the key information, tools and financial support opportunities to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.  

A joint survey of the European Committee of the Regions and the OECD