UN Deputy Secretary-General Mohammed, European Commission Vice-Presidents Šefčovič and Vestager to speak on Sustainable Development Goals, strategic autonomy and digitalisation. Also on #CoRplenary agenda: Mayor Paweł Adamowicz Award ceremony and European Year of Skills.
The European Union's efforts to reduce its reliance on Russia for energy will feature prominently at a meeting of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) on 8-9 February, with a resolution focused on the challenges facing EU cities and regions.
Sustainability and the work of European cities and regions towards the UN's
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be at the heart of discussions
with Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the
United Nations and Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development
Group. Data suggests a risk that the EU and other parts of the world will
not achieve the goals by 2030, but many local and regional authorities in
the EU have integrated the SDGs into their policies and are working via a
wide range of tools to accelerate progress towards the SDGs.
Margrethe Vestager
, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for a Europe fit for
the Digital Age, will debate broadly the EU Digital Agenda from a local and
regional perspective. Members of the CoR will share their perspective on
digital issues from a local and regional standpoint and will highlight
concerns and issues related to the implementation of the EU's digital
agenda at sub-national levels.
The first CoR plenary of 2023 will also see Nicolas Schmit, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, set out his
expectations for the European Year of Skills, which is intended to move
skills policies and investment up the political agenda.
A special moment for members of the CoR will be a ceremony to honour the
second winner of the
Mayor Paweł Adamowicz Award, created in honour of the long-time mayor of Gdańsk and CoR member who was
murdered in 2019 in the course of his duties. The winner of this year, Marek Nazarko, Mayor of Michałowo, near Poland's border
with Belarus, will be joined by
Ylva Johansson, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, together with MEP
Magdalena Adamowicz
(PL/EPP) – Mayor Adamowicz's wife – and
Aleksandra Dulkiewicz
(PL/EPP), CoR member and Mayor of Gdansk.
Follow the plenary on the CoR website
KEY DEBATES
8 February, 3-4 p.m.: Debate on LRAs fit for the digital age
, with Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President of the
European Commission for a Europe fit for the Digital Age. Jaroslava Pokorná Jermanová (CZ/Renew Europe), Chair of
the ECON commission of the CoR, will also speak.
8 February, 5-6 p.m.: Debate on the implementation of the Sustainable
Development Goals
, with Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the
United Nations and Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development
Group. Other speakers include: MEP Barry Andrews (IE/Renew
Europe); Ricardo Rio (PT/EPP), CoR rapporteur on Progress
in the implementation of SDGs; Jaroslava Pokorná Jermanová
(CZ/Renew Europe), chair of the ECON commission of the CoR; and Rafał Trzaskowski (PL/EPP), Chair of the ENVE commission
of the CoR.
9 February, 10-11 a.m.:
Debate on the European Commission priorities, including the EU Energy
Platform and critical raw materials
, with Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President of the European
Commission for Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight. Mr Šefčovič may
also discuss EU-UK relations.
- 9 February, 9-10 a.m.:
Debate on the European Year of Skills 2023
, with Nicolas Schmit, European Commissioner for Jobs and
Social Rights. Other speakers are: Dragoş Pîslaru
(RO/Renew Europe), Chair of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
of the European Parliament; Jürgen Siebel, Executive
Director of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
(CEDEFOP); Noelia Cantero, Director of the European
Association of Regional & Local Authorities for Lifelong Learning
(EARLALL); and Tanya Hristova (BG/EPP), Chair of the CoR's
Commission for Social Policy, Education, Employment, Research and Culture
(SEDEC).
MAYOR PAWEŁ ADAMOWICZ AWARD CEREMONY
- 8 February, 6-7 p.m.:
The
Mayor Paweł Adamowicz Award
"for courage and excellence in the promotion of freedom, solidarity and
equality" will be presented to Marek Nazarko, Mayor of
Michałowo, Poland, who will attend in person. Speakers will include:Ylva Johansson, European Commissioner for Home Affairs; MEP Magdalena Adamowicz (PL/EPP), widow of Mayor Paweł
Adamowicz; Aleksandra Dulkiewicz (PL/EPP), Mayor of
Gdańsk; Henriette Reker, Mayor of Cologne, previous winner
of the award; and Christopher Gribble, Chair of the Board
of Directors of the International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN). In
addition, Oleksandr Slobozhan, Executive Director of the
Association of Ukrainian Cities (AUC), will speak on behalf of Oleksandr Babych, Mayor of Hola Prystan, who was given
special recognition by the award panel. Mr Babych is currently in Russian
captivity.
RESOLUTIONS FOR ADOPTION
OPINIONS FOR ADOPTION
- "Regional adaptation strategies for low-carbon agriculture." Rapporteur:
Loïg Chesnais-Girard
(FR/PES): president of Brittany's regional council.
-
"Regulation on the European Health Data Space." Rapporteur:
Daniela Cîmpean
(RO/EPP), president of Sibiu County Council.
-
"Progress in the implementation of SDGs." Rapporteur:
Ricardo Rio
(PT/EPP), mayor of Braga.
-
"Review Report on the Implementation of the Recovery and Resilience
Facility."
Rapporteur:
Rob Jonkman
(NL/ECR), alderman of the municipality of Opsterland.
-
"Single Market Emergency Instrument." Rapporteur:
Muhterem Aras
(DE/Greens), president of the State Parliament of Baden-Württemberg.
-
"Putting people first, securing sustainable and inclusive growth, unlocking
the potential of the EU's outermost region." Rapporteur:
Pedro De Faria e Castro
(PT/EPP)
, representing the regional presidency of the Azores.
-
"Creating an enabling environment for the social economy."
Ricardo Rio
(PT/EPP), mayor of Braga.
-
"European care strategy." Rapporteur:
Heinrich Dorner
(AT/PES), member of the State Government of Burgenland.
-
"EU Nature Restoration Law." Rapporteur:
Roby Biwer
(LU/PES), member of Bettembourg Municipal Council.
-
"Adequate minimum income for social inclusion: the local and regional
perspective." Rapporteur:
Anne Karjalainen
(FI/PES), member of Kerava City Council.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
- Location
: European Parliament Paul Henri Spaak building – Hemicycle, 60 rue Wiertz,
Brussels, Belgium.
- Date
: Wednesday, 8 February – Thursday, 9 February 2022.
- Background material
: The plenary
agenda
and
opinions and amendments
.
- Webstreaming
: On the website
of the CoR.
Contact
:
PresseCdr@cor.europa.eu