​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.

With the Gloria storm as an unexpected guest, the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM) has celebrated its 10th anniversary in the city where it held its first meeting: Barcelona. The Catalan capital welcomed over 100 representatives of local and regional authorities from the three shores of the Mediterranean, with climate change at the top of the agenda. The region is acknowledged to be particularly vulnerable to global warming.

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.