The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is currently drafting an opinion entitled "Effectively engaging local and regional authorities in the preparation of the Partnership Agreements and Operational Programmes for the 2021-2027 period". The rapporteur for this opinion is Mr Juraj Droba (SK/ECR), Chairman of the Bratislava Self-Governing Region. 

As bolstering sustainable economic development remains one of the three priorities of ARLEM, the Assembly continues to be invested in supporting young entrepreneurs. After what is now the third successful edition of the ARLEM Award – Young local entrepreneurship in the Mediterranean, the 2022 edition just opened for applications. Once more, we encourage young entrepreneurs (up to 35 years old) from the Mediterranean region to showcase their successful cooperation with their local and regional authorities. 

The current unprecedented crisis has put to the test all aspects of our life, including cross-border cooperation, which is facing its most significant setback in decades. Overnight, Member States closed their borders across the European Union without consulting their neighbours. This instantly put different sectors of our economy into a very difficult position, with some sectors, in certain regions, facing potential collapse. After decades of prosperity and open borders, we once again saw split families, workers not being able to reach their workplaces, with travelling and trading slowed to almost a standstill at the beginning of the crisis. 

This first event by the Network of Former Members of the European Committee of the Regions will be an occasion to meet and discuss the future of the Network. It will also be a chance to update members on the current work of the CoR and to provide them with a policy briefing on the involvement of local and regional authorities in two major European topics; ​the Conference on the Future of Europe and the Green Deal. 

​​​This event is organised by the Municipality of Bologna, in collaboration with the Emilia-Romagna Region, its Europe Direct Center and the Metropolitan City of Bologna. The initiative, aimed at strengthening the process of bringing Europe closer to its citizens through local representatives, is set in the context of the Conference on the Future of Europe and will offer an excellent opportunity for a dialogue between institutions, companies, associations and stakeholders.  

On 13 July 2021, the CoR, in cooperation with the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU, will hold the Enlargement Day. After June's meetings of the CoR's Working Groups and Joint Consultative Committees with candidate countries and potential candidates, this unique annual event, organized online this year, will discuss the role of regions and cities in the EU accession process and sustainable recovery pathways in the region. 

Access to information is infinitely easier and faster today than it ever was, as well as its dissemination. Anyone with a smartphone can find information on practically everything in a matter of minutes; through many different social media, then, everyone may publish almost any content in few clicks. 

The 9th CIVEX commission meeting will take place on Tuesday 28 September from 11:00 to 16:30. 

We are looking forward to welcome you to the seventh edition of the Forum "Cities and Regions for International Partnerships" (formerly called "Assises of Decentralised Cooperation") which will take place as a fully digital event on the 29th and 30th November 2021. Organised jointly by the European Commission and the European Committee of the Regions, the forum provides a unique space for dialogue and fostering cooperation among local and regional authorities from the European Union and its partner countries.