Short-term accommodation rentals represent nearly one-third of the total EU supply of tourist accommodation, and this has been boosted by the rise of online platforms. During a debate promoted by the Commission for Natural Resources of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), local and regional leaders discussed the implications of a trend that, over the years, has created opportunities for travellers, SMEs and local economies, especially in rural areas, but has also raised concerns in big European cities facing excessive tourism flows and a growing demand for affordable housing. 

​​2023 is the European Year of Skills during which the European Commission will shine light on what is done to support training and lifelong learning. Up-skilling however is not a panacea to all forms of unemployment and today's interviewe​e Yonnec Polet (BE/PES) holds that a reallocation of public resources is necessary to create employment where the market otherwise won't. 

The President of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), Vasco Alves Cordeiro, and the Minister-President of Wallonia, Elio Di Rupo, visited two projects in Mons and Charleroi co-financed by European structural funds in order to showcase the impact of European cohesion policy on the daily lives of citizens. 

The CoR has just launched a study on Digital Resilience, which will investigate the state of play of digital resilience across local and regional authorities (LRAs) from the EU27 countries and understand which solutions and funds are used at the subnational level to strengthen it. 

The CoR would like to inform its valued members that the URBACT call for Action Planning Networks is open. The URBACT call for Action Planning Networks offers cities the opportunity to work together and co-create integrated solutions to their urban challenges. 

Ar mēra Pavela Adamoviča balvu par bēgļiem sniegto palīdzību uz robežas ar Baltkrieviju apbalvota Mihalovo pašvaldība (Polija). Balvas ieguvējs tika paziņots Eiropas Solidaritātes centrā Gdaņskā 13. janvārī. Balva, kas iedibināta, lai popularizētu mantojumu, ko Pavels Adamovičs veidojis, 20 gadus būdams Gdaņskas mēra amatā, tiks pasniegta Mihalovo mēram Marekam Nazarko (Marek Nazarko) Eiropas Reģionu komitejas plenārsesijā 8. februārī Briselē. 

​The European Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction of Ukraine, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) are taking part in this solidarity initiative by turning off the lights of the EESC-CoR buildings today 21 December between 20:00 – 21:00. We invite all regions and cities to switch off their festive lights tonight at 8 pm local time and join "The Hour for Ukraine". 

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Let´s shape EuroPCom 2023 together, with the help of your ideas! Let us know your proposals for session topics or suggestions for inspiring speakers! Please submit the filled in form by 20 January 2023! 

Since 1987, the Erasmus programme has been connecting people and regions in Europe and all around the world. These ties have boosted European identity and introduced young people to new cultures, languages and professional vocations. Speaking at the closing event of the 35th anniversary year, Tanya Hristova (BG/EPP), Chair of the European Committee of the Regions' SEDEC Commission, called for the European Commission to collaborate with regions and cities to ensure that people from all socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds and from all EU regions are able to benefit from the programme. 

While air and pesticides pollution have decreased in the EU, harmful noise, nutrient pollution and municipal waste have stalled. Much stronger action is needed if the EU is to achieve its 2030 pollution reduction targets. These are some of the conclusions of the first Zero Pollution Monitoring and Outlook Report, the main topic of the Zero Pollution Stakeholder Platform conference that took place in Brussels on 14 December. The report provides a snapshot of pollution in the EU and includes guidelines to deliver the 2030 targets of the EU's Zero Pollution Action Plan.  

​Two key initiatives linked to the European Pillar of Social Rights were on the agenda of the SEDEC Commission's meeting of 12 December: one on the Council recommendation for adequate minimum income and the other on the proposal for a European Care Strategy. Members also adopted a set of recommendations for creating an enabling environment for the social economy and elected a new First Vice-Chair, Mayor of Alimos Andreas Kondylis (EL/Renew). 

Cities and regions should urgently consider donating power generators and heating equipment to Ukraine to cope with the worst of the winter, the European Commission and European Committee of the Regions have urged. The call was made in a letter sent on a day when the French government hosted an international con ference – "Standing with the Ukrainian people" – to gather aid to help Ukraine through the winter, as well as a bilateral conference for resilience and reconstruction with the Ukrainian government. 

Chaired by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission Josep Borrell Fontelles, the Meeting of ministers of foreign affairs of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) was held on 12 December 2022 in Brussels, at the Council of the EU premises. Commissioner for Enlargement and neighbourhood policy Olivér Várhelyi made the opening speech. Ministers of foreign affairs or their deputies of all 27 EU Member States and the five participating Eastern partner countries (Ukraine, Republic of Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan) took part. 

The Valea Jiului Development Society Project was announced as the winner of the sixth edition of the Transformative Action Award at a ceremony hosted by the European Committee of the Regions. The Romanian civil society coalition’s transformative action focuses on spearheading systemic change in the Jiu Valley, a former mining region, by strengthening local civil society, promoting sustainable development, fostering collaboration, and encouraging equitable investments. 

The CoR would like to inform its valued members that the application for the “European Capitals of Inclusion and Diversity Award" is now open. Launched by the European Commission in 2021, this award is open to all local authorities in the EU who are building fairer societies by promoting diversity and inclusion in terms of: sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief , disability, age, LGBTIQ identity.  

In the context of the United Nations (UN) Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) that is taking place in Montreal, EU cities and regions are pushing for more ambitious biodiversity targets while calling for a formal recognition of subnational governments in protecting ecosystems and restoring natural habitats. Zero pollution and the outcomes of the UN climate talks (COP27) in Sharm el-Sheikh were additional items in the agenda of the ENVE commission meeting which also hosted the 2022 Transformative Action Award ceremony. 

On 9 December 2022, the recently agreed action plan 2022-2024 with Climate KIC was presented to the ENVE commission. The action plan was designed with the aim to facilitate cooperation between the CoR and Climate KIC and to promote their shared goals and objectives with respect to climate policies, biodiversity, regional development and citizens' engagement. 

Over the last decade, both EU bodies have successfully reduced consumption: -42% electricity, -54% gas, -58% water, -83% waste and -96% paper. In the context of the climate emergency, energy crisis and high inflation, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) have signed a new environmental commitment with concrete actions to reduce energy consumption, waste, pollution and to improve the overall environmental footprint of all their activities.  

​​​On 5th and 6th December, the CoR's Network of Regional Hubs (RegHub) met in Brussels to conduct one of its three annual workshops. This December workshop was particularly important because for the first time, the Network's contact points could attend a Fit for Future Platform (F4F) plenary in person, and see the two CoR-led opinions, to which they contributed, being adopted. Both F4F opinions – on the End-of-life vehicles Directive and the Governments Interoperability Strategy – were adopted by the Platform with unanimity. 

​​The European Committee of the Regions' commission for Economic Policy ( ECON ) has adopted draft opinions on the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals, the review report on the Recovery and Resilience Facility as well as on the Single Market Emergency Instrument. On the same day, 7 December, a group of Czech glass producers also presented to ECON members crystal glasses from Bohemia, as an example of regional craft excellence that could be better protected through a new EU framework for geographical indications of industrial and craft products. The CoR has been calling since 2015 for the creation of the new system, which is built on a successful model used for agriculture and food. 

Local and regional authorities make EU law happen. Therefore their feedback on how EU rules are implemented on the ground to make them simpler, fewer and less bureaucratic is essential: this was the message of the CoR at the Fit for Future (F4F) Platform plenary on 5 December – a tool established by the European Commission for better and less burdensome EU legislation. Two opinions drafted by CoR members Mark Speich (DE/EPP) and Anne Karjalainen (FI/PSE) on topics that are of great relevance for local and regional authorities – interoperability of data systems and clear rules for end-of-life vehicles - were adopted. 

Local leaders are worried that the new own resources proposed by the European Commission will not be enough to finance the EU's challenges and repay the debt generated by the Recovery Plan. 

Local and regional authorities can play a critical role in countering hate crime and hate speech, breaking down barriers to reporting incidents of hate crime, and preventing discrimination and exclusion. This is the key message delivered by the European Committee of the Regions during the 30 November plenary session, by adopting recommendations that support the European Commission's proposals to add hate speech and hate crime to the list of crimes recognised in EU policy.  

Atzinumā, ko Eiropas Reģionu komiteja (RK) pieņēma 30. novembra plenārsesijā, pausts atbalsts Eiropas Komisijas priekšlikumam trīs ģeogrāfiskās izcelsmes norāžu (ĢIN) shēmas apvienot vienotā sistēmā, kurā būs paredzēti kopīgi noteikumi lauksaimniecības produktiem, pārtikas produktiem, vīniem un stiprajiem alkoholiskajiem dzērieniem. Īpaši atzinīgi RK vērtē to, ka daļa lietu izskatīšanas ir deleģēta Eiropas Savienības Intelektuālā īpašuma birojam (EUIPO), kura rīcībā ir efektīvi instrumenti, kurus ar ĢIN apzīmētu produktu ražotāji varēs izmantot, lai vienkāršotu reģistrācijas procedūras, uzlabotu ĢIN kontroli un apkarotu krāpšanu. 

Salām, lauku apvidiem, pārrobežu un kalnu reģioniem ir vajadzīgi īpaši pielāgoti pasākumi, lai saglabātu to pievilcīgumu, novērstu nevienlīdzību un tādējādi līdzsvarotu to nelabvēlīgos ģeogrāfiskos apstākļus. Šādu secinājumu Eiropas Reģionu komiteja (RK) izdara Korsikas reģionālās asamblejas priekšsēdētājas izstrādātajā atzinumā. 

The European Committee of the Regions underlines in its opinion that the EU's ambitious innovation policy goals set in the New Innovation Agenda for Europe can only be achieved by reducing fragmentation among projects and stepping up cooperation in cities and regions between businesses, academia and regional and local authorities. Cities and regions also emphasise the need to set up ERA Hubs, as outlined by the Council of the EU one year ago, in order to speed up the emergence of competitive R&I ecosystems across the EU. 

Urban areas with fewer than 500,000 inhabitants house around 66% of Europe's urban dwellers and play an essential role in making the digital and green transitions happen. For this reason, in an opinion adopted by the European Committee of the Regions at the plenary session of 1 December, regional and local leaders demand targeted financial support for smaller urban areas to ensure a balanced territorial development. 

As inflation and high energy prices continue to mark the political agenda in the European Union, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) advocates for cities and regions, small businesses and households to have direct access to EU technical and financial support to tackle the energy crisis, help vulnerable households and move climate action forward. 

Uzlabot pilsonisko izglītību, pazemināt vēlētāju vecuma cenzu un atbalstīt gados jaunu cilvēku balotēšanos, nodibināt pastāvīgu mehānismu konsultācijām ar jauniešiem, katru jaunu tiesību aktu pārbaudīt ar t. s. “jauniešu testu”, pastiprināt ES jaunatnes programmas.... – šādi ir daži no ieteikumiem, kas minēti Jaunatnes un demokrātijas hartā. Harta, ko atbalsta gan Eiropas Reģionu komiteja (RK), gan Eiropas Jaunatnes forums, tika izveidota kopīgi, augšupējā procesā, kurā iesaistījās jaunatnes organizāciju pārstāvji un vēlēti gados jauni pašvaldību pārstāvji no visas Eiropas Savienības, un 1. decembrī to parakstīja RK plenārsesijā, kurā notika debates par jaunatni un Eiropas nākotni. 

The European Committee of the Regions has listened to citizens' expectations and is actively following up on the proposals of the Conference on the Future of Europe, which cannot be fully implemented without the active involvement of the local and regional level. This is the core message of EU local and regional leaders ahead of the event where the three EU institutions leading the Conference will present to the citizens how they have been following up on their proposals. The European Committee of the Regions also highlights its achievements at local and regional levels and across policy fields in its latest report. In a declaration, the delegation of the European Committee of the Regions and of European associations of local and regional authorities stress the need for the further involvement of regions and cities in this new chapter for European democracy.  

Eiropas pilsētas, reģioni un pašvaldības, kas vēlas demonstrēt, kopīgot un bagātināt savu stratēģiju un pieredzi ilgtspējīgas izaugsmes veicināšanā, tagad var pieteikties 2024. gada balvai “Eiropas reģions, kas veicina uzņēmējdarbību” (EER), ko popularizē Eiropas Reģionu komiteja (RK). Pievēršoties visaptverošajam tematam “Pilsētas un reģioni ceļā uz ilgtspējīgu, noturīgu un digitālu izaugsmi”, EER 2024 uzmanības centrā būs vietējie un reģionālie pasākumi, ar ko nākamajos divos gados tiks atbalstīta MVU zaļā un digitālā pārkārtošanās, stiprinot to vietējās ekonomikas konkurētspēju un ilgtermiņa noturību. Pašvaldības savas stratēģijas var iesniegt līdz 2023. gada 29. martam. 

Loïg Chesnais-Girard, President of the Brittany region and rapporteur of the European Committee of the Regions on the opinion "Regional adaptation strategies for low carbon agriculture", commented the European Commission's announcement of an EU framework for the certification of carbon removal. 

The textiles, clothing, leather and footwear (TCLF) industry has an annual turnover of €195 billion, employs more than 2 million workers and encompasses more than 220 600 businesses in EU 

Eiropas Reģionu komiteja atzinumā norāda, ka visos migrācijas procesa posmos jābūt redzamai Eiropas Savienības apņēmībai piesaistīt kvalificētu darbaspēku no trešām valstīm un ka pilsētas var palīdzēt Eiropas Savienībai un tās dalībvalstīm uzlabot likumīgās migrācijas pārvaldību. Ieteikumos arī norādīts, ka karš Ukrainā izgaismojis nepieciešamību paātrināt bēgļu iegūto prasmju atzīšanu, kas ir ļoti svarīgs aspekts viņu integrācijai un vietējai ekonomikai. 

Krievijas karš pret Ukrainu apdraud pasaules apgādi ar pārtiku un ir vēl vairāk destabilizējis lauksaimniecības tirgu un līdztekus pandēmijas un klimata krīzes izraisītajiem pārtikas piegādes ķēžu traucējumiem paaugstinājis jau tāpat augstās pārtikas, barības, enerģijas un mēslošanas līdzekļu cenas. Šajā saistībā RK locekļi, ES lauksaimniecības komisārs Janušs Vojcehovskis (Janusz Wojciechowski) un EP deputāte Marlēne Mortlere (Marlene Mortler) 30. novembra plenārsesijā apsprieda, kā Eiropas pārtikas sistēmu padarīt ilgtspējīgāku un sagatavot to turpmākām krīzēm. 

Following the first political meeting of the Alliance on 29 November, members from both European and Ukrainian cities and regions adopted the following joint view on the urgent need to stand by Ukraine, by providing emergency support. 

The Presidents of the European Committee of the Regions and of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe have warned that local and regional governments are struggling to cope with the series of crises that have rocked the continent since 2020. 

The European Committee of the Regions joins Orange The World to show European cities and regions' commitment to stop this violation of women's rights. By designing safer public spaces for women, opening women's shelters, or mainstreaming gender equality across all policies, we make concrete efforts to put an end to the violence that still affects so many women and girls in the EU. 

At the plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions on 30 November and 1 December, Deputy Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Marian Jurečka, will address the consequences for European households of the energy crisis caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, while Janusz Wojciechowski, European Commissioner for Agriculture, will discuss the war's impact on European food security. 

On 24 November 2022, ARLEM vice-president Mark Speich, State Secretary for Federal, European and International Affairs and Media of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany), addressed the co-presidency of the Union for the Mediterranean and ministers of foreign affairs at the UfM Seventh Regional Forum held as part of the celebrations for the Day of the Mediterranean of 28 November. 

On the occasion of NAT's 15th Commission meeting on 22 November, representatives from the European Commission's DG AGRI, Silvia Michelini, DG RTD, Peter Wehrheim and Roman Brenne, JRC, Marios Avraamides, and of the European Forest Institute, Inazio Martinez de Arano, were invited to participate in a debate with NAT's members on the Bioeconomy. 

​The European Committee of the Regions' commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget ( COTER ) debated on local and regional experiences in facing the current energy crisis during the meeting on 23 November. Members also adopted the opinion on "Putting people first, securing sustainable and inclusive growth, unlocking the potential of the EU's outermost regions", drafted by Pedro de Faria e Castro (PT/EPP). 

#CohesionAlliance (Kohēzijas alianse) – ES mēroga koalīcija, kuras deklarāciju, atbalstīdami spēcīgāku kohēzijas politiku, ir parakstījuši 12 000 biedru, – reaģē uz šodien ES Vispārējo lietu padomē pieņemtajiem secinājumiem par kohēzijas politiku. 

​The implementation of Just Transition Plans must be fast-tracked in all Member States 

​The European Committee of the Regions' commission for Natural Resources (NAT) met on 22 November to discuss and adopt opinions on "Regional adaptation strategies for low carbon agriculture" drafted by Loïg Chesnais/Girard (FR/PES) – President of the Brittany Region and on "the European Health Data Space" led by Daniela Cimpean (RO/EPP) – President of Sibiu County Council. They also exchanged views on "Sustainable use of pesticides" – rapporteur Heinz-Joachim Höfer (DE/PES). 

​​COP27 climate talks reached its conclusions on Sunday 20 November after two weeks of negotiations. During the closing plenary, Vincent Chauvet (FR/Renew Europe), Mayor of Autun and member of the European Committee of the Regions, took the floor as the representative of the Local Governments and Municipal Authorities (LGMA) Constituency to the United Nations. You can watch his address here (4:44:16 to 4:47:10). Read here a COP27 negotiations wrap up from the LGMA constituency. 

The Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) between the European Committee of the Regions and North Macedonia will hold its twentieth meeting on 24 November 2022 in Skopje. This jubilar meeting is the first fully in person in this EU candidate country after the break caused by COVID-19 pandemic. It is also the first JCC meeting after the opening of the EU accession negotiations with North Macedonia. In addition to the discussion of the country's EU accession process, the meeting will discuss the ongoing energy crisis, caused by the Russian aggression on Ukraine, that is hitting Macedonian municipalities hard. 

The twelfth day of COP27 marked another important step for the European Committee of the Regions' (CoR) delegation to Sharm el-Sheikh, where delegates participated to the first-ever Ministerial Meeting on Urbanization and Climate Change, convened by the COP27 Egyptian Presidency. Delegates continued to contribute to events organised by global and European partners, highlighting the importance of local and regional action in the encouraging climate commitments, enabling public-private cooperation, managing air quality, promoting a fair green skills agenda and leading by example on the road towards climate neutrality. 

​​The future of Europe's democratic development, the impact of the war in Ukraine, and threats to media freedoms dominated the agenda when members of the CIVEX commission of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) met on 17 November.