​The members of the European Committee of the Regions met in the 133rd plenary session on 6 and 7 February 2019.

Several debates took place with the participation of Ms Viorica Dãncilã, Romanian Prime Minister, representative of the Romanian EU Presidency of the Council, and with Mr Tibor Navracsics, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport.

10 opinions were on the agenda of this plenary session.

Here is the list of opinions adopted during the February plenary session:

• Creative Europe and a New European Agenda for Culture, rapporteur Mr János Ádám Karacsony (HU/EPP
• Erasmus programme for education, training, youth and sport, rapporteur: Ulrike Hiller (DE/PES)
• A renewed European Agenda for Research and Innovation, rapporteur: Birgitta Sacrédeus (SV/EPP)
• Artificial Intelligence for Europe, rapporteur: Jan Trei (EE/EPP)
• Digitalization in the Health Sector, rapporteur: Fernando López Miras (ES/EPP)
• Tackling online disinformation: a European Approach, rapporteur: Olgierd Geblewicz (PL/EPP)
• Towards an 8th Environment Action Programme, rapporteur: Cor Lamers (NL/EPP)
• Road Safety and automated mobility, rapporteur: József Ribányi (HU/EPP)
• Streamlining TEN-T implementation, rapporteur: Michiel Scheffer (NL/ALDE)
• Proposal for a Regulation on the European Border and Coast Guard, rapporteur-general: Anna Magyar (PL/EPP)

 Associated press releases

Associated press releases

Il-bliet u r-reġjuni jfasslu l-Programm ta’ Azzjoni Ambjentali li jmiss

Press release | Environment policy;

Minkejja t-titjib li sar f’dawn l-aħħar deċennji, l-ambjent fl-Ewropa għadu qed iħabbat wiċċu ma’ sfidi konsiderevoli. Il-kapital naturali qed jiġi ddegradat mill-agrikoltura, is-sajd, it-trasport, l-industrija, it-turiżmu u l-espansjoni urbana. Il-mexxejja lokali jikkundannaw in-nuqqas ta’ integrazzjoni tal-politiki, finanzjament, skambju ta’ informazzjoni u koordinazzjoni sabiex tiġi implimentata b’mod effettiv il-leġislazzjoni ambjentali fl-UE. Qabel it-8 Programm ta’ Azzjoni Ambjentali li għandu jiġi ppreżentat mill-Kummissjoni li jmiss, il-bliet u r-reġjuni Ewropej ressqu sett ta’ rakkomandazzjonijiet biex itejbu l-implimentazzjoni tal-politika u l-leġislazzjoni ambjentali fl-Ewropa għad-deċennju li ġej. 

Cities and regions contribute to the development of artificial intelligence

Press release | Innovation and research;

Ethical guidelines and legislative proposals at European level are urgently needed to ensure that the major socio-economic transformations triggered by artificial intelligence (AI) will lead to a better quality of life for European citizens, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) states in an opinion drafted by Jan Trei (EE/EPP), Mayor of Viimsi Rural Municipality.  

Ir-reġjuni Ewropej jappellaw għal azzjoni biex tiġi indirizzata d-diżinformazzjoni

Press release | Digital agenda;Consumer policy;Education;

Il-Kumitat Ewropew tar-Reġjuni (KtR) qed iħeġġeġ lill-Kummissjoni Ewropea u lill-Istati Membri tagħha biex iżidu l-isforzi tagħhom biex jiġġieldu d-diżinformazzjoni, b’mod partikolari fil-kuntest tal-elezzjonijiet Ewropej li ġejjin. Min-naħa tagħhom, l-awtoritajiet lokali u reġjonali jistgħu jimpenjaw ruħhom b’mod effettiv biex jiġġieldu d-diżinformazzjoni online attwali permezz tal-edukazzjoni ċivika, l-appoġġ għall-organizzazzjonijiet mhux governattivi u s-soċjetà ċivili, u l-appoġġ għall-midja lokali. 

Żieda fil-baġit għall-Erasmus għandha tiżgura opportunitajiet indaqs għal kulħadd

Press release | Education;

Filwaqt li jilqa’ b’sodisfazzjon il-proposta tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea li tirdoppja l-baġit għall-programm Erasmus, il-Kumitat Ewropew tar-Reġjuni enfasizza l-ħtieġa li tittejjeb l-inklużività tal-programm tal-UE sabiex jilħaq lil kull grupp ta’ etajiet, sfond soċjali, forma ta’ edukazzjoni u taħriġ. F’dibattitu mal-Kummissarju tal-UE Tibor Navracsics, il-membri tal-assemblea tal-UE għall-mexxejja lokali u reġjonali enfasizzaw l-importanza tal-edukazzjoni u l-kultura biex tissaħħaħ l-identità Ewropea u esprimew l-appoġġ tagħhom għaż-Żona Ewropea tal-Edukazzjoni, li għandha tiġi ffinalizzata sal-2025. 

Strong regional ecosystems and innovation hubs are key to more innovative Europe

Press release | Innovation and research;

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) considers that recognising the role of regional ecosystems and innovation hubs is essential to boost research and innovation in Europe. In an opinion presented by Birgitta Sacrédeus (SE/EPP), Member of Dalarna County Council, the CoR highlights the need to better coordinate EU's cohesion policy with research and innovation policy and warns against growing inequalities between more and less developed regions.  

Romania's Prime Minister: future EU budget needs a strong cohesion policy for all regions and cities

Press release | Cohesion policy reform;EU annual budget;

On 6 February, Vasilica Viorica Dăncilă, the Prime Minister of Romania, set out the priorities for the European Union during a debate with local and regional leaders. Romania – who is holding the six-month rotating EU Presidency - said that at a time of growing populism, strengthening European cohesion was of paramount importance and needed the full support of all regions and cities. With the UK's expected departure from the EU in March, complex negotiations on the future EU budget on-going and European elections in May, she called for a shared commitment to competitiveness, convergence and security, stressing the need for a strong cohesion policy in the EU long-term budget post 2020.  

Il-Prim Ministru Rumen se jiddiskuti l-ġejjieni tal-Ewropa mal-mexxejja lokali u reġjonali

Press release | Future of Europe;Cohesion policy reform;

Fis-6 ta’ Frar, politiċi lokali u reġjonali minn madwar l-UE kollha se jilqgħu lil Vasilica Viorica Dăncilă, Prim Ministru tar-Rumanija u rappreżentant tal-Presidenza Rumena tal-UE, fis-sessjoni plenarja tal-Kumitat Ewropew tar-Reġjuni (KtR). Il-prijoritajiet tal-Presidenza tal-UE, il-preservazzjoni tal-koeżjoni bħala valur Ewropew komuni, u l-ġejjieni tal-UE wara l-Brexit se jkunu fost is-suġġetti ewlenin għad-dibattitu. ARA L-#CoRplenary DIRETTA – Id-Dokumenti tal-Plenarja jinsabu disponibbli hawnhekk