Local and regional leaders held today a debate with Dubravka Šuica, European Commission Vice-President for Democracy and Demography. The members of the European Committee of the Regions' (CoR) praised the role the Commission is playing in making sure that the voice of regions, cities and villages are represented in an adequate manner within the Conference. They reiterated their call to ensure that the debate on Europe's future reaches citizens through local and regional authorities, responding to their demands. 

Members of the European Parliament and the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) discussed with Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferreira the new programming period 2021-27 and the territorial aspects of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). They asked the European Commission to ensure the full respect of the partnership principle and the multilevel governance, and to provide recommendations to Member States and relevant managing authorities to improve partnership processes. They also called on Member States to guarantee a broader territorial implementation of the RRF, and on the European Commission to guarantee that the National Recovery Plans will be built in full respect of articles 175 and 174 TFEU and prioritise less developed and transition regions, as well as the Regions most impacted by the socio-economic repercussions of the COVID-19 crisis. 

In an opinion adopted by the plenary session today, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) welcomes the EU LGBTIQ Equality Strategy but warns that we are at the same time experiencing regression in respect of EU values, with some authorities continuously using anti-LGBTIQ rhetoric and even adopting discriminatory policies and legislation. The assembly of EU's regions and cities argues that European funds should not be granted to governments promoting structural discrimination mechanisms against LGBTIQ people and suggests providing more financial support to equality and diversity programmes at local level. 

At the event "Cities fostering democracy in the European Union: Urban perspectives for the Conference on the Future of Europe", co-organised by the European Committee of the Regions, Eurocities and the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), local and regional leaders set out their expectations for the Conference on the Future of Europe, and shared their experiences on strengthening local democracy. Examples of innovative participative exercises, green projects, digital services to citizens or integration of communities were discussed. The event led to the adoption of conclusions which will feed the Conference on the future of Europe. 

Nowy ogólnounijny system ochrony przemysłowych i rzemieślniczych oznaczeń geograficznych (ICGI), oparty na udanym modelu stosowanym w odniesieniu do produktów rolnych i żywności, byłby korzystny zarówno dla rzemieślników, jak i dla gospodarki lokalnej. Wzmocniłby ochronę prawną produktów wysokiej jakości, a także przyczyniłby się do zwalczania podrabiania towarów oraz do tworzenia i utrzymania miejsc pracy. Propozycję takiego rozwiązania zawiera opinia sporządzona przez Martine Pinville, członkinię rady regionu Nowa Akwitania, przyjęta jednomyślnie w środę 13 października na sesji plenarnej Europejskiego Komitetu Regionów (KR-u). 

Jari Andersson, chair of Sastamala City Council (FI/EPP), has drafted an opinion urging the EU Member States to accelerate implementation of the EU strategy on the rights of the child and the European Child Guarantee. Mr Andersson's opinion was adopted at the plenary session of the Committee of the Regions (CoR) on Tuesday 12 October. The opinion underlines that regions and municipalities play an important role in combating child poverty and exploitation and preventing exclusion.