Almost two years ago, the CoR launched the pilot phase of RegHub. After a positive evaluation of RegHub's performance, the CoR is now launching the mainstreaming phase of the network (RegHub 2.0) and has published a call for new applicants to become part of it. 

EU budget must be tied to rule of law but regions and cities should not lose out for national governments behaviour", says CoR President. 

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) and the European Entrepreneurial Regions 2020 demonstrated how the EER label could be used as a tool to stimulate an entrepreneurial and sustainable recovery from the Covid-19 crisis.  

Os dirigentes políticos das regiões com produção automóvel (Grupo Inter-regional CoRAI) reuniram-se com o comissário responsável pelo Orçamento, Johannes Hahn, membros da Comissão da Política de Coesão Territorial (COTER) do Comité das Regiões Europeu e representantes da indústria automóvel, para debater o papel que as regiões com produção automóvel desempenham numa transformação ecológica de sucesso. O evento teve lugar em 14 de outubro, no âmbito da Semana Europeia das Regiões e dos Municípios (ver a gravação aqui ). 

Os governos nacionais devem aceitar conceder um pacote de apoio financeiro mais consequente aos sistemas de saúde na União Europeia, afirmou o Comité das Regiões Europeu em 14 de outubro. O apelo consta de um conjunto de três recomendações em que as regiões e os municípios da UE apresentam formas de colmatar as lacunas dos sistemas de saúde a nível local expostas pela pandemia de COVID-19. 

A UE e os seus Estados-Membros devem dar as condições necessárias aos seus municípios e regiões para proteger o emprego e os direitos sociais: eis o apelo do Comité das Regiões Europeu (CR) para combater os efeitos sociais devastadores da pandemia de COVID-19. A assembleia da UE dos representantes regionais e locais solicita igualmente que se reforce a base de competências para a recuperação e se apoie os órgãos de poder local e regional na gestão da dupla transição ecológica e digital. 

Through an opinion drafted by János Adám Karácsony (HU/EPP), Member of Tahitótfalu Local Council, EU's local and regional governments call for measures to ensure that the ongoing Covid-19 crisis will not accelerate Europe's demographic decline. The Annual Local and Regional Barometer published by the European Committee of the Regions this week estimates that the pandemic may affect family planning and increase the brain drain from rural, peripheral and remote regions.  

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) adopted in its October plenary an opinion on the "European Year of Rail 2021", calling for an EU-wide strategy to encourage investment and reduce disparities and gaps in rail systems. Rapporteur Jarosław Stawiarski (PL/ECR), Marshal of Lubelskie Region, will also present the CoR's suggestions in a workshop, which will bring together top representatives of the European rail sector on 20 October as part of the European Week of Regions and Cities 2020.  

CitizEN network would be a repository for information and sharing of best practices of national, regional and local participation initiatives from across the European Union and could be a key contribution to the Conference on the future of Europe.  

CoR's president Tzitzikostas: "Rising costs and shrinking revenues threaten regions' and cities' ability to protect people and help businesses" 

The COVID-19 crisis and the lockdowns across Europe have clearly demonstrated the need for digital infrastructures and solutions more than ever before. Digital transformation plays a crucial role in the EU's response to the pandemic and in the future recovery. Particular attention should be drawn to avoiding the growth of inequalities and the creation of a digital divide. Digital skills should be developed. Adequate infrastructure and tailored solutions should be made available, in particular to SMEs. A comprehensive and joint EU approach to boost the security and resilience of 5G networks is key. These are the main messages included in an opinion on digital and data, adopted by unanimity by the Committee of the Regions' Plenary. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that it is of utmost importance to strengthen coordination between Member States, between all levels of government and across borders. Solidarity and cooperation are crucial to overcome the current crisis and tackle any future outbreak or major disaster. Therefore, mayors and governors call for a long-term commitment to further reinforce the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and its instruments. The appeal was sent by the Committee of the Regions (CoR) on 13 October, the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction. 

​The role of EU Regions is crucial in designing the new industrial strategy for a greener Europe , the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) points out in an opinion drafted by Jeannette Baljeu (NL/RE) , Member of the Council of the Province of Zuid-Holland . The opinion calls for a reinforced place-based dimension in the new EU Industrial Strategy. This could allow regions and cities, as the governments closest to citizens and ecosystems, to take ownership of the twin green and digital transitions of their industry. 

O presidente do Comité das Regiões Europeu, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, deu as boas-vindas à chanceler da República Federal da Alemanha, Angela Merkel, na reunião plenária do Comité das Regiões Europeu (#CoRplenary), em 13 de outubro. A chanceler alemã apresentou as prioridades da Presidência alemã da UE, debateu o papel dos órgãos de poder local e regional na recuperação da Europa e trocou impressões com os membros do CR sobre o futuro da Europa (ver aqui o debate gravado). 

O Plano de Recuperação da Europa tem de contar com a adesão dos órgãos de poder local e regional, ou não será eficaz na gestão das consequências da crise. Uma abordagem centralizada, em que as decisões são tomadas do topo para a base, corre o risco de gerar sobreposições, ou mesmo concorrência, entre os instrumentos de financiamento, o que pode comprometer o impacto do novo Mecanismo de Recuperação e Resiliência. Os membros do Comité das Regiões Europeu (CR) partilharam estas preocupações num debate com o comissário europeu da Economia, Paolo Gentiloni. Os seus pontos de vista e as suas propostas de melhoria serão integrados num parecer, a adotar pela Assembleia Plenária. 

A Comissão Europeia e o Comité das Regiões Europeu (CR) comprometeram-se a iniciar uma nova fase de cooperação, a fim de acelerar a aplicação do Pacto Ecológico nas regiões e nos municípios da Europa. Durante o debate com Frans Timmermans, o vice-presidente executivo da Comissão Europeia responsável pelo Pacto Ecológico instou os órgãos de poder local e regional a apropriaram-se do Pacto Ecológico e a moldarem-no nos domínios da sua competência. Os membros do CR congratularam-se com a cooperação e apoiaram o Pacto Ecológico, que consideram a via principal da UE para assegurar uma retoma económica integradora e ecológica em todos as regiões, municípios e aldeias. 

Regional and local leaders shared their experience in fighting the pandemic and their proposals for the recovery with Commissioner Ferreira 

O primeiro Barómetro Regional e Local à escala da UE – elaborado pelo Comité das Regiões Europeu – adverte para o facto de a pandemia de COVID-19 estar a afetar severamente as receitas dos órgãos de poder infranacional: só em Itália, na Alemanha e em França, estas perdas poderão ascender a 30 mil milhões de euros em 2020. A crise está também a agravar as desigualdades sociais e económicas nos territórios da UE. O relatório adverte que a crise da COVID-19 poderá dar origem a uma «geração perdida» de jovens e destaca as acentuadas disparidades entre os sistemas de saúde regionais. A crescente clivagem entre zonas rurais e urbanas constitui também uma ameaça clara para a coesão da UE. 

In an opinion drafted by Mikel Irujo (ES/EA), Director-General for External Action of the Government of Navarre, the European Committee of the Regions calls on the European Commission to further develop its Regional Innovation Scoreboard for the next edition in 2021. The CoR believes that the Regional Innovation Scoreboard should become a tool that helps EU regions to develop their innovation ecosystems and implement on the ground EU's political agenda, including the Green Deal. 

​In this interview, Jarosław Piotr Stawiarski (PL/ECR), President of the Lubelskie Region, answers six questions on rail transport in Europe. The rapporteur of the opinion on the European Year of Rail 2021 calls for an increase of rail's share in the transport market, stressing that rail is the undisputed leader in low emissions and reduced external costs. Next year is the European Year of Rail, which will feature a range of events and campaigns to attract more people and goods to railways. Environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient, rail is set to play a crucial role in helping the EU become climate neutral by 2050.  

A chanceler da Alemanha, Angela Merkel, e a presidente da Comissão Europeia, Ursula von der Leyen, debaterão a resposta da União Europeia à pandemia de COVID-19 no Comité das Regiões Europeu, em 12 e 13 de outubro. A assembleia da UE dos representantes eleitos regionais e locais debaterá também com o presidente e a vice-presidente do Banco Europeu de Investimento, Werner Hoyer e Lilyana Pavlova . Serão igualmente realizados debates com quatro comissários – Frans Timmermans, vice-presidente executivo e comissário responsável pelo Pacto Ecológico Europeu, Elisa Ferreira, comissária da Coesão e Reformas, Paolo Gentiloni, comissário da Economia, e Nicolas Schmit, comissário do Emprego e Direitos Sociais. 

Regions and cities are pivotal in building trust and investment in artificial intelligence (AI), the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) points out in an opinion drafted by Guido Rink (NL/PES), Member of the Executive Council of Emmen. Regions and cities highlight the potential of AI in addressing societal challenges: for example, during the Covid-19 pandemic it has been helping doctors and researchers to diagnose patients, assess risks and prevent hospitals from becoming overburdened. 

Nesta entrevista, Jeannette Baljeu (NL-Renew) , membro da Assembleia Provincial da Holanda do Sul, responde a seis perguntas sobre o papel dos órgãos de poder local e regional na nova estratégia industrial europeia. Jeannette Baljeu sublinha que é necessária uma nova dimensão de base local para que as regiões e os municípios, sendo as administrações mais próximas dos cidadãos e dos ecossistemas empresariais, se apropriem da dupla transição ecológica e digital da sua indústria. Jeannette Baljeu é relatora do Parecer – Uma nova estratégia industrial para a Europa , que será adotado na reunião plenária de 12 a 14 de outubro . 

​The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič will participate on 12 October in the Plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions at the occasion of the presentation of the first Annual Regional and Local Barometer by the CoR President, Apostolos Tzitzikostas. The presentation will begin at 11am, and can be followed via the CoR website. 

A pandemia de COVID-19 afetou de forma dramática o nosso mundo e a nossa forma de viver, com milhares de vidas perdidas e consequências sem precedentes em todos os aspetos da nossa existência quotidiana. A Comissão da Política Social, Educação, Emprego, Investigação e Cultura (SEDEC) do Comité das Regiões Europeu elabora boletins regulares sobre domínios estratégicos no âmbito das suas atribuições, refletindo investigação recente, artigos e debates relativos ao impacto socioeconómico da pandemia na Europa e às diversas ações e medidas de resposta previstas e aplicadas ao nível da UE, nacional, regional e local. 

The response to the current crisis will result in a reprioritisation of the Green Deal: the views of Local and Regional Authorities on this has to be kept into consideration, as they have been the first responders to the crisis and will be at the forefront of the recovery, having the ultimate responsibility of finding the right balance and synergies between economic priorities and environmental and climate protection. 

O presidente do Comité das Regiões Europeu, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, dará as boas-vindas a Angela Merkel, chanceler da República Federal da Alemanha, na reunião plenária do Comité das Regiões Europeu (#CoRplenary), em 13 de outubro. A chanceler Angela Merkel apresentará as prioridades da Presidência alemã da UE, debaterá o papel dos órgãos de poder local e regional nos planos de recuperação da UE e lançará uma reflexão sobre o futuro da Europa. 

Members of the European Committee of the Regions have welcomed the European Commission's increased focus on regional and local innovation ecosystems. On 30 September, the Commission published a c ommunication on a new European Research Area for Research and Innovation . It promises strategic and coordinated support to regions and cities, building on successful initiatives such as the Knowledge Exchange Platform and Science meets Regions, which will be upgraded to a strategic level. 

The city of Mannheim virtually welcomed the 9th European Conference on Sustainable Cities & Towns organised by ICLEI with the support of EU institutions, including the European Committee of the Regions (CoR). Hosted by the Mayor of Mannheim and CoR member Peter Kurz, local leaders gave support to the Manheim Message, a collective call for cities and regions to be key partners in the EU's path towards climate-neutrality and a joint commitment to develop Local Green Deals. 

​In this interview Francina Armengol (ES/PES), President of the Balearic Islands, answers six questions on the sustainable use of natural resources on Mediterranean islands. Francina Armengol calls on the European Commission to devise a new strategy that better aligns EU policies and funding mechanisms to the particularities of Mediterranean islands in order to build higher resilience to natural disasters and health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. These proposals are gathered in the CoR opinion 'Towards sustainable use of Natural Resources within the Mediterranean insular context' to be adopted during the plenary session on 12-14 October 2020. 

In September, representatives of ten Libyan municipalities and universities met with European provinces, regions and research institutes to discuss how the competencies of local administrators in Libya could further be strengthened. They built on the consolidated partnership within the Nicosia initiative which had developed a decentralised system of continuous learning over the past three years, establishing structured cooperation between governments and universities in the country.  

A tão necessária participação dos municípios e das regiões na definição da recuperação europeia após a crise da COVID-19, bem como na definição de um novo sistema europeu de governação económica, foi o principal foco da primeira reunião da Comissão da Política Económica (ECON) após o interregno de verão. 

The organisers have decided to extend the registration deadlines to #EURegionsWeek 2020: registration to week 1 "Empowering Citizens" (5-9 October) remains open until 1 October, registration to week 2 "Cohesion & Cooperation" (12-16 October) remains open until 7 October, registration to week 3 "Green Europe" (19-22 October) remains open until 14 October. Register now to the sessions you do not want to miss! 

On 24 September, the members of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) commission for territorial cohesion policy and EU budget (COTER) met online to adopt their recommendations for the role of cohesion policy against the backdrop of the coronavirus crisis, the implementation report on the partnership with the EU's outermost regions (OR) and public transport in cities and metropolitan regions. Members also discussed the REACT-EU package, Cross-border public services and the state of play of the MFF negotiations. 

On 17 September 2020, the European Commission launched this year’s European Semester cycle with the publication of the Annual Sustainable Growth Strategy 2021 (ASGS). Usually issued in November, this ASGS came unexpected early due to the Commission’s decision to “temporarily adapt the European Semester to the launch of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF)” in order to avoid an overlap between both. This ASGS is also unusual in its content since it largely focuses on setting the strategic guidance for the implementation of the RRF. It was accompanied by two Staff Working Documents providing additional guidance and a template to support Member States in the preparation of their national and Recovery and Resilience plans (RRP). 

he COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically affected our world and our way of living with dire loses and substantial consequences on every aspect of our daily existence. The Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and the EU Budget (COTER) at the European Committee of the Regions will prepare regular bulletins on the policy fields within its remits reflecting recent research, articles and discussions on the socio-economic impact of the pandemic in Europe and on the different actions and response measures planned and implemented at EU, national, regional and local level.​ 

Two of our RegHub contact points will feature on a high-level panel with Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič on 7 October 2020 from 11.30 – 13.00 during this year's edition of the European Week of Regions and Cities (#EURegionsWeek). 

Em 22 de setembro, os membros da Comissão da Cidadania, Governação e Assuntos Institucionais e Externos do CR (CIVEX) debateram a situação política na Bielorrússia, com a participação de Petras Auštrevičius (LT-Renew), relator do Parlamento Europeu sobre as relações com a Bielorrússia. 

The first week (5-11 October) out of three of this year's #EURegionsWeek is dedicated to the thematic cluster Empowering Citizens. Check out the online programme and discover interesting working sessions on various topics. 

The third week (19 to 22 October) of this extended edition of the #EURegionsWeek will revolve around the theme Green Europe. The programme is fully dedicated to the Green Europe theme. Check out our programme and register in order to have the sessions added to your agenda! 

The second week (12 to 16 October) of this year's #EURegionsWeek is dedicated to the thematic cluster Cohesion and Cooperation. This week includes the highest number of working sessions, together with all the political highlights. Do not miss the speech "Annual Regional and Local Barometer - State of the Union from the regional and local perspective", to be given by CoR President Tzitzikostas and add other key moments to your agenda! 

O Comité das Regiões Europeu (CR) lançou um grupo de contacto para manter os canais de comunicação entre os órgãos de poder local e regional da União Europeia e os municípios, as regiões e as administrações descentralizadas do Reino Unido. A iniciativa surge na sequência da saída do Reino Unido da UE em 31 de janeiro de 2020. 

A pandemia de COVID-19 tem repercussões consideráveis nas economias europeias. A Comissão ECON do Comité das Regiões Europeu elabora boletins económicos regulares sobre investigação recente, artigos e debates relativos ao impacto socioeconómico da pandemia na Europa e às diversas medidas de resposta económica previstas e aplicadas a nível da UE, nacional, regional e local. 

The RegHub secretariat has recently carried out a complete evaluation of the RegHub pilot project.  

The European Union cannot succeed without regions and cities. It is local and regional authorities that are bringing the EU through the COVID-19 pandemic. It is cohesion between regions that is the heart of European solidarity. It is the engagement by regional and local politicians that will deliver the more ambitious targets for climate change announced yesterday. I am confident President Ursula von der Leyen will build an even stronger partnership with our Committee as it is the one million regional and local elected politicians who are Europe's safety net, who are key actors in managing the pandemic and who will be crucial actors in fostering our recovery. 

The European Committee of the Regions' Commission for Natural Resources (NAT) met for the first time after the summer break to discuss sustainable tourism and the responses needed at EU level to face the challenges posed by the Coronavirus and its impact on local communities. At the meeting on 18 September, members also adopted opinions on the Farm to Fork strategy, on EU4Health, on rural revival and on the EU's civil-protection mechanism – all policies with the potential to help build resilient communities across the EU. Members of the commission also exchanged views on agro-ecology.  

On 16 September, the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will, in her first State of the Union speech, share her vision for a stronger Europe and a better world after the pandemic, get familiar with this key moment of democracy. 

Em 11 de setembro, os membros da Mesa* do Comité das Regiões Europeu (CR) debateram o impacto da crise da COVID-19 nas aldeias, cidades e regiões, assim como a necessidade de melhorar o funcionamento da União Europeia. O presidente da região da Renânia do Norte-Vestefália da Alemanha, Armin Laschet, e o vice-presidente da Comissão Europeia, Maroš Šefčovič, participaram igualmente no evento em linha. 

The 2020 edition of the European Natura 2000 Award includes 27 finalists. You can vote now for your favourite project to win the European Citizens’ Award. 

We, the members of the Bureau of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), call on the Belarusian authorities to ensure the respect of fundamental values, human rights and freedoms, and we strongly condemn all violence, repression and arrests of peaceful protesters.