Local and regional leaders are calling for a structured involvement of local and regional authorities in the European Semester process, especially now that the Semester gives guidance to cohesion policy. The opinion on this issue drafted by Rob Jonkman (NL/ECR) was adopted unanimously at the April plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) in Brussels.

Integrarea migranților și respectarea drepturilor fundamentale și a valorilor UE în toate statele membre vor fi componentele centrale ale celor două dezbateri din cadrul sesiunii plenare a Comitetului European al Regiunilor (CoR) din 10 și 11 aprilie. Dl Dimitris Avramopoulos, comisarul european pentru migrație, afaceri interne și cetățenie, va participa la lansarea noii inițiative „Orașele și regiunile în serviciul integrării migranților” , iar dl Koen Lenaerts, președintele Curții de Justiție a Uniunii Europene, și dl Frans Timmermans, prim-vicepreședintele Comisiei Europene, vor evalua amenințările actuale la adresa drepturilor fundamentale și a valorilor UE. URMĂRIȚI #CoRplenary LIVE – Documentele sesiunii plenare sunt disponibile aici

The European Committee of the Regions' (CoR) commission for economic policy (ECON) adopted today by unanimity an opinion on the interlinkages between the European Semester and cohesion policy. ECON members stressed that local and regional authorities must play a lead role in shaping the development of country-specific recommendations on investment and economic reform plans. They also debated the challenges facing the socio-economic transitions of coal regions in Europe, the impact of Brexit, and how to move towards a sustainable Europe.

Michel Delebarre, member of Dunkirk Municipal Council (FR/PES) and senator for the Nord department, has been elected as chair of the European Committee of the Regions' Commission for Economic Policy (ECON) following Christian Buchmann (AT/EPP), member of the Styrian Parliament. Arnoldas Abramavičius (LT/EPP), Member of Zarasai District Municipal Council and Rob Jonkman (NL/ECR), Member of the Executive Council of Opsterland, will serve as First and Second Vice-Chair.