Rural areas account for almost 30% of the EU population and 80% of its territory, making them a vital part of Europe's recovery and development The European Commission's long-term vision for the future of rural areas is a promising start but making it a reality will require political will from every level of government, stakeholders and citizens alike, the European Committee of the Regions warned on Wednesday.  

The European Committee of the Regions and the European Commission will intensify their cooperation to ensure that regions across the Union can benefit fully from unprecedented levels of EU investment as they recover from the pandemic. The aim is to support local and regional authorities in effectively using the €500 billion available in EU structural funds and national co-funding and secure their consistency and complementarity with the Recovery and Resilience Facility. 

The EU's support for a rural revival, delivering cohesion policy, the European Green Deal and the Conference on the Future of Europe will be central themes at the upcoming plenary of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR). The two-day plenary, which will be held remotely and streamed live, will be addressed by five European Commissioners and will see Henriette Reker, Mayor of Cologne, presented with the first Mayor Pawel Adamowicz Award. 

"On behalf of the European Committee of the Regions, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to Roberta Metsola for her election as President of the European Parliament, becoming the youngest president in its history and the first female president in over twenty years." 

Henriette Reker, the Mayor of Cologne, was today named as the first winner of an award created in honour of Mayor Paweł Adamowicz of Gdańsk, who was murdered in January 2019 while fulfilling his public duties. 

Apostolos Tzitzikostas, President of the European Committee of the Regions, said on 11 January: I am deeply saddened by the sudden death of David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament. The European Union and Italy cry the passing away of a true European. 

A permanent process of consultation with citizens, through their local and regional representatives, would be a major improvement to European democracy, according to the European Committee of the Regions (CoR). As the latest round of debates under the Conference on the Future of Europe takes place in Strasbourg this weekend, the CoR has published an interim report based on the input given by citizens during local dialogues on the nine main themes of the Conference. The input from nearly 130 dialogues with citizens across the EU clearly shows that local and regional leaders are seen as key actors in this consultation process. The ideas collected during these dialogues were submitted to the digital platform of the Conference and will reflect the voice of citizens alongside the European citizens' panels organised as part of the Conference. 

​On 17, 18 and 23 November, participants of the European Committee of the Regions' (CoR) programme Young Elected Politicians (YEP) gathered in a Forum to formulate their recommendations for the future of Europe, with a focus on digitalisation. Anne Karjalainen (FI/PES), Chair of the Commission for social policy, education, employment, research and culture (SEDEC) of the CoR, Member of the Commission for Economic Policy (ECON) and Chair of Kerava City Council, opened the workshop on digitalisation. 

Astăzi, pentru prima oară, membrii Platformei părților interesate anunțate în Planul de acțiune al UE: Către reducerea la zero a poluării apei, aerului și solului s-au întrunit pentru a începe să dezvolte programul de lucru pentru perioada 2022-2024, menit să sprijine punerea în aplicare a planului de acțiune. Platforma este o inițiativă comună a Comisiei Europene și a Comitetului European al Regiunilor. 

Post-pandemic sustainable economic growth agenda discussed at meeting of Turkish and EU local leaders to close a year of improvement in the tenor of EU-Turkey relations. 

EU's cities and regions are looking forward to strengthening further their cooperation with the European Commission in the fields of research and innovation, education and culture. Through the Joint Action Plan which enters its second year, regions and cities will play their part in the success of the European Year of Youth 2022, in strengthening democratic values through education, in the New European Bauhaus initiative, in delivering the EU Missions, in reinforcing the territorial dimension of the European Research Area (ERA) and the synergies between Horizon Europe and Structural Funds, as well as in developing a new pilot project of smart specialisation strategies for sustainability (S4). 

President Maia Sandu of Moldova has emphasised the empowerment of local authorities will be central to the success of reforms in her country, pledging to increase funding available to them. Speaking on the eve of a summit of the Eastern Partnership, she also urged local public administrations "to build partnerships, support each other and share good practices". 

​Members of the European Committee of the Regions were invited to represent the EU's regions and cities at the yearly European Education Summit organised by the European Commission on 9 December. This provided an opportunity to underline the essential contribution of local and regional authorities to developing high-quality digital education and skills, to reinforcing active European citizenship and to responding to future challenges in the field of education and training. This year's event was organised fully online. 

Membrii Comisiei pentru politica de coeziune teritorială și bugetul UE (COTER) au adoptat un proiect de aviz privind politica de transport rutier cu emisii zero și instalarea infrastructurii pentru combustibili alternativi în toate orașele și regiunile din UE. În cadrul ședinței lor din 10 decembrie, liderii locali și regionali au discutat, de asemenea, despre modul în care s-a încheiat Anul european al căilor ferate 2021 și despre relațiile cu Regatul Unit. 

​​On 10 December the members of the European Commission's Fit for Future (F4F) Platform adopted eight opinions that aim at simplifying EU laws, and reducing unnecessary costs. Since local and regional authorities are implementing 70% of EU legislation, it is of great importance to have feedback from local and regional representatives in the F4F platform. The European Committee of the Regions' (CoR) was represented by its members Mark Speich (DE/EPP), Anne Karjalainen (FI/PES) and Ulrika Landergren (SE/RE), who presented opinions respectively on public procurement, environmental reporting and patients' rights in cross-border healthcare.  

​​​"The unprecedented volume of investments that is about to be allocated requires unprecedented cooperation between Brussels, Rome and the regions," President Apostolos Tzitzikostas told Italian regional and local leaders during a visit to Rome on 9 December in which he also underlined the particular importance that Italy will play in the European Union's economic recovery from the pandemic. 

The 8th meeting of the Green Deal Going Local working group focused on an assessment of Glasgow's COP26 climate conclusions and the prospects for enhanced cooperation with the United Nations in view of the next COP27 summit, due to take place in Egypt in 2022. Members exchanged on the 2022 European Commission Work Programme, and explored synergies with the European Commission's "Next Generation EU" campaign, which also aims at raising awareness on the Green Deal and mobilising youth to take climate action. During the meeting, members raised concerns about energy prices, which risks delaying the much-needed social, economic and green recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic across the EU.  

The Emissions Trading Scheme system should not damage territorial cohesion or put the most vulnerable citizens and territories at risk. This was one of the key messages of the 4th Multilevel Climate and Energy Dialogue, an initiative of the European Committee of the Regions to boost exchanges between EU, national and local and regional governments as to improve the EU's energy governance. 

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) stressed within the opinion adopted by unanimity at the Plenary Meeting on the 2nd of December, that the European Commission's report on competition policy 2020 must be followed by bold acts. The EU should take the needs of SMEs into account to create a fair and level playing field for the benefit of all EU citizens, considering the implications of the pandemic and the consequences of substantially increased amounts of state aid. Therefore, any COVID-19-related aid should be granted only to businesses that are experiencing the immediate financial impact of the pandemic. 

​On 30 November 2021, the Anna Lindh Foundation organised, in the framework of celebrations for the Day of the Mediterranean on 28 November and on the margins of the UFM Regional Forum, the award ceremony of the EuroMed Capital for Dialogue Award 2021 – a new initiative by this institution to promote intercultural dialogue in the Euro-Mediterranean region. 

Politica de coeziune trebuie să abordeze aspectele legate de egalitatea de gen și participarea femeilor pe piața forței de muncă – elemente esențiale pentru a realiza o mai mare coeziune economică și socială în Europa. Aceasta este solicitarea dintr-un aviz elaborat de Donatella Porzi, membră a Consiliului Regional Umbria (Italia), adoptat în sesiunea plenară a Comitetului European al Regiunilor (CoR) la 2 decembrie. Liderii locali și regionali consideră că este extrem de important ca perspectiva de gen să fie inclusă, de asemenea, în planurile naționale de redresare și reziliență. 

Council of Europe leader calls for support for local media and emphasises the "major role" of local and regional authorities in tackling disinformation and hate. 

Organic farming, through its positive environmental and climate impact in terms of improved carbon sequestration and soil health, biodiversity conservation and animal welfare, contributes to the objectives of the European Green Deal and targets of the EU Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies. The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) adopted on 2 December the opinion on EU action plan for organic farming. 

The Climate Pact Ambassadors of the European Committee of the Regions and the Directorate General Climate Action of the European Commission debated on the first CoR Climate Ambassadors event on the possibilities offered by the initiative whose purpose is to get individuals, communities and organisations involved in climate actions and build a greener Europe. Climate Pact Ambassadors play a key role in the CoR's actions for the Climate Pact . 

Redresarea economică și socială, dar și tranziția verde și cea digitală pot avea succes numai dacă autoritățile locale și regionale sunt direct implicate în pregătirea și punerea în aplicare a planurilor naționale de redresare și reziliență (PNRR). Un parteneriat strâns între toate nivelurile de guvernanță, partenerii sociali și ONG-uri este de o importanță capitală pentru a se asigura că PNRR corespund nevoilor teritoriale și pentru a evita suprapunerile cu alte politici și fonduri ale UE. Acestea sunt principalele mesaje trimise de Comitetul European al Regiunilor (CoR) guvernelor naționale și instituțiilor UE prin intermediul unui aviz elaborat de Rob Jonkman, membru al Consiliului Executiv Opsterland (Țările de Jos). Textul a fost adoptat în sesiunea plenară a CoR din 1 decembrie. 

Regions and cities are calling on the European Commission to provide more support to all levels of government in the endeavour to end homelessness in Europe by 2030. In a debate with Nicolas Schmit, Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, members of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) welcomed the establishment of the European Platform for Combating Homelessness. An opinion adopted by the plenary session today underlines the role of local and regional authorities in developing a housing-led approach and a right mix of prevention measures that address both structural and personal causes of homelessness. 

Europe's regions and cities have welcomed the proposal to designate 2022 as the European Year of Youth. The resolution adopted today by the European Committee of the Regions' plenary session underlines the key role of local and regional authorities in promoting youth participation in local democracy and urges to mainstream a youth perspective in all EU policy areas. Bearing in mind the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on young people and their education, employment, income and mental health, the Committee calls to strengthen efforts to tackle youth unemployment and precarious working conditions and to improve access to housing, education and training. 

The EU's regions and cities have underlined their essential role in boosting investment in artificial intelligence (AI) and fostering trust in AI solutions. The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) has adopted an opinion calling for more transparency and stricter information requirements, especially what comes to high-risk AI systems. It also points out the major human rights risks and implications associated with the use of social classification, which should only be allowed only for specific purposes and always with human oversight to avoid any violations to the right to dignity and non-discrimination and to the values of equality and justice. 

Sustainable Development Goals and public participation in focus at Cities and Regions for International Partnerships forum. 

The blue economy employs close to 4.5 million people and generates around €650 billion in turnover and €176 billion in gross value added in the EU. Aquaculture – fish farming - accounts for 20% of fish and shellfish supply in the EU. The sector is composed of 15,000 enterprises and employs 70,000 people. As part of the blue economy, fisheries and aquaculture are key to boosting the COVID-19 economic recovery, creating jobs and offering sustainable development opportunities to coastal and rural populations. Yet red tape and insufficient investments continue to hinder the full development of a European aquaculture sector. 

The EU needs a strategy that can help industry to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reach climate-neutrality at the same time as helping to recover from the pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic. A set of concrete measures on how this can be achieved – including strengthening the role of SMEs and the territorial dimension of the EU's industrial strategy, pushing for place-based innovation policies, smart specialisation strategies and closer links between industrial and regional ecosystems – were adopted today by the European Committee of the Regions in its opinion 'Updating the 2020 New Industrial Strategy: Building a stronger Single Market for Europe's recovery'. 

Registration is now open for the 9th European Summit of Regions and Cities, scheduled to take place in Marseille (France) on 3-4 March 2022, in the context of the incoming French Presidency of the Council of the EU. 

The members of the European Committee of the Regions held a discussion with Herman Van Rompuy, president of the High Level Group on European Democracy, and Renaud Muselier, president of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Region, delegated president of the Association of the Regions of France and co-organiser of the European Summit of Regions and Cities. 

The European Union's debate on its future should result in deeper and more systematic collaboration with local and regional authorities, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) said on 1 December in recommendations that likewise called for direct consultation with the public to become a greater part of the life of the Union. The CoR, which brings together governors, mayors and councillors from across the EU, underlined the need for a regional perspective to become standard by suggesting that, whenever the EU chooses not to make an assessment of the impact of legislation on regions, it should be obliged to provide a public explanation. 

French President Emmanuel Macron discussed European values and the renewal of democracy with members of the European Committee of the Regions during the plenary session on 1 December. The French President stressed "the representativeness and importance of the CoR" and the fundamental role of subsidiarity and cohesion.  

On 29 November 2021, ARLEM vice-president André Viola, member of the Member of the Departmental Council of Aude (France), addressed the co-presidency of the Union for the Mediterranean and ministers of foreign affairs at the UfM Sixth Regional Forum held in the framework of the celebrations of the Day of the Mediterranean of 28 of November. 

Co-organised by the CoR, East Poland House and Polish rail operator PKP, the conference brought together local and regional authorities, sectoral stakeholders and EU institutions. The importance of close cooperation between all levels of governance and sectoral stakeholders for the shift to rail objectives set out under the EU Green Deal and in the context of the European Year of Rail 2021 (EYR 2021) was underscored from the outset by Marie-Antoinette MAUPERTUIS (FR/EA), second Vice-President of the CoR's COTER Commission. The focus on regional rail was particularly welcomed in particular by Alberto Mazzola, Executive Director of the Community of European Railways (CER), who called for regional rail to be more prominently addressed at EU level, recalling that most passenger rail journeys in the EU are made at local and regional level.  

The chairman of the CoR's High-Level Group on European Democracy – Herman Van Rompuy, former President of the European Council – will lead a debate on 1 December on strengthening European democracy in the context of the Conference on the Future of Europe. 

​​​​Moving towards zero-pollution, making the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) work for EU cities and regions along with gender equality and climate change are three of the main topics discussed at the ENVE commission meeting on 23 and 24 November. The meeting hosted the award ceremony of the Transformative Action Awards 2021. The conclusions of the COP26 climate summit have been part of the discussions with members celebrating the Glasgow Climate Pact reference to 'the urgent need for multilevel and cooperative action' to tackle the climate crisis. 

​​2021 marks the fifth anniversary of the Transformative Action Award, which recognises ongoing or concluded Transformative Actions - inspired by the 15 pathways outlined in the Basque Declaration - that accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement, in addition to spearheading the socio-cultural, socio-economic and technological transformation of societies. The Transformative Action Award is organised by ICLEI Europe, the Basque Country and the City of Aalborg with the support of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) and the European Investment Bank. 

The European Committee of the Regions' Commission for Natural Resources (NAT) met on 22 November to discuss and adopt a draft opinion on the EU Long-term vision for rural areas, which should take into account the specific needs of European territories and the differences among them. During the meeting, members also presented their expectations and hope for tourism in the next decade and exchanged views on the future EU State aid rules for agriculture, rural areas and forestry; on the Health Emergency Response Authority ​and on the new EU Forest Strategy for 2030. 

The transfer of more powers and funds to local government – coupled with specific efforts to improve efficiency, transparency, and accountability – have boosted public trust and made possible significant increases in investment in public services in Ukraine, leaders of local-government associations and city mayors told the European Committee of the Regions on 18 November. 

We are pleased to share the third edition of the COP26 Glasgow Chronicles series, bringing you a summary of the activities - and updates on the negotiations, that the members of the European Committee of the Regions delivered during the second week of COP26, the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that was hosted by the UK in Glasgow from 31 October to 13 November 2021. On the closing day, the CoR published a COP26 political declaration endorsed by several partners. The COP26 conclusions are gathered in the Glasgow Climate Pact. Following the end of Glasgow climate talks, the LGMA constituency, gathering subnational governments in the UNFCCC system, published that 'Multilevel action is the beacon of hope to keep the 1.5 degree goal alive'. Already in July 2017, the CoR published that 'Cities and regions can bridge the emissions gap'. 

Comitetul European al Regiunilor (CoR) deschide înscrierile pentru o ediție specială a premiului „Regiunea europeană întreprinzătoare” (REI). În cadrul tematicii generale „Antreprenoriatul și comunitățile reziliente”, orașele, regiunile și comunele pot prezenta strategii privind modul în care intenționează să sprijine IMM - urile în următorii doi ani. Termenul de depunere a candidaturilor este 29 martie 2022. 

​​​The future of European democracy requires permanent dialogue between citizens and their elected representatives and a clear understanding of the need for greater ownership of the European project at every level of government. This is one of the main conclusions from the work of the CoR's High Level Group on European Democracy chaired by former European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, shared today at the CoR's commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs – (CIVEX). 

This year's edition of the ESPAS Annual Conference, co-hosted by the EP and the EC, will see a high-level contribution by former CoR President Markku Markkula (FI/EPP). The ESPAS 2021 Conference will be held online on 18-19 November, under the headline 'Shaping Europe's future: Global trends and strategic choices.' 

​After two weeks of negotiations, the latest COP26 conclusions highlight the urgent need for multilevel and cooperative action. The reference was deleted in previous drafts, but reinserted after the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), speaking on behalf of the Local Governments and Municipal Authorities Constituency, called for it to be included during the COP26 stocktaking plenary session on 11 November, the cities and regions day at COP26. The latest draft also urges Parties to further integrate adaptation into local, national and regional planning and recognise the important role of non-Party stakeholders in contributing to the goals of the Paris Agreement. Looking ahead to the COP27, a coalition of international networks – led by the CoR and representing cities and regions worldwide – today adopted a political declaration in support of further strengthening multilevel collaboration as a prerequisite to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C by the end of the century. 

​The event took place on 12 November 2021 in fully remote format, co-organised by CEI and the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro (UOM). Roberto Ciambetti (IT/ECR), President of the Regional Council of Veneto and Co-Chair of the Joint Consultative Committee between the CoR and Montenegro, represented the Committee of the Regions. 

Joint Consultative Committee between the European Committee of the Regions and Montenegro held its 16th meeting on 3 November 2021, in Brussels-based hybrid format, under the joint leadership of its two Co-Chairs, Roberto Ciambetti (IT/ECR), President of the Regional Council of Veneto, and Aleksandar Kašćelan, Mayor of Cetinje. 

Apostolos Tzitzikostas, President of the European Committee of the Regions and Governor of the region of Central Macedonia, spoke on 9 November at the Berlin Conference organised every year by the Stiftung Zukunft Berlin to mark the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The theme of this year's conference is "Europe Bottom Up!".