15. novembra so vse kontaktne točke mreže regionalnih središč preko orodja EU Survey prejele vprašalnike, namenjene posvetovanju v okviru mreže o čezmejnemu zdravstvenem varstvu. Kontaktne točke morajo do 13. januarja 2020 do polnoči zbrati povratne informacije od zainteresiranih strani, izpolniti vprašalnik in ga poslati tajništvu regionalnih središč.  

During the 137th European Committee of the Regions (CoR) Plenary, that took place on 4-5 December in Brussels, regional and local leaders delivered their recommendations for the preparation of the next generation of cohesion programmes, which set the basis for cohesion policy implementation for the 2021-2027 period. In the opinion on "The challenges of metropolitan regions and their position in the future Cohesion Policy post 2020" , drafted by Juraj Droba (SK/ECR) , Chairman of Bratislava Self-Governing Region, the CoR called for increased recognition of the contribution of metropolitan regions (MRs) to the objectives of cohesion policy. The CoR also stresses that although MRS are seen as engines of Member States' economies, they have to address economic, fiscal and territorial challenges, while at the same coping with an expanding demand for quality public services and limited financial resources. 

​Declaration “JOIN, BOOST, SUSTAIN” for greater uptake of digital solutions and the creation of the European Way of digital transformation was kicked-off in Oulu on 10 December.  

Members of the European Committee of the Regions debated the Conference on the Future of Europe on 9 December, voicing support for a process of active listening to citizens and arguing that the conference should be accompanied by a broad shift towards a more transparent and open way of governance. They also called for cities and regions to be involved in the Conference, an argument supported by MEP Daniel Freund, coordinator of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament's Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO), who said that the involvement of regions and cities would be critical to the success of the Conference. 

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) has set out its demands for the European Green Deal, which it believes must be met to reach climate neutrality by 2050. From energy to mobility, agriculture, biodiversity, digitalisation and the circular economy, the Committee argues that the Green Deal needs a clear action plan with measurable objectives, targeted actions, and appropriate funding, prepared together with local and regional authorities – if Europe is to respond to the climate emergency.  

The members of the European Committee of theRegions (CoR) discussed the European Commission'sannual Competition Policy Report during theirDecember plenary session in Brussels. The opinion drafted by Dominique Lévêque (FR/PES) calls for future legislation to account for themore complex state activity needed to unlockregions' full economic potential in the green anddigital transformation.  

Evropska unija bi morala v prizadevanja v boju proti dezinformacijam nujno vključiti lokalne in regionalne oblasti, pravi Evropski odbor regij v poročilu, sprejetem 5. decembra. Skupščina EU, ki združuje lokalne in regionalne politike, je EU tudi pozvala, naj poveča pritisk na platforme družbenih medijev, da bi se te hitreje, učinkoviteje in ustrezneje odzivale na dezinformacije. 

Partnerstvu Evropske unije s šestimi državami na njeni vzhodni meji, vključno z Ukrajino, bi bilo treba v naslednjem desetletju nameniti bistveno več sredstev. Tako je Evropski odbor regij 5. decembra zapisal med priporočili, v katerih je EU pozval k večjim prizadevanjem, da bi se koristi sodelovanja razširile tudi zunaj nacionalnih prestolnic. Odbor je med mnogimi konkretnimi predlogi pozval še k ustanovitvi akademije za usposabljanje javnih uslužbencev lokalne in regionalne uprave ter k večji podpori za lokalne čezmejne projekte. 

Lokalni in regionalni voditelji so novega evropskega komisarja za delovna mesta in socialne pravice Nicolasa Schmita opozorili, da mora EU določiti jasna pravila za gospodarstvo platform, ki bodo zagotavljala pravice delavcev in enake konkurenčne pogoje za spletne in nespletne gospodarske dejavnosti na enotnem trgu. 

Trgovinski spori med EU in ZDA so prizadeli evropske regionalne agroživilske proizvode. Mesta in regije EU so na plenarnem zasedanju izrazili globoko zaskrbljenost, ker ameriške tarife škodijo proizvodnim sektorjem, lokalnim gospodarstvom in velikemu številu družinskih podjetij. Na pobudo španske delegacije bo Evropski odbor regij (OR) več pozivov o trgovinskih sporazumih vključil v mnenje, ki ga bo sprejel maja 2020. V odziv na pomoč, ki jo je EU dala Airbusu, so ZDA 18. oktobra 2019 uvedle tarife v vrednosti 6,9 milijarde EUR, ki veljajo za več kot 1 400 proizvodov. 

On 5 December, Jacques Blanc (FR/EPP), mayor of La Canourge and the European Committee of the Regions' rapporteur on pastoralism, spoke at a hearing on wolves held in Brussels by the European Parliament. He called for the Member States to have more resources and more flexibility to manage their populations of large carnivores. 

The potential of the rail sector in delivering EU policy priorities is the main topic and title of the opinion adopted by the members of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) during their December plenary session. Pascal Mangin (FR/EPP), Regional Councillor of Grand Est, highlights in his opinion ways to make the transport sector greener by making better use of rail and how rail can contribute to greater economic and social cohesion in Europe's regions. 

​At a hearing held at the European Parliament on reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), Guillaume Cros (FR/PES), Vice-President of the Occitan Region and European Committee of the Regions rapporteur on the CAP, pointed out that according to the Court of Auditors report of 20 November, environmental aspects are not given sufficient weight among the many challenges to the future CAP that have been identified. The Committee of the Regions' recommendations also match the aims of the Green Deal announced by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. 

At its December plenary session, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) adopted an opinion on a macro-regional strategy for the Carpathians, following an initiative by the Marshal of the Podkarpackie region Władysław Ortyl (PL/ECR). Putting in place a fifth macro-regional strategy would mean additional funding for all regions in the Carpathians, both EU and non-EU such as Ukraine, Serbia and Moldova.  

Na današnji konferenci je nova evropska komisarka za notranje zadeve Ylva Johansson pohvalila mesta, kraje in vasi po vsej Evropski uniji, ki si prizadevajo za vključevanje beguncev in migrantov. Predsednik Evropskega odbora regij Karl-Heinz Lambertz je to podporo pozdravil in dejal, da je v Evropi pri migracijah potreben „pravičnejši, bolj pragmatičen in vključujoč pristop, s katerim bi podprli regije in mesta“. 

Gospodarske zbornice in regionalne oblasti lahko pomembno prispevajo k izboljšanju izvajanja v Evropski uniji, saj so najbližje lokalnim podjetjem in lahko zagotavljajo regionalno relevantne informacije. Da bi ugotovila, kakšne so potrebe in zahteve posameznih regij, vas OR in EUROCHAMBRES vabita k sodelovanju v anketi. Anketa se osredotoča na pomembnejše sporazume o prosti trgovini (tiste v veljavi in tiste, ki so bili sklenjeni, vendar še ne veljajo), v njej pa lahko sodelujete do sredine oktobra. Rezultati bodo predstavljeni na delavnici, ki jo novembra 2019 skupaj pripravljata OR in EUROCHAMBRES. 

Predsednik Evropskega odbora regij (OR) Karl-Heinz Lambertz bo 4. decembra v okviru razprave s predsednikom Evropskega parlamenta Davidom Sassolijem imel že tretji govor o stanju v Evropski uniji: stališče regij in mest . V tem govoru ob 25-letnici OR bo predstavil pričakovanja regij in mest v novem mandatu institucij EU. Na plenarnem zasedanju bodo člani OR med drugim z novim evropskim komisarjem Nicolasom Schmitom razpravljali o krepitvi socialnih pravic ter po razpravi z izvršnim podpredsednikom Evropske komisije Fransom Timmermansom sprejeli stališče o evropskem zelenem dogovoru. 

Brain drain and negative effects of demographic change have been key concerns for the SEDEC Commission of the European Committee of the Regions during the current mandate period, which is nearing its end. At its last meeting of the year on 27 November, SEDEC members adopted an opinion drafted by Emil Boc (RO/EPP), mayor of Cluj-Napoca, which urges to address the challenge of brain drain in coordination with all levels of government. Otherwise, "the phenomenon will have long-term and permanent effects on the future of the European Union", the draft opinion warns.  

​​​The 2021 edition of the European Entrepreneurial Region (EER) Award has been launched. The lead theme of the EER 2021 campaign is Entrepreneurship for a green and sustainable future. Regions and cities that are ready to implement a future-oriented entrepreneurial strategy are invited to apply until 31 March 2020.  

Nagrada Evropska podjetniška regija, ki se letos z uspehom podeljuje že desetič, je bila posodobljena in obnovljena za naslednjih pet let. Vsak razpis za prijavo med letoma 2021 in 2025 bo imel glavno temo, ki bo povezana s politično agendo EU ter pomembna za lokalno in regionalno raven. V letu 2021 bo nagrada namenjena spodbujanju podjetništva za okolju prijazno in trajnostno prihodnost. Regije in mesta EU se bodo zanjo lahko prijavila do 31. marca 2020. 

Evropski odbor regij (OR) se veseli vrhunskega zasedanja 25. konference pogodbenic Okvirne konvencije Združenih narodov o spremembi podnebja (COP25) v Madridu, saj meni, da je to priložnost, da se uradno prizna ključna vloga mest in regij EU pri strateškem podnebnem upravljanju in zagotovi njihovo primerno sodelovanje pri zmanjšanju emisij toplogrednih plinov. Delegacijo OR v Madridu bo vodil prvi podpredsednik Markku Markkula, skupaj s predsednikom komisije ENVE Corom Lamersom (NL/EPP) in njenim podpredsednikom Jeanom-Noëlom Verfailliejem (FR/RE). Člani komisije za okolje, podnebne spremembe in energijo (ENVE) v OR so poudarili, da je lokalna in regionalna raven ključnega pomena za uspeh evropskega zelenega dogovora. 

Evropski odbor regij ( OR ) in Konferenca evropskih regionalnih zakonodajnih skupščin ( CALRE ) sta danes začela izvajati pilotni projekt, katerega cilj je v zakonodajnem procesu EU okrepiti sodelovanje regionalnih parlamentov z zakonodajnimi pooblastili. 

The implementation of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) is one of the topics in discussion today during the Foreign Affairs Council. EUROCHAMBRES and the European Committee of the Regions urge that the recommendations on how to boost uptake of FTA be taken into consideration. 

EUROCHAMBRES and the European Committee of the Regions have conducted the joint survey over the past months, with an objective to identify opportunities and obstacles faced in the implementation of EU FTAs. The survey is based on feedback from regions and chambers of commerce covering all EU member states. 

The mayor of Mariupol in south-eastern Ukraine told members of the European Committee of the Regions on 14 November that the city government has managed to transform public perceptions of his administration despite immense pressures created by the arrival of 100,000 Ukrainians displaced by the conflict the east of the country.  

Against the backdrop of ongoing discussions about the EU's next financial framework, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), members of the European Parliament and the International Association Rurality-Environment-Development (RED) met at a conference in Brussels on 12 November to talk about the specific needs of rural areas post-2020. They urged the European Commission to include provisions in its future legislative proposals to take account of the specificities of these areas and to provide them with adequate funding, in particular under the European Structural and Investment Funds (EFSI). 

Council of Europe and EU advocate use of innovative democratic tools to help Mostar as court orders Bosnia-Herzegovina to enable elections in southern Bosnian city. 

The members of the commission for economic policy (ECON) of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) discussed and adopted draft opinions on the collaborative economy, the European Commission's annual competition report as well as plans on how to improve the administrative capacity of local and regional authorities to support investment and reforms. The full assembly will vote on the three draft opinions during the plenary session in December. 

One year after the Commission had launched its updated European Bioeconomy Strategy, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the European Committee of the Regions organised together with the European Commission an event on European Bioeconomy: Regions, Cities and Civil Society on October 16, in Brussels. 

The projects Circular Berlin (Germany), Leuven2030 (Belgium) and the City of Lousada (Portugal) have been shortlisted as the finalists of the 2019 Transformative Action Award. Now in its third year, the Award recognises projects that contribute to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Climate Agreement and the achievement of the socio-cultural, socio-economic and technological transformation of societies, using the 15 pathways outlined in the Basque Declaration .