On the occasion of the launch of the Conference on the Future of Europe on 9 May in Strasbourg, the European Committee of the Regions is organising, together with the French government and the main French territorial associations, a local dialogue which will give the floor to local and regional elected representatives from all over Europe and to European citizens. The debate will take place immediately before the official launch of the Conference with the aim of marking its territorial dimension and guaranteeing that it reaches out to people in regions, cities and villages across Europe. Participants will discuss how to best involve local elected politicians and local communities in the Conference and how to ensure a stronger role for local and regional authorities in the Europe of tomorrow. 

The European Committee of the Regions' (CoR) has launched a mobile app that offers real-time notifications about news, events and opinions based on preferred topics. 

Local and regional leaders adopted a resolution on the Conference on the Future of Europe (the Conference) at the 144th CoR Plenary session and debated with Herman van Rompuy, former President of the European Council and Chair of the newly established High Level Group on European Democracy (HLG) on the CoR's perspective for the Future of Europe and the CoR's participation in the Conference. 

The CoR points out that large parts of EU environmental legislation including the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) and the Nature Directives have not been sufficiently implemented 

Regions and cities unanimously back the use of a common document to facilitate free movement in the EU during the pandemic and boost the tourism sector's recovery towards new sustainable models 

The European Union must reduce its dependence on producers outside its borders by encouraging the return of production of critical medicines and of protective equipment to European soil, members of the European Committee of the Regions said on 7 May. The call for "strategic autonomy" is one of the recommendations contained in an opinion on experiences and lessons learned by regions and cities during the COVID-19 crisis. 

The Union of Equality builds on local communities' work on the ground: this is the key message that members of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) stressed today in a debate with European Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli. Local and regional politicians from across Europe welcomed the inclusion of an equality perspective into all EU policies, legislation and funding programmes. 

Cities and regions deem it necessary to establish a coherent and simplified legal framework for the chemicals sector to make the industry greener and more effective. The European Committee of the Regions' (CoR) opinion on Safe and sustainable chemicals for a toxic-free environment in Europe's cities and regions recognises the importance of the new chemicals strategy presented by the European Commission and welcomes the steps leading to its implementation. 

In a bid to make the European education system more digital and resilient, local and regional politicians are calling on Member States to utilise a larger proportion of EU funds to improve digital education and to help close the digital gap between rural and urban areas. The suggestions are part of an opinion on the Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027 which was drafted by Gillian Coughlan (IE/Renew Europe), Member of the Cork County Council, and discussed by the members of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) on 6 May. 

Local and regional leaders have given their support to a greater role for the European Union in health issues and to EU plans to safeguard the stability and security of supplies of critical medicine and equipment. However, in a series of recommendations adopted at a plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions on 7-9 May, they also argue that the EU's plans to withstand health crises is undermined by too little attention to the importance of local and regional authorities, which are a cornerstone of health systems in two-thirds of European countries. 

The accelerated move to digital distribution channels, changed consumer habits and falling advertising revenues jeopardize local media's business cases and independence. The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) welcomes the Action Plan proposed by the European Commission but highlights the importance of taking into account the particularly alarming financial situation of local and regional media. In a multilevel political system like the European democracy, smaller media outlets directly in touch with citizens' concerns are critical to securing democratic control and legitimacy, argues the opinion drafted by rapporteur Jan Trei (EE/EPP), Member of Viimsi Rural Municipality Council, which was presented at the CoR's May plenary session. 

The accelerated move to digital distribution channels, changed consumer habits and falling advertising revenues jeopardize local media's business cases and independence. The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) welcomes the Action Plan proposed by the European Commission but highlights the importance of taking into account the particularly alarming financial situation of local and regional media. In a multilevel political system like the European democracy, smaller media outlets directly in touch with citizens' concerns are critical to securing democratic control and legitimacy, argues the opinion drafted by rapporteur Jan Trei (EE/EPP), Member of Viimsi Rural Municipality Council, which was presented at the CoR's May plenary session. 

The European Committee of the Regions has called on the European Union to temporarily waive patents for vaccines against the COVID-19 virus, in order to curb the rapid spread of the pandemic. It also pressed for production in Europe to be increased and for an acceleration in the vaccination campaign across Europe. 

​The Social Summit in Porto must affirm a strong commitment to the European Pillar of Social Rights and its headline targets, involving all levels of government 

European Parliament's Vice-President for Information policy, Press and Citizens Relations, Othmar Karas, and Vice-President for Relations with the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), Klára Dobrev, joined the members of the Bureau of the CoR to debate how to better communicate the EU action and achievements to people in regions, cities and villages across Europe. They also discussed how to contribute to the Conference on the future of EU and scale up the cooperation between the only two EU institutions gathering elected officials. 

Danes, samo nekaj dni pred začetkom konference o prihodnosti Evrope, je predsednik Evropskega parlamenta David Sassoli spregovoril na plenarnem zasedanju Evropskega odbora regij ter z lokalnimi in regionalnimi voditelji razpravljal o nujnosti, da konferenca poteka tudi na lokalni ravni, ne le v institucijah in glavnih mestih EU. 

For Europe Day (9 May) this year, the EU institutions are throwing open their ‘virtual’ doors so that citizens across Member States can find out more about the European Union and what it does despite the pandemic. The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) will publish animated video about its premises, role and functioning. An 'all EU-institution' Europe Day portal presents the various bodies and activities.  

António Costa, Prime Minister of Portugal, and European Parliament President, David Sassoli, will attend on 5 May the CoR Plenary session to discuss social Europe and the upcoming Conference on the future of Europe. On 6 May regional and local leaders will discuss with Commissioner Helena Dalli how to strengthen a Europe of equality. On 7 May a debate on the recovery in the hotel and catering sector will take place with Jens Zimmer Christensen, President of the HOTREC Association, the umbrella association of hotels, restaurants and cafés in Europe. On 7 May Herman Van Rompuy, former President of the European Council, will discuss with regional and local authorities the CoR contribution to the Conference on the Future of Europe, in his capacity as chairman of the High-Level Group on European Democracy recently created by the CoR. 

The European Commission has published a new Communication on its better regulation agenda . Building on the existing cooperation with the CoR's RegHub network, the European Commission has put forward a number of opportunities to enhance the role of regional and local authorities to provide input in a shared effort to update and simplify existing EU laws. 

The new European Commission (EC) communication on Better regulation: Joining forces to make better laws sets the scene for better law-making in the European Union and enhances the EC's commitment to make its policymaking processes more transparent, inclusive and efficient. The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) welcomes that the Commission commits to involve local and regional authorities more effectively along the entire policy-cycle, and that it acknowledges the need to develop a territorially sensitive approach to legislation.  

Fostering political engagement and increasing citizens' awareness of the benefits of the transition towards climate-neutrality are two key priorities of the European Committee of the Regions' (CoR) Green Deal Going Local working group. The CoR calls on local and regional leaders to join the new network of Climate Pact Ambassadors and take part in a structured system to collect cities' and regions' climate commitments ahead of the UN's COP26 climate talks in Glasgow and the UN's COP15 biodiversity summit in Kunming, China. New actions complement ongoing efforts to accelerate the rollout of the European Green Deal in every territory as Member States are submitting their COVID-19 recovery plans.  

​​In this interview, Emma Nohrén (SE/Greens) answers five questions on the role of local and regional authorities in protecting the marine environment. The Vice Mayor of the Swedish Municipality of Lysekil is the rapporteur of a draft opinion which calls for a new EU law on oceans with clear targets and milestones to reduce marine pollution and restore marine ecosystems. With the right support, local and regional authorities can set up new measures and projects that contribute to saving the oceans, while providing employment and boosting the economy. Between 4.8 and 12.7 million tonnes of plastic enter the ocean every year. Plastic accounts for 75% of marine litter in the world’s seas. 

On 14 April 2021, the two Co-Chairs of the Joint Consultative Committee between the CoR and Montenegro (JCC Montenegro), Roberto Ciambetti (IT/ECR) and Aleksandar Kašćelan, Mayor of Cetinje, had a bilateral videoconference meeting. Representatives of the European Conservatives and Reformers (ECR) political group in the CoR, CIVEX Secretariat, and the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro (UOM). 

​While Member States are currently defining their plans and priority investments under the Just Transition Mechanism , the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) brought together local and regional authorities and EU institutions to discuss cities' and regions' involvement in phasing out coal, reducing the footprint of carbon-intensive industries and addressing the social and economic effects of the transition towards a climate-neutral economy. The CoR's Multi-Level Dialogue was attended by representatives from the main beneficiaries of the EUR 150 billion Just Transition Mechanism which include Germany, Poland and Romania. The event is part of the Just Transition Platform meeting which aims to assist EU Member States and regions in the path towards climate neutrality 

Members of the European Committee of the Regions that called for the European Union to establish basic levels of cross-border services that must be provided even in emergencies that lead to the re-imposition of national borders. Speaking at an event focused on cross-border cooperation in the Neisse-Nisa-Nysa Euroregion, Martin Půta (CZ/EPP), governor of the Liberec region, Bernd Lange (DE/EPP), head of Görlitz district council, and Pavel Branda (CZ/ECR), deputy mayor of Rádlo – all of them members of the European Committee of the Regions – said that the coronavirus pandemic had underlined how close the day-to-day ties are in the region, but also the gaps in existing cooperation. The three-country Euroregion also covers part Lower Silesia in Poland. 

In two letters addressed to Maria do Céu Antunes , Minister for Agriculture of Portugal, who is holding the rotating Presidency of the Council, and to Janusz Wojciechowski , Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) call on the co-legislators to ensure a comprehensive and common European approach to the governance of regional interventions in the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The letters were sent ahead of the Agriculture Council's meeting (26 April) and ahead of a new round of negotiations between the European Union's Institutions on the future CAP. The Agriregions Coalition, AREFLH, AREPO and Euromontana have joined the claims of the CoR.  

Local and regional decision-makers, who gathered virtually together for the 7th meeting of the European Committee of the Regions' SEDEC Commission on 22 April, have backed the European Parliament's resolution that declares the entire EU a LGBTIQ Freedom Zone. They called the European Commission to ensure that the fundamental values of the European Union are observed and that no municipality, region or state introduces systemic discriminatory mechanisms, such as "LGBT-free zones" or resolutions "against LGBT ideology" like those adopted by certain local and regional authorities in Poland. 

The European Committee of the Region’s (CoR) commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget (COTER) adopted two draft opinions during its meeting on 23 April. The opinions cover the opportunities and challenges faced by regional airports and the smart mobility strategy of the EU. COTER members also appointed rapporteurs for three own-initiative opinions and the meeting concluded with the presentation of a study on the application of the partnership principle in cohesion policy programming. 

Konvencijo županov je leta 2008 uvedla Evropska komisija, da bi mestom in regijam pomagala pri uresničevanju podnebnih in energetskih ciljev EU za leto 2020. Konvencija je zdaj okrepila svojo vlogo, saj je svojo zavezo glede podnebja uskladila s ciljem EU, da do leta 2050 doseže podnebno nevtralnost, v pomoč izvajanju Konvencije v vseh državah članicah pa je oblikovala tudi nov zbor nacionalnih ambasadorjev . Konvencija županov ima več kot 10 000 podpisnikov, ki so deležni tehnične podpore in finančnega usmerjanja za pripravo in izvajanje energetskih in podnebnih načrtov, s katerimi se prispeva k omejitvi zvišanja temperature po svetu na manj kot 1,5 °C, kar je največja ambicija pariškega podnebnega sporazuma. 

Člani komisije OR za ekonomsko politiko (ECON) so se v osnutku mnenja o svežnju, povezanem z aktom o digitalnih storitvah, zavzeli za strožji regulativni pristop do velikih spletnih platform. V prisotnosti predstavnikov Evropskega parlamenta, Evropske komisije in Sveta so člani komisije ECON izrazili tudi zaskrbljenost, da Evropska komisija ne jemlje dovolj resno ciljev trajnostnega razvoja OZN in njihovega uresničevanja do leta 2030. Da bi Komisijo spodbudili k večjim političnim zavezam na tem področju, so sprejeli osnutek mnenja Uresničevanje ciljev trajnostnega razvoja do leta 2030 . 

​The second call for applications for EU City Facility grant is open until the 31 May. All municipalities and local authorities, their groupings, and local public entities aggregating municipalities or local authorities from the EU Member States, EEA-EFTA States and the United Kingdom that have a politically approved climate and energy plan are eligible for the 60.000 EUR grant. 

The European Committee of the Regions and the European Commission's Joint Research Centre organized a joint online workshop on 15 April to underline the role of regional Smart Specialisation Strategies as a cornerstone of EU policies, from the post-pandemic recovery plans to the delivery of the European Green Deal, digital transition and the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Enrico Rossi (IT/PES), član sveta občine Signa (Firence) in nekdanji predsednik dežele Toskana (2010–2020), v tem pogovoru odgovarja na šest vprašanj o mnenju, ki ga je pripravil o evropski pobudi „val prenove“. Evropski odbor regij (OR) je to mnenje sprejel marca. Pobuda val prenove, ki jo je Evropska komisija predstavila 14. oktobra 2020 , je namenjena izboljšanju energijske učinkovitosti stavb v Uniji in je ključni steber časovnega načrta evropskega zelenega dogovora . Stavbe predstavljajo 40 % evropske porabe energije in so vir 36 % emisij toplogrednih plinov, zato je njihova prenova ključna, da bi EU dosegla podnebno nevtralnost do leta 2050. V mnenju , ki ga je pripravil Enrico Rossi, mesta in regije pozivajo k reviziji shem državne pomoči, določitvi prožnejših proračunskih pravil, da bi čim bolj povečali naložbe in prenovo, in podnacionalnih ciljev za prenovo stavb ter vključitvi obnovljivih virov energije v projekte prenove. OR in Evropska komisija sta pravkar podpisala akcijski načrt za pospešitev prenove in razogljičevanja stavbnega fonda v EU. 

Poročevalec za mnenji Evropskega odbora regij o reformi SKP in o agroekologiji Guillaume Cros se je udeležil javnega posvetovanja v Evropskem parlamentu, na katerem so razpravljali o evropski državljanski pobudi Končajmo dobo kletk. Na njem je v skladu z mnenjem Reforma SKP , ki ga je OR sprejel leta 2018, ponovil njegovo stališče proti reji ptic in živali v kletkah. 

To strengthen the territorial dimension of the New European Bauhaus initiative, the European Commission and the European Committee of the Regions organised on 14 April an online workshop with mayors and other high-level representatives of several former European Capitals of Culture and Capitals of Innovation. Participants highlighted to Commissioners Mariya Gabriel and Elisa Ferreira that the success of the New Bauhaus project relies on harnessing the creative potential of cities and regions. ​ 

Izbrani so bili finalisti za nagrade evropskega tedna zmanjševanja odpadkov za leto 2020. Žirija na visoki ravni je v ožji izbor uvrstila šestnajst ustvarjalnih in učinkovitih akcij, ki so jih izvedli v osmih državah članicah na temo nevidnih odpadkov. Nagrajenci bodo razglašeni na podelitvi nagrad evropskega tedna zmanjševanja odpadkov 1. junija 2021 v okviru evropskega zelenega tedna . Finalisti so bili izbrani izmed skupno 84 akcij, predlaganih za nagrado med več kot 10.600 akcijami, ki so bile organizirane med 12. evropskim tednom zmanjševanja odpadkov (od 21. do 29. novembra 2020). Evropski teden zmanjševanja odpadkov 2021 bo potekal od 20. do 28. novembra. Evropski odbor regij je član usmerjevalnega odbora evropskega tedna zmanjševanja odpadkov. 

As the final in a series of three roadmap events leading to a high-level conference on apprenticeships, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) and the European Commission's European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA) organised on 23 March an online event in close cooperation with the European Association of Regional and Local Authorities for Lifelong Learning (EARLALL), the German delegation at the CoR, and the Basque Government. The live-streamed discussion explored local and regional initiatives for training, upskilling and reskilling health workers, taking into account the future skill needs of the sector. 

Around 2 000 people followed the livestream, including 900 secondary school and university students. ​​​On Friday the 26 March some 2 000 people tuned in to "Europa sostantivo femminile - Social responsibility from a gender perspective", an event broadcasted live from Bologna's City Council Hall which was set up as a TV studio with links to Rome and Brussels. An introduction by the mayor of Bologna, Virginio Merola, kicked off the event which included speeches from the European Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli, the Italian Minister for Equal Opportunities and Family Elena Bonetti, the President of the European Parliament David Sassoli and vice-president of the Emilia-Romagna Region Elly Schlein. 

Člani komisije Evropskega odbora regij (OR) za državljanstvo, upravljanje ter institucionalne in zunanje zadeve (CIVEX) so s predstavnikoma Evropskega parlamenta Antoniom Tajanijem in Helmutom Scholzem razpravljali o tem, kako vključiti milijon lokalnih in regionalnih politikov v projekte in pobude, ki lahko Evropo približajo ljudem in prispevajo k uspehu konference o prihodnosti Evrope. Pri tem so zlasti pozvali k sodelovanju članov OR v pilotnem projektu „Building Europe with Local Entitites“ (BELE), pobudi odbora Evropskega parlamenta za ustavne zadeve (AFCO). 

Skupni akcijski načrt za obdobje 2021-2022, ki sta ga danes podpisala Evropski odbor regij (OR) in Under2 Coalition, bo okrepil sodelovanje za spodbujanje podnebnih ukrepov na regionalni ravni, povečal preglednost in razkritje podatkov o podnebnih spremembah ter okrepil upravljanje na več ravneh v okviru Pariškega podnebnega sporazuma in evropskega zelenega dogovora. Ključni cilj je, da okrevanje po COVID-19 spodbudi podnebno agendo z večjo okoljsko, gospodarsko in socialno odpornostjo za boljše reševanje prihodnjih kriz. 

Na začetku tedna vizije podeželja so člani Odbora regij (OR) izrazili zaskrbljenost, da bi podeželska območja lahko imela manj koristi od načrtov Evropske unije za obnovo Evrope po pandemiji COVID-19, ki bo bolj zelena, digitalna in odporna. Naslednjo izjavo, ki so jo člani sprejeli na seji komisije OR za naravne vire (NAT) , podpira medskupina Evropskega parlamenta „Podeželska, gorska in oddaljena območja (RUMRA) in pametne vasi“, ki odločno zavrača vse načrte, ki ne upoštevajo načela partnerstva in ne vključujejo podeželskih območij. 

Ahead of an important discussion on Turkey at the European Council on 25-26 March, the chairman of the Working Group on relations with Turkey of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) has emphasised that all countries seeking EU membership must abide by rule-of-law principles. 

About one year after the outbreak of COVID19 in Europe, local and regional authorities continue to play their part in ensuring the health and safety of our citizens. 

Zavezništvo za kohezijo ( #Cohesion Alliance ) – vseevropsko zavezništvo 12 000 podpisnikov , ki se zavzemajo za močnejšo kohezijsko politiko po letu 2020 – pred zasedanjem Evropskega sveta poziva države članice, naj sodelujejo z lokalnimi in regionalnimi oblastmi pri oblikovanju, izvajanju in upravljanju nacionalnih načrtov za okrevanje in odpornost. Poziva tudi nacionalne parlamente, naj čim prej ratificirajo sklep o virih lastnih sredstev, da bo Evropska komisija lahko na kapitalskih trgih najela posojila v višini do 750 milijard evrov za odpravo negativnih posledic krize zaradi COVID-19. Poleg tega zavezništvo svari voditelje EU pred tveganjem tekmovanja za cepiva, ki lahko poglobi neenakosti med evropskimi regijami, mesti in vasmi. 

The European Committee of the Regions stands ready to sign and endorse the Joint Declaration of the Conference on the Future of Europe, on behalf of all 1 million locally and regionally elected leaders, representing the vote of the citizens living in 300 regions and over 90.000 municipalities. 

Na začetku tedna vizije podeželja so člani Odbora regij (OR) izrazili zaskrbljenost, da bi podeželska območja lahko imela manj koristi od načrtov Evropske unije za obnovo Evrope po pandemiji COVID-19, ki bo bolj zelena, digitalna in odporna. Naslednjo izjavo, ki so jo člani sprejeli na seji komisije OR za naravne vire (NAT) , podpira medskupina Evropskega parlamenta „Podeželska, gorska in oddaljena območja (RUMRA) in pametne vasi“, ki odločno zavrača vse načrte, ki ne upoštevajo načela partnerstva in ne vključujejo podeželskih območij. 

Evropski odbor regij je skupaj z Mednarodno mrežo mest zatočišč in mestom Gdansk ter ob navzočnosti komisarke za notranje zadeve Ylve Johansson danes napovedal ustanovitev nagrade župana Paweła Adamowicza. Nagrada, poimenovana po županu Gdanska in članu OR, ki je bil umorjen leta 2019, bo počastila tiste, ki se borijo za svobodo in solidarnost ter proti nestrpnosti, zatiranju in ksenofobiji. 

Povečati obseg rezerve za prilagoditev na brexit s 5 na 6 milijard evrov; podporo ribištvu prilagoditi regionalnemu učinku; povečati prožnost v zvezi z državno pomočjo ter vključiti lokalne in regionalne predstavnike v oblikovanje in upravljanje postopkov novega instrumenta so glavne zahteve iz mnenja, ki ga je pripravil predsednik regije Bretanja Loïg Chesnais-Girard (FR/PES) in je bilo sprejeto na plenarnem zasedanju Evropskega odbora regij (OR). 

Predstavniki regij in mest menijo, da sta boj proti revščini zaposlenih in navzgor usmerjeno zbliževanje minimalnih plač nujna za socialno, pravično in trajnostno tržno gospodarstvo v Evropski uniji. Evropski odbor regij (OR) je zato pozdravil predlog direktive Evropske komisije, katerega cilj je podati okvir za določitev ustreznih minimalnih plač ob spoštovanju veljavne nacionalne zakonodaje in vloge socialnih partnerjev. Mnenje OR , ki ga je pripravil Peter Kaiser (AT/PES), deželni glavar Koroške, je bilo sprejeto ta teden po razpravi s predstavnikom portugalskega predsedstva Sveta. 

Evropski odbor regij (OR) je v sklopu priporočil, sprejetih 19. marca, izrazil prepričanje, da bi morale institucije Evropske unije pregledati predloge, ki jih prinaša Novi pakt o migracijah in azilu , in sicer tako, da bi zagotovili večjo podporo regijam na mejah EU in boljšo zaščito ranljivih oseb ter skrajšali čas, ki ga posamezniki preživijo v sprejemnih centrih na mejah EU.