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.

Integration av migranter samt respekt för de grundläggande rättigheterna och EU:s värderingar i alla medlemsstater kommer att vara huvudtema för två debatter vid Europeiska regionkommitténs (ReK) plenarsession den 10–11 april. Dimitris Avramopoulos, kommissionsledamot med ansvar för migration, inrikes frågor och medborgarskap, kommer att delta i lanseringen av ReK:s nya initiativ ” Städer och regioner för integration ” medan Koen Lenaerts, ordförande för Europeiska unionens domstol, och Frans Timmermans, förste vice ordförande för Europeiska kommissionen, kommer att göra en bedömning av de nuvarande hoten mot de grundläggande rättigheterna och EU:s värderingar . WATCH #CoRplenary LIVE – Plenarhandlingar finns här

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.