Highlights from the EU's assembly of local and regional leaders, June 2016 - Hoofdinhoud

Met dank overgenomen van Comité van de Regio's (CvdR) i, gepubliceerd op vrijdag 17 juni 2016.

Efforts to help Europe's steel industry, to counter radicalisation, and to revise the EU's budget for 2014-2020 were major topics of debate during the European Committee of the Regions' plenary session on 15-16 June. The EU's assembly of local and regional representatives also adopted recommendations on how to manage waste, reduce food waste, and respond to Europe's demographic challenges, as well as giving its appraisal of the EU's enlargement strategy. Three winners of the European Entrepreneurial Regions Award 2017 were named and rewarded.

EER award: and the winner is…

This year Extremadura, Lower Austria and Western Greece convinced the European Entrepreneurial Region (EER) jury with forward-looking political strategies to boost small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurship as well as with their action plans to turn these visions into reality in 2017.

Press release: Extremadura, Lower Austria and Western Greece win the European Entrepreneurial Region award 2017

Revision of the EU's long-term budget

The CoR adopted a position urging the EU's decision-making institutions to turn the mid-term review of the EU's Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) into a full-scale revision of the budget, with more funds to be channelled to policies focused on structural growth. Beneficiaries of the recommendations would include the European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI), the Youth Employment Initiative, and the European Agenda on Migration.

Press release: Regions and cities: time to revise the EU long-term budget to boost growth and respond to migration crisis

European steel industry

Better and quicker EU trade defence measures against imports at dumping prices, the abolition of the 'lesser-duty rule' and a reform of the emissions-trading scheme were the main calls presented by CoR rapporteur Isolde Ries in a discussion with Commissioner Bieńkowska, Edouard Martin MEP and Paul Magnette, Minister-President of Wallonia.

Press release: Regional and Local leaders on steel: a competitive steel industry is needed for economic recovery and growth across Europe

Countering radicalisation

The political leaders of the EU's cities and regions have called for greater investment in policies to prevent radicalisation, agreeing on a set of principles and proposals drafted by Bart Somers (BE/ALDE), Mayor of Mechelen. "There is no silver bullet to the problem of violent radicalisation, and policing alone will not stop terrorists. Prevention is where local and regional authorities can help most," Mr Somers said. The EU's counter-terrorism coordinator, Gilles De Kerchove, addressed the plenary session and took questions from members before the opinion was adopted.

Press release: Policing alone will not stop terrorists, Europe's cities say

Waste directives

Domenico Gambacorta's (IT/EPP) legislative proposals include a 70% target for the reuse and recycling of municipal waste, 10% reduction of municipal waste by 2025, food-waste reduction by at least 30% by 2025 and targets for plastic packaging by 2030. The "comparable in quantity" criterion in the definition of municipal waste was eventually adopted.

Press release: Local and regional leaders call for more ambitious waste management targets

Food waste

The CoR has called for the EU to cut reduce food waste by 30% by 2025. Around 20% of the food produced in the EU each year goes to waste, equivalent to almost 173 kg per person. The opinion sets out ideas ranging from sustainability criteria in public procurement and local sourcing of food to labelling and awareness-raising. Vytenis Andriukaitis, the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, spoke at the plenary, stressing that regions and cities have "an important role" to play.

Press release: 30% by 2025: EU must set ambitious targets to combat waste food

Response to the EU's demographic challenge

The EU's current response to its demographic challenges is partial and poorly developed, argues rapporteur Juan Vicente Herrera (ES/EPP), President of the Castile and Leon region. A comprehensive European strategy is needed, as growing demographic disparities among territories risk having major economic, social and environmental effects in Europe. A new OECD report on regional development was also presented to the CoR members at the plenary session.

Press release: Europe's demographic challenges require a strong EU response

EU enlargement strategy

More work needs to be done to improve the administrative capacity of local and regional governments in the seven countries currently seeking membership of the EU, the CoR argues in an opinion drafted by Anna Magyar (HU/EPP). The CoR also says that the EU's work with the western Balkans states and Turkey needs to show more clearly the benefits of closer relations with the EU. The paper supports the EU's overall approach in its enlargement negotiations.

Press release: Enlargement process needs to involve local and regional levels

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Press contacts:

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pierluigi.boda@cor.europa.eu

David Crous Duran (ES, FR)

Tel: +32 2 282 2409

Mobile: +32 476 87 99 29

david.crous@cor.europa.eu