The Commission published on 23 April its fourth report on the state of Schengen, reviewing developments over the past year and setting priorities for the year ahead. 40 years since its creation show that the Schengen area has brought profound benefits to the EU and its citizens. It is the backbone of the EU’s internal […]
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CoR and Commission launch network for local and regional politicians
A new network aimed at encouraging locally and regionally elected politicians to engage more with the European Union and the benefits it can bring to their communities was officially launched on 10 April. The EU Local Councillors Network, which already has 3000 participants, builds on the success of two similar existing initiatives and aims to […]
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Modernising the cohesion policy to meet current challenges
Cohesion policy is the EU’s main investment policy. It plays a key role in reducing disparities between EU regions to promote economic, social, and territorial cohesion, and making the EU more competitive, sustainable, and equitable. Under its mid-term review of the cohesion policy, the European Commission is proposing amendments to existing laws and inviting EU […]
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These are the new demands of local and regional leaders
Regions and cities called for increased funding for research and innovation (R&I) and a unified research market during the meeting of the commission for Social Policy, Education, Employment, Research and Culture (SEDEC) on 6 March. They urged the EU and member states to meet the target of 3 % of GDP on R&I, ensuring a […]
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Vasco Alves Cordeiro elected chair of the Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget
At their first meeting of this new mandate, members of the Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget (COTER) elected Vasco Alves Cordeiro as President and Emil Boc as First Vice-President to lead the work of regions and cities. The COTER commission plays an essential role in defending and promoting cohesion policy in the legislative process of the European Union. […]
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Hungarian socialist Kata Tüttő elected to lead EU regions and cities
Her election, which came at the start of the 2025-2030 mandate of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), means that President Tüttő will be the leading voice of regions and cities in the European Union for the next two and a half years. Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla, (EPP/ES) president of the Spanish region of Andalusia, will […]
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The Council adopts recommendations for countries with excessive deficit
The Council adopted recommendations for seven countries to correct their excessive deficit situation within a set time period: Belgium, France, Italy, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Romania. The recommendations contain a corrective budgetary path, expressed in numerical terms, and a deadline, for each member state. These are in line with each member states’ objectives, expressed in […]
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EU guidance on how to address Europe’s socio-economic challenges in 2025
The European Commission has published further policy guidance to support EU countries preserve macroeconomic stability while promoting growth and improving their competitiveness. This is essential in helping the EU to tackle next year’s socio-economic challenges. The latest guidance includes euro area policies, the Alert Mechanism Report and Joint Employment Report for 2025. According to the Joint Employment Report proposal, […]
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Mediterranean cities and regions emphasise need for dialogue and cooperation on water and energy
Local and regional leaders from Mediterranean cities convened in Amman on 4-5 November for the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM), where they underscored their commitment to cooperation and dialogue on critical regional challenges including cultural dialogue, water scarcity and the energy transition. ARLEM’s plenary session in Amman, capital of Jordan, was co-chaired by the […]
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