Brussels, 29/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - The question of the new prospects for local and regional economies will be at the heart of the forum being organised by the Committee of the Regions (CoR) for Tuesday 30 November, in Brussels. On this occasion, Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier is invited to clarify the consequences that his recently initiated reform of the internal market will have on local and regional authorities. Public procurement and services of general interest are the main concern of local and regional representatives, all the more as the economic context makes it a necessity for public action to not only support growth but to also meet social needs in a climate of budgetary austerity.
CoR President Mercedes Bresso will open the day's business. Her speech will be followed up by a presentation from Michel Barnier on reform. Speaking on this subject will be Vincent Van Quickenborne, the Belgian minister for the economy and administrative simplification, and Malcolm Harbour, who chairs the committee on the internal market and consumer protection, as well as the deputy chair of the EP committee on the internal market and consumer protection, Louis Grech, and the president of the General Council of the Eure (PES/France), Jean-Louis Destans. (G.B./transl.jl)