Brussels, 09/04/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 11 and Friday 12 April, the 100th plenary session will take place of the Committee of the Regions (CoR) since it was set up in 1994. Martin Schulz will attend and debate the European budget and economic crisis.
The president of the Committee of the Regions, Ramon Luis Valcarcel Siso, will welcome the president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, to a debate on the most important current EU affairs: the European budget and economic crisis. Ahead of the 2014 European elections, one of the priorities on the agenda will be to examine how to enhance voter turnout in these elections.
The challenge of re-industrialisation and the key role played by cities and regions in the implementation of industrial policy will also be among the key debates. Claude Gewerc (PES, France), the president of the Picardie Regional Council, will present a recommendation on the European Commission's strategy to support a strong, diverse and competitive industrial base in Europe. On 10 April, the CoR will also hold its third EUROPE 2020 conference, which will focus on the impact of the EU's industrial policy.
The plenary will also focus on the theme of solidarity within the EU and outside. The effectiveness of EU intervention in tackling world poverty will also be the subject of a resolution presented by the political groups of the CoR. The need to improve EU assistance to the poor within member states will also be examined in an opinion on the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived, presented by Ossi Martikainen (ALDE, Finland).
Decentralised development cooperation
Ahead of the plenary session, the CoR will hold its 3rd Assises of Decentralised Cooperation for Development (9-10 April), jointly organised with the European Commission. This event will bring together representatives from the local and regional authorities in the EU and developing countries. The timing is appropriate because the European Commission is getting ready to adopt two documents: a communication on the role of the local authorities in development cooperation and its Development Agenda for the post-2015 period. Commissioner Andris Piebalgs will speak at the end of the closing session, as will CoR President Valcarcel and Deputy President Mercedes Bresso. (LC/transl.fl)