Brussels, 27/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - For what is likely to be the last time during his term of office, the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, will address the Committee of the Regions (CoR) on 30 January. He will open the regional delegates' plenary session with a balance sheet on the progress achieved in EU growth, the mid-term review of the EUROPE 2020 strategy and cohesion policy reform for the new programming cycle. Members of the CoR will be able to debate these subjects with the outgoing president, as well of the role played by the local and regional authorities in the European election process this year. They will also hold talks with European Commissioner for Financial Affairs Olli Rehn, who will take stock of EU financial governance, fiscal consolidation and economic and monetary union (EMU).
Regional delegates will adopt a series of recommendations on current European legislative projects such as those by Jean-Louis Destans (PES, France) on the EMU's social dimension, by Sirpa Hertell (EPP, Finland) on the recent Energy/Climate 2030 package and by Franck Zimmermann (PES, Germany) on reform of the telecoms market. (MD/transl.fl)