07/09/2021 (Agence Europe) – Juanma Moreno Bonilla (EPP, Spain), the European Committee of the Regions’ (CoR) rapporteur on the long-term vision for rural areas, challenged ministers and the European Commission on the need to better involve Europe’s regions in the implementation of the Next Generation EU recovery plan, at an informal meeting of EU agriculture and fisheries ministers on Tuesday 7 September (see other news). Mr Moreno lamented that most national recovery plans do not “properly” involve cities and regions. This situation risks leading to a mismatch between investments and the real needs of the territories, stressed the current president of Andalusia. In June, the Commission presented its long-term vision for rural areas (see EUROPE 12751/13). The CoR will organise a forum on the subject in December 2020. (PH)