The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) held its 152nd plenary session from Wednesday 30 November to Thursday 1 December. On the agenda were the repercussions of the war in Ukraine, youth and European funds.
Food security
On Wednesday 30 November, the CoR held talks with EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski and MEP Marlene Mortler (EPP, German). Above all, members called on them to strengthen food systems at local and regional levels and to develop a long-term strategy to ensure EU food security. They also stressed the need to develop local emergency plans to ensure food supply and to strengthen the regulation of agricultural markets to avoid speculation. “European institutions, as well as national, local and regional authorities, must act together and design effective emergency measures, while continuing our transition to a sustainable economy”, said Vasco Alves Cordeiro.
An opinion on this subject, tabled by Piotr Całbecki (EPP, Polish) and calling in particular for increased funding for regional food security projects, was also adopted (https://aeur.eu/f/4fd ).
New own resources
In another opinion (https://aeur.eu/f/4fe ) adopted on Wednesday 30 November, the CoR expressed its concerns about the three new EU own resources proposed by the European Commission in 2021 (see EUROPE 12859/3). According to this, the additional revenues of €17 billion between 2026 and 2030 will not be sufficient to cover both the debt repayment related to Next Generation EU (€15 billion per year) and the financing of the new Social Climate Fund (€9.7 billion per year). “The proposed new own resources are a first step in the right direction - the second step has to follow in 2023”, rapporteur Nathalie Sarrabezolles (PES, French) said in defence.
Energy crisis and inflation
The repercussions of the war in Ukraine once again occupied the CoR on Thursday 1 December. Members discussed the impact of rising energy prices and inflation on SMEs and households with the Deputy Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Marian Jurečka, and the Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), Liliana Pavlova. Local and regional authorities called for targeted and direct support from EU emergency funds, but insisted that the 2021-2027 Cohesion Funds must be preserved to allow for long-term investments in the energy transition.
Youth
As the European Year of Youth 2022 draws to a close, the CoR, together with the European Youth Forum and in the presence of Commission Vice-President Margarítis Schinás, launched a European Charter for Youth and Democracy (https://aeur.eu/f/4fn ). Signed on Thursday 1 December, it contains 49 recommendations to strengthen the democratic participation of young people at all levels of power.
Members also adopted an opinion, defended by Tine Radinja (Greens, Slovenian) on the future of European youth policy (https://aeur.eu/f/4fh ).
Finally, the CoR approved a series of opinions on the inclusion of hate speech and hate crime in the list of European crimes (https://aeur.eu/f/4fi ), the ‘Skills and Talents’ communication of the legal migration package (see EUROPE 12940/8 - https://aeur.eu/f/4fj ), on a green and digital transition just for small urban areas (https://aeur.eu/f/4fk ) and on remote regions (https://aeur.eu/f/4fm ). (Original version in French by Hélène Seynaeve)