Brussels, 07/04/2008 (Agence Europe) - The Commission of the Regions (CoR) will hold a plenary session meeting on Wednesday 9-10 April in Brussels (Charlemagne Building, European Commission) chaired by Luc Van Den Brande. The assembly will be instructed to voted on the 13 opinions on the liberalisation of the gas and electricity markets, water shortages, urban mobility, asylum policies, maritime and ports, the future European budget, health policy, enlargement policy for candidate countries and potential candidates.
Session highpoints will be speeches by European Commissioners Viviane Reding (information society and media) and Andris Piebalgs (energy). The theme of Commissioner Reding's speech (16: 00, Wednesday 9 April) will be the European i2010 initiative on e-Inclusion, rapporteur, András Szalay, (HU/ALDE). At 10: 00, Thursday 10 April, Commissioner Piebalgs will participate in the context of the “Cities of the Future forum” and speak on “Sustainable Options for Cities of the Future”. The Commissioner will focus on the CoR-backed Covenant of Mayors , a network of more than 100 cities and regions (including 15 capitals) which have pledged to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 20% by 2020. Commissioner Piebalgs and President Van den Brande will hold a press point at the Charlemagne Building at 11: 30.
Opinions to be submitted on Wednesday focus on: 1) re-examination of the EU financial framework “reforming the budget, changing Europe”. Rapporteurs: Michel Delebarre (FR/PES) and Luc Van den Brande (BE/EPP); 2) Promoting young people's full participation in education, employment and society. Rapporteur: Gebhard Halder (AT/EPP); 3) Green Paper on urban mobility (Sir Albert Bore, UK/PES); 4) The future common European asylum system Green Paper. Rapporteur: Savino Antonio Santarella (IT/UEN-EA); 5) European Ports Policy. Rolf Harlinghausen (DE/EPP); 6) An Integrated Maritime Policy for the European Union. Saima Kalev (EE/UEN-EA); 7) Together for Health: A Strategic Approach for the EU White Paper: Karsten Uno Petersen (DK/PES); 8) Enlargement strategy and main challenges 2007-2008 - candidate countries. Rapporteur: Alin Adrian Nica (RO/ALDE).
Opinions due for adoption by CoR on Thursday: 1) Addressing the challenge of water scarcity and droughts. (Francisco Camps Ortiz, Spain, EPP); 2) European electricity and gas markets: third legislative package. Michel Lebrun (BE/EPP); 3) Enlargement strategy and main challenges 2007-2008 - potential candidate countries. Martin Heatley (UK/EPP); 4) Strategy for the Outermost Regions: Achievements and Future Prospects: Paulino Rivero Baute (ES/ALDE). (G.B.)