April 25, 2022

The following is a press release:

Also on #CoRplenary agenda: Conference on the Future of Europe, the EU-UK relationship and the energy crisis

Ukrainian local leaders will address the European Committee of the Regions' plenary on 27 April from 1:30pm-4pm (CET). From Ukraine, the mayors of Kyiv, Lviv, Mariupol and Melitopol, as well the leader of Kharkiv District Council will join the EU's local and regional leaders to explain the current situation facing their cities and how the EU, its regions and cities can best help in providing humanitarian support and protecting Ukrainian refugees. The European Commissioners for regional policy, Elisa Ferreira, and crisis management, Janez Lenarčič, as well as the Mayor of Rome, will also join the debate, which will be streamed live. The Committee will then adopt a resolution calling for the immediate release of kidnapped Ukrainian mayors and tools to be put at the disposal of local authorities to help them to shelter refugees.

Following that debate, representatives of the EU’s regions and cities will then discuss the EU’s relationship with the UK with European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič (4pm-5pm) and adopt recommendations on how to strengthen ties at the sub-national level.

On the second day of the plenary, on Thursday 28 April from 9am-10am, the CoR members will hold a discussion with Dubravka Šuica, Vice-President of European Commission for Democracy and Demography, Domènec Ruiz Devesa MEP, Rapporteur for the European Parliament's Resolution on the implementation of citizenship education, and Professor Inge Sieben from Tilburg University on the importance of promoting European democratic values through education to foster EU citizenship. This debate will contribute to the ongoing discussion with the citizens within the framework of the Conference on the Future of Europe, and for which the final report will be presented on 9 May, Europe Day, to the presidents of the EU institutions at an event at which the 30 regional and local delegates will be represented by the CoR's President, Apostolos Tzitzikostas.

The ongoing energy crisis will be another leading theme of the plenary session, with the adoption of a package of energy and Green Deal recommendations that aim at ending the EU’s dependence on Russian oil and gas – and at protecting citizens from record energy prices by accelerating the EU’s transition to clean energy. The Committee will also adopt a resolution on REPowerEU, stressing that the only future-proof energy-security strategy is energy sovereignty.

Follow the plenary LIVE on the CoR website

KEY DEBATES (CET)

27 April, 1.30-4 p.m.: Debate on Ukraine, with the Mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko, Mayor of Lviv Andriy Sadovyi, Mayor of Mariupol Vadym Boychenko, Mayor of Melitopol Ivan Fedorov, Chairwoman of the Kharkiv District Council Tetiana Yehorova-Lutsenko, EU Commissioners Elisa Ferreira, for Cohesion and Reforms, and Janez Lenarčič, for Crisis Management, as well as the Mayor of Rome Roberto Gualtieri and President of the City of Przemyśl Wojciech Bakun.

27 April, 4-5 p.m.: Debate on the Role of Local and Regional Authorities in the Context of the EU-UK Partnership, with Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President of the European Commission.

28 April, 9–10 a.m.: Debate on the Promotion of European Democratic Values through Education to foster EU Citizenship, with Dubravka Šuica, European Commission Vice-President of for Democracy and Demography, MEP Domènec Ruiz Devesa, and Inge Sieben of Tilburg University.

OPINIONS FOR ADOPTION

Economic governance review. Rapporteur: Elio Di Rupo (BE/PES), Minister-President of Wallonia.

Proposal for a Council Directive on ensuring a global minimum level of taxation for multinational groups in the Union. Rapporteur-general: Federico Borgna (IT/PES), President of the Province of Cuneo.

Strengthening the EU-UK relationship at sub-national level and remedying the territorial impact of the UK's withdrawal from the EU. Rapporteur: Michael Murphy (IE/EPP), Member of Tipperary County Council.

A European strategy for universities. Rapporteur: Emil Boc (RO/EPP), Mayor of Cluj-Napoca.

European Missions. Rapporteur: Markku Markkula (FI/EPP), Member of Espoo City Council and President of the Helsinki Region.

New European Bauhaus Beautiful, Sustainable, Together. Rapporteur: Kieran McCarthy (IE/EA), Member of Cork County Council.

Making ETS and CBAM work for EU cities and regions. Rapporteur: Peter Kurz (DE/PES), Mayor of Mannheim.

Amending the Energy Efficiency Directive to meet the new 2030 climate targets. Rapporteur: Rafał Trzaskowski (PL/EPP), Mayor of Warsaw.

Amending the Renewable Energy Directive to meet the new 2030 climate targets. Rapporteur: Andries Gryffroy (BE/EA), Member of the Flemish Parliament.

Revision of LULUCF and Effort Sharing regulations. Rapporteur: Åsa Ågren Wikström (SE/EPP), Member of Västerbotten County Council.

New EU Forest Strategy for 2030. Rapporteur: Joan Calabuig Rull (ES/PES), Regional Secretary for the European Union and external relations of the Government of Valencia.

Future EU State aid rules for agriculture, rural areas and forestry. Rapporteur: Guido Milana (IT/PES), Member of Olevano Romano Municipal Council.

Towards a socially fair implementation of the Green Deal. Rapporteur: Csaba Borboly (RO/EPP), President of Harghita County Council.

Reinforcing democracy and integrity of elections. Rapporteur: Vincenzo Bianco (IT/PES), Member of Catania Municipal Council.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Location: Charlemagne building, Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 170, 1000 Brussels / Online

Date: Wednesday, 27 April – Thursday, 28 April 2022.

Background material: The plenary agenda, plus opinions and amendments.

Webstreaming: On the website of the CoR.

Contact:

PresseCdr@cor.europa.eu

home Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Youtube Flickr Instagram

The European Committee of the Regions

The European Committee of the Regions is the EU's assembly of regional and local representatives from all 27 Member States. Created in 1994 following the signing of the Maastricht Treaty, its mission is to involve regional and local authorities in the EU's decision-making process and to inform them about EU policies. The European Parliament, the Council and the European Commission consult the Committee in policy areas affecting regions and cities. To sit on the European Committee of the Regions, all of its 329 members and 329 alternates must either hold an electoral mandate or be politically accountable to an elected assembly in their home regions and cities. Click here for more details on your national delegation.