Two years after the process was launched by European Commissioner for Regional Development Elisa Ferreira, and a year-long series of meetings and exchanges with academics and experts, the Group of High-Level Specialists on Future of Cohesion Policy has released their long-awaited report “Forging a sustainable future together: cohesion for a competitive and inclusive Europe”.
Dr. Claudia Schöning-Kalender, Member of the SPD-parliamentary group in Mannheim City Council (Germany), Chair of the CEMR Standing Committee for Equality, calls on EU institutions to “effectively translate words into action” on gender equality.
When I found myself seating at the same table with Mr Vitali Klitschko in a rooftop restaurant in Kyiv last June, I was able to measure both the charisma and authenticity of the multiple world boxing champion and current Mayor of Kyiv.
“Local and regional governments in Spain and across Europe are paving the way to the active implementation of the global goals”, writes Carlos Martínez Mínguez Mayor of Soria (Spain), CEMR Vice-President & Spokesperson on the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable …
“We must be able to count on ambitious political commitment that takes into account local communities’ needs,” writes José Hila Vargas, Mayor of Palma, Balearic Island (Spain). He signs the forward of a publication on Global …
“Local and regional governments represent a key partner for the EU Delegations” writes Frédéric Vallier, Secretary General of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), on behalf of PLATFORMA. He signed the foreword of a …
After having interacted over the past decade, the European Union is now better placed to engage with Eastern Partnership states and to prepare the post-2020 partnership framework. By the Presidents of the national associations of local governments Kakha Kaladze of
Authorities around the world are putting UN Sustainable Development Goal at the core of their agenda but including local governments in their implementation is key for success, writes Tine Soens.
As a pandemic, COVID-19 is a truly global problem which knows no borders. The situation is now spread almost all over the world and some countries – near and far – could soon be heavily impacted, despite the youth of their population.
Did you know that many European towns and regions are building projects and partnerships with local and regional governments in Africa, Asia and Latin America, but also in the Eastern partnership? This is called decentralised cooperation.
Member states must strongly support the proposal of the European Parliament to add a budget line for local authorities to tackle global challenges, including through their decentralised cooperation, writes Marlène Siméon.
We are running out of time to achieve the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2030, and need urgent and ambitious climate leadership. Cities are central to this effort – and it is crucial that we continue to enable our cities to address and solve climate challenges, writes Lars Tveen.
While studies and reports about the consequences of Brexit on EU27 regions are multiplying, it is increasingly clear that the EU needs to create mechanisms to support territories negatively affected by the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the Union, write Marc Joulaud and Lambert Van Nistelrooij.
Good news for all the supporters of development policies: city-to-city development cooperation will remain at the heart of the EU’s external action. And localising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a priority supported by the European Union, writes Frédéric Vallier.
Vehicle access restrictions have come under fire from the FIA motor car users group, which argues they are a whimsical instrument that cities spontaneously decided to employ. In fact, it was the car industry that was playing with real-world driving emissions, writes Karen Vancluysen.
Public-private partnerships are vital to achieving the leap forward, deploying new clean technologies at scale and fast, writes Maroš Šefčovič.
Despite the European Parliament’s Dieselgate inquiry committee, the European Commission is standing by, hiding behind bureaucratic squabbling to avoid taking its responsibilities, write Claude Turmes and Zdzisław Krasnodębski.
The debate over the EU's post-2020 budget (MFF) has cast a shadow on the future of the EU main investment policy. Francesco Molica and Nikos Lampropoulos look at what could happen next and what's at stake.
The EU needs to listen more and engage more with its citizens. It can take inspiration from and use its cities for this purpose to find ways to create societies where people come first, argues Daniël Termont.
In its package on deepening the EMU unveiled on 6 December, the Commission proposed to amend the Common Provisions Regulation. It's a piece of legislation that sets a single framework of rules for all the Structural and Investment Funds, whose main recipients are the European regions - write Francesco Molica and Nikos Lampropoulos.
EU needs more, better and smarter money to convert research and innovation into engines for growth and jobs, writes Nils Røkke. European researchers stand ready to foster competitiveness, creating new and disruptive industries. But only if we work together. Here is how.
Cities are often leaders in climate action and ambition. National governments need to recognise this and empower them with the financial and technical means to complete their transition away from fossil fuels, writes Abdeluheb Choho.
European development policy must prioritise democracy, inclusiveness and sustainability. To do this the bloc has to change the way it interacts with stakeholders and support local initiatives, which are the building blocks of societies, writes Wouter Boesman.
Cities have a major part to play in ensuring all their residents have the skills they need to be active and integrated members of society. This is a challenge mayors should embrace, writes Ahmed Aboutaleb.
