The rEPPorter: activity report of the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions, May-June 2015

May-June 2015

Editorial

Europe is currently struggling to cope with a growing migrant crisis at its southern shores and seas. The increasing number of migrants produces big challenges for a lot of local and regional authorities in many parts of Europe. This dramatic situation requires a complex pan-European strategy which needs to be agreed on and applied now. This is pivotal primarily in order to save lives.

But there is also the chance to establish whether and how a controlled migration flow might actively contribute to improving the European economy.

Speaking of the European economy, I am particularly happy that we will have the chance for a lively debate during the June CoR plenary session with Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission.

His Investment Plan and the European Fund for Strategic Investments have been greatly supported by us during our vote on the plan in April. It is important that the Commission listens to the proposals and concerns of local and regional authorities, who are responsible for over half of total public investment in Europe these days.

Our external meeting in Milan in May presents yet another opportunity for us to join the global debate on how to provide adequate investment and innovation to feed the planet.

The activity report of the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions

Digital Single Market for Europe

The European Commission has invited the European Parliament,

Council and relevant stakeholders to endorse its proposed

Digital Single Market Strategy for Europe, which was unveiled on 6 May by Commissioner Günther Oettinger. According to the communication, the aim of the strategy is to transform European society and ensure that Europe can face the future with confidence.

“Nobody can argue with the objectives in the paper, but the crucial details will only be apparent in the forthcoming legislative proposals.”

Michael Schneider, President of the EPP Group in the CoR, said as

a reaction to the communication.

“However, we must work quickly to ensure that markets deliver access to high-performance broadband in all the regions and cities of Europe. If we do not close the digital gap between urban and rural areas today, many businesses and citizens will be unable to profit from the undeniable opportunities that a Digital Single Market continued on page 2 presents.”

The Investment Plan and TTIP: cornerstones of regional, economic development “The regional economy goes hand in hand with regional politics. As such, regional politicians should be able to effectively defend regional, economic issues at the EU level.”

EPP President Michael Schneider underlined during a meeting with representatives of the regional economy and the media in Graz on 4 May, following an invitation from Christian Buchmann, Minister of Economy of the Austrian province of Styria and ECON-chairman of the CoR. Together, they discussed

the Investment Plan and TTIP and delivered a generally positive assessment of the two initiatives: the elimination of trade and investment barriers in relations with the US and the new investment incentives in the EU offer great opportunities for the regional economy and therefore for growth and jobs in the regions.

The President also highlighted the demand from the Committee of the Regions to give regional decision makers an appropriate role for both initiatives.

CoR calls for a comprehensive European response to the tragedies in the Mediterranean Sea The European Committee of the Regions’ Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External affairs (CIVEX) has welcomed the outcome of the extraordinary Summit on migration, but has expressed reservations on whether the decisions taken yesterday are far reaching enough. In a declaration calling for a “comprehensive European response” to the migrants crisis, CIVEX urges the EU and the

Michael Schneider, President of the EPP Group in the CoR

Member States to examine the issue of rescue operations in international waters and to provide regional and local authorities with the necessary means to respond effectively to emergency situations. It also calls for a new approach to the European Neighbourhood Policy to strengthen the local dimension and address the root causes of migration. A resolution of the CoR will be adopted at the June Plenary Session as well as an opinion to be

adopted later in 2015 with leadership from the EPP shadow rapporteur Dimitrios Kalogeropoulos.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY ■ 22 May 2015 EPP-CoR Group meeting: “Societal innovation in food and energy, the way ahead for regional investment” Milan (Italy) ■ 3-4 June CoR Plenary Session

IN THIS ISSUE ■ Members on the Field ■ Digital Single Market for Europe ❚ Tearing down digital walls ❚ EPP Groups have to stick together

■ Members on the Field

■ External EPP Group Meeting in Milan ❚ Europe needs a robust, territorial dimension to its food systems

❚ Societal innovation in food and energy, the way ahead for regional investment

■ Leading EPP regions and cities: leading

❚ European Year for Development: CoR to

❚ The EU needs to translate its policies and

■ The next steps for Europe’s most ambitious

examples

❚ CORLEAP makes formal contribution to Riga Summit

❚ Krakow hosts European Congress of Local Government ❚ Malopolska Educational Cloud

■ Giving young people a voice

Digital Single Market for Europe

Members on the Field ■■Health and safety are worthwhile investments

in the management of Natura 2000 sites and conservation achievements, showcasing the added value for local economies, and increasing public awareness of Europe’s valuable natural heritage.

■■Energy security: a concern for all

Mauro D’attis underlined that plans to improve health and safety at work have major implications both for local and regional authorities and for businesses at high level conference hosted by the Latvian Presidency in Riga on 27 April. He also shared his view from the CoR opinion that quality and productivity at work can play in promoting economic growth and employment. “The enormous economic costs of problems associated with health and safety at work inhibits economic growth and affects the competitiveness of businesses in the EU” he concluded.

■■Where’s the value in culture?

Tearing down digital walls The EPP Group in the CoR believes completion of the digital single market will bring benefits to many local and regional authorities. Within this context, it strongly welcomes Commissioner Oettinger’s objective to have at least one world class digital innovation hub in every region in Europe and is committed to help mobilise the necessary investments to make this happen.

continued from page 1

“The political key objectives of the “digital single market strategy” are primarily to further promote a European digital single market whilst providing real advantages to consumers and enterprises by facilitating the access to digital products and services.

Especially in a border region like the Saarland, at the interface to three other member states of the European Union, (France,

Luxemburg and Belgium) we have immediate experience of the limitations, but also fully understand the opportunities offered by the digital single market.”

Helma Kuhn-Theis, rapporteur on the Communication on the European Digital Single Market.

In a keynote speech at the 2015 International Climate Alliance Conference on 23 April, Csaba Borboly underlined that energy security must be considered in close connection with energy efficiency and with the deployment of renewable energy sources. He added that interdependency of European regions is a key aspect.

■■Local links for Baltic Sea Region success

EPP Groups have to stick together Gathering in Santander on 30 April, on the invitation of Cristina Mazas Pérez-Oleaga, the European Committee of the Regions’ Commission for Social Policy, Education, Employment, Research and Culture (SEDEC) called for further efforts to be made to fully exploit cultural heritage and sustainable tourism as strategic resources for local and regional development. Arguing that the role of cultural heritage is still under-valued in Europe, EU local and regional politicians sitting in SEDEC expressed their support of having a “European Year of Cultural Heritage”. They also asked for full use to be made of European funding earmarked for cultural heritage and for finding new ways of financing its conservation and promotion.

■■Rewarding excellence in conservation

Sirpa Hertell participated in the NATURA 2000 jury award an initiative, which recognises excellence

2

Pauliina Haijanen discussed safe and liveable cities around the Baltic Sea Region, synergies between the regional development and research to enhance the competitiveness and smart specialisation in the opening speech in the launch event on the “Baltic Sea Joint Action Plan” in Brussels on April 21.

■■Sustainable policy responses for EU southern neighbours

In the face of the rise of populists and extremists, the wider EPP family needs closer cooperation: this was the conclusion from the EPP Group meeting with Manfred Weber, Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament in June. “As representatives of the leading political groups both in the European Parliament and in the European Committee of the Regions, EPP

Hosted by the Kingdom of Morocco; the Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean, Fathallah Sijilmassi, will participate at the Informal Union for the Mediterranean high-level conference on climate change that will be held in Skhirat, Morocco, on 7 May. Michel Lebrun represented local and regional authorities participating in ARLEM alongside the European Commissioner in charge of Climate Action and Energy, Miguel Arias Cañete. The meeting was an opportunity to give enhanced visibility to the work that is being carried out in the field of climate change and climate change mitigation within the framework of the Union for the Mediterranean and it took place in the framework of the Mediterranean Climate Week.

The activity report of the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions

Group Members have a common responsibility to address the key challenges that Europe’s citizens are facing” EPP/CoR President, Michael Schneider, said. After outlining a number of pressing contemporary issues for the EPP Group in the European Parliament; from the Greek economy to the recent tragedies in the Mediterranean and the situation in Ukraine, Manfred Weber un-

derlined that it will only be possible to achieve results if all levels of government are involved. “We, European politicians who believe in the EU and who believe in people, have a task to stabilise Europe together. We have to go back home and explain to our citizens and work together to reap the benefits” he said before concluding: “We have to stick together.”

External EPP Group Meeting in Milan

Europe needs a robust, territorial dimension to its food systems Access to safe and nutritious food is a basic human right and a necessary condition to live an active and healthy life. However, nutritional deficiencies are common in much of the population. In some regions of the European Union, more than 7% of the population suffers from chronic calorie deficiency whilst one in three 6-9 year-olds is overweight or obese across the EU. “The way ahead for regional investment in the

food and energy sectors” will therefore be the topic of a meeting of the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions in Milan on May 22, on the occasion of the Universal Exhibition and at the invitation of Raffaele Cattaneo, President of the Regional Council of Lombardy, Chairman of the CoR Commission of Territorial Cohesion. At the EPP Group meeting at OPEN DAYS last October, participants

called for a stronger link between producers and consumers by prioritising support for local production and short marketing chains. The meeting in Milan will be an opportunity to further these discussions and share ideas on how local and regional authorities can make use of the investment package to promote local, sustainable produce and agricultural know-how.

Societal innovation in food and energy, the way ahead for regional investment

Expo Milano 2015 is the Universal Exhibition that Milan will host from May 1 to October 31, 2015. Its ambition is to be a platform for the exchange of ideas and shared solutions on the theme of food, stimulating creativity and promoting innovation for a sustainable future. The EPP Group in the European Committee of the Regions will take part in this discussion focusing on how the Investment Plan for Europe could enhance the innovation capacity in Europe’s regions and cities with regards to food and energy policy.

Much needed funding should be channelled into strategic energy infrastructure and environmentally sustainable projects thanks to President Juncker’s

Investment Plan. Another EPP Group priority is investment in the market and the facilitation of access to finance for SMEs. When we look at the highly diverse food and drink sector, this means 287,000 companies including those making the Milanese speciality, Panettone! The role that the banking sector will play in increasing investment as well as the regulatory burdens SMEs face is another topic that the EPP Group in the CoR will explore during its meeting on 22 May. However, financial support for building up infrastructure and helping existing companies will not be enough. Europe needs to promote societal innovation to adapt to a changing environment. Lombardy is ready for the challenges of the future and willing to be a leading European player. My region will keep betting on research and innovation as the real engines of growth and development.

Last year, the Regional Government of Lombardy approved incentives to boost competitiveness and entrepreneurship in the region, to develop new high-tech products for the agro-food industry and to support the growing science parks such as the Parco Tecnologico Padano,

which is a leading centre for food safety and security research.

The agro-food industry should benefit most from the innovative projects provided by the Horizon 2020 programme and the Investment Plan for Europe in my region, but it can offer many more possibilities for Italy and for Europe as a whole.

Raffaele Cattaneo, President of Lombardy regional Council clean environment

“In the Resolution of the European Parliament on the EXPO, we underline that the European agricultural model, with its strong family farmbased sector, is a successful and sustainable example for meeting food security challenges.”

Herbert Dorfmann, MEP and member of the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee

According to resolution, the following are vital components in meeting the food security challenge:

family farms

a thriving and diversified rural economy

a robust, fairer, internationally sustainable and appropriately financed CAP a strong and sustainable agricultural sector across the EU

Quotes from EPP family members

The European People’s Party is horrified by this tragedy in the Mediterranean and our sympathies are with those who have lost relatives and friends and those caught up in this inhuman trade. This, together with other recent events, is becoming the worst refugee crisis on the shores of Europe in the last decade. The sheer and increasing number of deaths calls for a large-scale, swift and decisive response.

Trafficking of people is an industry and a crime against humanity – we must combat it with all possible means. This situation concerns all of Europe and not just the shores of the Mediterranean. We need to treat our external borders as common EU frontiers and not have them be the sole responsibility of one Member State. Immigration needs to be managed in a fair way among Member States. Likewise it is necessary to create true and practical solidarity with those Member States who receive the asylum applications of those who arrive.”

“I urge Russia to free Savchenko and the other Ukrainian prisoners illegally detained in its prisons.”

Cristian Preda, MEP

European aspirations must and should be supported, including through immediate action aimed at helping Ukraine to restore full control over its border with Russia. This support should also consist of a wider strategy, encompassing financial help from the EU and a visa-free regime.”

Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, EPP Group Vice-Chair for Foreign Affairs, Standing Rapporteur on Ukraine

The Presidency of the European People’s Party during a meeting in Brussels May - June 2015

Leading EPP regions and cities: leading examples

CORLEAP makes formal contribution to Riga Summit with the countries of Eastern Europe and its over 100 million citizens.

Local representatives from the EU and its Eastern partner countries gathered on 23 April for the fifth annual meeting of the Conference of the Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP) in Brussels. The members adopted a set of recommendations for the Heads of State’s and Government’s Fourth Eastern Partnership Summit to be held in Riga 2122 May, which note the significant role of local democracy, enhanced territorial cooperation and a multi-level governance approach in pursuing the goals of the Eastern Partnership.

Pauliina Haijanen underlined the fundamental potential of European Macro-regional Strategies that could serve as the bridges to strengthen the EU’s relations and cooperation

A few days later, on May 8, Michel Lebrun shared the work of CORLEAP and the EPP Group in the CoR towards and beyond Riga Summit at the Annual Conference of the Europe Goes East network entitled “EaP in action: state of survival or vital breakthrough?”, in Vilnius. On this occasion, he highlighted that the moment has come to reorient the Eastern Partnership and to bring it closer to the citizens through the involvement of regional and local authorities. He also repeated the CORLEAP call for all EU institutions to investigate new models of interaction with

Eastern Partnership countries that have signed an Association Agreement aiming at a higher level of cooperation and counteracting unfavourable geopolitical influences. According to Michel Lebrun “dedicated forms of advanced cooperation could be set up in the future to respond better to the requests the countries that have decided to engage in the European integration, namely Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.” He conclude by informing participants of the Ukraine task force, made up of representatives of the Committee of the Regions, will very soon start its work in cooperation with Ukrainian colleagues in order to facilitate reforms for decentralisation and territorial development in Ukraine.

Krakow hosts European Congress of Local Government

On 4 and 5 May 2015 the Foundation Institute for Eastern Studies organised the European Congress of Local Governments, in Krakow, Poland. The conference welcomed around 1000 participants, mainly politicians and business representatives including CoR President Markku Markkula, Marek Sowa and Marek Wozniak. The Congress gave an op- ONGOING OPINIONS portunity for regional leaders to discuss ways of CIVEX strengthening local public governance, setting up cross-border networks and increasing the effec■■ Hans Janssen tiveness in using EU structural funds, share exa decent life for all: from perience and make contacts. During his intervenvision to collective action tion Markku Markkula underlined that the role of local self-government has been continuously ■■ Nikolaos Chiotakis changing and that the crisis has led to the tenEuropean Neighbourhood Policy dency of nationalization of economic problems.

“Looking at reports from individual countries, ■■ Luc Van den Brande we can notice that regional dimension is vital European Citizens’ Initiative for economic development and local authoriCOTER ties should have more to say about such issues as European digital regulations or investments ■■ Ivan Žagar programmes” he noted.

Outcome of the negotiations

Malopolska Educational Cloud

EPP Study Visit for Masters Students 21-22 September 2015

Digital Skills for all: Reaching our potential together www.epp.cor.europa.eu

The ‘Malopolska Educational Cloud’ is an innovative information and communication platform, allowing the conduction of interactive classes, the processing of educational materials, and the carrying out of joint projects by universities and secondary schools of Malopolska.

The project includes the construction of an IT system, which will supply the high schools and the universities with access to wireless networks, mobile laboratories equipped with videoconferencing equipment and remote collaboration systems. It will create an innovative environment to support educational processes with the cloudbased ICT platform and with high-quality multimedia communication.

Support for education is one of the priorities of the Polish government in the 2014 – 2020 perspective. Among the adopted operational programmes under the EU funds, financing mechanisms for such projects are available under the “Digital Poland” Operational Programme, “Smart Development”, “Knowledge Education Development” and part of the Regional Operational Programmes - ROPs (the regions of Lower Silesia, Lublin, Lubusz, Łódź, Mazovia, Opole, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie, Pomerania, Świętokrzyskie, Warmia-Masuria, Greater Poland and West Pomeranian).

on the partnership agreements and operational programmes ■■ Adam Struzik Financial Instruments in support of territorial development ECON

■■ Luis Gomes Social Economy to combating unemployment and restore growth ENVE

■■ Pascal Mangin Energy Union package NAT

■■ Jesus Gamallo Aller The future of EU aquaculture ■■ Mark Weinmeister Genetically modified organisms SEDEC

■■ Mauro D’Attis Employment guidelines ■■ Luis Gomes The role of the Social Economy in combating unemployment and restoring growth ■■ Helma Kuhn-Theis Digital Single Market

Secretary General: Heinz-Peter Knapp | Editor in chief: Kathryn Owens, kathryn.owens@cor.europa.eu, +32 2 282 2400 | Press Officer: Dominik Krakowiak This issue is also available at www.epp.cor.europa.eu | Join us on

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