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EU urban agenda - 18.06.2015

REGI committee adopts CEMR amendment
Following discussions on the urban agenda, the parliamentary Committee on Regional Development voted on 17 June 2015 the draft report on the urban dimension of EU policies.

We welcome MEPs' decision to adopt an amendment submitted by CEMR requesting more transparency during the elaboration process of standards on urban sustainable development that the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) develops. Furthermore, the amendment calls for stronger cooperation with the cities and regions throughout the process as they are the first affected by the political dimension resulting from such standards.

As highlighted by the rapporteur, MEP Kerstin Westphal, these "new ISO standards should be considered as a support instruments rather than normative tools."

The report will be voted at the plenary session of the European Parliament in September.
Open days 2015 - 05.06.2015
Save the date for the European week of regions and cities
The 13th edition of the European Week of Cities in Regions (Open Days) will take place from 12 to 15 October 2015, in Brussels.

This year, the main themes are:
- Modernising Europe: the regions in the energy Union and the single digital market
- Regions open for business: SME development, innovation and job creation
- Places and spaces:urban and rural development and urban-rural integration
CEMR will co-organise two events:
- “Silver economy and the regions, what can they do?” (co-organised with AGE-Platform)
- “The role model of the Covenant of Mayors in multi-level governance: views from academia and local and regional actors” (co-organised with the Covenant of Mayors)
Registrations will be open on 8 July.
Cohesion policy - 04.05.2015

What are the main achievements of the EU regional policy?
Creating jobs, improving the environment, strengthening research and innovation: the European Commission presents you the main achievements obtained by the cohesion policy during the programming period 2007-2013.
Child poverty - 28.04.2015

Belgian mayors sign a declaration to fight against child poverty
Today 23% of children across the EU are threatened by poverty, and that number keeps increasing. To fight against this problematic, mayors from Belgian major cities, like Brussels, Schaerbeek, Antwerp, Ghent, Liège and Roeselare, signed the "Mayors declaration against child poverty," (available in French). Furthermore, they encourage European mayors to also sign the declaration.

For further information, please contact our association in Brussels.
EU funding - 27.04.2015

Are you searching for EU funding opportunities? Here's a new guide to help you
“A beginner’s guide to EU funding” was launched by the European Commission to inform you about the different EU funding opportunities within the period 2014-2020, as well as other questions like how and where to apply.

The guide is available online in 23 languages.
RegioStars Awards - 15.01.2015

Run for the 2015 edition of the RegioStars Awards!
Participate in the European Commission's "RegioStars 2015", the annual awards event for innovative projects in regional development. This year’s edition will highlight original and innovative projects likely to be attractive and inspiring to other regions, with a special focus on those co-funded by the EU’s Cohesion policy.

The deadline for application is 28 February 2015.
Cohesion policy - 11.08.2014

Get to know how your region performs the EU Cohesion Policy
The European Commission has launched an open data platform offering information onto the performance of EU Cohesion Policy and the results obtained in each country.

The interactive platform provides data on the funding distribution by Member State, the breakdown by spending category (like youth unemployment or territorial development) or the socio-economic situation in each EU country.
Cohesion policy - 31.07.2014

New EU Commission video explains the use of EU structural funds
This short video shows how the EU helps to reduce differences between regions, by investing in economic growth, job creation and competitiveness.

The video is available in 23 EU languages.
6th cohesion report - 28.07.2014

The new EU cohesion policy package will put a strong focus on energy efficiency and youth employment
Between 2014 and 2020, the European Commission will invest €38 billion for energy efficiency in order to move towards a more environmentally-friendly economy. Over €80 billion will be dedicated to tackle high youth unemployment rates.

These are some of the key investment orientations emphasized by the European Commission’s 6th report on Economic, Social and Territorial Cohesion for the coming years. This report displays a general assessment of the results of the previous period of cohesion policy and details the Commission’s strategy for the 2014-2020 programming period.