News

Publication date: 08/10/2019

A surge in global population and a sense of imminent environmental confrontation have spurred a search for the ultimate techno-eco-utopia, a city fit to face the challenges of the 21st century. The need for a new metropolitan model is clear. The United Nations predicts that by 2020, 2.5 billion more people will live in urban areas. This rapid urbanization is putting pressure on cities’ energy systems, transportation, housing and infrastructure. Along with the impending challenges of climate...

Publication date: 08/10/2019

This Tuesday’s EU Region Week session on “Delivering disaster resilience at the local level” was about how cities and regions are increasingly taking action to reduce the risk of disasters. Also, about the adaptation to climate extremes, such as floods or storms. This is demonstrated by three regions’ specific interventions which may be seen as examples to follow. The presentations by Janet Edwards, Arno Kompatscher and Piots Calbecki show how digital tools, cross-border cooperation and systems...

Publication date: 08/10/2019

All the islands in the Mediterranean area share the same difficulties but also many goals. For this reason policies has to focus on the concept of mediterranean insularity in order to defend the peculiarities of these vulnerable territories. “We are little but very resilient. We are peripheric but we are part of the European Union. The EU has to be a real Union”, said Justine Caruana, minister for Gozo, in discussion with Francesca Lluch Armengol Socias, President of the Balearic Islands, Giles...

Publication date: 08/10/2019

Behind the curtains of East Europe, Poland’s communist past and grey architecture aren’t part of it anymore. Today, its developed infrastructure, competitive markets, and innovative technologies are well sustained. Statistically, 82 % of Polish citizens are informed of the EU cohesion policy, making Poland the most aware EU country. So, how are the regional policy and EU funds active in the country? The sectors the most supported by the EU funds in Poland are research and environment, in...

Publication date: 08/10/2019

Armando Cardoso, from the European Commission, talked about the past and future of Portugal. Challenges like innovation and climate change were some of the subjects of this presentation. Although it is a beautiful country with so much to offer, Portugal always looks like a big challenge to Europe. It depends mainly on the European funds, it contributes less than the other countries for the European funds and, above it all, it doesn´t grow that much. Along with the big economic crisis in 2010...

Publication date: 08/10/2019

If there was a dictionary for the European Union tools and features you would find the following definition for “Cohesion Policy”: “The implementation of EU funded policies aiming to reduce regional disparities in the European Union affecting overall economic growth” and when looking on the same glossary for a concrete example of the aforesaid territorial differences, I’m confident you would bump into the Italian Mezzogiorno’s issue. Indeed, the striking social, economical and cultural...

Publication date: 08/10/2019

The 17th European Week of Regions and Cities has been launched, with the Opening session - Regions and cities, pillars of the EU's future taking place in the European Parliament hemicycle on Monday 7 October 2019. The session was attended by almost a thousand participants, who followed a high-level debate on the future of European Union with Klara Dobrev (Vice-President of the European Parliament), Karl-Heinz Lambertz (President of the European Committee of the Regions), Elżbieta Bieńkowska...

Publication date: 08/10/2019

On Monday 7 October 2019, at the SQUARE, young citizens participated in a structured and enriching dialogue challenging Mr Lemaître, Director General, for Regional and Urban policy and Ms Themis Christophidou, Director General for Education, Youth, Sport, Culture. This dialogue enabled young citizens to exchange and debate a range of issues of European interest, namely ‘A Europe Closer to Citizens’, ‘The Future of Europe and the Role of the Regions and the Cities’, ‘A Greener Europe’ and ‘A...

Publication date: 07/10/2019

Do not miss the opportunity to take part in the upcoming events! Connect and follow the Opening session and the Citizens’ Dialogue webstream!

Publication date: 02/10/2019

During the #EURegionsWeek, there will be free environmentally friendly shuttle buses between the main event venues. Participants can board either the STIB electric bus after the opening session or the hydrogen bus between the Square and the European Committee of the Regions. Find the bus schedules on #EURegionsWeek website – section "Practical information".