Regional and local leaders shared their experience in fighting the pandemic and their proposals for the recovery with Commissioner Ferreira and President Tzitzikostas during the Opening session of 18th European Week of Regions and Cities. They debated how EU cohesion policy and its shared management could boost Europe's recovery.
The EU Annual Regional and Local Barometer presented by Apostolos Tzitzikostas, President of the European Committee of the Regions during the CoR Plenary session, shows that the coronavirus pandemic is widening existing social and economic disparities in the EU. EU cohesion policy is key to fighting this trend and spearheading the economic and social recovery of Europe as well as building resilience and overcoming regional disparities.
At the Opening session of the European Week of Regions and Cities, Elisa Ferreira, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, pointed out that we must use future cohesion policy investments wisely and that we must show how we build a green, digital economy in a European way, which leaves no regions behind.
The Opening session also saw interventions from all the political groups of the European Committee of the Regions, as well as from representatives from the Young Elected Politicians Programme (YEPs), the Interreg Volunteer Youth initiative and regional partners of the European Week of Regions and Cities.
To see the recording of the Opening session, please visit the #EURegionsWeek Live & Replay portal!
