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European Week of Regions and Cities

Ensuring a just transition for all EU regions

Ensuring a successful just transition across all EU regions requires a critical evaluation of the conditions necessary to deliver on this objective. It is essential to identify key strategies and recommendations for advancing a competitive and sustainable transition that offers equal opportunities so that no region is left behind. Mechanisms to support a just transition will be explored to promote tailored approaches to the diverse challenges different regions face.

  • Urban | Rural | Local and regional | Energy | Climate and environment | Sustainable | Mobility and Transport | Cohesion | Digital and ICT
  • Code: 08PW241129
  • Jacques Delors building, JDE 70

Speakers

Luciana Tomozei

  • Head of the Global Affairs and Sectoral Policies Division, EIB Office of the Permanent Representative in Brussels

Małgorzata Jarosińska-Jedynak

  • Member of the Board, Podkarpackie Region, Poland

Marco Marsilio

  • President, ECR CoR Group and the Abruzzo Region, Italy

Moderator

Daniel Měsíc

  • Deputy Head of Brussels Office, ČEZ Group

Practical information

When
Tue 08/10/2024, 11:30 - 13:00 CET
Where
Jacques Delors building, JDE 70
Type of partnership
Partnership
Format
CoR Political WorkShop
Theme
Smart and sustainable growth for regions
Languages
English, Polish, Hungarian

Reporting

Session summary

The ECR Group in the European Committee of the Regions hosted a workshop focused on achieving a "Just Transition" for all EU regions, exploring strategies to balance the EU’s sustainability goals with the socio-economic needs of diverse communities. The discussions underscored the profound impact of the EU's shift toward a climate-neutral economy, particularly for regions heavily dependent on fossil fuels and energy-intensive industries. To mitigate potential disruptions, there was a call to broaden the Just Transition Fund (2021-2027) to include more sectors, such as the automotive industry, and to support regions unable to complete the transition by 2027.
A major takeaway was the emphasis on adapting transition strategies to reflect local needs and concerns. Participants argued for incentives and innovations—such as biofuel research—over regulatory bans such as the one on combustion engines, particularly in transitioning industries like the automotive. The consensus was that achieving ambitious climate targets requires collaborative planning that involves regional and local stakeholders to ensure that all territories are fairly supported through the economic shift.