Round up of CoR’s 167th Plenary

The EU’s Committee of the Regions began its 167th plenary session on Wednesday 2nd July in the European Parliament’s Hemicycle. The session featured nine opinions and four debates. The session was marked by a high level of Irish contributions, particularly during the debate on UN Climate Change Conference 2025 in Belém, Brazil (COP30).

The first debate of the session was ‘Sustainable Tourismwith former CoR President and current Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas. The Commissioner noted that “Tourism is a vital sector for Europe’s economic growth with over 3 million SMEs that supports 20 million jobs and contributes an average of 10% to the EU’s GDP.  The European Commission is working on the first ever EU Strategy for Sustainable Tourism, which we will present in spring 2026. We have recently launched a targeted consultation, and we look forward to receiving the insights and proposals from the European Committee of the Regions and the numerous destinations it represents. Your contributions are very important for building a strategy that strikes a balance between economic growth and the well-being of local communities, while promoting climate change adaptation and data-driven management. The crucial role of Regional and Local Authorities and their Destination Management Organizations is essential to this end: the strategy’s success will depend on our shared commitment and our close cooperation.”

In response to the Commissioner’s remarks, CoR members raised concerns over the growing imbalance in tourism and underlined the urgent need to support destinations that require different approaches to manage tourism flows, including limiting or redirecting the flows or restricting the supply of short-term rentals. They highlighted the impact of climate change on European destinations and emphasised the importance of working with local communities on issues like water distribution, housing, mobility and spatial planning.

Cllr. Caroline Dwane Stanley noted that “For us to be able to develop sustainably we need adaptable and focussed assistance not only to develop locally based models of tourism but also sustainable access to those tourism locations.

Many areas such as my own County Laois have limited public transport access from the main airports and this means that there is an over concentration of tourists being drawn to the main cities. So, I would like to see sustainable tourism not only being year-round but also better distributed across regions…

…I would call for more investment, via cohesion and other funding for, sustainable transport to access some rural areas currently programmed under just transition funding and more focus on locally based sustainable tourism cooperation.”

The debate came as the European Commission conducts a public consultation open until 31st  August, and in parallel prepares an implementation report on the Council conclusions on the European Agenda for Tourism 2030, both of which will contribute to the EU’s next strategy for sustainable tourism.

The second item on the agenda was a debate on the ‘Post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)’ with Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Christophe Hansen. This debate came in the context of the expected reform of CAP post-2027 and concerns over proposals to shift budget control to national governments by merging funds and reallocating resources.

The Commissioner said little to quell these concerns, however, he did recognise the role of local and regional authorities in his address “As discussions begin on the next CAP and the post-2027 EU budget, we must sound the alarm: without strong, sustained investment and fair conditions, this vision risks becoming just another paper promise. Local and regional authorities see firsthand the pressures farmers face and likewise the pressure of these sectors on nature. We know that resilience cannot be built on shrinking support.”

Speaking during the debate, Cllr Dwane Stanley noted “As we look toward the Post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy, the Committee of the Regions firmly believes that our farmers and rural communities must remain at the heart of Europe’s agricultural vision.

They are not just food producers they are guardians of our landscapes, our cultural heritage, and our food sovereignty.

We welcome the Commission’s emphasis on agriculture as a strategic sector. Yet, we stress the need for a stronger regional and local dimension in the CAP. A one-size-fits-all policy cannot reflect the diverse challenges faced by our regions-from mountain farmers to coastal communities. Our communities must be empowered in the governance of Strategic Plans, with the flexibility to respond swiftly in times of local crisis.

The CAP must be more than a subsidy tool it must ensure fair incomes, especially for young and small-scale farmers. We advocate for simplified income support tools, and stronger market regulation, including mechanisms to prevent the sale of products below production cost. Equity must guide our reforms. Small and medium-sized farms are the backbone of European agriculture, yet they often struggle to compete. The post-2027 CAP should ensure fair distribution of funds, with specific support for smaller farms, young farmers, and rural communities. This includes access to markets, training, and infrastructure development. By levelling the playing field, we can foster a vibrant and diverse agricultural landscape.

Our rural areas also need renewed vitality. That means aligning CAP instruments with rural development goals, improving access to funding, and recognising the crucial role of local innovation through LEADER and CLLD programmes.

Let me stress: the green transition must go hand in hand with social justice. If we ask farmers to do more for the climate and biodiversity, we must match that with adequate financial support and practical solutions.

In conclusion, the post-2027 CAP reform is an opportunity to build a future-proof agricultural policy that champions sustainability, innovation, and equity. Let us work together to create a CAP that not only meets the needs of today but also anticipates the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow. By doing so, we can ensure a thriving agricultural sector that supports our farmers, our environment, and our future generations. Commissioner, we are ready to work hand in hand.

But Europe’s regions must be not just consulted they must be truly involved in shaping and delivering the future CAP.”

The final debate of the first day was on the topic of ‘Water Resilience’ with Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, Jessika Roswall. The debate focused on the three objectives of the 2025 Water Resilience Strategy:

  • Restore and protect the water cycle as the basis for water supply, from source to sea. Effective implementation of the existing EU framework is key, including the Water Framework Directive, the Flood Management Directive, and the Nature Restoration Regulation. Further efforts are needed to protect resources, boost sustainability, improve water retention on land, and tackle pollutants in drinking water.
  • Build a water-smart economy to boost competitiveness, attract investment and promote the EU’s water industry: Improve water efficiency and sustainable water management. The Recommendation on Water Efficiency First provides guiding principles to reduce water consumption and sets an EU-wide goal to improve water efficiency by 2030.
  • Secure clean and affordable water and sanitation for all, and empower consumers for water resilience: Access to safe drinking water and sanitation is a human right. Support is needed to bring clean water and sanitation to some regions and vulnerable groups, and improve water treatment to remove dangerous pollution, pathogens and diseases.

Speaking during the debate, Cllr. Declan McDonnell noted that “Climate change is bringing more frequent droughts and floods, threatening our agriculture and communities. Water is a strategic asset for our economy and security.

Our water faces pollution, overuse and uneven distribution across regions. We need a broad EU approach to water resilience that recognises water value at every level of government. Last year the plenary adopted an opinion by my group on creating an EU blue deal from an agriculture perspective, where we called for a long-term water resilience strategy with water being recognised as a strategic asset for the EU in the next MFF.

My own city Galway, given our location on the Wild Atlantic Way we are exposed to heavy rainfall and flooding, due to Atlantic storms. But there are also longer dry spells due to climate change.

We have in the past faced water contamination crisis that have affected thousands. This has been addressed with heavy investment in water infrastructure.

For tourism, not only do we need clean water for living, but we also need clean coastal and inland waters, which is necessary to maintain the unique environment we have.

In conclusion, water must be treated as a strategic asset for the European Union and for local and regional authorities. They must be fully involved in shaping and implementing water policy and respecting subsidiary policy.

We must have CAP funding to boost the resilience of the ground.

Following the debate, the plenary was asked to vote on a series of four opinions, starting with Rapporteur-General Roberto Ciambetti’s (IT/ECR) ‘Market regulations and support measures in the wine sector’. This opinion offered ten amendments to the Commission’s proposal of the same name, which includes measures for: surplus prevention, planting flexibility, stronger climate support, harmonised labelling and promotion of wine tourism.

Regarding harmonised labelling, the opinion calls for Member States to “postpone [label changes] in light of the multiple ongoing crises”, however Ireland’s Alcohol Health Labelling legislation was not mentioned during the course of the debate. The opinion was adopted.

The second opinion for adoption was rapporteur Joke Schauvliege’s (BE/EPP) ‘Vision for Agriculture’. This opinion followed many of the same themes as the debate on the Future of CAP, with the rapporteur explicitly noting their regret that the Vision for Agriculture and Food does not mention the need to strengthen the regional dimension of the CAP to bring policy options into line with specific place and sector-based characteristics. Following the debate, the opinion was adopted by majority.

The third opinion of the session was William Elofsson’s (SE/EPP) ‘The Clean Industrial Deal’. The rapporteur used the opinion to stress that a strong regional dimension is essential. They believe that the EU must support diverse territorial needs by enabling partnerships across all levels of governance, and by involving local and regional authorities in implementation.  The opinion was subsequently adopted.

The fourth opinion of the session was rapporteur Åsa Ågren Wikström’s (SE/EPP) ‘More than funding: local and regional authorities mobilising public and private resources for an effective follow-up on the Clean Transition Dialogues on the ground’. Central to the opinion is the championing of the concept of multilevel governance with local and regional authorities as platforms for growth and transition. To this end, the rapporteur calls on the European Commission to regularly include LRAs in transition dialogues, as they argue that most decarbonisation projects are implemented in cities and regions. The opinion was adopted.

Speaking during the debate Irish member Cllr. Kieran McCarthy noted as gaeilge “What I like in this opinion is that it contains a lot of ideas concerning a localised approach, to consolidate supply chains. It is evident that the clean industrial deal will not succeed unless the regions and councils are fully involved. From the six or so points contained in this opinion in relation to clean industry, it is clear that it is high time that institutes work together with the regions to achieve their objectives.

Cllr. Dan Boyle immediately followed noting that “In unity there is strength, never has there been a need for such unity and such strength in our coherence and thinking.

The whole purpose of clean transition dialogues, is not to avoid the need for progress, not to deny the need for progress,  to achieve progress. We need to be consistent in how we are doing this, my city is one of the one hundred and twelve cities participating in the climate neutral and smart city programme and one of the 39 cities in the EU mission label as part of that there will be benefits in common approaches and shared learnings but there is need for appropriate funding to meet the ambitious targets, that are very ambitious and are unlikely to be made, but the journey itself is where we need to be and we need to share these journeys and learnings. Hopefully the positive the clean transition dialogues are a way to do so.”

The final opinion of the first day of plenary was rapporteur Tine Radinja’s (SI/GREENS) ‘Intergenerational Fairness: A Local and Regional Approach to Building Inclusive and Sustainable Societies’. The opinion highlights the importance of local and regional authorities (LRAs) in promoting intergenerational solidarity and notes that it is possible to foster intergenerational exchanges by increasing the participation and representation of both young and older people in public life, thereby strengthening social fabric and encouraging participatory democracy for all ages.  LRAs can also facilitate intergenerational learning, such as mentoring and experience-sharing, through community-based activities (e.g., in libraries, museums, and cultural institutions), if they have adequate funding.

Speaking during the debate Irish member Cllr. Kieran McCarthy noted as gaeilge “What I like in this opinion is that it contains a lot of ideas concerning a localised approach, to consolidate supply chains. It is evident that the clean industrial deal will not succeed unless the regions and councils are fully involved. From the six or so points contained in this opinion in relation to clean industry, it is clear that it is high time that institutes work together with the regions to achieve their objectives.

The opinion was adopted unanimously, bringing day one of the session to a close.

Day two began with a presentation from the CoR trainees on their [Y] Factor project ‘YEPs on the Ground’, which sought to give exposure to the work of Young Elected Politicians. Irish councillor Mairin McGrath took part in one of the interviews as part of the project. Speaking on the project both Cllr. Kieran McCarthy and Cllr. Dan Boyle congratulated the trainees on their hard work, Cllr. Boyle doing so as gaeilge.

The presentation was followed by the first opinion of the morning, Jelena Drenjanin’s (SE/EPP) ‘A simpler and faster Europe’. Echoing the findings of the Draghi report on competitiveness, the opinion calls attention to the mounting complexity of EU regulation and its constraining effect on Europe’s economic potential. It warns against legislative overload and underlines the importance of strategic foresight in shaping future-proof policies. While simplification is encouraged, the rapporteur stresses that high standards in democracy, environmental protection, and social policy must not be compromised.

Local and regional authorities—responsible for implementing up to 70% of EU legislation—are seen as pivotal actors. The Commission is urged to deepen structured engagement with these stakeholders, particularly through implementation dialogues and tools such as the ComPAct initiative.

Speaking during the debate, Cllr. Kieran McCarthy notes “The rapporteur is right to call for various initiatives to be reviewed and to decrease burdens and increase simplification measures. I think this opinion as well will also form a key counter document for the draft MFF programme that will appear in the next two weeks.

We have seen recently the growth of centralisation. It is getting clearer as we approach mid-July that many of the points in this strong opinion before us are under threat of dilution. It is important that we fight strongly for the ideas in this opinion and create a strong counter strategy for the more negative proposals that come before the CoR in the next two weeks. Madame President, without the local and regional authorities we will have a more complex and slower Europe instead of the simpler and faster Europe that we all need.

Following the debate the opinion was adopted unanimously.

The second opinion of the morning was Danniela Cimpean’s (RO/EPP) ‘Cybersecurity of hospitals and healthcare providers’. The opinion was in response to the European Commission’s new action plan aimed at bolstering the cybersecurity of hospitals and healthcare providers. The opinion came in the context of Member States reporting 309 significant cybersecurity incidents affecting the healthcare sector in 2023 – more than in any other critical sector. The opinion was adopted.

The first debate of day two was on the UN Climate Change Conference 2025 in Belém, Brazil (COP30). Following COP29, there was a feeling that local and regional governments had laid a framework for advancing more multilevel action. The plenary discussed which actions they would like to see in COP30.

The debate was notable for the level of Irish input, with four members speaking. Firstly Cllr. Clare Colleran Molloy, who noted that “Like in many places across Europe, in Ireland, the climate crisis is no longer abstract. It is local, immediate, and personal.

In my own County Clare, parts of the Atlantic coastline are disappearing to the sea. Coastal erosion and rising sea levels threaten heritage, livelihoods, and entire communities. In the County Cork, we’ve seen families displaced and businesses devastated by unprecedented floods — three so-called ‘once-in-a-century’ events in the past decade alone.

Our farmers, the stewards of our land, are facing a changed climate: longer droughts, irregular rainfall, soil degradation. Crop reliability is decreasing, while stress and costs mount. This is not just an environmental issue — it’s a rural justice issue.

But we are not standing still. Across Ireland, there is proof of what can be done when there is political will and European cooperation.

In the Shannon Estuary, a region once known for heavy industry and emissions, we are building the future. Plans are underway to transform it into a renewable energy hub — combining offshore wind, green hydrogen, and port infrastructure. The estuary will not just cut emissions — it will create thousands of sustainable jobs, attract clean investment, and support Ireland’s goal of becoming a net exporter of clean energy.

At Moneypoint, once Ireland’s last coal-fired power plant, we are turning a page. It is being redeveloped into a centre for green innovation. This is the just transition in practice — where fossil jobs are replaced with clean, dignified work, powered by European vision and investment.

Our agriculture sector is adapting too. With EU-supported schemes like ACRES, farmers are rewetting peatlands, planting native trees, and improving soil health. These efforts are cutting emissions while restoring ecosystems. They prove that nature-based solutions are real and effective.

So yes, the path is difficult — but it is not impossible.

We urge the EU to lead on climate finance. The Loss and Damage Fund must be operational and accessible before Belém. No empty pledges — real money, delivered fairly.

Finally, we must protect what is irreplaceable. The Amazon, like Ireland’s peatlands and wetlands, is not just a carbon sink — it is a living system. Europe must support Brazil’s efforts, including the Tropical Forest Forever Facility, and invest in nature-based climate solutions.”.

She was followed by Cllr. Kieran McCarthy who stated that “I’ve been working on COP conferences for many years. There has been achievement on recognition of local and regional authorities, that must be said. Also for several years there has been a push strategically to get more, for higher ambitions, for stronger multilevel cooperation and a Just Transition. There has been momentum on that, but we have to push strategically even more. As well as that, I think all parties in COP need to adopt a genuine multilevel approach as recognized in the COP28 consensus. We have the plans, the enthusiasm and the will to help you so please harness us in Brazil.

As well as that, I equally share the perspective that winning public support is essential. At every stage, authorities and developers should engage with citizens. For example, when developing stakeholder engagement plans to address community concerns and build trust.

Stakeholder engagement plans foster democratic participation and transition and encourage active participation. With the right support, local and regional authorities can deliver our bold climate action plans.

Next to contribute was Cllr. Caroline Dwane Stanley who spoke of her hometown of Portlaoise as it is “set to become Ireland’s first ‘Low Carbon Town Centre’.

We’ve sought to reduce the impact of car use in the town, support more active travel through walking and cycling, and invest in infrastructure that supports these goals.

The greatest success of this project is the creation of two new dedicated bus routes through the town, greatly reliving traffic through the town centre.

However, for this work to continue, we must be supported financially. Currently less than 10% of climate finance funds are spent on local action.

I am urging the President to call for more dedicated local and regional climate funding in Belem!

The final Irish contribution was from Cllr. Mick Cahill who noted “The challenge facing Europe is clear, the temperature in April 2024 was warmer than any previous April on record. This isn’t a once off, between April 2023 and April 2024 we lived through 11 months in a row where the temperature record was broken.

The only way to challenge this change is from the ground up.

In Ireland local authorities continue to be the critical delivery body for climate action. They continue to be the level of governance that achieves the greatest public buy-in for climate action through progressive policies.

We need to be supported, not just in words, but through finance. I am urging the EU to ensure to ensure that local ambitions are met with ambitious financial support!

Following the debate, rapporteur Nadia Pellefigue’s (FR/PES) opinion ‘Climate Action implementation in view of the EU contribution to UNFCCC COP30’ was also adopted.

The plenary subsequently moved to discuss rapporteur Tine Radinja’s (SI/GREENS) ‘Intergenerational Fairness: A Local and Regional Approach to Building Inclusive and Sustainable Societies’. His opinion urges the integration of intergenerational perspectives into EU regulations, increased investment in awareness and sustainability programmes, and the adoption of new governance models that overcome short-term thinking. It highlights the role of local and regional authorities in promoting equity, environmental protection, and age-diverse, inclusive decision-making to address intergenerational inequalities and strengthen cohesion across age groups.

Speaking during the debate, Cllr Declan McDonnell stated that “Obviously we must consistently review and adapt our laws to protect our coming generations.

There are a number of areas that we must adjust urgently, however, at the same time we have to be careful not to leave large parts of aging, of which many are disabled – population behind. We need targeted EU support to expand accessibility in public infrastructure, long-term care and affordable adapted housing. We must increase public resources for care of older people and enhance state support for family carers.

Accessibility should be treated as a horizontal priority in EU programmes, particularly in aging and rural regions, where gaps in mobility, housing and digital access are widening.

He was followed by Cllr. Kieran McCarthy who noted that “This opinion is key to fostering a more sustainable and inclusive society. I would like to thank the rapporteur for including that future proofing policies should include strong public investment in universal social infrastructure and healthcare, childcare, education and housing. As fundamental enablers of intergenerational solidarity and mobility. I would also like to thank the rapporteur for their continued call for the European Commissioner to apply a transparent Youth Check. I would also like to welcome the European Commission’s consultation to secure 150 citizens and a public forum as a follow on to the Conference on the Future of Europe

The opinion was adopted by the plenary.

The final item was rapporteur-general Christophe Rouillon’s (FR/PES) urgent opinion on the ‘Revision of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund’. The opinion offered 9 amendments to the legislation, reiterating the CoR’s call for a lower threshold for redundancies, whether within the same enterprise or in particular sectors. They believe this better reflects the actual situation on the ground, specifically in regions that are less populated and where SMEs are the main type of business, and hopes this decrease will lead to greater use and mobilisation of the EGF. The rapporteur proposes that the threshold be set at 150 instead of 200 jobs.

The opinion was adopted, concluding the plenary session. The next session will take place on the 14th and 15th October to coincide with the European Week of Regions and Cities.

Round up of CoR’s 166th Plenary

The EU’s Committee of the Regions began its 166th plenary session on Wednesday 14th May in the European Parliament’s Hemicycle. The session featured six opinions and three resolutions, alongside several debates. There were strong Irish contributions throughout the session.

The session opened with a debate on ‘The European Research Area’ with Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva, who has responsibility for startups, research and innovation. During her opening statement, Commissioner Zaharieva noted “Regions and cities are essential to Europe’s excellence in research and innovation. Fostering collaboration, strengthening local ecosystems, and supporting diverse talent—our common efforts help position the EU as a global leader. Together, we ensure that Europe remains the most attractive destination for researchers and that science thrives at every level of our Union.” In response, members called for tangible commitments for collaboration such as full integration of local and regional authorities into the European Research Area Forum.

Following the debate, the CoR adopted Melanie Kühnemann-Grunow’s (DE/PES) opinion ‘Building the European Research Area: A Local and Regional Perspective’, which echoed many of the concerns and issues raised during the previous item.

The second opinion of the afternoon was rapporteur Jaume Collboni Cuadrado’s (ES/PES) topical ‘The Role of Cities and Regions in the EU Affordable Housing Plan’. The opinion seeks to pre-empt the EU Affordable Housing Plan, calling for; a clear definition of conditionalities, greater coordination between the local and regional government and the EU on housing and increasing access to funding and investment for housing.

Making his maiden plenary speech, Cllr. Dermot Lacey noted “A lot of the report is based on the principle that local government has power, I come from a country where the system has been decimated by central government, so I appeal to the Council of Europe and the Committee of the Regions to support us in the campaign for real local government power in our country… The second point I want to make is that the key change that the European Union can make is to ease the restrictions on state aid, that’s what stops us delivering the infrastructure we need, that is what I would appeal to the European Union to do. Lift the restrictions on State Aid, even if it’s for a short period of ten years, we need that in order to deliver the kind of infrastructure we need to deliver. Real people’s lives are being destroyed by the lack of housing, only Europe, National or local can deliver on that. I support the report.”.

The opinion was adopted by the plenary.

The third opinion of the session was Birgitta Sacrédeus’ (SE/EPP) ‘Healthcare Workforce: Regional Challenges and Solutions’. Central to the opinion is that regional disparities can have an impact on the resilience and cohesion of society, which the rapporteur posits as important factors in being able to withstand both health and geopolitical crises. The rapporteur urges that the EU, and its Member States invest in efforts to secure the supply of skills across the entire healthcare system. The opinion was duly adopted.

Cllr. Kieran McCarthy made his first contribution of the session during the debate on Isabelle Boudineau’s (FR/PES) opinion ‘Cohesion policy as a key engine in achieving EU goals and reforms: how to further build on its performance-based approach while respecting decentralisation, partnership and multilevel governance’. Cllr. McCarthy used his speaking slot to voice his disappointment in ‘unclear narratives’ on the future of cohesion funding. He noted that “It’s highly frustrating that we must continue to fight for subsidiarity and against centralisation. We need more effective collaboration to protect principles of partnership, multi-level governance, and local capacity building.” The opinion was subsequently adopted.

The final opinion of the first day was Carmine Pacente’s (IT/RENEW E.) ‘Metropolitan Regions and Functional Urban Areas as Socio-Economic Drivers of Sustainable Investment in the 2021-2027 Cohesion Policy Framework’. This opinion notes that essential to the involvement of local and regional representation within policy is involving towns and cities at all stages of the policy cycle.

The opinion was adopted and the session concluded day one with a debate on EU local matters.

Day two began with a debate on Loredana Capone’s (IT/PES) opinion ‘Strengthen Farmers’ Position in the Agri-food Supply Chain’. This opinion concerns the Regulation establishing a common market organisation of agricultural products (CMO) and a new Regulation on cross-border enforcement against unfair trading practices. These proposals aim to strengthen farmers’ position and restore the trust between actors in the agri-food supply chain. Both proposals seek to directly reflect several recommendations of the Strategic Dialogue on the future of EU agriculture and respond to some of the most pressing challenges that the agricultural sector faces.

Following the previous opinion’s adoption the plenary entered a debate titled ‘The EU-UK Relationship: Perspectives for Regional and Local Cooperation’. The debate featured contributions from Sandro Gozi MEP (Renew E./IT) co-chair of the European Union-United Kingdom Parliamentary Partnership Assembly and Marsha de Cordova (PES/UK) as well as Irish members Cllr. Dan Boyle and Cllr. Caroline Dwane Stanley. Cllr. Dwane Stanley noted “The European Alliance Group welcome the resetting the EU-UK relationship, this is a positive development.

From an Irish perspective fostering greater cooperation between EU and UK is necessary, not only for collective prosperity and resilience but also for maintaining peace on the island. The Irish case is an example of how cooperation effects communities within and outside the EU. Thus, highlighting the urgent need to bolster cross-border relations. This cooperation needs to extend across all social and economic aspects of our lives.

Secondly, in a time of global uncertainty there’s a clear need for working together, there cannot be a situation where different tariffs are levied for exports from the same island we hope that the EU trade commissioner will take this into consideration in negotiating with the US.

My final plea is for the young people who have been affected by Brexit, I believe that all young people should be able to study, work and travel across the EU and the UK. The youth of today are our future and hopefully by fostering their free movement we can build a future of strong cooperation. I wish everyone success with the summit next week.

Cllr. Dan Boyle followed highlighting that “The relationship between the UK and the European Union has been enhanced and reset and we should welcome that, as has been said by previous speakers, Ireland has been a particular beneficiary of that.

The efforts of the EU to secure and effective agreement through the Windsor Agreement has allowed the economy on the island of Ireland, not only to be protected but to be enhanced and economic activity has increased as a result.

As we refine this relationship and improve it, it has to be based on local and regional government working more and more with each other. We need to find enhancements and replacements for programmes such as the interreg programme, which has proved so successful in the past and has allowed local and regional governments to achieve best standards through cooperation with their country. I have a concern that the threat that does exist, exists in an impending trade agreement between the US and the UK.  We need to be wary not only because of the differential in tariffs but also because there is a very real risk that the US, through a trade agreement with the UK may lead to a relaxation on food imports and allow the practices of excessive hormone use in beef production, the chlorination of chicken and the type of food standards in Europe that we do not accept and cannot accept.

I would urge British colleagues to insist whatever agreement is reached does not breach those standards because it’s important that the role of the consumer and the citizen is understood in this regard.

Finally, we should be looking towards a relationship where we look at what we have in common and also where the highest standards are applied towards the climate crisis and how we protect international agreements such as the Paris Agreement, as a partner country and a neighbouring country the boundaries and borders are meaningless in this context, I am optimistic for the future and we should be optimistic for the future, it can only work if we work together.

The plenary subsequently moved its attention to the local matter debate on ‘Celebrating diversity with the LGBTQI+ Prides in Europe’, which was proposed by Pascal Smet (BE/PES) and featured a contribution from Kim van Sparrentak (NL/Greens), Co-President of the European Parliament LGBTIQ+ Intergroup.

The Irish delegation made two contributions to the debate, firstly via Cllr. Kieran McCarthy’s intervention where he noted “Over the past 16 years the Cork LGBTQI parade has become part of a weeklong festival in the city and has grown in size and success to become the main regional pride event in Ireland.

There is a general sentiment that pride parades are not just a celebration they are a powerful symbol of solidarity and justice, togetherness, diversity and inclusion, identity and resilience and I’ve seen in my city that the cork pride parade is an opportunity for people from all backgrounds to come together and unite and see that our differences enrich us rather than diminish us, unite us rather than divide us.

Pride events safeguard hard won achievements and pride is a time to honour the brave individuals who have paved the way and amplified the voices of those who continue to advocate for change, on matters such as this we must never be silent and always speak out.

Secondly, Cllr. Gillian Coughlan spoke on the topic “We are here united in diversity and we cannot afford to backslide on that. We must keep our fortress of rights strong and we must defend those rights. It is not good enough to allow countries to diminish those rights.

We heard yesterday from a representative from the Danish presidency and he spoke of conditionality. I think here in the CoR we are going to have to begin to bargain. If people are not willing to maintain our rights and defend our rights then perhaps something may have to be diminished for them. It is not good enough for people who are gay, lesbian or trans to be diminished like this or have their rights to be diminished like this.

In Ireland we have celebrated just this year, ten years of marriage equality. We came from a dark place of sexual repression, so must now stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Hungary and other places so that their rights are defended.”

The plenary next held a debate on the institutional priorities for the CoR. Speaking during the debate Cllr. Kieran McCarthy highlighted that “Cohesion resilience, and proximity are the pillars a stronger more inclusive and future proof Europe”, and they must form the basis of the CoR’s priorities.

A resolution on the topic was subsequently adopted by the plenary.

The plenary would subsequently adopt another resolution on the ‘Mid-term review of Cohesion Policy 2021-2027’. The resolution urges the Commission to swiftly finalise the mid-term review of programmes such as the ERDF, CF, JTF and ESF+ where proposals have been submitted, while ensuring managing authorities retain the flexibility to make further amendments in light of future legislative revisions. However, the CoR uses the resolution to express concern that the Commission’s approach does not provide new funding but rather reallocates existing cohesion policy funds under different rules or central management, risking reduced investment impact.

Following the resolution’s adoption the plenary held one final debate on the “The future of the EU Budget” and subsequently adopted a resolution attached to this debate entitled “Draft resolution in view of the next MFF”. This concluded the plenary session; the next session will take place on the 2nd and 3rd of July, once again in the Hemicycle.

Southern Regional Assembly Study – Visit to Brussels

Earlier this month the Irish Regions European Office hosted six Southern Regional Members and two Assembly officials. Beginning their two-day study visit in the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the EU, Tadhg Browne, EU Support Officer of the Irish Regions European Office, delivered a presentation on the work of the Irish Regions European Office and the Irish Delegation to the EU Committee of the Regions. Mr. Browne also highlighted how the IREO has engaged with the local authority sector in Ireland.

The group next met Programme Manager for EU Cohesion Policy Post-2027, Stéphanie Gantzer-Houzel whom highlighted how regions can engage with EU Cohesion Policy as well as outlining various funding opportunities available to Irish local authorities including the European Regional Development Fund, Just Transition Fund and European Urban Initiative.

The final meeting of the morning was with Director of Institutional Affairs and EU staffing in the Irish Permanent Representation, Philip Grant, who outlined the role of the various EU institutions and how the EU Committee of the Regions interacts with them. He also discussed the opportunities for Ireland in the run up to the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2026.

The group transferred to the European Parliament to meet with four MEPs from the Ireland South constituency. Beginning with MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, they discussed challenges for rural areas, then met with MEP Billy Kelleher on the topic of energy, followed by MEP Sean Kelly to discuss current trade issues. The group then met with MEP Michael McNamara and discussed the future of Cohesion Policy.

The group, again, began day two in the Irish Permanent Representation  with a presentation from Karl-Filip Coenegrachts, Executive Director and Virginie Verstraete, Head of Communications from Open & Agile Smart Cities. They highlighted the progress being made on the European Smart Communities Programme, of which the Irish Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) is a member.

A priority of the study-visit was exploring the Climate Neutral and Smart Cities Mission, to analyse this topic the group had a presentation from Aleksandra Olejnik, Policy Officer, at DG Research. Ms. Olejnik discussed the work being done at European level as well as showing how Ireland is progressing.

The group concluded their two-day visit with a presentation from Noel Regan, Counsellor in the Irish Permanent Representation with responsibility for Environment and Energy Policy. Mr. Regan tied the two-day visit together by walking the group through the European legislation process before discussing on-going European environmental and energy policy challenges.

EMRA Local Authority Chief Executives Study Visit to Brussels

In March the Irish Regions European Office played host to seven Chief Executives from local authorities in the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA) area, together with Clare Bannon, A/ Director of EMRA. Beginning their two-day study visit in the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the EU, Teresa Lennon, Head of the Irish Regions European Office delivered a presentation on the work of the IREO and the Irish Delegation to the EU Committee of the Regions. Ms. Lennon also highlighted the work being done by the IREO to engage with local authorities across Ireland.

The group then met Director for Housing, Cities and Regions at the European Investment Bank (EIB), Tanguy Desrousseaux whom discussed funding opportunities for Local Authorities from the EIB and highlighted how the Bank is engaging with the Irish local government sector.

The final engagement of the morning was with Ambassador Cáit Moran, Deputy Permanent Representative of Ireland to the EU, whom outlined Ireland’s role within the EU and current priorities for Ireland ahead of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2026. This meeting provided an opportunity for the Chief Executives to explore potential areas of collaboration, as well as offer inputs on political priorities for the Presidency from a local and regional viewpoint.

The group subsequently transferred to the European Parliament to meet with nine of the Irish MEPs. This meeting gave the Chief Executives time to highlight issues in their region and how best to work with the MEPs to discuss potential solutions.

Following the meeting, the Chief Executives arrived at the Committee of the Regions and met Chiara Malagodi, Head of Cabinet of the President of the Committee of the Regions, Micheál Ó Conchúir, Secretary General, European Alliance Group, Sean O’Curneen, Secretary General, Renew Europe Group and Donal Kennedy, Political Adviser, European People’s Party Group. During this meeting Ms. Malagodi outlined the political priorities of the COR new mandate, as well as highlighting the important work being done by the Irish Delegation in the previous mandate. Following this, Mr.  Ó Conchúir, Mr. O’Curneen and Mr. Kennedy underlined the importance of the Irish Delegation for policy making in Europe and highlighted the work being done by the IREO in Brussels on behalf of the local government sector.

The group, again, began day two in the Permanent Representation with a presentation from Damien Flynn, Agriculture Counsellor. Mr. Flynn’s presentation showed the role of the Permanent Representation and the Legislative Process. This was followed by a meeting with Caoimhe Gavin, SME Counsellor, on competitiveness in the context of the Draghi Report and the Letta Report.

The group then turned their attention to EU Regional Policy Funding in Ireland with Kai Stryczynski, Programme Manager at the European Commission, whom discussed a myriad of funding opportunities including the European Regional Development Fund, Just Transition Fund, Interregional Innovation Investments and European Urban Initiative.

Concluding the morning’s meetings, Ludger Odenthal, Team Leader at the European Commission’s  Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs met the group to discuss job creation and SME policy and funding.

In the afternoon the group moved to the European Commission to meet European officials. They began with Fiona Knab-Lunny, Head of Cabinet of Commissioner McGrath. The group discussed ways in which local authorities can battle disinformation, the democracy shield and civic engagement.

The group then met Matthew Baldwin, Head of the European Commission’s Housing Task Force to discuss housing issues in their areas and where they feel Europe can contribute.

The group concluded their two day visit with a presentation from Aleksandra Klenke, Policy Officer, Sustainable Smart Mobility, Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport. Following her presentation, the group discussed the roll-out of electric vehicles across Ireland and how Ireland can transition to greener transport.

Round Up of CoR’s 165th Plenary

The 165th EU Committee of the Regions plenary session started on Wednesday, 2nd April, in the European Parliament’s Hemicycle. It marked the second of the new mandate and began with a debate on the concerns and priorities of the Polish presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The Polish presidency, which commenced in January, is working under the motto ‘Security, Europe’ and has seven dimensions:

  1. Defence and security
  2. Protection of people and borders
  3. Resistance to foreign interference and disinformation
  4. Ensuring security and freedom of business
  5. Energy transition
  6. Competitive and resilient agriculture
  7. Health security

Following the debate, the plenary adopted the CoR’s Draft Budget 2026. The 2026 draft budget is based on the final 2025 budget of €130.45 million, which represented a 5.9% increase from 2024. The CoR’s Commission for Financial and Administrative Affairs (CFAA), which prepared the Draft Budget submissions, proposed another 8.9% increase for 2026. The majority of this increase concerns fixed costs, such as wage inflation and rent. The plenary adopted the budget, however, members did note that there is an onus on the institution to explore ways to reduce costs going forward.

The first opinion of the day was Stephen De Ron’s (LU/GREENS) “The local and regional perspective in the implementation of the Rule of Law in the European Union”. The opinion highlights the challenges to the rule of law, such as judicial independence, media freedom, and civic participation, which, in turn, the rapporteur argues, weakens territorial cohesion and the legitimacy of European actions.

Having adopted De Ron’s opinion, the plenary turned its attention to two Local Matters. Local Matters are topics submitted for debate by CoR members ahead of plenary and this debate focused on two; firstly, the highly topical “Local dimension of the new U.S tariff policy on European agri-food products”, and secondly “Enhancing connectivity for EU islands”.

Irish Delegation member, Cllr. Caroline Dwane Stanley (IE/ EA) contributed to the first debate, she noted that “The impending tariffs being proposed by President Trump, will cause huge instability in world trade and the economic consequences could be devastating for an open market like Ireland which has built a lot of its economic growth and expansion from a period of globalisation and economic policy of free trade around the world.”  She concluded her contribution by noting that “In a new world of erratic leadership, it would be great to see some calm and strategic leadership from the European Union.

A debate on local and regional perspectives on enlargement with Commissioner for enlargement Marta Kos followed this. The debate repeated the CoR’s central message on enlargement – ‘a successful and sustainable accession process must engage LRAs from the very beginning’. This involvement is not only practical—given that over 70% of EU legislation is implemented at local and regional level—but strategic. The long-term stability and democratic legitimacy of accession depend on reforms taking root within communities, not being imposed from above.

Following the debate, the CoR adopted two opinions concerning enlargement firstly Aleksandra Dulkiewicz’s (PL/EPP) “Enlargement package 2024 – Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia” and secondly, Jean-Luc Vanraes’ (BE/RENEW E.) “Enlargement package 2024 – Western Balkans and Türkiye”. Following the adoption of both, the plenary adjourned for the evening.

The plenary resumed on Thursday morning with an opinion by Carlos Mazón Guixot (ES/EPP) entitled “Enhancing EU regional agricultural competitiveness: A comprehensive strategy integrating equitable trade conditions and phytosanitary security”. The opinion emphasises the importance of local and regional perspectives in agricultural production and water resilience, which is critical for securing food supply continuity across the EU. The opinion was duly adopted.

Half an hour later, Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms of the European Commission, Raffaele Fitto, presented the proposals for Cohesion Policy’s Mid-Term Review. He noted that “This proposal aims at ensuring that Cohesion Policy remains not only effective but adapted to unprecedented challenges and realities on the ground. We are giving Member States and regions the opportunity to spend in new specific areas. This is a voluntary choice, and I am committed to defend the core principles of Cohesion Policy, which will remain a fundamental component of the EU long-term budget after 2027.” However, members raised concerns regarding the possible additional administrative burden of the reprogramming exercise and the risk of diverting Cohesion Policy from its long-term objectives.

Speaking on behalf of the European Alliance group, Cllr. Caroline Dwane Stanley (IE) welcomed the mid-term review. “It is necessary and timely. The world around us is changing fast, geopolitically, economically, and socially, and the policy must adapt to these changes.

However, while adjusting to new realities, we should be careful not to drift too far from the core purpose of Cohesion Policy. It was designed to promote social and territorial cohesion, to reduce disparities between regions and ensure that no one is left behind. That goal remains as relevant as ever.  There should be no centralisation but keep the regional hold on planning, management and implementation of Cohesion policy.

On housing, we welcome the stronger focus. In many of our regions we face an acute lack of affordable housing. If the Commission wants to double the funding, we are ready to act. But rules must be clear, permitting simplified, and access straightforward for local authorities.”

The debate was followed by an outlook opinion by Mätta Ivarsson (SE/GREENS) on the forthcoming EU Oceans Pact. A key concern of the opinion is the funding gap affecting maritime activities in response it calls for the establishment of adequate financing for a just transition to a low-impact and regenerative maritime economy and effective protection and restoration of marine ecosystems and scientific research. The rapporteur, therefore, suggests that the Pact should contribute to facilitating the creation of innovative financing mechanisms and incentives to apply sustainable practices. Furthermore, it asks the CoR to consider tailored financing instruments in the next MFF that fit into the local socio-economic fabric.

Following the adoption of the outlook opinion, the plenary subsequently adopted an “urgent resolution on strengthening the territorial dimension in the implementation of the Industrial Action Plan for the European Automotive Sector” and an “urgent resolution on the Arrest of Turkish Mayors and the Assault on Local Democracy in Türkiye”.

The penultimate item on the agenda was a debate on a “Place-based approach to Competitiveness” with a statement from Enrico Letta, former Italian Prime Minister and author of the EU report on the future of the Single Market. Briefing members ahead of the debate, the CoR notes that in order to effectively address major economic and societal challenges, partnerships between the EU level, Member States, regions, cities, the private sector, and other involved stakeholders are essential. Such collaborations, they note, are key to strengthening the competitiveness of European industries, particularly as Europe transitions towards a low-carbon and circular economy, a critical factor in maintaining global competitiveness.

The CoR warns that against this backdrop, the notion of a place-based industrial policy to reinforce EU competitiveness and build a resilient and sustainable Europe is largely absent in the Competitiveness Compass. Furthermore, the CoR feel that the Competitiveness Compass does not sufficiently highlight that policies at different levels and should promote a stronger place-based green and digital dimension in industrial policy and also consider the territorial implications of the twin transitions in the energy intensive branches (such as the automotive industry, the chemical industry and cement and steel production).

Following the debate with Letta, the plenary adopted a draft urgent resolution on a competitive compass for the EU. This concluded the plenary session; the next session will take place on the 14th and 15th of May, once again in the Hemicycle.

Cork County Council Study Visit to Brussels, January 2025

At the end of January, a delegation of fourteen Cork County Council staff and local representatives underwent a packed three day study visit to Brussels.

Starting in the Irish Permanent Representation’s new Cortenberg building, the delegation heard about the role of the Irish Regions European Office and the Irish Delegation to the EU Committee of the Regions from Head of Office Teresa Lennon.

Rounding out the first day of their visit, the group met Cynthia Ní Mhurchú MEP, Micheal O’Conchuir, Secretary General, European Alliance Group, and Nigel Hutson, General Affairs Attache, Irish Permanent Representation to the EU.

On day two the delegation visited the European Commission to first meet Paul Tuinder to discuss renewable energy, followed by meetings with Victoria Petrova to discuss tourism and Stephanie Gantzer-Houzel and Tsvyatko Velikov to discuss local and regional funding opportunities.

The highlight of the visit was a meeting with Commissioner Michael McGrath, where they learned about his new portfolio and discussed Europe’s impact on local and regional politics.

The group then visited the European Parliament to meet with Ireland South MEPs; Billy Kelleher, Sean Kelly, Kathleen Funchion, and Cynthia Ní Mhurchú.

Day three involved meetings at the Irish Permanent Representation to the EU to hear about the role of the the Representation in EU decision making as well as presentations from Lisa Underwood, Energy Attaché and Rob McGuinness, Environment Attache for Ireland.

Round Up of CoR’s 164th Plenary

The 164th Plenary session marked the inaugural meeting of the 2025-2030 CoR mandate. The session began on Wednesday 19th February in the European Parliament’s Hemicycle with a speech from outgoing CoR President Vasco Cordeiro, in which he strongly urged that the position of CoR President be made a full-time role to strengthen the institution’s position within inter-institutional discussions.

Following the outgoing President’s statement, members were allowed to debate with the President of the European Council,  António Costa, a former CoR member. The debate focused on the ongoing war in Ukraine, as well as the European Council’s recently adopted Strategic Agenda 2024-2029.

After this debate the plenary adjourned for the night.

The plenary session restarted on Thursday 20th at 9am with the election of the members of the Bureau, the election of the President and First-Vice President. The Irish delegation nominated the head of delegation Cllr. Gillian Coughlan and Cllr. Jimmy McClearn to the Bureau, while the plenary unanimously elected former deputy mayor of Budapest, Kata Tüttő (PES), as President and President of the Spanish region of Andalucia, Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla as First Vice-President. The President and First Vice-President will rotate after two and a half years.

Starting in the afternoon, the plenary was presented with a report on the impact of CoR opinions. The headline from this report is that in 2024, the CoR adopted 53 opinions and 4 resolutions, which is slightly lowered compared to previous years (68 in 201, 63 in 2022 and 59 in 2023). However, the report highlights that it is higher than in 2019, a year which is comparable to the EU inter-institutional cycle. Ireland had three opinions adopted in 2024.

Following the adoption of the CoR Commission remits for the new mandate, the plenary held a debate with Commissioner with responsibility for Cohesion Policy Raffaele Fitto. Speaking during the debate Irish Delegation member Cllr Declan McDonnell urged that “Cohesion policy takes a bottom-up approach with more decentralisation of funds.

An hour later, Thibaut Guignard presented the first opinion of this mandate “How post-27 Leader and CLLD programming could contribute to better implementation of the long-term vision for the EU’s rural areas”. This opinion seeks to address that despite rural regions making up 80% of the EU’s surface area, they can often experience a growing feeling of marginalization, which the opinion posits leads to euroscepticism.

Next, the plenary held a highly topical debate with Europe’s first Commissioner for Housing and energy Dan Jørgensen to discuss Local and Regional Authorities tackling the housing crisis. Despite indications from multiple Irish members to speak on this topic the debate was cut short for time.

Following this there was the presentation of the Paweł Adamowicz Award in recognition of his extraordinary leadership and fostering civic engagement to Vitaliy Klitschko Mayor of Kyiv and to Bassam Aramin and Rami Elhanan, Palestinian and Israeli community leaders working on reconciliation between the communities.

Concluding the inaugural plenary session members were asked to adopt Fernando Lopez Miras’ ‘A Strong European Defence Industry’ and Oszkár Seszták’s ‘Supporting SMEs in regional value chains – fostering the proximity economy’. Both were adopted.

The next plenary session will take place in Brussels on the 2nd and 3rd of March.

Round Up of CoR’s 162nd Plenary

This plenary represented the penultimate session of the mandate and coincided with the European Week of Regions and Cities.

Beginning on Monday 7th October with President Vasco Alves Cordeiro presenting the State of Regions and Cities, the plenary featured a packed agenda of 11 opinions and 6 debates.

During the aforementioned debate on State of Regions and Cities, Irish Delegation member Cllr. Kieran McCarthy made his first intervention of the session highlighting the need for Europe to support its cities and regions. He noted that that this will lead to “a strong trust-filled partnership in multi-level governance”.

Following the debate on the State of Regions and Cities the first day of plenary adjourned.

Day two began with a debate on 20 years after the 2004 EU enlargement. The debate offered an opportunity to look back to the challenges faced by the ten countries who joined in 2004, highlighting lessons to be learned for the nine candidate countries. The debate underlined the importance of developing cohesion policy to ensure that any future growth of the Union does not create any financial disruption.

This was followed by the presentation and adoption of the plenary’s first two opinions, the “Mid-term Review of the Post-COVID European Recovery Plan” and “A Just Transition for all EU Regions”. Both opinions were adopted by members.

The second debate of the day centred on the priorities of the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU. Working under the slogan ‘Make Europe Great Again’, János Bóka, Minister for European Union Affairs highlighted Hungary’s seven presidential priorities.

This was followed by the presentation and adoption of three opinions. Firstly Zdeněk Hřib’s “Creation of a common European Mobility Data Space”, secondly, Giuseppe Varacalli’s “Promotion of Roots Tourism for Sustainable Local Revitalisation” and finally, Ilpo Heltmoinen’s “Shock-proofing European Regions: Strengthening Local and Regional Economic Resilience in the Strategic Evolution of the Single Market”.

Speaking during the opinion on the promotion of roots tourism, Cllr. Kieran McCarthy highlighted the impact of the Gathering noting “The event managed to attract over 250,000 incremental tourists, that would not have travelled to Ireland but for the Gathering. Conservative estimates suggest this contributed at least €170 million to the Irish economy.

Ireland has built on the success of this roots tourism initiative to develop the Global Irish Festival Series. The series is more targeted, seeking to reconnect those with roots to Ireland’s west back home over the course of 2024.”

Following the adoption of the three opinions the plenary adjourned.

The final day began with Antje Grotheer’s opinion on a “Common Implementation Plan for the Pact on Migration and Asylum: the Local and Regional Perspective”. This opinion explores the Pact’s ten building blocks to facilitate practical implementation efforts. Concerning local and regional authorities’ responsibilities towards asylum-seekers, the opinion highlights that it is crucial to keep asylum-seekers well informed about their obligations and rights and have access to counselling and advice so that there are no misunderstandings with authorities and the population.

Following the adoption of Grotheer’s opinion the plenary also adopted Emil Boc’s “Ethical Intelligence and Access to Supercomputing for Start-ups”.

The plenary subsequently heard statements about recent extreme weather events and adopted three opinions. Firstly, “European Wind Power Action Plan”, secondly, “Demographic Change in Europe: a Toolbox for Action” and finally, “Reinforced Quality Framework for Traineeships”.

Speaking during the debate on Reinforced Quality Framework for Traineeships, Cllr. Mick Cahill highlighted Ireland’s support for the reinforced quality framework.

The Plenary concluded with a debate with the President of the European Investment Bank Nadia Calviño, the adoption of an urgent draft resolution on the State of Regions and Cities in the EU and finally adopting Anne Besnier’s opinion on the “Recommendations for the next Framework Programme (FP10) for Research and Innovation”.

The final plenary of the mandate will take place on 20th and 21st November.

Round up of CoR’s 161st Plenary

This plenary session represented the final session before the summer break. The meeting was the first plenary for new Member Cllr Mick Cahill and alternate member Cllr Padraig McEvoy.

The session featured 2 debates and 10 opinions. Due to the transition period following the recent European elections, there were no MEPs in attendance meaning the only statements given in support of opinions or during debate came from Commissioners. Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojiechowski spoke during the debate on the future of CAP, subsequently Commissioners Elisa Ferreira and Iliana Ivanova spoke during the debate on improving EU support for regional research and innovation ecosystems, the role of the Regional Innovation Valleys.

Following the acceptance of minutes the plenary session began with the CoR’s various group leaders giving statements on the recent European election results, the ECR claimed that there is now clear evidence of a swing to the right, the EPP said that the centre is holding and the Greens warned of increasing amounts of misinformation and scaremongering.

Next on the agenda was Towards a Global Green Deal: harmonising global frameworks for climate change, biodiversity and sustainable development which was presented jointly by EPP and PES. The rapporteur, Rafał Kazimierz Trzaskowski (PL/EPP), noted that this opinion focuses on how we respond to the world us. He noted that there is sometimes a feeling, especially in local and regional government, that the current programme is too top down rather than bottom up, this he believes is leading to disenfranchisement as people feel they are being dictated to and shamed for not taking more action. The opinion promotes the power of the CoR to act as an intermediary between the EU and local and regional communities to implement the EU’s Green Deal.

Somewhat aptly this debate was followed by a debate on the Future of the Common Agricultural Policy. This debate focused on the progress of the reformed CAP, which entered force on the 1st January 2023 along with its 10 specific objectives:

  • ensure a fair income for farmers,
  • increase competitiveness,
  • improve the position of farmers in the food chain,
  • climate change action,
  • environmental care,
  • preserve landscapes and biodiversity,
  • support generational renewal,
  • vibrant rural areas,
  • protect food and health quality, and
  • foster knowledge and innovation.

The Commissioner spoke about the importance of ensuring a fair wage is provided for each farmer. Furthermore, he noted that Europe has already had success lowering emissions and increasing productivity and we must now reinforce solidarity with farmers and the international community.

Speaking during the debate, Cllr. Aoife Breslin, noted that:

The evidence is clear, emissions must be cut across society, and comparatively those cuts must be higher in the agricultural sector if we are to meet our climate targets.

To this point CAP has demonstrated three things:

  • that global food systems cannot be taken for granted,
  • that climate and environmental considerations must be central to our thinking, and
  • that we must be realistic about the capacity of our farmers and our administrations to manage and adjust to change.

But we also have to be realistic – CAP cannot do everything. Many environmental proposals, such as land restoration, require action and funding well beyond the scope and duration of a typical CAP framework in order to ensure a just transition.

The onus is on us as local and regional representatives to communicate to farmers what the CAP is capable of. Reassure farmers that they won’t be left to face these daunting challenges alone.

I am therefore calling for the EU to listen to our agricultural communities because if we fail to understand them, we will fail to meet the challenges presented by the climate crisis and that will be an indictment of us as a society not just farmers.

The subsequent opinion attached to the debate was adopted by majority following a vote on over 150 amendments to the text.

The next item to be agreed was the Revision of the CoR Rules of Procedures. A key part of this debate was the inclusion of an amendment to the CoR Rules of Procedure ensuring gender equality rather than gender diversity. Furthermore, the plenary voted in support of an amendment ensuring that each Member States’ bureau delegation would be gender balanced.

This was followed by the aforementioned debate on Improving EU Support for Regional Research and Innovation Ecosystems – The Example of the Regional Innovation Valleys with Commissioner for Cohesion Elisa Ferreira and Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Iliana Ivanova. During her opening statement Commissioner Ferreira announced that the Commission has identified 151 regions as Regional Innovation Valleys. She noted that this initiative will be supported with €116 million worth of funding under the European Innovation Ecosystems (EIE) programme of Horizon Europe, the EU research and innovation programme,  and the Interregional Innovation Investments (I3) Instrument of the European Regional Development Fund.

All three of Ireland’s regions were announced as Innovation Valleys.

Speaking during the debate, Cllr. Declan McDonnell said:

Recognition of the North West of Ireland as a Regional Innovation Valley will greatly enhance our ability to coordinate research and innovation investment, and policies.

It will enable us to address regional challenges more effectively while maintaining a strong alignment with EU priorities.

Building on our national and regional Smart Specialisation Strategies, the Northern and Western Regional Assembly is well-positioned to work with leading innovators in our region to tackle specific local challenges through the development of deep-tech innovation.

By collaborating with our universities and key sectors such as Agrifood, Marine and Blue Economy, Tourism, Renewable Energy, Med Tech, and Advanced Manufacturing, we can significantly boost both regional and European competitiveness but also facilitate the implementation of the New European Innovation Agenda within our region.

Our goal is to address critical issues such as climate action, food security, circular economy, digital transformation, and healthcare improvements.

This debate was followed by the two final opinions of the opening day, firstly Addressing Europe’s Medicine Shortages and later Soil Monitoring and Resilience, both were adopted by the plenary.

Day two of plenary featured five opinions and one debate. Beginning with the adoption of rapporteur Loredana Capone’s opinion – The role of local and regional authorities in the transition towards a circular economy. This opinion seeks to address the issues of biodiversity loss, resource use, climate change impact, and environmental risks to health and well-being which the rapporteur stresses is imperative for achieving sustainability. It was subsequently adopted.

The second opinion of the morning was Mark Speich’s (DE/EPP) opinion Active subsidiarity: a fundamental principle in the EU Better regulation agenda. Setting the context for this opinion the rapporteur stated that “The debate on EU decision-making and on the principle of subsidiarity is topical in view of the upcoming renewal of the institutional term of office and the EU’s strategic agenda”. The opinion’s recommendations would also contribute to the future debate on the revision of the EU Treaties, to the CoR’s position in a potential review of the interinstitutional agreement on better law-making and to the bilateral cooperation agreements with the Parliament and the Commission.

A central theme of the second day was sustainable water management, the topic was featured in one debate and two opinions which were both adopted. The context for the debate centred on the fact that in 2019, 29% of EU territory was affected by water stress for at least one season, and water scarcity is already forcing local and regional authorities (LRAs) to declare drought emergencies, fuelling tensions in local communities and cross-border regions. The CoR note the negative impact that droughts, floods and other extreme weather phenomena are having.

The first of the two final opinions of the plenary was Enhancing the European Administrative Space (ComPAct), which seeks to encourage and strengthen administrative cooperation between Member States. The second was EU roadmap to fight drug trafficking and organised crime. Both were adopted.

Following the adoption of the final opinions, President Vasco Cordeiro welcomed new members recently appointed to the CoR including Irish Member Cllr. Mick Cahill. Cllr. Cahill used the occasion to praise the Just Transition initiative, before noting that he welcomes the next phase of its roll-out and that he hopes that this phase will “look at where the real problems are in Ireland and to localise them”.

URBACT Call for Good Practices Open Now!

The URBACT call for Good Practices is accepting applications until June 30th. The project is seeking existing local practices that are impactful, participatory, integrated, relevant for the European Union and transferable to other European cities.

Cities from European Union’s 27 Member States, Partner States (Norway, Switzerland), cities from countries benefiting from the Instrument for Pre-Accession to the EU (Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia), as well as from Ukraine and Moldova, are invited to submit their good practices. Selected practices will benefit from a variety of visibility and promotional actions with the URBACT City Festival on 8th-10th April 2025 in Wroclaw (PL) as one of the highlights.

In addition to the increased visibility for your town/city, the associated networking and communications opportunities on offer, those initiatives awarded the URBACT Good Practice label have the option of applying as Lead Partner to an URBACT transnational Transfer Network in 2025, giving you the opportunity to both impart your good practice on several other towns or cities around Europe and fine tune your own practice even further!

You can read more about the Good Practice call here where you will find the call’s Terms of Reference, an infographic, as well as other items including a link to the Secretariat’s first and second online info sessions in April and May, and a link to the upcoming June session.

Following the previous call for Good Practices, Cork, Kildare, Longford, and Monaghan were all awarded Good Practice labels in 2017. You can find all selected Good Practices here.

If you interested in applying or have any questions, the national contact point for URBACT is Karl Murphy, kmurphy@emra.ie.