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Mercedes Bresso and Marek Wozniak, Marshal
of the Wielkopolska Region, will on 8 and 9 September host talks in the Polish
city of Poznań on the reform of regional policy and will launch the conference of
regional and local authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP).
Political developments in the countries of Eastern Europe and the Southern Caucasus have an impact on the European Union's security, stability and prosperity. This is why the European Commission launched the "Eastern Partnership" in December 2008, putting forward concrete ideas for enhancing the EU's relationship with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, from deep and comprehensive free trade agreements to gradual visa liberalisation. The Polish Council presidency has made this initiative one of its key priorities.
So as to involve all levels of government in the initiative, as requested by the European Commission, the Committee of the Regions will organise the first annual conference of regional and local authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP) in Poznań on Thursday 8 September. Speakers will include Polish Plenipotentiary for the Eastern Partnership Andrzej Cieszkowski, European Neighbourhood Policy Commissioner Štefan Füle, Committee of the Regions (CoR) President Mercedes Bresso, as well as regional and local politicians from the EU and its Eastern neighbours. The talks will focus on practical issues, such as developing infrastructure, organising student mobility and cultural exchanges across national and EU borders. CoR President Bresso will then present the conference recommendations to heads of state and government at the Eastern Partnership summit, scheduled for 29-30 September in Warsaw.
On Friday 9 September, the 60 members of the CoR's Bureau, its executive body, will meet in Poznań to discuss the reform of EU
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regional policy with Polish Deputy-Minister for Regional Development Waldemar
Slugocki and conference host Marek Wozniak (PL/EPP), Marshal of the Wielkopolska
Region. The meeting will give CoR members a last opportunity to outline their
reform requests, two weeks before the European Commission is to present its
legislative proposals for the future structural funds.
Further information:
- Annual conference of regional and local authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP)
- CoR Bureau + Agenda
- Regions and cities gear up for cohesion policy reform (2 May 2011)
- FAQs (EN - FR- DE - PL)
Source: CoR
