This is an exciting week for all European Committee of the Regions’ politicians, workers and followers, opening the chapter for a 5-year new mandate where many hot topics will be on the European Committee of the Regions’ agenda: the Conference on the Future of Europe, sustainability from a local and regional point of view, a special focus on the EU Green Deal and many more.
The PES Group remains the Committee’s second biggest political group with over 180 members (full members and alternate members). The Group is led by Christophe Rouillon, Mayor of Coulaines (France) as its president, Yoomi Renström, Mayor of Ovanaker (Sweden) as its first vice-president, Concha Andreu, President of La Rioja region (Spain), Enrico Rossi, President of Tuscany region (Italy), Kata Tüttő, Deputy-mayor of Budapest (Hungary) as its vice-presidents, and Per Bødker Andersen, Kolding City Council Member (Denmark) as its treasurer. Three PES Group members were elected presidents of the Committee’s commissions: Isabelle Boudineau, Vice-President of the Region Aquitaine (France), for the Commission of Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget (COTER), Juan Espadas, Mayor of Seville (Spain), for the Commission on Environment, Climate change and Energy (ENVE), Anne Karjalainen, Member of the Kerava City Council (Finland), for the Commission of Social Policy, Education, Employment, Research and Culture (SEDEC).
Moreover, on Wednesday 12 February, the outgoing European Committee of the Regions’ President and PES Group member Karl-Heinz Lambertz completed his 2.5 year mandate, leaving a Committee closer to European citizens and more present on the European institutional scene. This constitutive plenary has seen the appointment of a new president and first vice-president, respectively Apostolos Tzitzikostas (Governor of the region of Central Macedonia/Greece and EPP Group member) and Vasco Alves Cordeiro (President of the Regional Government of the Azores/Portugal and PES Group member). The logic of the rotating presidency will see the EPP take the first half of the Committee’s presidency mandate and the PES Group the second one, in 2022.
Meet our members.
Christophe Rouillon, PES Group president, Mayor of Coulaines (France)
Vasco Cordeiro, First-Vice President of the European Committee of the Regions and President of the Regional Goverment of Azores (Portugal)
Isolde Ries, PES Group coordinator for the ECON Commission, First Vice-President of the Saarland Regional Parliament (Germany)
Manuela Bora, PES Group coordinator for the COTER Commission, Regional Minister of Marche (Italy)
Elio di Rupo, Minister-President of the Region of Wallonia (Belgium)
Juan Espadas, President of the ENVE Commission, Mayor of Seville (Spain)
