Brussels
Thursday 7 February 2019

NO TERRITORY AND NO PEOPLE LEFT BEHIND

NO TERRITORY AND NO PEOPLE LEFT BEHIND

14.30
Conference
European Parliament (Room ASP 3G2) Rue Wiertz 60 1047 Brussels
from: DE EN ES FR IT PL
to: DE EN ES FR IT PL
Cohesion policy , Sustainable Development Goals

Many of our fellow citizens in Europe are feeling “left behind”. Persistent poverty, economic decay and lack of opportunities are at the root of considerable discontent in many people’s minds. Regions and cities have an important role to play.

With the implementation of a fair and effective European Union’s cohesion policy, local and regional authorities can address inequality and make sustainable development a reality.

On 7 February 2019, the PES Group in the European Committee of the Regions joined forces with Progressive Society and the Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament to launch a renewed development pact for Europe.

Representatives of local and regional authorities, trade unions, NGOS, academics and MEPs took part in the debate.

Programme
14.30 - 15.15

Opening Session - Sustainable Development: how territories are leading the way

Moderator:  Anna Lisa Boni, Secretary General of EUROCITIES

Opening Address: Jeffrey D. Sachs, professor of economics at Columbia University (US), leader in sustainable development, senior UN advisor

Keynote speech: Giorgios Kaminis, Mayor of Athens (Greece), Member of the PES Group in the European Committee of the Regions

Welcoming speeches / EU at a crossroad. Territories as frontrunners of a new sustainable development pact:   

  • Udo Bullmann, President of the S&D Group in the European Parliament
  • Catiuscia Marini, President of Umbria Region (Italy), President of the PES Group in the European Committee of the Regions
15.30 – 17.00

For a renewed European Development Pact

Three Interactive workshops running in parallel

Workshop 1:  Implementing Just transition at local level

Room: ASP 1G369 - English only

Moderator: Daniel Termont, former Mayor of Ghent, Belgium, former President of Eurocities

Speakers:

  • Benjamin Denis, Adviser ETUC Secretariat, in charge of climate change notably
  • Beata Maciejewska, Special Envoy of the Mayor of Slupsk for Sustainable Development
  • Kata Tüttő, Local councilor, District 12 Budapest (Hungary),  Member of the PES Group in the European Committee of the Regions, Rapporteur on energy poverty
     

Rapporteur: Sanjeev Kumar, CEO & Founding Director of Change Partnership (not-for-profit thought-leadership and activist organisation seeking to solve the politics of climate change to facilitate the transition to a clean, secure and prosperous world.)
 

Workshop 2:  Repowering people at the local level - Strengthening the partnership principle within EU cohesion policy

Room: ASP 5G305 - English only

Moderator: Carol Thomas, Adviser Governance and Institutional Relations (Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CCRE/CEMR)

Speakers:

  • Teresa Laespada, Councillor in charge of social policies, Province of Bizkaia (Spain)
  • Olga Zrihen, Member of the Walloon Parliament, Belgium, Member of the PES Group in the European Committee of the Regions (tbc)
  • John Bachtler, Director and Professor at  European Policy Research Center, University of Strathclyde (tbc)

Rapporteur: Mercedes Bresso, Vice-President of the S&D Group in the European Parliament in charge of economic and social issues
 

Workshop 3:  Convergence between European territories - Time to deliver!

Room:  ASP 3G2  - Webstreamed

Moderator: Andrès Rodriguez-Pose, Member of ICSE

Speakers:

  • Juan Espadas Cejas, Mayor of Seville, Spain, Member of the PES Group in the European Committee of the Regions
  • Margit Tago, Coordinator youth policies JMK Johannes Mihkelsoni Keskus (tbc)
  • Ulrike Hiller, Secretary of State for European Affairs of Bremen, Germany and Member of the PES Group in the European Committee of Regions 

Rapporteur: Eric Andrieu, Vice-President of the S&D Group in the European Parliament in charge of budget and cohesion

17.15 – 18.30

Plenary debate - Will cohesion policy 2021-2027 be fit for purpose?

Moderator: Anna Lisa Boni, Secretary General of EUROCITIES

  • Rapporteur Workshop 1: Sanjeev Kumar, CEO & Founding Director of Change Partnership
  • Rapporteur Workshop 2: Mercedes Bresso, Vice-President of the S&D Group in the European Parliament
  • Rapporteur workshop 3: Eric Andrieu, Vice-President of the S&D Group in the European Parliament

 

High-level political discussion on issues raised in the 3 workshops

Isabelle Boudineau, President of COTER Commission in the European Committee of Regions, Vice-President Nouvelle Aquitaine Region

Andrea Cozzolino, S&D Vice-President of the REGI committee, Member of the European Parliament 

Constanze Krehl, Coordinator of the S&D Group in the European Parliament for the REGI Committee

Karl-Heinz Lambertz, President of the European Committee of the Regions

 

 

 

18.30

Concluding session

Proclamation of the Appeal of the Progressive family “No territory and no place left behind”

Family photo and cocktail

 

 
 

 

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