The need to invest in innovation to be less dependent on raw materials, the financial challenges faced by LRAs due to the pandemic, the involvement of LRAs in recovery plans as well as the need for digital policies to take into account the needs of businesses and citizens cities, regions and isolated insular and mountainous areas were the main topics discussed during a virtual ECON Commission meeting.
During a first discussion and adoption of the Opinion on The Action Plan on Critical Raw Materials Eddy van Hijum, Member of the Council of the Province of Overijssel said "We need to produce more sustainable and reusable material as well as to produce less waste. Through innovation we can become less dependent we can become less externally dependent and exposed.
Saxony Regional Development Minister Thomas Schmidt emphasised that critical raw materials play a key role for Europe as a competitive business location. Important points in this policy debate are to use less critical raw materials and recycle more and for what critical raw materials we do need, that come from Europe. Schmidt recalled that Saxony is still an active mining region with a mining academy. Lithium is to be mined in Zinnwald, and he recalled that the largest lithium deposit in Europe is located in Saxony and Bohemia.
More broadly, Schmidt emphasised product design for there to be more recycling made possible and the role of research. He called for the European Commission to examine the financial supports under state aid law considering the high environmental and safety standards in force in the EU, which are a disadvantage for European mining regions in relation to the rest of the world.
The ECON Commission also held a debate on the NAT opinion on Experiences and lessons learned by regions and cities during the COVID-19 crisis. Rapporteur Joke Schauvliege, Member of the Flemish Parliament said that stronger cooperation is key to address the challenges being faced due to the pandemic including lack of jobs. She added that the Opinion aims to collect experiences from local and regional authorities and give ideas for the future to be better prepared. Furthermore, the Opinion stresses the importance of answering citizens' questions and concerns as well as defending interest of citizens from border regions, resolve obstacles, inform and cooperate with national authorities as well as support crisis centres. Speaking on further EU action, Schauvliege said "The opinion asks for harmonization of crisis management at EU level. Citizens are looking for more EU intervention in crisis management. Although the EU did a lot, there is room for improvement in provision of information and coordination."
Deirdre Forde, member of Cork City Council said that local and regional authorities secured buy-in and are heroes of the pandemic. She highlighted the issue of costs in the context of falling revenues. She added that border cooperation is vital and there is need to invest more in digitalisation and take account of the new working realities. Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, Mayor of Gdańsk said that the biggest cities in Poland had real difficulties with some of the measures taken at the national level. She added that the CoR opinion must also highlight the economic difficulties that the LRA's are facing because of the pandemic. EPP-CoR ECON Coordinator van Hijum stressed that strategies, support schemes or recovery programmes tend to focus on the national level and overlook the role of the local and region level in the recovery process. He said that LRAs have a key role to play in supporting SMEs in the hospitality and tourism industry.
During a presentation of the Opinion on The Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA), Rapporteur Rodi Kratsa, Governor of Ionian Islands Region said "We need to make sure that the local and regional voice is heard when we develop the new policies on Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act. She stressed for the proposals to be implemented to allow for Europe's businesses to thrive in the single market and be internationally competitive. Furthermore, for the regional ecosystems to flourish, the gaps in digital cohesion need to be addressed. So, the opinion will look at developing capacities in the digital sphere and correcting the functioning of the single market.