"Poverty and social exclusion have complex and multi-dimensional facets. Given that it is often generated by every-day issues as incomes, general living standards, education, decent work opportunities, effective social protection systems, housing, access to good-quality healthcare and other public services, we in the EPP Group are committed to playing our role in enhancing cohesion" concluded Michael Schneider, President of the European People’s Party Group in the Committee of the Regions at the end of its meeting in Poznan today.
Within the framework of the Europe 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and following the adoption of the EPP-led opinion A Digital Agenda for Europe, the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions held a political seminar entitled "Pioneering Societal Innovations: Cities and Regions implementing the Digital Agenda for Europe 2020" in Espoo.
Within the framework of the European Year of Volunteering and the EU Hungarian Presidency, the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions held an extraordinary meeting entitled "Cities and Regions Promoting Sport and Active Citizenship for Social Cohesion in Europe" in Gödöllő, Hungary on 3 March 2011.
Europe provides us with concrete examples and success stories on the ground thanks to the work of Mayors and regional Presidents, Janez Janša, President of Slovenian Democratic Party, said today during a debate with Radovan Žerjav, President of Slovenian People's Party, and Ljudmila Novak, President of New Slovenia – Christian People's Party.
In view of discussions on the future EU budget, regions and cities today called for strengthened investment opportunities for sustainable tourism, during a meeting of the EPP Group in Faro. Participants underlined that in line with the Europe 2020 targets for economic, ecological and social development, sustainable tourism can generate a large percentage of GDP and provide a beacon of hope for young people.
"Entrepreneurship and youth employment are at the core of the EPP values" reminded Lucinda Creighton, Irish Minister for European Affairs in her keynote address to EPP Group Members of the Committee of the Regions who met in Dublin today. "There's no other way than austerity to recover from the crisis. Ireland is a best practice on that" she added.
nergy dependence and insufficient security of supply has negative impact on economic development, labour markets as well as on the functioning of local and regional authorities. Cooperation is necessary at all levels to overcome obstacles in the differentiated European market. These conclusions were drawn by the Members of the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions during the external seminar on European Energy Security organised at the invitation of Mayor Andrius Kupčinskas in Kaunas, Lithuania.