Overview   Migration and external relations

Two weeks before the European Commission unveils its long-term funding proposals for the European Union's foreign policy, local and regional leaders from the EU and from the six Eastern Partnership countries underlined at a meeting on 29 May that they wish to see a budget that provides adequate financial and administrative support for local and regional authorities and for efforts to stimulate local-level democracy.

Two weeks before the European Commission unveils its long-term funding proposals for the European Union's foreign policy, local and regional leaders from the EU and from the six Eastern Partnership countries underlined at a meeting on 29 May that they wish to see a budget that provides adequate financial and administrative support for local and regional authorities and for efforts to stimulate local-level democracy.

The possibility that Serbia and Montenegro could join the European Union in 2025, a conditional target date proposed by the European Commission, should encourage municipal and regional reform across the Western Balkans, speakers said on 4 May during the leading annual conference focused on the local and regional dimension of EU accession. The European Commission and the presidency of the Council of the EU were among those who, during the Enlargement Day conference organised by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), emphasised that the success of the EU's next enlargement will heavily dep

Global challenges and urbanisation are contributing to an increased interest in the involvement of cities and regions in international development.

Strong anti-discrimination laws boost trust, schooling and health, think-tank says, while EU's rights agency finds that local government is particularly trusted by immigrants and minority groups.

Arnold Hatch and Jerry Lundy join young Libyans at peace-building workshops organised under the CoR's Nicosia initiative.

European Committee of the Regions backs EU strategy aimed at enabling the accession of Western Balkan countries starting in 2025

The European Union needs to increase support for cities and regions and border countries that are on the front line of managing migration, the European Committee of the Regions said on 22 March. The EU's assembly for local and regional politicians expressed particular concern about the challenges faced by islands and coastal regions in the Mediterranean and called for greater shared European responsibility and investment.

The international Project ‘Women in Art for Peace’ is organised by Europe’s Art in collaboration with the International Peace Institute, the Mission of the Republic of Moldova to the European Union and 1958 Project Management & Marketing. The Project raises awareness of the importance of women’s participation in peacebuilding and peacekeeping through a series of art exhibitions of 20 leading contemporary female artists from countries that are or have been involved in conflicts and countries that promote peace worldwide.

Roadmap of activities for the period of 2018 to 2020 of the European Committee of the Regions presented in a visual timeline.

This brochure sets out the main thematic priorities for each one of the European Committee of Regions' (CoR) policy commissions. It shows that locally the impact of EU policy matters but it needs the wealth of knowledge by local and regional governments to direct it. Includes foreword from CoR President Karl-Heinz Lambertz, the four "chantiers" as identified by the President to guide the CoR, the communication priorities 2018 and quotes from the chairs of each commission.

On 22 March Dimitris Avramopoulos, European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, will discuss progress of the European Union's migration agenda with local and regional politicians, many of whom host refugees and new arrivals from the Middle East and North Africa. The migration debate kicks off the European Committee of the Regions' plenary session in Brussels that will also focus on the EU's possible enlargement to the Western Balkans. Johannes Hahn, the EU's Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy & Enlargement Negotiation, will participate in the debate.

The European Union increased its support for local and regional authorities in Ukraine on 8 March, with the launch of five partnerships between Ukrainian and EU regions and cities. The relationships will see Estonian, German, Hungarian, Lithuanian and Polish communities share their experience in areas identified as priorities by their Ukrainian partners – drawing up economic-development plans, supporting rural areas, helping small and medium-sized enterprises, boosting tourism, and increasing transparency.

Radicalisation leading to violent extremism and terrorism is a complex and rapidly-evolving phenomenon. The majority of terrorist suspects involved in recent attacks in Europe were born and raised in EU Member States, but were radicalised and turned against their fellow citizens. Preventing radicalisation is at the heart of the EU response to terrorism. It requires long-term, sustainable efforts involving all relevant actors, different policy areas and actions at local, national, EU and global level. Over the past two years, the Commission has driven action to counter radicalisation, both onli

On 8 March, the European Commission and the European Committee of the Regions are jointly organising the EU Mayors' Conference on "Building Urban Defences Against Terrorism: Lessons Learned From Recent Attacks". The conference will focus on lessons learned from recent terrorist attacks and the sharing of best practices and useful solutions to enhance the protection of public spaces, including the implementation of "security by design" solutions.

Leading mayors and governors from the Mediterranean region and the European Union have urged national, regional and local governments to work more closely together to help women and to prevent the radicalisation of young people. The two sets of policy proposals, adopted by the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM) on 21 February, emphasise the responsibilities of local and regional authorities for delivering education and social infrastructure.