CALRE newsletter Spring 2022
In this edition: - News - Focus on Ukraine - Review of the first meeting of the Standing committee - Activities of the working groups - Agenda - Communications
News
			After having been unanimously elected by the Plenary assembly of the Conference of European Regional Legislative Assemblies (CALRE) which took place on 23 November 2021 at the Parliament of the Canary Islands in Tenerife, Mr Jean-Claude Marcourt, President of the Parliament of Wallonia (Belgium), is holding the presidency of the Conference from 1 January 2022. 📝 Read the work programme of the presidency of the CALRE for the year 2022
			At the invitation of Mr Apostolos Tzitzikostas, President of the European Committee of the Regions, Mr Jean-Claude Marcourt, President of the CALRE, took part, on 25 January 2022, in the first meeting of the Bureau of the European Committee of the Regions. 📋 Read the report
			The President of the CALRE, Mr Jean-Claude Marcourt, attended a high-level debate on the implementation of cohesion policy on 27 January 2022, as part of the 148th plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions. ▶️ Watch the high-level debate
			On 28 January 2022, President Marcourt received from the hands of Mr Gustavo Matos Expósito, President of the Parliament of the Canary Islands, the makila, a pilgrim’s staff which symbolizes the presidency of the CALRE. ▶️ Watch the handover ceremony
			The Standing committee of the CALRE met on 28 January 2022 in hybrid format, in Namur (Belgium) and by videoconference.
			The President of the CALRE, Mr Jean-Claude Marcourt, attended on 3 March 2022 the 9th European Summit of Regions and Cities which was taking place in Marseille (France). ▶️ Watch the round table dedicated to the future models of territorial development
			Following the publication of the 8th Cohesion Report, the Cohesion Alliance put forward a series of joint observations towards the 8th Cohesion Forum, which was taking place on 17 and 18 March 2022. 📜 Read the joint observations
			At the invitation of Mr Harald Sonderegger, President of the Chamber of Regions of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Mr Jean-Claude Marcourt, President of the CALRE, gave a speech before the Chamber of Regions on 23 March 2022. ▶️ Watch the intervention
Focus on Ukraine
			On the very first day of the intervention in Ukraine, the CALRE has published a common declaration signed by the member states representatives. The declaration has been sent to the presidents of the European institutions and published on the website of the CALRE. 📜 Read the declaration
			An extraordinary meeting of the members of the CALRE was held remotely on 11 March 2022 to discuss the welcoming of Ukrainian refugees by the European regions and the application of Ukraine for membership of the European Union. Following the meeting, a declaration on the welcoming of Ukrainian refugees by the European regions has been signed by President Marcourt and Vice-President Matos. 📋 Read the report 📜 Read the declaration
			Many member assemblies of the CALRE wanted to show signs of support for Ukraine. 🔵 Discover the compilation
Review of the first meeting of the Standing committee
▶️ Speech by Mr Elio Di Rupo, Minister-President of the Government of Wallonia and member of the European Committee of the Regions		▶️ Speech by Mr Apostolos Tzitzikostas, President of the European Committee of the Regions			▶️ Speech by Mr Herman Van Rompuy, President of the High Level Group on European Democracy of the European Committee of the Regions		▶️ Speech by Mr Klemen Žumer, Head of the Liaison Unit of the Directorate-General for Parliamentary Research Services at the European Parliament
Activities of the working groups
Working group Better regulation and policy evaluation
Working group Cohesion policy 🗓️ Agenda 📝 Work programme
Working group Equality and demographic challenge 📝 Work programme
Working group Health inequalities in European social health systems 🗓️ Agenda 📝 Work programme 📋 Collection of good health and social practices
Working group Language and cultural diversity 📝 Work programme
Working group Migration policies and human rights – Unaccompanied foreign minors 🗓️ Agenda 📝 Work programme
Working group Natural disasters
Working group Strategy for sustainable development of the European regions
Working group Subsidiarity
Agenda
27 and 28 April 2022				149th plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions		Brussels (Belgium)
5 May 2022				Meeting of the Working group Cohesion policy		Brussels (Belgium)
9 May 2022				Europe Day
13 May 2022				Meeting of the Working group Health inequalities in European social health systems		Milan (Italy)
3 June 2022				World forum of regional and sub-national assemblies		Namur (Belgium)
29 and 30 June 2022				150th plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions		Brussels (Belgium)
1 July 2022				Second meeting of the Standing committee of the CALRE		Brussels (Belgium)
Communications
Website of the CALRE The website of the CALRE, whose previous version dated back to 2015 and which, according to our regulations, constitutes the official channel of communication between members but also with the European institutions, has benefited from a complete overhaul based on the following objectives: - highlighting the documents produced since 1997 in different languages and the initiatives carried out by the presidencies over time, while highlighting the multilingual nature of the Conference; - revision of the tree structure so that it best meets the needs of users and highlights the priorities set for the presidency; - promotion of news related to the CALRE and its presence on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube); - adaptation of the website to current standards and facilitation of its management by the following presidencies. An agenda is also available which is intended to be regularly enriched, notably with the activities of the working groups. 🔗 Discover the new website of the CALRE
Intranet As part of the redesign of the website, an intranet has been set up. Intended to facilitate the exchange of messages and documents between members as well as communications in general, this tool is accessible at the address www.calrenet.eu/intranet. Access to this intranet is possible only after authentication. 🗃 Discover the intranet of the CALRE
Input from political debates in regional parliaments The project “Input from political debates in regional parliaments” is organised by the CALRE in cooperation with the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) with a view to influencing the European Commission’s Annual Work Programme in the pre-legislative phase. Contributions should be submitted by 1 May 2022 to the following e-mail address: associations@cor.europa.eu. 📑 Discover the invitation and the scoping papers
Europe Day Europe Day held on 9 May every year celebrates peace and unity in Europe. The date marks the anniversary of the historic “Schuman declaration” that set out his idea for a new form of political cooperation in Europe, which would make war between Europe's nations unthinkable. Schuman's proposal is considered to be the beginning of what is now the European Union. 🇪🇺 Member assemblies of the CALRE are invited to celebrate Europe Day by illuminating their facades in blue or by projecting the European flag
CALRE Award “Stars of Europe” The CALRE Award “Stars of Europe” was created in 2016 with the aim to bring out best practices and initiatives adopted by the European Regional Assemblies which are member of the CALRE that are concretely improving an aspect or sector of the economic, cultural or social life of their territories and communities, while underlining the positive impact of the European institutions in regional realities. 🗒 Save the date: the application form will be sent to the member assemblies at the end of April
World forum of regional and sub-national assemblies Following on from the first World Forum of regional and sub-national assemblies held in 2015 on the initiative of the presidency held by the Lombardy Regional Council, the 2022 Presidency of CALRE organises on 3 June 2022 a second edition of the forum aimed at updating the conclusions of the work carried out previously and to reinforce collaborations. 🗓️ The agenda and the practical information will forum will be sent to the member assemblies at the end of April