Commission of the European Committee of the Regions meets in Espoo
Nearly 100 mayors and other regional and municipal decision-makers from EU countries will travel to Espoo in late September to attend a meeting of a commission normally based in Brussels. The event will be hosted by the Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council.
Held at Dipoli on 26 September, the meeting of the Commission for the Environment, Climate Change and Energy (ENVE) of the Committee of the Regions (CoR) will discuss an opinion on EU climate policy drawn up by the Committee’s Vice-President Markku Markkula. Through the opinion, the Committee will put on the European Commission’s agenda new necessary measures on the road to carbon neutrality.
The meeting participants include Finland’s Minister of Climate and the Environment Kai Mykkänen, Executive Director of the European Environment Agency Leena Ylä-Mononen and a leading expert, former Commissioner Janez Potočnik. The meeting will also issue municipal and regional recommendations for the COP29 Climate Change Conference to be held in Baku in November.
On the following day, Espoo will host a meeting of the Political Board of the Covenant of Mayors as well as a conference focusing on the importance of local-level innovation in promoting the green transition. The meeting will be chaired by Mayor of Warsaw Rafał Trzaskowski. Finland’s views will be presented, among others, by Anna-Kaisa Ikonen, Minister of Local and Regional Government.
“The EU’s current climate policy measures are good but far too fragmented. It is not just a matter of measures that are vital for nature and the planet but also for the future of the EU’s industry, competitiveness, research and prosperity. We need Europe-wide systemic change that is based on innovative multi-level leadership and motivates everyone to do their share. New climate neutrality technologies and solutions must be urgently developed through public and private sector research, development and innovation cooperation,” says Markku Markkula, Chairperson of the Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Board and Member of the Espoo City Council.
Cities and urban communities play a key role in achieving climate goals.
“I am very proud that Espoo was selected for the Pilot Cities Programme related to the EU Cities Mission. We also made it to the semifinals in the European Capital of Innovation competition. Our way of doing things together really works and produces innovations the world needs,” says Mayor Jukka Mäkelä.
Espoo is committed to achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2025.
Committee of the Regions is the voice of cities in EU
Finland will host three CoR commission meetings this autumn. Besides Espoo, the other two host cities are Oulu and Tampere. A total of thirty commission meetings are held each year, six of which are held outside of Brussels.
“Having three meetings in Finland is a big deal. This gives us an opportunity to make the activities of Finnish cities and regions better known,” Markkula says.
The European Committee of the Regions is an EU assembly of local and regional representatives with members representing all 27 EU countries. Its task is to get local and regional authorities involved in EU decision-making processes and inform them about EU policies.
The European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission consult the Committee on matters affecting regions and municipalities.
Committee of the Regions, national delegations(external link, opens in a new window)
Enquiries
Milla Ovaska, Head of International Affairs, tel. +358 43 8244911, milla.ovaska@espoo.fi