June 2023

BENNIS Hamza In Digitalisation, Impact community Labour, Latest

Digitalisation

Bridging the Digital Divide: Social Partners Convene for Local and Regional Government Transformation

Social partners from the local and regional government sector gathered in Cagliari, Italy on 16th June 2023 for the inaugural conference of the EU-funded project “Local, Social, Digital.” The initiative is jointly led by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) and the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU). It aims to enhance the capacity of national social partners by facilitating the exchange of information and knowledge, including good practice examples, technical expertise, and policy planning, in the context of the digital transformation of the EU’s public sector.

The digitalisation of local public services and administration will significantly impact working conditions and how public services are delivered in local and regional governments. The social partners representing these sectors have a vital role to play in expediting digitalisation efforts and ensuring a smooth transition that improves working conditions.

The conference was attended by representatives from the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion of the European Commission, Eurofound, SGI Europe, the European Trade Union Confederation, and social partners from the Education Sector.

Fabrizio Rossi, Secretary General of CEMR, inaugurated the conference and outlined the organization’s vision for the digital transformation of the EU’s public sector. He emphasized the urgent need for local and regional governments to spearhead digital transformation initiatives that serve all communities, leaving no territory behind.
During the conference, social partners from Italy, Denmark, Norway, and Estonia had the opportunity to showcase their best collective bargaining practices related to digitalisation. A significant portion of the conference was dedicated to Italy, where a recent collective bargaining agreement on digitalisation was presented.

Representatives Ms. Tatiana Cazzaniga (FP-CGIL) and Mr. Jacopo Massaro (National Association of Italian Cities) highlighted the key features of the agreement on behalf of the Italian social partners from the local and regional government sector. They also emphasized the importance of increased involvement from both parties within the European Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee on Local and Regional Governments.

As part of the project, CEMR and EPSU affiliates will continue their collaborative efforts over the next two years to develop sectoral guidelines that support the digital transition within local and regional public administration.

BENNIS Hamza

Officer – Employment, Digitalisation and Public Services

TARAN Stanislav In Bridges of Trust, Latest, Projects and Programmes

Bridges of Trust Training

Enhancing Municipal Capacities: Training for Bridges of Trust Project

CEMR, in collaboration with the Association of Ukrainian Cities and with support from the U-LEAD with Europe Programme, is organising training sessions for municipalities participating in the Bridges of Trust project. These trainings aim to equip municipalities with practical knowledge of EU funding programmes, including Interreg Next, Erasmus+, and the Black Sea programme, along with essential project management skills.

One objective of the training is to strengthen the capacities of local governments for international cooperation and European integration, with a particular focus on the reconstruction efforts in Ukraine. Participants will gain a comprehensive overview of the programmes, including eligibility criteria and the intricacies of the application process. The sessions will enhance the abilities of Ukrainian and European local governments to access EU funds effectively.

In addition, three specific training sessions will concentrate on project management, covering the three crucial phases of a project’s lifecycle: planning and initiation, implementation, and monitoring and control. These sessions aim to provide participants with a solid understanding of project management principles and practical tools to assist them throughout the process.
Leading the sessions will be Kirill Dimanopoulos, an expert from CEMR specialising in EU funding and project management. Following the training, participants will apply their newly acquired knowledge and skills to develop collaborative reconstruction projects with their partners as part of the Bridges of Trust initiative.

Take a look on the trainings’ agendas: Introduction to Interreg Next – Bilateral and Multilateral Interreg Next programmes – Erasmus+ programme – Interreg Danube programme – Black Sea programme – First Steps in Project Management – Implementing the Project – Monitoring and Control

TARAN Stanislav

Project Officer – International Partnerships (U-Lead)

GRIFFON Axelle In Energy, Energy, Impact community Climate, Impact community Climate, Latest, Publications

Electricity market design reforms

Reforming the European Electricity Market: Priorities and Challenges

Read full position paper

In March, the European Commission proposed a regulation to improve the EU’s electricity market. The reform is important for local and regional governments, since they play a central role as suppliers, distributers and consumers of electricity. While the current internal market for electricity has brought positive effects and lower prices, reforms are needed to address decarbonization of the electricity sector and gas shortages caused by Russia’s energy weaponization in the Ukraine conflict.

The past winter has made it clear for all Europeans that ensuring the security of supply and lower prices of electricity were top priorities for the years to come. The EU and Member States must increase both the production of electricity and their capacity in terms of energy storage. They also need to take strong measures to decarbonize the electricity sector in order to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. In other words, the European electricity market is at a crossroads: to move forward, the EU needs to take strong actions and work together with local and regional governments.

Facilitate local and regional governments’ work driving investments in renewable energy

Local and regional governments have important roles to play in changing the electricity sector. They are responsible for finding suitable locations for production, distribution and transmission; they also must speed up permitting, manage spatial planning, invest in energy companies, and enable consumers and energy communities.

Furthermore, they possess valuable insights due to their direct engagement with local communities, and are therefore essential in ensuring citizens’ acceptance of the rollout of renewable energy. Considering all these factors, local and regional governments must be key partners in the reform of an efficient, sustainable European electricity market.

Make electricity prices less reliant on short-term fossil fuel costs

It is important to offer the option of long-term contracts, including to individuals and smaller consumers. This helps protect them from high and unpredictable prices, especially until more renewable energy production at lower generation prices is available.

Keep emergency measures as permanent features of the Electricity Market Design

During periods of excessively high electricity prices, it is advisable to maintain certain emergency measures. These measures can include price caps, taxes on windfall profits, and reimbursements for consumers. However, they should only target fossil fuel and other phased-out energy sources to encourage investment in renewable energy. These measures should not discourage energy savings or flexibility.

Encourage better consumer empowerment and protection

Efforts should be made to empower and protect consumers, particularly vulnerable ones, when implementing renewable energy sources and energy efficiency measures. Support schemes, loans, and technical assistance can help achieve this goal. Moreover, regional and municipal energy providers, acting as a “supplier of last resort,” should receive adequate financial compensation from national or European funding to support vulnerable households and enterprises.

Promote efficient multi-level governance solutions and financial support

Collaboration among different levels of governance, following the principles of subsidiarity and multilevel governance, is crucial for success. Platforms like the Covenant of Mayors facilitate cooperation, knowledge exchange, and the sharing of good practices at EU, national, and regional levels.

Finally, to successfully implement changes at local and regional levels, it is important to provide financial resources and supportive measures, while avoiding excessive regulations and administrative burdens.

In conclusion, the Commission’s proposed regulation offers an opportunity to address challenges in the European electricity market. To achieve climate neutrality and ensure a secure energy supply, increasing production and storage capacities, promoting renewable energy sources, and involving local and regional governments are crucial. Collaboration, financial support, and efficient governance will contribute to a sustainable European electricity market.

To learn more about the measures proposed by CEMR, read the full position paper.

For more information, contact:

GRIFFON Axelle

Advisor – Environment and mobility

GAUDRON Marine In Impact community Cohesion, Latest

Cohesion Policy Study

Implementing Cohesion Policy funds: Insights and Training

On 30 June, CEMR will introduce its new report on the implementation and management of European Structural and Investment Funds in the European countries. On this occasion, local and regional governments and their associations are invited to a hybrid training event on the European Cohesion Policy.

With the new funding period 2021-2027 being now underway, Cohesion Policy funds have been programmed in all Member States through Partnership Agreements, and most are already starting to be implementated.

But how does it work in practice? Who is in charge of implementing the funds? Are Member States privileging centralised or decentralised approach for funds targeting territories? How are the different funds coordinated at central level to avoid overlap, and how do they coordinate with non-Cohesion Policy funds such as the Recovery and Resilience Facility?

All these questions, and more, will be covered during the event.

Information

Schedule: 30 June – 9.30-16.30

Format: Hybrid event (House of Cities and Regions, 1 Square de Meeus, 1000 Brussels and via Webex)
Inperson attendants will also receive a copy of the Overview of Implementation of Cohesion Policy fund, a new study to be released on the occasion of this event.

Discover the public agenda here.

Register for this event here.

GAUDRON Marine

Advisor – Territorial Cohesion & Local Finances

TARAN Stanislav In Bridges of Trust, Latest, Projects and Programmes

Rebuild Ukraine

Cooperating to rebuild Ukrainian: A Journey to Lombardy

In a successful venture from 11th to 17th June, representatives from various local governments in Ukraine visited Lombardy, Italy. This visit, organised under the Bridges of Trust project by CEMR and supported by the U-LEAD with Europe Programme, marked an important step towards fostering stronger ties and cooperation between Ukrainian and Italian municipalities.

The visit began with a welcome meeting at Arconate’s city hall. Mr. Durmish Guri, the Director of External Resources and Knowledge Strategy at CEMR, expressed gratitude to Italian mayors for their outstanding hospitality and cooperation. He also applauded the participation of Arconate, Inveruno, and Sesto San Giovanni in the Bridges of Trust initiative, acknowledging the support of Italian authorities and citizens towards Ukrainian mothers and children in need.

Mr. Guri highlighted CEMR’s efforts in helping Ukrainians affected by Russia’s invasion. “From mobilising humanitarian aid and financial support to offering refuge and steadfast political support, I am proud of every step taken by CEMR to help our Ukrainian partners. More than ever, we need mutually beneficial cooperation between Italian and Ukrainian municipalities, both within the Bridges of Trust project and beyond”, he affirmed.

Mr. Guri stressed the need for cooperation between Italian and Ukrainian municipalities in reconstruction projects, covering infrastructure, water treatment, waste management, sewage facilities, machinery renewal, heat supply modernization, and human development. Afterwards, the parties discussed these priorities and established memoranda of cooperation, laying the foundation for long-term collaboration.

The Ukrainian delegation’s visit was a crucial milestone in the Bridges of Trust project, promoting stronger ties between the local governments of Ukraine and Italy. As Mr. Guri concluded, “this initiative showcases the power of international partnerships in addressing common challenges and working towards a prosperous future.”

The Ukrainian delegation, led by distinguished representatives from various local governments, was accompanied by Ms. Yulia Bandura from the Association of Ukrainian Cities. Notable participants included Mr. Mykola Baksheiev and Ms. Tetiana Orlova from Pervomaysk, Ms. Nataliia Moskalenko and Ms. Pavlina Ohanesian from Romny, and Mr. Denys Petrenko and Mr. Serhii Hrankin from Lozova. The delegation was warmly welcomed by their Italian counterparts, including Mr. Sergio Calloni, Mayor of Arconate; Ms. Sara Bettinelli, Mayor of Inveruno; and Mr. Fabio Merlotti, Mayor of Buscate.

For more information on the Bridges of Trust project and collaboration between Ukrainian and Italian municipalities, please contact Bridges of Trust Project Officer Olga Ivanova at Olga.Ivanova@ccre-cemr.org.

TARAN Stanislav

Project Officer – International Partnerships (U-Lead)

ROSSI Fabrizio In Latest

Internships

CEMR is offering 3 internships

Are you currently enrolled in a university programme?
Are you interested in EU policy issues?
Are you ready to learn a lot about European regions and municipalities?

Then an internship at CEMR might be what you are looking for!

CEMR is currently looking to recruit interns as follows:

2 interns for policy work for a minimum of 4 months during the period September to December 2023 (exact dates to be agreed)

While policy interns will work across various topics, candidates are invited to indicate their areas of interest among the thematic areas described below.

1 intern for the PLATFORMA project for a minimum of 4 months during the period September to December 2023 (exact dates to be agreed)

Find more information on the internships and how to apply here. Deadline for applications is 30 June 2023.

ROSSI Fabrizio

Secretary General