Local leaders discuss migration and refugee crisis with Commissioner Avramopoulos

 Also on the agenda: debate on Commission Work Programme 2016 with Vice-President Timmermans, Covenant of Mayors, sharing economy and TiSA.

Sharing economy

Platforms such as Uber and Airbnb have made the concept of the 'sharing economy' both popular and controversial. This is partly because there are no clear legal EU rules on how ordinary people can provide goods and services to each other. In its work programme for 2016, the European Commission has committed to develop a European agenda for the sharing or collaborative economy. Against this backdrop, CoR Members will adopt an opinion on the local and regional dimension of the sharing economy, prepared by Benedetta Brighenti (IT/PES), deputy mayor of the municipality of Castelnuovo Rangone. With this opinion, the CoR will become the first EU institution to take an official position on the issue.

Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA)

Around 68% of manpower in the EU is employed in the service sector and 10 million jobs in the EU depend on the export of services. The Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) aims at liberalising this vital sector to create jobs and growth. TiSA has been under negotiation since early 2013 and involves 51 members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), including the EU. In an opinion prepared by Helmuth Markov (DE/PES), Minister for Justice, Europe and Consumer Protection of Brandenburg, local leaders call for more transparency in the negotiations, for safeguards to protect their right to regulate public services, and for the preservation of social protection standards. The opinion will be put to the vote on 4 December.

The Covenant of Mayors

The CoR has always been a strong supporter of the Covenant of Mayors which, since its launch in 2008, has brought together thousands of towns and cities across Europe united by a pledge to meet – and preferably exceed – the EU's climate targets. An opinion drafted by Kata Tüttő (HU/PES), a local councillor in Budapest, suggests that the Covenant should continue to raise its policy ambitions. The draft opinion supports taking the Covenant global and to increase the number of small towns in its membership. The CoR's members will vote on the opinion on 4 December.

 Connecting Regions and Cities: Making the Digital Single Market work for Europe

Over the next decade, digital technology is expected to be one of the main sources of economic growth and new jobs in Europe. In light of the European Commission's new strategy for completing the Digital Single Market, this CoR conference on 2 December will discuss the progress and prospects of the Digital Agenda from the local and regional perspective. Key speakers include CoR President Markku Markkula and Lambert van Nistelrooij MEP. See the full programme.

Other opinions on the plenary agenda:

·       Resolution on the European Commission's Work Programme 2016

·      Territorial Vision 2050: What future – Rapporteur: Oldřich Vlasák(CZ/ECR), Councillor of the City of Hradec Králové

·       Standards of remuneration in employment in the EU - Rapporteur: Mick Antoniw (UK/PES), Assembly Member for Pontypridd

The role of the social economy in restoring economic growth and combating unemployment - Rapporteur: Luís Gomes(PT/EPP), Leader of Vila Real de Santo António Municipal Council  

·       A fair and efficient corporate tax system in the European Union – Rapporteur: Jean-Luc Vanraes (BE/ALDE), Member of Uccle Municipal Council

·       Contribution to the REFIT process for the EU Birds and Habitats Directives - Rapporteur: Roby Biwer (LU/PES), Member of Bettembourg Municipal Council