Press Release: October plenary session: CoR members to address climate change, European transport and the area of freedom, security and justice

The Committee of the Regions' plenary session, to be held on 5 and 7 October 2009, in parallel with the OPEN DAYS - European Week of Regions and Cities, will reflect the main themes in current EU institutional and political affairs. One reason is that the newly-elected European Commission president, José Manuel Barroso, and the European Parliament president, Jerzy Buzek, have accepted an invitation from the 344 locally and regionally-elected politicians that make up the CoR. Another is that the session's main theme will be the battle against the effects of climate change and preparations at regional and municipal level for the Copenhagen summit. Highlighting the global dimension of its concerns, the CoR has invited Elizabeth Kautz, vice-president of the US Conference of Mayors, to speak about what local and regional politicians are doing on her side of the Atlantic and the possibilities for cooperation with their European counterparts in the battle against climate change.