The role of cities and regions for Europe’s growthTo promote Europe "starting from grassroots level" from the cities, regions and to provide adequate Community funding for a regional policy of territorial cohesion: these are two of the messages reiterated during the Open Days, the week the EU devotes to the enhancement of local bodies for Community integration (October 8-11). Over 350 events were held across Member States, notably in Brussels. The President of the Committee of Regions (CoR) Ramon Luis Valcárcel, during a panel meeting, said: "Everybody recognises that cohesion policy is a key tool to re-launch our economy and achieve the Europe 2020 objectives" for employment and growth. Therefore, at the CoR, "we expect the decisions of the EU Heads of State and Government in the weeks ahead, to be consistent and coherent with the EU’s agreed roadmap towards ‘quality’ growth and jobs". The president of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, carried out a reflection on the future multiannual budget for the period 2014-2020: "Europe needs greater structural growth, and Member States are certainly capable of reaching an adequate agreement on the new multiannual Financial Framework. Without such an agreement there will be no growth and quality employment in Europe".EU, resilience against hunger and poverty in the Developing Countries"The EU Approach to Resilience: Learning from Food Security Crises" is the title of the new Communication proposed by Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs, and Commissioner for Humanitarian aid, International Cooperation and Crisis Response, Kristalina Georgieva to help vulnerable communities across the world build resilience to future crises. Andris Piebalgs said: "Unexpected natural catastrophes, food crisis or economic shocks can seriously undermine the results of our work in developing countries". He added: "We need to focus our actions towards tackling the root causes of recurrent crises rather than just dealing with their consequences. This is not only more efficient but also much cheaper". To this regard, Commissioner Georgieva pointed out: "If we want our assistance to be effective and cost-efficient, we must not just put a bandage on the wound – we must help find a cure. This requires a shared vision". The new Communication drawn up by the Commission presents a wide range of activities for resilience, provides guidelines on how to ensure that markets remain accessible to the poorest households and that natural resources such as water are protected. To reach this goal, close cooperation between humanitarian and development workers is deemed essential. This is why the Commission undertakes to link its emergency and development programmes, and mix short-term and medium-to-long term responses. Coordinated coordinated assistance effort – together with national authorities and regional organisations – is crucial to reduce vulnerability of the poorest households to shocks and to tackle the underlying causes of food and nutrition insecurity. "In times of economic hardship, more than ever, we must make sure every euro is spent in the most efficient way; both for the people we support on the ground and for EU taxpayers", said Commissioner Pielbags.European Parliament: three finalists at the Sakharov PrizeOn October 9 the European Parliament announced the names of the finalists for the 2012 Sakharov Prize. These are: Ales Bialiatski, the Pussy Riot and Nasrin Sotoudeh, along with Jafar Panahi. On October 26 will be announced the winner of the of the prize for freedom of expression, and on December 12 the official awarding ceremony will take place in Strasbourg. The EU Parliament, which established the Prize in 1988, made known: "Ales Bialiatski is a freedom fighter and human rights defender currently imprisoned by the Belarusian regime. Mr Bialiatski has been lifelong civil society activist fighting for freedom of thought and expression" in Belarus, where he founded the centre for the advocacy of human rights Viasna. Regarding the Pussy Riot, the EP states: "The acts of protest and the arrest of three young women, and their subsequent sentencing to two years in a labour camp, have done even more to focus the world’s attention on the unscrupulous restriction of civil rights and the absence of the rule of law in Russia". Nasrin Sotoudeh "is an imprisoned Iranian lawyer who has represented imprisoned Iranian opposition activists", kept in isolation in the prison of Evin since 2010". Jafar Panahi is a film director who describes the poverty and social problems in Iran, experienced by minors and women in particular. He is directed "The White Balloon".
