A "sparring match" on the economic and financial crisis and the legislative programme of the Commission have been the trademarks of today’s meeting between president José Manuel Barroso and the Committee of Regions, which is gathered in Brussels for its plenary meeting. The CoR, a EU’s advisory body, will submit to Barroso a resolution listing the issues that, according to the local and regional bodies, "should be brought to the attention of the Commission next year, and illustrating the measures that are considered essential to alleviate the financial crisis and prevent it having major repercussions on the employment market". In addition, the plenary meeting (26-27 November) will discuss education, research and the Lisbon Strategy. The CoR gave a negative opinion of the latter, judging the results so far obtained as "disappointing" and asking for "an in-depth reform". According to the Committee that represents the local authorities of the 27 member states, the scope of action of the Strategy should be reduced, aiming at "a structured set of coordinated, integrated policies", while the governments should be compelled to "hold a number of audits to find out whether further measures are needed, and the results of such audits should be included in the national reform programmes to be submitted to the European Commission".
