Focus Group Meeting 12-03-2024

12 March 2024, 16.30, European Committee of the Regions, Room JDE 53 and online

1. Joint stand of CoRAI with ASA and ARA at the Summit of Regions and Cities in Mons from 18 to 19 March 2024

• CoRAI will be represented together with the Automotive Regions Alliance and the Automotive Skills Alliance at the Summit of Regions and Cities in Mons on 18 and 19 March
• informed that CoRAI Chairman Thomas Schmidt will meet with CoRAI, ARA and ASA Members and stakeholders at the stand for discussions
• an article about the summit meeting will be published on the CoRAI homepage after the summit

2. Further cooperation projects with ASA and ARA

• A work programme for 2024 is currently being drawn up between ARA, ASA and CoRAI and will be circulated soon
• Guest Speaker Mr Petr Dolejsi, Vice-President of ASA, presented the aims and structure of the Automotive Skills Alliance
• Announcement that ARA, ASA and CoRAI will apply for an event as part of the European Week of Regions and Cities and asks members to send proposals and ideas for a format to the CoRAI General Secretariat (deadline for applications: 2 April)

3. Activities of CoRAI in 2024

• CoRAI plans to address an open letter in the run-up to the EU elections, emphasising – again – the need for targeted measures based on a territorial impact assessment by the EU Commission
• After the EU Elections it is on CoRAI to identify possible new partners in the European Parliament and European Commission for CoRAI (ARA and ASA) for the purpose of gaining their attention, interest and commitment

4. Preparation of the CoRAI meeting on 20 June 2024

• The next CoRAI meeting will take place on June 20th from 8-9am at the European Committee of the Regions
• Confirmation of the first speaker for the meeting: General Secretary of IndustriALL Europe, Ms Judith Kirton-Darling, will make an intervention. industriAll Europe is representing manufacturing, mining and energy workers from 38 European countries.
• register statements from CoRAI members for this meeting via e-mail by April 9

5. Upcoming event: ECON-Seminar in Chemnitz (Saxony, DE)

• From March 26-27, members of the ECON Committee/ members of CoRAI will meet in Chemnitz in Saxony by invitation of CoRAI-Chair Minister for Regional Development Thomas Schmidt for a seminar on Industrial Transition in the EU

6. Any other business

• Claudia Suppan informed about and invited the CoRAI members to the event “Clusters meet Regions” in Graz, Austria, on 18 June 2024 - 19 June 2024