The social crisis warrants as much political commitment as the banking crisis

Europe's financial and economic crisis is increasingly becoming a social crisis too, and is testing European solidarity to the limit. The EU's territorial cohesion and public confidence in European integration are both at stake. At their plenary session, to be held on 9 and 10 June 2010, the elected representatives of Europe's regions and local authorities, meeting as members of the Committee of the Regions, will voice the public's expectations for the European Union and its ability to deal with the current crisis.

The adoption of a resolution on the "Broad economic and employment guidelines 2010" will echo these concerns and underline the call from regions and local authorities for rigorous efforts by every level of government to ensure that the impact of the economic crisis on public finances does not lead to a social crisis, which could have devastating repercussions. In other words, what is needed is the same political decisiveness that was shown in the bailout of banks last year.

Michel Barnier, European Commissioner for the Internal Market, will present local and regional elected representatives with the Commission's analysis and the approach it plans to adopt. Members wish to discuss with the Commissioner the measures that have been planned to prevent any repetition of the current financial crisis, before the CoR adopts its opinion on market regulation this autumn. Mr Barnier's visit will also echo the conference held on 8 June - the CoR's Forum on local and regional initiatives to combat social exclusion and insecure working conditions.

The political links and coordination between the EU's regional and agricultural policies and in particular the future development of Europe's rural areas will be the second major debate dominating the June plenary session. In April, EU agriculture Commissioner Dacian Cioloş called on the CoR to put forward its proposals on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy. The Commissioner will now return to the CoR on 9 June to receive the Committee's own-initiative opinion on the future of the CAP, drawn up by René Souchon (FR/PES), President of the Auvergne regional council.