The Committee of the Regions (CoR) traditionally organises its extraordinary bureau meetings in the presiding country of the Council of the European Union (EU). The meeting will bring together the CoR’s political representatives from the 28 EU Member State delegations.

In the framework of the Bureau meeting, a debate will be held on the topic “Investing in Connecting Europe: the Digital Agenda as the key territorial element”.

The Digital Agenda is one of the priorities of the Latvian Presidency. The newly elected President of the CoR, Mr Markku Markkula, and the Chairman the Mayor of Riga City Council Mr Nils Ušakovs will open the debate speaking on the role of digital agenda in succeeding of growth and job creation. Whereas the Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry for Environmental Protection and Regional Development of the Republic of Latvia Mr Arnis Daugulis will introduce with the point of view of the Latvian Presidency on the establishment of digital Europe. Likewise, the speech of the Deputy Director-General of the European Commission Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content & Technology (DG CONNECT) Mr Dr. Zoran Stančič on the digital agenda is foreseen. The Chairmen of the CoR’s Commissions and the Vice-President of the Latvian Information and Communications Technology Association Mrs Dr. Māra Jākobsone will also take part in the debate, and the Head of the Latvian delegation to the CoR, Chairman of the Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments Mr Andris Jaunsleinis will conclude the debates.