Renew Europe in the European Committee of the Regions


Renew Europe' is a political group in the European Committee of the Regions ' bringing together liberal and democrat city mayors, regional presidents and ministers, and local and regional councillors to contribute to the European Union's legislative procedure. The group is the successor to the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe in the European Committee of the Regions which existed from 2005-2019, which in turn succeeded the ELDR-CoR group which had existed since 1998. The group consists of members from several European political parties, including Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe and the European Democratic Party. The Renew Europe group in the European Committee of the Regions is the sister group of the Renew Europe political group in the European Parliament.

History

In 1998 political groups were established in the European Committee of the Regions, and as a result the liberal and democrat members formed the group of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party. In 2005 the group was renamed to the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party reflecting a similar change in the group in the European Parliament and incorporating new members along with the change. In 2019 the group was renamed to Renew Europe following the change in the group in the European Parliament.
In 2016, Bart Somers, Mayor of Mechelen and leader of the liberal group in the Flemish Parliament, was elected as new Renew Europe President by the group. He served as President until the end of the European Committee of the Regions mandate. In 2020 February, François Decoster was elected new President of Renew Europe CoR. Decoster, currently Mayor of Saint-Omer, France, and since August 2019 head of cabinet of the French State Secretary for Diplomacy, Trade, Tourism & Development, is no stranger to the European Committee of the Regions and European politics.
List of Renew Europe Presidents:
No.TenureNameMember stateGroup Name
11998-2002Lord TopeUnited KingdomELDR
22002-2006Kent JohanssonSwedenELDR / ALDE
32006-2008Ivo OpsteltenNetherlandsALDE
42008-2012Flo ClucasUnited KingdomALDE
52012-2016Bas VerkerkNetherlandsALDE
62016 – 2020Bart SomersBelgiumALDE / Renew Europe
72020 - PresentFrançois DecosterFranceRenew Europe

Renew Europe Bureau

The Renew Europe consists of the Presidency, Chairs, Vice-Chairs of CoR Commissions belonging to the Renew Europe Group as well as four elected members. The Bureau is primarily tasked with preparation of meetings of the CoR Bureau as well as the subsequent Renew Europe meetings. The Bureau meets the day before each plenary session of the CoR.
List of current Renew Europe Bureau:
TitleNameMember state
PresidentFrançois DecosterFrance
First Vice-PresidentUlrika LandergrenSweden
Second Vice-PresidentMichiel RijsbermanNetherlands
Third Vice-PresidentJasna GabričSlovenia
Bureau MemberMikk PikkmetsEstonia
Bureau MemberIvan GulamCroatia
Bureau MemberWilly BorsusBelgium
Bureau MemberJaroslava Pokorna JermanovaCzech Republic
Bureau MemberJean-Nöel VerfaillieFrance