European Week: The Best of the EU and Italy in Europe
By EU Video News
The opening of the week on Monday, June 1, is dedicated to strategic resources for the region and the health of future generations. On the sidelines of the committee vote on the EU school fruit program, the Emilia-Romagna Regional Councilor for Agriculture, Alessio Mammi, expressed strong satisfaction with the unanimous decision to maintain the CMO (Common Market Organization), described as a fundamental tool for guaranteeing the income of Italian producers, while also calling for equal sustainability standards for non-EU products.
The day continued with the proceedings of the Natural Resources Commission (NAT) of the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels. The President of the Piedmont Region, Alberto Cirio, opened the discussion on the future of the European rice sector, calling it a matter of “credibility for Europe,” while the President of the Veneto Region, Luca Zaia, was elected first vice-presidentof the NAT Commission, emphasizing key challenges such as agriculture, tourism, civil protection, and health.
The debate on migration featured contributions from Ciriani (FdI), Borchia (Lega), Marco Tarquinio, and Cecilia Strada (PD). On the agri-food front, MEP Salvatore De Meo (FI) outlined his amendments in the Committee on Agriculture regarding the policy for promoting local products, noting the millions already invested in Lazio for cured meats and cheeses. In the evening, the spotlight shifted to culture with the event “Historic Residences as Engines of Growth in Europe,” featuring presentations by Alfonso Pallavicini (European Historic Houses), Isabella Collalto (Association for Venetian Villas), Maria Pace Odescalchi (ADSI), and MEP Carlo Ciccioli (FdI).
On Wednesday, June 3, the European agenda addressed the environment and geopolitics. The morning began with a debate on the energy transition and public hearings on the ETS system. Pierfrancesco Maran (PD), Chair of the ENVI Committee, denounced the fact that of the over 9 billion euros collected by Italy over the past three years from emissions allowances, less than one billion has been reinvested in decarbonization and industry as required by EU directives, with the remainder having been used to reduce public debt.
Lidia Tamellini (Carbon Market Watch) and Marta Lovisono of the ECCO think tank also took part in the debate.
In the afternoon, PD delegation head Nicola Zingaretti presented the first draft of the report on the “Pact for the Mediterranean,” outlining a roadmap for investments in universities, schools, and startups to revitalize dialogue in a region home to over 500 million people. During the midday briefing, the European Commission and Commissioner for the Economy Valdis Dombrovskis unveiled the “Spring Package” with new measures for global competitiveness. Later, the focus shifted to education with the event “ITS Academy: Educational Excellence from Lazio to Italy,” promoted by Salvatore De Meo and Lazio Regional Councilor Alessandro Calvi.
On Thursday, June 4, regarding eastward enlargement, European Council President Costa met with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić to reiterate the strategic importance of integrating the Western Balkans. At the same time, the European Commission addressed the key issues of the Hungary-Ukraine agreement, the release of €13 billion in funds earmarked for Italy, and diplomatic talks on Armenia. The day concluded with a round of speeches on the hot-button issue of migration, featuring statements by Cecilia Strada (PD) and ECR Group Co-Chair Nicola Procaccini (FdI).
©️ European Union, 2026