Changes from plenary report to adopted text

Change 1

Removed2. MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

Added2. European Parliament resolution of 29 April 2026 with observations forming an integral part of the decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2024, Section VII – Committee of the Regions (2025/2152(DEC))

Removedwith observations forming an integral part of the decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2024, Section VII – Committee of the Regions

Change 2

Changed1818. Notes that the Committee pursues its mission through opinions, which refer to legislative proposals made by the Commission (referrals), own-initiative opinions, which call on the Union institutions to take action, and through resolutions, which highlight the Committee’s positions on specific topics; notes that, in 2024, the Committee adopted 53 opinions (the same as in 2023) and four resolutions (six in 2023); recognises the Committee’s political achievements in 2024 and its role in integrating local and regional perspectives into Union policymaking, thereby enhancing citizen involvement;

Change 3

Changed30. Notes with regret that the Committee has not yet achieved gender parity in leadership positions, but acknowledges the significant progress made under the Committee’s five-year diversity and inclusion strategy and action plan for 2022-2026; welcomes the election in 2025 of a female President of the Committee, reaffirming the institution’s commitment to advancing gender equality at the highest political level and encourages the Committee to continue its efforts to increase female representations in leadership positions, while emphasising that merit and professional qualifications remain the primary criteria for appointment; notes that, at the end of 2024, the Committee employed 57,157,2 % women and 42,7842,8 % men, almost the same proportions as in 2023; notes that the proportion of women in senior management positions decreased from 44,4 % in 2023 to 33,3 % in 2024 (it increased back to 44,4 % in 2025) and the proportion of women in middle management decreased from 32,50 % in 2023 to 29,7 % in 2024; notes from the Questionnaire the measures to encourage greater female participation in management roles, including through targeted training and coaching opportunities for female staff aspiring to managerial positions, and the promotion of more flexible working arrangements; reiterates that achieving long-term gender balance in management positions is a core institutional objective and expects the Committee to adopt a concrete, time-bound action plan with measurable targets, intermediate milestones and annual reporting; calls on the Committee to ensure that progress towards parity is both monitored and publicly communicated;

Change 4

Changed40. Welcomes the work done by the Committee in 2023 to consolidate ethical rules and practices into a single ethical legal framework (Decision n⁰No 157/2023) covering disciplinary procedure, dignity at work, conflict management, combatting harassment, outside activities and whistleblowing among others; notes that 2024 was the first year of implementation of this new framework; notes that the Committee offered mandatory training courses on a frequent basis on ethics and integrity, whistleblowing and conflicts of interest prevention to different groups of staff ranging from newcomers, managers and staff overall in 2024;

Change 5

Changed42. Recalls that the Committee adopted Regulation n⁰No 6/2023 of 4 July 2023 laying down transparency measures that focus on office-holding members and rapporteurs; whereas such measures refer to the invitation for office-holding members and rapporteur to meet only with interest representatives who have registered in the Transparency Register and to publicly disclose any meetings with interest representatives that they hold in their capacity as Committee members; notes that in 2024 one Committee member reported a meeting with an interest representative; commends in this context the Committee for having formally joined the EU Transparency Register on 1 January 2024;

Change 6

Changed44. Welcomes the Committee’s renewed efforts in the area of detection and prevention of conflicts of interest in 2024; notes that thanks to its Decision n⁰157/2023,No 157/2023, the Committee defined the concept of conflicts of interest and has put in place a mechanism to detect and prevent such conflicts whereby staff are required to declare whether they might have a conflict of interest (potential or possible), by filling in a form at various key moments of their career or professional activities; notes with satisfaction from the Questionnaire that the annual information regarding the occupation activities of former senior officials is published in a transparent way on the Committee’s website and that they are prohibited from engaging in any lobbying or advocacy towards the Committee for the first 12 months after they leave their positions in the Committee;

Change 7

Changed49. Notes from the Questionnaire that in 2024, the Directorate for Innovation and Information Technology implemented a new multiannual digital strategy for 2024-2026 which prioritises digital records management, electronic workflows, e-signatures and cloud-based solutions and focuses on four flagship programmes - M365 Digital Workplace, ARES, EdiT, and Cybersecurity - to enhance collaboration, automation, and institutional resilience; highlights the progress of the M365 programme, including migration planning to SharePoint Online, the deployment of Windows 11 and M365 Apps, and the development of an AI strategy with a roadmap for the M365 Copilot pilot in 2025; notes that the Committee began deploying the HAN document management system and advanced towards adopting the EdiT XML editor for legislative drafting; welcomes the shift towards cybersecurity as a shared responsibility, with new training initiatives and a multiannual plan aligned with Union standards; acknowledges improvements in records management, infrastructure, and secure communication tools, including SECABC email, SACHA data transfer, and endpoint management systems; notes with appreciation the Committee’s continued progress in digital innovation, including the transition to a fully paperless and cyber-secured working environment; commends the 2025-2027 ‘House of the Regions’ Working Plan for prioritising digital transformation to build a modern, agile, and digitally driven institution.institution;

Change 8

Changed69. Notes that the Committee did not participate in the Roma Week event in 2024.2024;