Welcome message from Mr Jerzy Zająkała, President of the EA group

I am delighted to invite you to participate in the 2010 "EA / CoR Secondary Schools Competition" which has on this occasion a special focus on combating poverty in our regions.

Young people, in Secondary Schools, aged 14 – 18 from around Europe are entitled to participate on the two staged competition.

Since the European Commission and Member States decided to make 2010 the European Year For Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion, we have built our competition around this topic in order to raise the awareness of young generations on these issues and to hear their opinion and ideas on combating poverty.

Pupils will need to be successful in a multiple choice quiz on the European Union and the Committee of the Regions and complete an 800 words essay on the following topic:

• In your view, how should the European Union act to combat poverty in the regions?

The winners of our competition from each country will be invited along with their teacher for a two day stay in Brussels to visit the Committee of the Regions and take part in a series of activities and meetings as well as observe the CoR's plenary assembly at work in June.