The EPP Group will hold its next Bureau meeting in 2016 in the centre of Europe, in Cologne (Germany), from 3-4 March, to discuss two themes: "Competitiveness: the key to Europe's future" and "Freedom, pluralism and responsibility of the media in a digital era". The EPP Group will debate how to strengthen competitiveness and the freedom of media in the European Union to create growth and jobs for many citizens in Europe. The meeting will be led by the Chairman of the EPP Group, Manfred Weber MEP.

Cologne is a strong industrial location. The EPP Group will visit three leading European companies on Thursday in and around Cologne: in the automobile sector (FORD), the chemical sector (Bayer) and the energy sector (Amprion). The EPP Group will emphasise initiatives for competitiveness, growth and jobs that ensure that each Member State can benefit and that therefore strengthen the European economy. This is the key to Europe's future in a globalised world. The panel on competitiveness will be chaired by Françoise Grossetête, Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group, responsible for its Working Group on Economy and Environment.

The media sector also plays a key economic, social and cultural role in the EU. Cologne is one of the biggest media cities in Germany. Together with European experts on media, the EPP Group will discuss the future of media in the digital era. The EPP Group strongly believes Europe should continue to protect, support and promote freedom and diversity of media. The Group line will be drawn up in a policy paper called 'Freedom and Diversity of Media in the Digital Era'.

Furthermore the EPP Group will adopt a statement on the integration of migrants and refugees and will also hold a special session with Peter Altmaier MdB, Head of the German Federal Chancellery and Federal Minister for Special Tasks on current issues.

Manfred Weber (Chairman of the EPP Group) and Herbert Reul (Chairman of the CDU/CSU-Group) will hold a press conference on the results of the meeting at 12.30 on Friday 4 March in the Marriot Hotel in Cologne.