On 6 February, Vasilica Viorica Dăncilă, the Prime Minister of Romania,
set out the priorities for the European Union during a debate with
local and regional leaders. Romania – who is holding the six-month
rotating
EU Presidency
- said that at a time of growing populism, strengthening European
cohesion was of paramount importance and needed the full support of all
regions and cities. With the UK's expected departure from the EU in
March, complex negotiations on the future EU budget on-going and
European elections in May, she called for a shared commitment to
competitiveness, convergence and security, stressing the need for a
strong cohesion policy in the EU long-term budget post 2020.
During her opening speech held during the European Committee of the Regions
(CoR)'
#CoRplenary
, Prime Minister Dăncilă said, “
Europe is faced with many challenges and we need to show unity and
solidarity, which is why the Romanian EU Presidency is focused on the
fundamental value of cohesion in all its dimensions – political,
economic and social. We all need to pull our efforts to show the real
benefits of the EU in citizens' daily life. The future EU budget needs
to give the right resources so it delivers both growth and convergence.
This is why the European cohesion policy is so important, without which
regional and locally discrepancies would be even larger. It has enabled
to build partnerships and bridges between regions and cities, is the
EU’s main investment strategy, and has evolved to respond to new
challenges. Cohesion policy needs to continue to be for all regions and
cities in the future
”.
Karl-Heinz Lambertz
, CoR President, said, "
This EU Presidency takes place at a pivotal moment for the future of
Europe. Governments at all levels share one goal: to renew Europe,
building a sustainable, inclusive and cohesive future for every
citizen. This needs national governments and the thousands of local and
regional leaders across Europe to come together. The Romanian EU
Presidency has rightly stressed that cohesion is a fundamental European
value. Quite simply, there is no European Union without cohesion, and
there will be no cohesion without the full involvement of cities and
regions
".
Referring to the
8th Summit of Regions and Cities in Bucharest
on 14-15 March, President Lambertz added, "
Cities and regions need the Union as much as the Union needs its cities
and regions. Whether it is cohesion, fundamental rights, integration or
sustainable development, the Union cannot deliver without the support
on the ground. The EU must give more say and support to cities and
regions: this will be the Summit's message to the EU27 leaders meeting
in Sibiu on 9 May
".
***
"(
Re)New EUrope": The 8th European Summit of Regions and Cities,
14-15 March, Bucharest, #EULocal
The
8th European Summit of Regions and Cities
will be held in Bucharest, Romania, on 14-15 March – just two weeks before
the U.K.'s expected exit from the EU on 29 March, and two months ahead of
the European elections – is being co-organised by the European Committee of
the Regions, the Committee's Romanian Delegation and the Romanian EU
Presidency.
Over 500 European, national, regional and local leaders from all EU Member
States will be welcomed in the Romanian capital to focus on the
contribution of local and regional governments in the EU. The event will
also gather 100 young local and regional politicians to engage in the
debate on the future of Europe. As such, the Summit will be the largest
political gathering of mayors, regional presidents and other elected local
and regional representatives from across the Union this year
Under the title "(Re) New EUrope" the Summit will focus on the contribution
of local and regional governments to the "Future of Europe", including the
impact of Brexit on European regions on the negotiations on the EU
long-term budget for 2021-2027 and how it may affect local and regional
authorities, as well as the European elections and restoring citizens'
trust in the EU.
The event will also see the official launch of the Committee's initiative
on a new
Network of Regional Hubs
(#RegHub), in the presence of the 20 participating regions.
Should you wish to participate in the event as a journalist,
you are kindly requested to register via
the media accreditation page of the EU Romanian Presidency
(deadline: 1 March). Please note that only registered journalists will be
able to get media accreditation to the event.
Contact:
pressecdr@cor.europa.eu