Karl-Heinz Lambertz, President of the European Committee of the Regions, delivered the first-ever address on the "State of the European Union: the View of Regions and Cities" on 10 October in Brussels. The address was followed by a debate with local and regional leaders from all EU Member States together with the President of the European Council Donald Tusk.
President Lambertz's address contributes to setting the EU's future agenda by taking stock of the current situation of and regions and cities in the Union. It looks ahead to the challenges for local governments in the coming years.