A local dialogue in Strasbourg marked today the territorial dimension of the Conference and highlighted that regional and local authorities are key to bring it beyond Brussels and capitals. Participants endorsed an open letter addressed to all local leaders inviting them to organise local dialogues and join a network of Regional and Local EU Councillors launched by the CoR.
President of the European Committee of the Regions Apostolos
Tzitzikostas
, said:"
We need to relaunch the European project by enhancing its democratic
functioning. I see our 'House of European Democracy' as having solid
foundations - the regional and local authorities - strong walls - the
member states - and a protective roof - the EU. The Conference offers a
unique opportunity to strengthen it, but can only work if it goes
beyond Brussels and the capitals. Local and Regional authorities are
the best allies the Union could have to make the Conference a success.
Now more than ever, we must seize this opportunity to restart and bring
together Europe closer to its people
."
Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Democracy and
Demography Dubravka Šuica
, said:
"Through the European Committee of the Regions, we see how local and
regional authorities are strengthening our democracy. The Conference’s
success will be measured on the tangible results that we will deliver
collectively. Regions, mayors and cities are closest to citizens, and
hence you are key to making the Conference on the Future of Europe a
success."
MEP and Co-Chair of the Executive Committee of the Conference on the
Future of Europe Guy Verhofstadt
, said:
"We want to create real momentum from the bottom up. The Conference
will be much more than a listening exercise, but a way to truly include
citizens in mapping out our shared European future. The foundations
have been laid: digital and deliberative democratic experiments that
have never been tried on an EU-wide scale. We, representative
institutions, will then guarantee that their concerns and proposals
will then get a political answer. It’s new and exciting, and it starts
today!"
Portuguese Secretary of State for European Affairs Ana Paula Zacarias
said: "
As Alexis de Tocqueville once said: “Local assemblies (…) constitute
the strength of free nations.”
This shows the relevance of bringing regional and local authorities to
the core of the Conference on the Future of Europe. They are the ones
closer to the citizens and can help us in reaching out to those that
normally do not participate and express their opinions".
CoR First -Vice President Vasco Cordeiro
said
:"The message of today's representatives of cities and regions is
clear: we accept the challenge to help our Union to do better for our
citizens. Europe is an ambitious project. Accountability and trust are
key to achieve this ambition. During and after the Conference on the
future of the Europe, we have to say what we do with what people tell
us. This Conference is not about EU institutions. It is about us, the
people of Europe!"
The European Committee of the Regions commits to engage in the Conference
on the Future of Europe in many ways:
- The CoR is represented in the Executive Board of the Conference. In this
body, it is working to include elected representatives from regional and
local parliaments and councils, next to representatives from the European
Parliament and the national Parliaments, in the Conference Plenary.
- The CoR is organising a series of local dialogues in the different
Members States to reach as many citizens as possible right where they live.
- The CoR will organise a series of debates in its plenary sessions on the
functioning of European democracy throughout the duration of the
Conference.
- The CoR partners with the
High Level Group on European Democracy
, an independent advisory body of seven wise men and women whose mission is
to support the CoR's political and institutional role by providing
strategic political analysis, focusing on the challenges for local and
regional authorities
- The CoR will launch on 12 May a
cooperation with the Bertelsmann Foundation
to make cities' and regions' voices heard throughout the Conference on the
Future of Europe with Innovative participatory processes
and online tools will be used to host citizens' panels and provide input as
well as recommendations for the final report of the Conference expected on
local dialogues in Spring 2022.
Useful links:
President Tzitzikostas' speech
Open letter "Let's engage with the Conference on the Future of Europa
and beyond!"
Recording of the 9 May local dialogue
CoR citizens survey to contribute to the Conference on the Future of
Europe
New CoR Mobile App
with news and updates from the voice of regions and cities only body
representing Europe’s one million local politicians. Available now for
iPhone
and
Android
.
Contact:
Michele Cercone
CoR President's Spokesperson
Tel +32 498 98 23 49
Email:
michele.cercone@cor.europa.eu