EU policy-makers have recently come up with policy proposals and scenarios on the way forward for Europe. Yet many of these proposals remain silent about the role of regions and cities - even if their follow-up might significantly impact local governments' leverage in a renewed Union. Regions will however have to be granted more influence in the EU architecture to facilitate policy-making and ownership of policy decision on the ground. This was one of the key messages expressed by politicians and academics at a conference organised yesterday by the European Committee of the Regions' Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs (CIVEX).

Results of a pan-European study from the London School of Economics (LSE) collecting the views of local and regional authorities and regional parliaments on the future of Europe and the role they wish to play in a renewed Union were presented on 6 February at the meeting of the Committee of the Regions' Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs ( CIVEX ). A majority of respondents said that their favoured path for a reformed EU would be through strengthened "multi-level governance" and greater focus on areas relevant to citizens' daily lives rather than treaty changes or new EU ministerial positions. Having more clarity in the distribution of competences between the various levels of governments is, in their views, of greater importance than having more power. A clear majority of cities and regions also insist on cohesion being the number one EU policy priority and that such policy should be available to all EU regions.

Leaders of the European Union need to step up their support for cities and regions dealing with the large numbers of refugees and migrants and to recognise that European cities and regions contribute to the management of migration beyond the EU's borders, the President of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) on 21 June told a high-level conference on migration hosted by Antonio Tajani, President of the European Parliament.