Latvian Presidency to work together with the Committee of Regions to empower citizens

Met dank overgenomen van Lets voorzitterschap Europese Unie 1e helft 2015 (Lets voorzitterschap) i, gepubliceerd op donderdag 12 februari 2015.

On 12 February in Brussels, when presenting the priorities of the Latvian Presidency of the Council of the European Union to the Committee of the Regions (CoR), Ms. Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, the Foreign Ministry’s Parliamentary State Secretary for EU Affairs, emphasized the role of municipalities and regions in contributing to growth and competitiveness, and social and territorial cohesion in the EU.

Ms. Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica pointed to the role of the CoR as a voice of regions and cities. She underlined that the Presidency and the Committee must cooperate in order to enhance citizens’ confidence in Europe and increase their involvement in EU processes.

The animated discussion with regional representatives also addressed the mobility of workforce, equal opportunities, digital economy, energy policy, and citizens’ involvement in processes related to the Transatlantic Trade and Partnership (TTIP). Andris Jaunsleinis, Member of the Committee of the Regions from Latvia, contributed to the debate, also emphasizing the importance of issues such as the Eastern Partnership, support to farmers, and the EU’s Territorial Agenda 2020.