Regions and cities discuss 2017 political priorities with Vice-President Timmermans

Met dank overgenomen van Comité van de Regio's (CvdR) i, gepubliceerd op donderdag 30 juni 2016.

​Local and regional leaders from the European Committee of the Regions, together with representatives of European associations of regional and local authorities, met on 29 June with the European Commission's First Vice-President Timmermans to discuss the priorities of the Commission work programme 2017 and cooperation on the REFIT programme - aimed at revising and improving existing EU legislation.

The CoR President, Markku Markkula, together with the Presidents of the CoR's Political Groups, insisted on regions' and cities' main objectives and needs, starting from the effective integration the investment programmes and tools funded by European Structural Investment Funds (ESIF) and the European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI). The The CoR leaders also stressed how urgent is for local authorities that a comprehensive EU-wide solutions on migration and asylum is agreed and implemented, taking account of the specific role and needs cities and regions, for which resources should made it available from the ESIF in support of integration policies.

During the discussion on the impact and implications of the outcome of the referendum on EU membership held in the UK, President Markkula agreed with Vice-President Timmermans on the need for commitment on joint initiatives aimed at boosting public awareness about the benefits linked to the EU action and policies. The crucial role of education and the need for new synergies in communicating the European Union were stressed as key elements to preserve and relaunch the European project.

This annual debate with Vice-President Timmermans involved, alongside the CoR delegation, top leaders from the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR), the Assembly of European Regions (AER), Conference of European Regions with Legislative Power (RegLeg), Conference of Peripheral and Maritime Regions (CPMR), Eurocities, Conference of European Regional Legislative Assemblies (CALRE), and Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR). The debate is part of the Structured Dialogue process that was launched following a political agreement reached in 2015 between Vice-President Timmermans and President Markkula.