November 4, 2024

The following is a press release:

The President of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), Vasco Alves Cordeiro, discussed with the President-elect of the European Council, António Costa, about the role of local and regional authorities in the future Cohesion Policy and the strengthening of inter-institutional cooperation in the context of the EU Strategic Agenda 2024-2029.

After the meeting, held on 31st October in Brussels, Vasco Alves Cordeiro said:

“This meeting with the President-elect of the European Council allowed the European Committee of the Regions to explain our position on some of the major issues that are currently under discussion at the European Union level, namely the future of Cohesion Policy and the next Multiannual Financial Framework.

This was also an opportunity to emphasise the work that the European Committee of the Regions has done over the past years and the main issues at stake in the future for regions and cities across Europe.

In this phase signed by dramatic emergencies and by a worrying trend towards centralisation, regions and cities look forward to cooperating with President-elect António Costa to strengthen the EU’s ability to stand at local communities’ side. I have reiterated the CoR warning that centralising the management of EU funds in the next Multiannual Financial Framework will weaken regions and cities’ capacity to face current and future challenges.

It's not just about Cohesion Policy, it's a debate about two different visions of Europe. The European Committee of the Regions firmly believes that local and regional authorities are key players in the European Union project.”

During the meeting, President Cordeiro presented President-elect Costa with the EU Annual Report on the State of the Regions and Cities recently published by the European Committee of the Regions. The report addresses the challenges facing regions and cities today: climate crisis, the ecological and digital transition, poverty and social exclusion. It also emphasises the need to strengthen local participation in responding to these challenges to guarantee solutions tailored to the needs of each territory.

Structured co-operation between the CoR and the European Council was also on the agenda.

Contact

Monica Tiberi – Spokesperson of the CoR President

Mobile: +32 479 51 74 43

Monica.Tiberi@cor.europa.eu