Local and Regional Dialogues on Cohesion Policy

It is not widely known, but many investments in towns and regions have only been possible thanks to cohesion policy: the money and programs the EU uses to reduce regional disparities across Europe. Residents, businesses, universities and communities in Europe’s cities and territories all benefit from cohesion policy’s investments in areas of vital importance to our daily lives: from energy, mobility and innovation to jobs and skills.

But do citizens really feel the added value of cohesion policy? Where do they think the EU’s money should be spent to develop their territory? These questions will be asked directly to citizens, via a series of local dialogues on cohesion policy.

If you speak German, you are welcome to participate in a series of eight online debates. You just need to visit the Debating Europe website and its online debate series named Die Zukunft der Regionen Europas. Eminent politicians as well as  civil society representatives open the debates to the public. The citizens’ comments will be passed on to the European Commission and contribute to cohesion policy’s next cycle, after 2020.

In parallel, face-to-face dialogues are taking place in Germany and elsewhere. These 60 dialogues are taking place in eight countries until November 2018: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden. The cities and regions participating in this initiative in Germany are Greifswald, Hanover, Karlsruhe, Cologne, Leipzig, Stuttgart, Trier and Wuppertal.

This series of 60 dialogues is organised by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) in cooperation with its local partners, and with the financial support of the European Commission.

If you want to register or know more about the dialogues in Germany and elsewhere, please contact mariagiovanna.zamburlini@ccre-cemr.org

You can follow the discussion on social media (Twitter, LinkedIn) via the hashtags #Euinmyregion #EUdialogues #zukunfteuropas. You can also visit the Facebook page (only for German dialogues).