Council of European Municipalities and Regions

LOCAL INSIGHT
Local and regional governments' view
of European affairs

EU elections 2019

Local government’s manifesto

Europe’s local and regional leaders put MEP candidates to the test

”The EU needs to take a local shift”. This is in substance what European local and regional leaders voiced yesterday during a debate with prominent MEP candidates from different political groups.

The event was hosted by the City of Brussels, upon the invitation of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR).

Following the presentation of the CEMR Manifesto for the European Parliament elections due in May, the discussion turned to four core themes that are fundamental for local government.

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EU elections 2019

Local government’s manifesto

Video | Why the EU needs to take a local shift

Whether it’s Brexit, the climate strikes or the ‘gilets jaunes’: Europeans no longer want ‘politics as usual’. This sentiment, which is being expressed by the European population, should send a shockwave through EU Member States.

With the European elections just around the corner, local and regional leaders are suggesting one way forward: the EU needs a local shift. This is in substance what they lay down in their Manifesto for a local and regional Europe, channelled by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR).

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Cohesion

Cohesion policy

Open letter to European Ministers: "Keep the same level of financing"

In an open letter released on 10 April, CEMR urges the Ministers responsible for cohesion policy to stand in favour of maintaining the current budget for the next budget cycle.

The letter calls on each EU member state to keep the same level of financing as in the current period (2014-2020) despite the numerous new tasks and the vast impact of Brexit on the EU budget.

In the words of CEMR president, and president of the Emilia Romagna Region, Stefano Bonaccini, “we believe that Cohesion policy is at the heart of European integration. It therefore deserves the appropriate level of ambition”.

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EU governance

Better regulation

Commission to step up collaboration with Europe’s towns and regions

In its pursuit of better regulation, the European Commission has taken a significant step towards more effective and local-friendly policymaking. In its Communication on Better regulation published on 15 April 2019, the Commission makes several points highlighting the need for better collaboration with local regional governments as well as their representative associations; considering the added value of their first-hand expertise.

Reacting to this, the Secretary General of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), Frédéric Vallier, stated: “This Communication is good news for Europe’s towns and regions. The European Commission has it right: the first-hand expertise of local and regional governments creates significant added value for better regulation in EU policymaking. CEMR and its member associations look forward to collaborating more closely with the Commission on this matter."

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