The President of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), Karl-Heinz Lambertz, delivered today his second speech on the State of the EU Regions "The cities and regions need the European Union. The European Union needs its cities and regions" during a special debate with European Parliament President Antonio Tajani on the future of Europe.
"To weaken our cities and regions is to weaken our Union. This must not be part of our blueprint for the future. Quite the opposite: by strengthening our territories we strengthen our Union" said CoR President Lambertz.
He also highlighted that “We do not see Europe as two-dimensional, with only the institutions and the Member States. We see Europe in three dimensions, with its 100 000 or so local authorities and 300 regions. This third dimension is the democratic foundation on which we must rebuild Europe, with and for our citizens.
Our municipalities, cities and regions, and their elected representatives are a factor for trust and stability for the Union at a time when divergences and antagonisms are growing at national and European level. This stability is vital if we are to continue building a shared future. Local and regional elected representatives very often display pragmatism, not to say courage. Every day, they are in the front line, facing up to practical realities. They have to act.”
EN full speech available online.
Further information available on The state of the European Union: the View of Regions and Cities webpage.
