True local engagement deserves to be rewarded. Spanish Minister for Public Works and Transport, and former President of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions, Iñigo De la Serna, was awarded the CEMR medal on 20 April in Madrid.

In order to thank and reward the minister for his engagement and contribution to our activities throughout his mandate; CEMR secretary general Frédéric Vallier had the honour to hand him the CEMR medal, in person, for his outstanding work as President in 2016.

During his presidency, Mr De la Serna oversaw the CEMR congress in Nicosia, Habitat III in Quito and the EU and Global Urban Agenda, and many more events and actions that were of high importance to Europe’s local and regional governments. He also worked towards achieving a Memorandum of Understanding between CEMR and the European Committee of the Regions, and contributed to mobilise towns and cities to work together to overcome the refugee crisis.

Mayor of Santander from 2007 to 2016, Iñigo De la Serna was also CEMR co-president from 2013 to January 2016, and President until December 2016. He was also the President of our Spanish association, FEMP, from 2012 to 2015.

We wish to congratulate Mr De la Serna for receiving the CEMR medal, and will always consider him a close friend of Europe’s towns and regions.