Governance and citizenship

The German government welcomes the new provisions of the Constitutional Treaty that aim to strengthen the involvement of the regional and local levels in Europe. With these words the German Presidency responds to a letter sent to the German Chancellor Angela Merkel on 21st December 2006, by the Presidents of the six main European associations of local and regional authorities. The explicit recognition of regional and local self-government as well as the right of the Committee of the Regions to refer subsidiarity issues to the Court of Justice contributes to bring Europe closer to the citizens.

 

For the six regional and local associations, modern European governance requires an active involvement of, and partnership between, all levels of government. Moreover, considering that regions currently implement 60% of EU laws, and, in terms of legitimacy, cities and municipalities are the closest tier of government to citizens, they expect a major role in EU decision-making and policy processes.

 

The signatories place high hopes in Angela Merkel, Chancellor of a federal country, and they believe in her capacity for negotiation with the other Member States to include regional and local principles in the Declaration for the values of the European Union. This declaration will be adopted next March in Berlin to mark the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome

 

The original letter was signed on the 21st December 2006, by the Presidents of the following associations:

Assembly of European Regions (AER), Riccardo Illy, President of Friuli Venezia Giulia, (IT)
Association of European Border Regions (AEBR), Mr Lambert van Nistelrooij, Member of European Parliament, (N)
Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), Mr Michael Häupl, Mayor of Vienna, (A)
Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR), Mr Claudio Martini, President of Tuscany (IT)
EUROCITIES, Mr Gérard Collomb, Mayor of Lyon, (FR)
Regions with Legislative Power (REGLEG), Right Honourable Rhodri Morgan AM, First Minister for Wales (UK)

 

For further information, please contact:

Enrico MAYRHOFER, CRPM
Tel + 32 2 286 86 60, Fax : +32 2 280 2765, Gsm : +32 486 561 967, E-mail : enrico.mayrhofer@crpm.org
Web: www.crpm.org - www.cpmr.org

 

Patrizio FIORILLI, CCRE
Tel + 32 2 500 05 34, E-mail : patrizio.fiorilli@ccre-cemr.org
Web: www.ccre.org