April 8, 2022

The following is a press release:

Today Citizens all across Europe ask for more transparency,

Inclusiveness, participation.

Locally and regionally elected politicians,

bridge citizens and national governments,

By listening to them on a daily basis,

By implementing European and national laws on the ground

And by channelling to the capitals needs arising from

Local Business and civil society.

So Their role is enshrined in the Constitutions,

Their capacity to act is supported by budgets,

Their legitimacy is secured by fair elections.

What we ask citizens today is to consider to propose, here,

the same tools they already use

at national level to influence national policy:

we propose citizens to use Mayors and regional councils

for echoing their voice here in Brussels and Strasbourg, thus bringing Europe closer to them.

We propose to use the principle of subsidiarity

As political answer to their legitimate requests.

In fact, through a more structured

Implication of local and regional authorities

in EU affairs,

including through a stronger Committee of the Regions,

an answer can be given to the main request

put forward by citizens:

namely: better involvement

and closing the gap between them and the institutions.

We,

the regionally and locally elected politicians,

are 'European politicians':

because

we make Europe happen on the ground,

we implement policies and

we adopt regional legislations that

are indeed essential to transpose the European laws.

We therefore believe,

the answer for a performing European Democracy

can be also found by a stronger role

given to local and regional authorities

within the legislative process of this Union.

Thank you very much