Regional leaders commit to alliance for greater EU impact

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Regional leaders have committed to a new alliance for greater impact at the EU level, including regions from Spain.

​Presidents of regional parliaments with or without legislative powers, including the Canary Islands and La Rioja, have endorsed a declaration which will enhance regions’ political impact on the European decision-making process.

The Declaration also calls for the Conference on the Future of Europe to discuss the role of regions in the EU institutional architecture and to improve it to better address citizens’ needs.

Apostolos Tzitzikostas, President of the European Committee of the Regions, said on June 29, ” We all know that our Union is diverse. Some Member States are more centralised, whilst others regions hold legislative powers. But every region, regardless of their power, has a crucial impact on the national and European level.

“Regional and local authorities implement 70 per cent of all EU legislation and represent one-third of public spending and half of public investments. Therefore, we cannot accept forever that others will make decisions on our behalf,” he added.

Gustavo A. Matos Exposito, President of the Parliament of the Canary Islands and President of the Conference of European Regional Legislative Assemblies said, “The regional parliaments and legislative assemblies of the EU represent the citizens of their regions, through their elected representatives, therefore they are fundamental tools to achieve the involvement of citizens in the process of redefining the EU.”

Concepcion Andreu Rodriguez, President of La Rioja, added, “The participation of regional administrations in European affairs should be included in the national and regional legal systems. La Rioja is reforming its Autonomy Statute and one of the proposals is the regional participation in the European legislative process.”

The Declaration “The place of regions in the European Union architecture in the context of the Conference on the Future of Europe” can be read here.


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Deirdre Tynan

Deirdre Tynan is an award-winning journalist who enjoys bringing the best in news reporting to Spain’s largest English-language newspaper, Euro Weekly News. She has previously worked at The Mirror, Ireland on Sunday and for news agencies, media outlets and international organisations in America, Europe and Asia. A huge fan of British politics and newspapers, Deirdre is equally fascinated by the political scene in Madrid and Sevilla. She moved to Spain in 2018 and is based in Jaen.

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