At its extraordinary meeting in Dubrovnik on 2^nd June 2005, hosted by its Mayor, Ms. Dubravka Suica, the European People Party’s Group in the Committee of the Regions calls on border regions and local authorities to intensify their cooperation efforts with neighbouring regions both within the Union, taking advantage of a new geographical reality and bringing citizens closer together, and outside the Union as a means to build bridges and to promote European values based on common cultural, social, economic and political aims. As Ivo Sanader, Prime Minister of Croatia, stated “Croatia is at the beginning of the integration process into the EU. We are looking forward to presenting to our citizens the “best of Europe” – Euroregions and cross-border cooperation are the very foundations of the EU’s concept, as they play an important role in promoting mutual confidence and make the concept of the EU less abstract for our citizens. I also truly and personally believe in the principle of subsidiarity and hence in the importance of the Committee of the Regions, for it provides local and regional authorities with a voice at the heart of the EU”. Isidoro Gottardo, President of the EPP Group in the CoR, assured Prime-Minister Sanader of the EPP’s support for Croatia’s efforts towards accession, whilst calling for a true bottom-up approach involving closely Croatian local and regional authorities. He underlines that “successful cross-border cooperation of local and regional actors provides a practical underpinning to regional cooperation and is an important tool towards wide economic convergence and social cohesion, as well as a determinant factor for further integration and political dialogue”. Antonio Lopez, Secretary General of the EPP, highlighted that “the process of reforms initiated by Prime-Minister Sanader and the HDZ serves as an example for the whole of the Balkan region”.  He went on to say that “we must bring the Union closer to its citizens, and to do so, the Committee of the Regions must be strengthened, and its interinstitutional relations improved. This will increase participation - particularly of the younger generations - in European citizenship”. In its final "Declaration of Dubrovnik" the EPP/CoR Group suggests that regional cooperation amongst countries of South East Europe is a prerequisite for political and economic development and stabilisation in this region. In this context, the contribution of Croatia to the policy of cooperation and stabilisation amongst the countries of the region is welcomed and further such forms of trans-European cross-border cooperation is encouraged. Dubrovnik Declaration