The European People's Party (EPP) and the EPP Group in the European Committee of the Regions (EPP-CoR) have adopted a declaration calling for a stronger European house of democracy with villages, cities and regions serving as the foundations of the house to respond to challenges that know no border between the European, national, regional and local levels. With the deadline for Member States to submit National Recovery and Resilience Plans (NRRP) approaching, the declaration calls for engagement of local and regional authorities (LRAs) in preparation of the plans and to take on board the proposals of the most trusted level of governance and the one closest to citizens that knows where Europe needs to hit with precision for a successful recovery. The declaration outlines that through multi-level governance, Europe can deliver a quicker felt recovery that reaches the real economy and citizens. EPP-led villages, cities and regions called for sufficient resources and expressed commitment to bounce back to a more sustainable and digital economy that leaves no one behind.
The declaration emerged from an EPP Local Dialogue held online which saw the participation of local and regional, national and European leaders.
Introduction: Recovery in the post-pandemic age at local and regional level
Jelena Drenjanin, EPP-CoR 1st Vice-President moderated the introductory session. She said "We are in a time when we have to re-invent many of our norms, standards and doings. As we are in the middle of a pandemic storm we need to gain strength to tackle these obstacles but also to be responsible and proactive. We, the local and regional level, are key players in implementing the Recovery Plan but also transforming our societies to a green, digital and sustainable economy. Empowering the citizens is empowering democracy, economy and a sustainable society. The voice of the local and regional that we in the European Committee of the Regions represent has to be heard, today and every day.”
Antonio López-Istúriz, EPP Secretary-General said "In the face of a crisis of huge proportions, the European Union showed once again why it must exist. Without this Union it would be impossible to implement the solutions that we have implemented; solutions that alone, as single countries, we would have struggled to find on our own. As EPP we must be proud. The solutions once again come from our political family."
Olgierd Geblewicz, EPP-CoR President said "LRAs are the first contact of citizens with democracy. Across Europe, we have been on the frontline of this pandemic. I firmly believe that we as the EPP are moving in the right direction pushing for a jobs-led recovery, shaping digital transition via local realities and bringing partners, including industry and business on board, when it comes to climate action. However, we need to also insist on a democratic recovery, where villages, cities and regions are fully engaged. Only by doing so we will achieve recovery that truly reflects the challenges on the ground."
Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European Committee of the Regions (CoR) President and Governor of Central Macedonia said "We must state loud and clear, the importance of the regional and local dimension of the national recovery plans, if we do not want these plans to fail. It will take more time to prepare them, within our Member States, but it's the solid and effective way of working. And the CoR will continue to play its facilitating political role. Cooperation, between all levels of government, is the way forward. When we modernize our European House of Democracy, when the Roof, which is the EU, the walls, which are the member states, and the foundations, which are the regions, cities and villages, are solid, we cannot, and we will not fail. We will restart Europe. We will rebuild it, safer, greener, digital, resilient. Together we will build the future Europe that is closer to the people."
Rui Rio, President of the Social Democratic Party, former Mayor of Porto "Use of funds will vary from region to region, but the goals we all wish to achieve are uniform. Subsidiarity is the right track. A Euro spent at the local level is a Euro well spent.
Regions and cities implementing the Recovery Plan challenges and opportunities for a better future of Europe.
Johannes Hahn, Commissioner responsible for Budget and Administration said “Europe’s heart beats in the regions. They are the starting point for our recovery translating our common green and digital transition into concrete projects for citizens and enterprises.”
Siegfried Mureşan, Vice President of the European People’s Party, Vice-Chair of the EPP Group in the European Parliament said "One of the main objectives of the European Parliament in the negotiations with the Council was to ensure that local and regional authorities, as well as civil society in general are not only properly consulted when drawing up the national recovery plans but also involved in their implementation. We are ready to make full use of our rights to scrutinise the plans and to make sure that local, regional authorities and civil society benefit fully from the investments and reforms under the Recovery and Resilience Facility."
Johanna Mikl-Leitner, President of Lower Austria said "The current Corona pandemic has shown us that only together can we overcome future challenges and crises. Joint interaction at the European, national and regional levels is essential to building a resilient, resilient and stable EU. Because Europe starts in the regions."
Kostas Bakoyannis, Mayor of Athens "As our cities, slowly but steadily, recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is time to intensify our efforts in order to mitigate the socio-economic effects of this unprecedented health crisis. Local and Regional Authorities, being at the level closest to the everyday life of the citizens, are ready to discuss, propose and implement measures and solutions for a swift, sustainable and inclusive recovery. Cities and regions can and must have a pivotal role in the Recovery and Resilience Facility as well as in the National Recovery and Resilience Plans, because only multi-level governance can guarantee the effectiveness and representativeness of the proposed solutions in a recovery process which is expected to be complex, difficult and long."
Building up a local and regional Green and Digital resilient Economy
Markku Markkula, President of the Helsinki Region, Chair of the Espoo City Board moderated the second session. "I am proud and happy to represent Finland and my city Espoo and my region Helsinki in the EU decision-making. A few days ago, we got the news: Finland has been named the happiest place globally for the fourth year running in the annual UN World Happiness Report. I share our experiences in the EPP panel about how we will become carbon neutral ahead of most other cities and regions. The local and regional levels implement necessary actions. This is the real-life practice together with citizens and for citizens. Sustainable growth can only be reached with industry, large and small. As the newly nominated EER region, we will do more on entrepreneurship focused on green & digital – and share our results with the others."
Mairead McGuinness, Commissioner for Financial Services, Financial Stability and the Capital Markets Union said "We have less than 9 years to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% and need to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. We will only achieve these goals by working from the ground-up. The journey has begun and we all need to help each other to get there."
Emil Boc, Mayor of Cluj-Napoca, former Prime Minister of Romania said "The integration of European funds, the synergy between recovery and resilience funds and cohesion policy programs, the flexibility between programs, with clear and simple rules, are essential for the success of green and digital transition."
Agnès Rampal, Vice President of the Métropole Nice-Côte d’Azur, Vice Mayor of Nice "Our territories need Europe and Europe needs its territories to boost a sustainable recovery. The European Recovery Plan must strongly support the investment at local and regional level in green and digital transitions. This joint commitment at all levels will generate a multiplier effect and a real virtuous circle for the benefit of businesses and citizens."
Ricardo Rio, Mayor of Braga said “The pandemic period was a huge challenge as it has put in local and regional authorities shoulders the responsibility of addressing issues so different as the health responses, the social support and the economic recovery boost. But it also shown the value of decentralization, of multilevel governance, of international collaboration and of partnership with civil society that shall be so needed in the recovery process and the achievement of green deal and digitalization goals”.
Adoption of the Declaration
In the final session, the EPP and the EPP-CoR adopted a declaration: Achieving recovery through a stronger European House of Democracy.
Michael Murphy, Member of Tipperary County Council, Chair of the CoR Economic Policy commission moderated the last session. He said "We are transitioning from strategy to implementation on the ground. Working close with our citizens will help us as local and regional leaders to have a fast and resilient recovery. With partnerships, we can better build and implement policies for our citizens."
Antonio López-Istúriz, EPP Secretary- General said "Europe starts at home. As our continent stood united in the face of COVID-19, European solidarity was rooted in every community, village, city and every region. A year ago when we entered the first lockdown, regional and local representatives stood on the frontline. Today, from the deployment of vaccines to the protection of our way of life and the forthcoming economic recovery, they guide us through this crisis. More than ever, we are all in this together. This is why I sign the declaration to achieve the recovery by strengthening the roots of our European democracy, initiated by the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions."
Isabel Diaz Ayuso, President of Madrid Region said "Clear and balanced distribution of powers and responsibilities over the implementation of the European recovery funds is key if we want these resources to reach the citizens who need them the most. That is why we have been asking the Government of Spain the same thing that we request today in this declaration: objective and transparent criteria in the distribution of funds and that a governance model must be built together with the regional and local administrations to make the most out of them.
Yordanka Fandakova, Mayor of Sofia said "Now more than ever the debate on social differences must take place. We have to think about a better quality of life for our citizens and only by working with the people and for the people we can implement the right solutions." She also spoke about kep projects on the ground "To continue the expansion of the metro, we expect financial support of 184 million Euro, set in the recovery and Resilience Plan."
In his concluding remarks, Olgierd Geblewicz, EPP-CoR President appealed for European, national, local and regional leaders to support the declaration. "It is our pledge as the EPP family towards a stronger European House of Democracy."