EPP-CoR President and EPP Women Vice-President Sari Rautio calls for a Presidency that connects European ambition with local and regional delivery
Sari Rautio participated today in the EPP Women webinar “The Irish EU Presidency: Hopes and Expectations”, organised by EPP Women in cooperation with Fine Gael Women. The discussion focused on the priorities of Ireland’s forthcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union, with particular attention to strengthening Europe’s competitiveness through innovation, better regulation and sustainable prosperity. The event was led by EPP Women President-elect Mairead McGuinness and brought together Irish Members of the European Parliament Regina Doherty, Maria Walsh and Nina Carberry as well as Marie Culliton, Chair of Fine Gael Women’s Network, and EPP Women representatives from across Europe.
In her intervention, Sari Rautio welcomed Ireland’s Presidency motto, “Ní neart go cur le chéile” — strength with unity, stressing that this message reflects the daily reality of local and regional leaders across Europe.
“Europe only works when European, national, regional and local levels pull in the same direction. For mayors, regional leaders and local councillors, unity is not an abstract slogan — it is how we deliver for citizens every day. The Irish Presidency has an opportunity to be a bridge-builder: between large and small Member States, urban and rural Europe, competitiveness and cohesion, security and solidarity, and European ambition and local delivery. If Europe wants strength with unity, it must use all its strengths — especially its cities, municipalities, counties and regions,” said Sari Rautio.
Rautio welcomed the Irish Presidency’s focus on competitiveness, values and security, describing these priorities as “the right ones for the moment Europe is living through”. However, she underlined that the European Union will not deliver on any of these objectives unless it delivers together with its regions and cities.
On competitiveness, Rautio stressed that Europe’s economic strength is created in places: in rural municipalities with access to digital infrastructure, in cities able to attract workers through housing and transport, in regions connecting universities, vocational education, SMEs and industry, and in communities where young people can see a future at home.
She called on the Irish Presidency to ensure that competitiveness remains firmly linked to territorial cohesion, especially in the negotiations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework. According to Rautio, the future EU budget must support place-based investment, predictable funding and genuine partnership with local and regional authorities.
“Simplification must not mean centralisation. Flexibility must not mean bypassing regions. Performance must be measured against real territorial needs and long-term development,” she said.
On values, Rautio argued that democracy, equality, human dignity and the rule of law are not only principles written in the Treaties, but realities lived locally. Citizens experience Europe through access to education, care, housing, healthcare, transport, public services and accountable local government.
She encouraged the Irish Presidency to make values a practical agenda, built with citizens and communities rather than simply delivered to them. Local and regional authorities, she said, are often the first democratic contact point for citizens and must be recognised as a core part of Europe’s democratic architecture.
Rautio also acknowledged Fine Gael’s work to increase the participation of women in politics and pointed to Ireland’s efforts on women in business, women apprenticeships, maternity policy, women’s health and the fight against gender-based violence, including Coco’s Law, as examples of women’s leadership delivering concrete change.
On security, Rautio called for a broad understanding of European resilience. While defence capabilities remain essential, she stressed that security also means energy security for households and businesses, cyber resilience for hospitals and municipalities, protection against floods and fires, secure infrastructure and crisis preparedness.
She also recalled the essential role of local and regional authorities in supporting Ukraine, welcoming refugees, providing humanitarian assistance, maintaining partnerships with Ukrainian municipalities and preparing for reconstruction.
Rautio concluded with three political messages for the Irish Presidency.
- First, competitiveness must be territorial. Europe cannot be competitive if some regions are left behind, and the Single Market must work for SMEs, rural areas, border communities, cities and regions in transition.
- Second, values must be local. Democracy, equality and trust are built close to citizens, and local and regional authorities must be treated as an essential part of Europe’s democratic system.
- Third, security must be resilient. Europe’s security depends not only on defence capacity, but also on strong communities, prepared municipalities, secure infrastructure and regions able to adapt to shocks.
“The next EU budget is not only an accounting exercise. It is a political choice about the kind of Europe we want after 2027. We cannot ask local and regional authorities to deliver competitiveness, resilience, climate adaptation, housing, social cohesion and support for Ukraine while weakening the instruments that allow them to invest,” Rautio concluded.