“The situation across Europe is such that none of us can do everything, but everybody can do something. That is the way we can make every corner of Europe a better place. We, the regions and cities, are ready to do our share; we want to do it together, because we are the closest to the citizens.” With these words, Sari Rautio, President of the EPP-CoR, opened her intervention during a debate with Torsten Schack Pedersen, Minister for Resilience and Preparedness, in Helsingør, Denmark. She underlined the importance of strategic foresight and the need to empower cities and regions with the capacity to use foresight effectively when facing threats. She also stressed the central role of trust, which she described as “the very core of preparedness and security.”
Minister Torsten Schack Pedersen highlighted the role of his ministry and how it cooperates with local and regional levels of government: “In Denmark, the municipalities and regions play an important role when it comes to preparedness and resilience. Each municipality and each region are responsible for planning the continuation of important societal functions in the event of larger crises or catastrophes. My ministry is responsible for supporting the preparation of these emergency plans by central government authorities, regions, municipalities, and fire and rescue services. I believe that we can benefit from close cooperation between the central government and the municipalities and regions. This is an important part of the whole-of-society approach. But it is also important to strike the right balance. On the one hand, the central government can provide resources, specialised capacities, knowledge, and guidance. On the other hand, I believe it is important that local government still has the flexibility to adopt local solutions that best apply to the local conditions. Municipalities vary in size, circumstances, and also when it comes to local preparedness planning.”
He added that local government is an essential part of the puzzle: “Resilience and preparedness is a team effort, and every level of government has an important role to play. We have different backgrounds, but we all share the idea of the need to improve our capacities.”
Juanma Moreno, President of Andalusia and Vice-President of the CoR, also stressed the role of local and regional authorities: “Europe needs its regions and cities to be heard in order to face the important challenges that lie ahead. From the European Committee of the Regions we will support the European Commission, and we will support it in implementing measures that are effective in every region and every city of Europe, drawing from our experience. Because we are key actors in the adoption of these measures. We also need the necessary means to carry them out.”
The EPP-CoR is leading the Committee of the Regions’ position on the European Preparedness Union Strategy. María Isabel Urrutia de los Mozos, Regional Minister for the Presidency, Justice, Security and Administrative Simplification of the Government of Cantabria, will present her opinion in the NAT Commission on 23 September.