Brussels, 22/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - “The European Commission cannot do without analyses of the impact of its proposals at local and regional level in Europe. What is at stake here is the effectiveness and legitimacy of EU action.” That was the message delivered by Committee of the Regions (CoR) President Mercedes Bresso in Bilbao on Monday 21 March. She was speaking at the Subsidiarity Conference held with the support of the President of the regional government of the Basque Country, Patxi López (see EUROPE 10340).
In her speech, Bresso pointed out that the Lisbon Treaty had strengthened the principle of subsidiarity, the definition of which now includes a specific reference to the local and regional dimension. With regard to CoR cooperation with the Commission, “a fruitful cooperation, for example, on impact analyses”, Bresso suggested that “the impact assessments accompanying the Commission's proposals must include an in-depth analysis of proposals' regional impact, as well as a consultation of local and regional authorities in all cases potentially affecting their competences”. She added that monitoring the principle of subsidiarity is not something that can be done in isolation. “All stakeholders must invest their efforts in it and establish close links with each other, beginning with the national, local and regional levels. Without their involvement and commitment the principle of subsidiarity would remain a dead letter.” Cooperation with the European Parliament (EP) is also crucial she went on, calling for the CoR and the EP to work together to make the EU still more democratic and mindful of local and regional authorities' areas of responsibility. She said, too, that it is equally important that the Presidency of the Council promotes the full application of the Lisbon Treaty. She concluded: “To defend the division of responsibilities from local to European level is to defend democratic values. It is this principle and no other that must be our guide and our course.”
President of the Basque regional parliament Arantza Quiroga said that “the time has come for EU directives to adapt to the multiplicity and diversity of Europe's populations, rather than the other way round, as is now the case”. CoR Vice-President Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso said “the early warning system should not be seen as an additional burden imposed by the European Union but as an opportunity, opening the door to discussions on European issues in national and regional parliaments”. For further information, go to: http://www.cor.europa.eu (G.B./transl.rt)