Brussels, 01/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - The meeting in Brussels, on Tuesday 31 May between Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Commissioner Stefan Füle and Committee of the Regions (CoR) President Mercedes Bresso highlighted the growing importance of the CoR in EU neighbourhood policy.
The inauguration of the Conference of Regional and Local Authorities of the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP), which is planned for September 2011, and the work of the Regional and Local Euro-Mediterranean Assembly (ARLEM) were welcomed by the commissioner. These two assemblies will serve as effective complements to the European neighbourhood policy (ENP) and will constitute important components of its regional dimension.
Füle and Bresso also took stock of the new approach to the ENP, following the adoption of the ENP review on 25 May, which aims for a higher level of ambition and commitment, particularly with regard to stronger partnership with societies, greater differentiation, and being ready to go further with our neighbours in implementing ambitious political and economic reforms.
“With the ENP review, we are striving to build a closer, more democratic, more prosperous and stable neighbourhood. In addition, our approach aims to give new impetus to our direct cooperation with civil society and also to our dialogue with all stakeholders of the reform process, including representatives of local and regional authorities”, Füle said, adding that, in this context, the joint communication on the ENP review recommends the development of pilot regional development programmes both in the East and in the South. “This will increase the need for our joint work with the Committee of the Regions”, he said. (G.B./transl.rt)