Brussels, 27/01/2012 (Agence Europe) - The Committee of the Regions (CoR) expects the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU to ensure that proper account is taken of the regions in negotiations on the new treaty and on the next EU budget.
CoR President Mercedes Bresso met Danish European Affairs Minister Nicolai Wammen on Wednesday 25 January. She reiterated the wish of the CoR that it be actively involved in any future inter-institutional discussions on the new multi-annual financial framework for the period from 2014 to 2020. The CoR also wants to see a “reasonable but ambitious” EU budget that ensures proper resources for the cohesion and agricultural policies and says that this is key to continuing to tackle regional disparities and to support the efforts of European regions and cities to kick-start growth at local and regional level. On budgetary discipline, which the revision of the treaty aims to bring, Bresso does not look kindly upon what she sees as excessive inter-governmentalism and she took the opportunity to underline that the intergovernmental option must not harm the dynamic of European integration. She further called for the agreement to include provisions referring specifically to the need to respect the competences of local and regional authorities.
Bresso and Wammen will have the opportunity to discuss CoR priorities at the Committee plenary session on 15-16 February and at the 5th European Summit of Regions and Cities to be held in Copenhagen at the end of March, key political events for the CoR. (MD/transl.rt)