Brussels, 05/12/2012 (Agence Europe) -The European Investment Bank (EIB) has reaffirmed its determination to support the local and regional bodies. On Tuesday 4 December, EIB president Werner Hoyer met the president of the Committee of the Regions (CoR), Ramón Luis Valcárcel. They are both determined to improve access for the local and regional authorities to EIB resources. Hoyer declared that his institution was the bank of all member states and that the development of the cities and regions was an important part of the bank's economic strategy. Valcárcel asserted that the CoR and the EIB were committed to “promoting better knowledge of the funding opportunities offered by the EU for local and regional authorities and to activating synergies to support public and private investment for sustainable growth and employment”. The two institutions will be jointly organising a conference on the subject in May 2013. (MD/transl.fl)