Brussels, 30/01/14 (Agence Europe) - The Committee of the Regions (CoR) has its eyes trained on the European elections in May. It discussed this event with the president of the European Commission, José-Manuel Barroso, on Thursday 30 January 2014.
The CoR and the Commission have drawn up a battle plan to tackle Euroscepticism and regain the trust of European citizens. The regional delegates, who are the closest to Europe's citizens, pointed out their pivotal role and appear determined to send out a positive image of the European project just as the first signs of economic recovery are beginning to be felt.
Karl-Heinz Lambertz from Belgium, the leader of the Socialists at the CoR, said that, at a time when the “European idea is not looking too popular”, he sees the European elections as an opportunity to call for greater integration. He also said that there is no alternative and “our problems won't be resolved outside the EU”. The leader of the EPP, Michael Schneider from Germany, said that public attention had to be drawn to the EU and that all European parties should speak positively of the European project: “We are responsible for it at the local and regional level”, he stressed.
Barroso said that regaining the trust of voters is impossible if we are “constantly depressing people!” He added that “we need to build on our success and put Europe in a positive light”. The president of the Commission sought to encourage regional delegates by acknowledging their key role and concluded on a personal note after his ten years in the job: “You can lose your dreams but never your enthusiasm”. He was invited by Mayor of Delft Bas Verkerk (ALDE, Netherlands) to get out there and encourage people to vote. Verkerk said that “there are a lot of us here who are ready to welcome you”. Barroso will soon be in Athens at the CoR-organised summit of cities and regions on 7-8 March next. (MD/transl.fl)