Strasbourg, 14/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - In Strasbourg on 12 March, the Italian Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament, Renzo Imbeni and Guido Podesta and Italian MEPs of all political groups met Roberto Louvin andRiccardo Nencini, co-ordinator and deputy co-ordinator of the Conference of Presidents of Italian Regional Councils, as well as the presidents (or members) of the regional councils of Tuscany, Lombardy, Piedmont, Val d' Aosta, Emilie-Rogmania, Calabria and Vasilicata, in the presence of the Italian Minister of Regional Affairs, Enrico La Loggia. On that occasion, the representatives of the Italian regions insisted that national parliaments should be able to play their role in the Community integration process, and Riccardo Nencini pleaded especially for the need for a "link between the Convention (on the future of Europe) and regional councils, they too currently engaged in a phase of re-writing the rules". As for Roberto Cota, President of the Regional Council of Piedmont, he called, as is already the case for Belgium and Germany, for representatives of Italian regions to be able to participate in the meetings of EU Councils when they are discussing issues under their competencies.