Marcinelle, 04/02/2003 (Agence Europe) - In a speech in Marcinelle on 4 February (at the opening of the museum that is located in the place of the old coal mine where 261 people, of whom 136 Italians, lost their lives in 1956), Romano Prodi spoke in favour of strengthening the role of regional and local authorities in European construction. "We must fight for more involvement of regional and local authorities in the decision-making process in the stage of drafting and implementing European policies, as proposed in the White Paper on European governance", said the European Commission President. He then pleaded in favour of a "systematic dialogue, better consultation and improved impact-analysis", as well as for a "certain decentralisation in implementing legislation" (for example, through tripartite agreements between the EU, Member States and their regional authorities). However, he warned, "the common theme of our reflection on the role of regional and local authorities is the respect for the constitutional and institutional organisation of Member States" that remains the exclusive powers of the latter. "The Union must remain neutral" in relation to this internal organisation, he insisted.