Brussels, 04/04/2005 (Agence Europe) - Visiting new EU Member States of the EU to explain the role of the Committee of the Regions (CoR) and the advantages of decentralisation constitutes a priority of the President of the Committee Peter Straub. In this context, President Straub visited Ljubljana (Slovenia) on 30-31 March, to meet national and regional political leaders, notably the president of the Republic Janez Drnovsek, presidents of the National Assembly, France Cukjati and of the Senate Janez Susnik, as well as the minister for local autonomous powers and regional policy Ivan Zagar. The committee delegation accompanying Mr Straub was led by the mayor of Maribor, Boris Sovic. Discussions focused on decentralisation, funding for the future European cohesion policy, EU neighbourhood policy and the European Constitution (which was ratified by an overwhelming majority - 79 votes for and 4 against - at the National Assemble on 1st February last.
Straub asserted that “under the Constitution, national parliaments and the CoR are given a stronger role to enforce the subsidiarity principle…This guarantees a better involvement of national and regional levels in the law making process at the European Union. The CoR is very keen to cooperate with the National Council, as well as the national associations, in the field of subsidiarity. Mr Straub affirmed that decentralisation “is crucial, particularly in the context of the Lisbon Agenda”. He also affirmed that it would be impossible to be competitive without local and regional bodies being given powers on the ground. He added that if they really wanted to create more growth and jobs, “Community cohesion policy had to be given sufficient resources. These two aspects go together”. He indicated that is message would be launched at the European Summit of Regions and Cities in Wroclaw (Poland) 19 - 20 May.