Brussels, 18/05/2005 (Agence Europe) - As announced, some 300 presidents of regions and mayors will meet on 19 and 20 May in Wroclaw (Poland) for the European Summit of Regions and Cities. Organised by the Committee of the Regions (CoR) and hosted by the city of Wroclaw, this Summit aims to anchor decentralisation at the heart of the debate on the future of Europe by drawing attention to the decisive role that the regions and cities can play in producing growth and creating employment (see, among others, EUROPE 8936).
Participants will look at the three pillars of decentralisation, which are cohesion, competitiveness and local democracy, says a communication. On this occasion, the President of the CoR Peter Straub, in whose view “this Summit offers the leaders of regions and cities in Europe a powerful sounding board at a particularly crucial time”, will reiterate in no uncertain terms that “we cannot allow ourselves to compromise on the issue of cohesion”.
The Summit will be opened by the Mayor of Wroclaw, Rafal Dutkiewicz, and by Peter Straub. The Commissioner responsible for regional policy Danuta Hübner and the Luxembourg Minister for the Interior and Regional Planning Jean-Marie Halsdorf will speak at the opening of proceedings. Commissioner Hübner will chair a political debate on the theme “Decentralisation and cohesion”.