Brussels, 22/04/2009 (Agence Europe) - Celebrating its 15th anniversary during the April plenary session in Brussels, on Tuesday 21 April, the Committee of the Regions (CoR) issued its new mission statement which defines its role, its values and its aspirations. The Committee states: “We are a political assembly of holders of a regional or local electoral mandate serving the cause of European integration. Through our political legitimacy, we provide institutional representation for all the European Union's territorial areas, regions, cities and municipalities. Our mission is to involve regional and local authorities in the European decision-making process and thus to encourage greater participation from our fellow citizens. Our political action is based on the belief that cooperation between European, national, regional and local levels is essential if we are to build an ever closer and more mutually supportive union among the people of Europe and respond to the challenges of globalisation. To this end, we work closely together with the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, and in the member states with the various tiers of authority, in order also to promote multi-level governance. (…) We keep watch to ensure that the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality are upheld so the decisions are taken and applied as close to the citizens as possible and at the most appropriate level. (…) We are ambassadors of Europe in the regions, cities and municipalities and speak for them in the European debate. We have a direct dialogue with our fellow citizens on Europe's achievements and future challenges and we help to explain and expound the implementation and territorial impact of Community policies”. For the full text of the statement, see: http://www.cor.europea.eu (G.B./transl.jl)