The CoR Subsidiarity Conference held in Warsaw delivers a roadmap to strengthen European democracy and enhance the involvement of cities and regions in EU policies.
Highlighting the importance of better regulation, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is calling for stronger cooperation between EU institutions, greater involvement of regional and local authorities in the legislative process, and the promotion of policies that foster economic, social, and territorial cohesion. The CoR is committed to enhancing active subsidiarity, multilevel governance and better regulation, thereby ensuring that EU policies and laws have a tangible impact on the ground.
This is the message by local and regional representatives from across the EU meeting in Warsaw, Poland, for the 11th Subsidiarity Conference organised by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) at the invitation of the President of the Mazovia region, Adam Struzik (PL/EPP).
In the European Union, active subsidiarity implies that all levels of government, including cities and regions are involved in EU-decision making and implementation. In today's conference, the members of the CoR adopted conclusions affirming that active subsidiarity is a key democratic and legal principle as well as an essential ingredient of policies aiming to achieve fair and inclusive transitions and competitive.
Looking ahead at the new EU policy and legislative cycle, the CoR called on all EU institutions to give cities and regions a real place at the table when it comes to discussing the design and implementation of EU laws and policies throughout the better-regulation life cycle.
Adam Struzik, President of the Mazovia region, said: "At the moment, important discussions and arrangements for the new EU perspective after 2027 are taking place in Brussels. There is an ongoing discussion about how the fundamental principle of the European Union – the principle of subsidiarity – is to be implemented. We are discussing how the policy of reducig disparities between more than 280 European regions will be carried out. How will regional and local development be supported? There are many challenges, such as security issues or the development of digitisation. On the one hand, we need to actively use European funds in the current agenda, on the other hand we are fighting for the greatest possible support in the next perspective."
Concerning the EU budget and resources devoted to cohesion policy in particular, cities and regions reject any attempt to centralise the EU's long-term budget post-2027 and urge instead a restructuring based on the principles of active subsidiarity, partnership and multilevel governance. They firmly emphasised that cohesion policy is "non-negotiable".
With regards to the future of the EU, local leaders fully supported the European Parliament's call for Treaty reform and for the European Council to convene a Convention in which the CoR should participate.
The Chair of the CoR commission for environment, Climate change and Energy (ENVE), Rafal Trzaskowski (PL/EPP), Mayor of Warsaw, underlined the CoR's role in promoting active subsidiarity in environmental and climate legislation. "The effective implementation of the European Green Deal requires multilevel governance since cities and regions are responsible for implementing 70% of climate mitigation measures and 90% of climate adaptation policies. The EU's local and regional governments account for around 58% of climate-significant public expenditure, surpassing their national governments. This is effective application of the subsidiarity principle."
Olgierd Geblewicz, President of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship and President of the EPP-CoR said that "Centralisation of cohesion programmes can be a very damaging proposal both for the European Commission itself and for cities and regions. Until now, we have had a very strong influence on what our Regional Operational Programmes look like, so we have been adapting the local and regional needs of the communities to the opportunities provided by the European Funds. Now such a strategic view of the European Commission is also missing."
"In recent decades, more and more areas of law have been regulated by the EU. The Draghi report sees this as one of the reasons for too much bureaucracy and too little efficiency and competitiveness. The report's proposal to inquire the current weaknesses in the implementation of the subsidiarity principle and then to introduce appropriate reforms is very welcome. We as regions want to and must actively participate in this project!" said Mark Speich, Secretary for Federal, European and International Affairs of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Sari Rautio, member of the Hämeenlinna City Council highlighted that "We are at a very important point where the future of Cohesion Policy is being prepared. we should focus on the common objectives, and leave freedom to choose the means in order the have an EU that delivers."
Background
The Subsidiarity Conference is a biennial event that seeks to strengthen the EU inter-institutional dialogue on subsidiarity scrutiny and to allow for a meaningful exchange between institutions and stakeholders involved in active subsidiarity and better-regulation activities. The 11th conference builds on the outcomes of the Conference on the Future of Europe, on the recommendations of the CoR Better Regulation and Active Subsidiarity Steering Group (BRASS-G), and on the findings of the CoR opinion on 'Active subsidiarity: a fundamental principle in the EU better regulation agenda'.
The CoR's annual report on the State of Regions and Cities in the European Union 2024 emphasises the role of regions and cities in shaping policies and calls for stronger partnerships on an equal footing with the EU and national levels, reflecting the principle of active subsidiarity. Local and regional authorities call for the CoR to have a greater role in EU governance, particularly for territorial policies, and emphasise the need for decentralisation and multilevel governance in future reforms.
Webstreaming of the meeting.