"We need to restore growth and create more jobs for our citizens and undertake necessary structural reforms. We need to manage the refugee crisis together. And we need to make sure that Europe's social market economy is based on the responsible and sustainable use of the environment" – continued Mayor of Oisterwijk, naming them as top priorities for Europe in the upcoming year.

Janssen further called for boosting investments in the EU to enhance economic, social and territorial cohesion in Europe. He underlined that all the levels of government should be playing their part in improving economic governance, transparency and the efficiency of public spending in order to deliver tangible results on the ground.

"What we need today is not more regulation, but a better and a more comprehensive one that engages all levels of governance" underlined Frans Timmermans while defending the work programme's motto: no time for business as usual. He further acknowledged the positive role local and regional authorities already play within the EU. "I believe that better inter-institutional coordination will benefit all European citizens".

The President of the CoR, Markku Markkula, stressed that the CoR shares many priorities with the Commission, such as building a connected and a cohesive Europe. "As the European Committee of the Regions, we encourage an entrepreneurial spirit that makes investment work for communities. For this, the EU must facilitate the strengthening of partnership policies for its regions and cities. We need better regulation that reflects the territorial dimension and we ask the simplification of the use of European funds to boost local economies" President Markkula remarked.