Europe’s future competitiveness depends on strong cities and regions, backed by an ambitious EU budget and effective local democracy, stressed Sari Rautio, President of the EPP Group in the European Committee of the Regions (EPP-CoR), on the occasion of the CoR Bureau and Conference of Presidents meetings held in Ireland in the context of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
In Mullingar, Rautio exchanged with Jerry Buttimer, Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht and the Department of Transport, during the CoR External Bureau meeting "Thriving and sustainable communities – building a Europe that works for all the territories”. Rautio stressed the need for an ambitious Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and new EU own resources, giving European regions the means to compete, invest and thrive.
The EPP-CoR also supported the adoption of the Mullingar Declaration on “Future worth staying for”, which aims to make staying in or returning to one’s home region a genuine choice, rather than people feeling compelled to leave in search of opportunities elsewhere. The Declaration contributes to and expresses support for the European Commission’s upcoming “Right to Stay” Strategy.
Later in Dublin, during the Conference of Presidents, Rautio exchanged views with John Cummins, Minister of State for Local Government and Planning, focusing on housing, local democracy, competitiveness and cohesion. For Rautio, these priorities go hand in hand: strengthening Europe’s competitiveness and cohesion requires strong local and regional communities, with the capacity and resources to deliver for citizens.