CoR and European Parliament discuss closer cooperation on the EU budget and the role of regions

On 12 October, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) Conference of Presidents held an exchange of views with Younous Omarjee, Vice-President of the European Parliament responsible for relations with the CoR. The discussion focused on strengthening cooperation between the two institutions, particularly on the next EU budget, the role of regions and cities, and the territorial impact of EU legislation.

The next Multiannual Financial Framework has provided an important opportunity for the CoR and the European Parliament to work closely together, with the two institutions largely aligned in their positions. Participants stressed that this cooperation will remain important throughout the negotiations to defend cohesion policy, multilevel governance and the role of regions and cities. They discussed in particular the proposed National and Regional Partnership Plans, underlining the need to involve local and regional authorities and avoid the renationalisation of EU policies and funding. Younous Omarjee underlined that the future EU budget should support solidarity, competitiveness and Europe’s security without sacrificing its regions. He confirmed that the European Parliament would defend the role of regions during the negotiations.

The exchange also highlighted further progress under the Cooperation Agreement between the two institutions. Cooperation between CoR rapporteurs and their counterparts in the European Parliament has become more frequent, with CoR rapporteurs increasingly taking part in relevant parliamentary committee meetings. Participants called for cooperation between rapporteurs, parliamentary committees and CoR commissions to become more regular, predictable and substantive, and to be extended to additional policy areas.

Closer cooperation on ex-ante territorial impact assessments and ex-post territorial implementation assessments were identified as another priority. This would help ensure that the effects of EU legislation on regions and cities are considered throughout the policymaking process.

Participants also welcomed progress in making CoR legislative opinions more visible within the European Parliament’s tools. The European Parliament is examining how to improve the visibility of the CoR’s non-legislative opinions, helping to bring the perspectives of local and regional authorities into a wider range of European policy debates.

The exchange reflected the shared ambition of the CoR and the European Parliament to build on the progress already made and develop a closer, more structured partnership, particularly in the context of the next Multiannual Financial Framework, ensuring that the voice of regions and cities is heard throughout the EU policymaking process.

Note: The exchange of views with European Parliament Vice-President Younous OMARJEE was chaired by CoR President Kata TÜTTŐ and attended by CoR First Vice-President Juanma MORENO, Luca MENESINI, Marco MARSILIO, Willy BORSUS, Declan MCDONNELL, and Niina RATILAINEN.