President Cordeiro’s lecture at the European University Institute: Let's define a new idea of Europe, together with regions and cities

The President of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), Vasco Alves Cordeiro, gave a lecture entitled ‘Understanding Europe through its regions and cities’ at the event organised on 22 November by the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence, Italy. On the same occasion, the CoR and the EUI signed an agreement to strengthen cooperation and sharing of knowledge in the future. 

Addressing the participants, President Cordeiro illustrated the perspective of local and regional authorities to better understand the ongoing trends affecting the European Union's policy and political processes. He highlighted three challenges that Europe needs to face today: “Enlargement, democratic legitimacy and the idea of Europe of the regions.” 

“The European project is constantly a work in progress, but progress does not mean bringing all the roads to one central point. It must take into account diversity and dynamism. The Memorandum of Understanding that we have just signed between the European Committee of the Regions and the European University Institute will help inspire new reflection and research into multi-level governance and how the European project is shaped by its regions and cities. With key challenges such as enlargement and the reform of our Union, it is essential to define a new idea of Europe, in which each level of power plays its relevant role.” 

Read the full speech.

On the occasion of its 30th anniversary, in April 2024 the CoR made its first transfer of archival materials for long-term preservation in the vaults of the Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU) at the EUI in Florence. The initial CoR deposit to Florence consisted of 87 archival boxes, 10 linear meters, concerning opinions (1994-1995), plenary sessions, meetings of the CoR bureau, commissions meetings, working group meetings and organisation, and press releases. 

More information about the celebrations for the 30th anniversary of the European Committee of the Regions.  

Contact 

Monica Tiberi – Spokesperson of the CoR President
Mobile: +32 479 51 74 43
monica.tiberi@cor.europa.eu