The European Committee of the Regions establishes a
High-Level group on democracy, which will be
chaired by Herman van Rompuy, reiterating the call
for the Conference on the future of Europe to be
convened as soon as possible.
The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) will
establish the High-Level Group to support its political
and institutional mission by providing strategic
political analysis.
Herman van Rompuy
has been appointed as chairperson of the High-Level
Group, which will be composed by seven "wise" men and
women.
The CoR's President and Governor of the Greek Central
Macedonia Region,
Apostolos Tzitzikostas
said: "
I warmly thank Herman Van Rompuy for accepting my
proposal
to chair the High-Level group. His European vision
and commitment
will
bring an inestimable added value to the CoR's work
throughout the Conference on the future of Europe
.
We have a unique democratic system in the EU. I
like to see it as the 'European House of
Democracy'. Our house has strong walls – the Member
states – and a protective roof – the European
Union. Local and regional authorities are its
foundations and its safety net. The Conference on
the Future of Europe must not be just another
beauty contest between EU institutions leaving us
only with words, we would have wasted a historic
opportunity. On the contrary we want and we must
ensure that our European House of Democracy comes
out of the Conference reinforced in all of its
components. The creation of the High-Level group
will bring a concrete contribution to this process.
"
Herman Van Rompuy commented: "
I thank very much the European Committee of the
Regions for offering me the Chairmanship of the
High-Level Group on European Democracy. Local and
regional authorities can contribute to restoring
confidence in democracy. In a world characterized
by globalization, proximity becomes important to
build more cohesion and consensus, the conference
on the future of Europe must consider how to
involve more regions and cities. It must send a
message on how EU wants to offer a solution to
people's fears and concerns, it should not suffer
about institutional obsession.
For me, democracy is a value in itself. It is not a
mere instrument. A political democracy is much more
than just holding elections however important they
may be. People have to believe in the system as a
value in itself. A democracy that delivers
strengthens them in that belief".
Under the Chairmanship of Herman Van Rompuy - first
President of the European Council and former Prime
minister of Belgium, currently president of the
administrative Council of the College of Europe - the
High-Level group on democracy will act independently
and in close contact with the CoR's Conference of
Presidents during the works of the Conference on the
future of Europe. Moreover, the High-Level group will
be invited to contribute to the activities of the CoR’s
Bureau and Plenary sessions during various political
debates related to the Conference.
Background:
The
Conference on the future of Europe
will be a two-year-long collective exercise with the
aim of making the EU more democratic, transparent,
efficient and resilient. The CoR is committed to
actively participate in this process strengthening the
link between the Union, its citizens and the one
million elected regional and local politicians across
Europe. This will serve to reinforce the whole
democratic foundations of the EU as well as the sense
of identity and ownership of the European project for
all its citizens
President's Spokesperson:
Michele Cercone
Tel. +32 (0)498 98 23 49
Michele.Cercone@cor.europa.eu