European Summit: 3500 local and regional leaders unite to deliver a stronger, fairer and more resilient Europe

In the lead-up to European elections and on the eve of a meeting of the European Council, over 3,000 local and regional leaders from across Europe gathered in Mons to shape the agenda for Europe's future, restating their power to deliver and tackle challenges at local level.

During the 10th European Summit of Regions and Cities in Mons, which also marked the 30th anniversary of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), local and regional leaders presented a declaration to Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, representing the current presidency of the Council of the European Union. The 'Mons Declaration' outlines their priorities for a stronger, fairer and more resilient future of Europe.

Key demands of the Mons Declaration:

1. Boosting public investment: Increased budgetary resources are needed to address current and future challenges. Investments should be guided by the principle 'do no harm to cohesion' and recognise that cohesion policy must continue to be the most important and visible EU instrument to reduce disparities, to strengthen the EU's competitiveness and to catalyse long-term innovative transformation.

2. Local solutions for climate goals: Local and regional authorities should have direct access to EU funding to develop innovative solutions that help meet the objectives of the Green Deal, achieve climate neutrality, and foster sustainable development and economic prosperity.

3. Addressing regional needs: all EU policies should promote equal opportunities, combat poverty, secure jobs, and ensure gender equality across all regions, recognising their diverse characteristics, including of rural, urban, and outermost regions.

4. EU enlargement and reforms: Regional and local leaders should be involved in the preparation of EU reforms and the enlargement process. Preparations for enlargement with all candidate countries should be based on the partnership principle and promote multilevel governance and decentralisation.

5. Active subsidiarity: The European Committee of the Regions should have a stronger role in the institutional structure of the EU and in the legislative process. In future EU reforms, the local and regional level of European democracy should be strengthened through active subsidiarity reforms.

Prior to the adoption of the Mons Declaration, the leaders of the political groups of the European Parliament and several of their lead candidates addressed local and regional politicians in a dedicated session on the European elections. Promoting democratic engagement and contributing to an open public debate on the EU's challenges and opportunities are the main objectives of the CoR to mobilise European citizens to vote.​

The Summit declaration by local and regional leaders will serve as the position of regions and cities to the leaders of the EU institutions and heads of state and government who will gather in Brussels on 21-22 March and ahead of the European elections.

 

Quotes:

Vasco Alves Cordeiro, President of the European Committee of the Regions, said: “More than 3 500 local and regional representatives gathered in Mons to express their commitment for a stronger, fairer and more resilient future for Europe. Regions and cities are not mere implementers of EU policies, we are full actors of the European project with the power to deliver concrete results for citizens. With the Mons Declaration, we call for a stronger role for the European Committee of the Regions in shaping Europe's future."

Alexander De Croo, Prime Minister of Belgium, stated: “Tomorrow, EU's 27 leaders will discuss how to achieve a stronger and fairer Europe in the future. The Mons Declaration provides a strong signal for a future where regions and cities are the beating heart of Europe. If today we are united in diversity, it is thanks to the work of our regions and cities, to their capacity of managing diversity. From climate change, to the digital transition, regions and municipalities are those who provide answers to citizens' needs and tackle divides. In this time, they are also decisive to face populism and the idea that politics is far away from citizens, as they can increase transparency of political decisions and proximity."

Elio Di Rupo (BE/PES), Minister-President of the Wallonia Region, said: “We need a Europe that can pull togethe r and mobilise to meet today's challenges! And in this context, regions, cities and local authorities have an essential role to play. Through this "Mons Declaration", we are affirming our ambition for the future of Europe: to pursue economic and social convergence between the different regions of Europe. This is the very principle of cohesion!"

More information:

• Mons Declaration
• Summit website
• Summit's photo album
• Memorandum of Understanding between the CoR and the European Parliament on the European elections
  

The 10th European Summit of Regions and cities marks the 30th anniversary of the European Committee of the Regions, the political assembly of local and regional representatives within the EU institutions. On the 18-19th of March , it gathers in Mons, Belgium, over 3500 local and regional representatives from 59 countries and all 5 continents. The aim of the Summit is to address the subnational response to overcome global challenges and to call on European leaders to ensure that all EU policies are anchored in the local and regional level, thus reinforcing the democratic legitimacy and efficiency of the EU.