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04/06/2015

Galicia asks for a better role of the Committee of the Regions in the policy making process

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• On a debate on the future of the EU,  Gamallo highlighted the importance of the Committee of the Regions in achieving more legitimacy in the EU

• The president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, discussed the EU priorities with local and regional representatives

• Galicia pointed out the need to pay more attention to the demographic challenges that some regions are facing

Brussels, 4 June 2015.- The director-general for External Relations and with the EU, Jesús Gamallo, attended the 112º plenary session of the Committee of the Regions (CoR) this morning in Brussels. The meeting focused on a discussion on the reform agenda of the functioning of the EU and the future of the Lisbon Treaty, due to the UK announcement to hold a referendum on its EU membership.

The European Parliament is working on two reports related to the European Union future and the possible reform of the Lisbon Treaty and it decided to consult the CoR on this issue. The regional and local representatives hold a debate with eurodeputys Mercedes Bresso, Elmark Brok and the Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, speakers of these reports. Jesús Gamallo highlighted the need to strengthen the role of the CoR in the EU legislative process and to provide more accountability, legitimacy and an approach to citizens.  

“At this moment more important than starting a process to reform the Lisbon Treaty is to go in depth in the possibilities that this treaty offers. Regional and local representatives are in a better position to detect the needs of citizens regarding the European future” pointed out Jesús Gamallo.

The CoR expects to adopt a resolution on this issue in the next plenary session on July, after discussing it on the next Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs (CIVEX) meeting. Among the proposals made on European Parliament reports, the CoR agrees on the need to pay more attention to the territorial dimension of the Economic and Monetary Union, on the establishment of roadmaps to achieve a real political union and on the implementation of a uniform electoral procedure to the European Parliament.

Debate with the president of the European Commission

The president of the European Commission, Jean Claude-Juncker, attended this plenary session to debate with members the priorities of the EU and the opportunities that the Investment Plan offers to the regions and cities. Juncker also explained that the priorities of the economic coordination will be focused on budgetary consolidation, structural reforms and investment. He also pointed out that a better regulation is needed in the EU.

A sustainable approach on migration

On this meeting, members also discussed a resolution on migration on which the CoR explains its opinion on the better way to deal with taking in migrants and the asylum process. The CoR believes that the EU approach on this issue must be sustainable on the long term. The CoR also highlights the need to cooperate with the countries where these migrants come from.

Local and regional representatives also discussed the CoR priorities for 2015-2020. Galicia introduced two amendments to insist on the need to pay more attention to the demographic challenges that some regions are facing. 

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