EU Commission 2009

To succeed, Europe needs all its local and regional political leaders. It is in these words that José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, presented.the European Commission's work programme for 2009, at the Committee of the Regions, on 27 November 2008.

 

The energy-climate package will be a major element of the 2009 agenda, explained José Manuel Barroso. The Commission will propose an approach to reach an ambitious global agreement on climate change at the Copenhagen conference, a vital step. It will present measures for energy security and efficiency as a follow-up to the second strategic analysis of energy policy. (…) These priorities concern regions and cities directly. To succeed, Europe needs all its local and regional political leaders.

In the framework of the "structured dialogue" that took place on the same day, representatives from the European Commission and from the major associations of local government in Europe met to exchange views several issues including climate change, energy and the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership.

 

Speaking on behalf of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), the mayor of Wolfurt (Austria), Erwin Mohr, asked the European Commission how it intends involve local and regional government in the upcoming White Paper on adaptation to climate change and in the international negotiations on climate. The representative from the European Commission underlined the solid experience of local government which must be the baseline for solutions at the global level. He also reaffirmed that the prominent role of cities, municipalities and regions will be recognised in the White paper. The Commission remains open to hearing local government's views at international level, and in particular to keep them informed.

 

Erwin Mohr reiterated CEMR's support to the creation of the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly and to the Barcelona process. We believe it is very important that the Committee of the Regions fully involves the relevant European and international local and regional government associations in this initiative.

 

– The speech of the mayor of Wolfurt, Erwin Mohr, on behalf of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR)

– Interview of Jose Manuel Barroso on the European Commission's work programme for 2009