(13 February 2014) – The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) and its national associations of local authorities officially launched “The local and regional governments manifesto”, during a meeting at the European Parliament on 10 February 2014.
This manifesto has been unanimously adopted on 3 December 2013 in Prague, by the elected representatives of the 57 CEMR member sections and associations. It presents nine key messages to consolidate cooperation between the European institutions and local government for the next five years:
- Continue prioritising youth employment;
- Monitor the implementation of the structural funds thoroughly to achieve better territorial cohesion;
- Opt for lighter and simpler regulation, and provide transparency when opting for the fast track procedure;
- Respect the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality;
- Define ambitious objectives for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and develop renewable energy and energy efficiency by 2030;
- Increase the Europe for Citizens Programme budget until the symbolic “1 euro per citizen per year”;
- Stand for deeper integration and democratic legitimacy for the European Union and initiate a Convention in order to draft a Fundamental Law of the European Union;
- Support further enlargement of the European Union and mediate deeper implication of all levels of local and regional authorities in the negotiation process;
- Support integrated global approaches, particularly in cooperation with partners in the Global South.