On February, 6th, as an active member of the European Confederation of Local Intermediate Authorities (www.cepli.eu) Partenalia co-organised a political conference on the “Cohesion Policy as an instrument to achieve sustainable territorial development” jointly with the Committee of the Regions on the premises of the institution.
Speakers, amongst which the Vice-President of Partenalia and President of the Diputación de Ourense Mr. José Manuel Baltar Blanco and the provincial deputy of the Province of Jaén Mr. Manuel Hueso Murillo, and participants stressed the fact that:
- The Cohesion policy must ensure a harmonious development of European Territories and be a factor of equality in these territories. It must help local authorities in dealing with their own specific challenges.
- The European Union’s Cohesion Policy has made it possible to implement a great many projects at local level in many fields.
- Local intermediate Governments, as legitimate authorities of proximity, have the ability and the means to ensure real sustainable development in full compliance with the objectives of European Union Cohesion Policy.
- The European provinces are relevant actors to contribute to an increased territorial cooperation between urban and rural areas. As such, provinces fight against social and territorial division ensuring access to basic services and shared facilities for all.
- The Cohesion Policy represents a real added-value for local intermediate authorities. It is also important to highlight the expertise of these authorities in the management of funds intended to support territories development.
The European Confederation of Local Intermediate Authorities (CEPLI) and its members have thus dedicated the 2018 political conference to showcasing the concrete results of the EU’s cohesion policy for sustainable territorial development by giving the floor to local actors who presented best practices of the European local intermediate authorities financed by EU funds related to energy saving, sustainable mobility, biodiversity, or development of rural areas
Mr. Karl-Heinz Lambertz, President of the Committee of the Regions, has outlined the contours of the official position of the Committee of the Regions as to the future Cohesion Policy. Several initiatives have already been taken by the CoR to promote more visible, stronger and effective Cohesion policy including the #CohesionAlliance initiative.