 y Manuel Baltar, junto a directivos de CEPLI (1).jpg)
The European Confederation of Local Intermediate Authorities is the first and the largest European territorial cooperation network, made up of the provincial associations of eight EU member states, as well as the 40 European territories of the political and technical networking networks of Partenalia and Arco Latino
The president of the Diputación de Ourense and Partenalia affirms that the great challenge that this macro-alliance of European intermediate local governments is facing “is to defend the identity and interests of our territories from the perspective of our common denominator, Europe, achieving greater economic autonomy via the direct management of the Cohesion Funds and the development of projects that fundamentally improve services and the quality of life in rural territories “
In the general assembly of the CEPLI, held today at the headquarters of the Committee of the Regions, in Brussels, Manuel Baltar was unanimously elected vice president of this body, sharing managerial responsibilities with French and Belgian authorities
“The objective is to convey to the institutions of the EU, with the strength and great representativeness of CEPLI, the demands of the European provinces, so that, with our arguments, we are able to influence the social and economic policies of the future Multiannual Financial Framework”, Baltar said in his acceptance speech, highlighting the importance of “sharing management strategies in supra-municipal services and promoting joint projects that attract investment and employment to the local territories of Europe”
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The President of the Diputación de Ourense and President of Partenalia, Manuel Baltar, has been unanimously elected Vice-President of the European Confederation of Intermediate Local Authorities (CEPLI), the first and largest European territorial cooperation network, made up of the provincial associations of eight EU member states, as well as the 40 European territories of the political and technical networking networks of Partenalia and Arco Latino.
Speaking before the General Assembly of CEPLI, which was taking place today at the headquarters of the Committee of the Regions, in Brussels with the participation of the President of the Committee of the Regions, Karl Heinz Lambertz-, Manuel Baltar said that the great challenge of this macro- alliance of intermediate local governments of Europe that is CEPLI “is to defend the identity interests of each of our territories from the perspective of our common denominator, Europe, achieving greater economic autonomy for the management of the Cohesion Funds and the development of projects that fundamentally improve services and the quality of life in rural territories “.
Baltar shares responsibilities in the management of this European organisation with French and Belgian authorities – President André Viola (President of the Département de l’Aude and Vice-President of the Assemblée des Départements de France) and Treasurer Paul-Emile Mottard, President of the Province de Liège and of the Association of Walloon Provinces. “The objective of this new stage – says Baltar – is to convey to the institutions of the European Union, with the strength and great representativeness of CEPLI, the demands of the European provinces, so that, with our arguments, we are in capacity to influence social policies and economic aspects of the future Multiannual Financial Framework, “he told the General Assembly, stressing the importance of ” sharing management strategies in supra-municipal services and promoting joint projects that attract investment and employment to the local territories of Europe “.
“The relevance of the local level is today more evident than ever, when distances are measured in time units, not kilometres, and the quality of life is evaluated by the quality of environmental policies and the capacity to deliver differentiated services. The uniqueness and potential of the resources represented by provincial territories are a strength that we must take advantage of – Baltar emphasised – but, in order to achieve this, our discourse must resonate with the same relevance as that of the most populated areas. Quality is not measured in quantity, and therefore it is necessary, in order to optimise the management of resources and increase efficiency, that the direct management of European funds be a reality at the local level “.
The president of Partenalia deemed it essential that the inhabitants of the European Union see this cooperation alliance more in terms of proximity than as a mere technical entity, because there lies the success of a union: in creating a space of belonging and in believing in it every day; enhancing and developing it with projects and investments that improve the quality of life of citizens “.
Manuel Baltar also participated in the debate held on the territorial reforms which have recently taken place in Europe. The debate was kickstarted by the CNFPT (Centre National de la Fonction Publique Territoriale represented by Mr. Benoit Catala) presentation of the “Barometer of the reforms of local institutions in Europe” and the presentation of benchmarking note drafted by the Thomas More Institute (Represented by its Delegate General, Mr. Jean-Thomas Lesueur and co-redactor, Mr. Stanislas Boutmy, manager of the Public Sector Funds at Acofi), also relating to the recent territorial reforms and a more global comparison between LIAs in the Europe. Mr. Baltar stressed that through the prism “of the diversity of the territories and their needs, the strength of the European Union, in addition to the big cities, lies at the provincial and local levels, without whose human, social and territorial contribution Europe does would not make sense. ” “For this reason, the sense of belonging, identity and proximity plays a decisive role, and adds value to cooperation projects that generate employment and competitiveness in our territories.”
“A solidary territorial balance”
Baltar referred to “rural depopulation, the environment, sustainable growth and the need for a balanced territorial solidarity, as the challenges we, the provinces of Europe, must jointly defend using the mechanisms offered by CEPLI and other organisations of intermediate local governments “, adding that” as a network we must aggregate our experiences to promote the improvement of multi-level governance mechanisms, local public management and territorial solidarity, indispensable elements for the proper development of public policies “. He also underlined “the decisive moment” that we are currently experiencing, analysing the new horizon of European funds beyond the year 2020, “a key factor to continue favouring growth and employment at the local level in the provinces of Europe”.
The CEPLI, created in 2008, is the first European network of associations of local authorities of intermediate level in Europe and a direct interlocutor of the Committee of the Regions and the Assembly of Local and Regional Authorities of the EU. The pivotal role of this confederation is to promote the interests of local intermediate governments and to represent them before the European institutions, as well as to promote common projects and establish exchanges of information and good practices among European LIAs.
For a short interview of President Baltar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvkFK3xEDbs
