EUROPEAN UNION 2014 Italian Presidency Committee of the Regions of the Council of the European Union YEARS EUROPE A fresh start The Committee of the Regions and the Italian Presidency of the Council of the EU 2014 Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union EUROPEAN UNION Committee of the Regions 01 Foreword by the President of the Committee of the Regions of the EU 1 02 Editorial by the President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic 3 03 The Committee of the Regions of the EU 5 04 The Italian Delegation to the Committee of the Regions 8 05 Priorities of the Italian Presidency of the Council of the EU 10 06 Towards a new model of territorial organisation in Italy 28 07 Dialogue with Italian associations of local and regional authorities 30 08 Investing in regions and cities: EU regional policy in Italy 37 09 Calendar: meetings and events 47 10 Contacts 48 © European Union, 2014 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged Printed in Belgium Foreword by President of the 01 Committee of the Regions of the EU Foreword of Michel Lebrun President of the Committee of the Regions of the EU The Italian government is taking over the Presidency of the Council at the dawn of a new political mandate of the European Parliament and new European Commission College. European citizens have just expressed their opinion on the political options to guide the European project from the European Parliament; the result showed that the EU integration process is questioned by about one fifth of the European electorate, albeit for various different reasons. To characterise the election result as a rejection of the European Union is thus not accurate, despite vocal electoral campaigns and several national governments positioning themselves as champions to reduce the role of the Union. Indeed, there is Michel Lebrun another Europe calling for more cohesion, solidarity and for a better Europe governing in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity: regional and local authorities keep enjoying the added value of the integration and their voice should be not forgotten. For instance, the most crucial task ahead for the EU is to deliver on growth, jobs and cohesion, whilst EU institutions should seek stronger involvement from regional and local authorities. It is a crucial moment for the Committee of the Regions (CoR) to highlight the important role that regional and local authorities play in reinforcing European democracy and to ensure growth and jobs are created, and that measures are put in place and delivered on the ground. Even if the macroeconomic situation of the Eurozone is becoming stable and the countries under supervision have started to recover and grow, many citizens are still experiencing difficult times, particularly young people in many countries. In Europe it is typically at regional and local level where key competences exist for giving our younger generation the opportunities they deserve to unlock their full potential. I am truly convinced that the Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union has a key role in promoting employment in seeking continuous economic growth and competitiveness of the EU. The Committee of the Regions also supports progress in the architecture of Europe’s Economic and Monetary Union. Furthermore, our institution will be following up on the results achieved under the next funding period (2014 –2020). In this context it will be crucial to ensure the full respect of multilevel governance and the partnership principles in the management of structural and investment funds. The review of the Europe 2020 Strategy will largely fall under the Italian Presidency. At the 6th European Summit of Regions and Cities in Athens, the CoR adopted a forward looking Declaration on the mid-term review of Europe 2020: “A Territorial Vision for Growth and Jobs”, accompanied by a Mid-Term Assessment Report. Both documents result from intense monitoring and analytical activities on Europe 2020 and its Flagship Initiatives carried out by the CoR for over a year. The CoR will continue its works on the review and adopt a blueprint for rethinking governance and ensure a better delivery of growth and jobs in Europe’s regions and cities. Regarding citizens’ rights the Italian Presidency will have to ensure the European area of freedom, security and justice is reformed whilst guaranteeing Europeans a fundamental right to mobility. The Committee of the Regions has consistently highlighted the 1 01 Foreword by President of the Committee of the Regions of the EU importance of the four fundamental freedoms; the Italian Presidency has rightly pointed out as a priority at European level the situation of irregular migration and asylum seekers’ rights at Europe’s borders as for example the cases of Lampedusa in Italy and Ceuta and Melilla in Spain. Local and regional authorities (LRAs) are responsible for receiving immigrants arriving in Europe, and strive to implement integration policies. These local, regional and national authorities are being overwhelmed by a situation that affects the entire European Union. The CoR, in the context of its partnership with LRAs from the southern shore of the Mediterranean (ARLEM), will draft a report on migration in the Mediterranean area, in an attempt to devise a common response and stress the issue vis- à-vis European institutions and national governments also in order to rethink and boost the role of decentralised cooperation in the region. Regarding the regional cooperation aspect, the Committee of the Regions welcomes all efforts by the Italian Presidency to ensure consensus on the EU Adriatic-Ionian Strategy. Macro-regional strategies represent an important step towards a more territorial-focussed cohesion policy, a way to develop potentialities of specific European territories deserving special care beyond the current existing regional policy. More and more we hear about the request for a reformed, less bureaucratic Europe which has to urgently be set up. To succeed, we believe that the new Europe has to build its partnership, and finally get closer to citizens. Local and regional authorities and the CoR are ready to cooperate with the Italian Presidency and insofar as contributing to shaping a better Union for future generations. Michel Lebrun President of the Committee of the Regions EUROPEAN UNION 2 Committee of the Regions Editorial by President of the Italian Council 02 of Ministers of the Italian Republic Editorial by Matteo Renzi President of the Italian Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic Italy took over the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1 July. As a founding Member State, this is the twelfth time it has been so honoured. It is only the first time, however, since the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon. The beginning of the Italian Presidency coincides with the start of a new term of office for the EU legislature and important changes in the upper echelons of the Community institutions. The task we face is far from easy: neither from a political perspective, Matteo Renzi given the ever increasing disaffection of a section of European public opinion with integration; nor from a procedural point of view, given the need to manage – the only thing that remains the same – a delicate transition phase. More than five years of economic crisis and austerity policies have left European society deeply marked. In some cases, it has left the EU ideal disfigured. For those generations that have wandered through Europe and felt at home everywhere, who have worked and studied without coming across borders, the Union remains a shared and necessary home: a building that does not always flow well, is sometimes tottering, and is constantly being refurbished. It is this maintenance that we have to carry out; to take on the inheritance received from our fathers, carefully put together by their hard work, bring it up to date and pass it on to our children. We are often called the “Erasmus generation”: so we cannot be the ones to look on impassively at the unravelling of the ideals of the EU. Restoring the European publics’ trust in the EU integration project means above all tackling the causes of disaffection. It means – and this will be the main priority of the Italian Presidency – getting millions of unemployed back to work and striving for robust and sustainable growth. This will require us to work together to activate many of the levers we have available. I am thinking, for example, of the approaching mid- term review of the Europe 2020 Strategy, scheduled for 2015: we shall use the informal sectoral councils to launch a debate on how to improve the Strategy’s contribution to achieving the growth and jobs targets. Discussions on the climate-energy package could also have significant repercussions for the economy, industry and jobs. It is important that the European Union works out a joint position on some of the key elements of the package, not least with a view to the important multilateral events coming up in the second half of the Presidency. On this front, again, there is a clear need to seek a valid trade-off between industrial competitiveness, respect for fair competition, and making the most of the contribution to growth and jobs that the adoption of the package can undoubtedly engender. The political crises in the Middle East and Eastern Europe are a reminder of the European Union’s responsibility. As the rotating Presidency, we are fully aware of this and we shall do everything possible to make European action on the international stage more 3 02 Editorial by President of the Italian Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic effective. However, it is above all in the Mediterranean area that the success of Europe’s external outreach is measured.