The partnership agreement, signed during a visit by CoR President, Vasco Alves Cordeiro, to the EUI on 22 November 2024, aims to address key challenges such as democratic legitimacy and regional diversity within the EU. The partnership will facilitate joint research initiatives and promote multi-level governance, while fostering a deeper understanding of how local authorities shape European policymaking to respond to citizens' demands and perspectives for a more sustainable and fair future.
During his visit to the EUI, President Cordeiro also delivered a lecture on the perspective of local and regional authorities in better understanding the ongoing trends affecting the EU's policies and political processes. The lecture was opened by EUI Secretary-General, Marco Del Panta, and moderated by Florence STG Professor, Kristin Fabbe.
In his keynote speech, Cordeiro touched upon the necessity for enlargement in the current geopolitical scenario and the democratic evolution of the European project. He emphasised the idea that the European project does not meet the consensus anymore, and thus stressing that "enlargement is necessary to strengthen Europe, but we must review the governance of the EU. We need to make Europe fit for the future."
In light of the greater centralisation of policymaking remaining in the hands of the European Commission, President Cordeiro called for a multi-level governance system in the European Union which resembles "a federal structure in which each level of powers plays their relevant role, balancing each other and hence reinforcing the democratic legitimacy of the system."
According to President Cordeiro, "calling for the meaningful participation of regions and cities in the EU policy and decision making is not just a matter of pride for local representatives, it is simply to make better policies. It is for a better outcome."
In concluding his lecture, President Cordeiro centred around the idea of 'Europe of the regions', emphasising the importance of regions and cities within the European political structure, and sharing that "you can only understand the state of the European Union, if you understand the state of its regions and cities."
The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is the voice of regions and cities in the European Union (EU). It represents local and regional authorities across the European Union and advises on new laws that have an impact on regions and cities (70% of all EU legislation).
On 22 November 2024, CoR President, Vasco Alves Cordeiro, delivered the lecture 'The Florence Speech: Understanding Europe through its regions and cities', at Palazzo Buontalenti, home of the EUI's Florence School of Transnational Governance (STG). A recording of the lecture is available below.