8/12/2019 Reactions CDR CESE

1/2

RactiondeRamonLuisValcarcelSiso,prsidentduComitdesRgions,au

projetdersolutionvisantlabolitionduCdR

MrClaey'sandMsLePen'smotiontodismantletheCommitteeofthe

Regionsseemstobebasedonthepremisethatitisorganisedexclusivelyalong

politicalparty

lines.

The

motion

ignores

the

fact

that

members

of

the

Committeearepartofnationaldelegations,selectedbyMemberStatesandso

representnationalintereststoo.Underthecurrentorganisation,byallowing

memberstocombinebothpoliticalandnationalintereststheCommitteecan

beconsideredasasortofaEUfederalsenatethatgivesqualityandlegitimacy

totheEuropeanUnion'sdecisionmakingprocess.

However,MrClaey's andMsLePen'sproposalsdeservethehighestlevelof

attention.Even

though

they

include

populist

shortcuts

with

aclear

objective

of

dismantlingtheEU,italsoineffecthighlightsaconcerntheCommitteedeeply

shares:thatthereisagrowinggapbetweencitizens'needsandEurope.And

thisgapmustbereduced. Yettheapproachsetoutinthemotiontoresolve

thisissueiscompletelyineffective.Ifwearetobridgethegap,iftheEUisto

listenandreacttothecitizensthatitserves,theanswermustbetackledby

involvingallstakeholderswithastrongermorebindingcommitment.

TheCommittee

of

the

Regions

was

created

20

years

ago

and

its

members

mayors,regionalpresidentsandlocallyelectedpoliticiansfromeverymember

state workeverydaytobridgethegapbetweenBrusselsanditscitizens.We

cannotforgetthatthreequartersofallEUlegislationisdeliveredbylocaland

regionalauthorities.TheCommitteeensuresthatlocallyandregionallyelected

leaderscanhelpshape,influenceandcontributetothepolicyprocess.The

CommitteeensuresthatEUlegislationismoreeffective,thatcommunitiesare

heard,andthatthedemocraticdeficitthathassparkedquestionsaboutthe

legitimacyoftheEUisreduced.

Wehaveandwillalwaysbecommittedtodeliveringvaluableproposals,

offeringavoicetolocalandregionalcommunitieswithinthelegislative

process.

8/12/2019 Reactions CDR CESE

2/2

RactiondeHenryMalosse,prsidentduComitEconomiqueetSocial

Europen,auprojetdersolutionvisantlabolitionduCESE

LesdputseuropensLePenetClaeys,respectivementFNetVlaamsBelang,

auraientilstoutsimplementpeurdelasocitcivilequisexprime?

Eneffet,endemandantlasuppressionduCESEdansunprojetdersolution,

cesdeuxminentsparlementaires(noninscrits)fontunerfrenceexplicite

mondplacementenIndele10marsdernierenrponselinvitationduDala

Lama.

LasocitcivileeuropennereprsenteparleCESEsebatpourlesvaleurs

fondamentalesenEuropecommedanslemonde:libertdexpression,

dmocratie,respectdelapersonnehumaine,cohsionsocialeetlibert

syndicale.Desvaleursquisontlopposduspectredesvaleursdfenduespar

lespartisextrmistes.

C'estlademandedesautoritschinoisesqueleCESEs'estengagsurla

questiontibtaine.

Aujourd'hui,legouvernementcommunistedesChinoism'accused'interfrer

dansleursaffairesintrieuresalorsquenoussoutenons"l'approchemoyenne"

enfaveurd'unelargeautonomieduTibet,basesurledialogue.

Lacollusion

des

positions

du

parti

communiste

chinois

et

des

dputs

Le

Pen

et

Claeysestplusquesurprenante.

CettepositiondesdeuxparlementairesvisvisduCESEestdautantplus

incohrentequejeviensdesignerunaccorddecooprationavecleParlement

europenetleComitdesrgions.Cetaccordinstaureunecoopration

politiqueetadministrativeentrenostroisinstitutionspourconstituerune

coalitioncitoyennepermettant,entreautres,demieuxdfendrelesvaleurs

europennes.Accordquiadailleurstapprouvlunanimitparlebureau

duParlementeuropen