30.6.2017   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 207/5

1.

join in the celebration of the signing of the Treaty of Rome as a key moment for a wide reflection on the future of the European Union (EU), and reiterate that the Union’s raison d’être is to ensure respect for the fundamental rights, peace, prosperity, stability and new EU-wide opportunities for all of its citizens;

2.

call for a Europe able to strengthen the trust of its citizens and to be better able to meet the challenges ahead of us both within the EU and globally, and take decisions for joint action in a spirit of solidarity while respecting the principle of subsidiarity;

3.

recall that Europe’s identity is historically rooted in its regions, cities and villages; and that the contribution of local and regional authorities to the European integration process has been constantly increasing in economic, cultural and political terms;

4.

recalls the acknowledgment of the gap between citizens and the EU addressed 25 years ago in the Maastricht Treaty, which created, inter alia, European Union citizenship and the European Committee of the Regions. Nonetheless, the key role of devolved local and regional bodies envisaged by the Lisbon Treaty still needs to safeguard subsidiarity and participation in the European legislative process. Therefore it is imperative to improve the current situation where all too often local and regional bodies are still merely the addressees of EU policies rather than genuine protagonists in their development, above all in terms of legislation, despite the effort and political and institutional commitment of the European Committee of the Regions in its relations with the other European institutions;

5.

believe that, as the EU’s assembly of regional and local representatives, the CoR stands for a Union united in its cultural and linguistic diversity in a globalised world; we are fully committed to promoting European democracy and active citizenship, to contributing towards the anchoring of fundamental rights and the protection of minorities, to strengthening security and to promoting equality and to securing harmonious and sustainable development in line with our objectives of economic, social and territorial cohesion;

6.

stress the urgent need to strengthen the democratic link between the European Union and its citizens, by ensuring that the Union provides effective and prompt solutions to the major common challenges that cities, regions and Member States cannot tackle by themselves, i.e. enhancing the EU’s competitiveness; strengthening cohesion; making the EU a safe space where freedom, security and justice are guaranteed for all; giving young people real prospects for the future, in work and in education; addressing the migrants and refugees’ crisis; safeguarding the Schengen Area; tackling climate change and disaster resilience; promoting a low carbon economy and supporting the Energy Union; strengthening the Union’s role as a key global player, and in particular in achieving the Sustainable Development Objectives of Agenda 2030; combating unemployment; fighting against terrorism;

7.

emphasise that the ‘four freedoms’ of the EU’s Single Market, i.e. free movement of people, services, goods and capital, represent concrete achievements for EU citizens and an indispensable element of the European political project; they constitute an indivisible set of rights that cannot be considered piecemeal, otherwise we would overshadow values that underlie the EU’s existence itself; express, therefore, their concern at attempts by some Member States to limit their application, particularly that of free movement of people;

8.

reaffirm nevertheless that the ‘single market’ should also guarantee social progress and that the rules of the main economic freedoms and competition do not take precedence over fundamental rights, starting with the fight against discrimination, poverty and unemployment;

9.

consider that the celebration of the Treaty of Rome must be the opportunity to achieve the direct participation, critical thinking and active interest of the citizens of the Union in shaping the Union’s future, with decisions taken at the closest possible level to them; believe that such a process should be participatory and representative, where all citizens enjoy equal opportunities to participate, contribute and commit to the Union. As such, local and regional authorities are ideally placed to drive this process forward and to help make a Citizens’ Europe a reality;

10.

believe in particular that it is important to obtain an accurate picture of citizens’ aspirations and hopes towards the EU on the one hand, and their concerns and frustrations on the other; thus we welcome the third EU Citizenship Report 2017 based on the information provided by citizens through surveys and a public consultation;

11.

therefore, highlight that the EU:

12.

in view of preparing our input into the upcoming political discussions on the future of our Union, commit to:

13.

stress the importance of ensuring the rights of young people across Europe. A more accessible EU will foster open dialogue between peoples of all generations. With regards to the founding principles of peace and prosperity, a responsive EU will speak to the aspirations of young people;

14.

instruct our President to forward this resolution to the European Parliament, European Council, the Council, the Commission, the European Economic and Social Committee, national and regional parliaments and governments as well as local governments.