” “Europe of the regions

“Whatever institutional form Europe will acquire, this cannot fail to take account of the local autonomies that represent an important contribution to the construction of a European system that is truly democratic and close to citizens”. So said the mayor of Foggia, Paolo Agostinacchio , speaking in recent days at a meeting held in Rome and promoted by ANCI (national Association of Italian Communes), UPI (Union of the Provinces of Italy) and UNCEM (Union of Mountain Communities) on the theme “Europe for everyone, a year since the White Paper on Governance”. The principle of subsidiarity, he continued, “must take the form of a precise definition and delimitation of the functions involved by the co-existence of various institutional levels”. Meanwhile discussion on this theme continues within the work group on subsidiarity of the Convention for the future of Europe. The plenary session of the Convention scheduled to be held in Brussels on 3 and 4 October, will in fact be dedicated to a debate on subsidiarity. Greater flexibility. In Europe, in the view of Mercedes Bresso, president of the Province of Turin, thought needs to be given to “decision-making mechanisms involving the greater participation of the local authorities”, according to a form of subsidarity that is a “factor of synergy and collaboration between the institutions. But the EU also needs – he stressed – “greater simplification and flexibility in the application of Community regulations that may take into account local diversities and prerogatives, also through tripartite agreements between the European Commission, member states and individual local authorities”. A Europe close to citizens. The importance “of combining the theme of Europe with that of citizenship, with particular attention to the formation of the young”, was stressed in turn by Giancarlo D’Alessandro, founder of the association “Cantiere Europa” in Rome in 2000; an association that brings together the municipality of Rome and the city’s three state universities (La Sapienza, Tor Vergata and Roma Tre). “The interest of the young in the future of Europe is keen”, he pointed out, recalling the proposal made by their “Convention” (Brussels, 9-12 July) that “the European regions endowed with constitutional powers should be able to participate in the meetings of the Council of ministers on matters that fall within their own jurisdiction”. D’Alessandro also expressed the hope that “European Day, currently celebrated only in Brussels on 9 May”, be introduced as a civil holiday in all member states “because Europe grows in people’s consciousness also through symbols”. He further proposed that “a ‘European branch office’ for citizens be set up in each municipality of the continent”. What participation? “At the Community level – says the White Paper on Governance, at the centre of the meeting of the local authorities – the Commission, in drafting its proposals, must take into account regional and local situations and experiences. To this end the Commission must organize in a more systematic form a dialogue with the European and national associations of the regional and local administrations, while at the same time respecting the constitutional and administrative provisions of each member state”. The local administrators who took part in the meeting agreed on the need for the Committee of the Regions – the assembly of representatives of the Regions and local authorities of the member states established by the Treaty of Maastricht – “as part of the reform of the EU’s institutional powers, to reinforce its own powers and become an organ of the Union itself”. Local autonomies and European system. Italy’s Minister of Community Policies, Rocco Buttiglione, expressed some misgivings about this proposed “constitutional recognition”: “The regions of some European countries – he explained – are endowed with legislative power, the regions of others, such as Great Britain, are not. For this reason it’s difficult to make a common proposal”. It is preferable, in his view, “that the national pact that in federal states confers a special role on the regions be recognized within the European system”. According to Buttiglione, what’s more urgent is to create “a smoother and more direct relation between local autonomies and European Union. The EU cannot, nor must it, surrender powers” but, “according to the principle of good ‘governance’, it must be able to combine decision-making capacity with the articulation of consensus”. Giovanna Pasqualin Traversa