ECR Group President Cllr Gordon Keymer CBE FCA (Leader of the Tandridge Council/United Kingdom) welcomed the President of the European Council, Mr Donald Tusk, on behalf of the ECR Group during the plenary session of the Committee of the Regions on 10 February. Cllr Keymer explained that greater localist thinking is needed and gave examples of how greater localism could help the EU to better address economic development targets and the migration crisis.

Regarding the upcoming Council agenda item on the future structure of the EU, Cllr Keymer welcomed Donald Tusk's efforts and underlined that European reform is of great importance to local government. "I believe the debates over the future gives an opportunity for all of us in the EU to look at what is going on in our countries and whether local government where we live is flourishing or declining. We need to ask ourselves if powers are really being devolved down to the levels closest to the people. Is adequate funding obtainable to run the services on which our residents rely?  How far are we able to raise funds locally to provide services locally?", explained Cllr Keymer.

The ECR Group President commented on the two items of the upcoming Council meetings of Heads of State and Government explaining that greater localist thinking is needed. On the European semester, the EUs annual cycle of economic policy guidance and surveillance,  Cllr Keymer said "local and regional authorities are responsible for approximately one third of all public expenditure and two thirds of all public investment. Therefore, as part of the structural reforms being pursued, the EU needs to work with local and regional authorities when formulating targets and strategies".

On migration, Cllr Keymer emphasised that the ECR Group "has been consistent in calling for a firm but fair approach. From the very beginning we called for a legal distinction between a migrant and a refugee. Someone seeking to enter the EU illegally to improve their life cannot be put in the same category as a person fleeing from war and persecution. We have seen the EU become more careful in its wording so as to respect this legal distinction and that must be welcome. However, we are still not seeing sufficient focus on local and regional capabilities. As local and regional authorities, we are the ones who have to deliver on housing and care. We need more collective thinking on how to address the migration challenges we face in a sustainable and realistic manner. As you can see, migration is another policy area that would benefit from greater localist thinking," Cllr Keymer concluded.