On 22 November 2019, ECR Group Member Roberto Ciambetti (President of the Veneto Regional Council) delivered a speech at the 9th Subsidiarity Conference in Rome, Italy. The high-profile event which seeks to strengthen the EU inter-institutional dialogue on subsidiarity scrutiny was jointly organised by the CoR and the Conference of the Presidents of the Italian Regional Parliament.

In the speech, Mr Ciambetti recalled that subsidiarity and proportionality have been enshrined in European Community law with the Treaty of Maastricht since the fall of the Berlin Wall.

"It was understood that a new world was being created and that a new world must, to quote Dahrendorf's prediction, square the circle of wealth creation, social cohesion, and political freedom, square the circle to save the democratic welfare state. The solution was clear: subsidiarity and proportionality".

In 2009, the Lisbon Treaty then involved the Committee of the Regions in subsidiarity scrutiny, confirming the regions' role in the European institutional architecture as the institutions closest to the citizens.

Over the years, however, "the EU strayed from this path, becoming obsolete, sidelined in international strategies and unable to engage with the people.", said Mr Ciambetti.

The ECR Member stressed the need to avoid Brussels neo-centralism.

“The EU was built on respect for the national and local identities of its Member States. Catering for this diversity involves working with complexity which cannot be eliminated if we are to avoid division and disengagement between the EU and the regions, the EU and its people", he said.

"Diversity, individual identities and the regions of Europe are values that must be protected, and to do so, we must be ready to tackle and manage the complexity," said Mr Ciambetti.

The newly elected President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, expressed its interested in enabling European citizens to have their say and to “play a leading and active part in building the future of our Union," noted Ciambetti.

Speaking about the role of the European Committee of the Regions, our Member noted that the institution must strengthen its role as a crucial focal point linking the regions and the EU institutions.

"In order for the Committee to be able to act as a credible representative of local and regional communities at EU level, it should be granted additional prerogatives and be gradually transformed into a “European Senate of the Regions," issuing binding opinions as a minimum on all legislative proposals pressing for economic, social and territorial cohesion".

According to Mr Ciambetti, the CoR should serve as a “chamber for reflection" capable of stimulating political debate on the territorial dimension of European policies and on global questions that, over time, will have an impact on local and regional communities.