The macro-regional Network of civil society organisations is an open and inclusive pro-European collaborative set up to promote the EU macro-regional idea. At the invitation of its initiator and coordinator, European House Budapest an online meeting was held on 24 October 2024 with the participation of representatives of 16 member organisations.
During the meeting participants rerviewed recent and relevant policy developments in Europe including the setting up of the Committee on Regional Development (REGI) of the European Parliament and the Mission Letter of Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission to Raffaelle Fitto, Executive Vice-President-designate for Cohesion and Report and agreed on the following:
- a letter of introduction should be sent to Adrian-Dragos Benea, President of the REGI with a request to meet him;
- Network members are encouraged to contact REGI members from their respective Member States;
- send a letter to REGI members prior to the confirmation hearing of Mr Fitto voicing our concern that the macro-regional idea is not mentioned in his Mission Letter.
There was also an agreement to develop policy papers on our
- contribution to the next edition of the Report of the Commission on the implementation of EU macro-regional strategies;
- position on the future of EU macro-regional strategies;
- ideas ont he everyday perspectives of EU Cohesion policy.
The Network will be actively present at the EUSBSR Annual Forum and Engagement Day in Visby (29-31 October 2024) and at the EUSALP Annual Forum in Brdo pri Kranju (14-15 November 2024).
Our Second Macro-Regional Citizen Agora takes place in Brussels on 17 December 2024 co-hosted by the European Economic and Social Committee. It will follow by the annual meeting of our Network members to be held on 18 December 2024.
The Network online meeting was held in a positive spirit. The Network is present in all the four macro-regions and even beyond and is in its way to consolidate its position as a legitimate voice of CSOs across MRS.
More info: European House Budapest
<info@europeanhouse.hu>
