Leaders Meeting highlights crucial role of European regions for a resilient European Union

This Leaders Meeting sent a strong signal to the European Union that the regions hold important levers to tackle global challenges. As such, Flanders seeks to lay the foundations for deeper long-term cooperation. On the initiative of the Minister-President of Flanders, the government leaders of no fewer than 9 innovative European regions came to Antwerp to take part in the Leaders Meeting: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, the Basque Country, Baden-Württemberg, Catalonia, Hauts-de-France, Lombardy, Lower Saxony, Upper Austria and Saxony.

The regions identified 5 strategic areas of intervention:

• SMEs fit for the future.
• European regions fit for the digital world.
• European regions fit for a sustainable transition.
• A Europe fit for global competition.
• European regions skilled for the future.

For each of these 5 areas, concrete actions were listed that can make a substantial difference to the lives of European citizens. These include initiatives to bridge the digital divide or to encourage partnerships between educational institutions and businesses.

In a Joint Declaration, the regions call on the European institutions and all actors involved to view the regions as partners, to enrich European policymaking with a genuine regional perspective. The declaration also outlines the priorities of the participating regions for the EU Strategic Agenda 2024-2029.

The report ‘Fit For The Future: Global Challenges, Regional Solutions’ and the joint declaration that was signed will be submitted to the various EU institutions.