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Solutions to water problems in Mediterranean region are 'local'

European Committee of the Regions - 4/28/2017 5:52:07 PM


Involve local government in water policy, European Committee of the Regions urges Union for the Mediterranean, on behalf of ARLEM.

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) called on 27 April for the national governments of the 43 members of the Union of the Mediterranean to give local authorities in the Mediterranean region "a clear role in all bodies responsible for planning and managing river basin districts".

The CoR, the EU's assembly for local and regional authorities, also pressed water ministers from the Union of the Mediterranean to create a "consultative body to improve the governance of water resources" in the Mediterranean.

Speaking at a meeting in Malta of ministers and representatives from the Union of the Mediterranean's 28 EU and 15 non-EU members, CoR President Markku Markkula (FI/EPP) said: "Infrastructure and regulatory measures may often fall within the remit of national governments, but fundamentally local and regional authorities are responsible for managing water and climate change adaptation, access to safe drinking water and sanitation, water demand management at local level, education etc. The only solution is local. Building resilience and managing the impact of climate change - which has direct consequences for the future of our water supply - is at the top of the agenda for cities and regions across the world."

The Committee of the Regions has had a working relationship with local and regional authorities from non-EU countries in the Mediterranean region since 2010, when it established the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM) . One of its earliest results of the cooperation was a set of recommendations, produced in 2011, on local water management in the Mediterranean.

"The impact of climate change and its effects on water poverty does not end at national borders," President Markkula said. "Only through using the best knowledge and cooperating, learning and listening across borders can we find sustainable long-term solutions to ensure the flow of water to our homes, businesses, industries services and communities."

President Markkula also used the ministerial meeting in Malta to welcome the EU's approval, on 26 April , of an initiative aimed at developing water provision and agro-food projects in the Mediterranean region. To date, 11 EU and eight non-EU countries have agreed to pool funds and expertise for the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) . PRIMA, which will be launched in 2018, was presented to ARLEM members in 2016 in Murcia, where innovative solutions for food systems and water resources were showcased


Contact:
Andrew Gardner
Tel. +32 2 282 24 29
andrew.gardner@cor.europa.eu

European Committee of the Regions

The European Committee of the Regions is the voice of regions and cities in the European Union.


350 members - regional and locally elected representatives from the 28 EU countries.
6 commissions covering competences in the following policy areas based on the EU Treaties:
- Employment, vocational training, economic and social cohesion, social policy, health.
- Education and culture.
- Environment, climate change, energy.
- Transport and trans-European networks.
- Civil protection and services of general interests.

6 plenary sessions a year.
More than 50 opinions a year on EU legislation.
More than 40 stakeholders' consultations each year.
More than 300 events a year.

President
Apostolos Tzitzikostas

Apostolos Tzitzikostas was elected as President of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) in febbruary 2020 after serving as President of the Greek delegation and Vice president of the Committee since july 2017. He is also Governor of the Region of Central Macedonia.

BIOGRAPHY

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Apostolos Tzitzikostas was born on September 2, 1978. He studied Government and International Relations at Georgetown University, in Washington DC. After graduating in 2000, he had his first working experience at the Office of the President of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the United States Congress. In 2002 he obtained a Masters Degree on European Public Policy and Economics from the University College of London. Following his studies, he created his own company on the field of production, processing and standardization of dairy products, based on organic standards.

In 2007, he was elected Member of the Greek Parliament with the Nea Demokratia Party (EPP) in the First District of Thessaloniki. In the Regional Elections of November 2010 he was elected Vice-Governor of the Region of Central Macedonia and Head of the Metropolitan Area of Thessaloniki. On the Regional Elections of May 2014 he was elected Governor of the Region of Central Macedonia, and on the Regional Elections of May 2019 was re-elected Governor of the Region of Central Macedonia. On November 2019 he was elected President of the Association of Greek Regions.​​

Since 2015 he is a Member of the European Committee of the Regions. In July 2017, he was elected Head of the Greek Delegation and Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions. He fluently speaks English and French and his articles are regularly being published in Greek and foreign newspapers and magazines.

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