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"UE Budget risks being a failure for people and a gift to populism" warns CoR President Apostolos Tzitzikostas

European Committee of the Regions - 2/21/2020 6:49:36 PM


The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) asks to preserve funds for hospitals, schools, local transport, environment, universities and small businesses.

"I am launching, on behalf of the European Committee of the Regions, an appeal to avoid cutting investment that helps make people's lives better in cities and regions" said the CoR President, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, two days ahead of the Special European Summit on the EU budget.

"We must continue to invest taxpayers' money in local communities, as this benefits both EU budget net payers and net beneficiaries. Reducing EU funds for hospitals and schools, local transport, environment, universities and small businesses, would be a failure for people and a gift to populism" added the CoR President.

"For the majority of our Member States, EU funding for cohesion, agriculture and rural development accounts for around 50% of total public investment. This is not only EU solidarity in action, but a boost for economic growth, job creation and the single market, that benefits us all", continued President Tzitzikostas.

"I am deeply concerned about the risks of undermining those policies that bring Europe closer to citizens, and citizens closer to Europe. We are aware of the financial impact of Brexit, but the costs should not be placed on the shoulders of cities and regions. This is not about money, it is an investment on the future of our people", he concluded.

The Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions, Vasco Alves Cordeiro, also commented in view of the Summit.

"The last MFF proposal hits hard cohesion policy by a decrease of 12% compared to the current framework and with co-financing rates still below the current period. Deciding to reduce the support to regional development, notably through cohesion policy, will not bring the EU closer to its citizens. Regions and cities will not be able to do more for their citizens and the EU with less EU support. The EU needs to take into account the growing inequalities above all. This MFF is the only chance EU leaders have to put the EU on the path towards sustainable equality and a just transition that leaves no places and no people behind. A failure would cost the credibility of the European Union project. Time has come for EU Members States to put the money where their mouth is."
Contact: PresseCdr@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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