Good morning everyone,

and thank you for being here.

President Tüttő I am very glad to welcome you today here at the Berlaymont.

I have been a guest many times at the Committee of the Regions, so, Kata, it is now a pleasure to have you here today. 

It is also a pleasure to share with you the launch of our first European Week of Regions and Cities together.

This is the 23rd edition.

We always say that cohesion policy brings Europe to the territories and closer to European citizens — and it is true.

But this week, it is the territories that are meeting here in Brussels through their many representatives at regional and local level.

I will be brief.


The motto of this years edition is “Shaping Tomorrow, Together.”
The key word is together.

When I first visited the Committee of the Regions, just after my appointment as Executive Vice-President for cohesion and reforms, President Tüttő gave me a football shirt of Team Cohesion with my name on it.

We keep playing on the same team — and the thousands of people, representatives of European cities and regions during this week and every day in our work together; the discussions we will have; and the awards we will give are all proof of that. 

So, together, we must shape the future — starting from the present.

That is why we have selected three main themes, centred around three pivotal topics:

  • “Cohesion and Growth for the Future,”
  • “Right to Stay: Unlocking the Potential of Every Territory,” and
  • “Cities Building Tomorrow.”

On Cohesion and Growth:

In the first months of my mandate, I worked with the regions to modernize cohesion policy with the mid-term review. The regulation is now fully operational, allowing Member States to adapt the programmes of the current period (2021–2027) to new priorities.

Regions can now invest cohesion policy resources in 5 key priorities: competitiveness, defence, water management, energy transition, and housing — benefiting from financial incentives.

So this lays the groundwork for more efficient action today. The mid-term review is an opportunity to make things work now, to show our ability to spend funds efficiently, and to create growth. We can create growth already now in the current programming period.

The achievements of Europes regions are a stepping stone for tomorrow, helping us prepare the ground to make Europes future stronger. 

The second theme is “Right to Stay: Unlocking the Potential of Every Territory.”

This is about the right of every European to remain and build their future in the place they call home.

Here, we will discuss the synergies among different policies.

What are the factors that make people decide whether to stay or to leave?

Job opportunities, access to healthcare, childcare, education, sustainable mobility, affordable housing.

We must work on all of these, with an integrated approach, to truly unlock the potential of every territory and guarantee the right to stay. 

The third theme is Cities.

Urban policy is crucial for Europes growth and competitiveness.
Cities are on the front line in responding to citizens needs and are the places most capable of creating opportunities for personal and professional development.

Very different cities experience very similar challenges:

  • Sustainable mobility
  • Access to public services
  • Affordable housing

These are the topics we will discuss this week: how to deliver for citizens — citizens living in cities, citizens with the right to stay, citizens seeking opportunities for growth.

This is our focus.

Thank you.