Decoster promotes integration policies with Chancellor Merkel
The European Week of Regions and Cities (EWRC) kicked off this week with Chancellor Merkel and President of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen leading a long list of high level guest appearances, including European Commissioners Frans Timmermans, Paolo Gentiloni, Nicolas Schmit, Elisa Ferreira and President of the European Investment Bank Werner Hoyer.
During the exchange with Chancellor Merkel, Renew Europe CoR President, François Decoster focused on the new Pact for Migration and Asylum, urging the Chancellor to reach an agreement during the German Presidency, and highlighting how dependent the EU’s migration policy is on successful integration policies at the local level. Decoster, who featured in a New York Times article in 2018, because of his dynamic and creative approach to integration of migrants in his town of Saint Omer, said:
Decoster was one of the first to actively discuss and promote the concept of solidarity, for instance in his Migration report dating back to 2015. For years, his city of Saint.-Omer was also the only town in that region of France with a “Terre d’Asile” center for underage refugees.
In defense of LGBT
Decoster also added, talking about the resolutions hostile to LGBT+ in Poland:
Decoster continued:
Citing his own experiences as Mayor, Decoster concluded:
Annual Local and Regional Barometer
Coinciding with this year’s EWRC, the European Committee of the Regions is launching the first EU Local and Regional Barometer, which provides a snapshot of the situation on the ground, and makes a number of recommendations. Welcoming the launch of this report the President of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen said:
In her reply, Renew Europe Vice-President, Ulrika Landergren said:
She also asked von der Leyen what the EU can do to put pressure on Polish authorities to abolish the resolutions hostile to LGBT+ citizens, and if that is not done to cease also other kind of EU funding to these local and regional authorities, in particular the European Structural and Investment Funds.
The EWRC is the EU’s largest annual event organised jointly by the European Committee of the Regions and the European Commission, attracting in normal circumstances up to 7000 people from all over the EU and beyond. This year, because of COVID-19, most of it is taking place online.
.@fdecoster à la Chancelière Angela Merkel au @EU_CoR: “Nos communes et nos régions n’ont pas le temps d’attendre les décisions européennes sur l’immigration. Nous sommes en première ligne, qu’on soit à Chios ou à Calais, à Lampedusa ou à Zeebrugge” #CoRPlenary pic.twitter.com/m7y85bDYxd
— Renew Europe CoR (@RenewEuropeCoR) October 13, 2020
🔴Watch LIVE: @fdecoster & German Chancellor Angela Merkel to discuss the role of local and regional authorities in the EU’s recovery plans, migration & integration
– starts now!💻Webstream: https://t.co/2cdjAtWPFc! #CoRPlenary pic.twitter.com/iVOKAgUWgi— Renew Europe CoR (@RenewEuropeCoR) October 13, 2020