The president of the European Council, Antonio Costa, has inaugurated a new edition of the European Week of Regions and Cities with a speech in which he urged the European Commission that, in the negotiation of the future multiannual financial framework, cohesion policies should not be relegated. At the same time, he has placed the housing crisis, the transformation of the energy model, and the need for a less cumbersome administrative system among the main challenges of the continent.
After highlighting the role of cities and regions as "essential" for territorial cohesion for "being the closest to citizens," he warned of the challenges they face and urged to "protect their prosperity" in a context of "demographic change, climate transition, and energy changes."
These challenges "require common priorities and determined actions," he emphasized, and grouped them into three major blocks, starting with energy.
"Energy prices are central to the equation. The current crisis in the Middle East and its impact on energy supplies require the need for decarbonization and greater efficiency towards independence based on our renewable and nuclear energy sources," he considered.
In his opinion, "the benefits are already seen in regions with more renewables, which enjoy significantly low electricity prices."
For this reason, he urged to "accelerate the energy transition for a better long-term strategy that guarantees autonomy in Europe and low prices."
Together with the vision for the future, he recalled the immediate problems, a scenario in which "objectives and temporary measures are necessary to protect families and businesses," to which the European Commission "has already made some proposals to provide immediate relief."
ENERGY, HOUSING, AND BUREAUCRACY
For the president of the European Council, the energy transition "is not just about generating renewable energy," but also about "transforming mobility and improving efficiency."
In this sense, he has called for strengthening public transport, promoting electric vehicles, and expanding charging points, in addition to deepening efficiency policies in homes, "something that will not be possible without the support of the European Commission."
Costa has also drawn attention to the difficulties of access to rental housing, a problem that extends "from Copenhagen to Lisbon and from Dublin to Athens," and that "has been one of the main urgent problems for citizens."
A crisis that "affects low incomes, but also the middle class," and in which the scarcity of supply begins to "disillusion," he has acknowledged.
The rental market is "a responsibility of national, regional, and local authorities, but the EU can complement efforts and can help," Costa has stated, who has explained that from the body he presides over, they are already analyzing how to achieve that "the European Union can support efforts through better regulation and more innovation." "We need a response at all levels in this crisis to strengthen social cohesion," he asserts.
Simplifying Bureaucracy
The third axis of his intervention has been the need to "simplify through better rules and fewer directives" the bureaucracy in the European Union "to ensure greater consistency and reduce fragmentation in each market."
"We need faster, simpler, and more predictable procedures to help businesses invest and grow."
To advance in all these lines of action, he has emphasized that a long-term budget is essential "that responds to the challenges of this historic moment."
For Costa, "it's not just about numbers," as he has stressed, it is a political decision "about the future and the Europe" that now needs to be built "together."
"The next long-term budget must kickstart industrial transformation, defense, security, and strategic resilience, and continue supporting cohesion and agricultural policies, the pillars of regional development," he concluded.
In this regard, he has promised that from his position he will urge "all those involved to negotiate with an open mind and the spirit of collective responsibility, with the aim of reaching an agreement by the end of the year."
"In these turbulent geopolitical times, Europe must be stable and have means to act and unity to face challenges," he concluded, reiterating that "a strong Europe is built from the ground up and through empowered regions."