ready. You are currently on: Leaders Meeting highlights crucial role of European regions for a resilient European Union

Leaders Meeting highlights crucial role of European regions for a resilient European Union

On 18 April 2024, the Leaders Meeting ‘Fit for the Future: Global Challenges, Regional Solutions’ took place in Antwerp. The Minister-President of Flanders seized the momentum of the European presidency to organise a summit of innovative European regions. During the summit, government leaders of the participating regions held fruitful consultations and identified possible cooperation opportunities within 5 strategic areas of intervention.

 

Tekst 'Fit for the Future' met daarrond de logo's van de regio's die deelnamen aan de top van Europese regio's

This Leaders Meeting sent a strong signal to the European Union that the regions hold important levers to tackle global challenges. As such, Flanders seeks to lay the foundations for deeper long-term cooperation. On the initiative of the Minister-President of Flanders, the government leaders of no fewer than 9 innovative European regions came to Antwerp to take part in the Leaders Meeting: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, the Basque Country, Baden-Württemberg, Catalonia, Hauts-de-France, Lombardy, Lower Saxony, Upper Austria and Saxony.

The regions identified 5 strategic areas of intervention:

  • SMEs fit for the future.
  • European regions fit for the digital world.
  • European regions fit for a sustainable transition.
  • A Europe fit for global competition.
  • European regions skilled for the future.

For each of these 5 areas, concrete actions were listed that can make a substantial difference to the lives of European citizens. These include initiatives to bridge the digital divide or to encourage partnerships between educational institutions and businesses.

Regions as partners of the EU

In a Joint Declaration, the regions call on the European institutions and all actors involved to view the regions as partners, to enrich European policymaking with a genuine regional perspective. The declaration also outlines the priorities of the participating regions for the EU Strategic Agenda 2024-2029.

The report ‘Fit For The Future: Global Challenges, Regional Solutions’ and the joint declaration that was signed will be submitted to the various EU institutions.