European Committee of the Regions 21 November 2002, Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on "The role of the regional and local authorities in European integration"

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The Committee of the Regions expresses the legal opinion that regional and local authorities should play a more significant role in European integration, emphasizing the importance of their involvement in EU decision-making processes to enhance democratic legitimacy. It argues that the principle of subsidiarity must extend beyond relations between the EU and Member States to include local and regional governance, advocating for systematic consultation and a stronger role for the Committee itself. The opinion further recommends incorporating the European Charter of Local Self-Government into the EU Treaty and calls for mechanisms to ensure compliance with the subsidiarity principle, thereby reinforcing the democratic foundations of the Union.AI