Brussels (BE), 18 September 2014

Today, Dr Hande Özsan Bozatli, President of the Assembly of European Regions (AER), met the outgoing European Commission’s President Barroso for a final talk, together with the Presidents of the other main local and regional organisations*.

AER President focused her speech on the cooperation in the Eastern Neighbourhood and the Black Sea area. “As our membership comprises regions from wider Europe, AER monitored actively the development in the framework of the Eastern Partnership policy, designed as a new way of getting to grips with our Eastern neighbours.” While pointing out the importance of including regional and local authorities, AER made comments on technical aspects of the policy and ensured that it gets its members informed and involved in a wider cooperation.

Ms Özsan Bozatli emphasized the political development in Ukraine, and warmly welcomed this week’s signature of the cooperation agreement with the European Union. AER is currently preparing seminars in Ukraine to promote the principles of regional democracy, and will continue to do so. Next action on the field: at the demand of the national government and the three regions of Kharkiv, Zaporizhia and Dnipropetrovsk, AER is preparing to send experts in regionalisation to these territories in the coming month of October. In this context, President Özsan Bozatli urged the upcoming Commission to “take into account our contacts, our work and our expertise in this field.”

* Committee of the Regions, Council of European Municipalities and Regions, Association of European Border Regions, Conference of peripheral maritime regions, EUROCITIES, Conference of European Regional Legislative Assemblies, Conference of European Regions with Legislative Powers.

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