View source for BACID supports NALAS to present its key priorities during EU enlargement process to the CIVEX Commission of the Committee of the Region

{{News
|Newsdate=2018/02/18
}}
The meeting of the '''CIVEX (Commission for citizenship, governance, institutional and external affairs) of the Committee of the Regions (CoR) took place on 6 February 2018, in Brussels''', almost in parallel to the meeting in Starsbourg were the EU Commission adopted and presented the strategy for “A credible enlargement perspective for and enhanced EU engagement with the Western Balkans”. Around 90 participants from CoR, EU Commission and diplomatic representations took part in the meeting, including NALAS representative supported by the BACID project team. <br />

The '''new EU Western Balkans Enlargement strategy''' was presented by the representative of the European Commission: Strategy and relevant documents available at: <br />
[https://ec.europa.eu/commission/publications/eu-western-balkans-strategy-credible-enlargement-perspective_en '''EC webpage on the EU Western Balkans Strategy''']),  <br />
[[File:Cor civex Feb2018.jpg|300px|right]]<br />

'''NALAS''' had the opportunity to present their key messages related to the need for enhanced support to local and regional authorities in the region as part of successful European Integration, focusing on the importance of: Decentralisation and Local Democracy, Local level involvement in the enlargement dialogue with EU and LGAs as strategic partner, reform challenge of public administrations, EU funding for local level: [[Media:CIVEX_NALAS_Key_messages.pdf|'''here''']] you can download the Key Speaking Notes.<br />

Special attention was paid to challenges and opportunities for LGs in EU Macro-Regional, CBC and other Transnational Cooperation Initiatives, as contribution to the CIVEX opinion that is under preparation „'''Enlargement: Inclusion of Western Balkan Local and Regional Authorities in EU's Macro-regional, Cross-border and other Transnational Cooperation Initiatives'''“. This opinion will support local government associations in the region lobbying for improvements in programming and management of cross-border and transnational programmes open to local governments in the region.<br />
<br />
For more information about NALAS opinion on the role of local governments and their associations in the European Integration, please consult <br />
 [[Media:Position_Paper_on_the_Western_Balkans_and_local_governments_in_the_EU_integration_(2).pdf|'''NALAS Position Paper: Western Balkans in the loop, Local Governments and their Associations as key stakeholders in the EU Integration process'''']].