Addressing the 2017 General Assembly of the Conference of European Regional Legislative Assemblies (CALRE), in Seville, Spain, on 9 November 2017, Congress Secretary General Andreas KIEFER welcomed the good co-operation between CALRE and the Congress. He highlighted the key role played by the regional parliamentarians participating in both the Congress and the Committee of Regions in promoting cooperation between regional parliaments themselves. “Both presidents of the European institutions representing local and regional authorities – Karl Heinz LAMBERTZ for the Committee of Regions of the European Union and Gudrun MOSLER-TÖRNSTRÖM for the Congress of the Council of Europe – are former presidents of regional parliaments with legislative powers” he underlined. Congress Secretary General pointed out that many of the issues addressed by CALRE and its member parliaments are also part of the 2017-2020 work programme of the Congress and thus areas for co-operation. He also invited CALRE members to meet with the Congress rapporteurs in order to contribute to the preparation of the next Congress monitoring visits in their respective countries. “These visits are an occasion to present democratic innovation such as the ones presented today in the case studies of the CALRE working groups, and to identify shortcomings and stimulate reforms,” he concluded.

Opening Speech by Andreas KIEFER

CALRE General Assembly programme