The President of the Pilsen Region Josef Bernard took part in the inaugural meeting of the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels, in which he will from now on act as one of the new members.
The European Committee of the Regions is one of the EU’s bodies and consists of 350 members representing local and regional authorities in all 27 EU Member States. The purpose of their work is to express their views and comments on various EU policies in the adopted opinions, as it is the local and regional authorities that will have to deal with the real impacts of these policies. The Czech Republic is represented by 12 members and 12 alternates in this body.
“The European Union is entering a very important phase in its development, when it will have to deal with challenges such as Brexit, climate change and the ongoing migration crisis. A number of proposals that are or will be discussed in the European institutions will undoubtedly have a significant impact on life. That is why I want our voice to be heard here. I also want to use the experience I have gained in office over the years,” said the President of the Pilsen Region Josef Bernard.
The President worked even in his free time outside the meetings of the European Committee of the Regions, and met with the representatives of the European Commission to discuss the construction of a modern railway corridor connecting Pilsen and Munich. “I know from the previous meetings in Bavaria that they also find this project very important. Similarly, the Ministry of Transport previously assured us of their support. So our debates in Brussels focused on the conditions and possibilities how to take advantage of this common interest and not miss the opportunities offered by European funding,” added President Bernard.