Renew Europe in the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) took up two key leadership roles that will shape the institution’s communication and engagement with citizens, regional authorities and other institutions across the EU.
Renew Europe CoR President François Decoster has been appointed as the CoR’s Special Representative for the EU Councillors Initiative, overseeing the latter’s implementation in cooperation with the European Commission and reporting directly to CoR leadership.
Decoster championed this initiative since launching the “Network of Europe Correspondents” in his home region of Hauts-de-France in 2018, laying the foundation for what is now a broader effort to empower the 1.2 million elected representatives at subnational level across the EU.
“As a strong believer in Europe and this project, I am honored to take on this new challenge and help the CoR connect with local and regional politicians all over Europe – to bring Europe closer to the ground, where it matters most,” said Decoster.
Meanwhile, Vice-President of the Normandy Region in France François-Xavier Priollaud has been named Special Rapporteur for the CoR’s Communications Strategy.
Priollaud will focus on shaping and enhancing the institution’s outreach and visibility, working closely with CoR leadership to ensure its messages resonate more clearly with EU citizens.
During a CoR plenary session on 2-3 April in Brussels, Renew Europe CoR member Samo Turel, Mayor of Nova Gorica in Slovenia, took the floor alongside the Mayor of Gorizia in Italy to present their cities as the first-ever borderless European Capital of Culture (ECOC).
Ahead of the plenary session, Renew Europe members convened for their Group Meeting, which featured a discussion with Georges-Louis Bouchez, leader of ALDE Party member Mouvement Réformateur in Belgium.
Bouchez shared insights from the Democracy and Liberties Summit in Paris, highlighting the key themes that emerged and how they align with Renew Europe’s values, and outlined the priorities of the Belgian government.