As proposed by CoR president Luc Van den Brande and first vice-president and Mayor of Dunkirk Michel Delebarre, the White Paper on multilevel governance calls on the EU institutions and Member States to step up the involvement of local and regional authorities in the preparation and implementation of EU policies. By adopting a White Paper for the first time in its history, the CoR has given a political signal shortly after the European elections and just before the renewal of the European Commission.

The White Paper on multilevel governance published by the Committee of the Regions reflects a real life situation: the place of local and regional authorities in Europe, their economic and financial heft and political role in the Member States. Most importantly, however, it highlights a perception: the general public is committed to a more understandable and shared form of governance, as shown by the recent Eurobarometer survey, which suggested that regions and local authorities can help overcome distrust of Europe.

With its White Paper, CoR is proposing to establish a real culture of cooperation, guaranteeing that the EU operates legitimately, transparently and efficiently and, most importantly, promoting involvement in the European venture. Building Europe in partnership is the main challenge facing the European Union. Europeans' expectations and the EU's key political objectives must converge: the Europe of citizens, economic growth, social progress and sustainable development will enable us to cope with the challenges of globalisation.

CoR president Luc Van den Brande, highlighted that this means that local and regional authorities must be true partners in the process of formulating and applying European policies. In practical terms, the Committee proposes 13 steps to put multilevel governance into effect; the CoR will undertake to prove through examples and best practices why management in partnership is relevant and effective.

The adoption of the White Paper is the opening salvo in the CoR's public consultation and opens the door to consultation with the EU institutions (particularly the Commission and the Parliament) and within the Member States. The White Paper will be the CoR's first contribution to the work of the group of wise men on the future of Europe. These two initiatives will enable the CoR to prepare an action plan which will run alongside the programme of the new Commission and Parliament.

The public consultation will run until 30 November and the CoR will welcome all contributions sent by interested parties.

This initiative fleshes out the ambition stated by the CoR in its mission statement adopted last April to mark its 15th anniversary. The CoR president said that "As a driver of multilevel governance on the Community stage, we must ensure that our institution moves forward, by consolidating its status as a political assembly and proving its added value and local level efficiency for matters on the Community agenda."  Michel Delebarre feels that this White Paper opens up fresh opportunities for a European decision-making process "which goes beyond a lawyer's recitation of the powers of the first and second part, a possible source of fruitless divisions."