In the next government

Association of Austrian Municipalities calls for EU Commissioner for Municipalities

A dedicated Commissioner will soon represent the interests of the municipalities in Brussels.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com)

More regionalism instead of Brussels dictates - according to this motto, the Austrian Association of Local Authorities is calling for a separate EU Commissioner for Local Authorities in the next EU government. Association of Municipalities President Johannes Pressl has a strong ally. His counterpart from Germany supports this demand.

After the EU elections, not only the European Parliament but also the EU Commission, i.e. the European government, will be newly formed. Both are not insignificant for the nation states, as EU legislation now directly affects the municipalities in many areas and has a direct impact on the people living there. The Association of Austrian Municipalities is therefore calling for more consideration to be given to municipal concerns in a future Europe.

No united Europe without strong municipalities
Association of Municipalities President Johannes Pressl is calling for a dedicated Commissioner for Municipalities. "We adopted a corresponding European manifesto at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Association of Austrian Municipalities in Brussels. Without strong and self-confident municipalities at grassroots level, there can be no united, strong Europe. This is why we are calling for a municipal commissioner for European municipalities and cities in the next term of office," Pressl said in an interview with the "Krone" newspaper.

Pressl has been President of the Association of Municipalities since February

(Bild: Christandl)

Bureaucracy reduction and more regional policy needed
"We are not interested in the complicated subsidies and EU regional programs currently being pursued by the Directorate-General for Regional Policy and Urban Development, but rather in reducing bureaucracy for the local level, reviewing legislation from the perspective of rural areas and simplifying the awarding of contracts to local companies. Furthermore, critical supply infrastructures for people - such as sewers, drinking water or fiber optics - must not be subject to EU competition law in their current form. EU environmental legislation also needs more common sense when it comes to its application in rural communities," says Pressl.

The approximately 85,000 municipalities and cities in Europe are the local democratic providers and anchors of social cohesion.

Johannes Pressl

"In the future, local democracy must also be given more importance across Europe. Theorists - including at EU level - are always talking about more grassroots democracy and citizen involvement, but municipalities have always been the basis of European democracy. Mayors are available to answer questions from their fellow citizens on a daily basis, even outside of elections," explains Pressl. And he is certain: "Not only the municipalities benefit from a local commissioner, but also Europe in turn. If around 85,000 municipalities feel more aware of Europe, then 85,000 municipalities, 85,000 mayors and perhaps one day 85,000 European local councillors will carry the message and values of Europe to the people in their municipalities."

The municipalities are closest to the citizens.

(Bild: Christian Schulter)

Pressl is looking for supporters in other countries
The Association of Local Authorities has summarized the most important positions and wishes for the European institutions in the demands paper, which was adopted during the visit of the EU presidency country Belgium on 16 May. In the next step, the Association of Local Authorities will pass on the proposals to the national representations and also seek contact with its sister associations in the other EU member states on the issue of a "local government commissioner". He already has Germany on his side.

Germany as Austria's ally
Pressl was at the meeting of the main committee of the German Association of Towns and Municipalities in Berlin on May 28. And his German colleagues assured him of their full support for his call for a municipal commissioner. "The 85,000 or so municipalities and cities in Europe are the local providers of democracy and anchors of social cohesion. Taking municipalities seriously strengthens Europe, which is why municipalities and cities, with all the challenges they face, must be given the importance they have in the reality of people's lives in the future EU Commission. We need a Commissioner who represents the municipal level in the Commission and understands our challenges."