Regional hubs 2.0 – a new platform to monitor EU policies on a local and regional level

The European Committee of the Regions is set to launch a new way to ensure the implementations of EU policies

Yesterday, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) launched Regional hubs 2.0, the second phase of the Network of Regional Hubs for EU Policy implementation. The role of this new project is to monitor whether EU legislation is properly implemented and to ensure that the opinions of regional and local levels are considered in the evaluation of EU policies.

The platforms on which the new project is based

The Network of Regional Hubs (RegHub) and Fit for Future Platform (F4F) are the basis of this project. RegHub aims to help EU authorities monitor the applications of the EU law at a local and regional level, which has so far been applied by up to 70%. The network collects data from the regional authorities and forwards it to the EU Commission.

Fit for Future Platform (F4F) is a structure that makes sure that EU law helps citizens and does not become an obstacle for them. This is especially important for small and medium-sized businesses.

46 members, 10 observers and 1 associated body

The new hubs include 46 members, 10 observers and 1 associated body, set up as a sub-group of the European Commission's Fit For Future Platform (F4F).

​Apostolos Tzitzikostas, President of the CoR, quoted on the website of the Committee: "I warmly welcome the new generation of Regional Hubs. RegHub's contact points have proven to be uniquely efficient in bridging the consultation gap between Brussels and our regions. They get feedback directly from those who experience every day the impact of EU policies on people's lives and they can offer to the European Commission invaluable information and input on how to increase their effectiveness.”

“Regional and local authorities will play a key role, given their unique perspective of those most directly affected. Their input on issues relating to the planning and permitting of 21st-century infrastructure will be of particular importance.”, shared European Commission’s Vice-President for Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight Maroš Šefčovič who opened the launch event.

A plenary meeting for the F4F platform will be held on 4 March, at which a work programme of the new generation of RegHub 2.0 will be built and the areas of expertise will be identified.