Launched in June 2022, the network BELC is taking up across Member States with more than [500] local councillors. Members are elected representatives of small-medium cities, mainly between 10.000 and 100.000 inhabitants, but also from small villages counting few hundreds inhabitants.
An interactive map of members and partners shows the reach of the network. From leading countries Italy, Spain, and Portugal, having the largest number of representatives so far, members and partners are spread across the EU – from the Canary Islands to Latvia!
Local politicians play a strategic role in engaging communities towards EU issues; they do speak the same language and share the same background as people in small constituencies, who sometimes may feel left behind. The fundamental idea of BELC is that communicating the EU is a responsibility shared by EU institutions and Member States at all levels, including the local governance level. The Conference on the Future of Europe laid another foundation stone in 2022, including in the closing recommendations a call to set up a network of local councillors (proposal 36, point 6). Councillors joining the BELC network are the building blocks of a European governance made of institutions, local communities, and the citizens who will soon be voting in the European elections in 2024.
Members are invited to fill in a specific survey in order to receive a targeted set of communication services, such as digital and physical materials, webinars and learning offer on selected topics, and visits to Brussels’ institutions. All in their language!
The first 50 councillors already came to Brussels in March in two groups, visited the main institutional buildings and attended a series of thematic sessions tailor made on their needs with experts, members of the European Parliament and of the Committee of the Regions. Participants enjoyed great networking opportunities, and possibility to discuss in-depth those topics high on the agenda, like climate change, energy crisis, agriculture and opportunities for young farmers, and cohesion policy with European high-level officials.
“Participation is one of the EU founding values. My participation as a local politician to the BELC network will make citizens understand that local areas are important to the European Union as a common project”, says Irene Falchini, councillor from Sesto Fiorentino, in Italy.
The Building Europe with Local Councillors network kicked off through several public events, like the European Week of Regions and Cities, the Smart Cities Expo World Congress in Barcelona, the Salon des Maires in Paris, and the Covenant of Mayors annual conference in Brussels.
More events and more visits to Brussels will keep the network growing in 2023. Spread the word, the call is always open!
BELC Website: https://building-europe-with-local-councillors.europa.eu/index_en
