The President of the European Committee of the Regions, Karl-Heinz Lambertz, delivered his second speech on "The State of the European Union: the View of Regions and Cities", during a debate with European Parliament President Antonio Tajani. The address held during the CoR's plenary session argued that Europe needed "more than just a change of time, but a change of direction and of method", giving regions and cities a greater say in shaping its future.
During his speech President Lambertz called for stronger EU funding and a stronger say in EU decision-making for regions and cities, stressing that, "Weakening our cities and regions is to weaken our Union. This must not be part of our blueprint for the future. Quite the opposite: by strengthening our territories we strengthen our Union".