The objective of this own-initiative opinion is to contribute to the United Nations’ efforts to develop and localise a new transformative post-2015 agenda. Mayor Janssen endorses the view that this presents a unique opportunity to renew and strengthen cooperation within the international community that the agenda should be rights-based with strong links to good governance, democracy and the rule of law. Looking to the main priorities, the rapporteur suggests that efforts should be stepped up to reduce inequality both within and between countries. Moreover, these differences may justify specific indicators, approaches or targets which will need to be discussed between national governments and local and regional authorities. Mayor Janssen also underlines that local and regional authorities regularly weigh up policy issues and take political decisions in addition to implementing them. Turning to their involvement in the city sustainability goals, the opinion stresses local and regional competences and adds that cities are also drivers of growth, increasing the potential for domestic resources and contributing to the financial basis for achieving other goals.
The Opinion of the European Committee of the Regions on the Global development framework after 2015 represents a valuable contribution to the intergovernmental negotiations on the new set of Sustainable development goals to be adopted at the UN General Assembly in September this year. As stressed in the Parliament's resolution, it is important to include all stakeholders involved, including local authorities, in shaping of the new agenda as they will be crucial for its implementation. Moreover, since this time the new global development framework will be universal, meaning it will apply to EU Member States along with developing countries, the role of the European regions becomes even more prominent. In this sense, I strongly endorse the view of the CoR rapporteur in expressing the need for a rights-based approach to development, as well the crucial role of good governance, democracy and the rule of law in the new framework, while having in mind that to achieve any of these objectives, local authorities will be our key partners.