On 7 February 2019, as part of the 133rd plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), the members held an exchange of views with the Prime Minister of Romania, Ms Vasilica Viorica Dăncilă who outlined the priorities of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which started on 1 January 2019 for a period of six months.

On behalf of the EA Group, Mr Emil Drăghici, President of the Association of Romania's Municipalities (ACOR) and mayor of Vulcana-Băi County, emphasized the need for cohesion programmes which will lead to a harmonious and balanced development of national territories and help reduce the disparities in infrastructure and living conditions between urban and rural areas, especially as more than three quarters of the European Union territory and more than half of its population are made up of rural areas.

Mr Drăghici also called for special cooperation programs with the Republic of Moldova and the Congress of Local Authorities of Moldova – CALM which would keep and even increase the high level of confidence Romanian and Moldovan citizens have in the European Union.