​Rapporteur of the Committee of the Regions on "Synergies between EU, national and subnational public finances", Mr Rhodri Glyn Thomas, Member of the National Assembly for Wales, held a presentation to representatives of local and regional authorities from the Western Balkans and Turkey on practices and models of fiscal decentralisation in the European Union.

Mr Thomas's presentation centred on the leverage effect of the EU budget, recent changes to EU's economic governance, creation of greater synergies between different budget levels and public-private partnerships in EU projects. He also reiterated his call that a stronger political priority be given to the vertical coordination of budgetary policies in the EU.

The meeting was held as part of the Local Administration Facility (LAF) series of seminars aimed at elected and permanent officials of local and regional authorities from the Western Balkans and Turkey during which they visit EU institutions and meet with leading representatives of local and regional authorities in the EU to increase understanding on what the EU stands for at the regional and local level.