 the presentation of the annual regional and local barometer and we have the honor to have the president of the Commission Ursula von der Leyen with us for this very very interesting debate. Let's start. Dear President von der Leyen, Commissioner Sefchowicz, dear colleagues and friends, these tragic times have reinforced the very essence of European solidarity and democracy. If we are to provide the right answers we need to understand what our people need. This is why I am pleased today to present our first regional and local barometer report. The world barometer was chosen because in my Greek language varos means weight and so it's about weight of Europe's regions, cities and villages and metron which also comes from Greek meaning measure so unless we measure the state of the regions and the cities we cannot understand the state of the Union. Only by taking the pulse of our communities we can decide how effective the EU has been on the ground and what the EU needs to do to help its people. Dear President, during your state of the Union speech you rightly paid tribute to the heroes of the crisis, the doctors, the nurses, the first responders. Today I pay tribute to the unsung heroes at the forefront of the pandemic, the mayors, the presidents of regions, the councillors. From our COVID platform our members shared hundreds of real stories, real life stories. They tell of how cities and regions are working rentlessly to protect our communities, to protect our local economies. Regional and local elected politicians are ensuring that hospitals are equipped. They are keeping our public transport running and safe. Our local leaders are the ones who are supporting the most vulnerable and the local businesses. Europe's recovery needs now more than ever solidarity, not only amongst member states but across borders and between regions. We all need to take ownership and responsibility of this recovery. Dear President, dear friends, Europe starts in every region, every city, every village. It starts in the Slovak town of Presov which bought electric vehicles to deliver food and medicine to the elderly. It starts in Lubilski, the Polish region, which used EU funds to purchase medical equipment. It starts in the Italian town of Capanori, whose mayor fundraised to buy equipment for the local hospital and buy food for those who lost their jobs. This, dear President, is the proof that the one million local and regional elected politicians are the democratic foundations of the European Union. They make the EU visible and real, rather than distant and ineffective. The regional barometer confirms today that the pandemic has hurt us all. It shows some areas are particularly vulnerable. For example, Île-de-France, the Spanish regions of Andalusia, Castille et Léon, Madrid, Valencia, and most of the Italian regions that are the hardest hit from this pandemic, along with the coastal regions of Croatia, eastern Bulgaria, and Greece. Falling revenues and increasing expenditure, the Caesar effects. Public, it can put public finances of municipalities, citizen regions, in the EU at great risk. The subnational authorities in France, Germany, Italy will lose 30 billion euros in 2020 alone. Over 90% of EU regions and municipalities expect their expenditures to plummet. If public services collapse, our recovery will be slower and more painful for the people and our communities. Dear President, the EU's response has been bold and the investment package that you proposed is exceptional. But let's make no mistake. To be successful, the next EU package, the next EU budget, and the next generation EU needs smart planning based on the real needs of the regions and cities. A recovery plan which remains spatially blind and meets only national needs will fail. Given that regional and local authorities represent half of the EU's public investment and one-third of public expenditure, they need to shape the recovery plans themselves. I therefore call on the EU and its regional and local authorities all around Europe to be better coordinated in the recovery. Fully taking into account the territorial impact. Secondly, to help citizens and regions address financial gaps and protect them from the Caesar's effect. And finally, to make the EU's recovery sustainable and inclusive, ending all EU investment in fossil fuels and giving regions and cities direct access to funds in order to deliver local and green projects. Dear colleagues, the crisis risks a lost COVID-19 generation. And this we need to stop it. Only six member states are able today to offer digital education for 80% or more of students. Citizens' and businesses have changed their behavior with the rise of teleworking. We urgently need to accelerate our efforts so every business, public service and home all around Europe has access to fast internet in order to avoid deepening the rural urban divide. Our report, the barometer, also confirms that COVID-19 is especially affecting women who make up nearly 80% of the health care sector. COVID-19 has also shed light on the vast disparities of hospital care. For instance, the number of intensive care hospital beds is six times higher in Germany than in Portugal. So we need to address this new geography of regional disparities and we need to do it now. In order to help regions cope with the increasing health care demands, European, and we know that so far, Europeans want health to be EU's top priority today. The EU and its regional and local authorities must now renew and review the balance of health competencies between European, national, regional and local levels in line always with the subsidiarity principle. Based on our joint concept of active subsidiarity, we can promote the dialogue between all levels of government to find the right division of powers in a future European health union. Dear President von der Leyen, dear friends, our regional barometer which is presented today shows cohesion policy matters to all places and people of our great union. From the Azores to Cyprus, from the Mediterranean to the Arctic, Europe is built on cohesion. Cohesion is not just about money. It is a fundamental value that brings added value to everyone's lives to all citizens. It is a unique tool that will protect the citizens of the European Union that will tackle the pandemic and build sustainable, resilient communities, leaving no person or place behind. It is almost 40 years after cohesion was enshrined in the EU's treaties. Today, during the pandemic, cohesion once again helped regions and cities in their time of need. The 12,000 supporters of the Cohesion Alliance are united around the principles of partnership and multilevel governance. Our regional and local barometer makes it clear that the pandemic will widen disparities between regions and cities all around Europe. But cohesion can deliver results only if it is designed and implemented in partnership with all the levels of government. I therefore call the European Commission and our regional and local authorities to launch a joint campaign in order to showcase how cohesion funds today have been lifelines for our local communities. And secondly, to organize an annual forum on cohesion and resilience to discuss the new EU budget on recovery and resilience facility. And finally, establish a permanent exchange between border regions in the field of health and emergency services. Dear President, dear members, trust is what will pull us through this crisis. Our recent poll shows that local and regional authorities continue to be the most trusted level of government by the people. Most Europeans believe that recent regional and local authorities must be given more influence so that the EU improves its ability to deliver. So dear friends, it is now time for a stronger democracy. A European democracy that listens and it's closer to the people. A European democracy where better, simpler regression makes a difference to the daily life of all citizens, guided always by the principle of subsidiarity. Dear President von der Leyen, Europeans, you know that very well, want to be more involved in politics. The young people who fight tirelessly for real climate action are just one example. Their voices must be heard in the conference on the future of Europe, which will shortly begin. The conference could be the moment and must be the moment to reflect about the future of our common house and crucially together with our citizens. But let me be honest, we are not interested in one more beauty contest between the Brussels institutions. We want a profound democratization process that will bring the European Union closer to the people. We want less constitutional complexity and more democratic representation of the people's vote. Dear friends, our Europe is a house that has strong pillars, the member states, and the protective roof, the European Union. This is the European House of Democracy, but no matter how strong the pillars and the roof are, no house can stand without solid foundations. And the EU's foundations make no mistake are its regions, are its cities and villages. They are vital for a resilient, sustainable, and prosperous Europe. So today, dear president, to achieve this, I am determined to work together with you. Let me propose four ideas to make this partnership work and flourish. First, jointly organize local dialogues in the cities and the regions of the European Union on topics based on our people's needs. Secondly, permanently assess the impact of EU's decisions in our territories. Third, include a regional and local dimension in the Commission's annual State of the Union, which for us, the people of the European Union is very important. We would be honored if you could join us every year at our October regional and local barometer debate, like today. And fourth, let's jointly launch together to promote European values a project in order to promote the identities and the citizenship via education and culture at the regional and at the local levels. So dear president, dear members of the committees of the regions, to restart Europe together, we must strengthen its foundations, EU regions and cities. And at the same time, we must be guided by a simple, a very simple principle. If we want effective solutions that answer people's needs, decisions must be taken as close as possible to the citizens. And we, President von der Leiden, the regions and the cities of Europe can make this happen. Thank you very much. So let me please now introduce the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who is joining us with us online.