Catalonia Hands Leadership of 'Four Motors' to France: Spotlight on EU Regions. Catalonia has concluded its year-long presidency of the 'Four Motors for Europe' alliance. The new leader is the French region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. The focus shifts to the role of regions in the EU and the challenges of global competition.
Catalonia has officially handed over the presidency of the "Four Motors for Europe" alliance to the French region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. The ceremony took place in Barcelona, where Catalan President Salvador Illa and the head of the French region, Fabrice Pannekoucke, shook hands, marking the change of leadership in one of the EU's most influential regional groups. The alliance also includes Baden-Württemberg (Germany) and Lombardy (Italy) — regions that together account for 11% of the European Union's GDP.
Over the past year, Catalonia has focused on strengthening the position of regions in strategic EU discussions, as well as promoting initiatives in innovation, industrial decarbonization, and enhancing Europe's technological independence. According to Salvador Illa, amid growing competition between the US and China, it is the regions that can become the key link for integration and resilience in the European project. He emphasized that the previous world order based on institutions and consensus is giving way to pragmatic bilateral relations, where interests matter more than alliances.
Ilya noted that Europe faces simultaneous military, political, and economic challenges, and called for avoiding paralysis in decision-making. He reminded that the success of the European model in the past does not guarantee its future, and that regions must influence the development of the EU not only economically, but also politically. As an example, he referred to the words of historian Timothy Garton Ash, as well as the recent speech by Pope Leo XIV in Barcelona, where he called for unity and responsibility in building pan-European consensus.
The transfer of the presidency was accompanied by a statement from Fabrice Pannecoucke expressing his intention to continue Catalonia's course. The new head of the alliance reaffirmed the priorities of cooperation and economic autonomy, and also emphasized the importance of supporting the defense industry in the regions. He stated that in the context of changing geopolitics, it is necessary to increase the visibility of regional companies at the European level, including through participation in major industry exhibitions.
According to russpain.com, the 'Four Motors for Europe' alliance was established in 1988 and has since become one of the most stable platforms for interregional cooperation in the EU. In recent years, its members have actively promoted joint projects in digitalization, the green economy, and education. It is important to note that the role of regions in European politics is becoming increasingly prominent against the backdrop of global challenges, as evidenced by the growing focus on defense issues, which was recently discussed in the context of Pope Leo XIV's visit to the Iberian Peninsula — more on this can be found in the article about the pontiff's visit and its impact on regional discussions. In the coming year, the alliance is expected to continue focusing on technological and industrial independence, as well as on strengthening the position of regions in European politics.
