On the margins of the Committee of the Regions midterm plenary session, ECR Member and President of the Umbria Region Ms Donatella Tesei, spoke on her region, regional politics, and the green transition. "This is the first time I am in Brussels to represent Umbria in the Committee of the Regions. I think it is important for a region like ours to be a part of it, and I believe that the role of the regions within the European Union's policies is absolutely fundamental".

"We represent a region which is in transition, and for which we also have our own needs", said Ms Tesei. Representing the "the green heart of Italy" Ms Tesei pointed out that "we are perfectly in line with the policies of ecological transition and sustainability"

Ms Tesei also addressed the question of European funding, cohesion, and the digital transition, three big issues which have come to prominence in Europe's post-pandemic context. She stated that her region is "doing very well on the resources allocated to material infrastructures, but of course a fundamental issue is also that of digital technology, especially of ultra-wide bandwidth, which must reach all our territories."