Welcome to the Committee of the Regions
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Transcript Welcome to the Committee of the Regions
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THE COMMITTEE
OF THE REGIONS
An advisory body of the
European Union, representing
local and regional authorities
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The CoR in dates
1993: Maastricht Treaty – CoR created
1994: 1st Plenary Session held in Brussels
2000: Nice Summit – CoR Members required
to be elected and to be politically accountable
2004: 95 representatives from new Member
States join the CoR
2007: 27 representatives from Bulgaria and
Romania join the CoR
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Why a Committee of the Regions?
To improve EU legislation using the
expertise of regional and local
representatives
To bring the voice of regional and local
authorities to Brussels
To bring Europe closer to its citizens
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The CoR in numbers
344 Members, representatives of local
and regional bodies + 344 alternate
members
4 Political Groups
6 Thematic Commissions
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CoR MEMBERS BY COUNTRY
344 members and 344 alternate members
Germany, France, Italy, UK………….................................24
Poland, Spain .…………………………………………………….21
Romania ……...…………………………………………………….15
Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary,
Netherlands, Sweden, Austria, Portugal ...………………...12
Denmark, Ireland, Finland, Lithuania, Slovakia, ….……….9
Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia …………………………….…………..7
Cyprus, Luxembourg …………………………………..………….6
Malta ………………………………………………………..…………5
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About the Members
Regional and local representatives,
proposed by the Member States
Formally appointed by the Council
4-year term of office
Represented in political groups
Participation in thematic commissions
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The Political Groups
PES- Party of European
Socialists
PES
37,2%
ALDE
15,9%
UEN-EA
5,4%
EPP
37,5%
NA
4,1%
EPP - European People’s
Party
ALDE – Alliance of Liberal
and Democrats for Europe
UEN-EA - Union of
the Europe of Nations European Alliance
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Why political groups?
To enable transnational thinking and
acting
To link up the political families in the
different EU institutions and in the
member states
To implement the CoR’s mandate as a
political and democratically legitimated
Institution
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The European Socialists (PES Group)
in the Committee of the Regions
117 Members / 107 Alternate members
President: Mercedes BRESSO (IT),
President of the Region of Piedmont
PES Group Secretariat: 7 members of staff
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Political Priorities of
the PES Group
MORE involvement of the CoR in the ongoing debate on the
future of European integration
MORE account to be taken of local issues in the prelegislative phase
ENFORCING the European model of society, particularly by
promoting services of general interest
A MORE integrated approach to sustainable development
MORE collaboration with local authorities in the EU's partner
countries under the "new neighbouring policy";
MORE consideration of local authorities in issues of external
policy, such as migration or decentralised cooperation
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COR Commissions
COTER
Commission for Territorial Cohesion
ECOS
Commission for Economic & Social Policy
DEVE
Commission for Sustainable Development
EDUC
Commission for Culture, Education & Research
CONST
Commission for Constitutional Affairs, European
Governance and the Area of Freedom, Security &
Justice
RELEX
Commission for External Relations & Decentralised
Cooperation
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The COR and
EU decision-making
CONSULTATION
PROPOSAL
European
Parliament
CODECISION
European
Commission
CONSULTATION
ESC
CONSULTATION
Council
of the EU
DECISION
COR
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Plenary Sessions
Full meeting of the CoR
5 times per year
Adoption of opinions
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Consultation
MANDATORY consultation in the following policy areas:
Economic and social
cohesion
Education and youth
Culture
Public Health
Trans-European
Networks
Transport
Employment
Social Affairs
Environment
European Social Fund
Vocational Training
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Consultation
Other policy areas:
Council, Commission or Parliament may request an
opinion when they “consider it appropriate”
CoR may choose to prepare an opinion when the
Economic and Social Committee has been consulted
and “specific regional interests are involved”
CoR may choose to prepare an opinion on its own
initiative where it “considers it appropriate”
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Consultation
Opinions
Resolutions
Declarations adopted in accordance with an accelerated procedure.
Outlook reports
Preliminary reports before the European Commission’s proposals
have been made public
Impact reports
Serve to evaluate the impact of policy at regional or local level
Studies
On various aspects of the regional and local dimensions of the EU
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Preparing further
enlargements
Establishment of Joint Consultative
Committees
Participation of observers at CoR plenary
sessions
Conferences in acceding and candidate
countries
Support to devolution
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The strengths of the CoR
« United in diversity »
The engagement of the members (an
extra-professional activity) and the
human factor
a lobby with the brand of an
institution
a transnational network
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Visit us online
NEW WEBSITE 2006
+ More dynamic
+ More info on the PES
Group Members
+ More info on the PES
Group Activities
+ More news
http://www.cor.europa.eu/pesweb
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PES GROUP SECRETARIAT
Committee of the Regions
Rue Belliard, 101
Office: JDE 7039
B-1040 BRUSSELS
+32 (2) 282.22.23
+32 (2) 282.20.69
[email protected]
www.cor.europa.eu/pesweb
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