Welcome to the Committee of the Regions

1. European Union Welcome to the Committee of the Regions

2. Why a Committee of the Regions? A political assembly of the European Union, representing local and regional authorities. • To improve EU legislation using the expertise of local and regional representatives • To act as the voice of local and regional authorities in Brussels • To bring Europe closer to its citizens

3. The COR in brief • 317 members representing local and regional authorities + 317 alternates (and 27 Bulgarian and Romanian observers) • 25 national delegations comprising members from the same Member State • 4 political groups • 6 thematic commissions

4. Dates • 1992 – Maastricht Treaty: creation of the COR • 1994 – 1st plenary session held in Brussels • 1997 – Treaty of Amsterdam – COR strengthened(enlargement of its field of consultation and referral by the European Parliament) • 2003 –Treaty of Nice – COR members must hold an electoral mandate or be politically accountable • 2004 – The number of COR members increased from 222 to 317in the EU-25 • 2004 –Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe – boosted the institutional status and political role of the COR

5. European Commission European Parliament Council of the EU EESC COR The COR and EU decision-making CONSULTATION CODECISION PROPOSAL DECISION CONSULTATION

6. Economic and social cohesion Education and youth Culture Public health Trans-European networks Transport Employment Social affairs Environment European Social Fund Vocational training Consultation Mandatory consultation - Optional consultation • The Council, the Commission and the Parliament may request an opinion from the COR, where they consider it appropriate. • The COR may decide to draw up an opinion, where the European Economic and Social Committee has been consulted, and where it considers that specific regional or local interests are involved. • The COR may draw up an opinion on its own initiative, where it considers such action appropriate.

7. Types of consultation • Consultative opinions • Resolutions - declarations adopted in accordance with an accelerated procedure • Outlook opinions – opinions drawn up by the COR before the European Commission drafts a Green/White Paper on the subject • Outlook reports – preliminary reportsdrawn up before the European Commission’s proposals are made public • Impact reports - to evaluate the impact of policy at local and regional level • Studies – on various aspects of the local and regional dimension of the EU

8. The Commissions • COTER - Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy • ECOS - Commission for Economic and Social Policy • DEVE - Commission for Sustainable Development • EDUC - Commission for Culture, Education and Research • CONST- Commission for Constitutional Affairs, European Governance and the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice • RELEX - Commission for External Relations and Decentralised Cooperation • and the Commission for Financial and Administrative Affairs (CFAA)

9. Drawing up opinions • Consultation by the European Commission, the Council of Ministers or the European Parliament • Proposal allocated by the Bureau to a COR commission • Appointment of COR commission rapporteur, who starts work • First draft presented to the COR commission • Continuation of work by the rapporteur • Discussion, amendments and adoption by the COR commission • Adoption of the opinion in plenary session, before publication in the Official Journal (“C” series)