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Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on Civil Society Dialogue between the EU and Candidate Countries

(2006/C 206/05)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

HAVING REGARD TO the Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on Civil Society Dialogue between the EU and Candidate Countries (COM(2005) 290 final);

HAVING REGARD TO the European Commission's decision of 29 June 2005 to consult it under the first paragraph of Article 265 of the Treaty establishing the European Community;

HAVING REGARD TO the CoR president's decision of 29 September 2005 to instruct the Commission for External Relations to draw up an opinion on the European Commission’s strategy on progress in the enlargement process;

HAVING REGARD TO its opinion on the Financial Perspective – Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament: Building our Common Future: Policy Challenges and Budgetary Means of the Enlarged Union 2007-2013, COM(2004) 101 final (CdR 162/2004 fin (1), rapporteur: Sir Albert Bore, member of Birmingham City Council (UK/PES));

HAVING REGARD TO its Opinion on the Recommendation of the European Commission on Turkey's progress towards accession, COM(2004) 656 final (CdR 495/2005, rapporteur: Ms Helene Lund, Local Councillor, Farum (DK/PES));

HAVING REGARD TO its Opinion on the Proposal for a Council Decision on the principles, priorities and conditions contained in the European Partnership with Croatia, COM(2004) 275 final (CdR 499/2004, rapporteur: Mr Gottardo, member of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Regional Council (IT/EPP));

HAVING REGARD TO the results of the European Commission's on-line public consultation on The Future Programme for Active European Citizenship 2007-2013;

HAVING REGARD TO the Council Decision of 26 January 2004 establishing a Community action programme to promote active European citizenship (civic participation) (2004/100/EC);

HAVING REGARD TO its draft opinion (CdR 50/2006), adopted by the Commission for External Relations and Decentralised Cooperation on 28 February 2006 (rapporteur: Mr Gottardo, member of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Regional Council (IT/EPP));

CONSIDERING the key role played by civil society in the candidate countries in acquainting the public with the European integration project and supporting national, regional and local authorities engaged in the economic, social and political endeavours necessary for successful completion of the accession process;

CONSIDERING the need for civil society dialogue between the EU and candidate countries in order to speed up and strengthen the process of developing understanding of each other's social and political systems and respect for each other's cultures;

CONSIDERING the benefit of ensuring a decentralised approach when creating civil society networks in EU and candidate countries to develop mutual understanding and disseminate information on the European integration process;

unanimously adopted the following opinion at its 64th plenary session, held on 26 and 27 April 2006 (meeting of 27 April):

1.   The Committee of the Regions' views

1.1   General comments

The Committee of the Regions

1.2   Current and new activities: Turkey

1.3   Current and new activities: Croatia

2.   The Committee of the Regions' recommendations

2.1   General recommendations

The Committee of the Regions

2.2   Turkey

2.3   Croatia

Brussels, 27 April 2006.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Michel DELEBARRE

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(1)  OJ C 164 of 5 July 2005, p. 4.

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