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( 1 ) OJ N C 108 , 10 . 12 . 1973 , P . 51 .

( 2 ) OJ N C 8 , 31 . 1 . 1974 , P . 11 .

COUNCIL DECISION

OF 18 MARCH 1975

SETTING UP A REGIONAL POLICY COMMITTEE

( 75/185/EEC )

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,

HAVING REGARD TO THE TREATY ESTABLISHING THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY , AND IN PARTICULAR ARTICLE 145 THEREOF ;

HAVING REGARD TO THE DRAFT DECISION SUBMITTED BY THE COMMISSION ;

HAVING REGARD TO THE OPINION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ( 1 ) ;

HAVING REGARD TO THE OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE ( 2 ) ;

WHEREAS , AT THEIR CONFERENCE IN OCTOBER 1972 , THE HEADS OF STATE OR OF GOVERNMENT UNDERTOOK TO COORDINATE THE REGIONAL POLICIES OF THE MEMBER STATES ;

WHEREAS TO THIS END COORDINATED OBJECTIVES , MEANS OF CONCERTED ACTION AND OVERALL ASSESSMENTS OF REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE COMMUNITY SHOULD BE PROGRESSIVELY EVOLVED ;

WHEREAS IT IS NECESSARY TO DEFINE THE PRINCIPAL FIELDS IN WHICH THIS COORDINATION SHOULD BE EXERCISED ;

WHEREAS IT IS NECESSARY TO ESTABLISH A PROCEDURE FOR CONSULTATION ON PROBLEMS OF REGIONAL POLICY AND OF THE MEASURES TO BE TAKEN AT COMMUNITY LEVEL ,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS :

ARTICLE 1

WITH A VIEW TO CONTRIBUTING TO THE COORDINATION OF THE REGIONAL POLICIES OF THE MEMBER STATES , A REGIONAL POLICY COMMITTEE ( HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS " THE COMMITTEE " ) , ATTACHED TO THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMISSION , IS HEREBY SET UP .

ARTICLE 2

1 . THE COMMITTEE'S TASK SHALL BE TO EXAMINE , AT THE REQUEST OF THE COUNCIL OR OF THE COMMISSION , OR ON ITS OWN INITIATIVE , PROBLEMS RELATING TO REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT , THE PROGRESS MADE OR TO BE MADE TOWARDS SOLVING THEM AND REGIONAL POLICY MEASURES NEEDED TO FURTHER THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE COMMUNITY'S REGIONAL OBJECTIVES . WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE TREATIES , IT SHALL STUDY IN PARTICULAR :

( A ) THE AIMS , MEANS , METHODS AND EXPERIENCE OF MEMBER STATES IN THE FIELD OF REGIONAL POLICY , TAKING ACCOUNT OF THE COMMUNITY'S OTHER POLICIES ;

( B ) ON A CONTINUING AND COMPREHENSIVE BASIS , ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL TRENDS IN THE VARIOUS REGIONS OF THE COMMUNITY ;

( C ) TECHNICAL METHODS FOR DRAFTING REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES SO AS TO ARRIVE AT A COMMON APPROACH TO THE CONCEPT OF A REGIONAL POLICY PROGRAMME ;

( D ) THE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES PRESENTED BY MEMBER STATES , PARTICULARLY IN RESPECT OF THE REGIONS REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 3 OF COUNCIL REGULATION ( EEC ) N 724/75 SETTING UP A EUROPEAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND ;

( E ) THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES WHICH MEMBER STATES AND THE COMMUNITY PROPOSE TO PROVIDE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS ;

( F ) THE IMPACT OF COMMUNITY FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS IN REGIONAL TERMS ;

( G ) INVESTMENT TRENDS IN THE REGIONS OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE COORDINATED IMPLEMENTATION OF COMMUNITY MEASURES , TOGETHER WITH MEASURES BY MEMBER STATES , WITH A VIEW TO FACILITATING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMMES ;

( H ) SYSTEMS OF AID WHICH ARE REGIONAL IN PURPOSE OR EFFECT ;

( I ) DISINCENTIVE MEASURES IN REGIONS WITH A HEAVY CONCENTRATION OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY ;

( J ) THE PROMOTION OF BETTER INFORMATION SERVICES FOR BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INVESTORS IN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT .

2 . THE COMMITTEE SHALL REPORT ON ITS ACTIVITIES TO THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMISSION . THE LATTER SHALL INFORM THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT THEREOF IN ITS ANNUAL REPORT .

ARTICLE 3

1 . THE MEMBER STATES AND THE COMMISSION SHALL EACH APPOINT TWO MEMBERS TO THE COMMITTEE . THEY MAY APPOINT ALTERNATES . THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE , AND THE ALTERNATES , APPOINTED BY THE MEMBER STATES SHALL BE SELECTED FROM AMONG SENIOR OFFICIALS RESPONSIBLE FOR REGIONAL POLICY .

2 . EXCEPT WHERE THE COMMITTEE SHALL DECIDE OTHERWISE , THE MEMBERS MAY BE ASSISTED BY EXPERTS .

3 . THE EUROPEAN INVESTMENT BANK SHALL APPOINT AN OBSERVER TO THE COMMITTEE .

ARTICLE 4

1 . THE COMMITTEE SHALL BY MAJORITY VOTE APPOINT ITS CHAIRMAN AND VICE-CHAIRMAN FROM AMONG ITS MEMBERS FOR A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS . THEIR TERM OF OFFICE MAY BE RENEWED .

2 . THE COMMITTEE MAY ENTRUST THE STUDY OF PARTICULAR QUESTIONS TO WORKING PARTIES COMPOSED OF CERTAIN OF ITS MEMBERS OR OF ALTERNATES OR OF EXPERTS .

3 . THE COMMITTEE'S SECRETARIAT SHALL BE PROVIDED BY THE COMMISSION .

4 . THE COMMITTEE SHALL DRAWN UP ITS OWN RULES OF PROCEDURE .

ARTICLE 5

THE COMMITTEE MAY , IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS RULES OF PROCEDURE , RECEIVE FROM INTERESTED PARTIES FROM THE REGIONS AND FROM TRADE UNION AND BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS .

DONE AT BRUSSELS , 18 MARCH 1975 .

FOR THE COUNCIL

THE PRESIDENT

R . RYAN