C 226/46 EN 8.8.2000 Official Journal of the European Communities
Resolution of the Committee of the Regions on the ‘Annual statement on the priorities of the
committee of the regions’
(2000/C 226/13)
THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,
having regard to the Strategic Objectives 2000-2005 of the European Commission (COM(2000) 154);having regard to the Work Programme of the European Commission for 2000 (COM(2000) 155 final);having regard to the Political Priorities of the Committee of the Regions (R/CdR 351/99 pt. 7);having regard to the European Parliament’s resolution on the European Commission’s 5-year Strategic
Programme (B5-0143, 0144 and 0145/2000);
having regard to the European Parliament’s resolution on the European Commission’s Work Programme
(B-50228, 0229 and 0230/2000);
whereas a closer alignment of the priorities and objectives of all EU bodies will reinforce the impact of
the initiatives and actions of the individual institutions;
whereas the Committee of the Regions, acting from its responsibility as voice of the local and regional
authorities in Europe, wishes to react to the priorities proposed by the European Commission;
whereas the Committee of the Regions wishes to state its priorities for the coming year, in view of the
forthcoming adoption of its Work for the Programme 2000-2001;
whereas in view of enlargement, the Union is particularly confronted with progressive fundamental
reforms;
whereas the participation of the Committee of the Regions, as the representative of local and regional
authorities in the EU institutional framework, will broaden the basis for EU action;
whereas in most European countries there is a growing trend towards decentralisation and a strengthening
of the powers of sub-national institutions, and as a result those tiers of government are increasingly
affected by and directly involved in European policies and choices
adopted the following resolution at its 33rd plenary session of 12 and 13 April 2000 (meeting of
13 April).
A. Reacting to the priorities of the European Com- of the subsidiarity principle; these core tasks should be
reviewed through further clarification of EU fields of action; mission
Strategic Objectives 2000-2005 of the European Commission
3. subscribes to the four objectives identified by the Com-
mission and recognizes their importance and urgency, and
wishes to contribute wherever possible to achieving the set1. welcomes the European Commission’s Strategic Objec-goals as soon as possible;tives 2000-2005; is pleased that by making its main political
aims for the coming years known, the European Commission
has given local and regional authorities the opportunity to
express their views and to present concrete proposals and
suggestions;
4. recalls that the purpose of all European Union policy is
to satisfy the expectations of European citizens and that
restoring their confidence must be the first and foremost aim 2. notes with satisfaction that the Commission intends to
concentrate on its core tasks, and feels that this is in the spirit of all reforms to the Union’s institutions;
8.8.2000 EN C 226/47 Official Journal of the European Communities
5. for this reason emphasises the importance of economic, 15. notes with concern a tendency to call for EU action in
areas where the Member States fail to introduce the necessary social, environmental and consumer protection issues;
reforms or take difficult political decisions; this will risk to
undermine the credibility of the EU;
Work Programme 2000
6. welcomes the Work Programme 2000 of the European
Commission;C. COR priorities for 2000-2001
7. is concerned however, that such an ambitious and
detailed Work Programme may prove to exceed the capacityIGC, European governance and modernization of the EU institutionsof the European Commission and that a fragmentation of
forces could lead to failure;
16. will actively contribute to the process of Treaty reform8. believes therefore that fewer actions and a strong focusin the Intergovernmental Conference; advocates an ambitiouson priorities — also in terms of targeted and effective use ofagenda for reform, as outlined in the CoR opinion on theavailable resources — will offer better chances of success thanIntergovernmental Conference 2000 (CdR 53/99);trying to strike on all fronts at the same time;
17. welcomes the innovative approach of the European 9. suggests that in the future the Work Programmes of the
Commission in its initiative on new forms of European European Commission clearly distinguish between outlined
governance and intends to participate fully in the debate and priorities for that year and any additional actions;
the formation of new ideas and concepts for European
governance, and put forward suggestions for improved law-
10. is of the opinion that in many areas greater emphasis making;
should be on improving implementation of current existing
legislation, before commencing new initiatives;
18. believes that the debate on new forms of governance
should not be narrowed down to a simplistic vertical distri-11. urges that the Commission’s priorities be brought intobution of powers, but that it should be a wide concept thatline with the objectives set out in the conclusions of thetakes account of changing structures in society;extraordinary Lisbon Summit;
19. strongly supports the European Commission’s commit-
ment to undertake democratic ambitious internal reform inB.Subsidiarityorder to restore citizens’ confidence in Europe and its insti-
tutions, believes that the reforms must go beyond a simple
efficiency-operation, but that they must result in a modern 12. believes that it is necessary in the next few years to take
and flexible work force, geared towards a new political culture; steps towards further European integration, in order to give
points out at the same time that the internal reforms may not Europe a leading role in the world, but that the integration
distract from the external policies; must be limited to areas where the EU has a specific added
value, in order to get the highest possible level of acceptance
and to achieve that Europe can truly speak with one voice;
Enlargement
13. welcomes the aim of the European Commission to take
measures against the lack of proximity of the EU, and the
proposal to solve this problem by interlinking more closely20. considers that the preparations for enlargement haveEU policies and policies of the Member States and of itshighest priority in view of the decision of the Summit ofregions; is of the opinion however, that the application of theHelsinki of December 1999 that negotiations will start withsubsidiarity principle should be extended to local and regionalall candidates, including those of the second wave, and stressesgovernment;in particular the necessity of involving local and regional
authorities in the candidate countries;
14. Considers situating political decision-making responsi-
bility at the lowest possible level to be the best way ofachieving closeness to the citizens, but warns against inter- 21. will expand, intensify and streamline its contacts with
all candidate countries, and aim at an increased involvement preting closeness to the citizens as nothing more than
intensified PR for the EU and the representation of citizens by of local and regional authorities in the preparations for
accession; interest groups;
C 226/48 EN 8.8.2000 Official Journal of the European Communities
22. calls for coordination of activities and cooperation 30. shares concern at the perennially high level of long-
term unemployment in many regions of the Union and hopes between the COR and the EU institutions, in order to arrive at
greater synergy and better results for the applicant countries that this phenomenon will be tackled using harmonised
economic policies and welfare reform, to further the goal of concerned and thus ensure better understanding and accept-
ance of the enlargement and integration process both in the full employment;Member States and in the applicant countries;
23. stresses, in addition, that enlargement strategy must be 31. points out that promoting employment does not only
conducted in harmony with the strategies applied in areas demand specific action, but also entails creating favourable
outside the Union, especially the Mediterranean and the Baltic, macro-economic conditions as well as coordination and
in order to secure the advent of areas of peace and economic integration of the relevant policy areas, while respecting the
and social cooperation beyond the borders of the enlarged principles underlying the European social model;
Union;
A Europe of values, close to its citizens 32. reiterates the responsibility which the Community was
given by the Treaty of Amsterdam to contribute to a high levelof employment by encouraging cooperation between Member
24. is convinced that the citizens will not adhere to a States and by supporting their action in this field;
‘supermarket’ Europe, but — as recent events have shown —
to a Europe of values and fundamental rights, a political
Europe; feels therefore that this must be the prime focus of the
reform of the Treaty, the drawing up of a Charter of33. encourages therefore any measures enhancing inno-Fundamental Rights and the forthcoming White Paper on newvation, technological progress, the knowledge society andforms of Governance;entrepreneurship; the adoption of any measures to assist the
development of SMEs;
25. considers that the need for local democracy must be
included in the Treaty and that it is therefore indispensablethat the Charter of Fundamental Rights be an integral part of34. underlines therefore the need to integrate anti-discrimi-the Union’s Treaty;nation policies into employment guidelines, as well as the need
for measures for groups hit hardest by unemployment, like
women, young people, older people, ethnic minorities and26. calls upon the Member States to conduct the nego-disabled people;tiations in the IGC with courage and vision; strongly believes
that the IGC agenda must be an agenda of the people; it istherefore important to closely involve the Parliament and the
local and regional authorities through the COR; welcomes in
35. welcomes the announcement that a new social action relation to this the European Commission initiative Dialogue
programme is to be introduced; the COR hopes the programme on Europe and will gladly make use of the opportunity to give
will be sufficiently ambitious to match the challenges of the an active input to the IGC process;
new economic dynamism;
27. calls on the European Commission to promote the
visibility of the European Union’s action both through effective
communication and by improving the transparency of all its 36. Welcomes the proposal that more common European
actions, in order to regain the confidence of Europe’s citizens; targets and indicators should be established within the econ-
omic, employment and social strategy, and underlines that not
only quantitative targets but also qualitative targets are of great
28. asks the European Commission, in view of the renewed importance in all policy areas in order to develop sustainable
threat of populist racism and intolerance, to strengthen its growth and employment;
commitment to guaranteeing equal rights, equal opportunities
and the protection of minorities throughout the Union, inorder to ensure that all Europeans share the benefits of growing
prosperity, security and solidarity;37. calls for a report of the European Commission on the
imbalances between regions with high unemployment andregions currently facing a shortage of labour, and the role of
labour market mobility in this, in order better to target Employment
measures to be taken to improve social and economic cohesion
and to reduce the disparities between regions; The CoR declares
its willingness to cooperate with the Commission in this area, 29. welcomes the results of the Lisbon Summit and
endorses its integrated approach and the emphasis on giving and to bring the hands-on experience and know-how which
the Regions and Municipalities of Europe have in the field; an impulse to new economic dynamism;
8.8.2000 EN C 226/49 Official Journal of the European Communities
38. the CoR reaffirms the need for European policies to Information society
focus primarily on the Europe-wide promotion of localdevelopment and on unleashing all the potential of the 45. stresses the importance of all citizens having access
resources available throughout the EU’s regions. In this to the information society, particularly during the internet
context, it asks that the European Employment Pact be given a revolution which is currently taking place, since it is access to
broader focus and calls for widespread introduction of the information which ultimately empowers the citizen.
Territorial pacts for employment, taking into consideration
the knowledge and experience of local and regional authorities;Underlines the important link to be made between the
information society and employment, through new types of
39. The Committee of the Regions welcomes the decision employment such as electronic commerce and teleworking,
to hold an extraordinary European summit every spring to leading to a modernization of the economy and integrating
provide guidance and coordination for Community actions areas which are not easily accessible, and the rural environment
and national policies. The Committee of the Regions, which into the economy.
represents Europe’s local nd regional authorities in their
capacity as promoters of growth and employment, asks to beWould hope that the need to provide education and traininga fixed partner in the initiative;of the citizen in the use of the new technologies is given a high
priority, with special emphasis on school education and on
Environment facilitating free Internet connection for centres of education.
40. is looking forward to the publication of the 6th Envi- Notes the important contribution that new technology can
ronmental Action Programme; endorses the realistic and result- make to develop intelligent and multi-modal transport systems
driven approach announced by Commissioner Wallström, and to reduce transport problems faced by citizens in their every
supports in particular the strong focus on implementation of days lives.
existing legislation;
Urban policies41. notes with concern that environment seems to move
down on the political agenda, at a time when the need for46. recalls that 80 % of European citizens live in urbanstrengthened environmental protection is more urgent thanareas, and that cities are vital to ensure competitive regionsever; regrets to see that environmental considerations have notand a competitive Europe, and realises the value of developingbeen sufficiently integrated into other policy areas, and urgesurban, rural and peripheral areas in a balanced, co-ordinatedthe European Commission to come forward with concreteand sustainable way;measures;
47. points out however, that despite this fact there are no42. feels that environmental catastrophes in recent yearsEuropean policies targeting specifically the urban areas andhave made sufficiently clear the need for improved cooperationthat the urban dimension in other policy areas is weak;with non-EU countries, including cross-border cooperation, in
particular with the candidate Member States; points out that
48. encourages (new amendment) the European Com- the Polluter Pays Principle needs to be implemented correctly;
mission to come forward with a comprehensive approach to
urban areas and their specific needs and to finally put into 43. favours a well-balanced link between economic policies
practice the renewed focus on cities in Agenda 2000, with and environmental requirements, as sustainable growth is a
special attention for sustainable urban development. necessity; and calls for the need to develop co-ordinated
policies to promote sustainable development and associated
49. will adopt its annual Work Programme on the basis of activities in rural and peripheral areas;
this resolution;
44. underlines the special role of local and regional auth-
orities, both in the implementation of European and inter- 50. instructs its President to forward this resolution to the
European Commission, the European Council, the European national policies, but also as the level confronted most directly
with the consequences of environmental damage; Parliament and the Economical and Social Committee.
Brussels, 13 April 2000.
The President
of the Committee of the Regions
Jos CHABERT