Resolution of the Committee of the Regions on the "Annual Statement on the Priorities of the Committee of the Regions"
Date: 2001-02-15
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: European Union, access to EU information, enlargement of the Union, promotion of the European idea, public awareness campaign, sustainable development

18.5.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 148/29

Resolution of the Committee of the Regions on the ‘Annual Statement on the Priorities of the
Committee of the Regions’

(2001/C 148/09)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

having regard to the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the
Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions — Strategic Objectives 2000-2005
— ‘Shaping the New Europe’ (COM(2000) 154) final;

having regard to the European Commission’s work programme for 2001 (COM(2001) 28 final);

having regard to the political priorities of the Committee of the Regions;

having regard to the COR resolution on the European Commission’s five-year strategic programme and
the work programme for 2000 (CdR 125/2000 fin (1));

having regard to the European Parliament’s resolution on the European Commission’s five-year strategic
programme (B5-0143, 0144 and 0145/2000);

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 in most European countries there is a growing trend towards decentralisation and a strengthening
of local and regional governments, and as a result those spheres of government are increasingly affected
by European policies;

whereas the Committee of the Regions, exercising its responsibility as the voice of local and regional
authorities in Europe, wishes to react to the priority actions 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 programme for 2001-2002;

whereas the participation of the Committee of the Regions, as the representative of local and regional
authorities in the EU institutional framework, will strengthen democratic legitimacy and transparency,

adopted the following resolution at its 37th plenary session of 14 and 15 February 2001 (meeting of
15 February).

The Committee of the Regions

1.
welcomes the European Commission’s work programme
for 2001; and expresses its satisfaction with the Swedish
Presidency objectives and those of the forthcoming Belgian
Presidency;

regrets that the European Commission has not yet been
2.
able to follow its recommendation to produce a well-targeted
annual work programme; and therefore reiterates the need for
fewer actions focused on key issues;

(1) OJ C 226, 8.8.2000, p. 46.

3.
supports the ongoing European Commission’s commit-
ment and progress in mainstreaming gender equality and anti-
discrimination in EU policies and not simply as self-evident
rights;

A. New forms of governance

4.
looks forward with interest to the forthcoming Com-
mission White Paper on European governance and its primary
objective to bring Europe closer to its citizens in order to meet
their needs and concerns more effectively;

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Official Journal of the European Communities

18.5.2001

welcomes,

5.
in this respect, a new framework for the
Union’s communication and information policy, which corre-
sponds to one of the priority actions started up by the COR,
geared to improving the services provided to the public and
promoting partnership with local and regional authorities, as
an essential element of a progressive Europe;

Europe involving not just EU governments but the candidate
countries and all stakeholders, including regions, local insti-
tutions and civil society’; and wishes to be fully involved in
this debate;

6.
expects that new forms of governance will enable the
different spheres to cooperate more efficiently and effectively,
in particular in relation to the major issues; and reiterates its
opinion that the involvement of local and regional authorities
is essential for successful further European integration;

agrees that the need for more effective governance in
7.
Europe ties in with the need for an in-depth reform of the EU
institutions and their methods of interaction;

8.
stresses the need of a better clarification of political
responsibility in EU policies in order to achieve greater
accountability; and welcomes in this regard the decisions, to
this effect, of the last intergovernmental conference;

supports the suggestions for setting up a Convention
15.
or a similar body (such as the one that was charged to draw
up the draft Charter of Fundamental Rights) in the post-Nice
process as a more democratic, open and pluralist method of
negotiation in preparation for the next 2004 conference; and
strongly insists on being fully associated as a political insti-
tution with the future Convention’s discussions from the very
beginning;

16.
welcomes the reinforced role given to the European
political parties in the Nice Treaty in both advancing democ-
racy while expressing the will of citizens and bridging the gap
between the European institutions and the citizens of Europe;

17.
prioritises the simplification and rationalisation of the
Treaties within a constitutional framework with a view to
making them clear and understandable to citizens;

9.
calls for greater transparency and openness in the
proceedings of all EU institutions, including access to docu-
ments and information;

B.

Enlargement

states firmly that the overall process should be guided
10.
by the principle of subsidiarity in order to ensure that decisions
are taken as close as possible to the citizen;

welcomes the European Commission’s commitment to
18.
intensify its communication strategy on enlargement; and
restates calls for coordination of activities and cooperation
between the COR and the EU institutions, which should be
implemented at the local and regional level;

11.
restates therefore its will to strengthen its powers
and status in the European decision-making process in the
upcoming post-Nice institutional reform and, in the meantime,
into practice the current
to take concrete steps to put
consultation procedure with the European Parliament on key
issues;

12.
stresses the importance of looking for ways to introduce
greater interaction between the Committee and the European
Commission, which could be reflected in a cooperation
agreement;

13.
reiterates its will to be associated, together with the
regions with legislative powers, in the exchange of views with
the informal Councils of Ministers on matters of regional
interest;

14.
welcomes the call by the president of the European
Commission for ‘a major public debate about the future of

19.
calls on the European Commission to attach major
importance to the fundamental objective enshrined in the
Treaties of achieving social and economic cohesion in the
candidate countries, where the existing disparities are consider-
able and could become even wider as a direct consequence of
ongoing economic development;

20.
states its support for the process of decentralisation and
regionalisation in the candidate countries and the development
of economic and administrative cooperation among the
regions;

expresses its concerns about insufficient consultation
21.
with local and regional authorities, as they are the key to the
ability to implement EU policies in the candidate countries;
and suggests therefore that the European Commission develop
a specific training programme in close consultation with the
COR for local and regional authorities in preparation for
accession;

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 148/31

22.
encourages the European Commission’s wish to speed
up the relaunch of the Barcelona process and expresses some
concerns on the weak results of the 2000 meeting in Marseilles;
and in this context, underlines the importance of decentralised
cooperation and the role of local and regional authorities in
the Euro-Mediterranean partnership as a tool of dialogue,
peace and democratic growth;

strategic partnership with local and regional authorities and
local partnerships’; and therefore reiterates the importance of
the campaign ‘Acting locally and regionally for employment’
(e.g. Territorial Pacts for Employment) and the objective of
‘lifelong learning’;

C.

Towards a new economic, social and territorial
cohesion

23.
welcomes the adoption of the second report on econ-
omic and social cohesion and the European Commission’s call
for a wide-ranging debate involving all the actors concerned
and in particular the local and regional authorities; considers
that the COR should be mentioned in the DG Regional Policy
2001 programme; and would like to actively participate in this
process;

24.
takes the view that the notion of territorial cohesion
should be taken into consideration as a complementary
component of the principle of economic and social cohesion
aimed at reducing disparities, as enshrined in the Treaties;

recalls that the implementation of the internal market
25.
shall take into account the EU objective of economic and
social cohesion and shall contribute to its achievement; and in
this regard, firmly believes that services of general interest will
play a major role, as they directly affect local and regional
authorities;

keeps on recalling the importance of an urban dimen-
26.
sion in European policy matters given the fact that 80 % of
European citizens live in urban areas, and that cities are vital
to ensure competitive regions and a competitive Europe; and
stresses the need to develop urban, rural and peripheral areas
in a balanced, coordinated and sustainable way;

recalls the primary role of local and regional authorities
27.
as regards introduction of the euro; urges special consideration
to be given to the most vulnerable user groups; and welcomes
the proposal of the president of the European Commission to
request COR support in this regard;

28.
supports the European Commission’s commitment to
promote a high level of employment while focusing on quality,
combining competitiveness and social cohesion; welcomes in
this context the European Commission’s recent call for ‘a more

agrees on the need to modernise and develop sustaina-

29.
ble social protection and pension systems;

30.
expresses its wish to be associated to the draft of the
forthcoming White Paper on youth; and insists on the key role
played by local and regional authorities in promoting social
integration and cohesion through education and training;

31.
supports the European Commission’s efforts to make
Europe an integral part of the information and knowledge-
based society while underlining the fact that new technologies
are also creating new social needs;

32.
reiterates the urgent need for a common migration and
asylum policy for the European Union involving all spheres of
government (national, regional and local);

D.

Sustainable development

33.
welcomes the overall integrated strategy for develop-
ment and real progress towards the sustainability of Europe’s
transport, energy, research, agriculture and other common
policies; and agrees on the imperative need to reconcile
economic growth with social cohesion and environmental
protection;

expresses satisfaction with the ongoing environment-
34.
support proposals being conducted at all
levels with the
aim of integrating economic development compatible with
environmental protection; underlines however the need to
implement existing environmental legislation in the Member
States; experience has shown that concrete involvement by
local and regional authorities has been of utmost importance
in implementing global action;

supports the European Commission’s proposal

35.
for
greater consultation with the public in the drafting of certain
plans and programmes relating to the environment and in
making environmental information more easily accessible to
individual citizens with a view to creating a framework which,
in a long-term perspective, will not jeopardise the ability of
future generations to meet their needs; and also supports the
call for integrally sustainable fishery;

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18.5.2001

promotes the call

36.
for more sustainable agriculture
integrating rural development, environmentally-friendly pro-
duction methods, improved quality, consumer interests and
consumer health; such sustainable agriculture would play a
key role towards economic, social and territorial cohesion;

hopes that the forthcoming White Paper on future
37.
developments in the common transport policy will contribute
to the development of efficient and economically viable

transport systems which prioritise safety and environment and
reflect the special features of regions;

will adopt its annual work programme on the basis of

38.
this resolution;

39.
instructs its president to forward this resolution to the
European Commission, the European Council, the European
Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the
European Central Bank.

Brussels, 15 February 2001.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Jos CHABERT