2002/980/EC: Decision No 4/2002 of the EU-Slovak Republic Association Council of 8 October 2002 amending, through the setting up of a Joint Consultative Committee between the Committee of the Regions and the Slovak Liaison Committee for Cooperation with the Committee of the Regions, Decision No 1/95 adopting the Rules of Procedure of the Association Council
Date: 2002-10-08
Institutions: EC–Slovakia Association Council
Subjects: Association Council (EU), EEA Joint Consultative Committee, European Committee of the Regions, Slovakia, association agreement (EU), cooperation policy, operation of the Institutions

17.12.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 341/61

II

(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

COUNCIL

DECISION No 4/2002 OF THE EU-SLOVAK REPUBLIC ASSOCIATION COUNCIL

of 8 October 2002

amending, through the setting up of a Joint Consultative Committee between the Committee of
the Regions and the Slovak Liaison Committee for Cooperation with the Committee of the
Regions, Decision No 1/95 adopting the Rules of Procedure of the Association Council

(2002/980/EC)

THE ASSOCIATION COUNCIL,

Having regard to the Europe Agreement establishing an asso-
ciation between the European Communities and their Member
States, of the one part, and the Slovak Republic, of the other
part (1), and in particular Article 109 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

Dialogue and cooperation between regional and local
authorities in the European Community and those in the
Slovak Republic can make a major contribution to the
development of their relations and to the integration of
Europe.

It seems appropriate that such cooperation should be
organised at the level of the Committee of the Regions,
of the one part, and of the Slovak Liaison Committee for
Cooperation with the Committee of the Regions, of the
other part, by setting up a Joint Consultative Committee.

This means that the Rules of Procedure of the Associa-
tion Council, adopted by Decision 1/95, need to be
amended accordingly,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The following Articles shall be added to the Rules of Procedure
of the Association Council:

‘Article 19

A Joint Consultative Committee (hereinafter referred to as
Committee) is hereby established with the task of assisting
the Association Council with a view to promoting dialogue
and cooperation between the regional and local authorities

(1) OJ L 359, 31.12.1994, p. 2.

in the European Community and those in the Slovak
Republic. Such dialogue and cooperation shall be aimed in
particular at:

1. preparing Slovak regions and local authorities

for
activity in the framework of future membership of the
European Union;

2. preparing Slovak regions and local authorities for their
the

participation in the work of
Regions after accession of the Slovak Republic;

the Committee of

3. exchanging information on current

issues of mutual
interest,
in particular on up-to-date state of play
concerning EU regional policy and accession process as
well as preparation of Slovak regions and local authori-
ties for these policies;

4. encouraging multilateral structured dialogue between (a)
Slovak regions and local authorities and (b) regions and
local authorities from EU Member States,
including
through networking in specific areas where direct
contacts and cooperation between regions and local
authorities from the Slovak Republic and EU Member
States might prove the most effective way of solving
particular problems;

5. providing regular exchange of

information on inter-
regional cooperation between regional and local autho-
rities from the Slovak Republic and Member States;

6. encouraging exchange of experience and knowledge in
the field of regional policy and structural interventions,
between (a) Slovak regions and local authorities and (b)
regions and local authorities from EU Member States, in
particular
concerning
preparation of regional and local development plans or
strategies and most efficient use of Structural Funds;

know-how and

techniques

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Official Journal of the European Communities

17.12.2002

7. assisting Slovak regional and local authorities by means
of information exchange in practical implementation of
the principle of subsidiarity in all aspects of life on
regional and local level;

8. discussing any other relevant matters proposed by any
side, as they can arise in the context of implementation
of the Europe Agreement and in the framework of the
Pre-accession Strategy.

Article 20

The Committee shall comprise eight representatives of the
Committee of the Regions, on the one hand, and eight
representatives of the Slovak Liaison Committee for Coop-
eration with the Committee of the Regions, on the other
hand. An equal number of alternate members shall be
appointed.

The Committee shall carry out its activities on the basis of
consultation by the Association Council or, as concerns the
promotion of the dialogue between the regional and local
authorities, on its own initiative.

The Committee may make recommendations to the Asso-
ciation Council.

Members shall be chosen to ensure that the Committee is
as faithful a reflection as possible of the various levels of
regional and local authorities
in both the European
Community and the Slovak Republic.

The Committee shall adopt its own Rules of Procedure.

The Committee shall meet at intervals, which it shall itself
determine in its Rules of Procedure.

The Committee shall be co-chaired by a member of the
Committee of the Regions and a member of the Slovak
Liaison Committee for Cooperation with the Committee of
the Regions.

Article 21

The Committee of the Regions, on the one hand, and the
Slovak Liaison Committee
for Cooperation with the
Committee of the Regions, on the other hand, shall each
defray the expenses they incur by reason of their participa-
tion in the meetings of the Committee with regard to staff,
travel and subsistence expenditure and to postal and tele-
communications expenditure.

Expenditure in connection with interpreting at meetings,
translation and reproduction of documents shall be borne
by the Committee of the Regions, with the exception of
expenditure in connection with interpreting or translation
into or from Slovak, which shall be borne by the Slovak
Liaison Committee for Cooperation with the Committee of
the Regions.

Other expenditure relating to the material organisation of
meetings shall be borne by the Party which hosts the meet-
ings.’

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the first day of the
second month following the date of its adoption.

Done at Brussels, 8 October 2002.

For the Association Council

The President

E. KUKAN