Resolution of the Committee of the Regions on the European Commission's work programme and the Committee of the Regions' priorities for 2006
Date: 2005-11-17
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: European Commission, European Committee of the Regions, fight against crime, governance, interinstitutional relations (EU), legislative programme (EU), multiannual financial framework, the EU's international role

16.5.2006

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 115/69

2.14 welcomes the Commission's view that participating
countries
should designate a national coordination body
including representatives of national government, social part-
ners, targeted communities and other segments of civil society,
but calls for each coordination body to include representation
from local and regional authorities;

2.15
encourages regional and local authorities to use the
logo of the European Year to publicise equal opportunities
activities that they carry out in 2007;

proposes that the CoR hold a conference early in

2.16
2007, as for other European ‘years’ to launch the year.

Brussels, 16 November 2005.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Peter STRAUB

Resolution of the Committee of the Regions on the European Commission's work programme and
the Committee of the Regions' priorities for 2006

(2006/C 115/15)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

HAVING REGARD TO the Commission's work programme for 2006, Unlocking Europe's full potential
(COM(2005) 531 final);

HAVING REGARD TO the Strategic Objectives 2005-2009 (COM(2005) 12 final);

HAVING REGARD TO the 2004-2006 multi-annual strategic programme of the six presidencies;

HAVING REGARD TO the Communication from the Commission, The Commission's contribution to the
period of reflection and beyond: Plan-D for Democracy, Dialogue and Debate (COM(2005) 494 final);

HAVING REGARD TO the protocol on the arrangements for cooperation between the European Commis-
sion and the Committee of the Regions (DI CdR 81/2001 rev. 2);

HAVING REGARD TO the resolution of the Committee of the Regions on revitalising the Lisbon Strategy
(CdR 518/2004);

HAVING REGARD TO the resolution of the Committee of the Regions on the way forward for the finan-
cial perspectives 2007-2013 (CdR 203/2005);

WHEREAS regional and local governments are the authorities responsible for implementing an important
part of EU policies;

WHEREAS regional and local governments help to define the EU's priorities, which greatly enhances the
democratic legitimacy of EU policies;

WHEREAS the Committee of the Regions will set its four-yearly priorities in February 2006, at the begin-
ning of its fourth term of office (2006-2010);

adopted the following resolution at its 62nd plenary session of 16 and 17 November 2005
(meeting of 17 November):

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The Committee of the Regions

FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVES

Considers that the adoption, under the British presidency, of
ambitious financial perspectives is essential
if the European
its mandate and secure stronger public
Union is to fulfil
support
for
ensuring the European added value of the common cohesion
and agricultural policies, and for laying the groundwork for
genuinely Community-wide research and innovation policies.

for setting out afresh on the path of reform,

PERIOD OF REFLECTION

Reaffirms its commitment to the Constitutional Treaty and its
advances which guarantee better European governance through
its considerable improvement in the functioning, simplicity and
transparency of the EU compared to the existing treaties.

Recommends that the European Commission give considera-
tion to its proposed roadmap for a decentralised debate during
the period of reflection, recognising the need to act at a level as
close as possible to ordinary citizens, and conducted in Euro-
pean local municipalities and regions, focusing on the purpose
and added value of the European Union, its fundamental values
and policies.

Calls upon the European Commission to adopt an ambitious,
proactive and, above all, decentralised approach in its imple-
mentation of both Plan-D and its future information and
communication policy, in order to arouse public support for
the European venture.

Is prepared in this regard to assume its responsibilities
towards regional and local public authorities and the regional
and local press, who represent a crucial link to citizens; and
therefore requests an increase in the financial resources allo-
cated to it in order to make an effective contribution to the
period of reflection.

EUROPEAN GOVERNANCE

Welcomes the European Commission's view that the European
Union will only achieve its objectives if its institutions and
national, regional and local authorities, as well as citizens,
together contribute to this end; hopes that this partnership in
the process of drafting and implementing Community policies
will lead, in particular, to:

— a consideration of the contribution that target-based tripar-
tite contracts and agreements could make to the arrange-
ments to revitalise the Lisbon Strategy;

— systematic consultation of local and regional authorities in
the early stages of drafting European legislation, regardless
of developments in the ratification process;

— increasingly systematic use of the new impact assessment
method for the European Commission's major initiatives,
and its involvement in the impact assessment method;

— the introduction of a regional dimension to the national

action plans to simplify legislation;

— a special focus on the transposition of Community legisla-
tion and its effects on the legislation of local and regional
authorities.

Welcomes the intensification of the processes of consultation
and assessment of the impact of legislation, proposed by the
Commission in connection with the objective of better govern-
ance. Against the background of the possible impact of the
common commercial policy on the regions and municipalities,
the Commission is urged to consult the CoR on common
commercial policy initiatives, particularly when drawing up
recommendations for negotiating mandates for international
trade agreements.

Urges the European Commission, in consequence, to promote
a more proactive role for the Committee before action is taken
at Community level by means of outlook opinions on future
Community policies focusing on their impact on local and
regional authorities, as well as through impact reports on
certain directives from a local and regional perspective.

Emphasises, in connection with the work to codify and recast
the Commission's legislative proposals, that ‘better lawmaking’
does not necessarily mean ‘less lawmaking’. Any withdrawal of
legislation by the Commission must be accompanied by an
assessment of
the legislative
the European added value of
proposal.

PROSPERITY

Reaffirms its conviction that equal attention should be paid to
the three pillars of the Lisbon Strategy: the economic, social
and environmental pillars.

Invites the European Commission to consider the important
role of
local and regional authorities in achieving higher
growth and employment in the EU in the context of the revi-
sion and implementation process of the Integrated Guidelines
for Growth and Jobs.

Believes that cohesion and competitiveness are two mutually
reinforcing objectives, which must go together: exploiting
underused territorial potential and capital can improve the
competitiveness of an area and contribute positively to the
territorial balance and cohesion. Furthermore
objectives of
supports the idea that competitiveness depends on a func-
tioning single market, and insists that in particular attention is
needed in cross-border regions.

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Considers that the Lisbon Strategy's governance structures in
the Member States should be adapted to allow for a more
direct and closer formal integration of Structural Fund support
and the Lisbon Strategy.

procedures and the consistency of actions with European guide-
lines.

Fully agrees with the Commission estimation that globalisation
is a reality that must be embraced to restore dynamic growth
and quality jobs in Europe in particular by putting the
emphasis on anticipating and accompanying globalisation-
related restructuring.

Urges the European Commission to continue bringing down
barriers to citizen mobility and to encourage citizens to take
up opportunities throughout the Union, as an essential process
for a dynamic economy.

Recognises that education and training are key instruments in
achieving the Lisbon objectives and in ensuring that all
Europeans are included in the knowledge-based society. In this
respect it welcomes the fact that the Commission will focus
on the recognition of qualifications, as well as encourage mobi-
lity and investment in an entrepreneurial culture.

Attaches much importance to the promotion of a regionally
and socially equitable information society ensuring that citizens
are equipped with the skills they need to live and work in this
new digital age. The CoR has and will continue to make valu-
able contribution towards
local and
regional e-services and e-Government underlining that local
and regional actions would be the most effective method of
achieving results.

the development of

Shares the Commission's view of the need to build the Trans-
European Network on the Growth Initiative by ensuring that
significant extra resources are matched by new measures to
make the networks more operational and more coordinated.

Considers that the Trans-European Networks in the transport,
telecommunications and energy sectors are essential in order to
reach the full potential of the European economy, connect the
enlarged Europe and improve territorial cohesion.

SOLIDARITY

Upholds the determination to concentrate efforts in intro-
ducing appropriate programming for the new generation of
Structural Funds, but recalls, in this connection, the administra-
tive and financial consequences for local and regional authori-
ties of delays arising from the continuing absence of agreement
on the financial perspectives.

Will closely monitor the implementation of the European
territorial cooperation objective, particularly with regard to the
definition of eligible areas, the simplification of administrative

Strongly recommends that future programmes financed by the
Structural Funds cover such issues as urban renewal, social
deprivation, specific housing initiatives, economic restructuring
and public transport, all of which tend to be concentrated in
metropolitan regions, though recognises the importance of all
of Europe's regions and the importance of ensuring an urban-
rural balance in future programmes.

Calls on Member States and their regional and local authorities
to direct ESF support towards areas affected by urban violence.
Urges the Commission to ensure the continuation of
the
URBAN initiative and its objectives through future structural
funding.

Strongly supports the added value of the new legal instrument
represented by the European Grouping of Territorial Coopera-
tion to foster cooperation initiatives between local and regional
authorities, and recalls the importance of not over-burdening
the monitoring procedures during the EGTC set-up phase. The
Committee has brought
local and
regional cooperation actors to monitor the process of adopting
the regulation and launching the first EGTCs.

together a platform of

Reaffirms the need to safeguard a form of agriculture which is
multifunctional in all the regions of Europe, since the country-
side covers 90 % of Community territory, and welcomes the
continuing reform of the CAP in those sectors which have not
yet been reformed; recalls, in this regard, that the opportunity
presented by the review of Community measures should there-
fore be used to seek new provisions to compensate for natural
disadvantages facing farms in particular, but also measures to
encourage the management of large areas and, more generally,
their economic development.

Finds indispensable to pursue work in the area of services of
general interest, which are of strategic relevance for regional
and local authorities. In particular, emphasises the need for a
horizontal, cross-sectoral Community reference framework in
order to define the scope of services of general interest that are
to be exempt from the rules of competition. In this context, in
2006, it will consider with particular interest the communica-
tion on the social sector of the services of general interest.

Recalls the political, economic and social challenge which
demographic change poses for Europe's local and regional
authorities. This change should serve as a spur to action in all
areas of public life, since such change must be anticipated if
the sustainability of our societies is to be ensured; therefore
calls upon the Commission to take practical action in the
course of 2006 in response to the Green Paper on demo-
graphic change.

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Welcomes the Commission's initiatives to develop a new
health and safety at work strategy, which will allow the Euro-
pean Union to define a more coherent framework in this field.
Stresses the need to ensure the effective involvement of
regional and local authorities, in particular in the establishment
of health indicators and future benchmarking.

Underlines the importance of equal opportunities, a field in
which local and regional authorities have a key role to play in
particular given their role as major employers, as well as their
responsibility as providers of goods and services. In this respect
it looks forward to the European Commission Communication
on gender equality strategy.

Welcomes the proposal to hold a year of intercultural dialogue
2008 and reiterates that for the CoR, respect of cultural and
linguistic diversity is one of the basic principles underlying the
process of European integration which is not about levelling
fostering
out differences or creating uniform identities but
greater cooperation and understanding among the peoples of
Europe.

Agrees with the European Commission's point of view in iden-
tifying the battle against climate change as one of the greatest
future challenges, which should be tackled through a portfolio
approach, through cooperation between all spheres of govern-
ment, in partnership with the private sector, healthcare, com-
munity and education groups, and with energy efficiency orga-
nisations.

Calls upon the European Commission to include more
measures targeting energy supply and distribution industries in
the Action Plan, and proposes encouraging economic incen-
tives
for energy efficiency measures — especially those
fostering the use of renewable energies — and allowing state
aids for measures to introduce environmental innovations and
productivity improvements with a view to increased energy
efficiency, thus instigating innovation, making Europe more
competitive and ensuring a sustainable and secure provision of
energy.

Highlights the need to create a dynamic maritime sector based
on sustainable development, at the same time demanding that
the contribution made by local and regional authorities to
managing maritime resource be fully recognised and built into
the new EU policy.

SECURITY

the local and regional dimension can play a more effective role
in the Community's approach.

Backs the European Commission's commitment to combating
organised crime and terrorism, and reiterates its proposal to
set up a European Observatory for urban safety bringing
together representatives of the local and regional authorities of
the Member States capable of providing the CoR and all other
relevant European institutional bodies with all information on
the planning of policies, the promotion and coordination of
research, and the collection, organisation and processing of
security data, particularly through the dissemination of exam-
ples and best practice and the building of regional and local
partnerships.

Renews its recommendation to use the Structural Funds to
sustain and develop instruments implementing the Area of
Freedom, Security and Justice and invites the European
Commission to put
into practice, under the new financial
perspectives, the spirit of the Third Cohesion Report.

the safety of

Agrees that
transport systems is a primary
concern of transport operators and of key stakeholders such as
public authorities and passengers and the recent
terrorist
outrages in London and Madrid provide a stark reminder of the
need for an increased focus on the security of
transport
systems across the EU.

Urges the Commission to plan and develop cross-border
operations that
involve the active participation of border
regions and to improve coordination between the new Soli-
darity Fund and the Structural Funds, and suggests an increase
in the
Protection
Mechanism by setting up regional civil protection centres in
every area at risk, to be responsible for data collection and
monitoring and the establishment of an early warning system.

the European Civil

coordination of

EUROPE, A GLOBAL PARTNER

Intends to press ahead with its commitment to ensuring
intercultural political dialogue between the representatives of
local and regional governments of the Member States and the
accession and pre-accession states; to this end, considers it
appropriate to set up a joint consultative committee with
Turkey, and renews its request to the European Commission
to propose an operational solution as soon as possible in order
to offset the lack of a legal basis for setting up a joint consulta-
tive committee under the Stabilisation and Association Agree-
ment with Croatia and the countries of the western Balkans.

Supports the implementation of the Hague Programme's ten
priorities for the next five years, which are evidence of the will
and determination to promote an area of freedom, security and
justice, and urges the European Commission to draw up a
specific action plan for local and regional authorities, so that

Encourages the European Commission, in close cooperation
with local and regional authorities and civil society, to promote
and support information campaigns on the EU enlargement
process at a local and regional level, in both the Member States
and candidate and potential candidate countries.

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Advocates boosting the neighbourhood policy through new
action plans; calls upon the European Commission to take
account of the contribution of cross-border and interregional
cooperation in these plans and asks to be involved in their
drafting, implementation and evaluation.

Restates its commitment to strengthening the Euro-Mediterra-
nean partnership, together with its call for steps to be taken to
increase the involvement of local and regional authorities, and
calls for the creation of a new forum in the Euro-Mediterra-
firstly, of
nean institutional
framework, with the
and
promoting territorial
secondly,
developing
programmes that include schemes to be undertaken throughout
the Mediterranean region.

and decentralised cooperation,

the partnership,

encouraging

task,

and

Brussels, 17 November 2005.

Regrets that the contribution of European local and regional
authorities to European development policy presently remains
largely unknown, and consequently recommends a reassess-
ment of the role of decentralised cooperation, by recognising
that
local and regional authorities possess, alongside other
actors, specific know-how and experience which they can
contribute to the global approach to the fight against global
poverty and efforts to achieve the UN Millennium Goals.

Instructs its President to submit this resolution to the Euro-
pean Commission, the European Parliament, the Council, and
the Austrian and Finnish presidencies.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Peter STRAUB

Resolution on the way forward for the financial perspectives 2007-2013

(2006/C 115/16)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

HAVING REGARD TO its opinion on the financial perspective: Communication on Building Our Common
Future: Policy Challenges and Budgetary Means of the Enlarged Union 2007-2013 (CdR 162/2004 fin);

HAVING REGARD TO the European Parliament resolution on Policy Challenges and Budgetary Means of
the enlarged Union 2007-2013 (A6-0153/2005);

1)

2)

3)

WHEREAS the European Council failed to reach an agreement on the budget for the forthcoming
EU programming period of 2007-2013 at its meeting on 16 and 17 June;

WHEREAS the United Kingdom presidency was called upon to take forward discussions, drawing on
the progress made, with a view to resolving all the issues necessary for achieving an agreement as
soon as possible;

WHEREAS there is a need for financial perspectives to be adopted in 2005 allowing effective poli-
cies for solidarity, territorial cohesion and more growth and jobs in Europe from 2007 onwards;

adopted the following resolution at its 62nd plenary session of 16 and 17 November 2005
(meeting of 17 November):

The Committee of the Regions

declaration adopted jointly with the European Parliament on
6 April 2005 and the Wroclaw Declaration on 20 May 2005;

1.
reiterates its support for the original balanced proposals
of the European Commission (CdR 162/2004 fin), calculated
on the basis of realistic needs and adopted after extensive
consultations with local and regional authorities over four-
years, which it set out in its opinion and reaffirmed in the

2.
acknowledges the proposals made by the Luxembourg
Presidency and agrees in particular with the European Parlia-
ment that the financial perspectives should be established in a
way to ensure that sufficient resources are available to comple-
ment competitiveness and growth objectives and ensure the