Decision No 1411/2001/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 June 2001 on a Community Framework for cooperation to promote sustainable urban development

Decision No 1411/2001/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council
of 27 June 2001
on a Community Framework for cooperation to promote sustainable urban development
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 175(1) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission(1),
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee(2),
Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions(3),
Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty(4),
Whereas:
(1) The Treaty provides for the development and implementation of a Community environment policy and sets out the objectives and principles which should guide that policy.
(2) By adopting Decision No 2179/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council(5), the Community confirmed its commitment to the general approach and strategy chosen by the Commission in its Programme "Towards Sustainability"(6).
(3) Many of the Community's international commitments, in particular with regard to action to combat climate change, can be implemented only with the cooperation of local authorities.
(4) In its communication entitled "Sustainable urban development in the European Union: a framework for action" of 28 October 1998, the Commission gave an undertaking to provide "continued support for local government networking activities" and to "ensure an appropriate legal basis necessary to fund such activities on a multiannual basis".
(5) The European Parliament has adopted resolutions(7) on strengthening European Union urban environment policy.
(6) The Committee of the Regions has adopted opinions on transfrontier and transnational cooperation between local authorities(8) and on the Commission communication "Towards an urban agenda in the European Union"(9).
(7) The Fifth Environmental Action Programme recognises that all the players concerned, including the Commission and local authorities, should take concerted action, acting in partnership, to achieve the objective of sustainable development and share the relevant responsibilities.
(8) Chapter 28 of Agenda 21, which was the subject of the Protocol signed at the Earth Summit in Rio in 1992, stipulates that most local authorities in each country should undertake a consultative process with their populations and should achieve a consensus on a local Agenda 21 for the community.
(9) The objectives of sustainable urban development and the implementation of Agenda 21 and Community legislation necessitate the definition, development and exchange of good practices between local authorities and the raising of their awareness.
(10) The capacity of local authority networks should be strengthened at European level, good practices in the fields of sustainable urban development and local Agenda 21 should be developed and exchanged, and these activities should be coordinated in order to relay to the Commission information and opinions from local authorities on new and emerging prospects in areas relating to sustainable development.
(11) Since the objectives of the proposed action, namely the exchange of good practices on a European scale and the raising of the awareness of local authorities by means of European networks, cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States and can therefore be better achieved at Community level, the Community may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Decision does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve those objectives.
(12) The priority areas of activity that the Community cooperation framework could support should be defined.
(13) Effective monitoring and assessment methods need to be established and appropriate information provided for potential beneficiaries and the public.
(14) Implementation of the cooperation framework should be assessed in the light of the experience gained during the first few years of implementation, and the European Parliament and the Council informed thereof.
(15) This Decision establishes a financial framework for the entire duration of the programme which is to be the principal point of reference for the budgetary authority, within the meaning of point 33 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 6 May 1999 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure.(10)
(16) The measures necessary for the implementation of this Decision should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission(11),