The Committee of the Regions is opening its doors from 27 to 30 September. The EU advisory institution, based in Brussels, was established by the Treaty of Maastricht and “baptized” ten years ago. To mark its anniversary it is promoting a week of meetings, conferences and debates “to re-launch the centrality of regional policies as part of the process of European integration”. The Committee, chaired by the German Peter Straub, is aimed at increasing the contribution of local authorities and communities in the framework of the policies of the 25: the other European institutions consult it to obtain opinions on various matters, including territorial development, employment and economic cohesion, trans-European networks, the protection of the environment and healthcare. The programme for the “open days” includes a session open to the public on Monday 27 September (Albert Borschette Centre, rue Froissart, 3.00 pm); the assembly will discuss the future of regional policies, in the presence of the Committee’s chairman and representatives of the other EU institutions. Numerous other events are planned from Tuesday 28 to Thursday 30 September; held in the headquarters of various Regions in Brussels, they will focus attention on the problems of structural funds, development and cooperation projects between the EU and local authorities, and questions linked to phenomena of urbanization. A plenary session, concluding the “open days”, will be devoted to the same issues on 30 September, from 11.30 am to 1.30 pm (Charlemagne building, rue de la Loi).
