The territory’s vocation” “

A dialogue between the institutions of Brussels and Strasbourg and the citizens of the Union, through the regional governments and municipal administrations: that’s the “vocation” of the Committee of the Regions, established in 1994 and based in the Belgian capital. It is a consultative organ composed of 317 members representing the local authorities. It celebrated its tenth anniversary last week. FROM THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES A “supplement OF SOUL” FOR THE eu. Guest of honour at the plenary session of the Committee of the Regions, held on 17-18 November, was the former President of the Commission, the Frenchman Jacques Delors, who held office when the Committee was set up in compliance with the provisions of the Treaty of Maastricht. Addressing the assembly, Delors said that “the Committee of the Regions has gradually found its rightful place in the Union’s institutional system. We can be proud of it and hope that it may continue to play its role”, which comprises “first and foremost the contribution to the legislative process” on issues of regional and territorial policy. “But its job is also – he added – to bring a supplement of soul into the EU. That is indispensable for Europe”. Delors then insisted on the centrality “of the principle of subsidiarity for the good governance of the EU. We need to combat the idea that the Union can handle everything”. Delors went on to explain the possible objectives of the “Greater Europe” to be achieved by 2020: these objectives include – he said – “creating a space of peace and reciprocal respect; and a space of solidarity, favourable also to sustainable development. An environment that may encourage cultural diversities is also needed”. On Wednesday 17 November Delors also met a group of 70 young people from the 25 member countries of the EU who were visiting Brussels, on the invitation of the Committee of the Regions, to take part in a “Youth Forum”. He urged them to pay “greater attention to the construction of Europe” and to get politically involved in their local areas. The issues debated by the young delegates during the Forum included “regional identities” and the “common continental home”, European citizenship, and social and cultural questions of particular concern to the new generations. CONVINCED AND DETERMINED “YES” TO THE CONSTITUTION. During the anniversary session, the Chairman of the Committee, the German Peter Straub, announced a document favourable to the EU Constitution, inviting “member States to proceed as soon as possible to the ratification of the treaty with a massive and decisive ‘yes'”. “It is – explained Straub – a Treaty that marks a democratic pact with citizens”, based on the principle of “unity in diversity”, which enhances the role of the regions of Europe “through the redistribution of functions within the EU”. Many local political leaders intervened during the session. They included the representative of the Land of Salzburg (Austria), Franz Schausberger, and the representative of the metropolitan city of London, Lord Tope, who both endorsed the Committee’s stance on the Constitutional Treaty, and explained that “the overall role assigned to the Committee of the Regions in the EU institutional framework is positive, since it is also able to present suits to the European Court of Justice in the event of violation of the principle of subsidiarity”. For his part Kent Johansson, Swedish representative, said he was satisfied by the “progress made by the Constitution in overcoming the democratic deficit in the EU”. The English representative Flo Clucas added that she would “actively support a campaign favourable to the ratification of the Constitution in her country”, but insisted on the need to “hold a popular referendum”. The Mayor of Athens, Dora Bakoyannis, emphasized the need to “pursue further devolution of powers in the near future”, both at the national and EU levels. TEN SECTORS OF COMPETENCE FOR THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS. The Committee of the Regions is “the political assembly that gives voice to the local and regional authorities within the European Union”. According to the treaties, “the Commission and the Council are bound to consult the Committee of the Regions whenever new proposals are advanced in sectors that interest local and regional areas of government”. There are ten sectors: economic and social cohesion, trans-European networks, public health, education, culture, employment policy, social policy, environment, professional training and transport.