EPP Study Visit 2012

5th EPP/CoR Study Tripfor Masters Students of European

Studies, Political Science and

International Relations

Foreword ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................1

Welcome.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................2

Programme ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................3

The Committee of the Regions to the EU ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................4

EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................6

European People’s Party – the wider family .....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................8

The Cyprus Presidency of the EU ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................9

The Irish Presidency of the EU ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................10

EPP member parties in the European Union ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................11

The life of a CoR opinion ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................12

CoR Commissions ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................13

Rapporteurs ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................15

Plenary Sessions ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................16

Subsidiarity and proportionality principles ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................17

The European Year for Citizenship – EY2013 .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................18

The Citizens Initiative ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................20

e-Government and e-Citizenship .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................22

CoR Terminology..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................25

Guide to further information ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................28

Working for the EU .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................29

Notes ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................31

Content

for Masters Students of European Studies, Political Science and International Relations 1

Foreword

On behalf of the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions, I am delighted to be able to welcome you to

this, the 5th edition of the Study Visit for Masters Students. Over the years, we have learnt that this is not only an

occasion for you to visit Brussels and get a fi rst-hand experience of EU decision-making, but it is also another

opportunity for us, representatives of local and regional authorities, to listen to our constituents and the voice

of our next generation.

Next year will be the European Year of Citizenship. This is an ideal situation for us all to take stock and think

about our role in society. As politicians, we will also use this as a time to further refl ect on the work that we are

doing both at home in our regions and cities and here when we travel to Brussels.

As President of the EPP Group, I welcome the launching of a political debate about the future of the European

project and the paths towards a more federal and political union that acts according to the competences

received from its member states. I trust that the CoR can coordinate – as early as possible - the involvement of

citizens from regions and cities in this debate, in which the role of EU political parties is crucial. The EPP family

has already had the chance to contribute to the fi rst discussions on this issue at the 2012 EPP Congress which

was held in Bucharest on 17-18 of October.

But this is not where it ends. As I am sure you know, 2014 is an election year for the European Union and I

imagine that some of you will be eligible to vote for the fi rst time. We wish to have more European issues

debated, and to increase awareness of voters for the relevance of their participation in these elections. This right

to vote in European elections, which derives from EU citizenship must be used and strengthened. Hopefully,

your time here with the EU institutions will enable you to gather some information, contacts and reference

points to ensure that you feel empowered to vote for Europe.

Michael Schneider

EPP/CoR President

5th EPP/CoR Study Trip2

Welcome

As President of the Committee of the Regions, it is a pleasure to welcome you to the 5th edition of the Study Visit

for Masters Students. This is an excellent opportunity to go into the European Union’s work, and particularly,

into the role of the Regional and Local Authorities in the building of “a Europe for All”.

2013 will be the European Year of the Citizenship, which represents a chance for all of us to be confi rmed as

decisive actors of our society. The promotion of the European citizenship is fundamental in order to advance

in the strengthening of the integration’s process and in the economic development based on the growth and

the employment.

All this process will culminate in the 2014 election of the European Parliament which will confi rm the

democratic character and the values as the roots of the Union. Today, Europe’s future depends, more than ever,

on its citizens and on their faith in the European project; a project which promotes the multilevel governance

based on an open dialogue with citizens, and especially young people. This is essential if we want a profi table

future for all.

I hope that this event will give you a wider vision of the European mechanism and its potential, and I wish you

fruitful debates.

Ramon Luis Valcárcel Siso

President of the CoR


Programme

Wednesday

28th November

2012

15:15 – 16:00 Students arrive – Welcome desk at CoR reception with information packs

16:30 - 17:30 “Regions and cities ready for the European Year 2013”

CoR Forum

17:30 – 18:30 Introduction to the European Year of Citizenship, the Committee of the Regions and the EPP Group

Michael Schneider, President of the EPP Group in the CoR

Carsten Lietz, Member of the Private Cabinet of Viviane Reding

JDE70

19:00 – 20:30 Seated dinner with EPP secretariatSalon VIP,

5th fl oor

Thursday

29th November

2012

08:30 Pick up from hotel

09:20 – 10:20 Parallel sessions

a) The Citizens’ Initiative

Luc Van den Brande, Chairman of the Flemish-European Liaison Agency and member of the CoR

Mário Paulo Tenreiro, Head of Unit for Relations with the European Parliament, the Committees and

General Institutional Issues, European Commission

JDE 60

b) E-Government and citizenship

Ursula Männle, Member of the Bavarian State Assembly and CoR

Peteris Zilgalvis, Head of Unit, Sustainable and Secure Society, European Commission

JDE 61

10:30 – 12:45 EPP Group meeting JDE62

12:45 – 14:00 Buff et lunch (with CoR members)Atrium,

5th fl oor

14:30 – 15:30 Youth employment - what possibilities?

Anton Rombouts, Chair of the CoR’s EDUC Commission

Finn Denstad, DG Education & Culture, European Commission

Koen Hendrix, European Personnel Selection Offi ce (EPSO)

JDE52

15:30 – 16:30 José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, to address Committee of the Regions

Plenary Session (tbc)

16:30 – 16:45 Photo opportunity with President Barroso (tbc)

16:45 – 18:00 CoR Plenary Session, chaired by Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso, President of the Committee of the Regions

Opinions on the Agenda:

• Common Strategic Framework,

Rapporteur-general: Marek Woźniak (Marshal of the Wielkopolska region, Poland/EPP)

• A European Consumer Agenda - Boosting confi dence and growth,

Rapporteur: Spyros Spyridon (Councillor of the Region of Attica, Greece/EPP)

European

Parliament

JAN

Free evening to visit the Christmas Market, Place St Catherine

Friday

30th November

2012

08:30 Pick up from hotel

09:30 – 12:00 Parliamentarium Role Play Game

12:30 – 13:00 Closing session: Looking ahead to the Irish Presidency

Constance Hanniff y, Vice-President of the EPP Group in the CoRJDE 51

13:00 – 14:30 Presentation of certifi cates by Michael Schneider, President of the EPP Group in the CoR, and farewell

lunch

Atrium,

5th fl oor


Committee of the Regions in brief

The Committee of the Regions is the youngest body among the European Institutions and was set up in 1994. The

decision for such an advisory body was published in the Maastricht Treaty. It is a political assembly which brings

representatives of local and regional authorities together so they can voice their opinions on European Union policies.

It is particularly important that regions and cities are involved in this process because approximately three quarters of

European legislation is implemented at the local or regional level. The CoR therefore ensures that the European Union

takes regional diversity and the impact that new legislation would have on cities and regions into account. Moreover, the

members of the CoR have an important role to play in communicating the work of the European Union because they are

the elected representatives at the closest level to citizens.

Presidency

The CoR is steered by its Bureau which is responsible for creating and running the policy programme as well as preparing,

organising and co-ordinating the opinions.

Members

The Committee of the Regions is made up of 344 members and an equal number of alternate members; made up of

Presidents of regional governments, Presidents and members of regional councils, Mayors and members of municipal

councils from all 27 member states of the EU and 9 observers from Croatia.

Political Groups

In addition to forming national delegations with other members from their home country, the members of the Committee

of the Regions sit in political groups, of which there are four:

the European People’s Party (EPP)

the Party of the European Socialists (PES)

the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE)

the European Alliance (EA).

The Committee of the Regions to the EU

Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for EuropeAlliance of Liberals and Democrats for EuropeAlliance des Démocrates et des Libéraux pour l'EuropeAlliance des Démocrates et des Libéraux pour l'Europe

© B

urea

ux d

’arch

itecture A

telier Pau

l No

el sprl - A

rt & B

uild

s.a.


Competencies

The Treaties of the European Union oblige the European Commission and the Council of Ministers to consult the CoR

whenever new proposals are made in areas which have an impact at the local and regional level.

These include:

✓ employment

✓ social policy

✓ education, culture, youth and sport

✓ research and technology

✓ information society

✓ vocational training

✓ economic, social and territorial cohesion

✓ trans-European networks

✓ public health

✓ environment

✓ energy

✓ transport

✓ cross-border cooperation

The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union can also consult the CoR on a formal basis if it believes

that the regional element is important. In addition to these formal requests, the CoR can issue opinions from its own-

initiative, as well as resolutions on EU urgent matters, in fi elds such as growth and jobs, the environment, agriculture,

urban policy and spatial planning.


Michael Schneider, EPP/CoR President

The political groups play a crucial role in defi ning the CoR’s political priorities, putting forward resolutions and organising

debates during plenary sessions. Furthermore, they play a key role in electing the Committee of the Regions’ President, 1st

Vice-President and the commission chairmen.

Leading force

The EPP Group in the CoR was established in March 1994. After enlargement, it remains the largest of the four political groups

in the CoR and has representatives from 26 member states. This makes it the driving force for strengthening and increasing

the role and infl uence of the Committee of the Regions in the EU decision-making process. The EPP Group includes

approximately 130 full members and alternates from centre-right political parties from most of the EU Member States.

Guiding principles

The EPP Group in the CoR has adopted the “think globally - act locally” motto to express its wish for global policy measures

to recognise regional diversity. The implementation of the principle of subsidiarity is at the top of the political priorities

of the EPP Group in the CoR, which insists on a bottom-up approach for building Europe. The EPP Group aims to enable

local and regional authorities to become more closely involved in framing European policies because of their proximity

to EU citizens.

Presidency

In July 2012, at the beginning of the new two-and-a-half year CoR mandate, Michael SCHNEIDER, State Secretary for

Federal and European Aff airs, Plenipotentiary of Saxony-Anhalt to the German Federal Government (DE) was elected

Group President.

Michel LEBRUN, Member of the Walloon Parliament in Belgium, was elected the 1st EPP Vice-President.

The other Vice-Presidents were named as:

Arnoldas ABRAMAVICIUS, Mayor of Zarasai District Municipality and member of the Municipal Council (Lithuania)

Constance HANNIFFY, Member of Off aly County Council and President of the monitoring committee of the Border,

Midland and West Regional Assembly (Ireland)

Anders KNAPE, President of the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions and Councillor of Karlstad

Municipality (Sweden)

Eleni LOUCAIDES, Town Councillor of Lefkosia (Cyprus)

Roberto PELLA, Councillor of the Valdengo Commune (Italy)

Franz SCHAUSBERGER, Representative of the Salzburg Region to the Committee of the Regions (Austria)

Marek WOZNIAK, Marshal of the Wielkopolska Region (Poland)

Michael Schneider, EPP/CoR President ,

EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions


Organisation of workIn addition to its regular meetings on the fringes of the CoR Bureau, plenary sessions and commission meetings, the EPP

Group organises extraordinary meetings, seminars and high-profi le informal meetings with members of the European

Commission and the European Parliament. The last extraordinary Group seminar took place in Sofi a on 9 November and

was dedicated to urbanisation and the challenges faced by large cities.

Political Group MeetingsPrior to each Plenary Session, the political Groups meet with their members to discuss the opinions on the agenda and

to decide if there are politically sensitive areas which need to be discussed and decided on as a Group. By working as a

team, the political Groups are able to fi nd consensus on the opinions and ensure that it is also in agreement with their

political sensitivities.

Communication and information activitiesThe EPP/CoR Group wants to contribute actively to the communication and information strategy and to the Plan D for

Democracy, Dialogue and Debate of the EU. It therefore holds an annual Summer University for local and regional media

and organises events to encourage young people to take an interest in the European project. For the past three years, we

have organised competitions for young people where the prize was a fact-fi nding trip to Brussels and this year is our fi fth

annual study visit for students of European Studies, Political Science and International Relations.

2012 Summer University for local and regional mediaThe EPP/CoR Summer University for local and regional journalists has taken place in Brussels since 2006 and is an

opportunity for local and regional journalists to participate in debates on contemporary European topics with high-level

representatives from the European Institutions. The Summer University aims to underline the need for a decentralised

two-way approach to the EU’s communication policy in order to improve understanding of the European project.

Dedicated to local television journalists, this year’s edition was concluded by the adoption of a list of recommendations

for better communication:

Local and regional television is one of the most popular and most trusted mediums for receiving information and represents

about 40% of the total channels available in the EU. Moreover, local and regional media are able to communicate directly with

citizens throughout Europe’s diverse cities and regions in a language that is appropriate to them.

Through close cooperation with the European Union, these local and regional journalists can garner facts about EU policy and

turn them into stories that make it possible to connect the European political dimension with the day-to-day reality of people.

2012 Study Visit for Masters StudentsIn its 5th year, the EPP Study Visit for MA Students is once again opening its doors to welcome 30 students with an

interest in European Studies, International Relations and Political Science. Following the three-day visit and meetings

with members of the Committee of the Regions, European Parliament, European Commission and EPSO, participants are

required to submit a 500 word paper entitled “A vision of EU citizenship in 2020: What role for regions and cities”. This will

enable the EPP Group to further debate the European Year of Citizenship 2013 and to take account the views of the next

generation.


The EPP/CoR Group is a member of a wider EPP family. Today, the EPP has 74 member-parties from 40 diff erent countries

– proof of its international profi le. The current EPP President, Wilfried MARTENS, was re-confi rmed in this post on 18

October 2012 at the EPP Congress in Bucharest.

The EPP is committed to a federal Europe, based in the principle of subsidiarity – a democratic, transparent and effi cient

Europe. The EPP vision is one of mutual respect, of inclusion of all free citizens, encompassing all European countries and

regions, no matter how diverse. The EPP/CoR Group is a member of a wider EPP family.

It also recognises the importance of local and regional authorities in its Platform Document. The chapter entitled “The

Importance of the Regions” reads:

The EPP supports the contribution of the Committee of the Regions as a political assembly and as an institutional body of the European

Union that defends the interests of regions and cities. The Treaty of Lisbon has reinforced the role of the regions and the local authorities

in the European Union and strengthened the institutional role of the Committee of the Regions throughout the legislative process. The

EPP favours and fosters a strong position of the regions as a key component of the European Union to respond to the vital need for

reducing the democratic defi cit of the EU. They play important economic, cultural and social roles, sometimes transcending the borders

of the respective Member States. We see the promotion of the regions and the local authorities and their cooperation in many aspects

as an added value in the process of European integration.

European ParliamentIn the European Parliament, the Group of the European People’s Party (EPP) is led by its Chairman, Joseph DAUL. It is the

strongest political party with a large majority of members and therefore the EPP Group has been on the winning side in

more votes than any other group in its monthly plenary sessions.

European CommissionThe EPP has always been engaged in the work of the European Commission, the main European institution that drafts European

Union legislation and initiates policy proposals. Under the current Commission (2010-2015), José Manuel BARROSO– a leading

fi gure of the EPP family –holds the Presidency. In addition, 12 of the current Commissioners originate from the EPP family:

European CouncilUnder the Treaty of Lisbon, the President of the European Council is a stable and full-time function. At their informal meeting

in Brussels on 19 November 2009, EU Heads of State or Government elected Herman VAN ROMPUY as the fi rst permanent

President of the European Council.

The ministers of the Member States meet within the Council of the European Union. Depending on the issue on the agenda,

each country will be represented by the minister responsible for that subject (foreign aff airs, fi nance, social aff airs, transport,

agriculture, etc.). This means for countries with a federal structure such as Belgium, Germany or Spain that its regional ministers

can also attend and chair Council meetings. Furthermore, the EPP ministers meet regularly to align their positions.

Moreover, within the context of European Summits, EPP summits are organised. Gathering together EPP heads of state, party

leaders in coalition governments and in opposition, the EPP Presidency and EPP Presidents of the European Commission and

Parliament, these important preparatory sessions off er EPP leaders an informal and confi dential setting to air diff erences and

seek consensus within the EPP family.

European People’s Party – the wider family


During its Presidency, Cyprus will work Τowards a Better Europe, more relevant to its citizens and to the world;

meaning a more eff ective Europe, contributing to growth and job creation. A European Union working on the basis of

the underlying principle of solidarity, committing itself to a better future, promoting social cohesion and providing hope

to its citizens; a European Union, with an enhanced role in the international scene. All eff orts will be directed to bequeath

a better Europe to the younger generations.

The priorities of the Cyprus Presidency are:

Europe, more effi cient and sustainable

Europe, with a better performing and growth economy

Europe, more relevant to its citizens, with solidarity and social cohesion

Europe in the world, closer to its neighbours

Regional Policy

The successful management of the dossier of Cohesion Policy is a task of high priority for the Cyprus Presidency, aiming to

promote the timely conclusion of the negotiations of the relevant regulations. Cohesion Policy is an important instrument

aiming to stimulate development across the Union and reduce economic, social and territorial disparities between

European regions. It is also an important tool for delivering the Europe 2020 Strategy, through the support of job creation,

competitiveness, economic growth, improved quality of life and sustainable development.

In the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2007-2013, a total of EUR 347.4 billion has been allocated for the

implementation of the EU Cohesion Policy, an amount corresponding to the 35,6% of the total EU budget thereby

demonstrating the importance of this investment policy at the Union’s level.

Education and Youth Policies

The policy area of education is an important factor for economic growth and social cohesion in the EU, as well as for the

well-being of citizens. The objective of the Presidency will be to emphasize the social dimension of this fi eld, through the

modernization of education and training systems with the provision of more qualitative and equitable education. In this

context an Informal Meeting of Education Ministers took place on 4 and 5 of October 2012.

The Cyprus Presidency of the EU


Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union begins on January 1st 2013 and runs for the fi rst half of the year.

Issues likely to fi gure on the Irish presidency agenda are the multi-annual fi nancial framework, the reform of the Common

Agricultural Policy and the Common Fisheries Policy, the economic and fi nancial situation, employment creation and

the promotion of European competitiveness. Ireland will co-operate in the context of an 18-month presidency trio with

Lithuania, which will follow Ireland and then Greece in 2014.

Presidency main priority: jobs and growth

The Presidency’s main overarching focus across all policy formations will be identifying and advancing legislation that

can contribute to creating the conditions for sustainable economic growth in Europe and job creation. Ireland will seek to

make progress on draft legislation outstanding under the current Single Market Act such as the Professional Qualifi cations

Directive. Ireland wants to ensure that business and consumers reap the benefi ts of an evolving Single Market and

eCommerce. During the Presidency, they will seek to spur growth in the digital economy and the Digital Single Market

by working to advance agreement on issues including Intellectual Property Rights, Cyber security, e-Identifi cation, Data

Protection, and high-speed broadband rollout. The issue of skills is central to fi ghting unemployment and will be a focus

at the February Education Council. Following the publication of the Youth Transitions package, the Presidency will focus

on youth employment and mobility at the February Council with a view to agreeing a Council Recommendation on a

Youth Guarantee.

The Presidency website will be launched in December 2012 www.eu2013.ie will provide the latest news, information,

features and videos through out Ireland’s Presidency and will keep visitors up to date on the key priorities, policy areas

and meetings.

Forthcoming Presidencies

July-December 2013 Lithuania www.eu2013.lt

January–June 2014 Greece www.eu2014.el

The Irish Presidency of the EU


Austria

Österreichische Volkspartei

(ÖVP)

Belgium

Christen-Democratisch &

Vlaams (CD&V)

centre démocrate Humaniste

(cdH)

Christlich Soziale Partei (CSP)

Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie

(N-VA)

Bulgaria

Democratic Party (DP)

Agrarian People’s Union

(BZNS-NS)

Bulgarian Agrarian National

Union (BANU-PU)

Citizens for European

Development of Bulgaria

(GERB)

Democrats for Strong

Bulgaria (DSB)

Union of Democratic Forces

(UDF)

Christlichdemokratische

Volkspartei (CVP)

Cyprus

Democratic Rally of Cyprus

(DISY)

Czech Republic

Křesťanská a demokratická

unie - Československá strana

lidová (KDU-CSL)

Občanská demokratická

strana (ODS)

Evropští demokraté (ED)

Sdružení nezávislých (SNK)

Denmark

Det Konservative Folkeparti

(DKF)

Kristendemokraterne (KD)

Estonia

Isamaaliit, Pro Patria Union

(PPU)

Res Publica (RP)

Finland

Kansallinen Kokoomus (KOK)

France

Union pour un Mouvement

Populaire (UMP)

Germany

Christlich-Soziale Union (CSU)

Christlich Demokratische

Union (CDU)

Greece

Nea Demokratia (ND)

Hungary

Magyar Polgári Szövetseg

(FIDESZ)

Magyar Demokrata Fórum

(MDF)

Ireland

Fine Gael (FG)

Italy

Forza Italia (FI)

Unione dei Democratici

Cristiani (UDC)

Unione Democratici per

l’Europa – Alleanza Popolare

(UDEUR)

Südtiroler Volkspartei (SVP)

Partito pensionati (PP)

Latvia

Tautas Partija (TP)

Jaunais Laiks (JL)

Lithuania

Lietuvos Krikscionys

demokratai (LKD)

Tevynes sajunga / Lietuvos

konservatoriai (TS-LK)

Luxembourg

Chrëschtlech Sozial

Vollekspartei (CSV)

Malta

Partit Nazzjonalista (PN)

Poland

Platforma Obywatelska (PO)

Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe

(PSL)

Portugal

Partido Social Democrata

(PSD)

Partido Popular (CDS-PP)

Romania

Partidul Democrat Liberal

(PD-L)

Romániai Magyar Demokrata

Szövetség (RMDSZ)

Partidul National Taranesc

Crestin Democrat (PNTCD)

Slovakia

Krestanskodemokraticke

Hnutie Slovenska (KDH)

Strana Madarskej koalície

(MKP)

Slovenská demokratická a

krest’anská únia (SDKÚ)

Slovenia

Nova Slovenija - Krscanska

ljudska stranka (NSi)

Slovenska ljudska stranka

(SLS)

Slovenska demokratska

stranka (SDS)

Spain

Partido Popular - (PP)

Unio Democràtica de

Catalunya (UDC)

Sweden

Moderaterna (M)

Kristdemokraterna (KD)

The Netherlands

Christen Democratisch Appèl

(CDA)

EPP member parties in the European Union


Following a request from the European Commission, the Council of Ministers, the European Parliament or on its own

initiative, the CoR appoints a rapporteur to draft an opinion stating the views of Europe’s local and regional authorities on

behalf of its members. Once this has been adopted by all members at the Plenary Session, the opinion can be sent as a

response and can play a role in policy-making.

Types of opinions

Generally speaking, there are four main types of opinion, which come from the Committee of the Regions:

1. Mandatory opinions

These are written on legislative proposals from the European Council or the European Commission and cover an area

where the Treaty obliges that the CoR is consulted.

(Refer to competencies section above)

2. Optional opinions

The European Council, European Parliament and/or the European Commission can ask the Committee of the Regions

to produce an opinion on proposals where the Treaty does not oblige consultation, but where they see that there is an

important regional or local implication.

3. Own initiative opinions

The Committee of the Regions has the right to prepare an opinion on any subject where it deems it important to

consider the role/impact on local and regional authorities. This enables the institution to place specifi c issues of

regional importance on the EU agenda.

4. Outlook opinions and reports

Making use of a bilateral cooperation agreement with the Committee of the Regions, the European Commission can

request the CoR to prepare a report which explores problems in a greater depth thanks to their local information

resources and networks. In the same way the European Commission may request the Committee of the Regions to

draw up outlook opinions in key policy areas that it wishes to develop and where it considers the Committee of the

Regions has the relevant competence, knowledge and expertise.

The CoR can also adopt resolutions on topical interest for the activities of the European Union. These demonstrate the

concerns of local and regional authorities.

The life of a CoR opinion


Once the Committee of the Regions has received the offi cial request, it is passed onto one of the six commissions by the CoR bureau

according to its subject. The Commissions are divided into the following policy areas:

Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Aff airs (CIVEX)

Area of freedom, security and justice

Immigration Policy, asylum and visas

EU Charter of Fundamental Rights

Active citizenship

Governance

Better Lawmaking (& reduction

administrative burdens)

Implementation of the EU Treaty

Neighbourhood Policy, Eastern Partnership,

EU Mediterranean Policy, and Northern

Dimension

Decentralised cooperation for development

Enlargement

Commission for Territorial Cohesion (COTER)

Economic, social and territorial cohesion

Structural Funds

Spatial planning

Urban policy

Housing

Transport and trans-European transport

networks

Macro-regions

Territorial cooperation including EGTC

Commission for Economic and Social Policy (ECOS)

Employment

Social policy

Social protection

Equal opportunities

Enterprise policy, competition and taxation

Innovation

Economic and monetary policy

Internal market

WTO issues

Commission for Culture, Education and Research (EDUC)

Youth

Sport

Education

EU information and communication

strategy

Lifelong learning and training

Culture and cultural diversity

Multilingualism and promotion of minority

languages

Research and technology

Information society and trans-European

telecommunications networks

Communications, audiovisual industry and

media technologies and markets

Commission for Environment, Climate Change, and Energy (ENVE)

Climate change: adaptation and mitigation

Renewable Energy

Environment

Trans-European Networks in the energy

sector

New energy policies

Space policy for territorial development

(Galileo, GMES/Kopernikus and related

issues)

Commission for Natural Resources (NAT)

Common Agricultural Policy and rural

development

Fisheries

Food Production

Maritime Policy

Public Health

Consumer protection

Forestry

Civil protection

Tourism

Joint Consultative Committees and Working groups

Joint Consultative Committees are created between the CoR and regional and local authorities of the candidate countries for EU accession.

There are currently Joint Consultative Committees with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Iceland

Working groups are composed only of members of the CoR and are created directly by the CoR Bureau. Their aim is to provide knowledge

and advice on enlargement and neighbourhood policies. The CoR has a WG with the Western Balkans and another on relations with Turkey

CoR Commissions


During the regular meetings of the Commissions, rapporteurs are selected by the members based on their expertise and

interests. Any member that is interested in writing an opinion on a given topic liaises with the secretariat of their political

group and following a vote by the Commission members, he/she is responsible for the drafting (in consultation with

an expert on the subject). A careful system is followed to ensure that each of the political groups has the possibility to

nominate rapporteurs regardless of their size.

Once the rapporteur has a working document, he presents the main ideas to the members of the relevant Commission

in order to enable them to table amendments on the text, which refl ect conditions in their region and/or add new

information. Each amendment is either accepted or rejected by the members of the Commission through a vote in order

to produce a compromise text that is acceptable for each of the local and regional representatives.

Current Opinions led by EPP rapporteurs:

Opinion Rapporteur

EU strategy for the eradication of traffi cking in human beings Jelena Drenjanin (Huddinge, Sweden)

Strengthening EU citizenship through promotion of electoral rights Gyorgi Gemesi (Gödöllo, Hungary)

Devolution in the EU Franz Schausberger (Salzburg, Austria)

Enlargement Strategy 2012-2013 Luc Van den Brande (Flanders, Belgium)

Better governance for the Single Market Markku Markkula (Espoo, Finland)

European Research Area Grigorios Zafeiropoulos (Attica, Greece)

International cooperation in research and innovation, Paolo Valentini Puccitelli (Lombardy,

Italy)

Renewable energy policy, Witold Stępień (Lodzkie, Poland)

Industrial policy for the space industry, Gianfranco Vitagliano (Molise, Italy)

Rapporteurs


Once all of the members of the Commission have agreed on the draft opinion, the 344 CoR members meet and adopt it

as the opinion of the Committee of the Regions through a vote. These meetings of the CoR Plenary Assembly take place

fi ve times a year and are called Plenary Sessions. Members sit according to their political affi liation during the Plenary

Session to demonstrate that the Committee of the Regions is a political organ, much like the European Parliament. Once

the opinion has been accepted by all of the members, it is forwarded to the other European Union institutions for their

consideration when making policies. These opinions are used to infl uence the policies proposed by the other European

Institutions so that they are best adapted to the reality on the ground and also serve to inform policy-makers of the

regional and local impact.

EPP opinions at the November Plenary:

Common Strategic Framework

Rapporteur-general: Marek Woźniak, Marshal of the Wielkopolska Voivodship (Poland/EPP) CdR 2027/2012 - COTER-V-032

There is a clear need for a Common Strategic Framework (CSF) 2014 to 2020 for the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the

European Social Fund (ESF), the Cohesion Fund (CF), the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the European

Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), which establishes coordination and synergy between the activities of the CSF funds and streamlines the

process of planning partnership contracts and operational programmes. Given that the Commission proposal does not have a clear legal

status, the rapporteur calls for a general regulation to defi ne the role of the CSF and the extent to which it shall be binding and supports

the view that it should be considered as an annex to the general regulation. He is also adamant that the key actions must guide rather than

restrict the spectrum of activities that may be fi nanced. A lack of fl exibility will limit the opportunity to adapt intervention to the varied needs

of the regions. Marshal Wozniak is concerned about the lack of coherence between the main funds and the investment priorities. In this

regard he proposes that the CSF set out investment priorities for all the funds and establish links and complementarity between the priorities

and the funds in the individual thematic objectives. He also calls for a clearer defi nition of the mechanism linking support from the CSF funds

with other EU policy areas and instruments/programmes, such as Horizon 2020, LIFE, Erasmus for all, CEF, the European Neighbourhood

Instrument (ENI), or the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) etc.

A European Consumer Agenda

Rapporteur: Spyros Spyridon, Councillor of the Region of Attica (Greece/E/PP) CdR 7150/2012 - NAT-V-023

Consumer expenditure, amounting to 56% of EU GDP, refl ects the enormous power of the consumer to drive forward the European economy.

The European Commission communication touches on a wide range of consumer protection issues including those related to food, energy,

fi nance, transport and digital rights. Whilst generally welcoming the approach, the rapporteur calls for measures to take disadvantaged

regions into account. For them, the cost and time taken to make the necessary adjustments may diff er signifi cantly from those in the other

regions of Europe. He also highlights the increasing importance of the internet for such consumers. Mr Spyridon also considers it to be

crucial that local and regional authorities be equipped with the right tools to defend consumer rights to the maximum of their powers. In

this connection, and given the fortuitous timing of the current discussions on the multiannual fi nancial framework for the 2014-2020 period,

the CoR proposes that resources from the Structural Funds and also from the National Reform Programmes be used in order to implement

the agenda. Moreover, local and regional authorities are themselves consumers of products and services. They therefore need a secure

framework within which to protect their interests and those of the local communities they represent. To conclude, the rapporteur underlines

that the success of the consumer agenda depends on the commitment of all stakeholders. European, national, regional and local decision

makers, professionals and consumer organisations, must all work together to improve knowledge and the trust between producers and

consumers. The Committee of the Regions stands ready to monitor the prompt and eff ective application of the European Consumers’ Agenda

closely, with a view to seeing an improvement in the European public’s quality of life.

Next Plenary Session February 2013

Plenary Sessions


The Committee of the Regions defends the principle of subsidiarity, established in EU law by the Treaty of Maastricht

(1993). The idea of this principle is that decisions should be taken as close to citizens as possible, leaving EU action only

for those cases where there is an added value. Since 1997, with the adoption of the Treaty of Amsterdam, the application

of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality and the role of national parliaments in the European Union have been

covered by two specifi c protocols.

However, under the Lisbon Treaty, a further element of subsidiarity has been introduced. This means that subsidiarity and

proportionality must not only be considered with regards to the European and the national level, but also the possibility

of working at local and regional level will be considered if this is more benefi cial. The Treaty also strengthens the role of

national parliaments and the CoR in monitoring the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality from the pre-legislative

stage to the phase where actions can be brought before the Court of Justice of the EU if subsidiarity has not been adhered

to. The Committee of the Regions is also granted the right to initiate proceedings before the EU Court of Justice for

annulment of a legislative act on grounds of subsidiarity.

To take up the challenge, the Committee of the Regions has developed special tools, including a Subsidiarity Monitoring

Network (SMN) and the Regional Parliamentary Exchange (REGPEX) online platform. These help the CoR monitor

subsidiarity throughout the entire EU decision-making process.

The CoR also seeks to develop a genuine subsidiarity culture within all spheres of governance in the EU. All its subsidiarity

related activities are politically led by the SMN network coordinator, who is currently Michael Schneider, EPP Group

President.

www.cor.europa.eu/subsidiarity

Subsidiarity and proportionality principles


The European Year for Citizenship – EY2013

Introduction

The better the men and women of Europe understand their rights as EU citizens, the more informed the decisions they

can take in their personal lives, and the more vibrant democratic life in Europe can be at all levels.

The European Year of Citizens 2013 will provide an opportunity for people throughout Europe to:

✓ learn about the rights and opportunities open to them thanks to EU citizenship – particularly their right to live and work

anywhere in the EU

✓ stimulate debate about the obstacles that prevent people from fully using these rights and generate specifi c proposals

for addressing them

✓ encourage people to participate in civic fora on EU policies and issues.

The Year’s activities will be organised as much as possible at the grass-roots level, by citizens and civil society organisations

themselves.

Activities organised by the European Commission:

✓ a centrally managed communication campaign with a multilingual website, communication toolbox, press kit and

promotional material.

✓ opening & closing conferences for the Year and thematic conferences

✓ participation in national, regional and local events across the EU.

Offi cial website of the Year: www.ec.europa.eu/citizens-2013

Target groups:

✓ EU citizens

✓ Policy makers at all levels of government

✓ Civil society organisations

Budget:

European Year of Citizens 2013: €1 million

Preparatory actions during 2012: €750 000


The EPP/CoR Response

Freedom of movement is the most tangible expression of the benefi ts related to Union citizenship: it allows citizens to

fi nd work, to study and to live in any Member State, it guarantees the citizens’ rights as consumers, their rights to have

access to education, to obtain recognition of their professional qualifi cations, to access healthcare and acquire or preserve

social security rights.

The rights granted to Union citizens to vote and to stand as candidates in elections to the European Parliament and in

municipal elections in their Member State of residence provide citizens with the means to participate in the democratic

life of the EU, whilst at the same time contributing to their integration into the society of the Member States of residence.

European citizenship brings various national identities to coexist within the European Union regardless of the

arrangements for conferring national citizenship. By involving citizens in the process of European integration, it is the very

basis for building European democracy. The CoR has underscored the need to increase people’s awareness of their status

as EU citizens, their rights and duties and the meaning of these rights and duties in their daily lives.

The Forum organised by the Committee of the Regions, one month before the offi cial start of the European Year 2013,

will take stock of the impact of EU citizenship on local and regional policy making. Through plenary debates and parallel

workshops on the main topics of the citizenship theme, politicians, experts and practitioners will discuss how regions and

cities can manage the eff ects of free movement and voting rights, and how they can stimulate active EU citizenship in

their territory.

Throughout 2013, and under the patronage of the CoR president, communication activities during the European Year will

be developed in the form of a campaign focusing on active information by CoR members in their constituencies through:

✓ public debates (town hall meetings);

✓ media activities involving local journalists;

✓ lectures and information visits by members to schools, universities etc.

The European Parliament Response

Every citizen in the European Union enjoys a set of rights under the EU treaties, including the right to move and reside

freely in another member state, the right to vote and stand as a candidate in European and local elections and the right

to petition the European Parliament, but EU citizens are often unaware of these rights. The European Parliament called

for 2013 to be designated European Year of Citizens in order to educate the general public, in particular young people, in

how they can benefi t from them.

“This gives a new momentum to the debate on Union citizenship at times of economic, political and social crisis and

puts informed and eff ective exercise of all rights attached to Union citizenship at the centre of the political agenda”,

commented EP rapporteur Antigoni Papadopoulou (S&D, CY), after the report was adopted with 45 votes in favour, 2

against and 2 abstentions. “Participative democracy is a very important element, also in view of the forthcoming European

elections in 2014. EU citizens must be fully aware and enjoy without discrimination the broad array of rights granted to

them under Union law” she added.

Csaba Sógor (EPP, HU), European Parliament Shadow Rapporteur for the European Year, has announced that “despite

the present situation of multiple crises, it will uplift EU citizens to take advantage of the rights and possibilities given to

them by European freedom. According to statistics, one third of citizens want to exercise their rights but they still come

up against barriers in the workforce, such as administrative diffi culties when moving abroad or the absence of proper

language skills.” He believes the year 2013 is crucial to promoting and strengthening a common European identity based

on core values of the European Union.


Since 1 April 2012, EU citizens have been encouraged to participate directly in the development of EU policies by collecting

1 million signatures calling on the European Commission to make a legislative proposal. What is the state of play regarding

applications and what can be done to make this process easier? Do you think that this initiative will lead to more citizen-led

governance?

Introduction

A European citizens’ initiative is an invitation to the European Commission to propose legislation on matters where the EU

has competence to legislate. It was introduced by the Lisbon Treaty and to be backed by at least:

✓ one million EU citizens

✓ coming from at least 7 out of the 27 member states

✓ a minimum number of signatories is required in each member state

The request must be made by a citizens’ committee made up of at least seven EU citizens who are resident in at least seven

diff erent EU Member States. Once registered, the committee will have 12 months to collect the necessary statements of

support from at least seven Member States. The threshold to count as one of those seven Member States is fi xed at 750

times the number of MEPs for that Member State. Anyone of voting age for European Parliament elections (currently 18

in all Member States except Austria, where it is 16) can support an initiative.

The number of statements of support has to be certifi ed by the competent authorities in the Member States. The

Commission will then have three months to examine the initiative and decide how to act on it. It will meet the organisers

so they can explain the issues raised in their initiative in more depth. The organisers will also have the opportunity to

present their initiative at a public hearing organised at the European Parliament. The Commission will then adopt a

Communication explaining its conclusions on the initiative, what action it intends to take, if any, and its reasoning.

The Regulation governing European Citizens’ Initiatives was adopted on 16 February 2011. However, at the request of

Member States who needed time to put mechanisms in place for certifying statements of support, citizens could only

begin to launch ECIs from 1 April 2012.

Ten initiatives have been registered so far with one withdrawing its request. Among the issues included are:

✓ Responsible waste management

✓ Common education goals

✓ Phasing out animal testing

✓ Voting rights for EU citizens living in another member state

✓ Protection of human embryos in research, development aid and public health

✓ Access to water

✓ Roaming fees

✓ Increased mobility

✓ EU climate and energy package

www.ec.europa.eu/citizens-initiative/public/initiatives/ongoing

The Citizens Initiative


The EPP/CoR response

The EPP Group welcomes the adoption of this regulation, which activates the right of citizens to participate directly in

the democratic life of the Union. Indeed, it represents a milestone in the consolidation of the principles of democracy in

the EU. Local and regional authorities are showing great interest in the establishment of the citizens’ initiative because it

can be instrumental in bringing the EU closer to its citizens and increasing the EU’s legitimacy. Despite the fact that the

citizens themselves are in the “driver’s seat” when it comes to this initiative, the Committee of the Regions will off er support

without trying to steer it in one direction or another. The CoR is therefore committed to raising awareness and spreading

information about the ECI. The CoR and its members will also assist in the follow up and evaluation of successful citizens’

initiatives. In this way, the CoR hopes to contribute to the success of this new tool.

The European Parliament Response

The European Parliament has made sure that the procedure is as simple and citizen-friendly as possible to enable the

widest audience to use it. Georgios Papastamkos MEP, Vice-President of the European Parliament responsible for the

ECI, said: “The establishment of the European Citizens’ Initiative constitutes an innovative participatory instrument of

the EU. It certainly raises the expectations for European public opinion, but it can still have an unpredictable impact on

the rule-making function of the EU. Τhe ECI contributes to the creation of a European public sphere which is built from

the bottom up. It is thanks to the substantial contribution of the EP that the ECI has become friendlier, simple and less

bureaucratic for European citizens.”


The EU right to move and reside anywhere within the EU and the increasing presence of the Internet calls for new generation of e-Government and e-Citizenship. For many young people the Internet is not just the future, but a reality that they cannot imagine living without. However, the freedom to cross boundaries means it is time to also consider such sensitive issues such as e-Health, e-Signatures and e-Identifi cation. What is the EU currently doing to enhance civic participation through the Internet and what do you think could be proposed for policies across these fi elds?

IntroductionA new generation of open, fl exible and collaborative e-Government services is needed to empower European citizens and businesses, to improve their mobility within the internal market of the 21st century and to ensure that public services can serve an economy which relies on the networks of the future. The European Commission aims to support this development with its e-Government Action Plan 2011-2015: the provision of a new generation of e- Government services for businesses and citizens. The Action Plan identifi es four political priorities based on the Malmö Declaration, agreed on 18 November 2009 at the 5th Ministerial e-Government Conference in Malmö, Sweden.

✓ Empower citizens and businesses

✓ Reinforce mobility in the Single Market

✓ Enable effi ciency and eff ectiveness

✓ Create the necessary key enablers and pre-conditions to make things happen

This Action Plan contributes to a knowledge based, sustainable and inclusive economy for the European Union, as set forth in the Europe 2020 Strategy. It supports and complements the Digital Agenda for Europe.

General ScopeThe Action Plan aims at maximising the complementarities of national and European policy instruments. Its actions support the transition of e-Government into a new generation of open, fl exible and collaborative seamless e-Government services at local, regional, national and European level that will empower citizens and businesses.

There are strong political and economic reasons for European collaboration in e-Government. Joint action and knowledge sharing at EU level contributes to overcoming the current economic crisis, by using public resources more effi ciently.

The Commission’s main mission is to optimise the conditions, for the development of cross-border e-Government services provided to citizens and businesses regardless of their country of origin. This includes the development of an environment which promotes interoperability of systems and key enablers such as e-Signatures and e-Identifi cation.

Services accessible across the EU strengthen the digital single market and complement existing legislation in domains like e-Identifi cation, e-Procurement, e-Justice, e-Health, mobility and social security, whilst delivering concrete benefi ts to citizens, businesses and governments in Europe.

The successes and potential of e-Government are already clearly visible with several EU countries ranking amongst the world leaders. Electronic invoicing in Denmark saves taxpayers €150 million and businesses €50 million a year. If introduced all over the EU, annual savings could add up to over €50 billion. Disabled people in Belgium can now obtain benefi ts over the Internet in seconds, whereas previously this took 3 or 4 weeks. Such time savings and convenience can become widespread and benefi t all citizens in Europe in many public services.

However, concerns exist regarding Electronic identifi cation (eID) technologies and the security of electronic transactions (in both the public and private sectors). Today the most common way to authenticate such transactions is by means of passwords, but more secure solutions protecting privacy are increasingly needed. Europe needs better administrative cooperation to develop and deploy cross-border public online services, including practical e-Identifi cation and e-Authentication solutions.

e-Government and e-Citizenship


Digital Agenda Goals:

✓ increase the use of e-Government services to 50% of EU citizens and 80% of EU businesses by 2015

✓ ensure that a number of key public services are available online so that entrepreneurs can set up and run a business from anywhere within the EU independently of their original location

✓ ensure that citizens can more easily study, work, reside and retire anywhere within the EU

The EPP/CoR response

The EPP Group rapporteur, Ján Oravec (SK/EPP), Mayor of Štúrovo, welcomed the European e-Government Action Plan 2011-2015. The plan’s priorities – cross-border services, user empowerment, re-use of public sector information (PSI), e-Participation, an online single market, green government and interoperability – are all domains in which regions and local authorities are simultaneously actors, providers and benefi ciaries. He also welcomed the eff orts of European administrations to empower citizens and businesses through e-Government services, as well as increased access to public information and improved transparency.

The Committee of the Regions endorses endeavours to raise public participation in the political process, improve mobility within the single market and cut red-tape for the public. The EPP Group believes that the Action Plan can signifi cantly help bridge the digital divide and achieve the objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy, while at the same time helping to fulfi l a number of the key social, cultural and economic needs of the European public.

However, it is important to remember that local and regional authorities have the main responsibility to ensure aff ordable broadband access in areas where the market fails, in providing pilot projects for bridging the e-Accessibility gap, and in developing new approaches of citizen-centred public e-services.

The European Parliament response

The EPP Working Group “Internet Today and Tomorrow” was set up by decision of the Group Presidency on 11 May 2010. The intention of the Presidency was to elaborate an EPP Group strategy with regard to the Group’s Internet policy. In their fi nal paper “A Fair Internet for All”, they opted for the evolution of a user-oriented approach to the Internet.

The Internet constitutes an exceptional platform for innovation, economic growth, job creation and social communication. It has become the central nervous system of our information economy and society. With clear opportunities and challenges, there is an evident need for a political debate, as a matter of interest for citizens, businesses and States. For policy-makers, the main challenge is how to approach these issues preserving the extraordinary potential and the freedom of the Internet without impeding innovation. For us, the EPP Group, the question is to present what we stand for in a coherent and consistent manner.

Private users’ expectations focus on an open Internet which is easily accessible and where there is certainty about the way their personal information is managed. Users and not platforms or networks are the owners of personal information and they must be in full control of the information they provide. For example, social networks must inform users about the purpose and diff erent ways in which they intend to process members’ data.

Their strategy proposes 10 key actions:

✓ Clarify international jurisdiction;

✓ Guarantee search neutrality;

✓ Ensure net neutrality;

✓ Clarify and harmonise data protection rules;

✓ Ensure users’ rights in social networks;

✓ Guarantee user anonymity;

✓ Prohibit data profi ling;

✓ Create a European Cloud

✓ Eff ectively protect IPR online

✓ Establish safeguards for quality journalism.

Concerning e-Government the European Parliament has stated that local, regional and national governments, as well as the EU institutions, are making an eff ort to put their information on the web and to make it easier for citizens to cope with administrative procedures. For example, several governments have made it possible to fi ll in tax returns through the internet. This e-government is intended to bring the institutions closer to the citizen.

E-government risks creating a new divide, between those who have access to information technology and those who

don’t. Other sensitive questions concern the security of government information systems.


Absorption (absorptive) capacity – the ability of a country or organisation to receive aid and use it eff ectively

Amendment – A change to the wording of an opinion

Accession – process of joining the EU

Acquis communautaire – French term meaning “tha t which has been agreed upon” and communautaire meaning “of

the community” is the rights and obligations that EU countries share.

Applicant country – a country that has applied to join the European Union

Barcelona Process – also known as the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership is policy of the European Union towards the

Mediterranean countries. Its purpose is to strengthen links between the EU and partner countries, whilst also encouraging

closer ties among Mediterranean countries.

Benchmarking – measuring how well one country, business, industry, etc. is performing compared to other countries,

businesses, industries, and so on

Best practice – the option which works best and can be applied in other situations according to national and local

circumstances

Candidate Country – a country that has applied to join the European Union and that has offi cially been accepted as a

candidate for accession (Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey).

Charter of Fundamental Rights – Following the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in

December 1998, the European Council decided to draft a Charter of Fundamental Rights to raise awareness of the rights

at EU level.

Commission – In addition to the European Commission, the Committee of the Regions has 6 thematic working groups

which are referred to as ‘commissions’

Competences – where the powers and responsibilities in a specifi c area lie.

Copenhagen criteria – the three criteria set for allowing a candidate country to join the EU. First, it must have stable

institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for minorities. Second, it must have a

functioning market economy. Third, it must take on board all the acquis communautaire and support the various aims

of the European Union. In addition, it must have a public administration capable of applying and managing EU laws in

practice.

Cultural capital – European cities are designated as the “European capital of culture” to publicise and celebrate the

cultural achievements and charms, and to raise awareness of diff erent European heritage. In 2012 the cultural capitals are

Guimarães (Portugal) and Maribor (Slovenia).

CoR Terminology


Directorate General (DG) – departments of the European Commission or European Parliament responsible for specifi c

tasks or policy areas

Economic, social and territorial cohesion – is an expression of solidarity between the Member States and regions of the

European Union. The aim is balanced development throughout the EU, reducing structural disparities between regions

and promoting equal opportunities for all. In practical terms, this is achieved by means of a variety of fi nancing operations,

principally through the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund

Enlargement – growth in EU membership – from 6 to 27 Member States

Europe 2020 Strategy - A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth (2010)

European development fund – is the main instrument for cooperation with the countries of Africa, the Caribbean, the

Pacifi c and with the Overseas Countries and Territories

European semester – A six-month period during which the Member States budgetary and structural policies will be

reviewed to reinforce economic coordination; strict coordination between EU monitoring of macroeconomic and fi scal

policies and policies addressing structural problems is at the core of the new approach to economic policy coordination

adopted by the EU, in place since January 2011. The European Council each March will identify the main economic

challenges facing the EU and give strategic advice on policies. Each July, on the basis of the programmes submitted in

April, the European Council will provide policy advice before member states fi nalise their budgets for the following year.

Free movement of people, goods, services and money – an objective of the EU to allow these freedoms to cross

borders

Green Paper – a document published by the European Commission to stimulate discussion on given topics at European

level

Intellectual property – ownership of ideas through patents, copyright or related rights for literary and artistic works

Kyoto Protocol – Adopted in December 1997, is an international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework

Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) with binding targets for industrialized countries and the European community

for reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Laeken Declaration – a statement committing the Union to becoming more democratic, transparent and eff ective

(December 2001)

Lisbon Strategy – the goal to become “the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world,

capable of sustainable growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion” by 2010

Member State – a country belonging to the EU

National delegation – the Members coming from a specifi c Member State, regardless of political persuasion, make up a

national delegation and work together to ensure that the opinion of their country is refl ected

National Reform Programmes – The EU-level targets were translated into national targets in all EU countries, refl ecting

diff erent situations and circumstances. At the end of April 2011, EU national governments submitted National Reform

Programmes (NRPs), which illustrate how they will implement Europe 2020 at national level. The European Commission

and the European Council assess the NRPs, the annual implementation reports, issue guidelines, country-specifi c

recommendations on macroeconomic and fi scal policies and also on ways which demonstrate the best pursuit of the

new strategy. The Commission assesses progress on both economic policy coordination and country achievements for

publication each January.

Neighbourhood Policy – policy which aims to avoid dividing lines between the EU and neighbouring countries by

enhancing stability, security and well-being. It builds on shared values: democracy, human rights, rule of law, good

governance, market economy and sustainable development.

“Open Days” – annual week of cities and regions in Brussels where stakeholders can network and discuss matters of local

and regional importance


Opinion – A report drafted by the Committee of the Regions to express its views on a given topic

Outermost regions - regions with low population density and considerable distance from mainland Europe (Guadeloupe,

French Guiana, Martinique and Réunion, the Canaries, the Azores and Madeira)

Plenary Session – Meeting of all 344 members of the Committee of the Regions which takes place fi ve times a year

Political coordinator – representative of the political Group responsible for a specifi c policy area

Political Group secretariat – responsible for coordinating the work of the CoR and representing Members in Brussels, as

they predominantly reside in their regions/cities in the Member States

Presidency of the Council of the European Union – each Member State holds the Presidency for a period of six months

and the order of rotation is fi xed by the Council of the European Union. The current Presidency is Hungary (until 1 July

2011 and will be followed by Poland).

Rapporteur – person responsible for drafting the opinion.

Schengen – a territory without internal borders (almost every EU country - excluding Ireland and the UK - plus Iceland

and Norway). The agreement was signed in Schengen (Luxembourg) in 1985.

Simplifi ed procedure – if an opinion is unanimously adopted at Commission, there is a simplifi ed procedure in the

Plenary Session meaning that no amendments can be added.

Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) – companies whose headcount or turnover falls below certain limits.

Stakeholder – person or organisation with an interest in a specifi c area/fi eld.

Structural funds and cohesion fund – The Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund are the fi nancial instruments of EU

regional policy, which aims to narrow disparities between regions and Member States. The Funds pursues the goal of

economic, social and territorial cohesion.

Subsidiarity – principal whereby action is taken at the lowest possible level and closest to citizens

Sustainable development – This concept refers to a form of development, which meets present-day needs without

compromising the ability of future generations to satisfy their own requirements.

Third country – a country not belonging to the EU

Transparency – openness and visibility

Treaty of Lisbon – a set of rules to provide the EU with modern institutions and optimised working methods to tackle

both effi ciently and eff ectively today’s challenges in today’s world. The Lisbon Treaty came into force on 1 December 2009.

Unanimity – agreed by everyone

White Paper – document from the European Commission outlining legislative developments at the European level


Committee of the Regions

http://www.cor.europa.eu

EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions

www.epp.cor.europa.eu

European Parliament

http://www.europarl.europa.eu

EPP Group in the European Parliament

www.eppgroup.eu

European Commission

http://ec.europa.eu

Hungarian Presidency of the EU

www.eu2011.hu

Council of the EU

http://www.consilium.europa.eu

European Economic and Social Committee

http://eesc.europa.eu

Guide to further information


The EU institutions employ over 40 000 men and women from the 27 EU member countries. The European Personnel

Selection Offi ce (EPSO) organises ‘open competitions’ to select personnel for permanent and non permanent positions.

Besides permanent staff , the EU also employs contractual agents and temporary staff , off ers traineeships and maintains

databases of area experts.

EPSO is the fi rst port of call for anyone wanting to work for the EU. Its website explains the selection process and gives

advice on preparing for competitions.

www.europa.eu/epso

Traineeships at the EU institutions

Seven institutions, including the Committee of the Regions also take on trainees for three to fi ve months. Known as

stagiaires, the trainees can be students, university graduates or linguists, and are given tasks similar to those of lower-

grade administrators. Selection is organised by the institutions themselves.

Committee of the Regions

University graduates (5 month traineeship)

Who can apply: university graduates who completed at least three years of studies

When and where: 16 February – 15 July or 16 September – 15 February, Brussels

Application deadlines: 30 September or 31 March

Grant: currently €1,000/month

How to apply: www.trainee.cor.europa.eu

Council of the European Union

University graduates

Who can apply: EU nationals who have completed at least the fi rst cycle of university studies

When: 1 February - 30 June or 1 September - 31 January

Application deadline: 31 August of the year preceding the traineeship

How to apply: www.consilium.europa.eu/contacts/traineeships-offi ce

Working for the EU

© B

ure

au

x d

’arc

hit

ectu

re A

telie

r Pa

ul N

oel

sp

rl -

Art

& B

uild

s.a

.


E uropean Commission


Who can apply: candidates who have obtained a university degree completing at least three years of university studies

When: summer traineeship: 1 March – 31 July, winter traineeship: 1 October – 28 February

Where: Brussels, Luxembourg, Member States capitals; two placements in Commission Delegations in non-Member

States

Application deadlines: summer traineeship: 1 September, winter traineeship: 31 January

Grant: Around €1,071.19/month (March 2010)

How to apply: www.ec.europa.eu/stages/information/traineeship_en.htm

Eu ropean Economic and Social Committee

University graduates or equivalent level (6 month traineeship)

Who can apply: young university graduates who completed at least three years of studies

When: 16 February – 15 July or 16 September – 15 February

Where: Brussels

Application deadlines: 30 September or 31 March

How to apply: www.trainee.eesc.europa.eu

Eu ropean Parliament


Who can apply: university graduates

Starting dates and application deadlines (in brackets) : 1 March (15 October), 1 October (15 May)

Traineeship duration: 5 months

Where: Brussels, Strasbourg, Luxembourg, information offi ces in Member States and applicant countries

Grant: €1,190.71/month (2010) if based in Brussels or Luxembourg

How to apply:

www.europarl.europa.eu/aboutparliament/en/007cecd1cc/Traineeships.html


Notes

EPP Secretariat in the Committee of the Regions

Rue Belliard 101, 1040 BRUSSELS

Tel: +32.2.282.22.50

Fax: +32.2.282.23.29

e-mail: [email protected]

Visit our Web site: http://web.cor.europa.eu/epp

Documents

EPP Study Visit 2012