July 2012 The activity report of the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions

A new President for the CoRA new President for the CoROn Wednesday 18 July, the Committee of the Regions will elect its new President for the second half of the 2012-2015 mandate. Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso, the President of the Autonomous Community of Murcia, is expected to take over the Presidency on 13 August. His ambitious work programme focuses on 5 main priorities: implementing the Europe 2020 strategy for growth at the regional and local level; enhanced multi-level governance; a closer Europe through stronger communication and awareness-raising; promoting sport, culture and heritage as a driver for territorial development; developing a stronger role for the CoR, in particular building new opportunities for synergy with the European Parliament. Read more on page 5

“I warmly welcome the candidature of Ramón Luis Valcárcel for President of the Committee of the Regions. I am convinced that his election will reinforce the EPP’s drive for greater economic and social cohesion in Europe’s regions.” Wilfried Martens, President of the European People’s Party.

Territorial Consultation with Herman Van Rompuy, European Council President

On 14 June 2012, the Committee of the Regions’ political leadership presented the CoR’s positions on the multiannual fi nancial framework and EU own resources in a meeting with Herman Van Rompuy ahead of the European summit on 28 June. Th e delegation, which included Michael Schneider and Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso, insisted that the European Union needs an investment budget to re-launch growth and employment in Europe. “Having already been weakened by national austerity policies, our regions and cities are unable to invest in the future the future without strong fi nancial support from EU policies,” agreed the CoR’s political representatives. “We need to create more synergies between sub-national, national and EU budgets and take advantage of the leverage and multiplier eff ect of EU funds for growth and jobs”.

EPP high level EPP high level meeting in meeting in Warsaw Warsaw Cohesion policy, Europe 2020 and the future Presidency of the CoR were top of the agenda at a high level meeting of EPP members in Warsaw on 19-20 June. Following an invitation from Adam Struzik, Marshal of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship, representatives met with Waldemar Pawlak, Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister, Elżbieta Bieńkowska, Polish Minister of Regional Development and Jan Wyrowiński, Deputy Senate Marshal. Th e delegation also made a visit to CD PROJEKT Sp. z o. o, a company set up in 1994 by young entrepreneurs and supported by EU funds.

2013: European Year of Citizenship2013: European Year of Citizenship“We need more Europe, not less, to emerge from the crisis… Yet we govern for the citizens not for the markets. As our Europe is a Europe of citizens, it is the citizens and their concerns that should guide us on our journey... Th is year and in 2013, the European Year of Citizens, we will continue this debate, involving regional authorities and local press through ‘Citizens’ Dialogues and events across Europe.”

European Commission Vice-President Viviane Reding

Read more on page 11

TTCCCHHEEPP

Message from the President

EPP Group meeting: Regions and cities call for a

focus on competitiveness and sustainability in

European tourism

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EPP External Seminar, 9 November 2012, Sofia

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Members on the field

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Valcárcel: CoR Presidency 2012-2014

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A focus on sport

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Cyprus Presidency of the EU

Cyprus Priorities l

Cyprus Presidency on Cohesion Policy

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Plenary Highlights

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CoR resolution on the European Commission 2013

Work Programme

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Ongoing Opinions

Your Agenda

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Message from the PresidentMessage from the President

EPP Group meeting: Regions and cities call for EPP Group meeting: Regions and cities call for a focus on competitiveness and sustainability a focus on competitiveness and sustainability in European tourism in European tourism

In view of discussions on the future EU budget, regions and cities called for strengthened investment opportunities for sustainable tourism, during a meeting of the EPP Group in Faro on 1 June. Participants underlined that in line with the Europe 2020 targets for economic, ecological and social development; sustainable tourism can generate a large percentage of GDP and provide a beacon of hope for young people.

“Th e Europe 2020 Strategy is our model for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Today, we have learned that tourism is closely linked to all three of these targets.” Michael Schneider, President of the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions, expressed. “Local and regional authorities play an essential role in developing and managing tourism projects and that is why we need to ensure that suffi cient attention is paid to these programmes and projects in the future budget.” Th e EPP Group’s declaration therefore calls for a spirit of multilevel

governance when further developing EU policy in this fi eld in order to further enhance cooperation.

Manuel Pinto de Abreu, Portuguese Secretary of State for Maritime Affairs, made his intervention on tourism as a vector for economic development. “We need an appropriate, strategic and forward looking financial framework. At the moment, the discussions are too focused on specific activities and do not consider competences such as tourism, which can have an impact on growth and social welfare. Moreover, the new regulations governing the common EU policies must see tourism as a vital element to economic growth.” The EPP Group underlined that these funds provide support for a large scope of activity ranging from the development of the local tourism industry to improving infrastructure, transport links and nature conservation. As such, the meeting concluded that EU financial support is essential for the future of tourism.

Th e Secretary of State also believes that “competitive and sustainable tourism has an added value for young people who need hope for a brighter and better future. As a whole, the European young generation is better educated than in the past, has keen interest in nature and expertise in the digital agenda. If we can attract them to traditional activities such as agriculture and fi sheries, we can open a major fi eld of opportunity for them and for the future of tourism. Th is could also be a step in the right direction for reducing unemployment rates.”

een a number of important developments in European he last there have been a number of important deveion there e been a number of important deveS ision there haSession Since the last Plenary Session in Romania, which we are following carefully, and the ast, thpolititicsc . Not least, on in Romania, which we are followituation in Rhe worrying situationthe wopoolil tics. Not least the

n in Greece. With their votes, the Greek people have decided that their recent electionthe rrece entresults ofof the re he Greek people hn in Greece. With their voction in Gre and moreover, inside the Eurozone. We fully support Antonis Samaras and ies in Europe and re lies infuture lie ully support oreover, inside the Eurozone.

our colleagues in the Greek delegation in your eff orts to bring Greece back onto the path of economic ur colleagues in theour collouo r back onation in your eff orts to bring Gand growth. I am also pleased with the progress of EU negotiations with Montenegro recovery and gre tiatased with the progress of E

re an inaugural meeting of the dedicated Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) will take where anplace on 17-18 September. Th e aim of this JCC is to facilitate and promote the participation of placMontenegrin Local and Regional Authorities in the enlargement process. Ahead of the European Council on 28-29 June, European and global pressure was mounting for important decisions on growth and jobs. Nowhere is the pressure greater than in our regions and cities. Not only have great steps been taken in this regard, there is also a common agreement to work towards a stronger European Economic and Monetary Union. In particular, we welcome the proposal of Herman Van Rompuy to work towards a more integrated fi nancial, budgetary and economic framework

parallel to promoting democratic legitimacy and accountability. Following these developments, we now call for an ambitious in paEuropean Commission 2013 work programme that can further boost sustainable growth, job creation and quality of life in Europe Eand contribute to restore the citizens’ confi dence in the European integration process. Th e resolution that has been tabled for thisPlenary Session sets out our further demands in this regard. Moreover, I welcome the specifi c reference to the reformed cohesion policy in the “Compact for Growth and Jobs”, which was endorsed by the European Council in its June conclusions. We are convinced that cohesion policy off ers an opportunity to invest out of the crisis and to boost investment, growth and job creation atEU level. It accounts for an important share of public investments in the EU and contributes to deepening of internal market. I therefore hope that the recognition of the value of cohesion policy will be refl ected in the budget allocated to it in the Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020 (MFF).

3 The activity report of the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions

José Macario Correia, Mayor of Faro: the leading tourism destination in Portugal and host of the EPP Group meeting, pointed to the close interaction between natural and cultural heritage, the environment and local people. “Th ese are the key ingredients that help tourism grow and which can give our economy a positive impulse during recovery from the current economic crisis” he underlined. “During this meeting in Faro, I would like to highlight our experience of combining sustainability and growth in our natural park in Faro; one of the natural marvels of Portugal.”

Th roughout the meeting, many local and regional experiences were presented and shared. For example, Ivan Žagar, Mayor of Slovenska Bistrica, spoke about the impact of culture on tourism making reference to Maribor’s title of European Capital of Culture

2012 and Marek Wozniak, Marshall of Wielkopolska, explained how Poznan was preparing for the UEFA European Football Championship and how sports tourism can boost the local economy. Victoria Palau Tarrega, Director General of European Aff airs in the Valencian Government, made an intervention on the region’s experience on tourism as a provider of jobs.

Th is meeting was also the opportunity to launch the third in a series of brochures dedicated to the role of local and regional authorities in implementing the Europe 2020 Strategy. Forging links between Europe 2020 and the tourism industry, this brochure contains examples of successful projects from across EU with the aim of demonstrating that EU funds can be used for tourism projects on the ground therefore contributing to jobs and growth in the region.

EPP External Seminar, 9 November 2012, SofiaEPP External Seminar, 9 November 2012, Sofia

An important prerequisite for the linkage of the EU 2020 goals and the Cohesion objectives would be further integration of the urban dimension into the EU and national legal frameworks, since, not only a majority of people in the EU lives in urban areas and their quality of life is aff ected there, but also the most burning questions have to be solved in Metropolitan Regions and big cities by their decision makers

ranging from relevant public services, economic investment, infrastructure, transport, CO2 reduction, energy questions, housing, education and training, social policy, integration of migrants, culture and recreation. At the beginning of last year, Sofi a launched an international conference in order to develop Contribution to the Fifth Report on the Future of EU Cohesion Policy. In the forum took part mayors from the capitals of neighbouring countries. We reached common understanding that capitals and big cities should have a key role in the practical implementation of EU policy during the next programming period. Th ey are a driving force of growth for the development of the regions and the whole country.

Members on the fieldMembers on the field

On 27 June, Cor Lamers participated in a political debate on air quality with MEPs and on 21 June, he presented his opinion on air quality to the European Commission’s Stakeholder Expert Group. Ramón Luis Valcarcel Siso and Luc Van den Brande took part

in the ARLEM Bureau in Rabat on 11 June 2011. Discussions focused on supporting the democratic decentralisation of powers in the area of the Arab Spring and strengthening the regional dimension of the EuroMed partnership. Th e CIVEX Chairman also represented ARLEM in the Bureau meeting of the European Parliament’s Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (PA UfM) on 7 June.

An external meeting of all EPP members in Sofi a this autumn will not only build on the host city eff orts and achievements in the area of cohesion policy but will also be an important signal for the role of newly accessed EU member states, regions and cities in the EPP family. EPP members will enjoy the rich cultural life

in the city of Sofi a which works hard to become the European Capital of Culture in 2019.

Yordanka Fandakova, Mayor of Sofia.

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During the participation of Michel Lebrun in the CoR delegation to Rio+20, he called for cities and regions be given priority. He also spoke at a side event to the main conference entitled “When cities breathe, people progress: Europe’s Cities building partnerships” on 21 June.

JCC FYROM, 7 June in Štip, Adam Struzik, Jacques Blanc, Anton Kokalj and Jelena Drenjanin participated at the meeting, latest developments in the decentralization process in the country and e-governance.

Ivan Žagar, addressed a Danish Presidency Conference on fi nancing and organising large transport infrastructure on 25th May. Given that the Committee of the Regions’ trainees were on a study trip in the Öresund region at this time, they used the opportunity to attend the 25th morning session and to speak with Ivan Žagar about his opinion on the Connecting Europe Facility.

Franz Schausberger chaired the working group on the Western Balkans during its meeting in Sarajevo on 22 May. By visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina, the CoR reaffi rmed its commitment to working with local and regional authorities on the road to EU accession.

Michael Schneider addressed the EPP’s Working Group on Economic and Social Policy on 4 June with a view to preparing for the Congress resolution on regional and cohesion policy. Participating in the following meeting on 20 June, Constance Hanniff y insisted that the ‘Th ink Small First Principal’ was enshrined on the party resolution on the single market.

Th e REGI Committee in the European Parliament invited Marek Wozniak to present his opinion on the Common Strategic Framework on 20 June. He proposed that it should be an annex to the Common Provisions Regulation and not a delegated act. “Our view is

that the proposed key actions should not be over-prescriptive or incoherent with the basic acts; they should rather constitute an open indicative list of the most effi cient actions aiming to deliver investment priorities. Furthermore we regret that the Commission document does not mention important territorial issues and misses some important horizontal principles and challenges such as multilevel governance and partnership or demographic change” he said. In response, Lambert Van Nistelrooij said the CSF is “an investment plan for Europe and an important policy for recovery”.

Th e CIVEX meeting on 21 June marked the fi rst time that a standing body of the CoR held a meeting in Croatia since the signing of the Accession Treaty. Invited by Nikola Dobroslavić, the Commission discussed how to ensure transparency and tackle corruption in the public sector.

Markku Markkula presented the “Web-entrepreneurs Awards” on 22 June, as part of the Digital Agenda Assembly. Th e awards were established to discover organisations and individuals who champion new technology and harness the potential of the internet to

improve their lives. Mr Markkula also intervened in a panel on the role of Horizon 2020 in recovering from the crisis.

5 The activity report of the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions 5

Valcárcel: CoR Presidency 2012-2014 Valcárcel: CoR Presidency 2012-2014

“Th e proximity of local and regional authorities to the economic realities in our cities and regions makes the Committee of the Regions a very useful institutional instrument to infl uence the economic governance in Brussels and make of the Europe 2020 strategy the driver for growth and jobs in Europe.”

Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso, President of the Region of Murcia

The key priority for Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso’s Presidency of the Committee of the Regions is to make the Europe 2020 Strategy work. To do this, the CoR must tackle the main issues that local and regional authorities are faced with at home: the economic crisis, the exit strategy and the European path towards growth and jobs. Whilst welcoming the recent developments at the June European Council, the President elect considers that a lot more has to be done and that this must also be in partnership with local and regional authorities. In his work plan, he also proposed to assure coherence in CoR activities by focussing primarily on the regional and local contribution to the Europe 2020 Strategy and exchanging best practices and know-how.

Within this context, the CoR’s new strategy for promoting Europe 2020 aims to:

• increase visibility and political impact of Europe 2020 among stakeholders at regional and local level and advocate for enhanced multilevel governance in the strategy’s implementation and its possible revision after 2014;

• exchange best practices and increase capacity at regional and local level with respect to the strategy and its fl agship initiatives;

• check back with the preparation of relevant EU funding programmes for the period 2014-2020 and their implementation at sub national level;

• reinforce cooperation with the European Parliament, the European Commission and the European associations on the follow-up of the seven fl agship initiatives;

• increase attention to the CoR works and good practice dissemination, for example of territorial pacts;

• provide the framework for a pro-active CoR input into the mid-term evaluation of the Europe 2020 strategy from the perspective of regions and cities.

As the seven fl agship initiatives must be implemented at the local level, the CoR should also put forward political and

practical tools. Th e EPP Group has already published three brochures on the Europe 2020 Strategy outlining best practises on the ground and the future President is keen for such projects to continue. He has also proposed that between the end of 2012 and 2013, a series of seven conferences – one per fl agship initiative – will be branded ‘CoR Europe 2020 Conference - Regions and cities delivering Europe’s growth strategy’. Th ese will accompany the CoR plenary sessions in Brussels and meetings of the CoR’s external Bureau in Ireland in February and in Lithuania in September.

Multi-level governance is the second priority of the future President Valcárcel because it is seen as a fundamental tool to boost the implementation of the growth strategy. Within this context, supporting instruments including ARLEM, CORLEAP and the Covenant of Mayors will be given priority. Th e CoR’s Subsidiarity monitoring exercise and the strengthening of relations with national and regional parliaments will also be proposed as one of the main priorities of the presidency.

A third priority for the Presidency is to bring Europe closer to citizens through stronger communication and awareness-raising. At this time of fi nancial pressure, the Committee of the Regions should aim to close the perceived gap between Brussels and the diverse regions and cities of Europe by emphasising the work and proximity of local and regional authorities. Moreover, local and regional media should be supported as they are often the fi rst port of call for citizens. In the next mandate, the EPP Group will continue to organise its successful Summer University for local and regional media and in addition, the CoR will call for a European day for local media in cooperation with the other institutions.

Culture, sport and intangible heritage will be proposed as key drivers to assure growth and new jobs in cities and regions; cooperation amongst capitals of culture to optimize their experience, cooperation with UNESCO for promoting and preserving intangible heritage, and cooperation with the Commission to support a European industrial policy for sustainable tourism will all be proposed.

Last but not least, Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso wants to make proposals for developing the role of the CoR through strengthened relations with the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council. Building on existing relations and using contacts in the wider EPP family, the CoR should become an integral part of decision making in Brussels. He would also like to ensure that the Spring Council continues to be a focus for the CoR to make its voice heard in relation to economic development.

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A focus on sportA focus on sport

The Olympic GamesLit in Olympia on 10 May, the Olympic fl ame was taken on a week-long tour of Greece before it was handed over to a British delegation at a special ceremony that took place at the Panathenaic Stadium of Athens - host of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. After criss-crossing every region of the UK, the fl ame will be used to light the cauldron in Stratford’s Olympic Stadium at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games on 27 July. As an offi cial torch bearer, Dimitrios Kalogeropoulos carried the Olympic Torch through the streets of Athens on 17 May.

UEFA hosted by Poland and the Ukraine“Wielkopolska has natural environment values, beautiful monuments and ideal conditions for active tourism, but major events serve as a magnet for tourist and are a chance to attract foreign visitors to the region. Fans coming for the sports events have to be provided with appropriate accommodation conditions and tourist attractions, which can convince them to stay longer at the location of an event. Wielkopolska prepared for the EURO 2012 well by modernising the stadium, extending the airport, reconstructing the central railway station and developing the road network. Elements of tourist information system, such as the interactive info booths were enhanced.”

Marek Wozniak

Roberto Pella, the CoR rapporteur on the European dimension of sport participated in a high level conference on Public investment and local synergies for the development of sports in Pisa on 4 May. Speaking about this event he said “major sports events are a tremendous opportunity for the promotion of municipalities, regions and cities. Th is summer we have already seen a number of large scale sporting events and there are more to come.”

During its Group meeting in Gödöllo in 2011, the EPP Group welcomed the strengthened European dimension of sport and expressed the wish of local and regional authorities to contribute to enhancing the societal role in sport, its economic dimension and organisation. Moreover, given the current negotiations on the budget, the EPP Group welcomes the idea to fully exploit sport-related aspects of the Structural Funds.

7 The activity report of the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions

Objective: work towards a Better Europe, a Union more relevant to its citizens and the world

Th e priorities of the Cyprus Presidency are:

1. Europe, more effi cient and sustainable

2. Europe, with a better performing and growth economy

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

4. Europe in the world, closer to its neighbours

Cyprus PrioritiesCyprus PrioritiesDuring its Presidency, Cyprus will work Towards 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 creating a better Europe for the younger generations. On 7 September, Constantinos Yiorkatzis, Mayor of Nicosia, has invited the CoR to hold its Bureau meeting in the EPP city.

Cyprus Presidency on Cohesion PolicyCyprus Presidency on Cohesion PolicyTh e 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. During its Presidency, Cyprus intents to organize a series of events related to Cohesion Policy issues including a Meeting of Directors General responsible for Territorial Cohesion and Cohesion Policy in October 2012 which will serve, amongst others, for the preparation of the main event under the Cohesion Policy, that is the Informal Ministerial Meeting on Cohesion Policy in November 2012. Th e Cyprus Presidency also intends to carry forward the work on the Territorial Agenda with the meetings of the intergovernmental groups in charge of urban development (UDG) and territorial cohesion (NTCCP) in September 2012. Finally, Cyprus will host the next Annual General Assembly of the CPMR Islands Commission in November 2012, giving the opportunity for the uniqueness of islands’ issues to be raised in the context of the discussions for the future generation of EU Cohesion Policy.

Th e Cyprus Presidency has already requested two exploratory opinions from the CoR on the following topics:

• the new growth agenda of the EU: the role of local and regional authorities

• Adaptation to climate change and regional responses: the case of coastal regions

Cyprus Presidency of the EUCyprus Presidency of the EU

I am President of a Community, which is unfortunately under Turkish occupation and I have no access to it. I hope that the Cyprus Presidency will try to highlight the problem of the occupation, without reducing the Presidency to just national problems. In my view, the Presidency should also deal with the following issues, which I consider to be of particular importance to local and regional authorities: restoring economic growth so the European economy can operate for the benefi t of citizens, economic development to create jobs and improve competitiveness, better economic coordination among EU countries with regards to national budgets, targeted job creation programmes, energy, ageing and care.

Christodoulos Costa Kattirtzis, President of Kato Zodia Community Council

During the Presidency of the Council of the EU, the Republic of Cyprus will work towards a better and more eff ective Europe, a Europe closer to its citizens and to the world, enhancing sustainable growth, social, territorial and economic cohesion, based on the principle of solidarity.

Among the many and important priorities, all aff ecting in one way or another local and regional authorities, I think the policy on cohesion, the common asylum system, immigration, job creation, climate change, culture, youth and sports are most important for my municipality, the municipality of Nicosia, but also for the local and regional level in general because they can improve the quality of life and promote sustainable development.

Eleni Loucaides, Municipal Councillor of Nicosia, President of the European Aff airs Committee

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Cecilia Malmström, European Commissioner for Home Aff airs will attend the Plenary Session on 18 July. In his opinion on the new European agenda for integration, Dimitrios Kalogeropoulos underlined that the integration of third-country nationals legally resident in the EU Member States is politically relevant for local and regional authorities and that eff ective and sustainable integration is a key element of any successful immigration policy at EU level. He therefore proposed that a network of local and regional authorities for integration should be set

up in cooperation with the European Commission. Th e Plenary Session will also be the occasion for a debate with Werner Hoyer, President of the European Investment Bank. Th e June Council signifi cantly strengthened the role of the European Investment Bank and supported the quick launch of project bonds to support infrastructural projects. Ahead of the Plenary Session, the EPP Group asked how local and regional authorities can be involved in discussions on the European monetary Union and the implementation of the new tools.

Plenary HighlightsPlenary Highlights

Resolution on the priorities Resolution on the priorities of the CoR for 2013of the CoR for 2013Th e Committee of the Regions will outline its key positions regarding the Commission’s work programme for 2013 in a resolution to be adopted by the Plenary Session on 19 July. Covering eleven main topics: the future of the Union, the Europe 2020 Strategy and the European Semester, the EU budget, the Single Market, SMEs and industry, energy, regional policy, transport, the environment, agriculture and fi sheries, EU citizenship, a wider Europe and Europe in the World, the resolution seeks to provide the local and regional perspective of ongoing policy debates at a time when the European Union is faced

with enormous challenges in addressing the ongoing fi nancial, economic, social and political crisis. Against this backdrop, there is an urgent need for an ambitious European Commission 2013 work programme that would boost sustainable growth, job creation and quality of life in Europe and contribute to restore the citizens’ confi dence in the European integration process. Th e resolution also recalls the need to include delivery-oriented structures such as territorial pacts in the National Reform Programmes: a call that has been made by the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions on many occasions.

Turning to regional policy, the CoR insists on the need to meet the target of early 2013 for the adoption of the legislative package on Cohesion policy 2014-2020 in order to allow local and regional authorities to start Structural Funds programmes on 1 January 2014.

Finally, given that 2013 has been designated the European Year of Citizens, the resolution calls for the local and regional dimension to be taken into account during proposed initiatives to build upon and strengthen citizens’ rights and in eff orts to restore citizens’ trust in the EU and its institutions.

“We are currently working on the launch of the pilot phase of the Project Bond Initiative. It will allow us to fi nance a selection of projects by the end of 2013. In addition, should the new credit-enhancement instrument prove successful, there are chances that it could be continued into the next Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020. Th e pilot phase is by defi nition limited in scope. However, we have already encountered vast interest on the part of local and regional authorities. Th e EIB is in fact not only managing the instrument but also providing advice to local authorities on

how they could make good use of project bonds should they intend to act as project promoters.”

Werner Hoyer, President of the European Investment BankW H

9 The activity report of the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions

EU Financial Instruments In

Home Affairs

CdR 12/2012 rev. 1 - CIVEX-V-030

Samuel Azzopardi,

Mayor of Victoria, Gozo, Malta/EPP

Th e rapporteur welcomes the proposed steps to achieve a genuine area of freedom, security and justice through budgetary proposals and recognises the importance of providing the necessary resources for the immigration, asylum and security budget. In his view, the proposed changes

will bring a much-needed fl exibility and a fairer distribution of resources. He also points out that local and regional authorities can provide vital links for EU cooperation with border countries, making a substantial contribution to improving relations and living conditions in cities and regions of origin and transit. Th rough its regular cooperation with local and regional authorities

in enlargement and neighbourhood countries, the CoR is well placed to promote the objectives of the funds beyond the EU borders. However he also calls for more transparency in the use of the budget to ensure that results are easily accessible and understandable for citizens. At the end of the opinion, he makes a number of concrete amendments to the regulations for example in the realm of ensuring appropriate training of border control authorities on human rights, with particular focus on the right to asylum. Finally, the Maltese Mayor proposes that the Home Aff airs Funds should support actions which recognise the multilevel governance approach.

Connecting Europe Facility

CdR 648/2012 rev. 1 - COTER-V-024

Ivan Žagar, Mayor of Slovenska

Bistrica, Slovenia/EPP

Th e rapporteur supports the creation of the new Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) instrument as a common legal framework

and as a funding instrument, for the transport, energy and telecommunications sectors. However, he warns that the implementation of the CEF should not be detrimental to Cohesion Policy objectives and should be interconnected with the Cohesion Policy Funds so that they

complement and are consistent with each other. Moreover, he calls for fl exibility given the diffi cult fi nancial situation faced by local and regional authorities. In his view, provisions concerning cancellation of the projects shall not be too restrictive. Given that local and regional authorities are legally responsible for many of the areas covered by the CEF, it is the Mayor’s view that the principles of multilevel governance are respected to ensure balanced territorial development and that the relevant stakeholders are included defi ning the CEF’s indicative list of projects that could potentially be fi nanced.

“Th e mechanism chosen for the distribution and implementation of resources under the future home aff airs Funds should reconcile the need for continuity and stability on the one

hand and the need for fl exibility and adaptation to change on the other hand.”

Marian-Jean Marinescu MEP

“Th e Connecting Europe Facility proposal meets the Europe 2020 strategy demands and represents a major tool both for growth and cohesion in the European Union as a whole.

Concerns in terms of European added value and multilevel consultation must be taken into account, in particular to the benefi ce of less developed regions.”

Dominique Riquet MEP

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Guidelines for trans-European energy infrastructure and repealing Decision No 1364/2006/EC

CdR 20/2012 rev.2 – ENVE-V-019

Heinz Lehmann, (Member of Sachsen State Assembly, Germany/EPP)

This Regulation aims at fully integrat-ing the internal energy market, ensuring that no Member State is isolated from the European network, guaranteeing security of supply and solidarity among Member States and adhering to the principles of

sustainable development and protection of the environment. Whilst generally welcoming the proposal, the rapporteur is critical of the overly prescriptive time limits in the administrative procedure and notes that when it comes to projects of common interest, quality must take priority over speed. He also underlines

that all levels of the energy network are in need of modernisation. Turning to the subject of subsidiarity, the rapporteur warns that only when the local, regional, national or multinational authorities can-not reach a consensus in time should the European project coordinator step in. Within the multi-annual financial frame-work proposals, 9.1 billion EUR have been earmarked for energy projects over the seven-year period. The Member of the Sachsen State Assembly regrets here that the financial instruments to be made available from 2014 onwards have not yet been outlined in any detail by the Com-mission and urges decisions to be made.

Horizon 2020 – The Framework Programme for Research and Innovation

CdR 402/2011 rev. 2 - EDUC-V-021

Markku Markkula, Member of the Espoo City Council, Finland/EPP

For the first time, Horizon 2020 brings together all EU research and innovation funding under a single programme. The rapporteur recognises that Horizon is well drafted proposal, which will enable local and regional authorities to make considerable strides towards implement-

ing the Europe 2020 strategy. However, he notes that the proposal does not spell out in enough detail how progress can be made in implementing it on a practi-cal level in research and educational in-stitutions, businesses, and various public bodies at regional and local level across Europe. He therefore calls for a stronger focus and impact on real-life practices and encourages smart specialisation. The Finnish City Councillor welcomes the

alignment of Horizon 2020 and cohe-sion policy, as well as the linking of the EU’s various programmes and financial instruments. However, he insists that the Horizon 2020 plans should be further defined to secure the necessary changes and that the necessary innovation ecosys-tems, key enabling technologies, public procurement and research infrastructures will require extensive developments and support. To conclude, Markku Markkula proposes that the European Institute of Innovation and Technology can also be of added value to the regional level and that the Knowledge and Innovation Commu-nities should assume the task of organis-ing top-level management training for re-gional decision makers.

“To reduce the diff erences between member states, I think that the key issue is to improve the connection between EU-12 and EU-15. As member of the TRAN committee, I also think that promoting synergies between transport and energy infrastructure is a crucial issue for

example by encouraging competent authorities to grant joint permissions. I would also like to mention the importance of promoting alternative sources of energy like natural gas as part

of the EU’s energy strategy. In that case, I want to emphasise the need to promote regional LNG terminals with particular attention to ship bunkering.”

Bogdan Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz MEP

“Europe requires a strategy for growth to counterbalance the eff ects of the austerity measures that have recently been taken: Horizon 2020 is an immediately available programme that

should play an absolutely fundamental role in achieving robust rates of growth. It is essential that Horizon 2020 is simple, that it is properly funded that it strikes the right balance between bottom up and top down research and the programme should cover the whole

innovation cycle. Horizon 2020 should aim to foster balanced participation from across Europe refl ecting its diversity and human potential”.

Maria da Graça Carvalho MEP

11 The activity report of the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions

With a vision out of the crisis: building a European Federation

By European Commission Vice-President Viviane Reding, EU Justice Commissioner

“We are yet too young to know what we are fit for. [There] are strong arguments against making new experiments now in government.” These words were spoken in 1788 by the American anti-federalist William Grayson, criticising an ever clos-er and more perfect union in the USA. Two years later, in 1790, Hamilton, Jeffer-

son and Madison agreed on the one-off mutualisation of states’ debt, transform-ing a loose union of states into a true fis-cal and political union.

In Europe we have reached our own Ham-ilton moment. We must hold to our con-victions – we need more Europe, not less, to emerge from the crisis. We must com-plete our economic and monetary union with full fiscal and political union. We must be visionary, setting up a single bank-ing supervisory authority and, in time, a

European Finance ministry. The time has come for a European Federation. Yet we govern for the citizens not for the markets. As our Europe is a Europe of citizens, it is the citizens and their concerns that should guide us on our journey. On 9 May 2012 we launched our largest ever public consul-tation, asking: what kind of Europe do you want by 2020? Within 24 hours, we re-ceived over 700 responses, within a month over 3000 – a great example of the ‘people power’ we will need to succeed. This year and in 2013, the European Year of Citi-zens, we will continue this debate, involv-ing regional authorities and local press through ‘Citizens’ Dialogues and events across Europe. I count on your support to make the European Union an ever closer and more perfect Union.

2013 will mark the 20th anniversary of Union citizenship, a status to which the Maastricht Treaty gave birth in 1993. This is one of the reasons why the Commission proposed to make 2013 the European Year of Citizens. In view of this, the CoR has launched a study to identify challenges and best practices at local and regional level when it comes to enforcing free move-ment and electoral rights of EU citizens. It will also organise

a pre-launch and mobilising event for the European Year event in Brussels on 28 November in cooperation with the European Commission. High level speakers will discuss good examples of local and regional authorities in promoting EU citizenship and citizens’ rights, and further inform about the European Year. The event will also serve to present the results of both the consulta-tion and study.

Local and regional authorities are extremely important when it comes to

making EU citizenship a reality. Th is is why the CoR is committed to working

closely with the European Commission on a number of activities within the context of the European Year 2013.

Luc Van den Brande, President of CIVEX

2013 has been designated the European Year of citizens, and in 2014 there will be the European elections. In the CoR, and notably through the own-initiative opinion I’m

proposing on “strengthening EU citizenship: promotion of EU citizens’ electoral rights”, we intend to help make this right more of a reality throughout Europe’s territory. By trying

to remove the remaining obstacles which hamper the full exercise of electoral rights of EU citizens in municipal elections, we will be promoting EU Citizenship and progressing

towards a European public space.

Gyorgi Gemesi, CoR rapporteur on Strengthening EU citizenship through promotion of electoral rights

Secretary General: Heinz-Peter Knapp

Press Offi cer: Katie Owens, kathryn.owens@cor.europa.eu, +32 2 282 2400

Th is issue is also available at www.epp.cor.europa.eu Follow us on facebook

Ongoing Opinions Ongoing Opinions

Your Agenda Your Agenda

Comission Opinion RapporteurExpected Adoption

COTER Common Strategic Framework Marek Wozniak (Wielkopolska, Poland) October 2012

COTER EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region Pauliina Haijanen (South West Finland) October 2012

COTERFuture EU strategy for Outermost Regions in light of Europe 2020

Malcom Mifsud, (Pieta, Malta) November 2012

ECOS Public Procurement Package Catarina Segersten Larsson (Kil, Sweden) October 2012

ECOS White Paper on Pensions Paul Lindquist (Lidingö, Sweden) October 2012

ECOS Th e new growth agenda of the EU Maria Luisa Coppola (Veneto, Italy) November 2012 (Referral from the Cyprus Presidency)

EDUC Data Protection Ursula Männle (Bavaria, Germany) October 2012

ECOS Better Governance for the Single Market Markku Markkula (Espoo, Finland) January 2013

EDUC European Research Area Grigorios Zafeiropoulos (Attica, Greece) February 2013

ENVE Energy Roadmap 2050 Ugo Cappellacci (Sardinia, Italy) October 2012

ENVEAdaptation to climate change: the case of coastal regions

Ugo Cappellacci (Sardinia, Italy)October 2013(Referral from the Cyprus Presidency)

ENVE Renewable energy policy Witold Stępień (Lodzkie, Poland) February 2013

CIVEX Devolution in the EU Franz Schausberger (Graz, Austria) February 2013

CIVEXEU strategy for the eradication of traffi cking in human beings

Jelena Drenjanin (Huddinge, Sweden) February 2013

CIVEXStrengthening EU citizenship through promotion of electoral rights

Gyorgi Gemesi (Gödöllo, Hungary) February 2013

NAT European Consumer Agenda Spyros Spyridon (Attica, Greece) November 2012

7 September Nicosia CoR Bureau

17-18 September Cetinje (tbc) JCC Montenegro

19 September Brussels ECOS

20-21 September Pescara ENVE

24 September Brussels CIVEX

26 September Brussels COTER

27 September Brussels EDUC

28 September Brussels CAFA

1 October Brussels NAT