Your Guide to the EPP Group in the CoR, 2012

EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions Rue Belliard/Belliardstraat, 101 _ 1040 Bruxelles/Brussel _ BELGIQUE/BELGIĂ‹ Tel. +32 2 282 2250_epp@cor.europa.eu www.epp.cor.europa.eu

Your Guide 5th CoR Mandate 2012-2015

Dear colleagues, Dear friends, Welcome to the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions. This guide is designed primarily for new Members and visitors to the Group to provide them with an introduction to the work of the Committee of the Regions and of our work within it in view of the 5th mandate.

It is divided into four main sections: • an outline of the role and structure of the Committee of the Regions • a snapshot of the EPP/CoR Group's organisation • an explanation on the day to day work of EPP/CoR Members • glossary Obviously in a living political assembly the rules, procedures and even Members themselves are subject to change but this handbook summarises the situation as of October 2012. The Group’s website www.epp.cor.europa.eu is constantly updated to reflect the current situation and to provide extra details on specific events and political initiatives.

Three other useful links are the websites of the European Peoples Party itself www.epp.eu of the Group in the European Parliament www.eppgroup.eu and the Committee of the Regions www.cor.europa.eu I hope this information is helpful. I and my colleagues in the Group’s secretariat are of course available to assist you further with any request of material or to answer any questions you may have.

Michael Schneider President of the EPP Group in the CoR

Table of contents

• CoR Mission Statement

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• The Committee of the Regions in brief

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• The EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions

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• The EPP Bureau

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• Day to day work of EPP/CoR members

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• The EPP/CoR secretariat

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• Stronger in partnership

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• EU Terminology

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CoR Mission Statement*

The Committee of the Regions is the EU's assembly of regional and local representatives.

We are a political assembly of holders of a regional or local electoral mandate serving the cause of European integration. Through our political legitimacy, we provide institutional representation for all the European Union's territorial areas, regions, cities and municipalities.

Our mission is to involve regional and local authorities in the European decision-making process and thus to encourage greater participation from our fellow citizens Our political action is based on the belief that cooperation between European, national, regional and local levels is essential if we are to build an ever closer and more mutually supportive union among the people of Europe and respond to the challenges of globalisation. To this end, we work closely together with the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, and in the Member States with the various tiers of authority, in order also to promote multi-level governance.

We vote on political recommendations for European strategies and participate in the preparation of Community legislation. Upstream, at the earliest stages, we propose political lines of approach and action drawn from the experience and expertise of the regional and local authorities, who are most often responsible for implementing legislation.

We want to see Europe, united in diversity in a globalised world, make the very most of its territorial, cultural and linguistic diversity, as this is the source of its strength and guarantee of its people's identity. We play our part in promoting European democracy and citizenship and their values, and contribute towards the anchoring of fundamental rights and the protection of minorities.

We keep watch to ensure that the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality are upheld so the decisions are taken and applied as close to the citizens as possible and at the most appropriate level. Thus, we ensure that common policies are implemented more eectively and at greater proximity.

We work to secure harmonious and sustainable development across all European territorial areas.

In this way, we champion the objectives of economic, social and territorial cohesion in the European Union in the interests of the principles of equity and solidarity. * Adopted by the CoR Plenary Assembly on 21 April 2009.

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We claim autonomy for regional and local authorities and their right to secure appropriate ďŹ nancial resources to enable them to carry out their duties. We therefore promote the principles and mechanisms of good governance and encourage the process of decentralisation.

We encourage cooperation between the regional and local authorities of the Member States, but also, as part of enlargement strategy, neighbourhood policy and development policy, with those of candidate countries, potential candidate countries, neighbouring countries and third countries.

We set up platforms and networks, organise forums so as to facilitate cooperation and the pooling of experience between regions, cities and municipalities, and develop partnerships with their representative organisations.

We are ambassadors of Europe in the regions, cities and municipalities and speak for them in the European debate. We have a direct dialogue with our fellow citizens on Europe's achievements and future challenges and we help to explain and expound the implementation and territorial impact of Community policies.

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The Committee of the Regions in brief

Set up by the 1992 Treaty on the European Union, the Committee of the Regions (CoR) is an advisory body that consists of representatives of regional and local bodies. Given that approximately three quarters of European legislation is implemented at local or regional level, the CoR allows the regional and local dimension to have a formal impact on the European Union's political process. With each new Treaty, the CoR has continued to increase its role in European decision-making and to gain greater competences. Under the Lisbon Treaty, which came into force on 1 December 2009, the institutional role of the CoR was formally recognised under the heading "The institutions and bodies of the Union".

The Treaties state that there are a number of areas where the Council, European Parliament and European Commission are obliged to consult the CoR when making legislative proposals. These areas are: • Civil protection • Climate Change • Culture • Economic, social and territorial cohesion • Education and youth • Employment • Energy • Environment • Public Health • Social Affairs • Tourism • Trans-European Networks • Transport • Vocational Training 8

In addition to these mandatory opinions, optional opinions can be issued on proposals in areas where the Treaty does not oblige the CoR to be consulted, but where the Council, the Parliament and/or the Commission sees an important regional or local implication.

The CoR can also issue own initiative opinions in areas where it deems local and regional authorities to be directly concerned or when the Committee wishes to place specific issues on the EU agenda. Finally, outlook opinions and reports can be requested by the European Commission if it believes the CoR to have the appropriate local information resources or if it considers the CoR to have the relevant competence, knowledge and expertise. The CoR also has the right to bring an action to the European Court of Justice to defend its own legal rights and for the infringement of the principle of subsidiarity under the Lisbon Treaty.

Increased powers for the CoR under Lisbon Treaty The Lisbon Treaty represents a major step forward for Europe and in particular for the CoR. Main competences for which the CoR received new competences in the field of governance: • the local and regional dimension is explicitly mentioned in the Subsidiarity principle for the first time: the CoR should lead the process of monitoring subsidiarity in coordination with local and regional authorities to ensure that decisions are made at the most appropriate level of governance; • an Early Warning Mechanism involving national parliaments and in some cases regional parliaments with legislative powers, is put in place to monitor subsidiarity; • the right to bring action before the Court of Justice on grounds of violation of the subsidiarity principle • impact assessment: the involvement of local and regional authorities in the preparatory stage of decision making; • protection of CoR prerogatives: the right to bring actions before the Court of Justice for the purpose of protecting its prerogatives.

The Lisbon Treaty also states that the European Parliament is obliged to consult the Committee of the Regions in areas including energy, the environment and the fields of social, economic and territorial.

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Organisation of the CoR Membership The Nice Treaty established that the members of the Committee of the Regions must either hold a regional or local authority electoral mandate or be politically accountable to an elected assembly. Members are proposed by the Member States to the Council of Ministers, which then officially appoints them for a renewable five year term.

The Committee of the Regions is composed of 344 members, and an equal number of alternate members. These include Presidents of Regional governments, Presidents and members of regional councils, mayors, and members of municipal councils from the current 27 Member States of the European Union. Croatia also has 9 observers following the work of the CoR until it becomes a full Member State of the EU and is able to appoint full members.

CoR Presidency: 2010-2015 The President and the 1st Vice-Presidents are elected for a two and a half year term of office as the CoR’s political leaders both for the internal workings of the CoR and for external representation. The current President of the CoR is Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso (PPE/ES), President of the Spanish Autonomous region of Murcia.

Head of Cabinet: Jesus Carmona

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Former Presidents of the CoR: 1994-1996: Jacques Blanc (EPP/France) 1996-1998: Pasqual Maragall i Mira (PES/Spain) 1998-2000: Manfred Dammeyer (PES/Germany) 2000-2002: Jos Chabert (EPP/Belgium) 2002-2004: Albert Bore (PES/UK) 2004-2006: Peter Straub (EPP/Germany) 2006-2008: Michel Delebarre (PES/France) 2008-2010: Luc Van den Brande (EPP/Belgium) 2010-2012: Mercedes Bresso (PES/Italy)

CoR Bureau The Bureau is the Committee’s steering body and is responsible for establishing and monitoring the implementation of its draft policy programme and for preparing, organising and co-ordinating the work of the Plenary Assembly and the Commissions.

It is made up of the President, the First Vice-President, one Vice-President per Member State, 28 other Members and the Chairmen of the four political Groups. The Bureau meets ďŹ ve times a year in Brussels and holds two additional extraordinary meetings outside Brussels to facilitate dialogue and co-operation on important political matters. In recent years, these Bureau meetings have been held in the country holding the rotating presidency of the EU in order to better relations.

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Political groups Political Groups

Members and alternates may form groups which reflect their political affinities. They sit in political groups in the Plenary Assembly endorsing the political objective of the institution.

Political groups play a crucial role in defining the political priorities of the Committee of the Regions and organising the debates at the Plenary Sessions. The political groups and their bureaux may meet immediately before or during Plenary Sessions. They hold extraordinary meetings twice a year.

The political groups propose, at the beginning a new mandate period, candidates for the post of President and 1st Vice President of the Committee of the Regions, as well as the candidates for all the chairs of CoR Commissions and Working groups and their composition.

There are currently four political groups in the CoR: the European People's Party (EPP), Party of European Socialists (PES); Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) and the European Alliance (EA).

Conference of Presidents The Conference of Presidents (CoP) of the Political groups meets prior to each Bureau meeting of the CoR. Its members are the President, First Vice-President and the four Presidents of the Political Groups in the CoR. The role of the CoP is to politically prepare and thus facilitate the work of the Bureau. Furthermore, it ensures that contact is maintained with the CoP of the European Parliament in order to facilitate an exchange of information.

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CoR Plenary Assembly The seat of the CoR is in Brussels, where the Plenary Assembly meets five times a year and during which Members sit by political affiliation.

At the beginning of every term of office, the Plenary Assembly elects the President, 1st VicePresident and the members of the Bureau. It also sets up the thematic Commissions in which the opinions are drafted and discussed. The political priorities of the CoR are also adopted by the Plenary on an annual basis.

The main task of the Plenary Assembly is to finalise and adopt CoR opinions, reports, resolutions and declarations, which are then forwarded to the Council of Ministers, the European Commission and the European Parliament. The assembly is also responsible for the annual adoption of the draft budget of the Committee and for adopting and revising its Rules of Procedure when necessary.

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Commissions The CoR’s consultative work is carried out in six specialised Commissions, whose task is to draw up draft opinions, resolutions, and reports of the CoR before adoption at Plenary.

The subject areas of concern for each Commission are as below: CIVEX Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs Freedom, security and justice Immigration policy, asylum and visas EU Charter of fundamental rights Active citizenship Decentralisation Governance Better legislation (including the reduction of administrative burden) Application of the Treaties Neighbourhood policy, oriental partnership and EU-Mediterranean policy Decentralised cooperation for development Enlargement (global questions that are not covered by working groups) COTER Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy Economic, social and territorial cohesion Structural funds Spatial Planning Urban policy Housing Transport, including Trans-European Networks – Transport (TENs-T) Macro-regions Territorial cooperation, including European Grouping for Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) ECOS

Commission for Economic and Social Policy Employment Social policy Social protection Equal opportunities Enterprise policy, competition and taxation Innovation Economic and monetary policy Internal market WTO issues 14

EDUC

Commission for Education,Youth, Culture and Research Youth Sports Education Information strategy and communication of the EU Life long learning and training Culture and cultural diversity Multilingualism and the promotion of minority languages Research and technology Information society and Trans European Networks -Telecommunication Communications, audiovisual industry and media technology

ENVE

Commission for Environment, Climate Change and Energy Climate change: adaptation and mitigation Renewable energy Environment Trans European Networks – Energy (TENs-E) New energy policy Spatial policy (Galileo, GMES/Copernicus)

NAT

Commission for Natural Resources CAP and rural development Fisheries Food production Maritime policy Public health Consumer protection Forestry Civil protection Tourism

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The EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions

The Committee of the Regions is the EU's assembly of regional and local representatives and as the largest political Group with approximately 250 members and alternates, the EPP is the driving force for the body. Via the EPP Group, Members can effectively represent their territorial areas, regions, cities and municipalities by getting their citizens' voices heard in the European political concert. Our mission is to encourage subsidiarity and proportionality by ensuring that the regional and local authorities have an effective say in the European decision-making process. In this way, we aim to encourage Europe's citizens to become more involved in the European project.

Local and regional authorities have an essential role in framing future European policies; not only because they implement more than two thirds of EU regulation, but we are also ideally placed to establish close links with fellow citizens. However this is not something they can do alone. We firmly believe that the European, national, regional and local levels need to work in partnership for an ever closer Union, which is able to respond to today's global challenges. To this end, we work closely together within the European People's Party and its representatives in the European Commission, European Parliament and the Council of Ministers in order to promote multi-level governance.

The EPP/CoR aims to defend a strong and effective Union which preserves Europe's diverse political, cultural, linguistic and regional traditions and characteristics. We believe that diversity is our strength and that this heritage is at the heart of Europe's identity. At the same time, we also support the objectives of economic, social and territorial cohesion so that all of our regions and cities can develop in a sustainable way and benefit from each other’s solidarity.

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The Group Presidency The Group President is elected by secret ballot and his term of office starts normally with the beginning of a new CoR mandate. He is eligible for re-election. During his term, the President coordinates all activities of the Group, including convening and chairing its meetings.

He also represents the Group outside the CoR. Since February 2010, Michael Schneider, State Secretary, Delegate of the State of SaxonyAnhalt for the German Federation, is the current President of the EPP Group. Former Presidents of the EPP include: 1994-1998 Jos Chabert (Belgium), Former Minister of the BruxellesCapital Region, Deputy and Secretary of the Brussels Parliament 1998-2001 Juan José Lucas Giménez (Spain), Former President of the Region of Castilla y León 2001-2002 Claude du Granrut (France), Member of the Picardie Regional Council and Deputy Mayor of Senlis 2002-2003 Reinhold Bocklet (Germany), Former Minister for European Affairs in the Free State of Bavaria 2003-2010 Isidoro Gottardo (Italy), Regional Councillor of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Sacile Municipal Councillor The Presidency of the EPP Group also includes its 1st Vice-President and the other 7 VicePresidents. Together, their duties are to ensure implementation of the tasks designated by the Group Bureau, represent the Group inside and outside the CoR, support the President on Group matters, and in the event of an emergency, it is responsible for taking decisions on behalf of the competent bodies.

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The Vice-Presidents for the 2012-2015 mandate are: 1st Vice-President Michel Lebrun Member of the Walloon Parliament in Belgium (Belgium)

Arnoldas Abramavicius

Franz Schausberger

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

Representative of the Salzburg Region to the Committee of the Regions (Austria)

Eleni Loucaides

Constance Hanniy

Town Councillor of Lefkosia (Cyprus)

Member of Oaly County Council and President of the monitoring committee of the Border, Midland and West Regional Assembly (Ireland)

Marek Wozniak

Anders Knape President of the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions and Councillor of Karlstad Municipality (Sweden)

Marshal of the Wielkopolska Region (Poland)

Roberto Pella Councillor of the Valdengo Commune (Italy)

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The EPP Bureau The Group Bureau is composed of the President, and nine Vice-Presidents. In addition, the President of the CoR, the Vice-President of the CoR, full members of the CoR Bureau, Commission Chairmen and the heads of national delegations, and former Presidents of the CoR are also members of the EPP Bureau provided they are Group members.

The Group Bureau is responsible for preparing Group decisions on all political, administrative and financial matters and it monitors their implementation, together with the work of the Secretariat. It meets prior to each of the CoR’s ordinary bureau meetings, i.e. five times a year.

EPP Group Meetings Group meetings take place just before each CoR Plenary Session and involve all EPP full members. This is an opportunity for Members to take decisions on all political matters dealt with inside or outside of the Committee. Elections for the Group President and Vice-Presidents take place during Group meetings, in addition to the nominations for Commission coordinators and other office-holders. Group meetings can also be called to adopt joint positions on key political topics, arrange the Group's activities and debate issues of political importance. Depending on the key subjects on the agenda for the meeting, the President regularly invites guests of honour to participate.

Extraordinary EPP Group meetings and seminars Once a year, the EPP Group organises an extraordinary meeting and an extraordinary seminar outside of Brussels on the invitation of one of the Group’s members. In addition, a seminar or conference in Brussels is held annually on a specific political issue and the EPP Group contributes a seminar to the OPEN DAYS: European Week of Regions and Cities. These meetings are a chance for members to discuss specific issues that are of interest to the parties of the EPP family in greater depth, and to adopt declarations of intent. The first Group meeting for the second half of the 20122015 mandate is planed for 9th November 2012 and will take place in Sofia. This will be an opportunity to debate the urban dimension of cohesion policy.

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EPP roles in the CoR Commissions Territorial Cohesion Policy (COTER) 2012-2015 Chairmanship

EPP Coordinator

Chair: Marek Wozniak (EPP/PL) 1st Vice-Chair: Petr Osvald (PES/CZ) 2nd Vice-Chair: Pauliina Haijanen (EPP/FI)

Ivan Žagar (Slovenia)

Economic and Social Policy (ECOS) 2012-2015 Chairmanship

EPP Coordinator

Chair: Simone Beissel (ALDE/LU) 1st Vice-Chair: Christine Chapman (PES/UK) 2nd Vice-Chair: Catarina Segersten-Larsson (EPP/SE)

Markku Markkula (Finland)

Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs (CIVEX) 2012-2015 Chairmanship

EPP Coordinator

Chair: Antonio Costa (PES/PT) 1st Vice-Chair: Vladimir Kissiov (EPP/BG) 2nd Vice-Chair: Martina Michels (PES/DE)

Jesus Gamallo Aller (Spain)

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Natural Resources (NAT) 2012-2015 Chairmanship

EPP Coordinator

Chair: René Souchon (PES/FR) 1st Vice-Chair: Emilia Müller (EPP/DE) 2nd Vice-Chair: Ossi Martikainen (ALDE/FI)

Paolo Valentini Puccitelli (Italy)

Environment, Climate Change and Energy (ENVE) 2012-2015 Chairmanship

EPP Coordinator

Chair: Ugo Cappellacci (EPP/IT) 1st Vice-Chair: Mircea Cosma (PES/RO) 2nd Vice-Chair: José Macario Correia (EPP/PT)

Cor Lamers (Netherlands)

Culture, Education and Research (EDUC) 2012-2015 Chairmanship

EPP Coordinator

Chair: Anton Rombouts (EPP/NL) 1st Vice-Chair: Jean-François Istasse (PES/BE) 2nd Vice-Chair: Henning Jensen (PES/DK)

Malina Edreva Lazarova (Bulgaria)

CAFA - Committee for Administrative and Financial Affairs This permanent working group of the Bureau of the CoR has the purpose of assisting the Bureau in taking decisions on financial, administrative, and staff management questions by preparing and discussing these before a Bureau decision is taken on them.

2012-2015 Chair: Michel Lebrun, Member of the Walloon Parliament in Belgium (EPP – Belgium)

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EPP Members: Anders Knape, President of the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions and Councillor of Karlstad Municipality (Sweden) Arnoldas Abramavicius, Mayor of Zarasai District Municipality (Lithuania) Alternates Jacques Blanc, Mayor and Senator of the Canourgue Canton, President of the Association of Mayors from the Lozére department (France) Cor Lamers, Mayor of Houten (Netherlands) Norbert Kartmann, Member of the Hesse State Assembly (Germany)

Joint Consultative Committees and Working Groups The Committee of the Regions monitors the progress of the enlargement countries and assists local and regional authorities in the accession process through several working groups and bodies.

• Joint Consultative Committee on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 2012-2015 Chair: Jacques Blanc, Mayor and Senator of the Canourgue Canton, President of the Association of Mayors from the Lozére department (FR) EPP Members: Jelena Drenjanin, Member of the Municipal Assembly of Huddinge (Sweden) Martina Krogmann, State Secretary, Delegate of Lower Saxony to the Federation (Germany) Adam Struzik, Marshal of the Mazowieckie Voivodship (Poland) Alternates: Anton Kokalj, Member of the Municipal Council of the Municipality of Vodice (Slovenia) Ursula Männle, Member of the Bavarian State Assembly (Germany) Ján Oravec, Mayor of the City of Štúrovo (Slovakia) Carl Johan Sonesson, Skåne Regional Councillor (Sweden) • Joint Consultative Committee on Montenegro EPP members: Sándor Nagy, Mayor of Kistelek (Hungary) Roberto Ruocco, Vice-Mayor of the Cerignola Municipality (Italy) Witold Stepień, Marshal of the Łódzkie Voivodship (Poland) 22

Alternates: María Victoria Palau Tárrega, General Director of Relations with the EU of the Community of Valencia (Spain) Franci Rokavec, Mayor of the Municipality of Litija (Slovenia) Franz Schausberger, Representative of the Salzburg Region to the Committee of the Regions (Austria) • Working Group Western Balkans EPP Members: Jelena Drenjanin, Member of the Municipal Assembly of Huddinge (Sweden) Vladimir Kissiov, Municipal Councillor for the Municipality of Sofia (Bulgaria) Jacek Protas, Marshal of the Warminsko-Mazurskie voivodship (Poland) Franz Schausberger, Representative of the Salzburg Region to the Committee of the Regions (Austria) Alternates: Alvaro Ancisi, Councillor for the Ravenna Commune (Italy) Jos Chabert, Successor to the Brussels Capital Parliament (Belgium) Anton Kokalj, Member of the Municipal Council of the Municipality of Vodice (Slovenia) Kadri Tillemann, Mayor of the Keila Municipality (Estonia) • Working Group Turkey 2012-2015 Chair: Heinz Lehmann, Member of the Sachsen State Assembly (Germany) EPP Members: Hans J.F.M Janssen, Mayor of Oisterwijk (Netherlands) Dimitrios Kalogeropoulos, Municipal Councillor of Egaleo, General Secretary of the Decentralised Administration of Attica (Greece) Malcolm Mifsud, Mayor of Pieta and President of the Central Region in Malta (Malta) Alternates: Umberto Oppus, Mayor of Mandas (Italy) Ursula Männle, Member of the Bavarian State Assembly (Germany) Gyorgy Gemesi, Mayor of Godollo (Hungary) Costas Hadjikakou, Municipal Councillor of Ammochostos (Famagusta, Cyprus)

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Other CoR Working Groups, Networks, Platforms • Euro- Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM) As the representative assembly for local and regional authorities of the European Union, the Committee of the Regions announced, during the summer of 2008, its initiative to set up a Euro-Mediterranean Assembly of Local and Regional Authorities (ARLEM) under the guidance of former President, Luc Van den Brande. Such an assembly is designed to provide the institutional framework to bring together CoR members and representatives of European associations involved in Euro-Mediterranean cooperation with their counterparts from the Mediterranean partners in a permanent joint body. The inaugural meeting took place on 22 January in Barcelona and the EPP Group will be represented by: Ramon-Luis Valcarcel Siso, President of the Region of Murcia (Spain) Luc Van den Brande, President of the Liaison Agency Flanders Europe (Belgium) Jacques Blanc, Mayor and Senator of the Canourgue Canton, President of the Association of Mayors from the Lozére department (France) Jose Macario Correia, Mayor of Faro (Portugal) Gyorgy Gemesi, Mayor of Godollo (Hungary) Vladimir Kissiov, Sofia Municipal Councillor (Bulgaria) Michel Lebrun, Member of the Walloon Parliament in Belgium (Belgium) Eleni Louciades, Town Councillor of Lefkosia (Cyprus) Malcolm Mifsud, Mayor of Pieta and President of the Central Region in Malta (Malta) Carlos Pinto, Mayor of Covilhã (Portugal) Martina Krogmann, State-Secretary, Commissioner of the Land of Lower Saxony to the Federation (Germany) Grigorios Zafeiropoulos, Councillor of the Region of Attica, Vice President of the Attica Regional Council (Greece) • The Conference of the Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP) Political developments in the countries of Eastern Europe and the Southern Caucasus have an impact on the European Union's security, stability and prosperity. The European Commission therefore launched the "Eastern Partnership" in December 2008, putting forward concrete ideas for enhancing the EU's relationship with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Following the inaugural meeting in Poznań on 8 September 2011, CORLEAP will continue as a yearly event. By holding regular thematic meetings and facilitating the exchange of project proposals, best practices and know24

how, CORLEAP intends to become the hub for direct cooperation between regions and cities from the EU and the Eastern partner countries. The EPP Group is represented by: Ramon-Luis Valcarcel Siso, President of the Region of Murcia (Spain) Sándor Kovács, President of the General Assembly of Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County (Hungary) Roman Linek, Vice-President of the Pardubice Region (Czech Republic) Franz Schausberger, Representative of the Salzburg Region to the Committee of the Regions (Austria) Michael Schneider, State Secretary, Delegate of the State of Saxony-Anhalt for the German Federation (Germany) Marek Woźniak, Marshal of the Wielkopolsa Voivodship (Poland) • WG CoR-Congress of Local and Regional Powers in Europe (Council of Europe) EPP Members: Roberto Pella, Councillor of the Valdengo Commune (Italy) Malcolm Mifsud, Mayor of Pieta and President of the Central Region in Malta EPP Alternates: Paul Lindquist, Mayor of Lindingo (Sweden) Erwin Mohr, Member of the local Council in Wolfurt (Austria) • Ad hoc Working Group on the Budget Review An ad hoc working group on the budget review has been set up in order to prepare and submit a CoR opinion on the European Commission's proposed budget review and to ensure the CoR is present in discussions on the European financial framework.

EPP Members: Ramon-Luis Valcarcel Siso, President of the Region of Murcia (Spain) Anders Knape President of the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions and Councillor of Karlstad Municipality (Sweden) Michael Schneider, State Secretary, Delegate of the State of Saxony-Anhalt for the German Federation (Germany) Luc Van den Brande, President of the Liaison Agency Flanders Europe (Belgium) Alternates: Helmut Jahn, Hohenlohe District Councillor (Germany) Cor Lamers, Mayor of Houten (Netherlands) 25

Erwin Mohr, Municipal Councillor for the Wolfurt Market Community (Austria) Adam Struzik, Marshal of the Mazowieckie Voivodship (Poland) • Monitoring Group CoR-EESC EPP Members: Michel Lebrun, Member of the Walloon Parliament in Belgium (Belgium) Anders Knape President, Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (Salar), Councillor of Karlstad Municipality (Sweden) Alternates: Arnoldas Abramavicius, Mayor of Zarasai District Municipality (Lithuania) Cor Lamers, Mayor of Houten (Netherlands) • Subsidiarity Monitoring Network Coordinator: Michael Schneider, State Secretary, Delegate of the State of Saxony-Anhalt for the German Federation (Germany) • Network of Local and Regional Authorities for Integration - Steering Committee: Dimitrios Kalogeropoulos, Municipal Councillor of Egaleo, General Secretary of the Decentralised Administration of Attica (Greece)

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Europe 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth The EPP Group in the CoR welcomes the recognition that cities and regions have gained for spurring on growth and development at a time when Europe is still recovering from the financial crisis. We intend to contribute to the implementation of the Europe 2020 Strategy notably through a dedicated "Europe 2020 Task Force".

The Task Force, Chaired by Markku Markkula, will keep an overview on the evolution of the flagships, while monitoring the relevant legislative activity at EU level. Through the seven appointed coordinators, it will also try to scrutinise the Member States' work as reflected in the National Reform Programmes and liaise with the competent authorities to ensure that cities and regions are involved in their conception and implementation.

"Innovation Union", Maria Luisa Coppola, Councillor of the Veneto Region, Italy "Youth on the move", Malcolm Mifsud, Mayor of Pietá, Malta "A digital agenda for Europe", Markku Markkula, Member of the Espoo City Council, Finland "Resource efficient Europe", Michel Lebrun, Member of the Parliament of the Frenchspeaking Community, Belgium, "An industrial policy for the globalisation era", Emilia Müller, Minister for Federal and European Affairs in the Bavarian State Chancellery, Germany "An agenda for new skills and jobs", Constance Hanniffy, Offaly County Council and Midland Regional Authority, Ireland "European platform against poverty", Witold Stępień, Marshal of the Łódzkie Region, Poland The Task Force has published three brochures outlining the role of local and regional authorities in implementing the Europe 2020 Strategy on the ground with the last one showcasing the role of tourism and its impact on local and regional growth strategies.

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Day to day work of EPP/CoR members

The CoR Commissions A CoR Member normally follows the work of one or two Commissions, each of which is composed of approximately 100 members. For each commission, the Group appoints a political co-ordinator who represents the EPP in negotiations with the other political Groups. The coordinator is also responsible for maintaining fairness and transparency when appointing rapporteurs, who are proposed by the political Groups, and dealing with sensitive or divisive opinions. The EPP secretariat holds a Group co-ordination meeting and prepares a brieďŹ ng paper prior to each meeting. At the end of each meeting, the Group secretariat distributes a summary document highlighting the key decisions and EPP contributions.

The life of a CoR opinion 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. Together with the help of an expert, the consultative works (DTC) of the Committee of the Regions and the secretariat of the respective Political Group, the opinion is drafted and amended until it is adopted by the majority of the speciďŹ c thematic Commission. The opinion is then put forward to the Plenary Session and upon approval the opinion can be sent as the CoR's response and can play a role in policy-making.

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Being a rapporteur Once a request for an opinion has been received by the CoR President it will be allocated to one of the 6 thematic Commissions. The EPP secretariat then advertises the opinion to all Members so they may submit their candidature for rapporteurship. If successful, the rapporteur works with an expert in the field to draft an opinion, which should be presented and debated with the other Commission Members. All Members are invited to make proposed amendments on the draft opinion in order to ensure that the resulting document is a true reflection of the Committee of the Regions. Being a rapporteur is an excellent way to have a direct impact on EU legislation and to draw attention to the particularities of Europe's regions and cities. Furthermore, through the resulting press coverage, CoR Members can clearly demonstrate the added-value of European Union proposals to their citizens.

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

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.

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 specific issues of regional importance on the EU agenda.

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.

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Press and Communication The EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions considers that communicating its work to the other institutions and to the broader public is a key responsibility. The Group works with the Committee of the Regions Directorate for Communication, Press and Protocol to help rapporteurs and/or speakers in meetings to get their message across. A number of tools are available to assist CoR Members include press releases, press conferences, special programmes for journalists accompanying rapporteurs and the presentation of opinions in conferences and publications.

The EPP/CoR website www.epp.cor.europa.eu contains a wealth of information about the Members in the EPP Group, its seminars and events and up to date information about the opinions in each Commission. In addition, the rEPPorter newsletter, which is published just before each Plenary Session, highlights the work of EPP Members and is distributed to the EPP/CoR Members, EPP Members of the European Parliament and to EPP Commissioners five times a year. Special edition issues of the rEPPorter are produced to highlight the priorities of the Group. There are also monthly e-newsletters and regular press releases, which are distributed among the EPP networks and the media. In addition, the EPP/CoR Group regularly contributes to European magazines and publications with an interest in regional affairs.

The annual Summer University for local and regional media “Local Media Meets Europe - Europe Meets Local Media” is a two-day workshop for journalists and is an expression of the EPP Group's commitment to enhance two-way communication with citizens. Local and regional media, in partnership with local and regional authorities, play a central role in communication by providing concrete ways to explain the advantages of European integration to citizens in cities and regions across Europe, whilst also providing a channel to voice their views to EU decision-makers. The 2012 edition took place on 5-7 June and was dedicated to local and regional television.

The EPP Group also places an emphasis on enhancing communication with young people and giving citizens an opportunity to voice their concerns and ideas. Within this context, the Group organises competitions for young people to show their ideas on European issues. Moreover, the EPP Group invites students working towards a Masters in European Affairs to a Study Visit in t he second half of each year. This is a unique opportunity for students to challenge and debate with EU policy-makers and to witness the European Union at work.

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The EPP/CoR Secretariat

The EPP/CoR Group is assisted by a secretariat, which serves as a point of reference to Members in their daily work. The secretariat prepares the EPP Bureau and EPP Group meetings, assists the Members in their CoR-activities and drafts brieďŹ ngs in order to prepare the members for Commission meetings, working groups, and the CoR Bureau. It ďŹ ghts to defend the priorities of EPP Members of the CoR in each Commission meeting, in particular by monitoring the fair allocation of opinions. The secretariat is also responsible for drawing up voting lists for the CoR Plenary Sessions and providing communication support.

The secretariat follows the activities of the European People's Party and its Group in the European Parliament and drafts the position of the Group within the EPP bodies. The secretariat also serves as the main motor in arranging contacts and communication between Group members, as well as between EPP rapporteurs in the CoR and EPP rapporteurs in the European Parliament, which has helped consolidate co-operation between the two institutions.

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The EPP/CoR Secretariat

The secretariat is composed of: Secretary-General: Heinz-Peter KNAPP Languages: DE, FR, EN Tel.: +32 2 282 22 21 e-mail: heinz-peter.knapp@cor.europa.eu

Political Adviser: Paul WILLEMS Bureau, General coordination of secretariat Languages: NL, FR, EN, DE, IT Tel.: +32 2 282 23 08 e-mail: paul.willems@cor.europa.eu Political Adviser: InĂŞs ROSETA Responsible for CIVEX, ARLEM, CORLEAP Languages: PT, EN, FR, ES, IT Tel.: +32 2 282 22 47 e-mail: ines.roseta@cor.europa.eu Political Adviser: Vassilis ANTONIOU Responsible for ECOS, NAT, OPEN DAYS Languages: EL, EN, FR, ES Tel.: +32 2 282 23 88 e-mail: vasileios.antoniou@cor.europa.eu Political Adviser: Simone BRUSADIN Responsible for EDUC, Working Groups Languages: IT, FR, EN Tel.: +32 2 282 20 91 e-mail: simone.brusadin@cor.europa.eu

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Political Adviser: Aurel TRANDAFIR Responsible for COTER, CAFA, CoR-EESC relations, Council of Europe and relations with EPP Languages: RO, FR, EN, IT Tel.: +32 2 282 20 94 e-mail: aurel.trandafir@cor.europa.eu Political Adviser: Marko JUVANČIČ Responsible for: Joint Consultative Committees, CoR Working Groups and support to CAFA, Political Monitoring Group Languages: SL, EN, HR Tel.: +32 2 282 2520 e mail: marko.juvancic@cor.europa.eu Political Adviser/Assistant: Agnieszka BIDZINSKA Responsible for service to Members, ENVE Languages: PL, EN, ES, FR Tel.: +32 2 282 20 78 e-mail: agnieszka.bidzinska@cor.europa.eu Administrative Coordinator: Véronique ANDRE Responsible for administrative and technical organisation of EPP Group meetings Languages: ES, FR, EN, IT, DE Tel.: +32 2 282 22 52 e-mail: veronique.andre@cor.europa.eu Press Officer: Kathryn OWENS Responsible for Press, Events and Communication Strategy of the Group, relations with EPP-EP Press and EPP Languages: EN, FR, DE, NL Tel: +32 2 282 24 00 e-mail: kathryn.owens@cor.europa.eu Political Adviser: Filippo TERRUSO Cabinet of the CoR President Languages; IT, FR, EN, ES Tel: +32 2 282 2291 e-mail: Filippo.terruso@cor.europa.eu

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Stronger in partnership

European People's Party The EPP in the CoR has established a strong link with the European People's Party. The President of the CoR and the President of the EPP in the CoR are members of the Political Bureau of the EPP party and the latter is also invited to attend EPP Summits where EPP Heads of State meet to prepare the work of the European Council.

The CoR is regularly involved in EPP Congresses by proposing amendments to key texts and submitting resolutions, which draw attention to the impact that Europe's development is having at the local and regional level.

The EPP in the Committee of the Regions has thus successfully inuenced the position of the EPP party as a whole regarding the Committee of the Regions and the importance of local and regional entities in Europe.

EPP Political Platform 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 the vital need for reducing the democratic deďŹ 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*.

Equally, the EPP in the CoR has succeeded in including its members in EPP Working Groups and Forums, which are composed of Members of the European Parliament, Commissioners and representatives from National Parties and which produce EPP positions, reports and publications.

* As presented to the EPP Statutory Congress, 17-18 October 2012, Bucharest

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EPP Working Group members WG 1 European Policy: Michael Schneider, State Secretary and Delegate of the State of Saxony-Anhalt for the German Federation (Germany) WG 2 Economic and Social Policy: Constance Hanniffy, Member of Offaly County Council and President of the monitoring committee of the Border, Midland and West Regional Assembly (Ireland) WG 3 Membership: Jelena Drenjanin, Member of the Municipal Assembly of Huddinge (Sweden) Ad Hoc WG Agriculture: Paolo Valentini Puccitelli, Councillor of the Lombardia Region (Italy) WG Foreign Affairs/ Ad Hoc WG Eastern Partnership and Euro-Med: Luc Van den Brande, President of the Liaison Agency Flanders Europe (Belgium) Ad Hoc WG Climate Change: Cor Lamers, Mayor of Houten (Netherlands) Co-operation with national authorities is also considerably facilitated via the EPP political parties within the Member States. Through this network of relations, the EPP has considerable scope to influence European policy makers and to put issues of local and regional interest on the political agenda.

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The EPP Group in the European Parliament Due to the common goals that the EPP in the CoR and the EPP Group in the European Parliament share, good working relations have been established. This has allowed both EPP Groups to consult each other not only in framing policies, but also in dealing with specific political issues and in identifying common political priorities.

In 2001, a memorandum of cooperation was signed to further strengthen these links and President Schneider is keen to revise this document to reflect the deepening cooperation between the Groups.

On several occasions rapporteurs from both sides have co-operated closely and the EPP Group in the European Parliament has tabled a number of amendments in support of the Committee of the Regions. Especially during discussions on the inter-institutional reform, the then EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament fought successfully to strengthen the role of the Committee of the Regions. In recent years, the cooperation between the Commissions of the CoR and the Committees of the European Parliament has been greatly strengthened and in March 2010 the two Groups issued a joint statement on the future of cohesion policy.

Common statement by Lambert Van Nistelrooij MEP, EPP Group Coordinator in the Committee on Regional Development in the European Parliament and Michael Schneider, President of the EPP Group in the Committee of Regions, on the occasion of the EPP Group Bureau meeting in Budapest, March 2010: Being an expression of the European values of solidarity, cohesion as development policy has proven its undeniable added value over the past 20 years. It reduces disparities between regions, promotes economic growth, increases the European competitiveness and facilitates recovery in the context of the global economic crisis.

In a "time for growth and jobs", the Bureau of the EPP Group in the European Parliament and the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions emphasize, at the EPP Group Bureau meeting in Budapest, that cohesion policy should continue to deliver its ambitious objectives as a single, united community policy with a horizontal character.

The future of cohesion policy will evolve in line with the Europe 2020 Strategy and in this context the two EPP Groups propose to strengthen the importance of a multi-level ownership in the design and implementation stages of this new Strategy. This should imply a full respect of the subsidiarity principle and an effective partnership of all levels of governance - local, regional, national and European.

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The new Lisbon Treaty formulates a broader basis for cohesion policy in the post-2013 period.

We need a reformed and modernized policy, developed along its three dimensions - economic, social and territorial. In order to be effective, while meeting the new objectives of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, we need to continue ensuring the appropriate level of funding.

Cohesion policy is an investment in a sustainable and competitive social market economy for the 21st century, having a great impact on the wellbeing of all European citizens.

The EPP Group can therefore count on strong allies in the European Parliament for the promotion of local and regional interests within the EU. The EPP heading up the European Council Herman Van Rompuy (born 31 October 1947), is the first official President of the European Council. A Belgian politician of the Christian Democratic and Flemish party (CD&V), he served as the 49th Prime Minister of Belgium from 30 December 2008 until his predecessor, Yves Leterme, succeeded him on 25 November 2009. Van Rompuy, who was supported by the EPP as European Council President, is a regular participant of the EPP Summit of heads of state and government. He is an ex officio member of EPP Presidency.

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Member Parties of the EPP Group in the European Parliament Austria Österreichische Volkspartei (ÖVP)

Belgium Christen-Democratisch & Vlaams (CD&V) Centre démocrate humaniste (CDH) Christlich Soziale Partei (CSP) Bulgaria Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) Union of Democratic Forces (UDF)

Cyprus Democratic Rally of Cyprus (DISY)

Czech Republic Křesťanská a demokratická unie - Československá strana lidová (KDU-CSL)

Denmark Det Konservative Folkeparti (KF)

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Estonia Isamaa ja Res Publica Liit (IRL)

Finland Kansallinen Kokoomus (KOK) Suomen Kristillisdemokraatit (KD)

France Union pour un Mouvement Populaire (UMP) Nouveau Centre (NC) La Gauche Moderne (LGM) Germany Christlich-Soziale Union (CSU) Christlich Demokratische Union (CDU)

Greece Nea Demokratia (ND)

Hungary Magyar Polgรกri Szรถvetseg (FIDESZ)

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Ireland Fine Gael (FG)

Italy Il Popolo della Libertà (PdL) Unione dei Democratici Cristiani e Democrati di Centro (UDC) Südtiroler Volkspartei (SVP) Latvia Jaunais Laiks (JL) Pilsoniskā savienība (PS)

Lithuania Tėvynės Sąjunga – Lietuvos krikščionys demokratai / (TS-LKD)

Luxembourg Chrëschtlech Sozial Vollekspartei (CSV)

Malta Partit Nazzjonalista (PN)

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Poland Platforma Obywatelska (PO) Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe (PSL)

Portugal Partido Social Democrata (PSD) Partido Popular (CDS-PP)

Romania Romániai Magyar Demokrata Szövetség (RMDSZ) Partidul Democrat-Liberal (PD-L)

Slovakia Krest'anskodemokraticke hnutie (KDH) Strana mad'arskej koalície-Magyar Koalíció Pártja (SMK) Slovenská demokratická a krest'anská únia-Demokratická strana (SDKÚ-DS) Slovenia Nova Slovenija - Krīčanska ljudska stranka (NSi) Slovenska demokratska stranka (SDS)

Spain Partido Popular - (PP)

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Sweden Moderaterna (M) Kristdemokraterna (KD)

The Netherlands Christen Democratisch Appèl (CDA)

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The European People’s Party (EPP) in Europe EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions Secretary General: Heinz-Peter KNAPP Rue Belliard 101 B-1040 Brussels Tel: +32 2 282 22 50 Fax: +32 2 282 23 29 E-mail: epp@cor.europa.eu www.epp.cor.europa.eu

President: Michael SCHNEIDER

EPP Group in the European Parliament Secretary General: Martin KAMP Rue Wiertz 47-53 1047 BRUXELLES Tel: +32 2 284 2234 Fax: +32 2 230 6208 E-mail: martin.kamp@europarl.europa.eu www.eppgroup.eu

Chairman: Joseph DAUL

EPP Party President: Wilfried MARTENS Tel: (32-2) 285.41.59 _ Fax: (32-2) 285.41.55 Vice-Presidents: Michel BARNIER (France) Mario DAVID (Portugal) Peter HINTZE (Germany) Rumiana JELEVA (Bulgaria) Jyrki KATAINEN (Finland) Enda KENNY (Ireland) Viktor ORBAN (Hungary) Alojz PETERLE (Slovenia) Jacek SARYUSZ-WOLSKI (Poland) Antonio TAJANI (Italy) Corien WORTMANN-KOOL (Netherlands) 43

Secretary General: Antonio LOPEZ ISTURIZ Rue du Commerce 1000 BRUXELLES Tel: +32 2 285 41 40 Fax: +32 2 285 41 41 E-mail: alopez@epp.eu www.epp.eu Treasurer: Ingo FRIEDRICH (Germany)

EPP Members of the European Commission (2010-2015) Jose Manuel BARROSO: President Viviane REDING: Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship Antonio TAJANI: Industry and Entrepreneurship Michel BARNIER: Internal Market and Services Dacian CIOLOS: Agriculture and Rural Development John DALLI: Health and Consumer Policy Kristalina GEORGIEVA: International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response

Johannes HAHN: Regional Policy Connie HEDEGAARD: Climate Action Janusz LEWANDOWSKI: Budget and Financial Programming Günther OETTINGER: Energy Andris PIEBALGS: Development Algirdas ŠEMETA: Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud

European Council

President: Herman Van Rompuy

Rue de la Loi 175 B-1048 Brussels Tel: +32 (0)2 281 61 11 E-mail: ec.president@consilium.europa.eu

EPP Governments in EU 27 – Heads of State and Government* Traian BASESCU (Romania) Boyko BORISOV (Bulgaria) Pedro Passos COELHO (Portugal) Valdis DOMBROVSKIS (Latvia) Lawrence GONZI (Malta) Janez JANŠA (Slovenia) Jean-Claude JUNCKER (Luxembourg) Jyrki KATAINEN (Finland)

Enda KENNY (Ireland) Andrius KUBILIUS (Lithuania) Angela MERKEL (Germany) Viktor ORBAN (Hungary) Mariano RAJOY (Spain) Fredrik REINFELDT (Sweden) Antonis SAMARAS (Greece) Donald TUSK (Poland)

*As of October 2012

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EU Terminology Absorption capacity - the ability of a country or organization to receive financial aid and use it effectively Amendment – A change to the wording of an opinion Accession – process of joining the EU Acquis communautaire - this term is used in the European Union law to refer to the total body of EU law accumulated until now; it comes from French: "acquis" means "that which has been acquired", and "communautaire" means "of the community" Applicant country - a country that has applied to join the European Union ARLEM – The Euro-Mediterranean Assembly of Local and Regional Authorities (EMRLA or ARLEM in French) is designed to provide the institutional framework to bring together CoR members and representatives of European associations involved in EuroMediterranean cooperation with their counterparts from the Mediterranean partners in a permanent joint body 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 officially been accepted as a candidate for accession 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 legal powers and responsibilities in a specific 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 45

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 different European heritage Directorate General (DG) - departments responsible for specific tasks or policy areas Economic, social and territorial cohesion – one of the main objectives of the European Union (article 3 of the Lisbon treaty) aiming at a sound and balanced economic and social development of all territories of the EU European development fund - is the main instrument for cooperation with the countries of Africa, the Caribbean, the Pacific and with the Overseas Countries and Territories EPP- Reporter – aiming at promoting the activities of the EPP Group, on the occasion of the plenary sessions the EPP publishes a magazine with an overview of the rapporteurs and their opinions they will present during the upcoming Plenary Session Europe 2020 – an economic recovery programme for Europe with the aim of promoting smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, which was adopted in June 2010 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 Laeken Declaration – a statement committing the Union to becoming more democratic, transparent and effective Lisbon Treaty and the CoR – when the Lisbon Treaty, the CoR has received the right to go to the Court of Justice in case of violation of the principle of subsidiarity and proportionality and to defend its own prerogatives; the mandate period was enlarged from 4 to 5 years; the maximum number of members is now 350; explicit recognition of the principle of local and regional autonomy; a reference to the territorial cohesion on top of the economic and social cohesion; confirmation of the special status of the outermost regions

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Mandate period – the members of the Committee of the Regions are nominated for a mandate period 5 years. For the presidency of the CoR this mandate period is split into two terms Member of the Committee of the Regions: elected politicians at regional/local level or responsible before a political assembly at any levels of policy making below the national, can become member of the Committee of the Regions Member State – a country belonging to the EU National delegation – the Members coming from a specific Member State, regardless of political persuasion, make up a national delegation and work together to ensure that the opinion of their country is reflected 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 of legislative nature drafted by the Committee of the Regions to express its views on a given topic relating to a legislative proposal of the European Commission; 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 five times a year Political coordinator – representative of a political Group in charge with coordination of all EPP members' activities inside of a CoR commission Political Group secretariat – responsible for coordinating the work of the CoR and representing Members in Brussels 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 fixed by the Council of the European Union.

Rapporteur – person responsible for drafting the opinion Regions – there is no uniform European definition of a region. The member states of the EU are different, so the internal organisation of each state is different due to the historical and cultural background.

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Schengen - a territory without internal borders ((almost every EU country - excluding Ireland and the UK - plus Iceland and Norway Simplified procedure – if an opinion is unanimously adopted at Commission, there is a simplified procedure in the Plenary Session meaning that no amendments can be added Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) – are often referred to as the backbone of the European economy, providing a potential source for jobs and economic growth. SMEs are defined by the European Commission as having less than 250 persons employed.

They should also have an annual turnover of up to EUR 50 million, or a balance sheet total of no more than EUR 43 million Stakeholder – person or organisation with an interest in a specific area/field Structural Funds and Cohesion Fund - The Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund are the main financial 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 - subsidiarity is presently best known as a fundamental principle of European Union law. According to this principle, the EU may only act (i.e. make laws) where action of individual member states is insufficient, including at the level of their regions and cities The word subsidiarity is derived from the Latin word "subsidiarius" and has its origins in Catholic social teaching. The concept is found in several constitutions around the world and makes reference to an organizing principle that matters ought to be handled by the smallest, lowest or least centralized competent authority The principle was established in the 1992 Treaty of Maastricht and entered into force in 1 November 1993. The present formulation is contained in Article 5(3) of the Treaty of Lisbon and in its Protocol no. 2 on the application of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality. Article 5 (3) of the Lisbon Treaty makes for the first time reference to the local and regional dimension of the subsidiarity: "Under the principle of subsidiarity, in areas which do not fall within its exclusive competence, the Union shall act only if and in so far as the objectives of the proposed action cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States, either at central level or at regional and local level, but can rather, by reason of the scale or effects of the proposed action, be better achieved at Union level."

EPP Summer University – The EPP Group in the CoR has organised its Summer University for local and regional media each year since 2005 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.

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Third country – a country not belonging to the EU Transparency – openness and visibility White Paper – document from the European Commission outlining legislative developments at the European level; it contains proposals for European Union action in a specific area and sometimes follows a green paper released to launch a public consultation process

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Contact us Tel: +32 2 282 22 50 Fax: +32 2 282 23 29 e-mail: epp@cor.europa.eu http:// www.epp.cor.europa.eu

EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions Rue Belliard/Belliardstraat, 101 _ 1040 Bruxelles/Brussel _ BELGIQUE/BELGIĂ‹ Tel. +32 2 282 2250_epp@cor.europa.eu www.epp.cor.europa.eu

Your Guide 5th CoR Mandate 2012-2015