Steen ILLEBORG Director Committee of the Regions «Fourth Meeting of the EEA EFTA FORUM» Brussels, 14 November 2011
10 Priorities for Action (1) 1. The future European budget 2. The governance of the Europe 2020 Strategy 3. The cohesion policy 4. Climate change and energy 5. The reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)
10 Priorities for Action (2) 6. The re-launch of the single market 7. The multi-level governance 8. The neighbourhood policy ARLEM - CORLEAP 9. The 2012 Summit of cities and regions Copenhagen 22-23 March The European Urban Fabric of the 21st Century
Activities of the CoR on selected priority areas (1) Multiannual financial framework: most relevant policy area at the moment, because all policy areas will heavily be affected by the budget for the next funding period. the CoR ad-hoc budget commission is regularly meeting with representatives of the other institutions to discuss the CoR input. most important message: no macroeconomic conditionality for structural funds spending, because this would punish the regions for mistakes of the national levels.
Activities of the CoR on selected priority areas (2) Europe 2020 Strategy numerous Europe 2020 platform activities many CoR opinions on Europe 2020, growth, SME policy, etc. opinion by Mr Markku Markkula on the role of local and regional authorities in the Europe 2020 Strategy, October 2011. main message: the success of the Europe 2020 Strategy will largely depend on decisions taken at local and regional level and therefore the CoR calls for the establishment of "Territorial Pact of Regional and Local Authorities for the Europe 2020 Strategy.
Activities of the CoR on selected priority areas (3) Cohesion Policy: a conference on rural communities with Polish presidency in October revealed strong CoR support for future cohesion policy and also for a focus on urban-rural relations. ongoing CoR work to influence the legislative package adopted by the European Commission in October 2011. CoR is in favour of the current architecture of cohesion policy by adding a category "intermediate/transition regions" with an average GDP/capita of 75% and more (up to 90%).
Activities of the CoR on selected priority areas (4) Climate Change CoR is actively promoting the agendas related to green economy, energy efficiency and adapting to climate change. CoR opinion on "Climate Change mainstreaming and future budget of the EU", adopted in June 2011 (rapporteur: Mr Reepalu). CoR is an observer in the EU delegation to the UNFCCC in Durban (to be held in December 2011).
Activities of the CoR on selected priority areas (5) Energy efficiency CoR proposes that at least one separate priority line of the 2014-2020 Structural Funds should be dedicated to sustainable use and production of energy. CoR calls for a specific urban strand of the Cohesion Policy which should provide support for the development of Sustainable Energy Action Plans. CoR opinion of October 2011 on the Europe 2020 Resource Efficiency flagship initiative and related roadmap: the CoR reiterates its proposal to expand Covenant of Mayors to Resource Efficiency.
Activities of the CoR on selected priority areas (6) Services of general economic interest (SGEI) Opinion in October 2011, rapporteur: Karl-Heinz Lambertz The SGEI package should be revised in compliance with the principle of subsidiarity and with a view to ensuring freedom of choice and of administration for local and regional authorities as regards methods of organising, funding and carrying out their public service prerogatives, in accordance with the provisions of national or regional legislation. The CoR called for the adoption of more balanced provisions, better tailored to the nature of public service, to its local, cross-border and EU dimensions, to the wide variation in its forms of organisation and stakeholders, proportionate to the real level of risk of affecting intra- Community trade and of actually distorting competition within the internal market.