the rEPPorter - April 2013 (EPP/CoR Group Newsletter)

April 2013

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

Message from the President

Te ue e with wi Herma H Herm erman V Va Van an Rom Rompuy, Ro o p Europ Eur urop opean a Council Co ou i P President Preside Presiden Presid resid e id ident en

2 Members on the field

2-3 The European Year of Citizens is in your region RegioStars shine for Warmińsko-Mazurskie

4 Creating a regional entrepreneurial environment

5-7 Local and regional actors for development

Ahead off the Spring European Council and in the context off the European Semester, the seventh edition of “Territoriaal Dialogue” gathered on 12 March. President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy, y Regional Territorial Dialogue family photo Policy Com mmissioner Johannes Hahn, President of the Committeee of the Regions Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso andd the presidents of the CoR Political Groups including EPP’s Michael Schneider discussed the Muultiannual Financial Framework, the review of Europpe 2020 Strategy and the territorial dimension of tthe Economic and Monetary Union - “Citizens expectt the European Union to invest in growth and jobs, andd local and regional authorities need certainty on the futuure structural funds. We should not let them down, therrrefore efore compromise on a budget needs to be delivered on time ime”.

7 Iceland’s EU accession

8 Plenary Highlights

8-10 Ongoing Opinions

11 Your Agenda

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Irish Presidency Focus Enda Kenny and Naoise Ó Muirí, Lord Mayor of Dublin met with Members of the EPP Group in the Committee of Regions ahead of the Group’s meeting on “Creating a regional entrepreneurial environment: youth employment and innovation for European regional development”, Dublin, 28 February 2013.

Read more about the Dublin EPP meeting on page 5.

Michael Schneider, Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso, Enda Kenny

“As well as acknowledging what has been achieved together in Europe, we need to focus on what the EU means for individual citizens. People should be aware of what membership of the EU means and how they can take the fullest benefit to improve their lives. And at a time when part of Europe’s response to shared challenges is deeper integration, it is more important than ever that the Union be transparent and accountable to its citizens”.

Enda Kenny, Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland

Message from the President In the past month we have seen an agreement on the 2014-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework see the light on the side of the European Council. From the European Parliament we have seen a call for a strong and effective EU budget that reduces the gap between commitments and payments and allows greater flexibility. I have supported and welcomed the Parliament’s position which provides us with a clear footing for the quick launch of negotiations towards an agreement between the two institutions. Regions and cities require an agreement on an EU budget well in advance of the new programming period, since investments in competitiveness, growth and jobs need to be well planned. There is a sense of urgency on the ground to maintain European investments in a seamless way and to deliver the outcomes citizens expect in the difficult times of austerity.

In the context of the Territorial Dialogue on Growth and Jobs with President Van Rompuy on 12th March I also referred to the growing euroscepticism in some parts of Europe and called for concrete actions to be taken in the fields that provide visible and appealing results. Citizens expect European Union to invest in growth and jobs. As EPP we are committed to showcasing the way to jobs and growth, for which we dedicated our Group meeting on 28 February last to the creation of a regional entrepreneurial environment in the pursuit of youth employment, growth and innovation. In the months ahead, and building up to the 2014 Athens Summit of European Regions and Cities we will work towards the review of Europe 2020 Strategy expected next spring.

Members on the field joint Summit with the EPP Party to bring to the fore what regions and cities are doing with Europe and fight the current nationalistic trends witnessed in many Member States. On the 26th he defended the EPP-CoR vision on the future of the EU, in the context of a conference on “The future of the EU and the opportunities for local governments” in Barcelona.

CoR President Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso met with European Commission Vice-President in charge of transport, Siim Kallas, on 6 March to discuss the funding of TEN-T networks under the next Multi-Annual Financial Framework, the role of local and regional authorities in the Connecting Europe Facility management and the contribution of EU cohesion policy 20142020 to infrastructure investment. Addressing on 19 February the European Parliament’s Committee on Regional Development (REGI), President Valcárcel invited the Parliament to improve the agreement provisions on cohesion as well as the overall cohesion legislative package. He stressed that the deal on the Multi-Annual Financial Framework 2014-2020 reached by the European Council must be considered a starting point to shape the best possible budget through the coming negotiations.

Michael Schneider presented the latest activities of the EPP-CoR Group to the Political Assembly of the European People’s Party on 25 March in Brussels, and offered support of EPP-CoR Group in the campaign running up to the European elections in 2014. This includes holding a

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On 25 March EPP-CoR 1st Vice President Michel Lebrun took part in inaugural meeting of the EPP Ad Hoc Working Group 4 “Climate Change and Energy”, presided by MEP Karl Heinz Florenz and Jorge Moreira da Silva First Vice-President of the EPP Social Democrat Party, member of the EPP. This was the occasion to “kick start” the review of the EPP position on combatting climate change, which was previously adopted by the EPP Political Bureau in 2008 in Madrid. To feed into the reflection work, external keynote speakers presented recent scientific findings in the area of climate change and the respective EU policies, and outlined the state-ofplay of international climate change negotiations.

Jelena Drenjanin addressed the conference on “Over-qualification of Immigrants: an acute manifestation of Europe’s larger labour market failings.

What to do?” on 11 February, in Brussels. The aim was to discuss what could be done at local level to address issues such as 3rd country migrant over-qualification, implications for labour market effectiveness and European competitiveness.

Jelena Drenjanin brought some examples from her own city of Huddinge and drew on the broader CoR policy lines defended notably in the EPP-led opinion on immigration and integration.

Dimitrios Kalogeropoulos (EL) welcomed, alongside the Greek Prime Minister Mr Samaras, Mr Pöttering, former President of the European Parliament and Chairman of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, to the ceremony of the latter’s re-opening of the Greek office which took place at the Acropolis Museum in Athens. Mr Kalogeropoulos also met with the Secretary-General of the EPP Mr Antonio López-Istúriz, during his visit in Athens which took place prior to the EPP’s Summit in Cyprus on 11 January.

EPP Vice-President Arnoldas Abramavicius formed part of the delegation of CoR and Council of Europe members who were invited to deploy an election observation mission to observe municipal elections in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on 22 March.

The programme which included pre and post-election meetings ran from 21-25 March, and was set against the backdrop of political tensions in the country.

Under EU aegis, an agreement was reached in early March between the government and the opposition which foresaw a return to parliament by all parties and their participation in the local elections.

Georgy Gemesi, rapporteur on “strengthening EU citizens’ rights” addressed the European Parliament Hearing on EU citizenship on 19 February 2013. The hearing offered a timely opportunity for our institutions to cooperate on strengthening EU citizenship in the context of the European Year of Citizens and in view of the 2013 EU Citizenship Report expected before the summer.

It constitutes a relevant follow-up to the very successful Forum on the Citizens’ Agenda organised by the Committee of the Regions end November.

Emilia Mueller, Bavarian Minister of Federal and European Affairs met Commissioner Tonio Borg on 1 February to present her views on the proposed ban of strong flavourings in the European Commission’s proposal to revise the Tobacco Products Directive. For more than 400 years snuff, which is enriched with menthol, has been part of the Bavarian way of life. Furthermore, snuff is one of the least harming ways to consume tobacco. After the meeting, Minister Mueller showed cautious optimism for an exception regarding snuff being added to the Tobacco Products Directive.

On 26 March, Ugo Cappellacci, Chairman of the ENVE Commission spoke alongside Commissioner Potocnik about the implementation of the EU environmental law by local and regional authorities. The occasion was the annual Interparliamentary Committee meeting between the Environment Committee of the European Parliament and the national parliaments from the EU Member-States on the topic of “Equal and effective application of EU and environmental law-why it is not happening?”

The Marshal of the Małopolska Region Marek Sowa visited Ukraine to strengthen economic and cultural cooperation with Lvist Oblast and Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast on 21st and 22th of February 2013. “It is our duty to restore traditional economic ties, cultural and interpersonal relations.

I am pretty sure that our nearly 10year collaboration will contribute to achieve this historic task” said Sowa. Further during signing ceremony for protocol on cooperation, the Marshal of the Małopolska Region declared support for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.

On 8 March, Adam Struzik, Marshal of the Mazowieckie voivodeship opened a Conference in Warsaw on “Youth as a source and lever of regional growth in times of crisis” organised by the Assembly of the European Regions which focused mainly on youth mobility and youth entrepreneurship.

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

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The European Year of Citizens is in your region As part of the 2013 European Year of Citizens, European Commission VicePresident Viviane Reding initiated in the autumn of 2012 a series of Citizens Dialogues bringing European politicians in town-hall meetings with European citizens. The Committee of the Regions has embraced her invitation for its

member regions and local authorities to take part in the 2013 European Year of Citizens through activities at local level.

Pedro Sanz Alonso, President of La Rioja

European Commission Vice-President Viviane Reding

The EPP-CoR Group is a strong supporter of the European Year of Citizens campaign and defends that raising awareness on EU citizens’ rights should be a long-term objective beyond 2013. Attentive to this call, Pedro Sanz Alonso, President of La Rioja has launched through the Europe Direct Information Centre in La Rioja a contest called “Ciudadano Riojano Europeo” (European Citizen from La Rioja). Every

month the spotlight will on the person from La Rioja who has shown a deep awareness of European values, or participated in successful EU programmes.

Ana Maria and Raquel Perez Sainz, two sisters who own an apiarian farm, were the January winners. Last year, they were also the winners of the European Prize for the best innovative young Farmer. Pilar Vidaurreta, a 67 years-old woman from Logroño was the February winner. Her dedication as European Volunteer has thus been recognised. The event is taking place in the whole region of La Rioja and will last the whole year. At the end of 2013, a report about all the winners will be published and they will meet in an event closing the European Year of Citizens.

You’re also organising events in your city or region the context of the European Year? Let us hear about it by sending us an e-mail epp@cor.europa.eu

RegioStars shine for Warmińsko-Mazurskie health-centred approach to job seeking and job retention. A professional job coach established a ‘personal development plan’ for a target group of long-term jobless – the majority of them women, including vocational training and psychological support. Almost 80% of them went on to find a job. Thanks to the continued support and intervention, 9/10 of them were in the same jobs some 19 months later. The project has led to an attitudinal shift in the city also, with 60% of the employers involved saying they would be more interested in recruiting people aged 45 and over.

Jacek Protas (EPP, PL), Marshall of the Warmińsko-Mazurskie region have received the RegioStars 2013 award in the “Inclusive growth” category for “Individual Employment Paths” flagship innovative project run in his region, during the special ceremony held in Brussels on 31 January 2013.

Specifically targeted at the long-term unemployed in the 45+ age bracket, the “Individual Employment Paths” project in Elbląg, Poland took a personal and

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“We have learned over the years by working with the unemployed, that in order to combat unemployment sometimes you need to take unconventional and innovative methods. And that has worked. We’ve used a very individual and personalized approach to the unemployed, especially those over 45 years of age and mostly disabled. It has brought its positive effects. Believing in exchange of good practices, we used the experience of our Finnish partners. We treat this project as a pilot programme to be reproduced both by us in the region, but

I hope that with the promotion that this award gives us, such practices will also be copied and imitated throughout Europe” Marshall Jacek Protas told “the rEPPorter” following the award ceremony.

President of the Jury and former President of the Committee of the Regions, Luc Van den Brande (EPP, BE) added: “Choosing the winners from a field of so many outstanding entries required an intense debate. The jury, reflecting different areas of expertise, focused on regional projects that demonstrated impact and excellence in the EU2020 pathway: a smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. They show a good example of how regions, no matter what their size or location, can learn from each other how to innovate in the broadest sense.”

The annual RegioStars Awards are open to all EU regions to submit projects which have received investment through EU Regional Policy since 1st January 2000. In this 6th edition of the Awards, the European Commission received 149 applications the highest ever amount, of which 27 were chosen as finalists.

Creating a regional entrepreneurial environment: youth employment and innovation for European regional development Throughout Europe, regions and cities are facing a significant financial and economic challenges coupled with worrying levels of youth unemployment. The EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions is convinced that a strong entrepreneurial environment is needed in order to boost youth employment and foster innovation.

Within this context on 27 February 2013, EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions

met with Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny ahead of his discussion on the EU longterm budget with EP President Schulz and Commission President Barroso. Minister for European Affairs Lucinda Creighton participated as keynote speaker in the Group’s meeting dedicated to the creation of a regional entrepreneurial environment in the pursuit of youth employment, growth and innovation the following day in Dublin.

Dublin conference voices:

Entrepreneurship and youth employment are at the core of the EPP values.

There’s no other way than austerity to recover from the crisis. Ireland is a best practice on that Lucinda Creighton, Minister for European Affairs of Ireland

Access to funding must be easy and not differentiate from country to country. It is an unfair obstacle to create the truly internal market

We need to foster a strong entrepreneurial environment across the continent in pursuit of boosting youth employment and innovation in regions across Europe

Pablo Zalba, Member of the European Parliament

Michael Schneider, EPP-CoR Group President

Youth unemployment can lead to huge frustrations of hopes towards the future. A political system without hope for young ones is making its way towards failure. Entrepreneurship can be the answer

Europe needs at least 6 million new entrepreneurs to compete with emerging economies and the US in the near future, otherwise it risks being left behind and becoming more and more peripheral on the globalized world stage.

Constance Hanniff y, EPP-CoR Group VicePresident and Member of the Offally County Council

Peter Jungen Project Syndicate

It is our duty to support young entrepreneurs, reduce bureaucracy, create shortcuts for launching businesses, drive simple and centralized electronic processing, and develop smart incentives and financial instruments such as guarantee schemes or networks of private investors

Entrepreneurial spirit should start during the study years and fostered throughout all the individual’s education in order achieve a sustainable young labour market Juha-Pekka Nurvala EPP Youth

Ramon Luis Valcárcel Siso, President of the Committee of the Regions The activity report of the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions

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Dublin, 28 February 2013

Youth employment and the role of entrepreneurship at the core of European regional development Meeting of the European People's Party Group EPP in the Committee of the Regions

The European People’s Party Group As regard to the role of enterprises in the Committee of the Regions: for growth and job creation 1. Stresses that Stability, Growth and Jobs lay at the core of in the EU:

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the Irish Presidency of the European Council and supports the latter to its efforts towards sustainable recovery from the crisis that affects many Member States; Welcomes the decision of the European Council of 7-8 February 2013 to create a “Youth Employment Initiative” being supported by 6 billion Euros during 20142020, as one important instrument to tackle the difficult situation of young people in certain regions; Welcomes the European Commission’s Youth Employment Package and in particular its Recommendation to Member States on introducing the Youth Guarantee; stresses the importance of linking the Youth Guarantee schemes with youth mobility between Member States and an enhanced role for the Youth on the Move flagship initiative and regional and local authorities in this respect; Calls for support to the Members States currently under budgetary constraints, where unemployment levels are particularly high, in order to implement the Youth Guarantee provisions in an efficient manner; Recalls the European Commission’s proposals as expressed in the Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan, which should be a way out of unemployment for young Europeans; stresses that local and regional authorities should be fully involved in the design and implementation of the actions proposed under the three pillars; Believes that the Social Market Economy model, based on the EPP core values of subsidiarity and solidarity, can be the method to tackle the crisis, and first and foremost its negative impact on economic development and youth employment;

7. Reminds that enterprises are fundamental contributors to growth and employment; in order to achieve the goals of the Europe 2020 Strategy, both competitiveness and innovation must be at centre stage, encouraged and promoted at the regional and local level; 8. Highlights the need to support with measures areas that can innovate and create quality jobs such as the digital market and financial services; 9. Reminds that despite the crisis the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have retained their position as dynamic actors in the European economy, accounting for more than 98% of all enterprises where 90 million people are employed, while providing high rates of investment in innovation; 10. Strongly believes that innovative start-ups represent a key resource in which to invest in coming years in order to sustain growth, generate quality jobs and opportunities for everyone, and make people aware on what can be concretely achieved in their cities and regions; 11. Calls for an urgent smart regulation on the European stage to support European business, and in particular the SMEs and micro- enterprises; 12. Is convinced that new innovative enterprises should be perceived as bridges between universities and major industries, traditional knowledge and technology, talented young people and experienced managers, local and regional governments and international investors; calls therefore for further public-private partnerships to make these synergies more effective, horizontal and indissoluble; 13. Underlines the need for European enterprises to be confronted with the challenges of globalization; insists, therefore, on the importance of investing on the creation of strong regional clusters to facilitate the exchange of know-how and best practices while guaranteeing the unique high quality of the European production; 14. Supports a reformed Single Market, one where there is willingness and commitment at political level. Legislative and administrative cultures must be taken into account right from the start of preparatory work on single market legislation, in order to ensure effective implementation;

As regard to youth employment: 15. Highlights that one in four young people in the labour market is not able to find a job, very often remain a long term unemployed, therefore calls on Local and Regional authorities to set up work centres that would offer professional advice and trainings to young people to better integrate into changing labour markets; 16. Promotes the idea of more labour mobility for young workers, convinced that mobility can offer more employment opportunities. However reminds the dangerous effect of Social Dumping, and calls for fair competition and well-balanced treatment of all the workers as one of the key building-blocks for a sustainable European Single Labour Market in all sectors; 17. Welcomes the European Commission’s proposal for a “Rethinking Education” strategy aiming at a better alignment of the education to the needs of students

and to the labour market. Highlights therefore the importance of ensuring an incisive framework for highquality traineeship and apprenticeship at local, regional and national levels, in order to fill the gaps linked to the complex school-to-work transition; 18. Supports the measures to strengthen the educational process through concrete preparation for independent entrepreneurial career and encourages young people in education to think about becoming entrepreneurs in the future and invest in their talent and creativity. This can foster the ambitious self-employment culture based on the values of responsibility, aspiration for better life conditions and re-inventing themselves;

Local and regional actors for development

On 9-10 April 2013 the Committee of the Regions is organising jointly with the European Commission the 3rd Assises of Decentralised Cooperation for development. This event provides an occasion for political dialogue between local and regional authorities’ representatives from the EU and developing countries and the European institutions on development cooperation.

Hans Janssen, Mayor of Oisterwijk (EPP) will be addressing the conference

as rapporteur for the “Communication on Local Authorities in development cooperation”. This is the reference document which will redefine the EU’s partnership nature with local and regional actors in development policy.

Indeed, local and regional authorities (RLAs) have expertise in most of the sectors that are key to economically, socially and environmentally sustainable development. They increasingly conduct an autonomous active development cooperation policy and some regions are also substantive donors. It is worth noting that RLAs have experience both in practical action and in political control in fields such as public health, education, waste and water management, local entrepreneurship and conditions for the creation of SMEs, transport and infrastructure, the environment and natural resources, and agriculture. They

also have broader responsibility over the protection of a true democracy and for the respect for human rights. Recognising their role, and to reinforce development aid effectiveness, in 2008 the European Commission called for the first time for the development of a holistic approach to local authorities as actors in development at global, European and national level.

The Conference takes place ahead of a new programming period for EU development projects for 2014-2020.

It also falls in the context of broader reflections on the global approach to development and what should follow after 2015, the target year for the Millennium Development Goals.

Closing the debates and pointing the way forward are CoR President Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso and Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs.

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EPP members assure localities of Iceland get best of their EU accession and to ensure that local authorities are involved in the enlargement process with access to good practice from EU regions. “It should provide the platform for exchange of experiences not only for pre-accession funds but already for structural funds. Icelandic colleagues are aware of the importance of this task.

JCC can contribute to understanding better the EU at the local level in Iceland” explains Adam Struzik, Marshal of the Mazowieckie voivodeship in Poland since 2001, one of the most experienced CoR members when it comes both to pre-accession and structural funds.

The regional policy challenges that EU membership prospect brings to the Icelandic local authorities should be well addressed with experience and good practice that the Committee of the Regions (CoR) has. EPP/CoR Group members Adam Struzik (PL), Anders

Knape (SE) and Luc Van den Brande (BE) took part in the inaugural meeting of the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) between the CoR and Icelandic local authorities in Reykjavik in March 2013.

The JCC has been set up in order to follow Icelandic accession negotiations

The JCCs have an important role in promoting dialogue and cooperation between local and regional authorities in the EU and in the candidate countries.

Although not directly involved in the accession negotiations they adopt reports and recommendations primarily focused on areas directly relevant to local and regional authorities in the enlargement process.

Plenary Highlights The 100th Plenary Session of the Committee of the Regions is going to be marked by an opening statement by the President of the European Parliament (EP), Martin Schulz. His presence follows shortly from the adoption of an EP resolution which rejects the Council’s proposal for the EU’s 2014-2020 budget in its current form, and before the launch of negotiations with EU governments. As many of the regional programmes and policies rely on this e longterm budget, members of the CoR will be eager to hear and question the President about the Parliament’s negotiating position and steps towards reaching a compromise on the Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020.

During the second day of the Plenary Session, a resolution issued jointly by all of the CoR’s political groups will be voted “On the future global approach

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to ending poverty and giving the world a sustainable future”. The resolution responds to the European Commission’s proposal for a common EU approach towards the review of Millennium Development Goals and the establishment of an overarching framework including the Rio+20 Sustainable Development Goals after 2015. In the draft resolution Members agree that the future framework should build on the strength of existing goals and targets, and remain focused on eliminating the multiple dimensions of extreme poverty. Future goals should remain limited in number and apply universally to all countries, ensuring ownership at all levels of government. Indeed, the crucial role that subnational authorities play in the organisation and provision of basic services aimed at improving citizens’ well-being is reaffirmed, as is their broader role in

guaranteeing good governance, democracy, and the respect of human rights.

Also the CoR Draft Budget 2014 is going to be presented to the Members. It has been prepared in full compliance with the recommendations set out by EU Budget Commissioner Lewandowski in his letter of 7 January 2013 to all EU institutions, requesting them to split the budget into staff-salary-related items and all other items and reduce the number of staff by 1% as well as to freeze all non-salary expenditure on 2013 level.

EPP opinions at Plenary Devolution in the European Union and the place for local and regional self-government in EU policy making and delivery

“I regret that since the economic and financial situation began to deteriorate there is growing trend towards centralisation throughout the EU. The economic crisis and austerity measures implemented throughout Europe should by no means be used as an excuse for ffurther centralisation of power, or for the devolution of power without consequent financial resources” Rapporteur: Franz Schausberger, Delegate of the Land of Salzburg (Austria/EPP) R CDR 2214-2012- CIVEX-V-034

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ecentralisation and division of competences in the EU Member States is one of the key aspects of the subsidiarity principle that the Committee of the Regions regularly monitors reviews and strongly defends. It plays an important role, especially now in times of economic turmoil, when citizens expect actions to be taken at the closest level possible. In the opinion which evaluates the state of the devolution in the EU and place for local and regional self-government in the EU policy making and delivery, EPP rapporteur Franz Schausberger is pleased to assess that European integration has contributed in a decisive way to local and regional devolution. He notes that the growing trend towards centralisation is based on the mistaken assumption that transferring public services to the central government level will make them more

cost-effective. Indeed, in the context of the sovereign debt crisis, the merger of municipalities is very often used as an economic argument to achieve cost savings but which Franz Schausberger considers not to be based on adequate studies or analyses. The rapporteur reiterates that in accordance with the principles of good governance and better lawmaking, regional and local authorities, as well as the parties responsible for implementing EU policy at subnational level, must be more actively and effectively involved as early as possible in designing and implementing EU policies and legislation. In this context, he additionally calls on all EU Member States to establish an appropriate legal framework for their sub-national authorities at the highest possible level - if possible in their constitution. He is convinced that functioning local and

regional administration and effective devolution should be based on the principles of subsidiarity, proportionality and multilevel governance, conducted through democratically elected and fully representative bodies that are accountable to their people. , The opinion also encourages the Member States to replace transfer payments, as far as possible, with own financial resources i.e. independently raised sub-national taxes or charges. This draws from the findings of the recent European Commission report on Public Finances in the Economic and Monetary Union, which shows a growing trend towards fiscal decentralisation and a greater efficiency of own-resources versus transfers as a funding tool. The European Commission is encouraged to repeat this review of sub-national public finances every year.

Enlargement Strategy and main challenges 2012-2013

“The role of local and regional representatives in the enlargement pprocess is highly important and therefore enlargement countries should be encouraged to maintain their decentralisation and regionalisation efforts” R Rapporteur: Luc Van den Brande, Chairman of the Flemish-European Liaison Agency (Belgium/EPP) L CDR 2210-2012 - CIVEX-V-038

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he rapporteur welcomes the in-depth analysis and overall assessment of candidate and potential candidate countries by the Commission, yet criticises the limited number of clear suggestions

given to overcome shortcomings in implementing the acquis. Furthermore, his opinion stresses the importance of the multi-level governance approach, based on the subsidiarity principle which is needed in the assessment of the

enlargement process and in the reforms and changes required to access the European Union. He particularly regrets that despite repeated recommendations, the Commission has once again omitted to assess the implementation of this

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governance model and that there is no acquis chapter dealing with needed decentralisation in countries wishing to join the EU. . Van den Brande stressed the need for enlargement countries to consistently change their governance model by improving the responsibilities of regional and local authorities and act in partnership, and referred to the need to build up the capacity of regional and local institutions in the legislative, financial and administrative spheres. This will enable them to make best use of existing pre-accession assistance and be ready to

implement the acquis communautaire in a sustainable way. Interestingly, the opinion provides for deeper respect and attention to the principle of good neighbourly relations among EU Member States, candidate countries and other countries and the role and importance of developing cross-border and regional cooperation between these states on their road to EU membership. Furthermore, it considers that the protection of minorities and respect for human rights, which form part of the values that are the foundation of the European Union, must remain essential

elements of the EU accession process.

Individual assessments and broad policy recommendations also form a part of the opinion and are addressed towards the individual countries: Croatia, Iceland, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo.

Enhancing and focusing EU international cooperation in research and innovation

“Local and regional authorities policies have a significant impact in developing research infrastructures and establishing innovative environments able to attract scientists and innovators and to create the substantive and operational conditions for robust growth of intellectual capital” Rapporteur: Markku Markkula, Member of the Espoo City Council (Finland/EPP) R CDR 2076-2012 - EDUC-V-027

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n the view of the rapid changes in the global research landscape, the European Commission presented a new strategy for international cooperation in research and innovation. It touches especially on issues such as climate change, food security or fighting diseases that may be solved better with united global research forces. Markkula’s opinion praises the Commission’s objective of strengthening the scientific excellence of the EU and of its attractiveness and economic and industrial competitiveness on a global scale. It first of all contributes to a full recognition of the role of regional and local authorities in this process. In Markkula’s view they are in fact key players to bring within their territories the main players of the innovation triangle, a mix of academia, universities, research players and several economic and industrial

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communities along different innovation value chains and value networks. Their policies also have a significant impact in developing research infrastructures and establishing innovative environments (universities, technology centres, business incubators, science parks and venture capital friendly milieus) able to attract scientists and innovators and to create the substantive and operational conditions for robust growth of intellectual capital. In line with the above, Markku Markkula places a strong emphasis on the fact that global competition concerns not only countries but also large regional systems where districts, industrial research-driven clusters, business networks and business parks are located: the regional dimension is called to compete and cooperate internationally with similar systems in other parts of the world. Additionally the

rapporteur makes references to growing importance of “science diplomacy” (soft power), underlines importance of the international dimension of Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3), recognises the added value of the Strategic Forum for International Cooperation as well as European networks, in particular those operating at regional level in order to promote cooperation between regional and local authorities in the field of interregional and international research and development. In this opinion Markkula argues that only a single, integrated approach to international cooperation can ensure a real collaboration and complementarity between the European institutions and Member States, to avoid duplication and gaps in scientific activities and support the Union’s external policies.

Ongoing Opinions Comission

Opinion

Rapporteur

Expected Adoption

BUDGET

Annual EU Budgetary Procedure 2014

Luc Van den Brande (Flanders, Belgium)

October 2013

CIVEX

Local Authorities in Development Cooperation

Hans Janssen (Oisterwijk, Netherlands)

July 2013

COTER

Territorial Impact Assessment

Michael Schneider (Saxony-Anhalt, Germany)

July 2013

COTER

4th Rail Package

Pascal Mangin (Alsace, France)

July 2013

ECOS

Reigniting the Entrepreneurial Spirit in Europe

Paweł Adamowicz (Gdańsk, Poland)

October 2013

ECOS

CARS 2020: Action Plan for automotive industry

Christian Buchmann (Styria, Austria)

October 2013

EDUC

Promoting Cultural and Creative Sectors

Anton Rombouts (s’ Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands)

May 2013

EDUC

Closing the innovation divide

Markku Markkula (Espoo, Finland)

May 2013

ENVE

EU Space Industrial Policy: Releasing the Potential for Growth in the Space Sector

tbc

October/ November 2013 tbc

ENVE

EIA Directive

Marek Sowa (Malopolskie, Poland)

May/July 2013 tbc

ENVE

7th Environment Action Programme

Jose Macário Correia (Faro, Portugal)

May 2013

ENVE

Review of Waste Targets

Michel Lebrun (Belgium)

July 2013

NAT

Tabacco Products Directive

José Antonio Monago Terraza (Extremadura, Spain)

July 2013

NAT

eHealth Action Plan 20122020 – Innovative Healthcare for the 21st Century

Johan Sauwens (Flanders, Belgium)

July 2013

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Your Agenda 18 April

Ad-hoc Rules of Procedure

Brussels

19 April

COTER Seminar

Porto, Portugal

22 April

CIVEX

Brussels

23 April

ECOS

Brussels

24 April

ENVE

Brussels

25-26 April

EDUC Seminar

Espoo, Finland

30 April

NAT

Brussels

7 May

COTER

Brussels

14 May

CORLEAP Bureau

Brussels

Secretary General: Heinz-Peter Knapp Press OďŹƒcer: Dominik Krakowiak, dominik.krakowiak@cor.europa.eu, +32 2 282 2539 This issue is also available at www.epp.cor.europa.eu Join us on

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