Commissie Territoriale Samenhang heeft nieuwe voorzitter (en) - Hoofdinhoud

Marek Wozniak (PL/EPP), Marshall of the Wielkopolska region, is the new chair of the Committee of the Regions (CoR) Commission for Territorial Cohesion (COTER). The election took place on 26 September, when COTER members also adopted two opinions, on the Conduct code on partnership and on the Community-Led Local Development.

Marek Wozniak has taken over from Michel Delebarre (FR/PES), Mayor of Dunkerque, who has presented his end-of-mandate report just before the election of the new chair and vice chairs of the COTER commission. Marek Wozniak will be in office for the next two years until 2014.

The draft opinion of the rapporteur Stanislaw Szawbski (PL/EA), Chairman of the Municipality of Gdynia, on the Code of conduct on partnership has been adopted unanimously by the members. Partnership has been one of the key principles in ensuring the successful implementation of the EU Cohesion Policy since 1988. Partnership has also been identified as a key tool in delivering the Europe 2020 Strategy, as action for growth and jobs requires ownership at all political levels as well as the involvement of local and regional actors across Europe. The European Commission's proposals for the implementation of Structural Funds for 2014-2020 are driven by a need for more consistent application of the partnership principle based on a European Code of Conduct on Partnership (ECCP). Under this Code, Member States will have a clear obligation to organise a partnership: national authorities will be responsible for applying specific procedures to ensure the full involvement of relevant partners throughout the different stages of the programme.

The COTER commission also discussed the draft opinion on the Community Led Local Development (CLLD) written by Graham Garvie (UK/ALDE), Member of Scottish Borders Council. After debate, it has been adopted by majority. CLLD will draw from the experience of the LEADER i Programme for Rural Development, the European Fisheries Fund, as well as URBACT, EQUAL, URBAN and other initiatives so that in the future local communities can develop and implement Local Development Strategies across the four European funds covered by the draft General Regulation - currently under discussion. The draft General Regulation foresees that community-led initiatives should be strengthened to facilitate the implementation of multi-dimensional and cross-sectoral interventions. Through this own-initiative opinion the CoR aims to make the ideas more concrete, and ensure that there is sufficient ownership for them at local level. In this area the CoR could provide valuable experience and knowledge to be taken up by the other European institutions during the legislative process.

Moreover, a general explanatory debate on the draft opinion on the Common Strategic Framework took place. Rapporteur General is COTER new chair Marek Wozniak (PL/EPP). The adoption is foreseen at the plenary session of 29-30 November 2012.

The Committee of the Regions' COTER commission:

The CoR COTER commission allows for representatives from local and regional authorities to discuss the planning and implementation of these policies and to ensure that their concerns are taken up by the European Institutions. The COTER commission is in charge of issues including territorial cohesion, structural funds, spatial planning, urban policy, housing, transport, and macro-regions. The commission gathers 113 local and regional politicians. It is chaired by Marek Wozniak.