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New Maltese delegation takes up work in EU regional and local assembly
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For the next five years, 10 elected representatives will be the voice of Malta's regions and cities in Brussels. On 9 February, they took up their work as members of the Committee of the Regions (CoR), the EU's assembly of regional and local representatives, and elected Michael Cohen (Mayor of Kalkara) as head of their national delegation.
Meeting in Brussels for the constituent plenary session of the Committee of the Regions in the 2010-2015 mandate period, regional and local representatives pledged to use their new powers gained under the Lisbon Treaty in order to bring Europe closer to its citizens. In addition to extended consultation requirements during the adoption of EU legislation, the CoR now also has the right to bring legal actions before the European Court of Justice in order to protect the competences of Europe's regions and cities. An interview with Michael Cohenon his political priorities for the coming years is available on the CoR website.
The Maltese delegation in the Committee of the Regions 2010-2015 at a glance
(Should you wish to receive photos of these CoR members at this week's meeting in Brussels, please contact photocor@cor.europa.eu.)
Who can become a member in the Committee of the Regions?
The selection procedure for the members of the Committee of the Regions, a body representing local and regional authorities, is vitally important for ist operation. The various procedures for selecting CoR members and alternates throughout the European Union reflect the wide range of political and territorial systems in Europe. The enlargement of the Union to 27 Member States has served to
emphasise this fact.
The legal basis for nominating the Maltese CoR delegation is set out in the Regulations published by Legal Notice 49 of 1994 (as amended) and the policy decision of the Cabinet of Ministers.
How are CoR members nominated in Malta?
The Local Councils’ Association, established in 1994 has an Executive Committee composed of nine elected members. The Executive Commiittee is composed of the President, three Executive members who are elected from throughtout the country, five Presidents of five regions who are elected from amongst the councillors of each region and the Executive Secretary. The LCA draws up a list of five members and five alternates taking into account political, territorial and gender balance criteria. The list of candidates is sent to the ministry for justice and home affairs which presents it for approval to the Government of Malta.
The national government takes a decision on the basis of the proposed list of members and submits it the Council of Ministers of the EU which appoints CoR members.
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Visit the CoR's website: www.cor.europa.eu
The Committee of the Regions
The Committee of the Regions is the EU's assembly of regional and local representatives. The mission of its 344 members from all 27 EU Member States is to involve regional and local authorities and the communities they represent in the EU's decision-making process and to inform them about EU policies. The European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council are obliged to consult the Committee in policy areas affecting regions and cities. It can appeal to the EU Court of Justice if its rights are infringed or it believes that an EU law violates the subsidiarity principle or fails to respect regional or local powers.
The CoR was established in 1994 to address two main issues. Firstly, about three quarters of EU legislation is implemented at local or regional level, so it makes sense for local and regional representatives to have a say in the development of new EU laws. Secondly, in order to avoid the public being left behind as the EU steams ahead, the CoR encourages the involvement of all elected levels of government in the decision-making process, bringing Europe closer to its citizens.
The CoR works on behalf of all the regional and local authorities of Europe, fighting for their right to secure appropriate financial resources to enable them to carry out their duties, promoting the principles and mechanisms of good governance and encouraging the process of decentralisation. It also encourages cooperation between regional and local authorities in the Member States, as well as with those of candidate countries, potential candidate countries, neighbouring countries and third countries.
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