European Committee of the Regions

Within the European Union, local and regional authorities have lobbied for an increased say in EU affairs. This resulted in the creation of the European Committee of the Regions by the Maastricht Treaty, and the provision for Member States to be represented in the Council of the EU by ministers from their regional governments.[2]

There are three main principles at the heart of the committee's work:[3]

Subsidiarity

This principle, enshrined into the Treaties at the same time as the creation of the CoR, means that decisions within the European Union should be taken at the closest practical level to the citizen. The European Union, therefore, should not take on tasks which are better suited to national, regional or local administrations.[4]

Proximity

All levels of government should aim to be 'close to the citizens', in particular by organising their work in a transparent fashion, so people know who is in charge of what and how to make their views heard.

Partnership

Sound European governance means European, national, regional and local government working together – all four are indispensable and should be involved throughout a "multi-level governance" decision-making process.

The Treaties oblige the European Commission and the Council of the European Union to consult the Committee of the Regions whenever new proposals are made in areas that have repercussions at regional or local level. Outside these areas, the commission, Council and European Parliament have the option to consult the CoR on issues if they see important regional or local implications to a proposal. The CoR can also draw up an opinion on its own initiative, which enables it to put issues on the EU agenda.[5]

The CoR has gained the right (privileged status) to approach the European Court of Justice now that the Treaty of Lisbon has entered into force following ratification by all EU Member States (Article 8, Protocol (No. 2) on the Application of the Principles of Subsidiarity and Proportionality).[6]

The CoR has 329 full members and the same number of alternate members.[7] The number from each EU country reflects the size of its population, but ranges from a representation of an average of 88087 citizens of Malta per seat to 3.45 million citizens per German seat. Its members are locally and regionally elected representatives including mayors, regional presidents and councillors. The numbers per country are as follows:

State	Members	State	Members	State	Members
Germany	24	Belgium	12	Ireland	9
Hungary	12	Croatia	9	France	24
Portugal	12	Lithuania	9	Italy	24
Sweden	12	Latvia	7	Spain	21
Bulgaria	12	Slovenia	7	Poland	21
Austria	12	Estonia	7	Romania	15
Slovakia	9	Cyprus	6	Netherlands	12
Denmark	9	Luxembourg	6	Greece	12
Finland	9	Malta	5	Czech Republic	12
Total					329

1992 – Maastricht Treaty

EU leaders decide to set up the Committee of the Regions (CoR) as a consultative assembly which will provide regions and cities with a voice in the EU decision-making process and act as a direct link between Brussels and the citizens. The Treaty makes it mandatory for the European Commission and the Council of Ministers to consult the CoR on key areas of regional concern. CoR members are to be nominated by the governments of Member States and will serve for four years. In March 1994 the CoR holds its first plenary session in Brussels.

1995 – EU enlargement

The CoR's membership increases from 189 to 222, following the accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden.

1997 – Amsterdam Treaty

Extends the CoR's remit to cover around two thirds of the EU's legislative proposals. The Treaty also makes it possible for the Committee to be consulted by the European Parliament.

2001 – Nice Treaty

Underlines the democratic legitimacy of the CoR by requiring that its members are elected or politically accountable to an elected regional or local assembly. Caps the number of members at 350.

2002–03 – Convention on the Future of the EU

CoR members take part in the convention responsible for drafting an EU constitution. The text expressly recognises the role and powers of local and regional government; it also gives the CoR the right to go to the Court of Justice of the European Communities to challenge EU laws which do not comply with the principle of subsidiarity.

May 2004 – EU enlargement

Number of CoR members increases from 222 to 317, following the accession of 10 new Member States.

February 2006 – New term of office

The CoR starts a new four-year term. Its political priorities include boosting the role of local and regional authorities in line with the Lisbon Strategy for Jobs and Growth, strengthening cohesion and solidarity, and spearheading the 'Communicating Europe – Going local' campaign to bring the EU closer to its citizens.

January 2007 – EU enlargement

With the accession of Bulgaria and Romania, the number of CoR members rises from 317 to 344.

December 2007 – Lisbon Treaty

The Lisbon Treaty confirms the CoR's right to appeal to the Court of Justice of the European Communities to safeguard its prerogatives and the subsidiarity principle – a right already recognised by the Convention on the Future of the EU. This new entitlement will strengthen the CoR's political role, by enabling it to act more effectively on the EU stage for the benefit of regional and local authorities. The Lisbon Treaty extends the term of office of CoR members from four to five years.

July 2013 – EU enlargement

Number of CoR Members increases from 344 to 353, following the accession of Croatia (CoR members later decreased to 350).

Early 2020 – Brexit and Greens

Following Brexit (31 January), the number of CoR Members decreased to 329 due to the removal of the 24 members from the United Kingdom. As of February, a new Political Group was represented in the CoR, The Greens.

In 2020, the Committee of the Regions was criticized for its 20-year-old unresolved case of Robert McCoy, a former internal auditor, who has been severely harassed after he blew the whistle on "fraud and embezzlement" at the EU body. In his speech before the European Parliament, McCoy claimed the CoR had run "a vindictive campaign" against him and "denigrated" his personal and professional reputation. That issue made the Committee receive criticism also from the Dutch MEP Sophie in 't Veld, who used to work for the Committee of the Regions. She told Parliament that from her experience, the administration at the CoR had been "totally incompetent and rotten to the core". She also accused the CoR of being stuck in "full denial mode" and suggested potential budgetary sanctions.[12] One of the leading critics of the Committee of the Regions' inaction on this issue was also the Czech MEP Tomáš Zdechovský: "When I look at this case, it reminds me of the American film 'Groundhog Day' where the protagonist becomes trapped in a time loop".[13]

• Institutions of the European Union
• Congress of the Council of Europe

• European Committee of the Regions official website Archived 22 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine
• Europe in my Region
• List of Members
• Access to documents of the European Committee of the Regions on EUR-Lex
• Subsidiarity Monitoring Network of the Committee of the Regions
• Atlas of Decentralised cooperation for Development, a website dedicated to decentralised cooperation developed jointly by the Committee of the Regions and the European Commission
• Group of the European People's party in the Committee of the Regions Archived 25 August 2020 at the Wayback Machine
• Group of the Party of European Socialists in the Committee of the Regions
• Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe in the Committee of the Regions
• Group of the European Alliance in the Committee of the Regions
• Group of the European Conservatives and Reformists in the Committee of the Regions