Brussels, 12 November 2015
MEETING OF THE COMMISSION FOR CITIZENSHIP, GOVERNANCE,
INSTITUATIONAL AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
– 16 NOVEMBER 2015 –
ITEM 4.7
WORK PROGRAMME FOR 2016 of the Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional & External Affairs (CIVEX)
COR-2015-05687-00-00-TCD-TRA (EN) 1/20
EN

WORK PROGRAMME FOR 2016 of the Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional & External Affairs (CIVEX)
The following work programme has been prepared in accordance with the work programme of the
European Commission for 2016, the CoR Resolution on the European Commission's work programme
2016, and the intensified cooperation with the European Parliament.
This work programme aims to provide guidelines for the work to be carried out in 2016 and thereby help to ensure continuity and coherence in advancing current priorities and reinforcing political impact.
It aims to proactively and more dynamically progress in forward-looking, strategic and thematic planning, better integration of CoR activities in the inter-institutional calendar and a more resultsoriented and longer-term focus on priority policy areas.
The following work programme is submitted for adoption by CIVEX members during the meeting of
16 November 2015, to be adopted by the CoR Bureau on 9 February 2016.
The remit of the Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs covers the following fields:
1.
Area of Freedom, Security and Justice
2.
EU Charter of Fundamental Rights
3.
Active Citizenship
4.
European Communication Policy
5.
Devolution
6.
Constitutional Affairs
7.
Multi-level Governance
8.
Local and Regional Governance
9.
Better law-making (including the reduction of administrative burden and regulatory fitness)
10.
Subsidiarity and Proportionality
11.
Immigration Policy, Asylum and Visas
12.
External Relations Policy
13.
Enlargement
14.
Neighbourhood Policy
15.
Eastern Partnership
16.
EU Mediterranean Policy
17.
Decentralised Cooperation for Development
18.
Administrative external cooperation and capacity building
19.
International treaties and negotiations
20.
International terrorism and border controls.
COR-2015-05687-00-00-TCD-TRA (EN) 2/20

1.
Priorities of the CIVEX commission
1.1
Priority policy areas
1
The CIVEX Commission will concentrate its efforts on the following priority policy areas with high relevance on the EU agenda and direct impact on local and regional authorities:
1.
Union citizenship
2.
Migration, integration and asylum
3.
European Neighbourhood Policy
4.
Enlargement
5.
European governance
6.
Development policy and decentralised cooperation

Union citizenship
The CIVEX Commission will continue to foster active citizenship at European, national, regional and local level and the awareness of EU citizens' rights.
In accordance with the decision of the CoR Bureau, CIVEX has political responsibility for dealing with European Citizens' Initiatives
2
. It will therefore pay particular attention to the planned revision of the Regulation on the European Citizens' Initiative
3
and monitor the impact of the European
Parliament's report on the ECI, which was adopted on 28 October 2015 in the EP Plenary Session , and follow up on the opinion on the European Citizens' Initiative
4
. The potential role for the CoR in the process of the ECI, in particular in awareness raising, facilitating contacts, screening of proposed ECIs and analysing them on regional / local relevance, the CoR's involvement in the ECI hearings in the
Parliament and supporting the implementation of successful ECI’s will be key areas for further debate.
The close collaboration with DG Just will be continued. A joined external meeting is planned for the second semester of 2016, in which the presentation of the EU Citizenship Report 2016 is being considered. This report will have influence on the future direction of the European Commission in the area of how to develop EU citizenship and could be a reference document for a possible CoR opinion on the topic of European Citizenship in 2016.
The work programme of the European Commission states the intention to expand its "Citizens'
Dialogues" which allow the members of the European Commission to listen directly to citizens in their
3
4 own regions and reply on the issues that matter most to them. CIVEX will follow up on all initiatives from the Commission aimed at bringing the EU closer to its citizens.
1
An explanatory sheet for each proposed priority policy area is enclosed in Appendix III. These policy areas will also be the first to benefit from the Thematic Planning process.
2
CdR1335/2013 item 8.
Regulation (EU) 211/2011, OJ L 65/1 of 11.3.2011.
CdR 2606/2015
COR-2015-05687-00-00-TCD-TRA (EN) 3/20


European policies in the fields of immigration, integration and asylum
CIVEX will continue to call for a comprehensive approach to migration, mobility and asylum policies.
In this context CIVEX will follow up on the opinion on the European Agenda on Migration
5
. CIVEX also intends to follow closely all initiatives in the context of migration policy such as the ones concerning legal migration, the Common European Asylum System, the EU's external borders, the relocation and resettlement mechanisms and the review of the Dublin regulation.
CIVEX will also take into consideration the role of regional and local authorities as far as cooperation policies to support refugees in the countries of origin and transit are concerned. CIVEX will also further develop its work on the integration of third country nationals legally residing in the Member
States. It will continue the good cooperation between the CoR and the European Commission on this matter and follow the activities of the European Migration Forum.

European Neighbourhood Policy
CIVEX will take the lead in voicing the institutional position of the CoR on this policy and through its consultative and political work will actively contribute to the implementation and assessment of a variety of new neighbourhood policy instruments, particularly in the field of cross-border and interregional cooperation, along with institution-building programmes, which are of particular importance for local and regional authorities. CIVEX will monitor the review of the European
Neighbourhood Policy, with a particular regard to the territorial dimension of external action. o ARLEM, CORLEAP
In this regard, CIVEX will:
 continue to follow the local and regional dimensions of the Euro-Mediterranean cooperation and in particular the role of local and regional authorities in the Union for the Mediterranean. It will take the policy priorities and activities of the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local
Assembly (ARLEM) into consideration;
 provide a platform for the debate of ARLEM reports;
 follow the local and regional dimension of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) and in particular the role of local and regional authorities in the EaP countries. In this regard, it will take into consideration the policy priorities and activities of the Conference of Regional and Local
Authorities in the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP), specifically the three main topics as defined in the CORLEAP Action Plan 2016-2017: Continued focus on decentralisation and public administration reform, exchange of best practice of public administration and economic development, and funding opportunities for local and regional authorities. Furthermore, CIVEX will contribute to the ongoing work in the thematic multilateral platform Democracy, good
5
CdR 2607/2015.
COR-2015-05687-00-00-TCD-TRA (EN) 4/20

governance and stability (Platform 1) and the other EaP platforms
6
and panels, in particular the panel on Public Administration Reform .
Now that CORLEAP has been firmly established within the Eastern Partnership, CIVEX will support
CORLEAP activities and events where appropriate by addressing topics relevant to CORLEAP in particular the issue of decentralisation and capacity building at local and regional level in the EaP countries through dialogue with LRAs but also with civic society, community organisations, business representatives, trade unions, students and civic representatives and leaders which could play a major role in the process of decentralisation in these countries. CIVEX will continue to step up cooperation and partnership with all countries of the Eastern Neighbourhood, and in particular those that have signed Association Agreements with the EU (Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine). o Task Force Ukraine
The objective of the Task Force Ukraine will be to support Ukraine in its efforts through the reform process by enhancing and strengthening the role of local governance and local democracy as well as territorial cooperation between Ukrainian LRAs and the EU. Based on the Work Programme approved at the first meeting of the Task Force on 30 September 2015, political and technical support will be provided as regards the specific topics to be handled in the forthcoming meetings. In parallel to the main challenges related to the decentralisation, the Task Force will explore the potential for joint development of cross border cooperation as well as matters related to public procurement, territorial planning and infrastructures, e-administration and fight against corruption, monitoring/evaluation of long-planning regional policy, etc. The Task Force will aim to produce tangible results which allow
Ukrainian citizens to see the advantages of decentralisation.
The Task Force will report to the Bureau and the CIVEX commission and its activities will also feed into the activities of the Support Group for Ukraine, coordinating the activities of the European
Commission in support of Ukraine. It will also link up with the European Parliament Delegation to the
EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Cooperation Committee
7
. The work of the Task Force will also provide input to the work of the CIVEX commission and of CORLEAP in the field of Eastern Partnership. Its work will be supported by the secretariat of the CIVEX commission.
Possibilities of increasing the frequency of meetings of the Task Force will be explored in order to ensure more continuous involvement in the local government reform process in Ukraine.

Enlargement
The CIVEX commission will monitor the major developments in the EU's external relation policies in terms of enlargement, with a particular regard to the role that local and regional authorities can play in the design and implementation of effective external action. The work of CIVEX will focus primarily on the local and regional dimensions of the enlargement process. The CIVEX commission will ensure
6
As of 17 October 2011 the CoR has a permanent membership in all four EaP thematic platforms.
7 http://www.europarl.europa.eu/delegations/fr/d-ua/publications.html.
COR-2015-05687-00-00-TCD-TRA (EN) 5/20

even better coordination of the Joint Consultative Committees and Working Groups by embedding these bodies into the overarching political strategy of the CoR.
CIVEX is the competent Commission to monitor developments in the enlargement countries and therefore the first recipient of the work generated by the Joint Consultative Committees and Working
Groups
8
. The CoR's interest is focused on supporting the enlargement countries' democratic stability, respect for fundamental rights and rule of law and economic prosperity and thus their path towards
European integration by promoting the development of their administrative capacity, their internal decentralisation processes and the role of well-functioning associations of municipalities and regions.
To achieve its political goals and support the activities of the JCCs and WGs, CIVEX will work closely with the European Commission, European Parliament Joint Committees and Delegations, the
Council as well as local, regional and central government authorities from the enlargement countries in supporting the activities of the JCCs and WGs.
Furthermore, an "Enlargement Day" event will be organised in conjunction with a CIVEX commission meeting in Brussels, bringing together the CoR members of the JCCs and WGs with the LRA representatives from the candidate and potential candidate countries and relevant stakeholders
9
. One of the main targets is to provide added value, from a local and regional perspective, to the enlargement countries' "progress reports".

European governance o Multilevel governance and devolution
In 2016, the CIVEX commission will continue to promote the implementation the principles included in the Charter for Multilevel Governance in Europe adopted in 2014 and its associated instruments such as a possible "multilevel governance scoreboard" and the "MLG Pledges".
Building on the work already conducted and as a follow-up of the opinion on Devolution in the
European Union and the place for Local and Regional self-government in EU policy making and delivery
10
, CIVEX will continue working on the issues of decentralisation, local and regional selfgovernment and the division of powers between the national and the sub-national levels. Further to its work on fiscal decentralisation in the EU, candidate and potential candidate countries, CIVEX will look into administrative and fiscal decentralisation in the countries of EUROMED and an update of the existing division of powers study and corresponding website.
8
COR-2015-04495-13-00-NB-TRA.
9
10
COR-2015-04495-13-00-NB-TRA.
CdR 2214/2012.
COR-2015-05687-00-00-TCD-TRA (EN) 6/20

o Better regulation
In 2016, CIVEX will follow up on the opinion on the EU Agenda on Better Regulation
11
. In particular, it will continue to provide support for the CoR activities related to better regulation, including any stemming from the new Agenda put forward by the Commission in May 2015. The High Level Group of Independent Stakeholders on Administrative Burdens has been replaced by the REFIT Platform, and CIVEX will contribute to the development of the CoR's position on this, as well as supporting the
CoR representative to the Platform once nominated.
With regard to improving the quality of EU legislation, CIVEX will continue monitoring the EU
Regulatory Fitness Programme (REFIT) to make sure it delivers on its objectives of simplifying the
EU acquis , reducing red tape and regulatory costs without putting core standards of EU legislation at risk. To this end, it will promote strengthened consultation of local and regional authorities and enhanced territorial impact assessment. o Good governance
The CIVEX Commission will consider the proposal from the Commission for a new Interinstitutional
Agreement on a mandatory transparency register for interest representatives seeking to influence policymaking. As a follow-up to the resolution on The priorities for the 2016 Work Programme of the
European Commission
12
, CIVEX will contribute to efforts to ensure an exemption for democratically elected representatives of regional and local authorities.

Development policy and decentralised cooperation
The CIVEX commission intends to build on the increased recognition given to local and regional authorities as active players in development cooperation through their decentralised cooperation projects. In particular following on from 2015 as the European Year for Development, CIVEX will explore, in relation with other institutions and partners, ways to improve the participation of local and regional authorities in EU development cooperation, to improve coordination among all actors, and to promote the multilevel and partnership approach in the definition, implementation and evaluation of development cooperation strategies in order to ensure effective delivery of development assistance.
CIVEX will also work to promote the local and regional authorities' position within the context of the common EU approach to the Global partnership to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals. To that aim, and in partnership with international organisations (UNDP, UN-Habitat) and European institutions, CIVEX will work on concrete means, methods and criteria available to local and regional authorities to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The CIVEX commission will also seek to contribute to bilateral discussions between the EU and other regional groupings (African
Union; Latin America, etc.) and to the post-Cotonou discussions. In this context, CIVEX members will participate, to the extent possible, in events such as the localising process of the SDGs, the
11
CdR 4129/2015.
12
CdR 3308/2015.
COR-2015-05687-00-00-TCD-TRA (EN) 7/20

European Development Days (15-16 June 2016) and the preparation of the UN-Habitat III conference to take place in Quito, Ecuador, from 17-20 October, 2016.
The CIVEX commission will also follow up on its opinion on "Local and Regional support for Fair
Trade" as an instrument of development policy and will work towards the recognition of the specific contribution of local and regional authorities in this regard in the wider context of the EU's trade policy.
1.2
Other thematic issues

The future of Europe
CIVEX will look at how the EU decision-making process can be improved and to this end, how local and regional authorities can be better involved in EU law making and transfer their hands-on experiences to help to increase the "democratic legitimacy" of the EU and to rebuild confidence in the
European project.
With a view to possible changes to the EU's institutional framework, the CIVEX commission will discuss the key concerns and expectations of local and regional authorities and will propose concrete ideas if and when the occasion arises. It will focus in particular on steps to improve the EU's system of governance, by strengthening the place and role of local and regional authorities and the CoR in the development of a political union, based on the "principles of liberty, democracy and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and of the rule of law" (TEU).
Not only the role of LRAs but also the role of citizens in the EU's institutional framework will be one of the key priorities for CIVEX. Citizen participation in the European legislative procedures is seen as one of the most important means to counter citizens' disenchantment and to increase legitimacy of the
European institutions. CIVEX will advocate the strengthening of citizen participation in European policy making.
CIVEX will follow up on the resolution on "Improving the functioning of the European Union: Lisbon
Treaty and beyond" adopted in July 2015. Cooperation with the other institutions will be sought, in particular with the AFCO Committee of the European Parliament, in particular in the context of the report of Ms Bresso and Mr Brok on "Improving the functioning of the European Union building on the potential of the Lisbon Treaty".
CIVEX will also follow developments with regard to the revision of the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Regulation, led by Mr Verhofstadt. The particular role of LRAs and their democratically legitimated representatives in the CoR must be recognised in the revision of the Interinstitutional
Agreement.

Multilevel protection and promotion of fundamental rights and citizens' rights
CIVEX will continue to focus on the respect for the principles and values, as set out in the Treaty on the European Union. Building on its previous work, the CIVEX commission will work actively to contribute to the debate on Fundamental Rights, especially in the context of the Colloquium on
COR-2015-05687-00-00-TCD-TRA (EN) 8/20

Fundamental Rights organised annually under the egis of the First vice-president of the European
Commission in charge of better regulation, inter-institutional Relations, rule of Law and charter of fundamental rights. CIVEX will closely follow the EU's accession to the European Convention on
Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. It will continue to cooperate closely with the European
Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) not least in organising the Annual Dialogue on
Fundamental Rights which feeds into the FRA biannual Fundamental Rights Forum, bringing together institutional actors, local and regional authorities as well as civil society on fundamental rights related topics of common interest.

Security and the fight against terrorism and organised crime
In 2016 the CIVEX commission will continue to promote the active role of local and regional authorities and the cooperation of all governance levels and services in implementing the European
Council Conclusions from 25-26 June 2015 and the European agenda on security 2015-2020 with a view to prevention of radicalisation and extremism.
The CIVEX Commission is ready to contribute from the perspective of local and regional authorities to the implementation of the European Agenda on Security on issues and threats such fight against organised crime, trafficking in human beings, production and sale of illicit drugs and radicalisation in order to help the EU to protect its citizens while remaining open to the world.
CIVEX will highlight the contribution of local communities, cities and regions in preventing radicalisation and extremism through local and regional projects and especially by enhancing cooperation with the EU Commission and RAN Centre of Excellence.
2.
Follow-up of opinions
The opinions of the European Committee of the Regions are the main political tools to transmit the political viewpoint of CoR members to the other institutions of the European Union. In the coming year, the CoR and its constitutive bodies, as well as all services of the administration, will put additional focus on the follow-up of opinions, in order to ensure that the messages of the CoR can achieve the greatest political impact in the EU decision-making process.
The CIVEX commission will closely follow up, and seek to influence, the interinstitutional developments on the following key dossiers which were already subject to CoR opinions:

European Agenda on Migration
13

EU Agenda on Better Regulation
14

The European Citizens' Initiative
15
13
CdR 2607/2015.
14
15
CdR 4129/2015.
CdR 2606/2015.
COR-2015-05687-00-00-TCD-TRA (EN) 9/20


A Decent Life for All: From vision to collective action and the opinion on local and regional support for fair trade
16

Reconnecting Europe with its citizens – more and better communication at local level
17

Enlargement strategy and main challenges
18

Towards a new European Neighbourhood Policy
19
3.
Interinstitutional Cooperation
During 2016, CIVEX will work towards strengthening interinstitutional dialogue and its links with the
European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council, including the Dutch and Slovak rotating Council presidencies. CIVEX will build on its good contacts with the different Directorates-
General of the European Commission responsible for the policy areas within its remit, and it will develop its relations with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the
European External Action Service. CIVEX also intends to continue good cooperation with the
European Economic and Social Committee.
The CIVEX commission will continue close cooperation in particular with the European Parliament's
LIBE, AFCO, JURI, DEVE and AFET committees as well as with Joint Parliamentary Committees with candidate and pre-candidate countries, the EURONEST Parliamentary assembly and the
Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean. The CIVEX commission will invite members of the
European Parliament working on issues relevant to the CIVEX agenda and remits to its meetings whenever possible to facilitate the cross-fertilisation of political discussion and the exchange of ideas.
CIVEX will continue to explore opportunities to substantiate its opinions by commissioning additional analysis from the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS), as provided for in the cooperation agreement between the CoR and European Parliament.
4.
Cooperation with other organisations and bodies
CIVEX will pursue its excellent cooperation with the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, notably in the context of the annual dialogue on the multilevel protection and promotion of fundamental rights, and with other EU agencies and bodies active in areas falling within its remits.
CIVEX will continue to work with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of
Europe based on the common priorities and methods of cooperation defined in the Cooperation
Agreement between the two institutions. Areas of joint interest may include future developments of the Charter for regional democracy, in accordance with the European Committee of the Regions'
16
CdR 5701/2014, CdR 5704/2014.
17
18
19
CdR 4460/2014.
CdR 6834/2013.
CdR 2671/2015.
COR-2015-05687-00-00-TCD-TRA (EN) 10/20

declaration of support, multi-level governance, the monitoring of the fundamental rights' situation and the fight against corruption as well as cooperation within the framework of the neighbourhood policy.
In the context of the CoR's work in the field of decentralised cooperation for development, the CIVEX commission will strengthen its relations with the relevant bodies of the United Nations, notably the
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The CIVEX commission will also seek to develop its relations with the Stabilisation and Association
Councils of the countries with which the CoR has established JCCs, as well as the Regional
Cooperation Council (RCC) in order to foster economic and social development, the consolidation of democracy and respect for human rights in South East Europe.
The CIVEX commission will cooperate closely with key associations of local and regional authorities in 2016. Efforts will also be made to closely involve the relevant NGOs in the CoR's consultative work and communication policy.
5.
Complementary activities
5.1
Organisation of conferences and seminars
As outlined in the thematic section, CIVEX intends to organise or to cooperate with other institutional actors in the organisation of events which are linked to the priorities of its consultative agenda.
Two external events will be organised: the first one will be a study visit to focus on "Supporting active citizenship among the elderly population" and will take place in Maia (Portugal) in June 2016. The second one will be the external CIVEX meeting and conference and will focus on citizenship. The external meeting and conference will take place in Oviedo, Asturias (Spain) in September 2016.
5.2
Subsidiarity monitoring
Given the responsibility of the CIVEX commission for horizontal issues of governance and the CoR's role in monitoring the implementation of the principle of subsidiarity, and in light of the emphasis placed by the European Commission on ensuring that the principle of subsidiarity is fully upheld,
CIVEX will strengthen its cooperation with the other CoR structures active in this field, notably the
Subsidiarity Monitoring Network and its Subsidiarity Steering Group (SSG) and the Subsidiarity
Expert Group (SEG), to develop the most appropriate instruments and procedures to enhance the local and regional dimension of subsidiarity monitoring.
In accordance with the Subsidiarity Monitoring Strategy
20
, the SWP will be prepared in parallel to the work programmes of all CoR commissions. This also allows for orientating and addressing subsidiarity scrutiny in legislative files. The chairperson of the Subsidiarity Steering Group will be invited to report regularly to the CIVEX members on the CoR's subsidiarity monitoring activities.
20
R/CdR 606/2012 item 7a).
COR-2015-05687-00-00-TCD-TRA (EN) 11/20

5.3
Local election observation in third countries
To further build on the longstanding cooperation with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, CoR members will continue to participate where appropriate in election observation missions of local or regional elections in countries with which the CoR have JCC's or
Working Groups and Countries with which the EU has signed Association Agreements. The outcomes of the observation missions will be reported to the CIVEX Commission which will take them into account in its consultative work.
*
* *
N.B.
: Appendices overleaf.
COR-2015-05687-00-00-TCD-TRA (EN) 12/20

APPENDIX I
List of documents already attributed to the CIVEX commission to be dealt with in 2016, for which rapporteurs have not yet been appointed
Reference of
European
Commission document
Title of European
Commission document
Procedure
Scheduled adoption by the
CoR
*
*
Pending decision of CIVEX members to appoint rapporteurs.
*
*
*
COR-2015-05687-00-00-TCD-TRA (EN) 13/20

APPENDIX II
Indicative list of the principal legislative and non-legislative proposals corresponding to the political priorities of the CIVEX commission for 2016
Reference of European
Commission document
Indicative title of European
Commission document
Procedure
Enlargement, European Neighbourhood Policy and external relations
Communication (outside Enlargement package 2015-2016 Non-legislative mid-October
CWP) (tbc)
Scheduled adoption by the
European
Commission
Area of freedom, security and justice
Work Programme 2016 – Implementation of European
COM (2015) 610
Work Programme 2016 –
COM (2015) 610
Agenda on Security
Better Migration Management
Legislative /
Non-legislative
Legislative /
Non-legislative
Tbc
Border Management Package Work Programme 2016 –
COM (2015) 610
Legislative /
Non-legislative
European Governance
Work Programme 2016 –
COM (2015) 610
Work Programme 2016 –
COM (2015) 610
Work Programme 2016 –
COM (2015) 610
Proposal for an Inter-Institutional
Agreement on a mandatory
Transparency Register
Development policy and decentralised cooperation
Work Programme 2016 – Post-Cotonou Framework
COM (2015) 610
Capacity building in the security sector
Commission contribution to the
Global Strategy
*
* *
Non-legislative
Non-legislative
Legislative / nonlegislative
Non-legislative
Tbc
Tbc
Tbc
Tbc
COR-2015-05687-00-00-TCD-TRA (EN) 14/20

APPENDIX III
Timeline for the discussion of each Priority Policy Theme
2.
3.
4.
COMMISSION CIVEX – Priority Policy Themes Discussion date in 2016 – CIVEX meeting
1.
5.
European Neighbourhood Policy and external relations
Enlargement
Migration, integration and asylum
Union citizenship and European governance including better regulation
Development policy and decentralised cooperation
*
* *
5 February
19 April
23 June
22-23 September
24 November
COR-2015-05687-00-00-TCD-TRA (EN) 15/20

APPENDIX IV
Explanatory sheet for each Priority Policy Theme
Union Citizenship
CIVEX
Reference to the policy priorities of the CoR
Relevance for EU
Regional and Local
Authorities
"Europe of the citizens is Europe of the future: enhancing forward-looking partnerships between European Union and its people" is one of the five key priorities in the CoR's resolution on its 2015-2020 priorities. This document stresses the need to communicate about Europe and its values, stimulate public debate with citizens and showcasing the impact that Europe has on citizens' wellbeing. It also urges for bottom-up procedures in order to strengthen the local and regional authorities' opportunities for action and influence and to promote citizens' trust in, and closeness to, the European Union.
Local and Regional Authorities are closest to the citizens. They are well aware of citizens' concerns. Because of this, they are well positioned to promote EU
Citizenship and Citizens' Rights (Study on the Role of Local and Regional
Authorities in Promoting EU Citizenship and Citizens' Rights). LRAs are also well positioned to inform citizens on EU policies and raise awareness on tools such as the European Citizens' Initiative. LRAs have most experience with direct democracy and citizen participation. They can provide valuable information on the success criteria and best practices of direct democracy.
Policy objectives, key challenges and impact indicators
Proposed actions and support instruments
Timetable for implementation and interinstitutional calendar
COR-2015-05687-00-00-TCD-TRA (EN) 16/20

Migration, integration and asylum Policy theme
CoR commission CIVEX
Reference to the policy priorities of the CoR
Relevance for EU
Regional and Local
Authorities
Policy objectives, key challenges and impact indicators
Proposed actions and support instruments
In its resolution on the 2015-2020 priorities, the CoR stated its support to the development of a comprehensive EU migration policy and strengthened local and regional crisis management capacities. It spoke about promoting an exchange of best practice examples and strengthened cooperation at local and regional level, independently of a framework submitted by the Commission and also about the CoR involvement in the debate on the review of the Dublin
III Regulation in order to develop a fair burden sharing within the EU, and to address the root causes of illegal migration and human trafficking, taking account of humanitarian and development-policy aspects. It also called for setting up "migration and integration partnerships" between cities and regions in countries of origin and destination.
Cities and regions are at the frontline of the reception of migrants and have a key role to play in the management of the refugee crisis. The CoR also focuses on the question of integration of refugees. Integration happens mainly at local level. Local and regional authorities being the level of governance closest to the citizens can play a key role in this respect.
The EU approach to migration must be sustainable, based on solidarity, respect human rights and move from an emergency mode to a comprehensive approach on integration and foreign affairs.
LRA have a key role to play (sustainable reception and integration of asylumseekers and refugees) and must be guaranteed resources at national and EU level. Training and assistance with networking should be provided for reception authorities in LRA.
Migration and integration partnerships" should be set up between LRA in the countries of origin and destination
Relocation is an effective means of solving the uneven distribution of asylumseekers/refugees.
The Commission must find pragmatic solutions to enhance LRAs' capacities to manage the migrant influx. The shared management of refugee camps would make things easier for local authorities.
The idea of "humanitarian corridors" is in line with the idea of relocation and solidarity.

11-12/11/2015: European Council Summit on Migration, Valetta

Debates on migration and integration in the December CoR plenary.

Development of a CoR webpage on migration.

Follow up and possible reaction when appropriate on the initiatives by the
European Commission concerning the EU's external borders, legal migration package, relocation and resettlement mechanisms and review of the Dublin regulation.

Participation in the European Migration Forum in April 2016 (tbc) that
COR-2015-05687-00-00-TCD-TRA (EN) 17/20

Timetable for implementation and interinstitutional calendar
Policy theme
 will probably focus on migrants' skills.


Strategic debate on migration in the CIVEX meeting on 23 June.
Reworking and promotion of the integration platform.
EP:

February 2016: Vote in LIBE of the strategic own initiative report on the situation in the Mediterranean and a holistic approach to migration (EP corapporteurs, Ms Metsola and Ms Kyenge)
March 2016: Vote of the report in the EP plenary.
European Commission:

March 2016: Scheduled initiatives on better migration management
(including legal migration package, relocation and resettlement mechanisms and review of the Dublin regulation) and on border management package.
Enlargement policy
CoR commission CIVEX
Reference to the policy priorities of the CoR
Relevance for EU
Regional and Local
Authorities
Policy objectives, key challenges and impact indicators
In its resolution on the 2015-2020 priorities, the CoR asks the European
Commission to support and enhance the role for local and regional authorities from the enlargement countries in the reform of public administration and to pay specific attention in its Annual progress reports to the state of decentralisation.
The elected representatives are aware that political, economic and social reforms, currently on the way in the enlargement countries, can be introduced only by respect of diversity and genuine decentralisation. The CoR actively tries to facilitate the task of the local and regional authorities in the enlargement countries to prepare for their future responsibilities in the
European Union, to obtain recognition of their role and to favour contacts and cooperation with their EU counterparts.
 encourage enlargement countries (Montenegro, the former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Kosovo * and Turkey) in their decentralisation and regionalisation efforts and the respect for the principle of subsidiarity;
 the period of five years, during which there will be no new accessions to the EU, must be understood as a phase of intense preparation and adoption of the policies required to meet the criteria for EU membership;
 the local and regional authorities of the candidate and potential candidate countries should have proper involvement in the pre-accession process;
 public administration at all levels remains weak in most enlargement countries, with limited administrative capacity, a high degree of politicisation and corruption and a lack of transparency. Politicisation at both central and local level remains a serious concern in most of the accession countries.
COR-2015-05687-00-00-TCD-TRA (EN) 18/20

Proposed actions and support instruments
Timetable for implementation and interinstitutional calendar

The WGs and the JCCs will continue their meetings with LRAs from the enlargement countries.

Organisation of the Enlargement Day in the marge of the CIVEX meeting from 16 Nov 2015, with the participation of CIVEX and WGs & JCCs members and their counterparts from the enlargement countries.

Organisation of the Enlargement Day in the marge of the CIVEX meeting from 19 April 2016 followed on 20 April by the meetings of the WGs &
JCCs.
EP:

Appointment of the rapporteurs, one per enlargement country, after the publication of the Communication by the European Commission
European Commission:

Publication of the "Enlargement Package" in the beginning of November
2015
European governance
CIVEX
Reference to the policy priorities of the CoR
Relevance for EU
Regional and Local
Authorities
In its resolution on the 2015-2020 priorities, the CoR emphasised that multilevel governance should be promoted in all future legislation. It stated that red tape and regulatory burdens should be reduced at all levels of government in order to allow businesses to thrive and citizens to benefit fully from the EU's added value. The CoR committed to contributing to the
Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Regulation and to engaging in the
REFIT Programme. Finally, it said that the Transparency Register should be improved by ensuring that local and regional authorities and their representatives were exempt from any requirement to register.
Local and regional authorities must contribute to efforts to reconnect citizens and businesses to the EU. Being the level of governance closest to the citizen, local and regional authorities have a key role to play in making it easier for
Europeans to benefit from the added value that the EU provides. Local and regional authorities also are hardest hit when it comes to bottlenecks caused by unnecessary burdens in EU rules, so must play a strong role when it comes to
Better Regulation and the REFIT Programme.
COR-2015-05687-00-00-TCD-TRA (EN) 19/20

Policy objectives, key challenges and impact indicators
Proposed actions and support instruments
Timetable for implementation and interinstitutional calendar
Better Regulation must be carried out in the spirit of multilevel governance, through coordinated actions by the EU, national, regional and local levels.
The CoR must play an active role in the new REFIT Platform, but the institutional role of the CoR should not be confused with the role of other stakeholders in the Platform, particularly business and civil society representatives.
The Commission and the co-legislators must consult the CoR and local and regional authorities more closely when assessing the impact of proposed EU legislation, in order to ensure that the territorial dimension is sufficiently taken into account.
The CoR should be included in the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better
Regulation, given its important role with regard to subsidiarity, as well as the importance of LRAs in implementing the Better Regulation Agenda.
The proposed Interinstitutional Agreement to establish a mandatory
Transparency Register should include a clear exemption for LRAs and their representative associations.
17 November 2015: 7 th Subsidiarity Conference, with a special focus on the
Better Regulation Agenda.
Follow up on the opinion on the Better Regulation Agenda.
CoR membership of the newly-established REFIT Platform – development of internal working practices within the CoR to ensure that the voice of LRAs is clearly heard within the new Platform.
Engagement on the new proposal for a mandatory Transparency Register in
2016.
Interinstitutional Agreement:
The Commission, EP and Council are aiming for agreement on the IIA on
Better Regulation by the end of 2015/early 2016.
EP:
Tbc: plenary debate and vote on the own-initiative report on REFIT
(indefinitely postponed)
Commission:
2016: new proposal for an IIA to establish a mandatory Transparency Register
_____________
COR-2015-05687-00-00-TCD-TRA (EN) 20/20