EUROPEAN CONVENTION: DIFFERENCES SUBSIDE IN PRAESIDIUM ON SHARING RESPONSIBILITIES.

The Convention's next plenary session should however focus primarily on the one hand on the conclusions of the working group on a "Social Europe", which is expected to publish its report on January 29, and on the other, on the role of regional authorities. On this last theme, the Praesidium is staging a meeting on January 30 with organisations representing these authorities. A joint document will be presented by four of these organisations: the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe (CRPM), the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CCRE), the Association of European Frontier Regions (ARFE) and Eurocities, outlining a series of proposals backed by the four organisations. Seven principles are identified in the form of proposals for the modification of the Treaty: respecting national, regional and local identities; redefinition of the principle of subsidiarity as an inter-relation between Community, national, regional and local levels; recognition of the principle of local democracy and self-government among the fundamental values of the Union; references to consultation at an early stage of the regional; reference to territorial cohesion in the aims of the European Union; reference to the common policies in the constitutional part of the Treaty as contributing to the development of a prosperous economy as well as to strengthening solidarity; and the right of the Committee of the Regions to refer matters before the Court.

Regarding this right of appeal to the Court of Justice, the four associations only explicitly name the Committee of the Regions (the formula proposed is: "The Court of Justice may also rule on proceedings for annulment brought by the Committee of the Regions with regard to acts which might infringe the principle of subsidiarity or in order to defend its prerogatives"), making no mention of individual regions' right of appeal. This right, though limited, is however recognised in the recent report to the European Parliament by Giorgio Napolitano (PES, Italy), adopted on January 14, permitting regions to go before the Court of Justice, but only under the authority of a Member State. This scope for "State-sanctioned" access was introduced through an amendment tabled by Convention Praesidium member Inigo Mendez de Vigo (EPP, Spain), and reflects concerns in Madrid, staunchly opposed to autonomous regions gaining direct access to European institutions. At several points, the proposals from the four...