the committee of the regions and the danish presidency of the
TRANSCRIPT
The Committee of the Regions
and the Danish Presidency
of the Council of the European Union
EUROPEAN UNION
Committee of the Regions
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
Editorial by the President of the Committee of the Regions 3
Editorial by the Danish Minister for European Aff airs 4
Why a Committee of the Regions? 6
Building bridges between the local, the regional and
the global - Danish Members at work 9
Danish Delegation to the Committee of the Regions 12
The decentralised Danish authority model 17
EU policy is also domestic policy
- Chairmen of Local Government Denmark and Danish Regions 20
EU-funded projects in Denmark 22
The 5th European Summit of Regions and Cities 26
Calendar of events 28
Contacts 30
EUROPEAN UNION
Committee of the Regions
Meeting the challenges together
We have already had a taste of Danish culture via NOMA, recognised as the best restaurant
in the world for two years running by the UK’s Restaurants magazine for putting Nordic
cuisine back on the map. Though merely whetting our appetites, this taster has confi rmed
Denmark’s infl uential contribution to our continent’s cultural wealth. Happily, Denmark’s
contribution to the European Union is far more extensive and will, undoubtedly, be in the
spotlight throughout the fi rst half of 2012! A modern state, where European and international
sea routes converge, Denmark has frequently drawn on its talents and fl ourishing economy
to make its own, distinctive mark. It is in tune with the priorities for 2020: competitiveness,
social inclusion and the need for ecologically sustainable change. The Danish economy has
also followed a successful recipe, combining the fl exibility needed to adapt to globalisation,
in particular through its exports, with the preservation of a model based on social cohesion.
If international surveys are to be believed, this has made it the happiest country in the world.
And now the Danish people have a woman as their leader, a woman who has already set her
policy programme within a European framework. Given the challenges the European Union
will be facing in the fi rst six months of 2012, I very much welcome this change, which augurs
well for our ability to tackle the deep crisis in the EU.
For Denmark’s energy will be crucial to Europe. Although negotiations on the next
multiannual fi nancial framework will be diffi cult and are not due to be completed under
the Danish Presidency, Denmark will nonetheless have a key role to play in upholding
the aspiration of ensuring that Europe brings added value and safeguarding the budgets
and policies that strengthen our model of society, in particular Cohesion Policy and the
Common Agricultural Policy. It will also contribute its own vision of our shared future. I am
impatient to see what the Presidency’s priorities will be with regard to the environment,
research and innovation and the EU 2020 Strategy. In other areas too, such as territorial
cooperation, particularly following the success of the Baltic macro-region, the greening of
the CAP, the sustainability of fi sheries and renewable energies, Europe’s regions and cities are
expecting Denmark to propose innovative solutions.
As it happens, the Committee has decided to organise its March 2012 summit on the
theme of the 21st century urban fabric in Copenhagen. This city with an exemplary record of
planned, sustainable urban development will be the setting for our discussions, illustrating
that Europe can do better and more to take account of the urban dimension in regional
development, benefi ting everyone by creating beautiful, prosperous, sustainable, inclusive
cities.
Whenever Denmark defends European integration, the added value of the EU and the
aspiration to shape a European community which respects regional and local diversity, the
Committee of the Regions will be here to support it and to make proposals. We have no
doubt that our cooperation will be more than strong enough to meet the challenges ahead!
Mercedes Bresso
President of the Committee of the Regions
01 Editorial by the President of the Committee of the Regions
Mercedes BressoPresident of the Committee of the
Regions
EUROPEAN UNION
Committee of the Regions 4
Taking Europe forward
As Minister for European Aff airs, I have been looking forward to the Danish Presidency
of the Council of the European Union with great enthusiasm. The Presidency is a central
priority for the entire Danish Government and we will strive to conduct an open, accessible
and professional Presidency dedicated to achieving results within the bounds of our
responsibility.
It will be six intense months for the Danish Presidency. One of its overarching tasks will be
to unify and strengthen the EU through concrete achievements that take Europe forward
and demonstrate the value and necessity of European cooperation for the individual. At the
same time, we are facing fundamental fi nancial and economic challenges that may have a
severe impact on our economic possibilities in the future if we do not show a readiness to
act on the consequences of the debt level in Europe’s economies. We need to fi nd European
solutions to our common European challenges, but it is also important that we live up to
our individual responsibilities. Responding to the fi nancial and economic challenges at
hand is a collective responsibility of all Member States and institutions. The prospects for
generations of Europeans - especially for young Europeans who are experiencing high levels
of unemployment - are at stake. It will be crucial for us to implement and comply with new
rules on economic governance and fi nancial regulation.
It is vital to create and promote new growth and employment initiatives in Europe if we
are to emerge from the crisis. One of the EU’s greatest successes is the Single Market. We
will create a more dynamic European economy by further developing its large untapped
potential by working for the adoption of the Single Market Act’s 12 key priorities as defi ned
by the European Commission. One of the many goals will be to bring the Single Market
into the digital age by facilitating online shopping across national borders. We will strive
to open up new export opportunities for European companies through both WTO and
bilateral trade agreements. And fi nally, we should also encourage innovative companies by
creating an environment that promotes green growth initiatives and sustainability through
the Single Market.
Whilst we are endeavouring to contain the repercussions of the fi nancial and economic
crisis, it is absolutely essential that we also look towards shaping a better future. In this
respect, Denmark will use the Presidency as an opportunity for Europe to identify a path for
future long-term growth. The negotiations on the EU multiannual fi nancial framework will
determine how the EU allocates its funds up to 2020.We believe that these funds should be
used to improve our joint competitiveness globally and promote options for future growth
in Europe. It is unrealistic to expect that we will be able to fi nalise the negotiations during our
Presidency, but we will do our best to prepare the ground for an agreement to be concluded
by the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, in the second half of 2012.
Green growth is a key focus area for the government. Our goal is to create growth without
increasing our resource and energy consumption, which is certainly possible. In recent years,
we have developed an ambitious energy and climate policy in the EU, which shows that the
EU is taking the lead globally. But we must work hard and agree on new initiatives if we are
to maintain our comparative advantage. A key objective will be to agree on methods and
measures for improving resource and energy effi ciency in Europe. The Presidency will work
towards a focused seventh Environment Action Programme and an ambitious European
energy policy up to 2050, with improved effi ciency and increased use of renewable energy.
Nicolai WammenMinister for European Aff airs
02 Editorial by the Danish Minister for European Aff airs
5
The Committee of the Regions
and the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union
We will also do our best to include energy, climate and environmental concerns in a number
of EU policies such as agriculture, fi sheries, transport and the Single Market. The EU budget
for 2014-2020 ought to support these endeavours, and we will therefore attempt to put this
high on Europe’s agenda during our Presidency.
As Minister for European Aff airs, I am also the Danish Minister responsible for the EU’s
Regional and Cohesion Policy. Cohesion policy plays an important role in creating growth
and employment in Europe and Denmark will prioritise this area by seeking to achieve
as much progress as possible in the negotiations on cohesion regulations during our
Presidency. In this respect, I am very much looking forward to the Committee of the Regions’
contribution to assisting the Danish Presidency by providing the necessary insight and
expertise for which the Committee has earned a reputation.
A heavy workload and a busy agenda await the Danish Presidency. But we will contribute
as much as we can, within the bounds of our responsibilities, to overcoming the current
diffi culties and taking Europe forward.
Nicolai Wammen
Minister for European Aff airs
The Kingdom of Denmark
EUROPEAN UNION
Committee of the Regions 6
The three main decision-making institutions in the EU are the European Parliament, which
represents the EU’s citizens and is directly elected by them, the Council of the European
Union, which represents the individual Member States, and the European Commission,
which upholds the interests of the Union as a whole.
However, local and regional authorities are responsible for implementing the vast majority
of the decisions taken at European level - around two-thirds of EU legislation is put into
practice at sub-national level.
That is why the Committee of the Regions (CoR) was set up in 1994, to give local and regional
authorities the opportunity to express a view on the substance of EU legislative proposals at
the drafting stage in order to adapt them more closely to citizens’ needs.
The European treaties stipulate that the Committee of the Regions must be consulted
whenever proposals are made in areas likely to have repercussions at local or regional level.
In practice, this means that the Committee of the Regions is consulted on most European
legislation.
The Maastricht Treaty (1992) laid down fi ve areas for mandatory consultation: economic
and social cohesion, trans-European networks, health, education and culture. The Treaty
of Amsterdam (1997) added a further fi ve areas: employment policy, social policy, the
environment, vocational training and transport. Following the entry into force of the Lisbon
Treaty, the CoR has acquired new powers, both in the area of territorial cohesion and in terms
of monitoring the subsidiarity principle. The CoR now has a greater consultative role to play,
and also new leverage for implementing multilevel governance. The European Parliament,
the Commission and the Council must now consult the Committee of the Regions when
making laws in any area with a regional impact. And the Committee’s opinions now cover
several new policy areas, including energy and climate change. However, all three institutions
may also consult the CoR outside these areas if they see local or regional implications in their
work. The Committee of the Regions can also put its priorities onto the European Union’s
agenda by issuing own-initiative opinions and drafting reports on subjects of interest to it.
But the CoR’s involvement does not stop once it has issued its opinion on a Commission
proposal. The CoR also has the right to question the Commission, Parliament and Council if
Brussels headquarters of the
Committee of the Regions(the Jacques Delors building)
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03 Why a Committee of the Regions?
7
The Committee of the Regions
and the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union
they fail to take on board its viewpoint. In extreme cases, the CoR also has the right to go to
the European Court of Justice if it believes it has not been correctly consulted.
How does the Committee of the Regions work?
The Committee of the Regions is made up of 344 members and the same number of
alternates. These members are nominated by the Member States and appointed by the
Council of the EU for a renewable fi ve year term. They must hold elected offi ce or be politically
accountable to an elected assembly. For this reason, members who cease to hold such
offi ce automatically lose their seat on the Committee of the Regions. Each country chooses
its members in its own way, with the proviso that members must refl ect a political and
geographical balance and be taken from both regional and local levels. The CoR members
elect their own president – currently Ms Mercedes Bresso from the Piedmont Region in Italy.
The CoR’s work is split between six specialised commissions:
Territorial Cohesion policy (COTER)
Economic and Social policy (ECOS)
Environment, Climate change and Energy (ENVE)
Culture, Education and Research (EDUC)
Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Aff airs (CIVEX)
Natural Resources (NAT)
The commissions, which are made up of CoR members, draw up
draft opinions on legislative proposals submitted by the European
Commission, the Council or the European Parliament. The draft is
then voted on during one of the fi ve plenary sessions that take place
each year. It is only adopted if it receives a majority of votes cast.
The commission for administrative and fi nancial aff airs (CAFA) was
set up to facilitate and encourage a closer relationship with the
budget authority, in order to ensure that the CoR’s priorities are taken
into account and implemented in the annual budget procedure.
Four political groups are represented at the Committee of the
Regions: the European People’s Party (EPP), the Party of European
Socialists (PES), the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
(ALDE) and the European Alliance (EA).
The work of the Committee of the Regions, a truly political assembly, is based on three
fundamental principles:
The subsidiarity principle: this principle requires that decisions be taken at the level of
government that best serves the public interest. The European Union must not pursue
initiatives that would be better carried out by national, regional or local authorities.
The proximity principle: all levels of government must work as transparently as possible
and as closely as possible with the public so that citizens know who is responsible for
what and how they can make their views known.
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EUROPEAN UNION
Committee of the Regions 8
The partnership principle: European, national, regional and local authorities must work
together throughout the decision-making process.
Bringing the European Union closer to its citizens
While much of the CoR’s work lies in its involvement in the legislative process, its role does
not stop there. The CoR members live and work on a day-to-day basis in their regions and
cities as regional presidents, mayors or local councillors. This enables them to stay in touch
with the concerns of the people they represent, which puts them in a position to bring these
views to the heart of the European system when they come to Brussels for CoR meetings.
In addition, the CoR regularly raises the profi le of local and regional authorities on the
European stage by organising conferences, seminars and exhibitions all year round in
cooperation with its regional and local partners, including the “OPEN DAYS - European Week
of Regions and Cities”, which brings together more than 6,000 stakeholders each October.
OPEN DAYS 2012, taking place in Brussels, 8-11 October, will be the 10th anniversary of the
event.
OPEN DAYS 2011
Opening Session 10 October
From left: Johannes Hahn (European Commissioner for Regional Policy), Danuta Hübner (Member
of the European Parliament, Chair of the Committee on Regional Development), Mercedes Bresso
(President of the Committee of the Regions), Jerzy Buzek (President of the European Parliament),
Elżbieta Bieńkowska (Polish Minister for Regional Development), José Manuel Barroso (President of
the European Commission)
03 Why a Committee of the Regions?
9
The Committee of the Regions helps to ensure that local voices are heard in Brussels, say two of the
veterans of municipal and regional involvement in European cooperation.
On the fi fth fl oor of the gleaming steel and glass building that houses the EU’s Committee
of the Regions, two of the veterans in the Danish delegation took some time out from the
crowded plenary session schedule to tell the outside world what it is that keeps them going.
Both Knud Andersen (Liberal Party) and Henning Jensen (Social Democrats) have been
regular commuters between Denmark and Brussels for many years. They have both chaired
the Danish delegation to the Committee, which now accounts for nine out of the CoR’s
344 elected members. And even though they come from diff erent sides of the political
spectrum and have been delegated to Brussels to represent their respective regions and
municipalities, they both agree that the hours they spend here in the EU political cauldron
only a few hundred metres from the European Parliament, the Council of Ministers and the
EU Commission are important. For here are the political workshops where the rules are
made which later become law, including in the municipalities and regions which the two
Members represent.
“When we started working here, there were many who looked a little askance at the
Committee of the Regions. We were not really recognised as an EU institution. So part of our
fi rst term was spent in proving our legitimacy as a committee,” says Knud Andersen, who is
regional councillor in Denmark’s Capital Region.
In his view it was time well spent, because before the Committee was set up in 1994 local
government was written out of the equation in the EU lawmaking process.
“When a bill came before the Danish Parliament, they used to ask Local Government
Denmark and the Association of County Councils in Denmark – now Danish Regions – for
their point of view. But at that time you could not really change even a comma. Now we
get a real insight into what is planned and so we can start to take action before the rules are
adopted,” he says.
04 Building bridges between the local, the regional and the global - Danish Members at work
Knud Andersen &
Henning Jensen
EUROPEAN UNION
Committee of the Regions 10
“The European Commission used to think it just had to inform the Member States, but they
did not think about the sub-national authorities. Now they have learnt that they do have to,
because we are the ones who have to implement a large part of what they propose,” adds
Henning Jensen, who is a member of Næstved City Council and a former mayor.
For him it is important that the local level of government now has a voice in Brussels. And
he makes sure that the Committee’s right to be consulted is used actively when the EU
system lays down rules in areas such as employment, education, the environment, transport
or other key areas of local interest.
“We try to get posts as rapporteurs for those opinions which are important for us so that we
can try to infl uence the process,” says Henning Jensen who, among other things, has had the
EU’s plans for adaptation to climate change high on his agenda, as his base is in municipalities
where cellars are fl ooded when the sewers overfl ow because of increased rainfall.
“From a local and regional level, we want to provide added value to the Commission
initiatives”, he says.
“You can see it as an assurance of quality. When the EU adopts a rule, it has to work reasonably
well throughout the Union. And there are not many other places in the EU system where all
levels of Europe are as well respresented, as here in the CoR,” adds Knud Andersen.
On the other hand, neither has any problem with the fact that the Committee of the Regions
has a consultative role and is not part of the formal legislative apparatus in the EU set-up, like
the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament.
“One of the weaknesses of the EU system is decision-taking. And it would certainly not
make things any easier to give the Committee of the Regions formal authority. We must
give proper advice and be a committee which people listen to and which helps to set the
agenda. But we must not go in and challenge the European Parliament and be a second
chamber which has to approve things,” says Henning Jensen.
04 Building bridges between the local, the regional and the global - Danish Members at work
11
The Committee of the Regions
and the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union
They also point out that even though the 344 members above all come to Brussels to
put forward regional and local views on what will one day become European law there
is just as much a fl ow of information in the other direction.
The knowledge that they gather in contacts with various EU offi cials, parliamentarians
and commissioners, who come and present their main legislative proposals to the
plenary assembly, gives them a good insight into which way the wind is blowing in
Brussels. This gives them access to information which they would otherwise not have
and which is useful both for themselves and for the Danish offi cials who accompany
them.
“This provides a range of knowledge to Local Government Denmark and Danish
Regions which is quite invaluable when it comes to Danish issues. For then we know
what is in the pipeline for certain areas. And the sooner you get down to the subject,
the more chance there is of fi nding a solution,” says Knud Andersen, who stresses that
being a member of the Committee of the Regions also provides an opportunity to do
some lobbying because it opens doors which would otherwise be closed.
“Here we have a legal justifi cation for talking with people in the Parliament and the
Commission early on in the process. Very often it is easier to get things changed before they
are written down on paper,” says Knud Andersen.
And interaction between the EU and local government should be a completely natural
thing, in the view of Henning Jensen, who notices a quote made that day in a speech by
Martin Schulz, the leader of the social democrat group in the Parliament.
“He quoted Churchill as saying that nation states are too small to handle the big problems
and too big to handle the small ones. That is true. So, it is a good thing that we have local
and regional government and it is a good thing that we have the EU,” says Henning Jensen.
Knud Andersen is Vice Chairman of the Danish Delegation at
CoR and member of the CoR commissions ECOS (Economic
and Social Policy) and ENVE (Environment, Climate Change
and Energy).
Henning Jensen is member of the CoR commissions EDUC
(Education, Youth and Research) and ENVE (Environment,
Climate Change and Energy).
EUROPEAN UNION
Committee of the Regions 12
Danish local and regional authorities have been represented in the Committee of the
Regions since its establishment in 1994.
The Danish Delegation to the Committee of the Regions has nine members and nine
alternate members. These men and women are all directly-elected politicians representing
Denmark’s diff erent regions and municipalities. Their term of offi ce at the Committee of the
Regions ends if they lose their national mandate.
The current distribution of seats in the delegation is six members representing the
municipalities and three members representing the regions. The distribution for alternate
members is the same.
The selection procedure for members of the Committee of the Regions is vitally important
for its operation. The various procedures throughout the European Union refl ect the wide
range of political and territorial systems in Europe. In Denmark, it is the Ministry of Foreign
Aff airs that formally asks the Danish Regions (the interest organisation representing the fi ve
regions) and Local Government Denmark (the interest organisation and member authority
of the 98 municipalities) to propose the candidates. Local Government Denmark (LGDK)
proposes six members and six alternates and Danish Regions proposes three and an equal
number of alternates. The Danish national government then takes a decision on the basis
of the proposed list and submits it to the Council of Ministers of the European Union, which
appoints members and alternates for the Committee of the Regions.
Members of the Danish Delegation are represented in all six of the Committee of the Regions’
commissions and in three of the political groups: the Party of European Socialists (PES), the
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) and the European People’s Party (EPP).
05 Danish Delegation to the Committee of the Regions
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13
The Committee of the Regions
and the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union
Members
Søren Pape PoulsenMayor of Viborg Municipality
EPP
Chairman of the Danish Delegation
“Th e EU has an impact on the day-to-day work in all European municipalities and regions and therefore it
is vital that we have an institutionalised place in the political decision-making process. Th e Committee of the
Regions is the extended arm of the local and regional authorities. As such you could see the Committee as the
party of municipalities and regions in the European Union.”
Knud AndersenRegional Councillor of the Capital Region
ALDE
Vice Chairman of the Danish Delegation
“I have been a part of the Committee of the Regions’ work since its inception. Over the years we have helped
to put many important issues aff ecting the regions on the European agenda. People can look upon it as an
assurance of quality. When the EU adopts a rule, then it should work reasonably well in the whole union.
And there is probably no place where all parts of the Union are so well represented as in the Committee of
the Regions. Within the environmental and climate sector I work, among other things, to see that climate and
environmental considerations are integrated into major EU policy areas and contribute to supporting the EU
2020 strategy.”
Henning JensenCouncillor of Næstved Municipality
PES
“I have followed the Committee of the Regions throughout the years and have had great pleasure seeing that
the Committee’s infl uence has greatly increased and that within the whole EU system there is now far more
respect for the many tasks performed by the states’ local and regional authorities.”
Per Bødker AndersenSecond Deputy Mayor of Kolding Municipality
PES
“Th e Committee of the Regions plays an important role in the integration of new EU Member States, the
Europe of tomorrow. People say that the Commission is the driving force, Parliament is the fuel and the
Council is the body of the EU integration process - but municipalities and regions are the wheels that will carry
the integration forward. EU legislation should be designed on the basis of taking proper account of municipal
decentralisation, deregulation and active citizen involvement. In the Committee of the Regions we assist our
new local colleagues with experience in the building and eff ective exercise of authority - and thus facilitate
their entry into the community.”
EUROPEAN UNION
Committee of the Regions 14
Henrik Ringbæk MadsenRegional Councillor of the North Denmark Region (Nordjylland)
PES
“My work in the Committee of the Regions has resulted in an increased awareness in the EU system and in my
own region of the importance of regional funds for regional development. In the negotiations on the future EU
budget for 2014-2020, I have specifi cally worked to see that there will still be regional funds for innovation,
climate improvement and CO2 reduction in all regions of Europe.”
Kirstine BilleMayor of Syddjurs Municipality
PES
“We work to ensure that a larger proportion of EU farm subsidies is earmarked for the development of Europe’s
rural areas. In Europe, we want to create the world’s most attractive rural areas, where it is exciting to live,
work and do business, which is in balance with nature. Th e local voice reminds the EU system that Europe is
not just made up of big cities - 90% of EU land is made up of rural areas and the main activity in rural areas
is still farming. Th erefore, we must direct more resources towards the successful development of Europe’s rural
areas.”
Jens Christian GjesingMayor of Haderslev Municipality
PES
“I am a mayor in an old border region. Here, I feel strongly that my membership of the Committee of the
Regions gives me and my district both a special understanding and a positive opportunity to infl uence the
European agenda from a citizen’s standpoint. Interreg funding has been and still is a great opportunity to build
up communities and create development across national borders.”
Karsten Uno PetersenRegional Councillor of the Region of Southern Denmark (Syddanmark)
PES
“Th rough my work in the Committee of the Regions as rapporteur on the patient safety directive, which was
unanimously adopted by the Committee, I worked to ensure that issues including patient safety were given a
prominent place in the fi nal directive. Th is work is a good example of the importance of the regional authorities’
role in infl uencing European legislation in the health sector.”
Jens Arne Hedegaard JensenCouncillor of Brønderslev Municipality
ALDE
“We want to be involved in the draft ing and implementation of all policies of relevance to municipalities.
Th erefore, we work to ensure that municipalities and regions remain key actors in the partnership contracts
in the Structural Funds. Our knowledge of local conditions will ensure that money is used in the best possible
way for green growth and jobs. Without local involvement, the EU will repeat past mistakes, and the money
will not benefi t its citizens.”
05 Danish Delegation to the Committee of the Regions
15
The Committee of the Regions
and the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union
Alternates
Bente LauridsenRegional Councillor of the North Denmark Region (Nordjylland)
PES
“Education and innovation are the way to growth and prosperity and they are the fl agships of Europe 2020.
Th ey are also issues that have a high priority in my own region and the Committee of the Regions. We are
working seriously on issues such as how best to ensure education for all young people, including vocational
education. As the population in Europe gets older lifelong learning, where Denmark has good experience, is also
of great importance. An ageing population also means challenges in the fi eld of health innovation. We take the
challenge seriously in Europe’s municipalities and regions and can contribute knowledge and experience that is
channelled through the Committee of the Regions to help the EU’s further work in this area.”
Lasse Krull PetersenRegional Councillor of the Region of Southern Denmark (Syddanmark)
EPP
“EU procurement rules play a major role when regions in Denmark want to buy into hospitals, for example.
Th erefore, it has also been important for us that through the Committee of the Regions we have been directly
involved in the decision-making regarding the upcoming review of the current rules. Th e Committee of the
Regions has called for far more fl exible and less bureaucratic rules in this area. And you can see, for example,
with the Danish procurement rules under the EU thresholds that it can easily be done without compromising
on transparency and fair treatment.”
Martin MerilldSecond Deputy Mayor of Struer Municipality
ALDE
“We are the fi rst to see when EU policy is moving too far away from the challenges that European citizens
in rural and remote areas are facing. Th erefore we are working to ensure that rural development funding is
invested in a balanced way between environment, business and an attractive local life. Rural funds are meant
to ensure sustainable development, growth and competitiveness in rural areas.”
Ole B. SørensenRegional Councillor of the North Denmark Region (Nordjylland)
ALDE
“When the EU adopts a growth strategy such as Europe 2020, it is Europe’s municipalities and regions, which
ultimately must translate policies and objectives into reality. Th rough the Committee of the Regions, we can pass
on the knowledge and experience which exists in EU municipalities and regions and thus contribute to better
legislation. Whether we are talking about a greener, healthier or more sustainable Europe, the decentralised
authorities with their local and regional knowledge play an important role. Th erefore, we also support the
Commission’s idea of partnership between the diff erent levels of government as the key to bringing Europe 2020
to life.”
EUROPEAN UNION
Committee of the Regions 16
Simon Mønsted Strange Member of the City Council, Copenhagen
PES
“Th e Committee of the Regions is the watchdog that makes the EU system aware of challenges that occur in
municipalities and regions where the implementation of EU policies becomes reality and aff ects our citizens.
A good example is the EU procurement rules that impose administrative hassle and big fi nancial costs on
municipalities, without the rules getting foreign companies to bid for business in Denmark - there the local and
central levels must jointly fi nd solutions for gaining entry into the internal market for public services.”
Carsten KissmeyerMayor of Ikast-Brande Municipality
ALDE
“Something needs to be done about the EU procurement rules where we, in my view, have ended up with a
system that is too rigid and bureaucratic.”
Steen DahlstrømMayor of Middelfart Municipality
PES
“Th e aim of our work is to get the Member States and the European Parliament to recognise that European
growth and jobs in the future can only be assured if the EU also feeds the horse that pulls the load. Th at is why
we are fi ghting to see that EU Structural Funds can be used for all municipal growth and employment initiatives
- even those that are well-developed. With the Structural Funds we can make the targeted investments that we
would not otherwise be able to make.”
Tatiana SørensenSecond Deputy Mayor of Aarhus Municipality
PES
Freddie H. MadsenCouncillor of Esbjerg Municipality
(Within the Committee of the Regions no attachment to a political group)
© F
oto
: Ma
rtin
Ba
llun
d
05 Danish Delegation to the Committee of the Regions
17
Denmark has a long history of decentralised political authority. It has been a longstanding
tradition that the state does not handle the running of key public services such as health,
schools, environmental planning, waste management and care for the elderly. The reason
for this devolution of welfare responsibilities is a belief that certain payments are best taken
care of by the level of government which is closest to citizens in their daily lives.
Municipalities and regions
The foundations for the current organisation of Danish authorities were laid as late as 2007.
Denmark underwent a structural reform in which control by a decentralised authority was
introduced in many key areas.
The result was that the 271 municipalities which existed up until then in Denmark were
merged to produce 98 larger municipalities. In addition, Denmark’s 13 counties were
abolished and replaced by fi ve regions. Since the structural reform in 2007 and up until
now the sub-national levels of government in Denmark have consisted of the respective
municipalities and regions.
Table:
Distribution of responsibilities after the 2007 structural reform (non-exhaustive list)
Municipalities Environmental planning, public roads and transport, waste
management, schools and care for the elderly, employment,
business and regional policy, culture, social aff airs, responsibility for
prevention and rehabilitation
Regions Operation of hospitals, organisation of in-service training sectors,
regional development, special institutions and special education,
psychiatric services, public transport planning, clearing up soil
pollution and the development of tourism
06 The decentralised Danish authority model
EUROPEAN UNION
Committee of the Regions 18
Grassroots-based
The daily management of Denmark’s municipalities and regions is handled by elected
municipal and regional politicians. This means that authority decisions on matters such
as health, the running of local schools or care for the elderly are based on a popular
democratic mandate which legitimises the management of public services undertaken by
the municipalities and regions.
This is the expression of a local democratic mindset. Citizens can dialogue daily with their
local and regional politicians, and citizens have a direct infl uence on the setting of political
priorities and the management of public services through their right to vote in
municipal and regional elections held every four years.
THNORTH DENMARK
REGION
CENTRAL DENMARK
REGION
REGION OF
SOUTHERN
DENMARK
REGION
ZEALAND
CAPITAL REGIONCAPITAL REGAPIT
OF DENMARKOF DENMARO MA
06 The decentralised Danish authority model
5 regions
19
The Committee of the Regions
and the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union
Organisation of national and European interests
On the domestic political front, municipalities and regions are each represented by their
own organisation. The municipalities are represented by LGDK, Local Government Denmark
(KL - Kommunernes Landsforening) and the regions by Danish Regions (Danske Regioner).
Both organisations are key players in the political debate on the future of welfare in Denmark,
because each organisation represents the background around which Denmark’s system of
decentralised authority is built.
In the European context, the Danish municipalities and regions are represented by LGDK
and Danish Regions. LGDK has six elected local politicians sitting on the EU’s Committee
of the Regions, while Danish Regions are represented by three elected regional politicians.
Together, these politicians make up the Danish delegation and the decentralised Danish vote
within the Committee of the Regions (see separate chapter on the Danish CoR delegation).
Hjørring
Aalborg
Jammerbugt
Mariagerfjord
Rebild
Læsø
Vesthimmerland
Frederikshavn
Viborg
Thisted
Skive
Morsø
Hedensted
Ringkøbing-Skjern
Ikast-Brande
Århus
Skanderborg
Samsø
Silkeborg
Randers
Odder
Favrskov
Norddjurs
Syddjurs
Struer
Lemvig
Holstebro
Herning
Vejle
Kolding
Horsens
Fredericia
Aabenraa
Vejen
Varde
Fanø
Esbjerg
Tønder
Sønderborg
Billund
Haderslev
Langeland
Svendborg
Odense
Nyborg
Kerteminde
Faaborg-Midtfyn
Assens
Middelfart
Bornholm
Vordingborg
Guldborgsund
Næstved
Lolland
Lejre
Sorø
StevnsSlagelse
Ringsted
Kalundborg
Faxe
Holbæk
Odsherred
Gribskov
Solrød
Roskilde
Halsnæs
Køge
Greve
Frederikssund
Egedal
Rudersdal
Hørsholm
Hillerød
Helsingør
Allerød
Furesø
Vallensbæk TårnbyIshøj
Rødovre
Lyngby-Taarbæk
Høje-Taastrup
Hvidovre
Albertslund
Herlev
Glostrup
Gentofte
Dragør
Brøndby
Ballerup
Frederiksberg
København
Fredensborg
Nordfyn
Ærø
Brønderslev
Gladsaxe
98 municipalities
Bornholm
EUROPEAN UNION
Committee of the Regions 20
The EU has an increasing impact on municipalities and regions, say the Chairmen of the two
organisations Local Government Denmark and Danish Regions.
Those who believe that EU policy does not aff ect politicians on a local and regional level
should just talk to the members of the Danish municipalities and regional councils, if
they want to see a diff erent picture. For more than half of the items on a typical meeting
agenda at local or regional level will have their roots in Brussels. This is the view of both the
Chairman of Danish Regions, Bent Hansen, and the Chairman of Local Government
Denmark (LGDK), Jan Trøjborg. Both places have conducted studies on the number of
decisions in local politics which in reality come from the EU level.
“The EU has quite a lot of infl uence, which is increasing, on the rules that are the basis of our
administration,” says Bent Hansen from Danish Regions.
“If you look into the topics and compare them with the decisions taken at EU level you can
see that the eff ect is greater than many think.”
In the municipalities EU rules carry particular weight in areas such as climate and the
environment.
“Here, the municipalities can take note of EU law when they are renovating buildings to
make them climate-friendly, guaranteeing safe drinking water for citizens and managing
waste,” says LGDK chairman Jan Trøjborg and points out that the EU rules on procurement in
particular are very important when, for example, sheltered housing is to be built or schools
are to be renovated.
So, none of them is in any doubt that it is important for local and regional government
in Denmark to keep a sharp eye on what is going on in Brussels. And both organisations
make extensive use of their various outposts in the EU capital to try to gain infl uence and
information. Both the municipalities and the regions have representative offi ces in Brussels.
In addition, nine Danish politicians from municipal and regional government are regular
guests in the EU’s Committee of the Regions.
“The fi rst rule for infl uencing decisions in Brussels is to be present in the city. The second is
that our views will ultimately be supported by a majority in Parliament and the Council of
Ministers. Therefore we use all the possibilities we have in Brussels to provide information
on current issues, and create alliances in favour of our positions in the EU’s governing
institutions,” says Bent Hansen.
“Ultimately it is the regional and local authorities which have to deliver services to citizens
and so it is also our duty, as the organisation representing the regions’ interests, to try and
nudge EU legislation in the right direction,” emphasises the regions’ chairman.
But it is also in the EU system’s best interest to look beyond their own little Brussels bubble
and listen to those who must administer the law in practice,” says Jan Trøjborg.
“The EU should listen to local democracy and take it seriously. We are helping to improve
the quality of legislation adopted by the Union. Our input refl ects the real world and the
local circumstances which are closest to Europe’s citizens. And this is knowledge that the EU
cannot aff ord to neglect,” says Trøjborg.
07 EU policy is also domestic policy - Chairmen of Local Government Denmark and Danish Regions
Bent HansenChairman of Danish Regions
21
The Committee of the Regions
and the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union
According to Bent Hansen there is still a long way to go before the other institutions make
full use of the ground-breaking opinions that the CoR’s 344 members produce in areas of EU
legislation which has the greatest impact at regional and local level.
But he emphasises that simply taking part in a forum with local and regional government
representatives from 27 diff erent countries is useful because from the Danish side one can
actively use the knowledge of the others.
“It is a clear advantage to have an early input from other regional and local authorities in the
EU. It gives us an idea of what possibilities and challenges are involved in implementing a
given legislative initiative from the EU,” says Bent Hansen.
When Denmark takes over the EU rotating presidency on 1 January, international cooperation
will be high on the agenda. And even if local and regional government does not play a
particular offi cial role in the conduct of the presidency, both Bent Hansen and Jan Trøjborg
point out that it is a good opportunity to turn the spotlight on some of their causes.
“We will work to put out a municipal agenda for some of our priority issues, including
procurement, structural funds and climate adaptation. It is a question of not only highlighting
our individual political views, but also of creating an awareness of the relationship between
the EU and the municipalities among the general public and in our local constituencies,”
says Jan Trøjborg.
For Danish Regions the presidency is a chance to focus on how to achieve the objectives of
the new EU 2020 growth plan that replaces the so-called Lisbon strategy as a guideline for
how the EU is to achieve smart and sustainable growth.
“We will emphasise the development of businesses and jobs in rural areas, and we want
to stress that the way forward for the EU is through research and innovation. Among other
things, it is a question of fi nding the right IT solutions in the healthcare sector and of ensuring
that production and jobs are environmentally and climate-friendly,” says Bent Hansen.
And Jan Trøjborg adds:
“With the Lisbon strategy we saw how growth and employment initiatives just end up
as plans on the drawing board, if the municipalities and regions are not included in the
preparatory phase. Ultimately, we are the ones who have to turn their ideas into reality.
Therefore, we have much to off er. The current EU 2020 strategy must not suff er the same
fate. Local involvement is a recipe for success. So my message is: get us involved,” he says.
Jan TrøjborgChairman of Local
Government Denmark
EUROPEAN UNION
Committee of the Regions 22
Every year, hundreds of local and cross-border projects across
Denmark receive EU funds to speed up sustainable economic
development, train people for better jobs and facilitate
cooperation between Danish researchers and others abroad.
Local and regional authorities often play a crucial role in
managing such projects.
Over the period 2007-2013, the largest proportion of the
EU budget is focused on supporting smart, sustainable and
inclusive growth and the objectives of the ‘Europe 2020’
strategy. Many of the EU programmes are managed by
regional and local authorities.
The structural funds, namely the European Regional
Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund
(ESF), as well as the European Agricultural Fund for Rural
Development (EAFRD), represent the majority of EU funds
supporting projects in Denmark.
Between 2007 and 2013, EUR 358 million are earmarked for
ERDF projects in Denmark and EUR 255 million for ESF projects.
Of the ERDF allocation, EUR 103 million are designated for
fi nancing cross-border, transnational and inter-regional
projects - e.g. with cities and regions in other EU Member
States in the Baltic and North Sea regions. A total of EUR
445 million from the EAFRD has been allocated for projects in
Denmark’s rural areas.
08 EU-funded projects in Denmark
4
8
2
3
7
1KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNOLOGY CENTRE FOR
WIND TURBINE OPERATIONS VIDENS OG
TEKNOLOGICENTER FOR VINDMØLLEDRIFT
TOTAL BUDGET: EUR 1.9 million
ERDF COFINANCING: EUR 0.9 million
LEAD PARTNER: International Wind Academy Lolland
(partners: DONG, Brüel & Kjær, Fairwind, Mita
Teknik and Flex Workers among others)
There is a focus on educating people in specifi c technical skills in the fi eld
of wind turbines. At the international wind academy, International Wind
Academy Lolland (IWAL), a Knowledge and Technology centre for wind
turbine operations (Videns- og Teknologicenter for Vindmølledrift) has been
established.
http://www.iwal.dk
23
The Committee of the Regions
and the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union
In addition to the structural funds, there are about
900 Danish-led projects under the 7th EU Framework
Programme for Research (FP7), currently fi nanced by
some EUR 415 million. FP7 encourages the search for new
ideas and products in cooperation with universities and
businesses from all over Europe. Within FP7 Denmark ranks
as the 12th most successful out of the 27 Member States,
confi rming the excellent reputation of Danish research and
innovation.
These pages show eight examples from the hundreds of
EU-funded projects, which have the potential to make a
diff erence for citizens in Danish cities and regions.
1
5
6
3 IDÉKLINIKKEN
AN ENGINE FOR GROWTH
TOTAL BUDGET: EUR 1.9 million
ERDF COFINANCING: EUR 0.9 million
LEAD PARTNER: Aalborg Hospital
Aalborg Hospital, the largest hospital in the region of Northern
Denmark (Nordjylland), was behind the creation of Idéklinikken
(“Ideas Clinic”). Idéklinikken assists researchers and employees
in developing and implementing ideas and making them
commercially viable.
http://www.ideklinikken.dk/
http://www.ideklinikken.dk/userfi les/folder_ny_engelsk.pdf
2 LOWCARBON ECONOMY
REGIONS LOCARE
TOTAL BUDGET: EUR 4.2 million
ERDF INTERREG COFINANCING: EUR 3.2 million
LEAD PARTNER: Region of Southern
Denmark (Region Syddanmark)
Led by Region Syddanmark, six European regions have
joined forces in a common initiative to reduce CO2
emissions regionally and locally. The objective is to
develop low-carbon solutions at regional and local level
and contribute to economic growth at the same time.
http://www.locareproject.eu
EUROPEAN UNION
Committee of the Regions 24
4
8
2
3
08 EU-funded projects in Denmark
4 HOLD FAST
TOTAL BUDGET: EUR 6.2 million
ESF COFINANCING: EUR 3 million
LEAD PARTNERS: Regions of Southern
Denmark and Central Denmark
HOLD FAST (“Stay on!”) is a joint EU project between
Southern Denmark Region (Syddanmark) and Central
Denmark Region (Midtjylland). Its objective is to prevent
students from dropping out of secondary education.
http://viholderfast.nu/
5ENJOYING NATURE ALL
YEAR ROUND UD I NATUREN
ÅRET RUNDT
TOTAL BUDGET: EUR 1 million
ESF COFINANCING: EUR 0.5 million
LEAD PARTNERS: NaturBornholm and the
Forest & Nature Agency Bornholm
The visitor centre NaturBornholm and the Forest and
Nature Agency Bornholm have been doing their best to
change the view of tourists that Bornholm is a summer
destination. The project ‘Enjoying nature – all year round’
aims to strengthen the development of year-round tourism.
http://bornholmsnatur.naturstyrelsen.dk/heleaaret/
6 EFFICIENSEA
TOTAL BUDGET: EUR 8 million
ERDF INTERREG COFINANCING: EUR 5.3 million
LEAD PARTNER: Danish Maritime Authority (Søfartsstyrelsen)
As a fl agship project, Effi cienSea is the largest ever Interreg project. The project goal is clean,
safe and reliable maritime traffi c in the Baltic Sea Region. Led by the Danish Maritime Authority
(Søfartsstyrelsen), the Effi cienSea project brings together 16 partners from six countries.
http://www.effi ciensea.org/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5Rv5U8X_po
25
The Committee of the Regions
and the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union
1
5
6
7
7 SUNSTORE 4 DISTRICT
HEATING SYSTEM
TOTAL BUDGET: EUR 15.1 million
FP7 COFINANCING: EUR 6 million
LEAD PARTNER: Marstal Fjernvarme
Based on 100 % renewable energy, SUNSTORE 4 is a large-
scale project for a district heating system. It is an innovative,
reliable and cost-effi cient energy supply system for the city
of Marstal.
http://www.solarmarstal.dk/
8FOOD PRODUCTION AND
FOODRELATED EXPERIENCES
VESTJYSKE FØDEVARER
OG OPLEVELSER VFO
TOTAL BUDGET: EUR 500,000
EAFRD COFINANCING: EUR 125,000
PARTNERS: VFO is a joint venture involving the four
municipalities of Lemvig, Struer, Holstebro og
Ringkøbing-Skjern, their four respective Local Action
Groups and Local Action Group Vestjylland.
The objective of the VFO joint venture is to market Western Jutland
as a centre of food production and food-related experiences. VFO
has stimulated partnerships between local food producers and
restaurants, hotels and tourist attractions.
http://www.madlandet.dk
EUROPEAN UNION
Committee of the Regions 26
The European urban fabric in the 21st century
The 5th European Summit of Regions and Cities will be organised by the Committee of the
Regions in conjunction with the City of Copenhagen and the Capital Region of Denmark
on 22 and 23 March 2012. The Danish EU Presidency will be represented alongside the
Presidents of the European Commission and the European Parliament. To mark the Summit,
the Bureau of the Committee of the Regions will hold a meeting with Local Government
Denmark and Danish Regions, where the priorities of the Danish EU Presidency with special
relevance for local and regional authorities will be debated.
Hosted by the City of Copenhagen and the Capital Region of Denmark, both with a reputation
for their high quality of life, architectural achievements, accomplishments in sustainable
development and social cohesion, the Summit will off er an excellent opportunity to refl ect
on the European model for the “urban fabric”.
As with previous events of this kind, mayors of cities and presidents of regions are invited to
express their views on the many challenges they face and to present some of their practical
solutions and innovative approaches during the debates in various workshops and the
accompanying exhibition “Beautiful, green, smart and inclusive: Colourful Cities”.
The debates will look at how urban and multilevel governance of EU policies and strategies
could be further developed in the years to come, with a view to demonstrating the key role
of cities and regions in designing and implementing sustainable models of development.
Several weeks ahead of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development
(“Rio+20”), the Committee of the Regions aims to showcase in Copenhagen best local and
regional practices, as well as a strong political commitment, in order to have a signifi cant
impact on the EU’s position at the UN conference in June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro.
More details can be found at: www.cor.europa.eu/CoR-Summit2012
09 The 5th European Summit of Regions and Cities
© Copenhagen Media Center / Wonderful Copenhagen © Copenhagen Media Center / Wonderful Copenhagen
27
The Committee of the Regions
and the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union
© Copenhagen Media Center / Wonderful Copenhagen © Copenhagen Media Center / Wonderful Copenhagen
Frank Jensen,
Lord Mayor of Copenhagen
“Copenhagen is determined to work with cities, regions,
private companies, national governments and the EU
Commission to share and develop new innovative and
sustainable urban solutions. Like many other cities,
Copenhagen has been growing in recent years. At the same
time, we are set to become the world’s fi rst carbon neutral
capital in 2025. Th is is a challenge, but also an opportunity
- an opportunity to develop an even more livable city and
to generate economic growth. Th is is the reason why we are
going green in Copenhagen”.
Vibeke Storm Rasmussen,
Chairman of the Regional Council, Capital Region of
Denmark
“I am very pleased to welcome all participants to the Capital
Region of Denmark. Th e Capital Region of Denmark is a
very good example of coherent, smart planning that meets the
needs of business development, transport and infrastructure.
It is also a region that is characterised by its beautiful green
areas and by a high quality of life.
I am very much looking forward to a fruitful Summit 2012
and learning more about how cities and regions can design
and implement sustainable models of development in the
future.”
EUROPEAN UNION
Committee of the Regions 28
January1819 JANUARY
The Danish Ministry of Employment
and the Danish Ministry of Social
Aff airs and Integrations and the
Danish Ministry of Health
Opening Conference for the 2012
European Year for Active Ageing and
Solidarity between Generations
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK
30 JANUARY
3rd ARLEM Plenary Session
BARI, ITALY
31 JANUARY
Committee of the Regions
NAT Commission
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
February7 FEBRUARY
Committee of the Regions
ENVE Commission
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
8 FEBRUARY
Committee of the Regions
ECOS Commission
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
9 FEBRUARY
Committee of the Regions
CIVEX Commission
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
1416 FEBRUARY
Committee of the Regions
Plenary Session and Bureau
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
14 FEBRUARY
Committee of the Regions
Forum: Active ageing and
solidarity between generations:
The role of regions and cities
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
16 FEBRUARY
Europan Commission
Urban Forum
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
2728 FEBRUARY
The Danish Ministry for
Business and Growth
A Single Digital Market by 2015 – a
driver for economic growth and job
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK
27 FEBRUARY
Committee of the Regions
EDUC Commission
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
29 FEBRUARY
DAcoB (Danish Local, Regional
and Research Co-Op Brussels)
Presidency Dialogues
Research – Horizon 2020
and grand challenges
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
March12 MARCH
Spring Council Danish Presidency
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
56 MARCH
Committee of the Regions
COTER Commission
LISBON, PORTUGAL
8 MARCH
The Danish Ministry for
Business and Growth
European Competition and Consumer Day
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK
8 MARCH
The Danish Ministry for the Environment
and the Danish Nature Agency
Meeting for Network of Territorial
Cooperation Contact Points (NTCCP)
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK
1516 MARCH
The Danish Ministry of Justice
The Charter of Fundamental Rights
of the European Union – How to
Access the Charter in Practice
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK
1821 MARCH
The Danish Ministry for Children and
Education and the Danish Youth Council
Youth conference
SORØ, DENMARK
2223 MARCH
Committee of the Regions
5th European Summit of Regions
and Cities – “The European urban
fabric in the 21st century”
(External Bureau and Plenary Session)
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK
26 MARCH
Committee of the Regions
NAT Commission
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
29 MARCH
Committee of the Regions
EGTC Inter-institutional Conference
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
10 Calendar of events
29
The Committee of the Regions
and the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union
April17 APRIL
Committee of the Regions
ENVE Commission
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
1820 APRIL
The Danish Ministry for Climate,
Energy and Building and the Danish
Ministry for the Environment
Informal meeting of Ministers for
Energy and Environment (ENVI)
HORSENS, DENMARK
19 APRIL
The Danish Ministry for Social
Aff airs and Integration
Enhancing democratic values, promoting
social cohesion and furthering intercultural
dialogue: Sharing of best European practice
VEJLE, DENMARK
23 APRIL
Committee of the Regions
EDUC Commission
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
24 APRIL
Council of the European Union
Meeting of the General Aff airs Council (GAC)
LUXEMBOURG
2627 APRIL
The Danish Ministry for Employment
and the Danish Ministry for Social
Aff airs and Integration
Youth in the Labour Market: Innovation,
inclusion and improving skills
HORSENS, DENMARK
26 APRIL
Committee of the Regions
ECOS Commission
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
27 APRIL
Committee of the Regions
CIVEX Commission
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
May2 MAY
Committee of the Regions
Forum on the European Citizens Initiative
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
24 MAY
Committee of the Regions
Plenary Session and Bureau
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
10 MAY
Committee of the Regions
Forum on the Common
Strategic Framework
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
11 MAY
Committee of the Regions
COTER Commission
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
12 MAY
Open Doors Day
All EU institutions including
Committee of the Regions
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
15 MAY
DAcoB (Danish Local, Regional
and Research Co-Op Brussels)
Presidency Dialogues
E-health – Healthy Innovation
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
31 MAY
DAcoB (Danish Local, Regional
and Research Co-Op Brussels)
Presidency Dialogues
Cleantech
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
June1415 JUNE
Committee of the Regions
NAT Commission
ROVANIEMI, FINLAND
1415 JUNE
European Commission
Regions for Economic Change Conference
– RegioStars Awards Ceremony
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
2022 JUNE
Rio+20 Earth Summit
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL
2122 JUNE
Committee of the Regions
CIVEX Commission
DUBROVNIK, CROATIA
2526 JUNE
Committee of the Regions
ECOS Commission
ANCONA, ITALY
26 JUNE
Council of the European Union
Meeting of the General Aff airs Council (GAC)
LUXEMBOURG
28 JUNE
Committee of the Regions
ENVE Commission
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
END JUNE TBC
Committee of the Regions
Forum: The Europe 2020 Strategy and its
fl agship initiatives: A regional perspective
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
Dates as per time of print -
some changes might occur
EUROPEAN UNION
Committee of the Regions 30
11 Contacts
COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
Committee of the Regions
Bâtiment Jacques Delors
Rue Belliard/Belliardstraat 99-101
B - 1040 Brussels
Tel.: +32 (0)22822211
Fax: +32 (0)22822325
www.cor.europa.eu
COORDINATORS OF THE DANISH DELEGATION TO THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
Birgit Yazdani Øbakke
Local Government Denmark
Sq. de Meeûs 1
B-1000 Brussels
Tel.: +32 (0)25501264
E-mail: [email protected]
Asger Andreasen
Danish Regions
Dampfærgevej 22
DK-2100 København
Tel.: +45 35298100
E-mail: [email protected]
BRUSSELS OFFICES OF DANISH REGIONS AND CITIES
Local Government Denmark
Sq. de Meeûs 1
B-1000 Brussels
Tel.: +32 (0)25501260
E-mail: [email protected]
www.kl.dk
Danish Regions
Sq. de Meeûs 1
B-1000 Brussels
Tel.: +32 (0)25501280
E-mail: [email protected]
www.regioner.dk
Zealand Denmark
Avenue Palmerston 26
B-1000 Brussels
Tel: +32 (0)22356656
E-mail: [email protected]
www.zealanddenmark.eu
South Denmark EU Offi ce
Avenue Palmerston 3
B-1000 Brussels
Tel: +32 (0)22854095
E-mail: [email protected]
www.southdenmark.be
31
The Committee of the Regions
and the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union
Central Denmark EU Offi ce
Avenue de Tervuren 35
B-1040 Brussels
Tel: +32 (0)22308732
E-mail: [email protected]
www.centraldenmark.eu
North Denmark EU Offi ce
Avenue de Tervuren 35
B-1040 Brussels
Tel: +32 (0)22300374
E-mail: [email protected]
www.eu-norddanmark.dk
CreoDK (Capital Region Denmark)
Rue du Luxembourg 3
B-1000 Brussels
Tel: +32 (0) 472279193
E-mail: [email protected]
www.regionh.eu / www.creodk.eu
Kalundborg EU Offi ce
Rue du Luxembourg 3
B-1000 Brussels
Tel: +32 (0)25010825
E-mail: [email protected]
www.kalundborg.dk
PERMANENT REPRESENTATION OF DENMARK TO THE EUROPEAN UNION
Permanent Representation of Denmark to the European Union
Rue d’Arlon 73
B-1040 Brussels
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EUROPEAN UNION REPRESENTATION IN DENMARK
Europa-Kommissionen
Repræsentationen i Danmark
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