Committee of the Regions (CoR)

Set up in 1994 under the Treaty on the European Union, the Committee of the Regions is an advisory political assembly representing local and regional authorities in the European Union. The European Policy and Co-ordination Unit provides these representatives with briefing on issues of particular interest to Northern Ireland. Briefing is commissioned and collated from policy officials across the Northern Ireland departments.

What are goals of the CoR?

The main goals of the Committee of the Regions are to:

Bring Europe closer to its citizens
Give a voice to regional and local representatives
Improve EU legislation using the expertise of regional and local representatives

Why is the CoR important?

The European Commission and the Council of Ministers must consult the Committee whenever new proposals are made in policy areas that affect local or regional government.

How do we fit into the CoR?

Northern Ireland has two full and two alternate seats in the Committee with delegates serving on four sectoral commissions. CoR members must hold a local or regional authority mandate or be accountable to an elected assembly.

The CoR Commissions

The Committee is organised into six Commissions, which are responsible for preparation of the draft opinions on the proposals of the European Commission, which are submitted to the plenary assembly for adoption. The Commissions are: