Policy Committee

The Policy Committee – CEMR's main decision-making body – will meet in Maastricht, Holland, on 13 and 14 December 2004, under Valéry Giscard d'Estaing's presidency.

 

It will be Valéry Giscard d'Estaing's last meeting as CEMR president. A new president and new vice-presidents will be elected by the Policy Committee from within its ranks for a three-year mandate.

 

The mayor and governor of Vienna, Michael Häupl, is the only candidate to Valéry Giscard d'Estaing's succession.

 

Other participants to the Maastricht meeting will include :

– Jan Mans, Mayor of Enschede and president of CEMR's Dutch section (host of the meeting)

– Wim Deetman, Mayor of The Hague

– Walter Veltroni, Mayor of Rome

– Bärbel Dieckmann, Mayor of Bonn

– Wolfgang Schuster, Mayor of Stuttgart

– George Giannopoulos, Mayor of Rhodes

– Ilmar Reepalu, Mayor of Malmö

–Oldrich Vlasak, MEP and President of the Union of towns and Municipalities of the Czech Republic

 

The meeting will open with a round table on the importance of the European Constitution for Europe's citizens and local and regional government.

 

Other points on the agenda include the election of members of the Executive Bureau (a smaller political body that takes decisions between Policy Committee meetings) and the election of the presidents of CEMR's three forums (on cohesion policy, sustainable development and on the economy and social affairs).

 

Policy Committee members will also adopt CEMR position papers on several issues : public services, local sustainable development, the future of cohesion policy, the 20th anniversary of the European charter of local self-government, town-twinning in tomorrow's Europe.

 

Practical details:

– Dates : starts on Monday 13 December, 16:00. Ends on Tuesday 14 December, 13:00

– Venue : Grand Hotel The Emperor, Maastricht

 

Main points :

– 13 December, 16:00: Opening and debate on the European Constitution, what achievements, what priorities for European citizens and local and regional governments?

– 13 December, 18:00 : Adhesion request from the associations of municipalities from Estonia and Montenegro

– 14 December, 10:00 : Election of CEMR new president, vice-presidents, members of Executive Bureau…

– 14 December, 11:00 : Adoption of CEMR's 2005 work programme and 2005 budget

– 14 December, 11:30 : Adoption of CEMR's position papers on public services, local sustainable development, cohesion policy, European charter of local self-government, town-twinning

– 14 December, 13:00 : ends

 

The Policy Committee is CEMR's main governing body. It approves the budget and the annual work programme, decides on the broad policy lines and on new members' application. Its over 100 members are elected for three years and reflect CEMR's national representations.

 

More information on CEMR structures