Committee of the Regions

IN BRIEF

• Role: consultative and representational body for European regional and local authorities
  
• Term: 4 years
  
• Composition: 344 members representing local and regional authorities
  
• President: Mercedes BRESSO
  
• Meeting venue: Brussels
  
• Address:
  Rue Belliard 101
  B-1040 Brussels
  Tel: +32 (0) 2 282 2211
  Fax: +32 (0) 2 282 2325
  
• Website: www.cor.europa.eu 

The Committee of the Regions, founded in March 1994 by the Treaty on European Union (Maastricht Treaty), is a consultative body made up of representatives from European regional and local authorities.

Role

The Committee of the Regions takes part in the European decision-making system.

The treaty provides for compulsory consultation of the Committee of the Regions by the Council or the Commission in five fields which affect regional interests, such as youth, culture, public health, economic and social cohesion, trans-European transport networks, telecommunications and energy.

The Committee of the Regions may also issue recommendations on its own initiative.

Composition

The Committee of the Regions is made up of 344 representatives from local and regional authorities. They are each appointed for four years by the Council, on Member States’ proposal, but they act with complete political independence.

Plenary sessions are held five times a year. The Committee of the Regions’ work is carried out by six specialised commissions which prepare the plenary sessions.

The President of the Committee of the Regions is appointed by the members of the Committee of the Regions for a 2-year term.

The current President is Mercedes BRESSO.

Meeting venue

The Committee of the Regions sits in Brussels.