| Abstract | Regionalne i lokalne jedinice najbolje poznaju potrebe stanovništva na nižim razinama te se javila potreba većeg uključivanja njihovih predstavnika u proces upravljanja integracijom kao što je Europska unija, koja je obilježena bogatstvom i ograničenjem regionalnih različitosti. Odbor regija, sastavljen od predstavnika regionalnih i lokalnih vlasti država članica, kao savjetodavno tijelo Europske unije započelo je s radom 1994. Od samog osnutka, Ugovorom iz Maastrichta pa preko Amsterdamskog ugovora te Ugovora iz Nice, Odbor regija postaje sve prisutniji u kreiranju i provođenju europskih politika, posebice regionalne. Još veće ovlasti, Odbor regija, dobiva stupanjem na snagu Lisabonskog ugovora, 2009.
Nakon analize temeljnih obilježja, uloge, načela, prioriteta, načina rada, povezanosti s glavnim institucijama Europske unije, s različitim međuregionalnim skupinama, kao i međunarodne suradnje Odbora u okviru politike susjedstva, u radu je dokazana značajna uloga Odbora regija u promicanju interesa regionalnih i lokalnih jedinica. Članovi Odbora sudjeluju, surađuju u procesu donošenja odluka na europskoj razini kako bi se potakla bolja zastupljenost svih građana Europske unije, izrađuju mišljenja, rezolucije i odluke, na inicijativu Europske komisije, Europskog parlamenta i Vijeća Europske unije ili samostalno. Odbor postaje „čuvar načela supsidijarnosti“, potiče partnerstvo, međuregionalnu suradnju, ima značajnu ulogu u provođenju europske politike susjedstva gdje (također putem svojih predstavnika) doprinosi vrijednostima demokracije, poštivanja ljudskih prava, održivom razvoju i tržišnoj ekonomiji. |
| Abstract (english) | Regional and local units recognize the best what are the needs of the population at lower levels of government. In line with this it becomes necessary to include its representatives in the process of managing integration as is European Union, characterized with the abundance of and constraints of regional differences. The European Committee of the Regions, composed of regional and local representatives from the European Union member states, as an advisory body of the European Union, was created in 1994. From its very begging, through the Maastricht Treaty, and later under the Treaty of Amsterdam and the Treaty of Nice, the role of Committee of the Regions has become more important in the process of creation and implementation of the European policy, especially regarding regional policy. The power of the Committee of the Regions has strengthened following the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty in 2009.
After analysing the key facts about the Committee of the Regions, its role, principles, priorities, activities, its connections with the main institutions of the European Union, interregional networks, international cooperation of the Committee through the European Neighbourhood Policy, this paper confirms the significant role of the Committee of the Regions in representing the interests of the regional and local units. Members of the Committee of the Regions participate, cooperate in the decision-making process at the European level in order to bring the needs of the European Union citizens closer to the integration; they prepare opinions, resolutions and decisions on the initiative of the European Commission, European Parliament and Council of the European Union or on its own request, when the planned activities will impact regions and cities. The Committee of the Regions has become the “guardian” of the subsidiarity principle, it encourages partnership, has important role in the implementation of the European Neighbourhood Policy, where (also through the activities of its representatives) contributes to the values of democracy, human rights, sustainable development and market economy. |
