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Croatian Mayors and County Presidents meet in the Committee of the Regions
22.01.2008, 12:02
The prospects for Croatia's EU accession negotiations in 2008 will be the focus of the 3rd meeting of the Working Group on Croatia, which takes place at the Committee of the Regions on Wednesday, 23 January (Room JDE 51, 9.30-17:00). Key participants will include Ambassador Branko Baričević, Head of Mission to the EU, Neven Pelicaric, State Secretary of the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Hannes Swoboda (AT/PES), European Parliament rapporteur on Croatia.
The meeting, to be opened by Isidoro Gottardo (IT/EPP), chairman of the working group and President of the EPP, will discuss local democracy reform, the Treaty of Lisbon's implications for enlargement and the potential benefits for candidate and neighbourhood countries created by the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation, the new EU instrument aimed at facilitating the management of cross-border, transnational and regional projects such as economic development, environmental protection, mobility and healthcare services. In addition, the Working Group will facilitate twinning between regional and local authorities in Croatian and in the EU. 2008 will be a crucial year for Croatia's EU membership talks. The Committee of the Regions is keen to support and offer its advice on local democracy reform and implementation of accession's funds, mostly implemented at the local and regional level. The meeting will hear views from leading local politicians including Dubravka Suica, Mayor of Dubrovnik and Vice-President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Ante Sanader, Head of Split County, Zlatko Komadina, President of Primorsko-goranska County, Ivan Jakovcic, President of Istria County, and Davor Zmegac, member of the Presidency of the Asssociation of Croatian Cities. The discussion on the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC), taking place in the afternoon session, will include contributions by Jan Olbrycht (PL/EPP-ED), European Parliament rapporteur on EGTC.
Source: www.cor.eu