The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) welcomes many aspects of the European Commission's work programme for 2008, published on 24 October 2007.
CEMR's head of policy, Angelika Poth-Mögele welcomed the overall spirit of the work programme: the holistic and integrated approach on one hand, since many subjects cut across the strategic objectives (climate change, energy, migration flows...), and the Commission's stated intention to consult key players in the EU. We hope that this also includes local and regional government that implement many EU political initiatives and legislation, she added.
However, CEMR hopes that the Commission's intention to prepare impact assessments on all strategic and priority initiatives will take into account the impact on local and regional governments and the financial implications for them.
Nothing on services of general interest?
'We find it surprizing that the work programme does not mention services of general interest (SGIs) or concessions, adds Angelika Poth-Mögele, especially since the Commission is examining whether to propose legislation on concessions, which would lead to a draft directive or a communication in 2008! We therefore do not know whether the European Commission will address SGIs and other similar issues next year in the context of the single market review though Europe's local and regional government urgently need clarification on this crucial issue.'
CEMR welcomes the Commission's intention to propose further steps towards a common policy on migration, especially the reference to "a multi-dimensional approach", since in most cases local and regional governments have to deal with this issue. CEMR and the association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) will organise a conference on the integration of migrants at local level, on 28.and 29 November 2007, in The Hague.
The European dimension to health services is also of relevance to local and regional government; CEMR hopes that these will be consulted on the announced initiatives on patient safety and quality of health services. In many member states local and regional authorities are responsible for health services.
