Resolution of the Committee of the Regions on the year 2000 problem
13. 10. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 293/73 Resolution of the Committee of the Regions on the year 2000 problem (1999/C 293/15) THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS, whereas local and regional authorities are often responsible for public services in sectors that may be affected by the Millennium Bug, like hospitals, public utilities, traffic infrastructure; whereas these sectors are often interdependent and interlinked in cross-border infrastructure networks, so that a high degree of cooperation is required; whereas the European Commission in its latest report expresses its particular concern over the lack of readiness of local and regional authorities; whereas there are great differences between Member States and sectors in the degree of awareness and the state of preparations; the disclosure and exchange of information is not sufficient and much double work is done in the different Member States; whereas awareness raising at all levels is of the utmost importance and access to information and the exchange of good practice is crucial at this point in time; whereas the effects of the Millennium Bug are unknown at this stage, and it is not excluded that its consequences will be comparable to those of a natural disaster, which will entail high costs for public authorities at all levels; whereas the Millennium Bug is not only a technical problem but is also a question of political responsibility; stresses the urgency of the problem, in particular in local and regional authorities; urges the national, regional and local authorities to appreciate the problem and step up the preparations, making use as much as possible of the experience acquired by other local and regional authorities; demands that the COR, as the representative of local and regional authorities, be involved in any EU activities, working groups or information campaigns; asks the European Commission to facilitate the exchange of information and good practice, and make the information available in all official EU languages; requests the European Commission to inform the COR of the situation as regards the safety of nuclear stations in non-EU countries; points out that the financial and legal consequences must be investigated, like liability, damage claims, or damage payments comparable to those for natural disasters, C 293/74 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13. 10. 1999 instructs its President to forward this resolution to the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council, and the parliaments of the Member States. Brussels, 3 June 1999. The President of the Committee of the Regions Manfred DAMMEYER Resolution of the Committee of the Regions on the next Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) (1999/C 293/16) THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS, having regard to the decision of its bureau of 10 march 1999 to entrust the commission for institutional affairs with the preparation of a resolution on the next intergovernmental conference (IGC); having regard to the draft resolution adopted by the commission for institutional affairs at its meeting on 27 april 1999 (CdR 54/99; rapporteurs: Mr Van den Brande and Mr Koivisto) and adapted in the meantime by both rapporteurs as instructed; having regard to the conclusions of the cardiff european council of 15/16 june 1998, which state that questions relating to the practical implementation of subsidiarity need to be discussed further; having regard to the conclusions of the vienna european council of 11/12 december 1998, which strengthened the consultative role of the committee of the regions in matters relating to subsidiarity, adopted the following resolution at its 29th plenary session on 2 and 3 June 1999 (meeting of 3 June). 1. European integration has achieved enormous momen- tum in the last ten years: witness the completion of the single market, the Treaty of Maastricht and the introduction of Economic and Monetary Union. the institutional issues not resolved by this Treaty, which have to be resolved before enlargement’. At the same time, there is a need for further reform in the European Union. The last IGC did not, however, solve all the problems 2. needing to be solved prior to the forthcoming enlargement. The protocol on the institutions and the declaration by 3. Belgium, France and Italy, which are appended to the Treaty of Amsterdam, single out the composition of the European Commission, the reweighting of Member States’ votes and the greater use of qualified majority voting in the Council of Ministers as problems which the next IGC must solve. 5. The Committee of the Regions feels that the institutional reforms must urgently be put into effect in the interests of speedy enlargement. In the ongoing reform process, however, in addition to institutional issues, critical reform moves must also be taken to further strengthen internal security and law, to develop a Community identity in foreign and security policy and to secure a Europe that is democratic and close to the people. In view of the wide-ranging debate on reform which is set to take place over the coming years, the Committee would like consideration to be given also to the points listed below which affect it. Immediately after the entry into force of the Amsterdam 4. Treaty, the Cologne European Council will, as mandated in Vienna in December 1998, decide on ‘how and when to tackle 5. 1. The subsidiarity principle should be discussed further so that the European Union, Member States, national enti- ties/regions and local authorities can contribute to its correct practical application within their respective areas of responsi- bility. This has already been pointed out in a declaration on