You are here 
News News Details
News
NILGA NOMINATE TWO DELEGATES FOR THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF REGIONS 2010-2014
21 September 2009
Following discussions with the Northern Ireland Assembly, Committee of Regions (CoR) UK Delegation and the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM), NILGA has nominated one full and one alternative member to the UK Committee of the Regions.
NILGA confirm that we have nominated Cllr Jonathan Bell as a full member and Ald Arnold Hatch as an alternate member. The delegation is completed with two nominations from the Northern Ireland Assembly, Mr Francie Molloy MLA as a full member and Mr John Dallat MLA as an alternate member.
These nominations are of significant importance to Local Government as:
• Over 70% of new UK law affecting local councils originates from Brussels. New issues on the horizon include: continuing measures to combat recession, new rules to guide shared services, safeguarding social services, new rules for structural funds, climate change.
• The CoR can influence these laws upstream by lobbying the European Commission and Parliament.
• The CoR prepares and debates “opinions” in response to proposals for new EU law, in order to inform EU decision-takers of the impact that their proposals will have on local and regional government throughout the EU.
Cllr Jonathan Bell, local government’s newly appointed full member to the CoR said,
“This is a fantastic opportunity for local government and all our citizens to actively engage with Europe’s decision makers on local matters. Local councils will now have the opportunity not only to respond to EU proposals before they hit the ground, but also an opportunity to work with the Northern Ireland Assembly to strengthen Northern Ireland’s voice and impact in Europe.”
END
For more information please contact:
Mark Maher, Communications Officer, Tel: 028 9079 8972
Email: m.maher@nilga.org
NILGA Unit 5B Castlereagh Business Park, 478 Castlereagh Road, Belfast BT5 6QA.
