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Claudette Brunet-Lechenault
The Committee of the Regions is drafting an opinion based on the proposal for a Council regulation on the "Statute for a European Foundation (EF)" COM (2012) 35 final.
By bringing their contribution to the achievement of the Europe 2020 strategy in fields such as employment and social progress, research and culture and improvement of the environment foundation's activities are important for European citizens but also for the European economy.
However their added value is affected by cross-border problems due to differences existing between national laws and the obstacles which follow these issues. Indeed most of their funds have to be spent to collect legal advice and to fulfil legal and administrative requirements when they decide to operate across borders.
The need to put an end to market fragmentation was already highlighted by the European Commission in several documents such as "The Single Market Act" or the report from 2010 "Dismantling the obstacles to EU citizens' rights". Each of them stresses the importance to remove obstacles that foundations face and the European Commission now proposes to create a single European legal form: The European Foundation Statute.
This new statute will only focus on public interest foundations recognised by all the Member States. This European label which will give them legal personality and legal capacity will also allow foundations to make easier their establishment and operation in the single market thanks to harmonised rules applied throughout the EU.
The Rapporteur on the Opinion, Ms Claudette BRUNET LECHENAULT (FR/PES), Member of the ECOS Commission of the CoR and Vice-President of Saône et Loire General Council in France, together with her expert Ms Isabelle COMBES would be happy to meet with representatives of local and regional associations, NGOs and other stakeholders for a consultation and an exchange of views on this opinion.
The consultation will take place on:
Thursday 28 June, 11.00 – 12.30
At the premises of the Committee of the Regions
(Rue Belliard 99-101, B-1040 Brussels)
Room JDE 70
The Rapporteur would be very keen to hear your views during the meeting. After a short introduction by the rapporteur, stakeholders will be invited to react to the questions raised by the rapporteur in a questionnaire that you will receive upon registration and which is available on the website within shortly.
In addition, if you have any position papers relevant to the subject, you are welcome to send them to us by e-mail to the addresses below.
The meeting will be held in French with simultaneous interpretation allowing you to speak in English and French, while listening in English and French. Please note that the mother tongue of the rapporteur is French.
For practical reasons, you are kindly asked to confirm your participation before Wednesday 27 June at 15.00 by registering on the following link.
For more information, please contact our team:
Please note that the CoR will not provide paper copies of the documents for the meeting, in an effort to reduce paper waste.