Committee of Permanent Representatives

The Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Member States ( COREPER short ) consists of the Permanent Representatives (French Représentants permanents ) of the Member States in the European Union or their deputies. Often the French acronym Coreper is (Fr. Comité des Représentants permanents ) is used. It is chaired by the country holding the Presidency. The task of COREPER is to prepare the work of the Council of the European Union and maintain the links between the Council and the other European institutions. Not in the working area of ​​Coreper falls the Common Agricultural Policy, the Special Committee on Agriculture prepares for Council meetings. In the area of ​​common foreign and security policy, the role of Coreper overlap partially with those of the Political and Security Committee (PSC).

• 3.1 Coreper I
• 3.2 COREPER II

History

The Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Member States has already been used in 1958 as part of the Rules of Procedure of the Council on the model of co-ordination Commission ( Cocor ) in the area of the ECSC Treaty. By Article 4 of the Merger Agreement, in which the COREPER is first mentioned in the contract, in 1967, both committees were merged. Contractual basis is now Article 240 paragraph 1 TFEU, which is explained in more detail in the Rules of Procedure of the Council of the European Union.

Activity

COREPER prepares the meetings of the Council of the European Union. He created the agenda for the Council meeting and making decision suggestions for topics on which there is agreement between the Member States. In addition, the Committee of Permanent Representatives, the requirements of the individual Member States are represented in relation to other Member States and institutions of the European Union and sought common positions. The staff of the Permanent Mission provide reports, evaluations and previews to the respective governments to give them a basis for the design of their positions within the Council of the European Union.

The Permanent Representatives to act on the basis of instructions from their capitals. Thus, in the Community decision-making in the Council a significant role falls to him.

Procedures in the opinion of the Council

At low disputes decides, based on the discussion in the relevant Council Working Group, actually Coreper on acts or legal texts. The corresponding templates can then be decided by the Council as so-called A- points without debate.

Controversial templates or those to which ministers - even with reasonable majority - want to express political will, presented to the Council as so-called B- points. Controversial templates to which the Council no agreement can be reached, are referred back to Coreper and from that usually first again to the competent Council Working Group. When ministers in the Council not achieve unity, it can forward the issue to the European Council, in the sitting Heads of State and Government. The European Council can not intervene in the EU legislation, but issued only general guidelines themselves. However, in national governments, members of the Council - ie the ministers - members of the European Council - ie the government - are subordinated to the compromises of the European Council also serve as guidelines for the decisions of the Council.

Connection to other EU institutions

In the context and environment in Coreper, the feds negotiate compromises with the European Commission and the European Parliament (EP). The European Commission will be represented by high-level officials in the Coreper meetings. With representatives of the European Parliament negotiated in special meetings of the respective Coreper chairman on the basis of an order previously issued to him in Coreper. Only in conciliation meetings, ie under the Third Reading between the European Parliament and the Council, in turn, all Member States are represented by their Permanent Representatives.

Two levels of work

Coreper I

Coreper I ( also COREPER Part 1) gathers the Deputy Permanent Representatives, which in the broadest sense, economic issues (internal market, industry, energy, telecommunications, research, etc. ) deal. The sequence of COREPER I meetings will be prepared by the Assistant Deputy Permanent Representatives, who come together in the Mertens Group established in 1993. The content of individual negotiation of the acts and political texts are in the competent Council Working Group in the Member States send experts from the capital or by instruction provided attachés from the Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels.

The Deputy Permanent Representative of Germany Coreper I is currently Guido Peruzzo. The Deputy Permanent Representative of Austria Coreper I is currently Harald Günther.

Coreper II

Coreper II ( also COREPER Part 2) gathers the Permanent Representatives Committee, which deal primarily with politically sensitive issues, such as common foreign and security policy, police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters or institutional and general issues such as the budget of the European Union. Coreper II is preparing accordingly the meetings of the General Council, the Foreign Affairs Council, the Council of Justice and Home Affairs, and the Council of Economics and Finance. The sequence of Coreper -1 meetings will be prepared by Wizard of Permanent Representatives, who come together in the 1975 furnished antici - group. The preparation of content, that is, Detailed negotiation of the acts and non-legislative texts, takes place in the relevant Council Working Group in the Member States of the expert speakers factually relevant ministries, or with instruction provided attachés from its Permanent Representative to send to the EU in Brussels.

The Permanent Representative of Germany in Coreper II is currently Peter Temple. The Permanent Representative of Austria in Coreper II is currently Walter Grahammer.

Liaison offices of the countries

From the work of the Permanent Representations within the range specified by the EU Treaties legislative force triangle - European Parliament, Council and European Commission - are the areas of responsibility also " missions " mentioned liaison offices of the provinces or regions to distinguish individual Member States.

The liaison offices of the countries represent their regions in the working since 1994 Committee of the Regions, contrary to the Council of the European Union has only a consultative role. In addition, the representatives of the countries gain knowledge about the EU affairs in Brussels for which they sending country or regional governments, and evaluate them. They advertise in informal connections with representatives of the European Commission, the European Parliament and of the Council for the interests of their regions of origin.