Polish delegation to the European Committee of the Regions
The Poles have been participating in the works of the European Committee of the Regions since July 2003, when 95 observers members from 10 countries, which were to enter the European Union on the 1st May 2004, were accepted in this EU body. Since the latter date Polish delegates have been participating in the CoR meetings as full members.
The works of Polish delegation
The principal task of the members of our national delegation to the European Committee of the Regions is the representation of Polish local and regional government interests on the European forum. They fulfil it by the participation – by preparation of opinions – in the EU legislative process and by the resolutions taken up by the CoR in the area of current political issues. The tasks of the CoR members also include informing the EU forum about the issues which are important to the regional and local authorities in Poland, as well as the promotion of activities taken up by the European Union in their own environment in their home country.
Although Polish delegation members, just like the representatives of other countries, belong to supranational political groups (at present there are six such groups), they participate in the national delegation meetings in order to inform one another about their works and to discuss the issues which are the most important from the Polish perspective. The representatives of the European Commission, the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Poland to the EU and of other institutions are also often invited to Polish delegation meetings. Apart from the participation in the commissions meetings and plenary sessions, the delegates also participate in different conferences, seminars and meetings organized in co-operation with the CoR both in Brussels and in many EU member states.
The works of Polish delegation are co-ordinated by the Information Office of the Wielkopolska Region in Brussels.
The composition of Polish delegation
Polish delegation to the European Committee of the Regions in the 2020-2025 term has 21 full members and 21 alternate members. It is the fourth biggest national representation in the CoR.
Head of the Polish delegation is Marek Woźniak – President of the Wielkopolska Region. He has held this function since April 2008 (and he has been a CoR member since February 2006). At the same time he has been a Bureau member and the vice-president of the CoR.
Members:
Adam BANASZAK, Councillor of Inowroclaw County
Piotr Franciszek CAŁBECKI, President of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region
Aleksandra DULKIEWICZ - Mayor of Gdańsk (CIVEX, ECON)
Olgierd GEBLEWICZ - President of the Westpomerania Region (CIVEX, NAT)
Paweł GRZYBOWSKI - Mayor of Rypin (NAT, SEDEC)
Krzysztof IWANIUK - Mayor of Terespol Municipality (CIVEX, ECON)
Ewa JANCZAR, Councillor of the Capital City of Warsaw
Witold Rafał KOZŁOWSKI - President of the Małopolskie Region (COTER, ENVE)
Krzysztof MATYJASZCZYK - President of Częstochowa (ECON, SEDEC)
Władysław ORTYL - President of the Podkarpackie Region (COTER, ENVE)
Andrzej Antoni PŁONKA, Councillor of the Bielsko-Biala County
Cezary PRZYBYLSKI - President of the Lower Silesia Region (SEDEC, ENVE)
Joachim Michał SMYŁA, Councillor of Lubliniec County
Jarosław Piotr STAWIARSKI - President of the Lubelskie Region (COTER, ECON)
Mieczysław STRUK - President of the Pomeranian Region (COTER, NAT)
Adam STRUZIK - President of the Mazovia Region (COTER, ENVE)
Rafał Kazimierz TRZASKOWSKI - Mayor of the Capital City of Warsaw (ECON, ENVE)
Marek WOŹNIAK - President of the Wielkopolska Region (COTER, CIVEX)
Hanna ZDANOWSKA - Mayor of Łodź (SEDEC, ENVE)
Alternates:
Rafał BRUSKI - Mayor of Bydgoszcz
Marian BURAS - Mayor of Morawica
Piotr Franciszek CAŁBECKI - President of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region
Grzegorz CICHY, Mayor of the Town and Municipality of Proszowice
Jacek GAJEWSKI - Member of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Regional Assembly
Robert GODEK - Member of the Strzyżów District Council
Marcin Artur JABŁOŃSKI, President of Lubuskie Region
Wojciech Jan KAŁUŻA - Vice-President of the Śląskie Region
Marcin KUCHCIŃSKI, President of the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Region
Mirosław LECH - Mayor of the Korycin Municipality
Beata Małgorzata MOSKAL-SŁANIEWSKA - Mayor of Świdnica
Janina Ewa ORZEŁOWSKA, Member of the Board of the Mazowieckie Region
Piotr Paweł PSIKUS - Mayor of the Town and Municipality of Kępno
Ludwik Jerzy RAKOWSKI - Member of the Mazowieckie Regional Assembly
Rafał Henryk RUDKA, Councillor of the Bochnia County
Łukasz Jakub SMÓŁKA - Vice-President of the Małopolskie Region
Lucyna Teresa SOKOŁOWSKA, Councillor of the Rzeszów County
Tadeusz TRUSKOLASKI - Mayor of Białystok
The Nice Treaty signed in 2001 established that the CoR members must be elected members of a local or a regional body or be politically accountable to an elected local or regional assembly.
Polish delegates to the CoR are designated by the following local government corporations: the Union of the Provinces of the Republic of Poland (10 members and the same number of deputy members), the Association of Polish Counties (3), the Association of Polish Cities (3), the Union of Polish Metropolises (2), the Union of Rural Communes of the Republic of Poland (2), the Union of Small Polish Towns (1).
