Mercedes Bresso, president of the EU Committee of the Regions (CoR), has concerns that the European Commission’s proposal to suspend Cohesion Policy funding for states that do not meet the requirements of the EU Stability and Growth Pact (COM(2010)367 on EU economic governance – see Europolitics4010) could be in breach of the subsidiarity principle. During a visit to the Extremadura (Spain) regional parliament, on 16 July, she called on regional and national governments to “form a coalition” with the CoR to defend subsidiarity. Commenting on the Commission’s communication to regional MPs, Bresso explained that she sees “a serious risk of breach of the subsidiarity principle”. “The question is whether it is legally possible for the European Union to impose sanctions that would directly affect regional and local budgets, when it is the national governments that are responsible.”

The CoR would be willing to take its case to the EU Court of Justice “if necessary,” although only as a “last resort”. The question will first be discussed in an opinion the CoR is drafting on the Commission’s communication, due in the autumn. “We are going to start by referring this matter to the CoR’s subsidiarity monitoring network. In terms of your responses and technical legal opinions, we will be able to defend a reasoned position,” Bresso told the regional representatives.

The Lisbon Treaty gives the CoR the power to take action before the EU Court of Justice in cases of non-compliance with the subsidiarity principle for matters on which it is consulted.