Brussels, 19/06/2001 (Agence Europe) - The EU's Committee of the Regions is organising a "Conference on Proximity" in Salamanca (Spain) on 21 and 22 June. The aim is to discuss the necessary institutional reforms to render EU decision-making procedures transparent and to bring EU citizens more on board, as well as the role local and regional authorities and the Committee of the Regions itself can play to that end. Taking part in the Conference, alongside members of the Committee of the Regions, will be representatives of Community institutions (Parliament, Council, Commission) and local and regional authorities as well as of Member States and countries candidates for accession. Speaking, among others, will be Valery Giscard d'Estaing, Elmar Brok, Jos Chabert (President of the Committee of the Regions). A "final declaration" will be approved at the end of work.