Brussels, 13/12/2001 (Agence Europe) - The 250 regions that are members of the Assembly of European Regions (ARE) call for a direct representation of the regions within the Community over the EU reform and their participation in the definition of the future institutional framework of the European Union, through European regional associations such as ARE. Gathered on 29 and 30 November in Sopron (Hungary) in a General Assembly, these 250 regions insisted on the importance of the debate over the division of competencies, which must be launched at the Laeken Summit. They call for an independent authority to be entrusted with ensuring respect for the allocation of competencies and to be called upon by the regions with legislative powers. The Assembly of European Regions also hopes that the Convention will broach the issue of the possibility for the regions to call upon the European Court of Justice. The Committee of the Regions has for a long time called, in vain, to be provided with this power - the ARE underlines that the role of the Committee of the Regions should be reviewed. The regions also call for the Member States to further involve their regions in the European decision-making process (participation in Council meetings, among others). During this General Assembly, which will take place for the first time in a candidate country (ARE has members in 25 European countries), the ARE member regions also debated enlargement. They underline in a statement that it is necessary for the regions to be involved in the enlargement process and call upon the EU to pay special attention to the regions that will be on the border of the new Europe.