Brussels, 31/01/2002 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, Reinhold Bocklet, Minister of State for Federal and European Affairs in the Chancellery Office of the Land of Bavaria and former MEP, was elected chairman of the EPP group in the Committee of the Regions (CoR).
The EPP group confirmed that Eduardo Zaplana, President of the Autonomous Community of Valencia, was nominated as the EPP candidate for present of the CoR - the elections will be held on 6 February 2002 when the first meeting in the third term of the Committee of the Regions is held (see EUROPE of 25 January, p.17).
The six vice-chairs of the EPP group are Mr Abel (Denmark), Ms du Granrut (France), Mr Gottardo (Italy), Mr Valcarcel Siso (Spain), Ms Klasnic (Austria) and Mr Van den Brande (Belgium). After his election to the chair of the EPP group, Mr Bocklet said he would "endeavour to strengthen the political and institutional role of the CoR. The Committee must become more than just a consultative organ, and more account must be taken of its views in the European decision-making process".