The Committee of the Regions’ consultative work is carried out in six specialised commissions, whose task it is to appoint rapporteurs to prepare draft opinions and resolutions before their adoption at the CoR Plenary Sessions.

Composition and powers
At the beginning of each four-year term, the Plenary Assembly sets up the commissions to prepare its work. It decides on their composition and powers on a proposal from the Bureau.

The composition of the commissions reflects the national composition of the Committee and the members of the Committee belong to at least one commission but may not belong to more than two. Bureau may make exceptions for members belonging to the smaller national delegations.

Chairman and vice-chairmen
At its first meeting, each commission appoints a chairman, a first vice-chairman and no more than two vice-chairmen from among its members; together they form the commission bureau.

Where the number of candidates for these posts equals the number of posts to fill, then the chairman and vice-chairman can be elected by acclamation. Otherwise, or at the request of a sixth of the commission members, the election will be held in line with Rule 31 (2) and (4) (election of the CoR president and first vice-president) of the Rules of Procedure.

In the event of a commission bureau member terminating his/her Committee membership or resigning from the commission bureau, the vacant post will be filled in accordance with Rule 45 of the Rules of Procedure.

Tasks of the Commissions
The commissions, in particular, draw up the draft versions of opinions and resolutions. These drafts are submitted to the Plenary Assembly for adoption.

Convening of Commissions and agendas
The chairman of each commission acting in agreement with the first vice-chairman sets the dates of meetings and their agendas.

A commission is convened by its chairman. The convening notice for an ordinary meeting together with the agenda must reach members not later than four weeks before the date of the meeting.

At the written request of at least one quarter of its members, the chairman is obliged to convene an extraordinary commission meeting, which must be held not later than four weeks after the submission of the request. The agenda for an extraordinary meeting is to be set by the members submitting the request for such a meeting. It is forwarded to members together with the convening notice.

All draft opinions and other discussion documents are translated and distributed before a meeting and sent to the secretariat of the commission in question not later than five weeks before the date set for the meeting. They shall then be forwarded to members not later than two weeks before the date of the meeting. In exceptional cases the chairman may amend the above time limits.