GENERAL MEETING OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL AUTHORITIES
OF COUNCIL OF EUROPE MEMBER STATES AND OBSERVERS - CG/CONF/ASSOC (12) 1
Strasbourg, 23-24 February 2006
Council of Europe
(room 1)
PROGRAMME
Thursday, 23 February 2006
3:00 pm OPENING OF THE CONFERENCE
Opening speeches
Président : Giovanni DI STASI, President of the Congress
· Giovanni DI STASI, President of the Congress
· Ulrich BOHNER, Chief Executive of the Congress
· José RODRÍGUEZ ÁLVAREZ, President of the Steering Committee on Local and Regional Democracy (CDLR), Council of Europe
· Ian MICALLEF, Vice-President of the Committee of Regions, representing Michel DELEBARRE, President of the Committee of the Regions
· Andrezj PRUSZKOWSKI, Vice-President of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), Mayor of Lublin (Poland), Congress member
· Klaus KLIPP, Secretary General, Assembly of European Regions (AER)
· Milenko DORIĆ, Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (representing the President of the Parliamentary Assembly, Mr René van der Linden)
3:45-4:30 PRESS CONFERENCE (room 2)
4:00 pm Coffee break
4:30 pm GENERAL INTRODUCTION:
THE CONGRESS AND THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES – A REVIEW OF THE SITUATION
What is the role that the Congress has played and is now playing vis-à-vis the associations? What is the associations' position vis-à-vis the Congress? What is the importance of the Congress in their programme of international/European activities.
These questions deserve an answer and, particularly a political analysis of the relationships as they were defined in the beginning, when the Conference was set up - and afterwards the Congress, but also as they have evolved with the passing years and particularly how they should be in the framework of the political forum which the Congress has become.
Président : Giovanni DI STASI, Président du Congrès
· Wim KUIPER, Deputy Director General of the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG)
· Halvdan SKARD, President of the Chamber of Local Authorities, President of the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS), Councillor of the Baerum Municipal Council
Exchange of views
7:00 pm Reception - Town Hall, Place Broglie, Strasbourg
Friday, 24 February 2006
.
9:00 am CONGRESS – NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS: THE EXPECTATIONS ON BOTH SIDES
This session should be introduced and directed by addresses by members of the Congress and chairpersons of national associations, who will be asked to explain what the Congress brings to their associations and vice versa. In one "category" as much as in the other, it will be important to hear representatives of both western Europe and central and eastern Europe.
President : Halvdan SKARD, President of the Chamber of Local Authorities of the Congress
· Stepan KIRICHUK, President of the Congress of the Municipalities of the Russian Federation
· Yiannis MICHAS, 1st Vice-President of the « Union of Prefectural Administrations of Greece » (ENAE), « Prefect » of Pireus, Member of the Congress
· Tarzan MILOSEVIC (Serbia and Montenegro), President of the Network of National Associations of Local Authorities of South East Europe (NALAS-SEE), President of the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro (UOM), Member of the Congress
· Evgen KARTACHOV, Vice-President of the Association of Ukrainian Cities and Communities (AUC)
· Saied F.S. ZOUROB, Member of the Executive Committee of the Association of Palestinian Local Authorities (APLA)
· Alessandro TESINI, President of the Conference of Presidents of Italian Regional Parliaments and of the autonomous provinces of Italy (CPACRPA)
· Charles JOSSELIN, President of the Association « Cités Unies France » (CUF), Vice-President of the “Conseil Général des Côtes d’Armor”, Former Minister
10:00-11:00 am Debate
11:00-11:30am Coffee break
11:30-12:30 am TOWARDS A CLOSER CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE CONGRESS AND THE ASSOCIATIONS
The aim of this session will be to examine and discuss some proposals for co-operation and to see how joint efforts might bring added value to both the Congress and the associations.
President : Jean-Pierre KLEIN, President of the « Syndicat des Villes et Communes Luxembourgeoises » (SYVICOL), « Bourgmestre » of Steinsel, Congress member
►1. The Congress AND the associations – a platform for joint experimentation relating to subjects of shared interest (urban security, social indicators, the trafficking of human beings, migrants, sustainable development…)
Presentation and exchange of views
· Luisa LAURELLI, Regional Councillor of Lazio, Former Chair of the Committee of Social Cohesion to the Congress
· Anne-Elisabeth REEB, Municipal councillor in charge of the disabled persons, City of Mulhouse
►2. Communication policy (web, publications…) – how to acquire a new platform for dialogue and communication
· Pascal MANGIN, Regional Councillor, Deputy-Mayor of Strasbourg, Member of the Congress
12:30am-2:30pm Lunch break
2:30-4:00 pm TOWARDS A CLOSER CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE CONGRESS AND THE ASSOCIATIONS (continuation)
President : Günther KRUG, “Mitglied des Abgeordnetenhauses” de Berlin,
Vice-President of the Congress
►3. Election observation – participation of the associations in the tasks of the Congress
· David LLOYD-WILLIAMS, Member of the North Yorkshire County Council, Congress member
►4. Consultation of the Associations on the major texts prepared by the Congress (Conventions, Charters, Declarations…)
Presentation and exchange of views - the example of the Urban Charter
· Carlos PINTO, Mayor of Covilha, Congress member
4:00-4:30 pm Coffee break
4:30-5:30 pm ROUND TABLE: CONGRESS AND ASSOCIATIONS - WHAT COMMON CAUSE?
President : Yavuz MILDON, President of the Chamber of Regions of the Congress,
Member of the Provincial Council of Canakkale Center
· Emin YERITSYAN, Board Coordinator of the Association of Communities of Armenia (CAA), Councillor of the Community of Parakar
· Adi ELDAR, President of the Union of Local Authorities in Israel (ULAI)
· Edi RAMA, Mayor of Tirana, President, Association of Municipalities of Albania (AAM)
· M……….
This Round Table session, which will be led by a specialist journalist, Daniel RIOT, will draw the initial conclusions, highlight the main points made in the discussions and produce initial proposals so as to formalise the ideas most favourably received.
CONCLUSIONS BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE CONGRESS