BUREAU OF THE CONGRESS

CG/BUR(13)86

Strasbourg, 19 February 2007

 

Priorities and work programme of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe 2007 - 2008

Document approved by the Bureau of the Congress

   on 15 February 2007


Like the Council of Europe, the Congress is today confronted with the need to strengthen and clearly define its role on the European stage. Financial constraints make this exercise all the more useful.

With this in mind, the Congress Bureau requested the statutory committees and the other bodies of the Congress to define their priorities for 2007-2008.  Now that this exercise has been completed, the Bureau is invited to set the priorities of the Congress as a whole for 2007‑2008 with a view to improving its efficiency, consolidating its position within the Council of Europe and strengthening its cooperation with its main partners.

It should be noted that the definition of Congress priorities and the adoption of a strategy to implement those priorities for 2007-2008 does not prevent Congress committees and other bodies to deal with topical issues and a certain leeway to tackle topical items should therefore be permitted.

By adopting these priority working subjects, the Bureau of the Congress also keeps in mind the priorities set for the whole Organisation during the Warsaw Summit (16-17 May 2005), and mainly strengthening of democracy, good governance and the rule of law in member States, as well as the proposals of the Juncker report “A sole ambition for the European continent” (11 April 2006).

I.        REINFORCING LOCAL AND REGIONAL DEMOCRACY IN EUROPE

Monitoring the implementation and updating of the European Charter of Local Self‑Government (ECLSG)

-           Preparation of monitoring reports and thematic reports;

-           Preparation of “compliance reports” on the measures taken by countries following Congress recommendations;

-           Completion of a “monitoring cycle” (e.g. monitoring of all member states having signed the ECLSG) should be completed by the end of 2008;

-           Preparation and adoption of additional protocols to the ECLSG;

-           Governments’ involvement in follow-up to recommendations;

-           Participating in the Council of Europe Forum for the future of democracy and the organisation of “Local Democracy Week” in co-operation with the Committee of Ministers.

Regional democracy

-           Preparation of monitoring reports and thematic reports;

-           Preparation of “compliance reports”

-           Continuing work on the preparation and adoption of a European Charter of regional democracy;

-           Promoting the regionalisation process (decentralisation where appropriate).


Promoting interregional and trans-border co-operation

-           Adoption of the Partial Agreement on interregional and trans-border co-operation and setting-up of the Centre in Saint-Petersburg (COPIT);

-           Promoting the creation of and supporting interregional co-operation structures (Adriatic and Black Sea Euro-regions) and the adoption of the European legal frameworks on territorial cooperation groupings.

Monitoring local and regional elections

-           Reinforcing the Congress unique role in monitoring these elections (it should be noted that the other international observer organizations have a mandate to observe parliamentary elections and that only OSCE/ODHIR observes elections at sub-national level under special circumstances)- which makes the Congress role unique in this regard;

-           Strengthening the Congress presence in the field (by further involving the Committee of the Regions as well as by involving national associations of local and regional authorities in election observation under the conditions which will be defined by the Congress);

-           Improving the follow-up given to Congress recommendations through a closer link with the Institutional committee activities and strengthened interaction with other sectors of the Organisation (Parliamentary Assembly, etc.)

Promoting participation in local public life

-           Promoting different forms of citizen participation and representation, including foreigners, in public life at the local and regional level (elections, referendums, “district committees”, civil society, ombudsmen);

-           Promoting the participation of young people in public local life (+ means to associate young people with decision-making in districts and cities);

-           E-democracy as a tool for improving political communication between citizens and for increasing their participation in political life.

-           Protecting human rights at local and regional levels by implementing and promoting the role of regional mediators (in cooperation with the Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner).

II.       PROMOTING REGIONAL IDENTITY AND SUSTAINABLE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Promoting a sustainable and balanced regional development, an integrated approach

-           Promoting a sustainable development of the regional space (intra-regional transport, spatial planning, landscape policies) - including the specific problems of rural and peripheral regions;

-           Promoting social cohesion through regional sustainable development and equitable distribution of services including health;

-           Promoting good governance at the regional level;

Promoting and strengthening of regional identity

Organise debates and prepare reports on:

-           Cultural regional identity: myth or reality?

-           Universities and their contribution to regional cultural development;

-           The role of regions in teaching and promoting regional and minority languages.


III.      DEVELOPING INTEGRATED APPROACHES FOR THE CITY AND ITS CITIZENS

Cities for citizens

-           Promoting the European Urban Charter through a new “Manifesto for the City”;

-           The effects of urbanisation on biodiversity;

-           Developing policies for the child in the city;

-           Reconciling cultural heritage and modernity in towns and cities by involving the citizen in the decision making process.

Integrated management of services

-           Effective management of public services and social services:

            -     Management of and access to public services (transport, energy, water management, waste treatment;

            -     Management of, and access to, social services;

-           Integration policies: integration of migrants (CLIP – Cities for Local Integration Policy network) and integration of young people through sport;

-           Encouraging transparency and evaluation of public action for sustainable development by implementing environmental accounting.

IV.     LOCAL ACTIONS FOR FIGHTING VIOLENCE IN ALL ITS FORMS

 

Developing the role of local authorities in combating violence

-           Fighting trafficking of human beings

-           Follow-up to the Declaration against Trafficking;

-           Develop the platform of Towns against Trafficking;

-           Towns for peace: the role of local authorities in promoting peace and reconciliation.

Implementation of Council of Europe’s relevant activities and campaigns

-           Fighting domestic violence: local and regional authorities’ tools in fighting domestic violence;

-           Fighting racism and intolerance at local and regional level;

-           Fighting violence against children.

V.      TERRITORIAL ACTION IN TACKLING GLOBAL CHALLENGES

Climate change and its consequences

-           Tackling climate change: innovative approaches at local and regional level;

-           Adopting a strategy to reduce vulnerability and to adapt to climate change: a new challenge for local and regional authorities;

-           Public local and regional action: for a new energy culture

 


Local and regional authorities and new forms of solidarity - new approaches to sustainable development and social cohesion

-           Consumer's civic responsibility for sustainable development;

-           Continued participation in the Pan-European Platform for Dialogue on Ethical and Solidarity-based Initiatives;

-           Fight against poverty;

-           Socially responsible consumption and finance.

Promoting good practices favouring intercultural and inter-religious dialogue at the local and regional level

-           contribute to the implementation of the Council of Europe’s project on inter-cultural dialogue and the preparation of the “White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue” of the Council of Europe.

-           work in partnership with inter-religious structures in order to offer citizens ways and means of building a constructive dialogue between all partners concerned, as local authorities are faced with the challenges presented by an increasingly multi-cultural and multi-religious society and are confronted with the expectations of citizens.

VI      PARTNERSHIPS AND PROMOTION OF THE CONGRESS

Improving cooperation

-           with the National associations of local and regional authorities and their secretariats;

-           with Organisations holding observer status with the Congress;

-           with countries which border on the Council of Europe member states.

Improving the communication and visibility of Congress activities

-           pursuing the development of the Congress website as a central element in our communication;

-           reinforcing the editorial and graphic line of the Congress, as part of the Council of Europe;

-           developing a database of local and regional journalists.

Strengthening interaction with other institutions

Fostering relations with:

-           the Committee of the Regions, in the framework of the existing Co-operation agreement of 13 April 2005, namely for the implementation of the Juncker Report;

-           the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe;

-           the Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner;

-           the European Committee on Local and Regional Democracy (CDLR);

-           the Enlarged Agreement on Democracy through Law (“Venice Commission”)

-           the European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity (“North-South Centre”)

-           the Conference of International Non-Governmental Organisations of the Council of Europe.


Enhancing local democracy and human rights

-           Supporting Local Democracy Agencies (LDAs), notably in South-East Europe and Georgia;

-           Supporting training of local/regional officers, including ENTO and the Centre of expertise on local government reform of the Directorate General on Legal Affairs (DGI);

-           Supporting associations of local and regional authorities and their networks:

-           Supporting the network of Associations of Local Authorities of South-East Europe (NALAS), and other associations in Georgia and Azerbaijan.

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