2nd General Meeting of Associations of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe Member Countries

Strasbourg, 18 September, 2008

Opening speech

Halvdan Skard, Past-President of the Congress, President of the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS)

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is with expectations that I have come to this second meeting between the Congress and the national and European associations of local and regional associations. When we held the first meeting of this kind in February of 2006, our ambition was to come together at intervals in order to explore the ways in which we can cooperate to strengthen and promote common interests. It comes as no surprise that we in the Congress attach particular importance to the involvement of national associations in our activities, to establishing a permanent dialogue with them, and offering them the expertise and acquis of the Congress.

In Europe, local and regional authorities are diversified, both in geographical area, population, responsibilities and tasks and financial resources. But we see that local and regional authorities and their associations play an increasing role in the development of policies and measures. Therefore it is important that we find ways to cooperate in order to keep focused attention on the development of local and regional democracy, citizens’ participation and social and economic cohesion.

In this context the Congress is an important meeting place in the sense that it is the elected political representatives who speak, and who have a responsibility to follow-up the implementation in their own countries and constituencies the charters, recommendations and resolutions that we agree on when assembled here in Strasbourg.

As elected representatives – and therefore the Congress – we are, however, dependent on professional partners in our work, that being our local or regional administrations, our local and regional national associations, the European associations of which we are members – and the Secretariat of the Congress.

In my opinion, this great European puzzle of meeting places and interests, illustrates both diversity and interdependence. Where the single stakeholder may have less influence – or contradictory views – on policy matters, the collectivity of local and regional actors can play an important role in the development of common issues in order to form a common future.

In order to further develop this vital role, it is, however, important for the different stakeholders – the elected representatives, the national associations, the European associations and the Congress – not only to define their individual characteristics, objectives and key issues. From my point of view, it is even more important that we explore ways to utilize the synergy of common efforts.

We may have different views in single matters, but on the whole our goals are the same. The associations, whether national or European, work within different policy areas and have different priorities, but together they make a holistic picture of local and regional interests – democracy always being in the forefront for the Congress.  

Our meeting today shall contribute to dialogue on two main issues:

The follow-up and progress of developing closer cooperation between the Congress and the National Associations of Local and Regional Authorities.

The priorities of the Congress for 2009 – 2010 and how National and European Associations can contribute to the implementation of the Congress’ mission.

In February of 2006, the then President of our Congress, Giovanni Di Stacy, summed up the proposals and ideas from that conference in several points, including on the one hand some staff oriented, practical issues, such as staff exchanges and institutional cooperation, and on the other hand policy issues, such as trafficking of human beings and gender balance – which need a different kind of follow-up in the member states and in the local or regional spheres of government.

In fact, I can say that we in Congress developed a culture of dealing with national associations in our day-to-day activities. Our cooperation takes various forms, from consultations with associations and their participation in our meetings, to organising targeted meetings with representatives of associations and their participation in election observation missions of the Congress.

It is also in this spirit that the Congress decided, in March 2007, to invite the associations to send elected representatives to election observation missions. The Congress is in fact developing a network of experienced elected representatives appointed by national associations to participate in the observation of local elections. I am pleased that some associations have taken this opportunity to co-operate with the Congress, but would like to encourage even more active participation from the national associations. In this connection I welcome the training on elections observation for associations of local authorities, to be convened by Keith Whitmore, Chair of the Congress’ Institutional Committee, in Manchester on 26 September.

We also insist that associations be involved in the process of deciding on the composition of national delegations to the Congress, through consultations or direct participation in the decision-making. In this connection gender balance is an important aspect. From 2008 new criteria for the composition of national delegations to the Congress, state that all delegations must comprise a minimum of 30% of the under represented sex. As rapporterus Mr. Herwig Van Staa from Austria and I were pleased that all delegations fulfilled this requirement and were accepted to the Congress. But our efforts to reach real gender balance do not stop here.

In this context I wish to draw your attention to the European Charter of Equality between Women and Men in Local Life, which was been developed by the Committee of Women Elected within CEMR. This Charter has by now been ratified by more than 700 local authorities in 20 European countries. Several national associations have taken an active part in the dissemination and implementations of the European Charter of Equality. My hope is that the awareness and actions to follow-up this Charter, also will result in increased gender balance among national delegations to the Congress. I also hope that the Congress will endorse CEMR’s European Charter, and in that way strengthen the work of local and regional authorities in their efforts to promote equality between women and men in local life.

I also want to comment on the role of Associations of Local Authorities in the monitoring process of the Congress.

The Charter of Local Self-government is one of the essential tools in developing democratic structures. Countries joining the Council of Europe are required to sign the Charter, and the Congress has used it as a vital tool in helping to establish effective local democratic systems. Increasingly, too, the Charter has been used as a way of monitoring developments in the both, the “old” and “young” European democracies. It has stimulated further legal and constitutional changes to strengthen local democracy.

This activity of the Congress has developed to such an extent that I would not be exaggerating to say that today it is perhaps the most important function of the Congress.

This was recognised by the Committee of Ministers in 2000, which stated that “the Congress shall prepare on a regular basis country by country reports of the situation of local and regional democracy in all member states”.

In the monitoring process, the role of the associations is not only important at the opening of the procedure, but also during its implementation, since the representatives of national associations are consulted and participate in all the work and are even consulted for the preparation of the draft report.

I think that the associations could be even more active, by exercising a real “early warning system”, and launching monitoring procedures on local democracy in their country. At the same time the associations should be directly informed about the monitoring results and involved in the follow-up processes.

Allow me a comment concerning reservations made by signatory states to the Charter of Local Self-Government:

According to Article 12 of the Charter, each state can express resevations to specific paragraphs, meaning that they will not be bound by them. The declarations made and especially the paragraphs that a state has chosen not to adhere to, are of course regularly subject of our monitoring visits, and taken up during the meetings with the governments.

However, I agree that it is clearly the task of the national associations to lobby their Government to withdraw selective reservations to the Charter, and at the same time to guard the implementation of the ratified parts. Many national associations are very conscious of their role here, such as the association in Belgium, who addressed the Congress concerning possible breaches of the provisions of the Charter to which their governments had subscribed to (3 Bourgmestres case).

I also wish to comment on another aspect of the participation of Associations in the current work of the Congress.

Each time the Congress begins the preparation of a report, national and international associations are invited to contribute to the preparation of the recommendations and the resolutions of the Congress. Now I want to hear your comment on the follow-up of decisions, illustrated by the following examples:

In a meeting of the Standing Committee in March this year we approved four resolutions.

In the resolution Biodiversity policies for urban areas, the Congress "calls upon local and regional authorities in Council of Europe member and observer states to..." (seven points and a series of sub-points).

In the resolution Services of general interest in rural areas, a key factor in territorial cohesion policies, the Congress "invites local and regional authorities to..." (three points and several sub-points).

In the resolution Integration through sport the Congress "Invites municipalities and towns that are members of the Congress to..."

In the resolution City diplomacy the Congress addresses "cities and their respective associations".

My question is, how will these resolutions be followed-up? Can and will the associations take a responsibility in this process? The basis of course must be that you have been informed about these decisions. If you consider the follow-up of Congress decisions important, you should express this. In that case, the Congress must make sure that the recommendations and resolutions are sent to you.

Now, let me pass on to the preliminary draft document about Congress priorities for 2009 – 2010. This document as well shows how practical and staff oriented responsibilities go hand in hand with policy oriented objectives and goals. In addition to the foreword, the document specifies five priorities for the Congress:

The institutional mission

External relations and pooling of skills

Partnerships and co-operation networks

Challenges facing local and regional elected representatives

Efficiency and higher profile for the Congress

Within each of these priority areas it is clear that the Congress is dependent on co-operation with its members, the national associations, European associations, the Committee of the Regions, international organisations and a score of other partners and networks to reach its goals. It is a challenge for the Secretariat of the Congress to follow-up all these different partners. I do hope, however, that the scope of the Congress’ work is not made too broad, and that the Bureau will strive to develop and utilize the networks, partnerships and meetingplaces we already have, before setting up new ones.

The document about priorities for 2009 – 2010 clearly shows the high ambitions of the Congress as a primary arena for elected members representing 200.000 local and regional authorities in 47 member states.

It is my experience that a national association can speak with a stronger voice in the national decision making processes when its positions and policies are backed – not only by the members – but also by European associations and by the decisions of the Congress.  Likewise, a national association can speak with a stronger voice vis-à-vis its members, when its works to follow-up and implement important policies in local and regional government, when they are backed, or indeed initiated, by the Congress.

 

Both as delegate to the Congress, as present President of the Norwegian Association (KS), as participant in European associations and as past President of the Congress, I am looking forward to today’s exchange and dialogue, and to the further cooperation between partners in the development of local and regional governance and democracy.

Thank you.