Sixth meeting of the Strasbourg Club

Strasbourg, 21-22 October 2008

Address by Antonella Cagnolati, Director of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe

Mr Chair of the Strasbourg Club,

Madame Commissioner,

Mr Mayor,

Director General,

Colleagues,

Ladies and gentlemen,

First of all, on behalf of my colleagues in the Congress of the Council of Europe, I would like to congratulate the City of Strasbourg for organising the 6^th meeting of the Strasbourg Club on the themes "good local governance" and "citizen participation at local level", which are fully consistent with the principles of Local Democracy Week 2008.

As you are aware, Local Democracy Week is a Council of Europe project that has become an annual European event, and it is a great pleasure for us to see Strasbourg, the home city of our organisation and of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, join the network of municipalities taking part in this venture.

Strasbourg's commitment, under its new administration, to our project is not at all surprising. The City and the Council, particularly its Congress, share a long history of close and fruitful co-operation, to which your words today, Mr Mayor, once more attest. The links between the Congress and the City have always been based on our shared belief that the values of local democracy – neighbourhood democracy established for citizens and by citizens themselves – is the foundation of any democratic society.

Naturally, our relations with the City of Strasbourg are based firstly on the friendship that exists between host and guest, and the latter's appreciation for the hospitality it receives from day to day. But the relationship is also a function of the complementary and reciprocal nature of our activities on behalf of our citizens. As a representative assembly of Europe's local and regional authorities, the Congress offers a unique platform that enables every town and city, including Strasbourg, and every region to pool their efforts and experience, and make their voice heard at European level.

Against this background, the Strasbourg Club, which was established in May 2003, has always been an important forum for us as a network of partner cities, most of which are represented in our Congress. Municipal networks and discussion forums like the Strasbourg Club have now become major vehicles for the implementation of national and European initiatives in local authorities. The Congress participates in a growing number of municipal networks, such as Cities for Children, Cities for Human Rights, Cities for Peace and Cities for Local Integration Policy. We consider this form of municipal co-operation to be both effective and practical. Our hope is that the Strasbourg Club, with its debates on matters of current urban concern and with which the Congress hopes to establish closer links, will occupy a well-merited place in Europe's co-operative architecture.

I should also take advantage of the Commissioner's presence to emphasise that our co-operation with the European Union is also reflected in a high degree of synergy between our activities, especially with those of the Committee of the Regions, which is a reliable and active partner of the Congress. Representatives of the Committee are increasingly involved in Congress activities, particularly observation missions for local and regional elections.

Clearly, though, the main reason for our co-operation, why we seek to intensify our efforts, is our determination to improve the well-being of our communities, to foster their sustainable development and to encourage democratic commitment and participation at the grass roots, so that those concerned can make their full contribution.

This is why the Congress and the Council of Europe's European Committee on Local and Regional Democracy have decided to organise the annual Local Democracy Week. We intend to use this Week to reaffirm our commitment to the values of local democracy and to our local authorities, but also to increase citizen involvement in local public affairs. The Week is also a reminder to us that democracy is established on a day to day basis at the grass roots, and by all those concerned, be they elected members, officials, civil society, the world of business or simply citizens in the broad sense.

This two day Strasbourg Club meeting is an excellent opportunity to share this vision, a vision of better governed, more cohesive and more committed local authorities, to discuss ways of achieving this objective, and to pool existing experience.

Our discussions on good local governance and citizen participation will also be an occasion to talk about the important role of local and regional leadership and the relationship between elected members and executive officials, which is crucial if our democracy is to function properly. Local and regional leaders and their officials are responsible for translating the political decisions of our elected members into practical local government action. This balance between elected members and officials, between the political and administrative wings of government, a balance that is sometimes fragile and always complex, is critical for good governance and for efforts to improve the democratic process at all levels. As Director of the Congress I look forward impatiently to the discussions on this question at this sixth meeting.

Mr Mayor,

Ladies and gentlemen,

On behalf of the Congress I would again like to say what a pleasure it is to take part in these discussions with the City of Strasbourg. The two main themes of the meeting – good governance and citizen participation at local level – remain a focus of the concerns and activities of the Congress, which itself has fostered numerous initiatives on behalf of local government, such as European Local Democracy Week.

I am convinced that close co-operation between the Congress, which renewed its membership in May, and the new administration of the City will continue, and that we will maintain our precious friendship. It will also enable us to launch further joint projects that will benefit the Council of Europe, the European Union and Europe as a whole, as well as the citizens of your beautiful city and of all the towns and cities of this continent so rich in its diversity.

Mr Mayor, I raise my glass to our friendship.