Strasbourg, 17 March 2014                                                                        CDDG(2014)7

Item 6 of the agenda

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE ON DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE

(CDDG)

DECISIONS OF THE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS

OF RELEVANCE TO THE WORK OF THE CDDG

For information and action

Secretariat Memorandum

prepared by the

Directorate General of Democracy

Democratic Institutions and Governance Department


This document is public. It will not be distributed at the meeting. Please bring this copy.

Ce document est public. Il ne sera pas distribué en réunion. Prière de vous munir de cet exemplaire.


.

Introduction

This document provides detailed information regarding decisions taken by the Committee of Ministers either requesting the CDDG to carry out specific tasks or because the subject matter of the decision is of particular relevance to the work of the CDDG.  It will also inform the CDDG of other activities of the CM which have a direct or indirect impact on the work of the Committee.

As a new Committee under the authority of the Committee of Ministers, the CDDG is to build upon the achievements of the Council of Europe in the field of local and regional democracy.  Although the mandate of the CDDG has been expanded to go beyond the scope of the work of the former European Committee on Local and Regional Democracy (CDLR), it will nevertheless take the work of the CDLR as a point of departure.

The decisions of relevance to the CDDG taken by the CM since the last CDLR meeting of 14-15 November 2013 are reproduced below. Only the decisions and texts of direct relevance to the CDDG are appended to this document. All documents referred to may also be found on the websites of the Committee of Ministers and the CDDG.

In particular, the CDDG is invited to consider the Draft CM Recommendation on Intercultural Integration (Appendix I) and the PACE Recommendation 2033 (2014) on Internet and politics: the impact of new information and communication technology on democracy (Appendix II) and adopt appropriate replies to the Committee of Ministers.  To facilitate this task, a short document recalling points that the CDDG may wish to include in these replies can be found in Appendices III and IV.

The CDDG is also invited to report to the CM on ways of simplifying the tools and procedures for the promotion of the 12 principles of good democratic governance at local level and how to increase their visibility (see doc CDDG(2014)4).

Action required

The CDDG is invited to take note of the information provided hereunder and act accordingly.

 


DECISIONS

Date and meeting

CM decision in respect of CDDG

Reference document

Proposed action by CDDG

1185th (Budget) meeting, 19-20 November 2013 (item 11.1 Part 1)

Council of Europe Budget

Financial Year 2014-2015

Decisions

The Deputies

12.       approved the terms of reference of the steering and ad hoc committees, and their subordinate groups, as they appear in document CM(2013)131 add final;

CM(2013)131 add final

The CDDG is invited to take note

1185th (Budget) meeting, 19-20 November 2013 (item 12.1)

Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe –

25th Plenary Session of the Congress (Strasbourg, 29-31 October 2013) –
Texts adopted

Decisions

The Deputies

1.         concerning Recommendation 340 (2013) – “Local and regional authorities responding to the economic crisis”

            a. took note of Recommendation 340 (2013);

b. agreed to transmit it to the European Committee for Local and Regional Democracy (CDLR), the European Committee for Social Cohesion (CDCS), the Governmental Committee of the European Social Charter and the European Code of Social Security and the European Committee of Social Rights, for information and possible comments before 20 December 2013;

c. invited their Rapporteur Group on Democracy (GR-DEM) to prepare a draft reply for adoption at one of their forthcoming meetings;

4.         concerning Recommendation 343 (2013) – “Integration through self-employment: promoting migrant entrepreneurship in European municipalities”

            a.  took note of Recommendation 343 (2013);

b. agreed to transmit it to the European Committee for Local and Regional Democracy (CDLR) and the European Committee for Social Cohesion (CDCS), for information and possible comments before 20 December 2013;

c. invited their Rapporteur Group on Social and Health Questions (GR-SOC) to prepare a draft reply for adoption at one of their forthcoming meetings;

7.         concerning Recommendation 346 (2013) – “Regions and territories with special status in Europe”

a. took note of Recommendation 346 (2013);

b. agreed to transmit it to the European Committee for Local and Regional Democracy (CDLR) for information and possible comments before 20 December 2013;

c. invited their Rapporteur Group on Democracy (GR-DEM) to prepare a draft reply for adoption at one of their forthcoming meetings;

CM/Cong(2014)Rec340 final  

The CDDG is invited to take note

1189th meeting, 22 January 2014 (item 7.1)

Steering Committee for Culture, Heritage and Landscape (CDCPP) –

Draft Recommendation on intercultural integration

Decisions

The Deputies

1          agreed to transmit the draft Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to member States on intercultural integration to the European Committee for Social Cohesion, Human Dignity and Equality (CDDECS), to the European Committee on Democracy and Governance (CDDG) and to the Steering Committee for Human Rights (CDDH), for opinion before 31 May 2014;

2.         agreed to refer the draft recommendation to the Steering Committee of Culture, Heritage and Landscape (CDCPP) for review in the light of the above-mentioned opinions;

3.         noted that their Rapporteur Group on Education, Culture, Sport, Youth and Environment (GR-C) will resume consideration of the draft recommendation following the above-mentioned procedure.

CM(2013)111

(see Appendix I of this document)

The CDDG is invited to adopt a reply to the Committee of Ministers (see Appendix III)


1190st meeting 5 February 2014 (item 2.3a)

Local Democracy

a.     Stakeholders’ Platform for Innovation and Good Governance

Decision

The Deputies invited the European Committee on Democracy and Governance (CDDG), in co-operation with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe and the other bodies participating in the Stakeholders’ Platform for Innovation and Good Governance, to examine ways of simplifying the tools and procedures used for the promotion of the twelve principles of good democratic governance at local level, as well as means to increase their visibility, and to report to their Rapporteur Group on Democracy
(GR-DEM) by the end of 2014.

The CDDG is invited to prepare a report to the Committee of Ministers (see document CDDG(2014)4)


1190st meeting, 5 February 2014 (item 2.3b)

Local Democracy

  1. Abridged report of the 52nd meeting of the European Committee on Local and Regional Democracy (CDLR) (Strasbourg, 14-15 November 2013)

Decisions

The Deputies

As regards the report on the impact of changing economic fortunes on local budgets and proposals for policy responses (Addendum I to document CM(2013)172)

1.         took note of the policy proposals developed by the CDLR and agreed to transmit them to member States for future consideration by governments and by local and regional authorities;

As regards the report on strengthening awareness-raising of the human rights dimension of local and regional governance (Addendum II to document CM(2013)172)

2.         noted with interest the good practices identified and collated by the CDLR and agreed to transmit them to member States as examples to help the effective promotion of the highest standards of human rights compliance at every level of governance;

As regards the report on initiatives to strengthen good governance, capacity building and citizen’s democratic participation at local level (Addendum III to document CM(2013)172)

3.         agreed to transmit to member States the measures to promote good governance identified by the CDLR for future consideration by governments and by local and regional authorities and to the European Committee on Democracy and Governance (CDDG) with a view to making use of them in the context of its future work, in particular through peer reviews and sharing of experience;

As regards the activities to help to overcome obstacles to transfrontier co-operation (Addendum IV to document CM(2013)172)

4.         approved the publication of the manual on removing obstacles to cross-border co-operation;

5.         in the light of decisions 1 to 4 above, took note of the abridged report of the 52nd meeting of the CDLR (CM(2013)172) as a whole and noted with satisfaction that the CDLR has fully implemented its terms of reference (Appendix II to document CM(2013)172).

CM(2013)172,

CM(2013)172 add1

CM(2013)172 add2

CM(2013)172 add3

The CDDG is invited to take note


1191st meeting, 12-13 February 2014 (item 3.1)

Parliamentary Assembly –

1st part of the 2014 Session (Strasbourg, 27-31 January 2014) – Texts adopted

Decisions

The Deputies

3.         concerning Recommendation 2033 (2014) – “Internet and politics: the impact of new information and communication technology on democracy”

            a.         agreed to communicate it to the Steering Committee on Media and Information Society (CDMSI) and to the European Committee on Democracy and Governance (CDDG) for information and possible comments by 18 April 2014;

b.         in the light of possible comments, invited their Thematic Co-ordinator on Information Policy (TC-INF), in co-operation with the Rapporteur Group on Democracy (GR-DEM) and their Rapporteur Group on Human Rights (GR-H), to prepare a draft reply for adoption at one of their forthcoming meetings;

Recommendation 2033 (2014)

(see Appendix II of this document)

The CDDG is invited to adopt a reply to the Committee of Ministers (see Appendix IV)


Appendix I

Draft Recommendation CM/Rec(2013)…

of the Committee of Ministers to member States

on intercultural integration

(Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on … … 2013
at the … meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies)

The Committee of Ministers, under the terms of Article 15.b of the Statute of the Council of Europe,

Considering that the aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve greater unity between its members and that this aim may be pursued, in particular, through common action in the fields of migration, integration and community relations;

Having regard to the pioneering work of the Council of Europe in the field of intercultural dialogue, in particular the “White paper on intercultural dialogue: Living together as equals in dignity”, which underlines the importance of creating spaces for cross-cultural exchange and debate, facilitating access to and exercise of citizenship and fostering intercultural competence, particularly at the local level;

With reference to the report of the Group of Eminent Persons of the Council of Europe “Living together: Combining diversity and freedom in 21st-century Europe”, which emphasises the key role of cities in managing diversity, fostering a pluralistic identity and creating open societies by bringing members of different groups into close and constructive contact, and which showcases cities that have adopted an intercultural approach to integration;

Underlining that managing diversity in full respect for the principles of democracy and human rights is a common challenge for all societies throughout Europe, and indeed worldwide, and that migrant integration strategies are ineffective and unsustainable without appropriate diversity strategies;

Noting that access to citizenship, education, public services, the labour market and cultural life can only be equitable if governance and institutions are designed for culturally diverse communities and managed by culturally competent individuals and teams; 

Recognising that a solid body of research both in Europe and worldwide has demonstrated the value of diversity for human and social development and cohesion, economic growth, productivity, creativity and innovation and that these benefits of diversity can only be realised on condition that adequate policies are in place to prevent conflict and foster equal opportunities and social cohesion;

Emphasising that the Council of Europe supports and facilitates the search for novel approaches to diversity management that remedy shortcomings of past policies and enable the realisation of the advantages of diversity, and that such an approach – called intercultural integration – has been developed through a process of structured policy review, peer learning and evaluation in the context of “Intercultural cities”, a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Union;

Considering that the intercultural integration approach builds upon Council of Europe instruments and standards in the fields of cultural diversity, the protection of minority cultures, intercultural competence, multi-lingualism, intercultural education, the fight against racism and xenophobia, the prevention of hate speech, the role of media in fostering of a culture of tolerance, the interaction between migrants and receiving societies and the intercultural competence of social services;

Underlining that culture and cultural heritage play an important part in building the city as a shared public space by encouraging people in exploring the plurality of identities through the diversity of heritage and contemporary cultural expressions, and in fostering a sense of a shared past and an aspiration to a common future;


Acknowledging that cities are at the front line of integration and diversity management, are laboratories for policy innovation and that they make an important contribution to social cohesion by adopting an intercultural approach to integration and diversity management;

Noting Recommendation 261 (2009) on intercultural cities of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe which points out that strong inclusive intercultural cities that have succeeded in encouraging citizens of diverse origins to identify with their city demonstrate a capacity for innovation and are able to use the resources, skills and creativity of their populations to increase the city’s attractiveness and to bring new investment and job opportunities,

Recommends that the governments of member States:

a.         take note of the guide “The intercultural city step by step: Practical guide for applying the urban model of intercultural integration” and facilitate its dissemination, including via its translation into their official languages;

b.         bring the urban model of intercultural integration model and the tools which have been designed to facilitate its implementation and measure its impact,[1] to the attention of local and regional authorities, as well as relevant national, regional and local institutions, organisations and networks, via the appropriate national channels;

c.         encourage the implementation of the urban model of intercultural integration at the local level and support the setting-up of city networks for the exchange of experience and learning in this respect;

d.         take the urban model of intercultural integration into account when revising and further developing national migrant integration policies, or policies for intercultural dialogue and diversity management.


Appendix II

PACE Recommendation 2033 (2014)

Internet and politics: the impact of new information and communication technology on democracy

  1. The Parliamentary Assembly, referring to its Resolution 1970 (2014) “Internet and politics: the effects of the new information and communication technologies on democracy”, stresses the strategic importance of these technologies for the development of democracy and the major impact that the Internet is having on relations between parties, elected representatives and citizens, as well as individuals’ and social groups’ conception of participation in political life.

  1. The debate on democracy and the possible renewal of the system of representative democracy in the Internet age must take place at the national level, but it also requires a European dimension to ensure that each member State can benefit from the experience and expertise of the others, and that the States can work together to build up an environment conducive to a mode of Internet development consonant with a common European vision, in order to guarantee fundamental rights and the protection of private life.

  1. Accordingly, the Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers:

3.1. launch without delay the preparation of a Council of Europe White Paper on “Democracy, politics and the Internet”, to serve as a major Council of Europe contribution to the global reflection on Internet governance;

3.2. closely associate the Parliamentary Assembly with all stages of the design and formulation of this white paper;

3.3. involve all the national parliaments and governments of the member States in the collective discussion process, as well as the political forces and, where practicable, secrets services, the main Internet operators, the media – particularly public broadcasting services and national and European media associations – universities, human rights non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and associations defending Internet users’ rights;

3.4. use the Internet and the social media for this project in order to widely consult civil society on how to renew our systems of representative democracy via optimum exploitation of the positive potential of the Internet;

3.5. centre the analysis in particular on the exercise of fundamental freedoms (individual and collective) and their protection on the web, and on citizen participation in the decision-making process and in public life by means of the Internet, and study, in this context:

3.5.1. how best to reconcile three fundamental requirements: preserving the openness and neutrality of the Internet; protecting rights to fundamental freedoms and particularly web-surfers’ privacy; ensuring national security and effective action against crime;

3.5.2. how to use the Internet to reinforce participation of the general public in the governance of our societies;

3.6. take into consideration in this analysis:

3.6.1. foreseeable developments, in view of the rapid technological progress in this field;

3.6.2. the relations between the State and commercial operators and between the State and citizens, and the networks of relations among social groups, between commercial companies and users and between parties and electors;

3.6.3. the existing legislative framework and the gaps that need to be filled by the adoption of legal instruments or various modes of self-regulation, notably in order to prevent manipulation and use of the Internet for criminal purposes or with a view to destabilising a democratic regime;

3.6.4. training individuals to use the Internet responsibly, inter alia in order to protect themselves from specific dangers;

3.7. invite other partners and in particular the European Union to participate in this project and look into the expediency of involving the Internet Governance Forum.


Appendix III

Draft Recommendation CM/Rec(2013)… of the Committee of Ministers to Member States on intercultural integration

Elements for a reply to the Committee of Ministers

This draft recommendation concerns implementation of the guide “The intercultural city step by step: Practical guide for applying the urban model of intercultural integration” at the local level in Member States.

It recalls the “importance of creating spaces for cross-cultural exchange and debate, facilitating access to and exercise of citizenship and fostering intercultural competence, particularly at a local level.”

It also notes the Recommendation 261(2009) of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities which points that successful inclusive intercultural cities demonstrate a capacity for innovation and are able “to increase city’s attractiveness and to bring new investments and job opportunities.”

The CDDG welcomes the Draft Recommendation and notes the importance of inclusive intercultural integration in promoting citizen participation at a local level.

The CDDG would like to recall key texts prepared by the CDLR and adopted or promoted by the Committee of Ministers such as Recommendation (2001)19 on the participation of citizens in local public life, Recommendation (2005)3 on teaching neighbouring languages in border regions and the Strategy for Innovation and Good Governance at Local Level and its 12 European Principles of Good Democratic Governance.

Given that the terms of reference of the CDDG task it with sharing information about policy and best practice and developing, where appropriate, possible standards related, inter alia, to citizens’ democratic participation, the CDDG would welcome the opportunity to contribute to the dissemination and implementation of the guide, should the Committee of Ministers so decide.


Appendix IV

PACE Recommendation 2033 (2014)

Internet and politics: the impact of new information and communication technology on democracy

Elements for a reply to the Committee of Ministers

Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 2033 (2014) seeks to address the impact of new information and communication technologies on democracy.  It acknowledges the role of these technologies on the development of democracy and notes the importance of ensuring a European dimension is included in measures to promote representative democracy in the internet age.

Given that the terms of reference of the CDDG task it with sharing information about policy and best practice and developing, where appropriate, possible standards related, inter alia, to strengthening democratic governance including e-governance and e-democracy, the CDDG welcomes the opportunity to provide comments on the Recommendation.

With regards to the proposal to launch a “Council of Europe White Paper on Democracy, politics and the Internet”, the CDDG would like to recall that it has been tasked with advising the Committee of Ministers “on the necessity, purpose, scope, feasibility and budgetary and workload implications of the preparation of a reference text bringing together existing principles and standards of democracy” and in so doing it will also look at existing standards on democracy and the internet.

As this reference text is intended primarily for programming purposes, it might be advisable to await the advice on the reference text before launching a White Paper process.