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Strasbourg, 2 April 2009                                                                    CDLR(2009)10

Item 6.1 of the agenda

          

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL DEMOCRACY

(CDLR)

 

COMMUNICATION ON THE CDLR

AND LOCAL AND REGIONAL DEMOCRACY

AT THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE

Secretariat Memorandum

prepared by the

Directorate General of Democracy and Political Affairs

Directorate of Democratic Institutions


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 summarises the state of affairs concerning the different communication tools and publications in the field of local and regional democracy at the Council of Europe and puts forward ideas for further action to be discussed by the CDLR.

The general information presented in the introduction and the results of the recent survey (see Appendix I) were discussed by the CDLR Bureau at its meeting on 2-3 March 2009. On this occasion, the CDLR Bureau agreed to forwarding these elements to the CDLR accompanied by possible lines of action concerning the CDLR website. It also encouraged the Secretariat to pursue ongoing technical studies aimed at completing the Committee’s working methods by electronic systems allowing for a more efficient exchange of information and for collaborative work on certain documents. First reflections on this issue can be found in a separate document (CDLR(2009)23).

Website

The Local and Regional Democracy website remains the main communication tool for the CDLR. It was completely revised in 2008 and will be further enhanced in 2009. The main objectives of this consequent revision are to take advantage of more up-to-date technical features, to present the issues of local and regional democracy in a more coherent and more attractive manner and according to a clearer navigation structure, and finally to facilitate the search and downloading of working documents.

The new website went online in February 2009 and can be found at the usual direct link www.coe.int/local or by clicking on the tab “Democracy and Political Affairs > Local and Regional Democracy” on the Council’s homepage.

Amongst the present objectives for further developing the website are a stronger involvement of members in the updating procedures (national information briefs for the homepage, newsletter etc.) as well as the strengthening of the website as a European platform on local and regional democracy. Via a questionnaire adopted by the CDLR in December 2008, member States were surveyed about their willingness to contribute more actively to future updates and about their interest for the development of the “platform function” of the website. The 28 replies received (from 25 countries) have shown that a great majority of countries replying to the questionnaire is in favour of such developments (see detailed results in the Appendix I).

In the light of these results, the Secretariat proposes several lines of action with regard to further developing the local and regional democracy website which are presented in Appendix II.


LOREG database

In 2008, the substantial revision of the LOREG database was completed and the new database presented to the CDLR and the LOREG correspondents. The number of member States participating in the network increased by 10 in relation to the preceding years. This takes the total number of participants in the Network to 20 countries (Azerbaijan, Belgium, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovak Republic, Serbia, Switzerland).

A joint initiative with the Open Society Institute Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative (Hungary) will be launched in 2009. Other possibilities for partnerships will also be studied in order to raise the profile of LOREG with the audience identified.

www.loreg.org

“MORE” - database for transfrontier co-operation

The Council of Europe database on transfrontier and transnational co-operation, “MORE” (Matching Opportunities for Regions in Europe), set up with the support of the Italian Government and officially launched in 2007, enables local and regional authorities, their associations and training institutions on transfrontier co-operation to look Europe-wide for suitable partners in co-operation, as well as publish information on their activities in the field.

In 2008, MORE was presented to the Congress and to representatives of cities and regions with the European Union (by intermediary of the Committee of the Regions). Almost 400 regional authorities were invited to use MORE in a joint letter from the Congress and the CDLR, and the contact with partners and potential supporters of the project was also reinforced (CoR, CMRE, AER, AEBR, CRPM, etc.). In spite of a modest reaction at the beginning, the current use made of MORE is increasing. At the beginning of 2009, 241 entries were counted (106 of which from Italy).

www.more.coe.int

 

Publications of the CDLR

Several European Practice Reports were adopted by the CDLR in 2007 and were published in electronic and paper versions in 2008. Several country reports were also prepared in collaboration with member States and published (Denmark, Italy, Netherlands). They were all made available to CDLR members at the December meeting.

Notably with regard to preparing and publishing the CDLR country reports (series “Structure and Operation of Local and Regional Democracy”), the Secretariat, in collaboration with the Directorate of Information Technology (DIT) of the Council, examined in 2008 the possibility of setting up an electronic collaborative work system, which could facilitate the updating and horizontal comparison of reports. The first studies have however not led to any satisfying results. Since new technical solutions should become available in the second half of 2009, the Secretariat will pursue the ongoing studies and put forward new proposals for the CDLR at a later stage. First reflections on this issue can be found in a separate document (CDLR(2009)23).

Action required

CDLR members are invited to take note of the information provided above and discuss and, in case of their approval, adopt the lines of action for the further development of the website proposed by the Secretariat as presented in Appendix II.

They are also invited to actively contribute to this new communication policy in order to enhance the visibility of the CDLR and its work at national level, notably in the run-up to the Ministerial session of Utrecht in November 2009.


APPENDIX I

SUMMARY OF RESULTS OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE

ON THE FUTURE ORIENTATION OF THE

LOCAL AND REGIONAL DEMOCRACY WEBSITE

OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE

WWW.COE.INT/LOCAL

The results of the questionnaire are based on 28 replies provided by 25 countries.

The general tendency shows that:

  1. Frequency of visits

Never, or hardly ever

2

Only before CDLR / other committee meetings

2

Once a month

7

Once a week

11

More than once a week

2

Other replies given by individual delegations:

  • everyday
  • before and after CDLR meetings
  • quarterly
  • more than once a month but not every week
  • between 5 and 10 times per year

  1. Main reasons for visiting

In order to look at the News items

18

In order to download working documents of upcoming meetings

21

In order to find legal instruments or other publications on local and regional democracy

23

Other replies given by individual delegations:

  • for drafting surveys or for obtaining and disseminating documents produced by the CDLR
  • for finding general information about CDLR and its work

      3. Adequacy of the website for the needs (scale 1-5)

1

(corresponds perfectly)

2

2

15

3

9

4

1

5

(does not correspond at all)

       4. Improvements suggested

Visual presentation

  • bigger letters
  • diagram illustrating the structure of the Council of Europe
  • visually more attractive
  • simpler layout

Structure (navigation)

  • less complex structure of the website
  • better access to the website and to the information on the website
  • all questionnaires gathered under section ‘Questionnaires’
  • all the relevant information regarding e.g. the Ministerial Conference in Utrecht (including preconferences etc.) collected under the heading “Conference of European Ministers”
  • search tool giving access to reports and instruments
  • creation of voluntary database/network of people/organisations responsible for local and regional democracy matters in their countries
  • “html links” of other European websites

Contents of the website

  • more general and practical information
  • updated and complete information
  • list of all documents already published
  • documents which are to be discussed at the meetings of CDLR available for downloading before every meeting
  • list of upcoming meetings, seminars and conferences on this subject under “current issues”
  • short resumé on each study, pointing out the most important issues; then a review of previous studies on one theme and on the future needs
  • current meetings, including working groups highlighted
  • information about national developments at local and regional level
  • links to other websites with homologous information

      5. Interest in the website to become a platform on local and regional   

          democracy

Yes

25

No

3

       6. Other websites of this kind

Yes, I know such websites.

8

Websites I regularly visit are:

European Union

www.europa.eu

European Union

www.ec.europa.eu

European Commission

www.europarl.europa.eu

European Parliament

www.cor.europa.eu

Committee of the Regions

www.europa-eu-un.org

European Union at United Nations

www.eur-lex.europa.eu

European Union law

Council of Europe

www.echr.coe.int

European Court of Human Rights

www.coe.int/t/dg4/cultureheritage/Policies/CEMAT/default_en.asp

European Conference of Ministers responsible for regional/spatial planning

Other international organisations

www.oecd.org

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development


National governments

www.minregionbud.gov.ua

Ministry of Regional Development and Construction of Ukraine

www.municipal.gov.ua

Foundation for Local Self-Government of Ukraine and Ukrainian Delegation to the Congress of the Council of Europe

Associations

www.ccre.org

Council of European Municipalities and Regions

www.kunnat.net

Local Finland-Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities

www.avcb-vsgb.be

Association of the City and the Municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region

www.aebr.net

Association of European Border Regions

Research institutions

www.iiasiisa.be

International Institute of Administrative Sciences

Networks

www.aer.eu

Assembly of European Regions

www.eupan.eu

European Public Administration Network

http://myeurope.eun.org

myEUROPE- network of schools

www.interact-eu.net

INTERACT. Sharing Expertise

Yes, I do regularly visit these websites.

10

No, I do not know any websites of this kind.

16

        7. Interest in a newsletter

Yes

25

No

2

       


8. Possible newsletter’s content

News on local and regional democracy at the Council of Europe (upcoming meetings, new legal instruments, recently published reports etc.)

2

News on national developments (recent reforms, exceptional developments, new legislation having a significant impact, legislation based on Council of Europe standards, etc.)

1

(see below)

Both

24

     9. Possible newsletter’s frequency

Bi-annually

3

Quarterly

13

Once a month

8

More often

1

Whenever new developments occur

5

    10. Willingness to contribute

Yes

24

No

3

     11. Establishment of reciprocal “html link” with ministries represented

              at the CDLR

Yes

23

No

3

Do not know yet

1

             

     12. Other national organisations as potential partners to be referred

               to by “html link”

 

National governments

Swiss Confederation

www.bj.admin.ch

Government of Luxembourg

www.gouvernement.lu

Guichet Portal

www.deguichet.lu

German-speaking community in Belgium

www.dglive.be

National Centre for Public Administration and Local Government

www.ekdd.gr

Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works

www.mrrb.government.bg

Ministry of State Administration and Administrative Reform

www.mdaar.government.bg

Ministry of Finance

http://www.minfin.bg


Ministry of Regional Development and Construction of Ukraine

wwww.minregionbud.gov.ua

Union of Prefectural Authorities of Greece

www.enae.gr

Local Government Denmark

www.kl.dk

Associations

Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions

www.skl.se

Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities

www.ks.no

Syndicat des Villes et Communes Luxembourgeoises

www.syvicol.lu

Association of Municipalities of Slovenia

www.zdruzenjeobcin.si

Local Finland- Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities

www.kunnat.net

Association of Estonian Cities

www.ell.ee

Association of Municipalities of Estonia

www.emovl.ee

Association of Flemish Cities and Communities

www.vvsg.be

National Association of the Portuguese Municipalities

www.anmp.pt

Association of Local Authorities in Lithuania

www.lsa.lt

Central Union of Municipalities and Communities of Greece

www.kedke.gr

National Association of Municipalities in Republic of Bulgaria

www.namrb.org

Regional Association of Municipalities „Central Stara Planina”

www.rso-csp.org

Regional Association of Municipalities "Trakia"

www.ram-trakia.org

Regional Association of Municipalities “Yantra”

www.ram-yantra.eu

Union of Bulgarian Black Sea Local Authorities

www.ubbsla.org

Association of Danube River Municipalities “Danube”

www.adodunav.org

Association of Rhodope Municipalities

www.arm-bg.org

Regional Municipalities Association "Maritza"

www.maritza.info

Association of Southwest Municipalities

http://aswm.net


Association of South Central Region Municipalities “Hebar”

www.hebar-bg.org

Association of Mountain Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria

www.bulmonte.org

National association “Legal initiative for Local Government

www.nalilg.org

Association of Towns and Municipalities of Slovakia

www.zmos.sk

Association of Slovenian Municipalities and Towns

www.skupnostobcin.si

Danish Regions

www.regioner.dk

Local Government Association

www.lga.gov.uk

Improvement and Development Agency for Local Government

www.idea.gov.uk

Local Government Information Unit

www.lgiu.gov.uk

Research institutions

Service central de la statistique et des études économiques

www.statec.lu

Financial Institute for Regional Development

www.qca.pt/english/ifdr/default.asp

Catholic University of Mons

www.fucam.ac.be

University of Namur

www.fundp.ac.be

University of Liège

www.ulg.ac.be

Lithuanian Institute of Public Administration

www.livadis.lt

Foundation for Local Government Reform

www.flgr.bg

Center for the Study of Democracy

www.csd.bg

Institute of Local Administration

www.ita.org.gr

Catholic University of Leuven

www.uclouvain.be

Networks

International Network for Studies in Technology, Environment, Alternatives, Development

www.ceps.lu


APPENDIX II

LINES OF ACTION PROPOSED FOR THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

OF THE LOCAL AND REGIONAL DEMOCRACY WEBSITE

In the light of the results of the recent survey on the future orientation of the local and regional democracy website, the Secretariat proposes the lines of action listed below including the assignment of concrete measures to be taken subsequently be national delegations and the Secretariat.

The main objective of these proposals is to involve members more strongly in up-dating procedures, which would hopefully lead to more regular up-dates, increase the website’s attractiveness and usefulness for members and, in a long term perspective, strengthen the website’s function as a “platform” on local and regional democracy and make it more visible at a European level. In few words, the intention is to increase the members’ “ownership” of the website as their tool of information and exchange.

Action proposed

Measures to be taken by national delegations  (ministries)

Measures to be taken by the Secretariat

Regular contributions by members to  the updating of the website (contents and structure), notably the news about national developments on the homepage

-          Regularly send information on national developments in the field of local and regional democracy and possibly of interest to other member States to the Secretariat, ideally in form of a brief article in English or French (or both), including links towards relevant national websites

-          Give general feedback and suggestions to Secretariat concerning possible enhancements of the website (missing information, elements difficult to find, new features wished for etc).

-          Regularly remind delegations of the need for new national information to be added to the local and regional democracy website (reminder by email at least every three months unless useful information has already been sent in by individual member States)

-          Approach individual member States to report on interesting developments at national level known through committee work or press

-          Closely cooperate with national delegations to prepare short articles on national developments for the website (in English and French)

-          Add new information on national developments to the website regularly (at least every three months)

Launch of a newsletter including information concerning local and regional democracy at the Council of Europe and on national developments

-          Regularly send information on national develop-ments in the field of local and regional democracy and possibly of interest to other member States to the Secretariat, ideally in form of a brief article in English or French (or both), including links towards relevant national websites

-          Highlight interesting national developments to the Secretariat which are being followed by other institutions or organisations and indicate a relevant contact person to the Secretariat (e.g. in national associations etc.)

-          Regularly remind delegations of the need for new national information to be added to the newsletter (reminder by email at least every three months unless useful information has already been sent in by individual member States)

-          Approach individual member States to report on interesting developments at national level known through committee work or press

-          Closely cooperate with national delegations to prepare short articles on national developments for the newsletter (in English and French)

-          Send out a newsletter of local and regional democracy at least once every three months, including news on the CDLR/Council of Europe and interesting national developments

Establishment of reciprocal “html links” with ministries represented at the CDLR

-          Introduction of a link towards the local and regional democracy website on relevant pages of the ministry

-          Addition of a new page to the existing website which would contain electronic links towards the ministries of CDLR delegations

Establishment of “html links” towards other national and European organisations

-          Recommend any institutions or organisations to the Secretariat which could be part of a wider European network on local and regional democracy and towards which an electronic link could be added on the Council of Europe website

-          Addition of a new page to the existing website which would contain electronic links towards national and European organisations recommended by national delegations