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Strasbourg, 2 September 2009                                                            CDLR(2009)30

Item 5.2.2 of the agenda

                                                                                                                         

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL DEMOCRACY

(CDLR)

WORKSHOP IN ST GALLEN

REGIONAL FINANCE ADAPTED TO

REGIONAL COMPETENCIES:

ASSURING COHERENCE ON A LONG-TERM BASIS

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 second CDLR workshop was organised in May 2009 by and at the initiative of the Canton of St Gallen, further to the first CDLR workshop in Salzburg in December 2008. The list of participants and programme appear at Appendix 1 and 2.

Its programme placed particular emphasis on the Swiss model of decentralisation and the significant reforms that have recently been put into place, after 25 years of preparation.

All presentations were of high quality and often supported by Powerpoint presentations. These have all been published on the local and regional democracy webpage shortly after the workshop.

Apart from being well-organised and nicely hosted, the workshop succeeded in being a learning event, the Swiss presentations giving significant food for thought even if the direct applicability of the Swiss model in other countries would be difficult.

Action required

The CDLR is invited to take of the information provided above.


Appendix 1

List of participants


CDLR-Workshops on Local and Regional Democracy

Workshop II:

Regional Finance Adapted to Regional Competences:

Assuring Coherence on a Long Term Basis”

11 – 12 May 2009

St Gallen, Switzerland

Participants

Swiss and international experts – main speakers

Family name:

First name:

Title:

Institution,

Organisation:

Postal address:

Telephone number:

E-mail address:

Country of origin

Fischer

Roland

Dr. rer. pol.

Eidgenössisches Finanzdepartement (EFD)

Eidgenössisches Finanzdepartement EFD
Eidgenössische Finanzverwaltung EFV, Finanzplanung, Budget, Rechnung, Finanzausgleich
Taubenstrasse 16,

CH-3003 Bern
Tel +41 31 323 80 50
Fax +41 31 323 08 52

[email protected]

CH


Hilber

Kathrin

Departement des Innern, Kanton St.Gallen

Departement des Innern,

Regierungsgebäude,

CH-9001 St.Gallen

[email protected]

CH

Iadarola

Antonio

Eidgenössisches Finanzdepartement EFD

Eidgenössische Finanzverwaltung EFV
Abteilung Finanzplanung, Budget. Rechnung, Finanzausgleich

Bernerhof,

Bundesgasse 3,

3003 Bern
Tel. +41 31 324 84 80
Fax +41 31 323 22 77

[email protected]

CH

Kirchgässner

Gebhardt

Prof.Dr.

Schweizerisches Institut für Aussenwirtschaft und Angewandte Wirtschaftsforschung (SIAW-HSG) der Universität St.Gallen

Universität St. Gallen
SIAW-HSG
Bodanstrasse 8
CH-9000 St. Gallen
Tel. +41 71 224 23 47
Fax +41 71 224 22 98

[email protected]

CH

Family name:

First name:

Title:

Institution,

Organisation:

Postal address:

Telephone number:

E-mail address:

Müller

Urs

Prof. Dr.

BAK Basel Economics

Güterstrasse 82
CH-4002 Basel
Tel. +41 61 279 97 00
Fax. +41  61 279 97 28

[email protected]

CH

Semmelroggen

Bernd

Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe

Ministry of Finance of the State of Lower Saxony

Schiffgraben 10,

D – 30159 HANNOVER

Tel. +49 511 120 81 81;

[email protected]

DE


Wittmer

Karin

Finanzdepartement, Kanton St.Gallen

Finanzdepartement,

Davidstrasse 35,

CH-9001 St.Gallen

Karin.Wittmer@sg.ch

CH

CDLR delegations

Attard

Natalino

Department for Local Government

Office of the Prime Minister

26 Archbishop Street

Valletta VLT 1443

Tel . +356 21 248442

[email protected]

Malta

Brudny

Alfred

Silesia Regional Parliament

Ligonia 46

PL-40-037 Katowice

Tel. +48 32 255 5518

[email protected]

PL

Haraszti

Judit

Ministry of Local Government of the Republic of Hungary

József Attila utca 2-4.

H-1051 Budapest

Tel . +361441 1257

[email protected]

HU

Mockel

Michael

Ministère de la Communauté germanophone de Belgique

Ministerium der Deutschsprachigen Gemeinschaft

Dienst Lokale Behörden

Gospertstraße 1

B - 4700 Eupen

Tel . +32 87.59.64.72

Fax.  +32 87.55.28.91

[email protected]

B

Taschetta

Fabrizio

Direction du droit international public, Département fédéral des affaires étrangerères

Bundeshaus Nord,

CH-3003 Bern

Tel  +41 31 322 30 54

[email protected]

CH


Family name:

First name:

Title:

Institution,

Organisation:

Postal address:

Telephone number:

E-mail address:

Other participants in the debate

Disler

Christian

Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, CIS Division

Freiburgstrasse 130,

CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland

Tel. +41  31  323  13  25

[email protected]

CH

Elezovic

Dino Edin

Sarajevo Canton, Representation Office

Rue du Commerce 49

B - 1000 Brussels

Tel.  +32 488 819 611

[email protected]

BiH

Moser

Walter

Dr.oec.

Konferenz der Kantonsregierung (KdK)

Haus der Kantone

Speichergasse 6

Postfach 444

CH-3000 Bern 7

[email protected]

CH

Olschewski

André

Swiss Resource Center and Consultancies for Development (Skat)

Vadianstrasse 42

CH-9000 St.Gallen

Tel.  +41 71 228 54 54

[email protected]

CH

Pernthaler

Peter

Prof. Dr.

Institute of Federalism - Institut für Föderalismus

Maria-Theresien-Straße 38b,

6020 Innsbruck, Austria

Tel. +43-512-574594

[email protected]

A

Ratajczak

Gabriela

Marshal's Office of Lower Silesia

Wybrzeze Slowackiego 12-14

PL-50-411 Wrocław

Tel.  +48 71 776 91 16

[email protected]

PL

Rey

Alfred

Dr.

Eidgenössische Finanzverwaltung
Ausgabenpolitik

Eidgenössische Finanzverwaltung

Tel.      +41 31 325 53 32
Mobile +41 79 205 71 83
Fax      +41 31 322 64 84

[email protected]

CH

Ricq

Charles

Prof.

Centre d’Observation Européen des Régions (CŒUR)

Chemin de la Renardière 4,

CH-1272 Genolier

Tel.  +41 22 366 40 66

[email protected]

CH

Schneider

Claudia

Swiss Resource Center and Consultancies for Development (Skat)

Vadianstrasse 42

CH-9000 St.Gallen

Tel.  +41 71 228 54 54

[email protected]

CH

Vasilev

Mihail

Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works of Bulgaria

[email protected]

BU

Wehrle

Karl

Swiss Resource Center and Consultancies for Development (Skat)

Vadianstrasse 42

CH-9000 St.Gallen

Tel.  +41  71 228  54  54

[email protected]

CH

Family name:

First name:

Title:

Institution,

Organisation:

Postal address:

Telephone number:

E-mail address:

Yordanova

Penka

Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works of Bulgaria

[email protected]

BU

Zarcynska

Beata

Marshal's Office of Lower Silesia

Wybrzeze Slowackiego 12-14

PL-50-411 Wrocław

Tel.  +48 71 776 91 16

[email protected]

PL

Zienc

Piotr

Silesia Regional Parliament

Ligonia 46

PL-40-037 Katowice

Tel.  +48 32 255 5518

[email protected]

PL

Organising team – Canton of St. Gallen and Council of Europe Secretariat

Germann

Marietta

Department for international and federal affairs, Kanton St.Gallen

Staatskanzlei,

Regierungsgebäude,

CH-9001 St.Gallen

Tel. +41 71 229 75 03

Fax. +41 71 229 39 55

[email protected]

CH

Vorburger

Rolf

Department for international and federal affairs , Kanton St.Gallen

Staatskanzlei,

Regierungsgebäude,

CH-9001 St.Gallen

Tel. +41 71 229 32 16

Fax. +41 71 229 39 55

[email protected]

CH

Steketee

Frank

Council of Europe, CDLR Secretariat

Direction générale de la démocratie et des affaires politiques
Direction des institutions démocratiques

F - 67075 Strasbourg Cedex
Tel. +33 3 88 41 39 61

[email protected]

FR


APPENDIX 2

Workshop II:

“Regional Finance Adapted to Regional Competencies:

Assuring Coherence on a Long Term Basis”

11 - 12 May / St.Gallen (Switzerland)

Programme 04/05/2009

Monday, 11th May 2009

Morning Arrival of participants

Meeting Venue:

Kantonsratssaal, Regierungsgebäude St.Gallen

Meeting room of the Cantonal Council, Governmental Building St. Gallen

13:00 hrs Registration and coffee, Ratsstübli

13:30-14:45 Welcome and introduction

13:30 hrs Welcome

Canton of St.Gallen: Kathrin Hilber, Minister of Inner Affairs

Council of Europe/CDLR Secretariat: Frank Steketee, Administrator

Swiss Delegation: Rolf Vorburger, Head of the department for international

and federal affairs, Canton of St. Gallen

14:00-14:45 hrs Prof. Dr. G. Kirchgässner, Schweizerisches Institut für Aussenwirtschaft und

Angewandte Wirtschaftsforschung - Swiss Institute for International

Economics and Applied Economic Research (SIAW-HSG)

Theoretical introduction to the topic:

The distribution of competences and finances between different

administration levels in the Swiss institutional System

14:45-18:00 Focus on Switzerland

14:45-15:15 hrs

Rolf Vorburger, Canton of St.Gallen

Role and responsibilities of cantons in the Swiss Federal State

15:15-15:45 hrs Coffee Break, Ratsstübli

15:45-16:30 hrs Antonio Iadarola, Federal Finance Administration

Operation of the financial equalisation system in the Swiss Federal State

16:30-17:00 hrs Karin Wittmer, Ministry of Finance, Canton of St.Gallen

Financial federalism in practice, Cantonal competencies in financial sector


Monday, 11th May 2009

17:00-17:30 hrs Prof. Dr. Urs Müller, Director and Chief Economist, BAK Basel Economics

The impact of financial federalism on regional economic performance

17:30-18:00 hrs Discussion

19:30 hrs Dinner hosted by Canton of St.Gallen

Venue: Restaurant Schlössli Overnight stay in St.Gallen

Tuesday, 12th May 2009

09:00-13:00 hrs Focus on different national situations, challenges and developments

09:00-09:15 hrs Summary of the discussion of the first day

09:15-09:45 hrs Roland Fischer, OECD Fiscal Network, Federal Finance Administration

Tax autonomy, financing (taxes vs. grants) and spending power of subcentral governments

09:45-10:00 hrs Natalino Attard, Department for Local Government

Office of the Prime Minister, Malta

Focus on the national situation, challenges and developments of Malta

(highlighting the differences between federal and unitary states as far as

State-local government relationships are concerned)

10:00-10:15 hrs Claudia Schneider, Swiss Resource Center and Consultancies for

Development, Switzerland

Focus on the national situation, challenges and developments of Ukraine

10:15-10:30 hrs Bernd Semmelroggen, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the

Council of Europe (Expert for the Congress from Germany, Ministry of

Finances of the Land Lower Saxony, Hannover)

Regional finances as perceived by the Congress and in the German context

10:30-10:45 hrs Coffee Break, Ratsstübli

10:45-11:30 hrs Focus on various national situations and present challenges in the field of

regional finances in the participants’ respective countries (short statements

by different participating delegations)

11:30-12:30 hrs Exchange of views and experiences, discussion

12:30 hrs Summary and conclusion of the workshop

Tuesday, 12th May 2009

13:00-16:00 Lunch and optional programme

13:00 hrs Lunch hosted by Canton of St.Gallen

Venue: Ratsstübli

14:30 – 16:00 Guided tour of the old town of St.Gallen (optional)