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
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 |
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Swiss and international experts – main speakers |
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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 CH-3003 Bern |
CH |
Hilber |
Kathrin |
Departement des Innern, Kanton St.Gallen |
Departement des Innern, Regierungsgebäude, CH-9001 St.Gallen |
CH |
||
Iadarola |
Antonio |
Eidgenössisches Finanzdepartement EFD |
Eidgenössische Finanzverwaltung EFV Bernerhof, Bundesgasse 3, 3003 Bern |
CH |
||
Kirchgässner |
Gebhardt |
Prof.Dr. |
Schweizerisches Institut für Aussenwirtschaft und Angewandte Wirtschaftsforschung (SIAW-HSG) der Universität St.Gallen |
Universität St. Gallen |
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 |
|
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; |
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 |
Malta |
||
Brudny |
Alfred |
Silesia Regional Parliament |
Ligonia 46 PL-40-037 Katowice Tel. +48 32 255 5518 |
PL |
||
Haraszti |
Judit |
Ministry of Local Government of the Republic of Hungary |
József Attila utca 2-4. H-1051 Budapest Tel . +361441 1257 |
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 |
B |
||
Taschetta |
Fabrizio |
Direction du droit international public, Département fédéral des affaires étrangerères |
Bundeshaus Nord, CH-3003 Bern Tel +41 31 322 30 54 |
CH |
Family name: |
First name: |
Title: |
Institution, Organisation: |
Postal address: Telephone number: |
E-mail address: |
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Other participants in the debate |
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Disler |
Christian |
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, CIS Division |
Freiburgstrasse 130, CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland Tel. +41 31 323 13 25 |
CH |
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Elezovic |
Dino Edin |
Sarajevo Canton, Representation Office |
Rue du Commerce 49 B - 1000 Brussels Tel. +32 488 819 611 |
BiH |
|||||||||
Moser |
Walter |
Dr.oec. |
Konferenz der Kantonsregierung (KdK) |
Haus der Kantone Speichergasse 6 Postfach 444 CH-3000 Bern 7 |
CH |
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Olschewski |
André |
Swiss Resource Center and Consultancies for Development (Skat) |
Vadianstrasse 42 CH-9000 St.Gallen Tel. +41 71 228 54 54 |
CH |
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Pernthaler |
Peter |
Prof. Dr. |
Institute of Federalism - Institut für Föderalismus |
Maria-Theresien-Straße 38b, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria Tel. +43-512-574594 |
A |
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Ratajczak |
Gabriela |
Marshal's Office of Lower Silesia |
Wybrzeze Slowackiego 12-14 PL-50-411 Wrocław Tel. +48 71 776 91 16 |
PL |
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Rey |
Alfred |
Dr. |
Eidgenössische Finanzverwaltung |
Eidgenössische Finanzverwaltung Tel. +41 31 325 53 32 |
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 |
CH |
||||||||
Schneider |
Claudia |
Swiss Resource Center and Consultancies for Development (Skat) |
Vadianstrasse 42 CH-9000 St.Gallen Tel. +41 71 228 54 54 |
CH |
|||||||||
Vasilev |
Mihail |
Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works of Bulgaria |
BU |
||||||||||
Wehrle |
Karl |
Swiss Resource Center and Consultancies for Development (Skat) |
Vadianstrasse 42 CH-9000 St.Gallen Tel. +41 71 228 54 54 |
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 |
BU |
||||||||||
Zarcynska |
Beata |
Marshal's Office of Lower Silesia |
Wybrzeze Slowackiego 12-14 PL-50-411 Wrocław Tel. +48 71 776 91 16 |
PL |
|||||||||
Zienc |
Piotr |
Silesia Regional Parliament |
Ligonia 46 PL-40-037 Katowice Tel. +48 32 255 5518 |
PL |
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Organising team – Canton of St. Gallen and Council of Europe Secretariat |
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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 |
CH |
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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 |
CH |
|||||||||
Steketee |
Frank |
Council of Europe, CDLR Secretariat |
Direction générale de la démocratie et des affaires politiques F - 67075 Strasbourg Cedex |
FR |
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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)