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Strasbourg, 31 March 2009                                                                         CDLR(2009)4

Item 5.2.4 of the agenda

                                                                          

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL DEMOCRACY

(CDLR)

WORKSHOPS ON REGIONAL SELF-GOVERNMENT

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

After having been adopted in its broad principles by the CDLR in 2007, and confirmed by the Committee in its meeting in June 2008, the method of “workshops” was put into practice for the first time in December 2008.

The first edition of the CDLR workshops on local and regional democracy, focussing on the topic of “The representation of European regions at national and European level”, took place on 1-2 December 2008 in Salzburg (Austria) at the invitation of the Land of Salzburg, host and organiser of the event (in its function as LR-GI member representing Austria). The provisional report of this first event was already presented to the CDLR at its meeting in December 2008. A more detailed report is still being prepared at the moment and will be presented, shortly before the CDLR meeting, as an Addendum to this document.

At the beginning of 2009 the preparatory work started for CDLR workshop II on the topic “Regional Finance Adapted to Regional Competences: Assuring Coherence on a Long Term Basis” to take place on 11-12 May 2009 in St. Gallen/Switzerland. The draft programme in its version of 31 March 2009 as well as the entry form can be found in Appendices I and II respectively. Both documents are presented in English only to the Committee given that the working language of the Workshop will be English.

Action required

CDLR members are invited to take note of the information presented concerning
Workshop I and to express any comments or suggestions considered useful following the first edition of this new CDLR working method.

In case they are interested, delegations are again invited to register for this workshop by 17 April 2009 the latest (extended deadline), by means of the entry form appended (Appendix II), and by specifying the national developments that motivate their interest.

Any member state interested in organising a future workshop on a specific topic in 2009 or later is invited to contact the Secretariat at any time.


APPENDIX I


                                                           

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

Draft programme 31/03/2009

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: Maren Lambrecht-Feigl, Administrator

Swiss CDLR 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

Karin Wittmer, Ministry of Finance, Canton of St.Gallen

Financial federalims in practice

16:30-17:00 hrs

Representative of the Federal Finance Administration (tbc.)

Operation of the financial equalisation system in the Swiss Federal State

Monday, 11th May 2009

… continued:

Focus on Switzerland

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

Klaus Klipp, Secretary General of the Assembly of European Regions (AER)

Financial federalism: the AER perspective

17:30-18:00 hrs

Discussion

19:30 hrs

Dinner hosted by Canton of St.Gallen

Venue: Restaurant Schlössli

Overnight stay in St.Gallen

The list of pre-reserved hotels will be communicated to participants

at the moment of registering to the workshop.

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, Federal Finance Administration

Tax autonomy, financing (taxes vs. grants) and spending power of sub-central governments 

09:45-10:00 hrs

Representative of the European Union (Mathias Brinkmann, Head of Unit, DG RELEX, European Commission, to be confirmed):

Financial federalism as seen by the European Union

10:00-10:15 hrs

Nattalino 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)

 

10:15-10:30 hrs

Contribution by a Council of Europe member State

Tbc

10:30-10:45 hrs

Contribution by a Council of Europe member State

Tbc.

10:45-11:00 hrs.

Coffee Break, Ratsstübli

11:00-11:15 hrs

Bernd Semmelroggen, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe (expert)

Precise theme of intervention to be confirmed

11:15-11:30 hrs

Contribution by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) - Tbc.

11:30-12:30 hrs

Exchange of views and experiences, discussion


Tuesday, 12th May 2009

12:30 hrs

Conclusions of the discussion

12:45 hrs

Summary and conclusion of the workshop

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)


APPENDIX II


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

Entry Form

Family name:

First name:

Title:

Institution,

Organisation:

Postal address:

Telephone number:

E-mail address:

Special interest in the workshop - Suggestions

We would be particularly interested in the following aspects of the topic

Our specific interest is based on the following national situation or developments

We would be ready to actively contribute to the workshop concerning the following specific issues

We would like to make the following further suggestions with regard to the workshop (specific aspects to hightlight, national experts possibly to associate etc.)

For subscription to workshop II, please send this entry form by 17 April 2009 (extended deadline) to the following address (by email or fax):

Ms Marietta Germann

Department for International and Federal Affairs, Canton of St. Gallen

Phone: +41 71 229 75 03 / Fax: +41 71 229 39 55

E-mail: [email protected]