Strasbourg, 9 April 2009 CDLR(2009)7
Item 6.2 of the agenda
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL DEMOCRACY
(CDLR)
REFLECTIONS ON FUTURE CDLR WORKING METHODS
SUPPORTED BY ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS
Secretariat Memorandum
prepared by the Directorate General of
Democracy and Political Affairs
Directorate of Democratic Institutions
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Introduction
This document supplements document CDLR(2009)10 which reviews the various communication tools that exist in the field of local and regional democracy.
Background to the ongoing discussions on working methods
In 2008, on the basis of the example of the CDLR country reports ( “Structure and Operation of Local and Regional Democracy” series), the Secretariat, in collaboration with the Council’s Directorate of Information Technology (DIT), examined the possibility of setting up an electronic collaborative work system, which could facilitate the updating and horizontal comparison of the reports. The first studies have not, however, produced any satisfactory results. Since new technical solutions should become available in the second half of 2009, the Secretariat is carrying forward the ongoing studies.
Apart from these technical studies, the CDLR in 2007 adopted a number of new working methods so that it could respond more flexibly to immediate or specific information needs. In particular, the Rapid Response Service (RRS) and workshops were introduced and became an integral part of the CDLR’s range of tools for exchanging information. This encouraged the Secretariat to look for new working methods for intergovernmental co-operation.
More dynamic and effective exchanges of information
The Secretariat’s current reflections, about which concrete proposals will be submitted to the CDLR at a later date, concern the following points:
a) The setting up of an electronic collaborative work system, which could facilitate the CDLR’s work and make it more effective on several levels (possible examples below):
- Collaborative work on publications which would enable several persons concerned to access the same document and, in particular, individual chapters, in the case of certain reports (the country reports, for instance);
- “Centralised storage” of CDLR publications, which would allow horizontal comparison of national data/information;
- “Centralised storage” of all replies to CDLR questionnaires to enable delegations to follow other delegations’ replies more directly;
- Centralised management (display, collection and presentation of replies) of the rapid response service so as to raise the profile of all the responses;
- Discussion forum on local and regional democracy to allow even more direct exchanges;
- Direct access to a European network of experts represented on the CDLR and its subordinate committees, but also involving partners in other organisations (European organisations, national associations, universities, etc).
b) An electronic system of this kind could be the first building block in a real “community of practice” concerning local and regional democracy.
A community of practice is:
- a group of individuals linked informally and functioning in a network
- who are brought together by common centres of interest, by similar projects
- co-operating and exchangingtheir know-how to generate a collective asset of benefit to all
- sharing pooled resources (knowledge, experience, documentation, etc)
- collaborating in a collective learning process,
- combining a common culture and a coherent system of individual interests.
Source: DIT / CoE 2009
c) Placing the work of the CDLR and its subordinate committees in the methodological context of a “community of practice” supported by an electronic collaborative work system could make the exchange of information at European level more effective, instantaneous and dynamic. In the longer term, some exchanges of information which take place during meetings could be replaced by “virtual” working methods which would ensure continuity of the exchanges by an alternative means.
d) If the members of the CDLR and its committees of experts deem the above plans to be of real benefit and sign up to them, it is conceivable that voluntary contributions could be requested from the delegations from 2010 onwards and for the intergovernmental work to be done under the new Utrecht Agenda (2010-2014), which itself could be based on new working methods from its launch.
Next steps planned
The Secretariat intends carrying forward the ongoing feasibility and design studies with a view to presenting detailed proposals to the CDLR by the beginning of 2010.
Action required
CDLR members are invited to take note of the above and provide the Secretariat with any relevant information for carrying forward the reflections so that more detailed proposals may be drawn up for consideration at the first meeting in 2010.