Strasbourg, 20 September 2010 CDLR(2010)26

Item 4.4.1 of the agenda

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL DEMOCRACY

(CDLR)

OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITIES

For adoption

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 aims to give an overview of the proposed work of the CDLR in the coming period (2010-2013). The CDLR is to review and approve it at its meeting in October 2010.

All work stems from the Utrecht Declaration and the current proposal is the result of an extensive process of consultation within the CDLR and its sub-committees (see below). The result is presented in the form of the following four tables:

Table A: The CDLR contribution to the institutional initiatives agreed in the Utrecht Declaration;

Table B: The five strands of action to meet challenges identified in the Utrecht Agenda.

As Table B shows, the CDLR deals with one strand of action directly itself, whilst contributing to the four others. The activities to be undertaken by the CDLR itself are the subject of two further tables.

Table C shows the CDLR’s activities in respect of each of the challenges identified in the Utrecht Agenda. It also shows the envisaged outputs under each activity.

Table D is the most detailed one. It shows the full list of envisaged outputs and information concerning each of them.

When consulting the tables it is important to bear in mind the different levels of generality. The highest level consists of the challenges prioritised by Ministers in the Utrecht Declaration and the 5 strands of action to meet the challenges.

The strand of action of the CDLR distinguishes a number of activities and within each activity one or more outputs.

The process of preparation of the proposal contained in these tables has been as follows.

At the 16^th session of their conference in Utrecht, the European Ministers responsible for Local and Regional Government adopted the Utrecht Declaration, which includes the Utrecht Agenda and instructed their representatives in the European Committee on Local and Regional Democracy (CDLR) “to draw up at the Committee’s meeting in March 2010 a concrete programme of activities for the years 2010-2013 that reflects the priority the Ministers had given to the challenges, takes account of the priority given to actions at national and regional level and determines outputs that meet the highest possible level of support.”

At its meeting in January 2010, the Bureau examined first elements prepared by the Secretariat on the basis of the Utrecht Declaration, notably Declaration I (A) on the impact of financial/economic crisis on local and regional government and Declaration I (B) on government action to overcome obstacles to transfrontier co-operation, including Protocol No 3 to the Madrid Outline Convention, and the replies that had by then been received to the questionnaire launched in December on the activities to meet the challenges identified in the Utrecht Agenda. The Bureau instructed the Secretariat to prepare a preliminary draft programme of activities for consideration and adoption by the CDLR at it meeting in March on the basis of its discussion and suggestions made.

At its meeting in March 2010 the CDLR adopted its (initial) programme of activities 2010-2013. Subsequently, the programme of activities was a subject of an in-debt review at the meetings of the three sub-committees (LR-GG, LR-IC and LR-FS). The sub-committees agreed the objectives, expected impact, time-frame, partners and rapporteurs for the activities. At its meeting in July 2010, the Bureau examined the updated programme of activities with incorporated comments and proposals from the sub-committees. It instructed the Secretariat to prepare a consolidated document with appended: a) an overview of the CDLR contribution to the institutional initiatives agreed in Utrecht; b) an overview of the Local and Regional Democracy and Good Governance activities vis-à-vis challenges identified at Utrecht; and c) a summary of the CDLR activities vis-à-vis challenges identified at Utrecht. The current document contains four tables A-D.

Action required

The CDLR is invited:

- to review and, making any changes it deems appropriate, to approve tables A-D, without prejudice to the right of the CDLR to revise/delete or add activities or outputs at a later stage.

Table A

The CDLR contribution to the institutional initiatives agreed in Utrecht

	Activity (1)	Objective (2)	Expected impact (3)	Start date (4)	End-date (5)	Sub-Com. (6)	Rapporteurs (7)	Partners[1] (8)	Actions to be taken (9)
1	Reviews and joint work involving the Congress (Minister Manuel Chaves)	Four reviews to be conducted under the Utrecht Declaration: - relationship between the intergovernmental sector and the Congress - monitoring - a possible common agenda setting - evaluation, including external evaluation. Results adopted in a Kyiv Declaration	Functioning of co-operation between the Congress and the intergovernmental sector with a view to securing high quality outcomes and facilitating each other's work so that projects can be dealt with swiftly	2010/I	2011/II	-	Mr Enrique Ojeda, Rapporteur on behalf of Minister Chaves (Spain) Advisory Group on the Utrecht Reviews	- Congress - PACE - Conference of INGOS - Mr Kimmo Collander (Representative of Minister Tölli) - Mr Jeremy Smith (independent expert)	See the document “Roadmap for the preparation of the Chaves Report and follow-up”
2	Partnership between the Ministerial Conference and the Committee of Ministers (Minister Mari Kiviniemi)	Establishing a partnership between the Ministerial Conference and the Committee of Ministers	Enhanced work of the Council of Europe in the field of local and regional democracy	2010/I	2011/II	-	Mr Kimmo Collander (Finland)		To be discussed by the Bureau
3	Communication Strategy	Active communication policy to be developed in order to maximize the impact on member States and civil society	Enhanced work of the Council of Europe in the field of local and regional democracy	2010/I	2011/II	GG IC FS	Mrs Greta Billing (Norway) Mr Paul Rowsell (UK)		Bureau to develop concrete proposals for establishment of a communication network for consideration and adoption by the CDLR in October 2010
4	17^th Ministerial Session in Kyiv	To adopt Kyiv Declaration and to hold “fire-side chat”	Enhanced co-operation between Member States in the field of local and regional democracy	2010/I	2011/II	GG IC FS		Ukrainian Government and CM Chair	Bureau to make proposals for themes, agenda and programme for CDLR consideration (October 2010) Results from the Review Conference on the impact of economic crisis (October 2010) to be taken fully into account
5	Frontline issues of changes	To collect up-to-date information on the current work of Member States in the field of local and regional democracy	Member States have insight into the current work in the filed of local and regional democracy. To provide basis for targeting future work.	Ongoing	Ongoing	-			Bureau to decide timing of the next questionannire

Table B

Strands of action to meet the challenges identified in the Utrecht Agenda
CHALLENGES
1	2		3		4	5		6		7
Managing the impact of the current financial/ economic crisis	Addressing the low level of democratic participation in public life at local and regional level		Reducing the complexity and cost of the current system of local and regional government and enhancing its efficiency		Enhancing the capacity for and quality of governance in local and regional communities or authorities	Addressing the impact of demographic /migration trends		Improving access to public services delivered at local and regional level		Making it easier for local and regional authorities to co-operate across frontiers

STRANDS OF ACTION
CDLR		Centre of Expertise for Local Government Reform		Strategy for Innovation and Good Governance at Local Level			Co-operation and assistance programmes		European Local Democracy Week
Challenges addressed		Challenges addressed		Challenges addressed			Challenges addressed		Challenges addressed
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7		2, 3, 4, 6		2, 3, 4, 6			3, 4, 6		2, 4
Activities:		Activities:		Activities:			Activities:		Activities:
a. Monitoring and responding to the financial and economic crisis b. Promoting the Additional Protocol c. Analysing participation trends d. Reducing the complexity and costs of the current system of local and regional government and enhancing its efficiency e. Strengthening Good Democratic Governance f. Exploring new challenges g. Strengthening the transfrontier co-operation		a) Implementing capacity building programmes in members states: § Albania § Armenia § France § Georgia § Hungary § Malta § Montenegro § Russian Federation § Serbia § “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” b) Developing Toolkits c) Developing networks		a) 1. Promoting adhesion to Strategy b) 2. Assisting member States with implementation c) 3. Developing European Label of Governance Excellence			a) Implementing legislative and policymaking projects in member States: § Albania § Armenia § Azerbaijan § Bosnia and Herzegovina § Croatia § Georgia § Moldova § Montenegro § Serbia § Ukraine b) Regional activities § Inter-municipal co-operation		Joint venture with the Congress § In 2008 an estimated 3000 municipalities in 25 members states organized events § In 2010 enlarged circle of “pilot cities”

Table C

CDLR activities to meet the challenges identified in the Utrecht Agenda
Challenges
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Managing the impact of the current financial/economic crisis	Addressing the low level of democratic participation in public life at local and regional level	Reducing the complexity and cost of the current system of local and regional government and enhancing its efficiency	Enhancing the capacity for and quality of governance in local and regional communities or authorities	Addressing the impact of demographic /migration trends	Improving access to public services delivered at local and regional level	Making it easier for local and regional authorities to co-operate across frontiers

Challenges addressed
1, 3, 4, 6	2, 4, 6,	1, 2, 3, 4, 6	1, 3, 4, 6, 7	1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7	2, 3, 5, 6, 7	3, 4, 6, 7
Activity 1	Activity 2	Activity 3	Activity 4	Activity 5	Activity 6	Activity 7
Monitoring and responding to the financial and economic crisis	Promoting the Additional Protocol	Analysing participation trends	Reducing the complexity and costs of the current system of local and regional government and enhancing its efficiency	Strengthening Good Democratic Governance	Exploring new challenges	Strengthening the transfrontier co-operation
Outputs (4)	Outputs (2)	Outputs (3)	Outputs (4)	Outputs (3)	Outputs (3)	Outputs (6)
a) Report on impact of the financial and economic crisis and follow-up to guideline b) Evaluation conference c) Review report for 17^th session of the Ministerial Conference d) Peer review (Iceland)	a) Workshops to promote the Additional Protocol b) Report on the implementation of the Additional Protocol to the European Charter of Local Self-Government on the right to participate in the affairs of a local authority	a) Report analysing the low democratic participation by certain groups in society, and taking stock of the Member States’ policies b) GG Workshop on participatory c) Report on participatory budgeting	a) Structure and operation of local and regional government b) Reference framework of the features of the systems of local and regional government in member States c) Guidelines for funding the new competencies at local level d) Analytical tool for assessing the degree of autonomy of first-tier local authorities (Marcou tool)	a) Report on the feasibility of Recommendation on good democratic governance b) Updated Handbook on Public Ethics c) Workshop to exchange good practices on the implementation of the Strategy for Innovation and Good Governance in pilot countries	a) Exploratory report on the impact of demographic/migration trends b) GG Workshop on case studies of diff types of demographic impacts c) Exploratory report on improving access to public services delivered at local and regional level	a) Appendices to Protocol 3 (2011-12) b) Review conference c) Report on the opportunities for funding the transfrontier co-operation EU/non EU d) Updating the report on the current state of dministrative and legal framework of transfrontier co-operation in member states e) Report on cross border e-services f) Workshops to promote Protocol 3

Summary of activities in detail appears in Table D
Table D

Draft list of activities of the CDLR for 2010 – 2013 to implement the Utrecht Agenda

	Output (1)	Objective (2)	Expected impact (3)	Start date (4)	End-date (5)	Sub-Com. (6)	Rapporteurs (7)		Partners[2] (8)	Challenges addressed [3] (9)	Communica-tion plans of action (10)	Overview: state of progress per date (11)
Activity 1: Monitoring and responding to the financial and economic crisis
1	Report on impact of the financial and economic crisis and follow-up to guidelines	To have up-to-date information on the crisis’ impact to all member states, and to take stock on their responses.	Member states have accurate information on the financial crisis which will facilitate their actions in responding to the financial and economic crisis.	2010/I	2010/II	FS IC GG	Mr Markku Mollari (Finland)	LGI Budapest		1, 3, 4, 6	Siobhan Montgomery / Gabriela Matei
2	Review conference on the impact of and responses to the economic downturn on local government	To exchange information and experience on how governments cope with the financial and economic crisis.	Impact of the report is enhanced by giving the participants an opportunity for learning and exchanging.	2010/I	2010/II	FS IC GG	Mr Markku Mollari (Finland)	LGI Budapest		1, 3, 4, 6	Siobhan Montgomery / Gabriela Matei
3	Review report for 17^th session of the Ministerial Conference	To put forward accurate picture of the impacts of the financial and economic crisis in the member states, and to provide basis for possible further decision making.	Ministers have increased knowledge on financial and economic crisis in the international context, and sound basis for further decision making.	2011/I	2011/II	FS IC GG		LGI Budapest		1, 3, 4, 6	Siobhan Montgomery / Gabriela Matei
4	Peer Review (Iseland)			2010/I	2010/II					1
Activity 2: Promoting the Additional Protocol
1	Workshops to promote the Additional Protocol	To increase awareness of the national stakeholders on the Additional Protocol, and its policy implications.	Additional Protocol signed, ratified and implemented by the Council of Europe member states.	2010/I	2013/II	GG	Mr. Andriy Guk (Ukraine) Mrs. Viktoria Zold-Nagy (Hungary)	Hosting by Govern.		2, 4, 6		Two workshops to be arranged for 2010 (HUN and NL or SWE?)
2	Report on the implementation of the Additional Protocol to the European Charter of Local Self-Government on the right to participate in the affairs of a local authority	To have up-to-date information on signature and ratification of the Additional Protocol, and national experiences of its implementation.	Ministers have accurate information and sound basis for further decision making.	2012/I	2013/II	GG	Mr. Andriy Guk (Ukraine) Mrs. Viktoria Zold-Nagy (Hungary)			2, 4, 6		Tour de table to be held at CDLR meeting in October 2010

	Output (1)	Objective (2)		Expected impact (3)	Start date (4)	End-date (5)	Sub-Com. (6)	Rapport. (7)	Partners[4] (8)	Challenges addressed [5](9)	Communica-tion plans of action (10)	Overview: state of progress per date (11)
Activity 3: Analysing participation trends
1	Report analysing the low democratic participation by certain groups in society, and taking stock of the Member States’ policies	To have insight into the low democratic participation by certain groups in society, and Member States’ policies in the areas.	Member States have enhanced knowledge enabling them to address problems.		2010/I	2011/II	GG	Mr. Edwin Lefebre (Belgium)		2, 3, 4, 6		Proposal for report to be put to GG members by e-mail, then to CDLR October 2010
2	GG Workshop on participatory budgeting	To enable countries to exchange good practices on participatory budgeting.	Member States have better understanding on this instrument.		2010/I	2011/I	GG	Mrs Neza Vodusek (Slovenia)		1, 2, 3, 4, 6		Case studies to be identified with a view to the workshop
3	Report on participatory budgeting	To have insight into the legislation and practices on participatory budgeting in the Member States.	Member States have better understanding on this instrument and basis for possible further work.		2011/I	2011/II	GG FS	Mrs Neza Vodusek (Slovenia) Mrs Annie Biefnot Vanboterdal (Belgium)		1, 2, 3, 4, 6

	Output (1)	Objective (2)	Expected impact (3)	Start date (4)	End-date (5)	Sub-Com. (6)	Rapport. (7)	Partners[6] (8)	Challenges addressed [7](9)	Communica-tion plans of action (10)	Overview: state of progress per date (11)
Activity 4: Reducing the complexity and costs of the current system of local and regional government and enhancing its efficiency
1	Structure and operation of local and regional government	To have updated information on the structure and operation of local and regional government in Member States	Member States have updated database on the structure and operation of local and regional governments	Ongoing	Ongoing		To be decided at CDLR	To be identified at CDLR			Develop database Connect to Activity 4 - Output 1
2	Reference framework of the features of the systems of local and regional government in the member States	To have insight into the features of the systems of local and regional government in member States.	Member States have reference framework for purposes of comparisons which provides basis for the further work (exchange of experience and best practices).	2010/II	2011/I	IC FS	Mr Lukasz Krysztofiak (Poland) Mr Auke van der Goot (NL) Mrs Victoria Jones (UK) TBC		1, 3, 4, 6, 7		A draft list of features of the systems of local and regional government to be prepared by Rapporteurs with help from the Secretariat
3	Guidelines for the funding of new competencies at local level	To offer guidelines to the member state on funding of new competencies at local level.	Member States have guidelines on funding of new competencies at local level.	2009/II	2010/II	FS			3		Revised draft from FS meeting in June for CDLR adoption in October
4	Analytical tool for assessing the degree of autonomy of first-tier local authorities (Marcou tool)	To assess the degree of autonomy of first-tier local authorities and generate quantified results allowing a comparison at European level.	Member States have database helping the re-examination of the distribution of competences and facilitating the consideration of decentralisation issues	2010/II	2011/II				3, 4, 6		Revised tool for adoption by by CDLR

Output

(1)

Objective

(2)

Expected impact

(3)

Start date

(4)

End-date

(5)

Sub-Com.

(6)

Rapport.

(7)

Partners[8]

(8)

Challenges addressed

[9](9)

Communica-tion plans of action

(10)

Overview:

state of progress per date

(11)

Activity 5: Strengthening Good Democratic Governance

Report on the feasibility of Recommendation on good democratic governance

To explore the feasibility of the Recommendation on good democratic governance and to provide findings and recommendations.

Member States have sound basis for decision making about possible recommendation

2010/I

2010/II

Mrs. Greta Billing

(Norway)

1, 2, 3, 4, 6

Secretariat to prepare outline for Rapporteur

to consider

Updated Handbook on Public Ethics

To update the Handbook on Public Ethics.

Member States have a tool for strengthening the public ethics as a part of the Good Democratic Governance.

2010/I

2010/II

Mr. Paul-Henri Philips (Belgium)

2, 3, 4, 6, 7

Secretariat to prepare summaries of replies and draft revised Handbook

Workshop to exchange good practices on the implementation of the Strategy for Innovation and Good Governance in pilot countries

To enable pilot countries to exchange good practices on the implementation of the Strategy for Innovation and Good Governance.

Pilot countries have accurate information enabling them to implement the Strategy for Innovation and Good Governance more effectively.

2010/I

2013/II

Mrs. Greta Billing

(Norway

Hosting by Govern.

2, 3, 4, 6, 7

Governments to express an interest in hosting a workshop

	Output (1)	Objective (2)	Expected impact (3)	Start date (4)	End-date (5)	Sub-Com. (6)	Rapport. (7)	Partners[10] (8)	Challenges addressed [11](9)	Communica-tion plans of action (10)	Overview: state of progress per date (11)
Activity 6: Exploring new challenges
1	Exploratory report on the impact of demographic/ migration trends	To have insight into the impact of demographic/migra-tion trends on local and regional government, and to assess the scope for CDLR contribution.	Member States have sound basis in decision making on possible CDLR contribution on demographic/migration trends in European countries.	2010/II	2011/I	GG	Mrs. Inga Nyholm Finland		5		Underway
2	GG Workshop on case studies of different types of demographic impacts	To enable countries to exchange good practices.	Member States have better understanding on this issue.	2010/II	2011/I	GG	Mrs. Inga Nyholm Finland		5		Underway
3	Exploratory report on improving access to public services delivered at local and regional level	To explore the possibilities for improving the access to public services delivered at local and regional level.	Member States have accurate information on the possibilities for improving the access to public services delivered at local and regional level and CDLR contribution.	2010/I	2010/II	GG	Ms. Monica Dimitriu Romania		2, 3, 4, 6, 7		Underway

	Output (1)	Objective (2)	Expected impact (3)	Start date (4)	End-date (5)	Sub-Com. (6)	Rapport. (7)	Partners[12] (8)	Challenges addressed [13](9)	Communica-tion plans of action (10)	Overview: state of progress per date (11)
Activity 7: Strengthening the transfrontier co-operation
1	Appendices to Protocol 3 (2011-12)	To develop domestic legislation that enables full implementation of Protocol 3.	Members states have drafts that could facilitate the adoption of the relevant domestic legislation.	2010/I	2011/II	IC			7		Outlines for consultant's work adopted by LR-IC November
2	Review Conference	To exchange information on how to reduce/remove obstacles to crossborder co-operation.	Members states have increased capacity to strengthen transfrontier co-operation.	2010/I	2011/II	IC		Spain, Netherlands	7		Working party to coordinate preparation, CDLR October to examine proposals
3	Report on the opportunities for funding the transfrontier co-operation EU/non EU funds	To research and identify the opportunities for funding the transfrontier co-operation EU/non EU funds.	Members states have further insight as to which sources of funding transfrontier co-operation exist for them and local/regional authorities to use.	2010/I	2011/II	IC			7		LR-IC to discuss terms of reference for consultant
4	Updating the report on the current state of administrative and legal framework of transfrontier co-operation in member states	To have an updated version of the report on the current state of administrative and legal framework of transfrontier co-operation in member states.	Member States have clearer picture of the current state of administrative and legal framework of transfrontier co-operation.	2011/I	2011/II	IC			7		To be circulated for updating in 2011
5	Report on cross border e-services	To have an oversight of cross border e-services across Europe.	Members states’ information base is enhanced so that they can take appropriate action in order to develop cross border e-services.	2011/I	2011/II	IC			3,4,6,7
6	Workshops to promote Protocol 3	To increase awareness of the national stakeholders on the Protocol 3.	Protocol 3 signed, ratified and implemented by the Council of Europe member states.	2011/I	2013/II	IC		Hosting by Govern.	7		Government express interest in hosting an event

Challenges

1: Managing the impact of the current financial/economic crisis

2: Addressing the low level of democratic participation in public life at local and

regional level

3: Reducing the complexity and cost of the current system of local and regional

government and enhancing its efficiency

4: Enhancing the capacity for and quality of governance in local and regional

communities or authorities

5: Addressing the impact of demographic/migration trends

6: Improving access to public services delivered at local and regional level

7: Making it easier for local and regional authorities to co-operate across frontiers

[1] In all cases those identified in the terms of reference of the CDLR as participants, other participants and observers are invited to contribute.

[2] In all cases those identified in the terms of reference of the CDLR as participants, other participants and observers are invited to contribute.

[3] At Utrecht Ministers voted to establish the priority to be given to the challenges the CDLR had identified in the field of local and regional democracy. Challenges are listed at the last page of this document.

[4] In all cases those identified in the terms of reference of the CDLR as participants, other participants and observers are invited to contribute.

[5] At Utrecht Ministers voted to establish the priority to be given to the challenges the CDLR had identified in the field of local and regional democracy. Challenges are listed at the last page of this document.

[6] In all cases those identified in the terms of reference of the CDLR as participants, other participants and observers are invited to contribute.

[7] At Utrecht Ministers voted to establish the priority to be given to the challenges the CDLR had identified in the field of local and regional democracy. Challenges are listed at the last page of this document.

[8] In all cases those identified in the terms of reference of the CDLR as participants, other participants and observers are invited to contribute.

[9] At Utrecht Ministers voted to establish the priority to be given to the challenges the CDLR had identified in the field of local and regional democracy. Challenges are listed at the last page of this document.

[10] In all cases those identified in the terms of reference of the CDLR as participants, other participants and observers are invited to contribute.

[11] At Utrecht Ministers voted to establish the priority to be given to the challenges the CDLR had identified in the field of local and regional democracy. Challenges are listed at the last page of this document.

[12] In all cases those identified in the terms of reference of the CDLR as participants, other participants and observers are invited to contribute.

[13] At Utrecht Ministers voted to establish the priority to be given to the challenges the CDLR had identified in the field of local and regional democracy. Challenges are listed at the last page of this document.