Strasbourg, 16 September 2011 CDLR(2011)49
Item C.6. of the agenda
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL DEMOCRACY
(CDLR)
DRAFT KYIV DECLARATION
For adoption
Secretariat Memorandum
prepared by the Directorate General of
Democracy and Political Affairs
Directorate of Democratic Institutions
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Introduction
The attached draft for the Kyiv Declaration reflects the current state of preparation of the various items that will be covered by it. It will comprise or refer to four separate declarations on the impact of the economic crisis, human rights at local level, transfrontier co-operation and the outlook for the future.
More specifically, the first declaration will include the statement by the ministers and the guidelines they are expected to adopt on the economic situation and its impact on local government. The reference document is CDLR(2011)45.
The second declaration will cover the human rights dimension of local and regional governance. The discussion paper is CDLR(2011)47.
The third declaration is about removing obstacles to transfrontier co-operation. The revised draft is contained in document CDLR(2011)46 rev.
Finally, the fourth declaration will contain the position of the Ministers on several issues: the follow up to the “partnership” proposal presented by Minister Tölli, the Utrecht reviews conducted by Minister Chaves, the Council of Europe reform and the role of Ministerial conferences, and the implementation of the Utrecht Agenda. Reference documents are CDLR(2011)41, 42 and 48.
The various declarations will be finalised in separate discussions and collated into a single one at the conference, for global adoption by the Ministers.
Action required
The CDLR is invited to agree on the outline of the Kyiv Declaration and the harmonisation of the titles of the items on the agenda with those of the various Declarations and to give its Bureau and the Secretariat any instructions it deems appropriate for the finalisation of the Kyiv Declaration.
In particular, the CDLR could provide elements for the Kyiv Declaration and entrust the Bureau with preparing a full draft Declaration at its meeting on 7 October 2011.
It is further suggested that CDLR members would be given one week for written comments.
APPENDIX
Draft Kyiv Declaration
(1) We, the European Ministers responsible for Local and Regional Government, have come together at the 17th Session of our Conference on 3 and 4 November 2011 in Kyiv in order to take forward our longstanding co-operation.
(2) In particular we have addressed, and adopted specific Declarations, on important issues of common interest, namely
1. the further impact of the economic crisis on local government and the policy responses to it;
2. the human rights dimension of local and regional governance;
3. the role of governments in overcoming obstacles to transfrontier cooperation;
4. the outlook for the future.
Declaration 1
On the further impact of the economic crisis on local government and the policy responses to it.
Declaration 2
On the human rights dimension of local and regional governance
Declaration 3
On the role of governments in overcoming obstacles to transfrontier
Declaration 4
On the outlook for the future
Declaration 4
On the outlook for the future
We, the European Ministers responsible for Local and Regional Government, meeting in Kyiv on 3 and 4 November 2011 for the 17th session of our Council of Europe Conference
(1) thanking our colleague and former colleagues, Ms Mari Kiviniemi, Mr Tapani Tölli and Ms Henna Virkkunen, successive Ministers of Public Administration and Local Government of Finland for developing and putting forward to the Committee of Ministers on our behalf a proposal for a partnership with our Conference aiming to enhance the effectiveness of the work of the Council of Europe in the field of local and regional democracy;
(2) noting the reply to this proposal by the Committee of Ministers contained in the letter by the Chair, Mr Kostyantyn Gryshchenko, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, dated…. ;
(3) thanking Minister…… for taking part in the opening of our 17th session and for presenting the reply by the Committee of Ministers to us;
(4) thanking our colleague Mr Manuel Chaves, Second Vice President of Government and Minister of Territorial Policy and Public Administration of Spain for conducting the reviews we agreed upon at our 16th session in Utrecht (November 2009) and for presenting us with his report at this session of our Conference;
(5) noting the reforms initiated by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe with the aim of enhancing the effectivenes of the action of the Council of Europe, which include
- the adoption of a new resolution CM(2011)6 on the conferejnces of specialised ministers
- the reshaping of the intergovernmental programme of activities of the Organisation around three pillars: Human Rights, Rule of Law and Democracy
- the creation in the Secretariat of a new Directorate-General of Democracy
(6) noting also the reduction of human and operational resources for the intergovernmental work on local and regional democracy foreseen in the draft Council of Europe Programme and Budget for the years 2012-2013;
(7) noting the envisaged discontinuation by the Ministers’ Deputies of sub-committees to the European Committee on Local and Regional Democracy (CDLR);
(8) noting with approval the implementation of our Utrecht Agenda by the Council of Europe and noting with interest the measures that have been taken in member States,
Agree