Strasbourg, 18 March 2013 CDLR(2013)10
Item D.2 of the agenda
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL DEMOCRACY
(CDLR)
STRATEGY FOR INNOVATION AND GOOD GOVERNANCE
AT LOCAL LEVEL
For information and guidance
Secretariat Memorandum
prepared by the
Directorate of Democratic Governance
Democratic Institutions and Governance Department
 |
Introduction
This document contains an overview of the latest developments as regards the implementation of the Strategy. The most important ones are summarised hereunder, other information on a country by country basis is presented in the Appendix.
Country approach
No Member State has implemented the Strategy after Norway and Bulgaria but several Member States continue to show interest in implementing the Strategy. The enclosed template gives an overview of the Member States concerned and the developments.
European Stakeholders Platform
In spite of fruitful developments in several Member States, no requests for accreditation were sent to the Platform.
Regarding the composition of the Stakeholders’ Platform the Secretariat was informed that the Congress will henceforth be represented by its President or in the event he is not available by Mr Karl-Heinz Lambertz, Political co-ordinator for co-operation with the Council of Europe intergovernmental sector.
The next meeting of the Stakeholders Platform is foreseen in spring 2013 and will then hopefully deal with the requests from Romania, Austria and Germany (Baden- Württemberg).
Action required
The CDLR members are invited to take note of the information contained in this document and provide such information as appropriate regarding their country’s accession to the Strategy or experience with the Strategy’s implementation.
Appendix
State of implementation
Austria
|
Description current situation |
The Association of the Austrian Municipalities prepared the implementation of the Strategy. However, due to the federal nature of the State, the question of the authority responsible for submitting to the Secretary General Austria’s accession request to the Strategy is not yet answered. The MCI – Management Centre of Innsbruck – is teaching Strategy as part of a course on good governance. |
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Which regions/ Municipalities are involved? |
No formal decision yet |
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Is a national platform foreseen/established? |
The Association would organise one. |
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Are the benchmark and questionnaires foreseen/ prepared? |
Prepared |
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What is the (expected) timeframe? |
The accession by Austria and request for accreditation of the Platform should normally be received before mid-2013. |
Belgium
Brussels Capital
|
Description current situation |
Belgium - Brussels Capital Region. Following the decision by the minister-president of the government in 2008 to join the Strategy, a Work plan is currently being drawn up with the Association of Local Authorities. It will include both the implementation of the Strategy and the European Local Democracy Week. The work is done in close consultation with the regional authorities of the neighbouring Region of Wallonia. The Brussels Region’s request for accreditation for the awarding of the Label has been postponed until 2013 due to local elections in 2012. |
|
Which regions/ Municipalities are involved? |
Brussels Capital Region |
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Is a national platform foreseen/established? |
Not decided yet |
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Are the benchmark and questionnaires foreseen/ prepared? |
Not decided yet. |
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What is the (expected) timeframe? |
Not decided yet |
Bulgaria
|
Description current situation |
In 2011, 13 local authorities (Dimitrovgrad, Dobrich, Dolna Banya, Karlovo, Kirkovo,Knezha, Lyaskovets, Pernik, Svilengrad, Svishtov, Smolyan, Sofia, Tyrgovishte) were awarded the Label and are implementing the principles |
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Which regions/ Municipalities are involved? |
|
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Is a national platform foreseen/established? |
yes |
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Are the benchmark and questionnaires foreseen/ prepared? |
yes |
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What is the (expected) timeframe? |
The Label contest should be organised again in 2013 |
France
|
Description current situation |
France has finalized the file of its future National Platform highlighting rules and regulations for the implementation of the Label. This file, which was prepared with the support of the University of Pau and several pilots cities, was communicated to the Association of French Mayors (AMF) for consideration by its Bureau. The tools of the Label are currently under review by the AMF for comments and suggestions of changes. The AMF has already confirmed its interest for the initiative but it would prefer not to be the structure which will award municipalities with the Label. |
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Which regions/ Municipalities are involved? |
Bondy, Bordeaux, Bricquebec, Le Havre, Nevers, Strasbourg, Suresnes and the Communauté d’Agglomération de Vichy Val d’Allier. |
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Is a national platform foreseen/established? |
No (the option of creating a structure which will include the participation of the AMF, is currently discussed) |
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Are the benchmark and questionnaires foreseen/prepared? |
yes |
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What is the (expected) timeframe? |
The platform should be created during 2013. However, there will be no awarding of municipalities with the Label before the next municipal elections. |
Germany
|
Description current situation |
The Land of Baden-Württemberg showed interest in implementing the Strategy. On 15 October 2012 a seminar was organized in Kehl (with the EuroInstitut) to inform interested partners. As a follow-up of this meeting, it is foreseen to adapt the tools of the Label to the German specificities with the support of German partners, and then to discuss the functioning of the platform to be set up for the Land of Baden-Württemberg. A new seminar is foreseen end of April to discuss with the Land of Baden-Württemberg to next steps towards forwarding a request for accreditation to the CoE. |
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Which regions/ Municipalities are involved? |
65 municipalities, 17 Kreise and 5 cooperative associations from Land of Baden-Württemberg. |
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Is a national platform foreseen/established? |
no |
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Are the benchmark and questionnaires foreseen/ prepared? |
no |
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What is the (expected) timeframe? |
Not decided yet |
Hungary
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Description current situation |
Hungary has shown serious interest in implementing the project. The associations of municipalities and the majority of the larger cities want to implement the Strategy. The Secretariat will organize mid-2013 together with the relevant Hungarian ministries a seminar in Budapest with the participation of the association to facilitate the conclusion of an agreement on accession to the Strategy and implementation of the Label. |
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Which regions/ Municipalities are involved? |
No formal commitment yet. Töösz is the Hungarian counterpart. |
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Is a national platform foreseen/established? |
no |
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Are the benchmark and questionnaires foreseen/ prepared? |
no |
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What is the (expected) timeframe? |
To be decided |
Italy
|
Description current situation |
The Veneto Region has officially expressed its intention to adopt the Strategy in March 2013. The regional authorities will use the Strategy : 1. As a reference model for the existing Unions of Municipalities (UoM) in order to improve the quality of local governance; 2. As an incentive for local authorities to further participate in the current and future UoM thus increasing the level of inter-municipal co-operation. |
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Which regions/ Municipalities are involved? |
All local authorities of the Veneto Region. |
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Is a national platform foreseen/established? |
A regional platform is currently being created. |
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Are the benchmark and questionnaires foreseen/ prepared? |
The Region’s Directorate for Local Authorities, in cooperation with the University of Padua, is currently adapting the Strategy benchmark and questionnaires to the regional context. |
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What is the (expected) timeframe? |
The Strategy will be adapted to the regional context and implemented, at an early stage, in one pilot UoM. Afterwards, it will be applied to the whole region. A precise timeframe will be defined by mid-March. |
Malta
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Description current situation |
Strategy is a part of the new capacity-building project to be funded by the EEA Norway grants |
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Which regions/ Municipalities are involved? |
All municipalities of Malta - 68 |
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Is a national platform foreseen/established? |
Foreseen, under the project |
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Are the benchmark and questionnaires foreseen/ prepared? |
Foreseen |
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What is the (expected) timeframe? |
The project should start after the transfer of the grant. However, the project was stalled due to parliamentary elections and could resume thereafter. |
Norway
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Description current situation |
Stavanger, Time, Lillesand and Bærum have been awarded the label on 23 May 2012. |
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Which regions/ Municipalities are involved? |
|
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Is a national platform foreseen/established? |
yes |
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Are the benchmark and questionnaires foreseen/ prepared? |
yes |
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What is the (expected) timeframe? |
The Label contest is foreseen to be repeated in 2013. |
Romania
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Description current situation |
The Association of Romanian Municipalities and the Association of Communes are interested to be accredited to award the European label for good governance. The following steps have been agreed upon: * ELoGE documents (evaluation questionnaire, benchmark) are translated and adapted to Romanian context. * A number of communities have been selected for testing (3-4 cities and communes) and assessment used to make adjustments to the benchmark The government confirmed its readiness to support and sponsor the Strategy. Consultations are still in progress as to the organisational aspects of the Label. |
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Which regions/ Municipalities are involved? |
3-4 municipalities and communes were selected for testing the benchmark. |
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Is a national platform foreseen/established? |
Under consideration |
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Are the benchmark and questionnaires foreseen/ prepared? |
yes |
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What is the (expected) timeframe? |
A request for accreditation, signed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Public Administration Reform is expected soon. The request for accreditation could be examined by the Stakeholders Platform at the next meeting (Spring 2013. |
Spain
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Description current situation |
A meeting with the FEMP (Spanish Association of Municipalities and Provinces) was held on 26 September 2012 to discuss this matter. The Bureau of the FEMP will then review the initial project for the functioning of the Spanish structure/ platform, which has been drafted by the Autonomous University of Barcelona. |
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Which regions/ Municipalities are involved? |
Badalona, Getafe, Malaga, Pinedar de Mar, San Sebastian and Siero |
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Is a national platform foreseen/established? |
no |
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Are the benchmark and questionnaires foreseen/ prepared? |
The Municipalities of Badalona, Getafe, Malaga, Pinedar de Mar, San Sebastian and Siero started experimental testing of the benchmark. |
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What is the (expected) timeframe? |
Unclear. FEMP has not reactivated the procedure. |
Ukraine
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Description current situation |
Strategy is a part of a bigger CB project financed by SDC and DANIDA |
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Which regions/ Municipalities are involved? |
So far, the region of Odessa tested the benchmark, other regions and municipalities are interested |
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Is a national platform foreseen/established? |
Foreseen |
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Are the benchmark and questionnaires foreseen/ prepared? |
Yes, by the local experts |
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What is the (expected) timeframe? |
The national platform is awaiting confirmation from the government |