Strasbourg, 21 March 2013                                                                          CDLR(2013)4

Item A.3 of the agenda

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL DEMOCRACY

(CDLR)

MECHANISMS FOR COOPERATION WITH THE

CONGRESS OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL AUTHORITIES

For action

Secretariat Memorandum

prepared by the

Directorate of Democratic Governance

Democratic Institutions and Governance Department


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

As the Council of Europe intergovernmental body in the field of local and regional democracy, the CDLR has a longstanding relationship with its natural institutional partner the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. 

In recent times the debate focused on the possible creation of a high-level political follow-up group to take further the Chaves Report as recommended by the European ministers at their Kyiv Conference. Without establishing such a group the Committee of Ministers nonetheless tasked the CDLR with specific activities pursuant to the Kyiv Declaration, in cooperation or dialogue with the Congress. Given the shared common interests between the CDLR and the Congress, it is therefore appropriate to explore ways in which cooperation can be improved and developed.

Existing mechanisms

The relationship involves both the institutions  (the Chair of the CDLR is invited to attend Congress’ sessions, the two Bureaus hold joint sessions, in their plenary or restricted composition, the President of the Congress addresses the CDLR) and the Secretariats (staff of Congress’ Secretariat attend intergovernmental meetings on behalf of the Congress, documents are exchanged and information shared on topics on which either side has achievements or experience, etc.).

CDLR Plenary

At its 50th meeting on 19-20 November 2012, the CDLR held an exchange of views with Ambassador Urzula Gacek, Chair of the Committee of Ministers’ Rapporteur Group on Democracy, the GR-DEM.  In response to a request from Ambassador Gacek, the CDLR agreed to reflect on informal mechanisms for cooperation with the Congress.

In the course of the same meeting, the CDLR also held an exchange of views with Mr Herwig Van Staa, President of the Congress.  Mr Van Staa suggested that the Congress and the CDLR could strengthen cooperation through the organisation of joint events such as seminars and workshops. The CDLR stressed its readiness to strengthen cooperation with Congress and called for an early opportunity for a joint meeting involving members of the two Bureaus.

Congress Bureau

The Congress Bureau met on 3 December 2012 and appointed Mr Karl-Heinz Lambertz (SOC, Belgium), chair of the Governance Committee, as “political co-ordinator for co-operation with the Council of Europe intergovernmental sector… to be supported by the Secretary General of the Congress.”

The Congress Bureau did not discuss how concrete cooperation could be developed with the intergovernmental sector but confirmed that this point would be on the agenda for the next Congress Bureau meeting on 11 February 2013.


CDLR Bureau

The CDLR Bureau was informed of the appointment by Congress of Mr Karl-Heinz Lambertz as Congress Rapporteur for the Council of Europe intergovernmental sector at its meeting on 1 February 2013. The Bureau agreed that as a first step towards developing mechanisms for closer cooperation with the Congress, the CDLR should respond positively to the appointment of Mr Lambertz and seek to meet with him at the earliest opportunity.

CDLR President Paul Rowsell wrote to Mr Lambertz on 1 March 2013 formally requesting a meeting between a CDLR Bureau delegation and Mr Lambertz (see appendix I).  Mr Lambertz agreed to discuss cooperation with colleagues in the Congress Bureau in March and to contact the CDLR again once the Congress has agreed on future steps for cooperation (see appendix II).

 

CDLR Bureau agreed that any future discussion with the Congress should focus on concrete areas for cooperation, including the prospect of organising joint events, as well as the Congress’ request to add a regional dimension to structure and operation reports.  

Recent Developments

In light of the new set of tasks accorded to the CDLR by the Committee of Ministers at the 1156th meeting of the Deputies, on 28 November 2012 (see CDLR-Bu(2013)1), the CDLR and Congress Secretariats have agreed to work more closely in developing possible policy responses to the changing economic fortunes of local and regional authorities in Europe.

Next steps

The CDLR should come up with concrete proposals for enhancing current cooperation with the Congress, having regard to both procedures (meetings, attendance at events, written consultations, etc.) and substance (identification of topics for common discussion or action, etc.)  particularly in light of the recent CM decisions.  

Action required

The CDLR is invited to discuss cooperation with the Congress and adopt modalities for the Bureau and the Secretariat to follow.


Appendix I


Appendix II