Strasbourg, 17 August 2012                                                         CDLR-Bu(2012)14

BUREAU OF THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE

ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL DEMOCRACY

(CDLR)

MEETING REPORT

29 June 2012  

Council of Europe, Strasbourg

Room 17

1.         Opening of the meeting

The Chair opened the meeting and welcomed the participants. The list of participants appears at Appendix 1.

2.         Adoption of the agenda

The agenda of the meeting was adopted (see Appendix 2).

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Mr van der Goot suggested that Mr Tom Leeuwestein and Ms Gabriele Metz from the Dutch Ministry of Interior and Kingdom Relations be admitted to the discussion of the next item on the agenda devoted to the developments regarding the UK chairmanship priority on local democracy as a follow up to the 17th Session of the Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for Local and Regional Government (Kyiv, 3-4 November 2011)The Bureau agreed.

3.         Decisions of the Committee of Ministers concerning the CDLR

The Bureau took note.

The Chair informed the Bureau about his participation in the GR-DEM meeting on 30 May 2012 at which the outcomes of the High Level meetings on local democracy hosted by the UK Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers were discussed.

4.         Information on other Council of Europe bodies

The Secretariat informed the Bureau about the recent debate in the Parliamentary Assembly on the financial crisis introduced by Sir Alan Meale. His report and presentation were to a large extent based on the CDLR work on the financial crisis (Local Government in Critical Times). The Secretariat also confirmed that the Congress is planning for its March 2013 session a similar debate based on a new report to be drafted by Professor Kenneth Davey. It would update and expand on the same report prepared for the Kyiv conference.

The Bureau noted that the preparation of this report would be severely impaired if the Committee of Ministers did not give urgent authorisation to the CDLR to issue a questionnaire to members states as agreed at the last CDLR meeting. Noting that the Ministers’ Deputies had taken note of the last CDLR meeting report (see above) without taking action on the questionnaire, the Bureau agreed to have this issue raised by one delegation at the next meeting of the GR-DEM with a view to eliciting the Committee of Ministers’ agreement on the issuance of the questionnaire.

Bureau members agreed to inform their respective delegations in the Committee of Ministers.

The Bureau noted that at the CEMR General Assembly to be held in Cadiz (Spain) on 26-28 September the economic crisis will be one of the main topics. The president of the Congress will take part in that session. The Secretariat will also be present to disseminate the CDLR report and Kyiv guidelines on the economic crisis and local government.

Concerning the possibility of a joint meeting of the Congress and CDLR bureaus, the Bureau noted that the Congress will elect a new Bureau in October. It recalled that the last joint meeting brought together the CDLR bureau and a delegation of the Congress Bureau. This formula proved very effective. The Bureau instructed the Secretariat to inform the Congress that it would appreciate that a similar meeting be arranged before the next Congress session, without prejudice to a meeting being organised after the elections. Major topics for discussion could be the impact of the crisis on local government and transfrontier cooperation.

5.         Successive Chairmanships of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe

The Bureau took note of the priorities of the Albanian chairmanship and in particular of the event on crossborder cooperation planned on 24 September 2012. It commended the continuity of the commitment in favour of local and regional democracy by the three chairmanships.


As regards the seminar on crossborder cooperation, the Bureau agreed that the Chair write to the Chairperson of the Ministers’ Deputies to express the readiness of the CDLR to be associated with the event, as crossborder cooperation is both a topic on the “Agenda in Common” mentioned in the Chaves Report and a task for the CDLR according to its Terms of Reference.

It also agreed to invite Deputy Minister Ferdinand Poni to present at the next CDLR meeting a speech to the members on the achievements of the Albanian chairmanship in the field of local democracy.

Mr Paul-Henri Philips informed the Bureau that Belgium began the preparations for its chairmanship (2014-2015) and that the cooperation between three successive chairmanships (as it was the case between Ukraine, the UK and Albania) is part of their reflection.

CDLR

6.    Implementation of the CDLR work programme according to its Terms of Reference

The Bureau examined the state of implementation of the work programme and agreed the following (in brackets, reference to numbers used in document CDLR-Bu(2012)11 rev).

(0.2) In order for the CDLR “to give advice at its own initiative to the Committee of Ministers on questions within its area of competence”, the Bureau noted that the Congress country monitoring reports address generic issues that might lend themselves to consideration by the Committee and further on by the Committee of Ministers. The Bureau requested the Secretariat to prepare a preliminary discussion paper for its next meeting.

(1.1) The (Estonian) questionnaire on local finance addresses a core task of the CDLR but its length and level of details make it difficult for member states to respond. The Secretariat should contact the Estonian delegation with a view to agreeing a shorter questionnaire (if possible) it being understood that the information Estonia is looking for could be best obtained at the CDLR debate or, if very specific, through the Rapid response service.

As regards the organisation of the debates in the CDLR, the Secretariat should (i) remind delegations of the outstanding issues and request suggestions for fresh issues; (ii)  prepare a short summary of the replies received. CDLR members would be invited to take an active part in the debate in order for delegations to get return for the information they will provide.

Estonia and Italy would be invited to act as rapporteurs for the two debates to be had in the topics they have brought forward.


Ms Paqui Santonja suggested discussing the recent measures adopted in some members States (such as Spain) to reduce public expenditure including through changes to the territorial organisation, local and regional authorities’ competences and finance, etc. Spain was willing to facilitate this debate and to prepare a questionnaire. This topic would be added to the CDLR agenda for discussion.

(1.3.1) CDLR delegations will be reminded about the questionnaire. The Secretariat will prepare a template showing the state of implementation and reasons for not ratifying.  

(1.3.2) Mr Paul-Henri Philips confirmed the readiness of Belgium to organise the workshop and present a paper for reflection towards the end of 2012 (in any case, after Belgium’s local elections).

(1.4) The institutes/centres recommended for the task of drafting the manual (EIPA of Maastricht, Institut Destrée of Namur, Euroinstitut of Kehl, ISIG of Gorizia and I. Kant University of Kaliningrad) would be invited to confirm their interest for this work on the basis of a “call for tender” to be prepared by the Secretariat. In the light of the replies received, the Bureau would decide.

(2.3) A consultation meeting open to all CDLR members will be held in Brussels (Benelux Union headquarters) on 5 July 2012.

 

(4.2) No nominations for the function of rapporteur on Children were received. CDLR members would be reminded during the next CDLR meeting.  

As regards the Gender Equality Rapporteur, no further nominations were received either. The appointment could be made at the CDLR meeting as well. The discussion paper prepared by the Secretariat will be communicated to the CDLR and the rapporteur, for consideration at the next plenary meeting.

7.    Date of the next meeting of the Bureau

The next meeting will be held at the end of September/early October in Paris or Brussels. The Secretariat will propose a choice of dates and members will decide by electronic means.

Other

8.    Strategy for Innovation and Good Democratic Governance

The Bureau took note of the documents on the Strategy.

9.    Date and agenda of the next CDLR meeting

The Bureau would agree the draft agenda through the written procedure. The next CDLR would be held on 19-20 November 2012.


APPENDIX 1

                                                                                   

                                                      LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

CHAIRMAN / PRESIDENT

Mr Paul ROWSELL, Deputy Director, Democracy and Local Governance, Department for Communities and Local Government, 3/J1, Eland House, Bressenden Place, LONDON SW1E 5DU, GB

Tel: (44) 303 44 42568; E-mail: [email protected]

OTHER MEMBERS / AUTRES MEMBRES

Mrs Miroslava-Nina MIŠKOVIĆ, Head of Independent Division for International Cooperation, Ministry of Public Administration, Maksimirska 63, 10000 ZAGREB

Tel: (385) 1 2357 532; Fax: (385) 1 2357 609; E-mail: [email protected]

M. Paul-Henri PHILIPS, Adjoint du Directeur Général, Administration des pouvoirs locaux, Ministère de la Région de Bruxelles-Capitale, Boulevard du Jardin Botanique, 20, B – 1035 BRUXELLES

Tel : (32) 2 800 32 77; Cel-phone: (32) 499 58 81 05; Fax :(32) 2 800 38 00;

E-mail : [email protected]

Ms Paqui SANTONJA, Special Adviser, Direction Générale pour la coordination de compétences régionales et locales, Ministère des Finances et de l’Administratin Publique, MADRID

Tel: (34) 91 273 46 59; Fax: (34) 91 273 46 10; E-mail: [email protected]

Mr Auke van der GOOT, BRUXELLES

E-mail: [email protected]

Apologised for absence / excusé

Mr Jesper LORENZ GRADERT, Head of Section, Ministry of Economics and the Interior, Slotsholmsgade 10-12, 1216, COPENHAGEN K

Tel: (45) 7228 2524; E-mail: [email protected]

Other participants / Autres participants

Mr Tom LEEUWESTEIN, Head of Europe and Local and Regional Governance Unit, Directorate General for Governance and Kingdom Relations, Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, P.O Box 20011, NL - 2500 EA THE HAGUE

Tel: (31) 70 426 6468; Fax : (31) 70 426 7655 ; E-mail: [email protected]

Mrs Gabrielle METZ, Adviser, Europe and Local and Regional Governance Unit, Directorate General for Governance and Kingdom Relations, Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, P.O Box 20011, NL - 2500 EA THE HAGUE

Tel: (31) 70 426 7798; E-mail: [email protected]


SECRETARIAT

Mr Alfonso ZARDI, Head of Democracy, Institution-Building and Governance Department/ Chef du Service de la démocratie, du renforcement des institutions et de la gouvernance - Directorate of Democratic Governance, Culture and Diversity / Direction de la gouvernance démocratique, de la culture et de la diversité, Directorate General of Democracy / Direction générale de la démocratie

Tel : +33 (0)3 88 41 39 06; Fax : +33 (0)3 88 41 27 84; E-mail : [email protected]

Mr Thomas ZANDSTRA, Directorate of Democratic Governance, Culture and Diversity / Direction de la gouvernance démocratique, de la culture et de la diversité, Directorate General of Democracy / Direction générale de la démocratie

Tel : +33 (0)3 88 41 52 30; Fax : +33 (0)3 88 41 27 84;

E-mail: [email protected]

Ms Lilit NIKOGHOSYAN, Directorate of Democratic Governance, Culture and Diversity / Direction de la gouvernance démocratique, de la culture et de la diversité, Directorate General of Democracy / Direction générale de la démocratie

Tel : +33 (0)3 88 41 35 04; Fax : +33 (0)3 88 41 27 84;

E-mail : [email protected]

Ms Siobhán MONTGOMERY,Communication, Directorate of Democratic Governance, Culture and Diversity / Direction de la gouvernance démocratique, de la culture et de la diversité, Directorate General of Democracy / Direction générale de la démocratie

Tel: (33) 3 88 41 24 14; Fax: (33) 3 88 41 27 84;

E-mail: [email protected]

                          


APPENDIX 2

AGENDA

         

1.

Opening of the meeting

2.

Adoption of the agenda

[CDLR-Bu(2012)OJ2 rev.]

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

3.

Consideration by the Committee of Ministers of the work of the CDLR

-   Decisions by the Committee of Ministers

-   Other developments

[CDLR-Bu(2012)8]

 

4.

Information on other Council of Europe bodies

[CDLR-Bu(2012)9]

5.

Successive Chairmanships of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe

-      Priorities of the Albanian Chairmanship

-   Stocktaking of the UK Chairmanship

[CDLR-Bu(2012)10]

[CDLR-Bu(2012)10 Addendum]

 

CDLR

6.

Implementation of the CDLR work programme according to its Terms of Reference

-      Overview

-      Decisions on selected items (appointment of rapporteurs, choice of consultant, etc.)

-      Gender Equality Rapporteur: terms of reference and discussion paper

[CDLR-Bu(2012)11]

[CDLR-Bu(2012)11 Addendum]

[CDLR-Bu(2012)13 and Addendum]

7.

Date of next meeting of the CDLR and tentative agenda

[CDLR(2012)OJ2 prov.]

OTHER

8.

Strategy for Innovation and Good Governance at Local Level

[CDLR-Bu(2012)12]

9.

-              Information on the Stakeholders’ Platform

-              Information on recent developments

Date of the next meeting of the Bureau                           

10.

Other business