Strasbourg, 20 September 2012 CDLR-Bu(2012)26
Item 8 of the agenda
BUREAU OF THE
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL DEMOCRACY
(CDLR)
STRATEGY FOR INNOVATION AND GOOD GOVERNANCE
AT LOCAL LEVEL
State of implementation
Secretariat Memorandum
prepared by the
Directorate of Democratic Governance, Culture and Diversity
Democracy, Institution-Building 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 Appendix 1.
Country approach
On 23 May Norway awarded 4 municipalities with the label for Good Governance. Norway is the second Member State (with Bulgaria) which awarded municipalities with the label after the launching of the Strategy in 2007.
No other Member State has implemented the Strategy but several Member States have shown serious interest in implementing the Strategy. The enclosed template gives an overview of the Member States concerned and the developments. Furthermore, a mission in Austria and Hungary to support the process in both countries is scheduled for 9-10 July.
The Secretariat is also having contacts with other Member States for opportunities to implement the Strategy.
European Stakeholders Platform
As part of the planning of regular meetings of the Platform, it was normally expected to have a meeting of the Stakeholders platform in Strasbourg in June. In spite of fruitful developments in several Member States the Secretariat decided in consultation with the chair of the Platform that there was too little substance to convene a meeting which furthermore would have been very short, having regard to the time constraints of several members. The chair of the Platform decided therefore to deal with the questions of Bulgaria by written procedure.
The agenda of the written procedure contained two issues raised by Bulgaria, namely:
- how to deal with different scores from the benchmark self assessment and the councillors/ citizens questionnaires;
- whether municipalities could be monitored on a structural basis after being awarded the label.
Based on the opinion of an idependent expert – who advises on the compatibility of the national/regional rules with the regulations adopted by the Council of Europe Stakeholders’ Platform – the Secretariat prepared draft answers for consideration and decision by the Stakeholders’ Platform. The Platform agreed with the draft answers prepared by the Secretariat and Bulgaria was informed by letter. The copy of this letter is presented in Appendix 2.
The next meeting of the Stakeholders Platform is foreseen early January 2013 and will then hopefully deal with the requests from Romania, Austria, Malta, Spain and France.
Action required
The Bureau is invited to take note of the information contained in this document.
Appendix 1
State of implementation
Austria
|
Description current situation |
The Association of the Austrian Municipalities conducted a workshop on the Strategy. The MCI – Management Centre of Innsbruck – is teaching Strategy as part of the course on good governance. A mission to Vienna was organized on 10 July to discuss the developments. |
|
Which regions/ Municipalities are involved? |
unclear |
|
Is a national platform foreseen/established? |
The Association might organise one, depending on interest from local authorities. Otherwise – possibility of implementing it in Tyrol region only. |
|
Are the benchmark and questionnaires foreseen/ prepared? |
foreseen |
|
What is the (expected) timeframe? |
The decision should ideally be taken by the end of 2012. |
Bulgaria
|
Description current situation |
In 2011, 13 local authorities were awarded the Label (Lovech, Vratza, Svishtof, Strumiani, Sadanski, Pravetz, Mezdra, Karlovo, Dolni Dabnik, Dobritch, Shumen, Varshetz and Svilengrad) and are implementing the principles |
|
Which regions/ Municipalities are involved? |
|
|
Is a national platform foreseen/established? |
yes |
|
Are the benchmark and questionnaires foreseen/ prepared? |
yes |
|
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, will be examined by the Bureau of the Association of French Mayors (AMF) at the end of September. 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. |
|
Which regions/ Municipalities are involved? |
Bondy, Bordeaux, Bricquebec, Le Havre, Nevers, Strasbourg, Suresnes and the Communauté d’Agglomération de Vichy Val d’Allier. |
|
Is a national platform foreseen/established? |
No (the option of creating a structure which will include the participation of the AMF, is currently discussed) |
|
Are the benchmark and questionnaires foreseen/prepared? |
yes |
|
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 a seminar will be 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. |
|
Which regions/ Municipalities are involved? |
65 municipalities, 17 Kreise and 5 cooperative associations from Land of Baden-Württemberg. |
|
Is a national platform foreseen/established? |
no |
|
Are the benchmark and questionnaires foreseen/ prepared? |
no |
|
What is the (expected) timeframe? |
Hungary
|
Description current situation |
Hungary has shown serious interest in implementing the project. The current state of affairs is not clear yet. A mission to Budapest was organized on 10 July to discuss the developments. The associations of municipalities and the majority of the larger cities want to implement the Strategy. The Secretariat is planning to organize a seminar in Budapest to inform the association and the ministry on the Strategy. |
|
Which regions/ Municipalities are involved? |
No formal commitment yet. Töösz is the Hungarian counterpart. |
|
Is a national platform foreseen/established? |
no |
|
Are the benchmark and questionnaires foreseen/ prepared? |
no |
|
What is the (expected) timeframe? |
unclear |
Italy
|
Description current situation |
Italy showed interest, however the timeframe is unclear. |
|
Which regions/ Municipalities are involved? |
The city of Florence and the cities belonging to the Improvement Network coordinated by Florence. |
|
Is a national platform foreseen/established? |
no |
|
Are the benchmark and questionnaires foreseen/ prepared? |
no |
|
What is the (expected) timeframe? |
Unclear |
Malta
|
Description current situation |
Strategy is a part of the new capacity-building project to be funded by the EEA Norway grants |
|
Which regions/ Municipalities are involved? |
All municipalities of Malta - 68 |
|
Is a national platform foreseen/established? |
Foreseen, under the project |
|
Are the benchmark and questionnaires foreseen/ prepared? |
Foreseen |
|
What is the (expected) timeframe? |
The project should start by the end of 2012, after the transfer of the grant |
Norway
|
Description current situation |
Stavanger, Time, Lillesand and Bærum have been awarded the label on 23 May 2012 |
|
Which regions/ Municipalities are involved? |
|
|
Is a national platform foreseen/established? |
yes |
|
Are the benchmark and questionnaires foreseen/ prepared? |
yes |
|
What is the (expected) timeframe? |
The Label contest is foreseen to be repeated in 2013 |
Romania
|
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 will be selected for testing (3-4 cities and communes) |
|
Which regions/ Municipalities are involved? |
A selection of 3-4 municipalities and communes for testing is foreseen. |
|
Is a national platform foreseen/established? |
The set up of the Label Accreditation Committee (members, rules of operation) who select two-three independent experts is foreseen |
|
Are the benchmark and questionnaires foreseen/ prepared? |
yes |
|
What is the (expected) timeframe? |
A request for accreditation, signed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Public Administration Reform is foreseen by 15 October 2012. The request for accreditation could be reviewed by Stakeholders Platform in early December 2012. |
Spain
|
Description current situation |
Spain has shown interest. A meeting with the FEMP (Spanish Association of Municipalities and Provinces) will be organized on 26 September 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. |
|
Which regions/ Municipalities are involved? |
Badalona, Getafe, Malaga, Pinedar de Mar, San Sebastian and Siero |
|
Is a national platform foreseen/established? |
no |
|
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. |
|
What is the (expected) timeframe? |
Creation of the structure/ platform during the first semester of 2013. Awarding of the first municipalities with the Label at the end of 2013-beginning of 2014. |
Ukraine
|
Description current situation |
Strategy is a part of a bigger CB project financed by SDC and DANIDA |
|
Which regions/ Municipalities are involved? |
So far, the region of Odessa tested the benchmark, other regions and municipalities are interested |
|
Is a national platform foreseen/established? |
Foreseen, |
|
Are the benchmark and questionnaires foreseen/ prepared? |
Yes, by the local experts |
|
What is the (expected) timeframe? |
The national platform is pending confirmation from the government |
Appendix 2
