Strasbourg, 15 January 2013 CDLR-Bu(2013)9
Item D.2 of the agenda
BUREAU OF THE
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL DEMOCRACY
(CDLR)
STRATEGY FOR INNOVATION AND GOOD GOVERNANCE
AT LOCAL LEVEL
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. Information on a country by country basis is presented in the Appendix.
European Stakeholders Platform
As part of the planning of regular meetings of the Platform, a meeting of the Stakeholders platform was to have taken place in Strasbourg in January 2013. In spite of fruitful developments in several Member States, no requests for accreditation were sent to the Platform. It was therefore decided not to hold a meeting at this time.
The next meeting of the Stakeholders Platform is scheduled to take place to coincide with the next PACE session from 22-26 April 2013 and will then hopefully consider requests from Romania, Austria and Malta.
Action required
The Bureau 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.
State of implementation
Austria
|
Description current situation |
The Association of the Austrian Municipalities prepared the documents for implementing the Strategy in Austria. Currently the association is exploring which level of government would be the appropriate level to forward the request for accreditation to the Council of Europe soon. |
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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 might organise one, depending on interest from local authorities. Otherwise – possibility of implementing it in Tyrol region only. |
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Are the benchmark and questionnaires foreseen/ prepared? |
Draft benchmark and questionnaires have been prepared. |
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What is the (expected) timeframe? |
The accession by Austria and request for accreditation of the Platform should be received early 2013. |
Belgium
Brussels
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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. |
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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 were awarded the Label (Dimitrovgrad, Dobrich, Dolna banya, Karlovo, Kirkovo,Knezha, Lyaskovets, Pernik, Svilengrad, Svishtov, Smolyan, Sofia, Tyrgovishte) 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 will be organised again in 2013 |
France
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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
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Description current situation |
The Land of Baden-Württemberg showed interest in implementing the Strategy. On 15 October 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. Subsequently an expert has been commissioned with the task of undertaking an analysis of the procedures and additional steps required to implement the strategy in the land of Baden-Württemberg. The expert findings will be presented during a seminar scheduled to take place in March. |
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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? |
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 Hungarian authorities, together with the Secretariat, will organize a seminar in Budapest (in the first half of 2013) with the participation of the association Töösz, the ministries concerned and the major Hungarian cities. The seminar should result in a selection of cities willing to test the benchmark and questionnaires. |
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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
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Description current situation |
The Veneto Region has shown its interest in adopting the strategy at the regional level. Furthermore, the regional authorities would like to use the Strategy as a reference document to promote effective local governance thus supporting the creation of Union of Communes. |
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Which regions/ Municipalities are involved? |
1. Veneto Region. 2. Negotiations with the Trentino-Alto Adige regional government are on-going. |
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Is a national platform foreseen/established? |
The establishment of a regional platform in the Veneto Region is on-going |
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Are the benchmark and questionnaires foreseen/ prepared? |
The adaptation of the benchmark and questionnaires to the Veneto Region is on-going. |
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What is the (expected) timeframe? |
The Strategy will be launched in the Veneto region in March 2013. The Strategy could also be adopted and launched by the Trentino-Alto Adige region before the end of 2013. |
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 early 2013, after the transfer of the grant. |
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 will be selected for testing (3-4 cities and communes) |
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Which regions/ Municipalities are involved? |
A selection of 3-4 municipalities and communes for testing is foreseen. |
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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. |
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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 (first half of 2013) |
Spain
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Description current situation |
Spain has shown interest. A further meeting with the FEMP (Spanish Association of Municipalities and Provinces) was held 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. |
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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 experimented the benchmark. |
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What is the (expected) timeframe? |
Feedback from the FEMP association is awaited before the structure/ platform is created (tentatively, during the first semester of 2013). |
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 pending confirmation from the government |