Since the first report by Past President Halvdan SKARD (Norway, SOC) in June 2009, the process of the Congress’ reform has run through the period of reflection, formulation and drafting of proposals, and consultations with Congress members as well as European and national associations of local and regional authorities, and is now entering a new stage. The 19th Session of the Congress (Strasbourg, 26-28 October 2010) is to approve changes to its structures and working methods as well as amendments to the Congress Charter, which will be submitted to the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers.

The proposed changes include the creation of three new statutory committees, to replace the previous four: a Monitoring Committee, a Governance Committee and a Current Affairs Committee, which will be set up immediately. Once the amendments to the Charter are approved by the Committee of Ministers, the Congress’ Standing Committee will be replaced by a Statutory Forum, the mandate of Congress members will be extended from two to four years, and the 30-per cent requirement for women’s representation in national delegations will be applied also to substitute members.

The 19th Session will also adopt political priorities of the Congress for 2011-2012, focused on five areas: monitoring of local and regional democracy, observation of local and regional elections, targeted post-monitoring and post-observation assistance, the local and regional dimension of human rights, and streamlined thematic activities.

The aim of the reform is to increase the impact of the Congress action and make it more effective and efficient, more visible in the European landscape and more relevant to territorial communities and European citizens. The objective is to make the Congress better adapted and more capable of pursuing its mission as the main contributor to the Council of Europe’s action in the field of democracy and human rights at territorial level.

The 18th Session in March 2010 gave further boost to the Congress’ reform. At the same session, Andreas KIEFER was elected Secretary General of the Congress for a five-year term of office.

The milestones of the reform process included an extraordinary meeting of the Bureau on 12 April 2010 and its meetings on 21 May and 17 June, the decisions of the Standing Committee on 18 June, input from associations of local and regional authorities at the 3rd General Meeting of their representatives on 16 September in Strasbourg, and final proposals adopted by the Bureau on 17 September. Five reports were prepared during this process in 2010: on priorities for 2011-2012 and on the reform of structures and working methods (these two will be debated during the 19th Session in October 2010), on new rules of procedure for monitoring and for election observation, as well as on the Congress’ budget (these three were adopted by the Standing Committee in June 2010).

The first visible result of the reform is an increased pace of monitoring activities, with some 15 monitoring missions scheduled for 2010, three times more than in the previous year. Since its 17th Session in October 2009, the Congress carried out monitoring missions to Austria, Belgium, Estonia, Malta, Montenegro, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia and Turkey, with missions to Bulgaria, Finland, France, Latvia and Slovenia scheduled before the end of 2010, and visits to Moldova and Ukraine postponed to the next year due to elections in these countries. In addition, at its 18th Session in March 2010 the Congress debated reports and adopted recommendations on the situation of local democracy in Iceland and regional democracy in Switzerland. During the same period, the Congress observed local elections in Azerbaijan (December 2009) and Georgia (May 2010), and will observe local elections in Ukraine on 31 October 2010.

With the scheduled mission to France, and with the first-time monitoring reports on Austria, Belgium and Serbia still in progress, the Congress has completed the first monitoring cycle of the 44 member states which have, to date, ratified the European Charter of Local Self-Government. At the same time, the Congress efforts to encourage the three remaining member states (Andorra, Monaco and San Marino) to sign and ratify the Charter will see their first success, with Andorra signing the Charter during the 19th Session in October 2010.

The legal basis for the Congress’ monitoring was expanded at the Conference of European Ministers responsible for Local and Regional Government, held in Utrecht (Netherlands) in November 2009. The Ministers adopted the Reference Framework for Regional Democracy, which sets out principles of regional governance, and opened for signature the first Additional Protocol to the European Charter of Local Self-Government, providing a legal guarantee to the right of citizens to participate in the affairs of a local authority. The 3rd Protocol to the Madrid Convention on transfrontier co-operation, which helps cross-border co-operation between EU and non-EU communities, was opened for signature during this Conference as well. The Ministers also adopted the Utrecht Declaration and the Utrecht Agenda on good local and regional governance. The Congress took an active part in the Conference and contributed to its deliberations. In March 2010, it held a debate on the implications of the Conference results on Congress activities.

Also in March, the Congress decided to include the question of human rights implementation at local and regional level into the scope of its monitoring activities. The local and regional dimension of human rights was identified as a political priority for 2011-2012, and was presented to the stakeholders in human rights at their meeting organised by the EU Fundamental Rights Agency in June 2010 in Vienna.

Other highlights of the year since October 2009 include the participation of the Congress in the UN Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen (Denmark) in December 2009 and a follow-up debate during the 18th Session in March 2010, to prepare for the next conference in Mexico in December 2010; the launch of the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM) in Barcelona (Spain) in January 2010, in which the Congress has observer status, and a related debate on North-South co-operation in March 2010; and organisation of an international conference in Messina (Italy) on fighting corruption at local and regional level, in May 2010, in co-operation with the EU Committee of the Regions.

Furthermore, work was pursued to enhance citizen participation at local and regional level. One example of the practical implementation of citizen participation initiatives is the European Local Democracy Week (ELDW), organised every year in October since 2007. Co-founder of ELDW, the Congress is fully in charge of the organisation of the Week as from 2010. The Congress fully supported its 2010 edition through co-ordinating and encouraging initiatives within Council of Europe member states, introducing a new “12-Star City” status for active municipalities, and co-organising a meeting of young Europeans and elected representatives on climate change in Schiltigheim (France) on 16 October 2010 as well as an international conference on integrating foreign residents into local political life, in Strasbourg on 15 October 2010.

In addition, the Congress signed a revised co-operation agreement with the EU Committee of the Regions in November 2009 and co-operation agreements with the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR) in March 2010 and with the Conference of European Regional Legislative Assemblies (CALRE) in September 2010.

With the decisions to be adopted at the 19th Session, a new, reformed Congress will emerge on the European political scene, set to pursue with vigour and dynamism its core mission of monitoring and strengthening territorial democracy across our continent, improving local and regional governance, and taking up the challenges faced by our communities and their authorities, for the benefit of all Europeans.

A. PURSUING THE CONGRESS MISSION

A.I REFORM OF THE CONGRESS – A SET OF COHERENT MEASURES

In June 2008, the Congress began a review of its working methods and political role, aimed at making the Congress more effective, more relevant to the needs of local and regional authorities and more capable of responding to the challenges facing them. In June 2009, the Congress’ Standing Committee debated the very first report on the reform of working methods, structures and activities of the Congress, prepared by Past President Halvdan SKARD.

The reform objectives are to refocus the Congress activities on the core values of the Organisation, and to ensure greater impact of the Congress action, a better follow-up to its decisions and a more effective exchange with member States to meet their needs.

During the 18th Session, in March 2010, the Bureau decided to appoint Vice-President Günther KRUG (Germany, SOC) as co-rapporteur in respect of the Chamber of Regions. The reform was the focus of the extraordinary meeting of the Congress Bureau on 12 April 2010 and its meetings on 21 May and 17 June 2010. At its meeting in Strasbourg on 18 June, the Congress’ Standing Committee acted on the proposals approved by the Bureau and laid down the basis for further consultations with Congress members and associations of local and regional authorities over the summer.

The reform process resulted in five reports in 2010: on the priorities for 2011-2012 and on the reform of structures and working methods (these two will be debated during the 19th Session in October 2010) and on new rules of procedure for monitoring and for election observation as well as on the Congress’ budget (these three were adopted by the Standing Committee in June 2010).

The new rules lay down operational modalities for both monitoring and election observation exercises. They establish in particular the frequency of monitoring as well as the criteria and process of appointment of rapporteurs, and provide guidelines for the organisation of monitoring missions and preparation of reports. They also enlarge the scope of election observation beyond election day, in order to assess the electoral process as a whole. To this end, missions to observe local and regional elections will be preceded by pre-electoral missions. To ensure an effective follow-up to Congress recommendations, post-monitoring and post-observation assistance programmes are envisaged, to address the identified problems and shortcomings in co-operation with both national and territorial authorities.

While the Congress was pursuing this preparation of its own reform, Thorbjørn JAGLAND was elected Secretary General of the Council of Europe in September 2009. He launched a broad reform plan for the Council of Europe, with the strong support of the Committee of Ministers. This thorough reform aims at revitalising the Council of Europe as a political body and an innovative organization by concentrating its work on projects that offer the highest added value and present comparative advantages – to do what others cannot do.

In June 2010, the Standing Committee stressed the importance of supporting the reform of the Council of Europe as a whole, by accepting a 2% reduction in the Congress’ 2011 budget. It also underlined the importance of optimising the impact of Congress action by concentrating its resources on priority activities and reviewing its structures and working methods. The Congress budget for 2011 has therefore to take account of three major factors: the Congress’ priorities for 2011-2012, the reform of the Congress itself, and the reform of the Council of Europe.

On 16 September 2010, the proposals were discussed with representatives of associations of local and regional authorities, meeting in Strasbourg. At its meeting on 17 September 2010, the Congress Bureau decided on final proposals which are submitted to the Congress session in October 2010.

A.I.1 Aims and objectives of the reform

The aim of the Congress reform is to make the Congress more effective, more relevant to the needs of local and regional authorities and more capable to respond to the challenges facing them, as well as to contribute to the reform of the Council of Europe as a whole, launched by its Secretary General Thorbjørn JAGLAND with the full support of the Committee of Ministers.

Several key provisions of the reform may need the approval of the Committee of Ministers as they may require revising the Congress’ Charter and the Statutory Resolution. On 11 May 2010, President a.i. of the Congress Ian MICALLEF (Malta, EPP/CD) addressed the Ministerial Session of the Committee of Ministers in Strasbourg, using this occasion to present the state of the Congress’ reform and to ask for the governments’ support of the Congress’ efforts.

A.I.2 Congress priorities for 2011-2012

The report by President a.i. Ian MICALLEF, debated by the Standing Committee on 18 June 2010, emphasises that the proposed Congress priorities for 2011-2012 were drawn up in the spirit of the reform proposals for the Council of Europe initiated by its Secretary General Thorbjørn JAGLAND. Its strategic approach for the future work of the Congress makes a new orientation.

The priorities focus on five key elements:

- Bringing a new dynamic to the Congress’ monitoring activities, making them more frequent, more regular, more systematic and more open to political dialogue, which will enable the Congress to fulfil its mission as a monitoring body of the Council of Europe. These activities will have to be coordinated with the other Council of Europe monitoring instruments, to ensure greater impact and tangible developments in member States;

- Widening the scope of election observation. The Congress will systematize its practice of conducting pre-electoral missions, to ensure a proper understanding of the context and process of elections. Cooperation will be developed with the relevant Council of Europe bodies in this respect. In carrying out its election observation mission, the Congress will continue to involve the Committee of the Regions of the European Union in developing its observation capacity. It will also continue to cooperate, when appropriate, with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR). To ensure the effectiveness of election observation, the Congress will continue to implement political follow-up to its recommendations and resolutions;

- Targeted post-monitoring and observation assistance. To achieve real results with respect to the recommendations of its monitoring and election observation missions, the Congress will organise specific cooperation programmes with the member States concerned to address the major issues that it has highlighted as requiring attention and to increase their knowhow and capacity for local governance and election organisation. Such programmes should involve local and regional representatives, not just those of the countries concerned, but also those from other European countries who are willing to share their acquis and expertise on a peer-to-peer basis;

- The new local dimension of human rights. The Congress will work to make local and regional authorities aware of their responsibilities for the implementation of human rights. It is the role of local and regional authorities to ensure that their activities are fully compliant with Council of Europe human rights standards, such as, for instance, ensuring equal access to public services. We need to ensure that our communities are providing the same protection to all persons living in their territories;

- Streamlining thematic activities. The Congress will reorient its thematic activities within its statutory committees in the light of the core values of the Organisation, according to their competencies, focussing on local and regional aspects of the Council of Europe’s priorities of promoting good governance, a socially cohesive and sustainable society and intercultural dialogue.

A.I.3 Adapting Congress structures, activities and working methods

The report on the reform of the Congress by Past President Halvdan SKARD and Vice‑President Günther KRUG, as adopted by the Standing Committee on 18 June 2010, emphasises that the Congress’ political objectives must be closely tied to the priorities of the Council of Europe as a whole, and that it is essential to develop close dialogue with the Congress’ main institutional partners – the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly. The report also highlights the need to develop close co-operation with external partners, including the EU Committee of the Regions, national and European associations of local and regional authorities, and NGOs.

The Congress consulted the national delegations and national and European associations of local and regional authorities on the reform proposals prior to the October session. The final proposals submitted to the 19^th Session include the following changes:

- to extend the mandate of Congress members to four years;

- to provide that at least 30% of Representatives and 30% of Substitutes in a delegation must be of the under-represented sex;

- to reaffirm the role of the Bureau as the executive body of the Congress and the political steering organ responsible for ensuring continuity of activities between Congress, as well as for the external relations and political affairs of the Congress; the presidents of political groups and chairs of committees shall be ex-officio Bureau members without voting rights;

- to replace the Standing Committee by a Statutory Forum composed of the heads of all national delegations and Bureau members, to be convened by the Congress President on the Bureau's decision and to act on behalf of the Congress;

- to create three statutory committees instead of the existing four, namely: a Monitoring Committee, a Governance Committee and a Current Affairs Committee, to meet in plenary only.

It has also bee proposed to make the texts adopted by the Congress be more succinct and more political, and subject to a clearer and more concrete follow-up procedure, giving priority to issues inherent to the mission of Congress, such as the situation of local and regional democracy and election observation.

It has been recommended that the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers revise the Statutory Resolution and the Congress’ Charter accordingly.

A.I.4 Resources and budget adjusted to priorities

The Congress budget for 2011 has to take account of three major factors:

1) The Congress’ priorities for 2011-2012;

2) The reform of the Congress currently under discussion;

3) The reform of the Council of Europe.

The report of Vice-President Jean-Claude FRÉCON (France, SOC), discussed by the Standing Committee on 18 June 2010, stresses the importance of supporting the efforts to reform the Council of Europe proposed by the Secretary General, Thorbjørn JAGLAND, by making the effort to accept a 2% reduction in the Congress’ 2011 budget. In this context, it is also important for the Congress to optimise the impact of its action by concentrating its resources on priority activities and reviewing its structures and working methods.

In the recommendation adopted by the Standing Committee, the Committee of Ministers was asked to involve the Congress fully in the discussions concerning the future of the Organisation, to afford it its rightful place in this connection, and to study the possibilities for developing regular dialogue between the Committee of Ministers and the Congress at the level of the chairs/presidents or bureaux.

A.I.5 New procedures for better monitoring

The monitoring procedure is a crucial tool for checking that the Council of Europe countries having ratified the European Charter of Local Self-Government honour their commitments. In addition to checking in respect of States' commitments, the procedure will establish open and constructive dialogue between the Congress and the national, local and regional authorities of member States, via impartial and independent co-rapporteurs appointed on the basis of objective criteria.

The Congress has decided to intensify its monitoring exercise and to improve its quality and effectiveness, based on a three-fold approach:

- increasing the number of monitoring visits and organising them on a regular basis in each member State, at least once every five years;

- improving the quality of monitoring through a fair process, based on the established transparent criteria and procedures as well as on political dialogue with national and territorial authorities; and

- completing the monitoring process through the effective follow-up and post-monitoring assistance, based on co-operation with national and territorial authorities to address the identified shortcomings and issues of concern.

This is the objective of the Rules governing the organisation of Congress monitoring procedures, adopted by the Standing Committee on 18 June 2010. They include procedures for the organisation, conduct and findings of monitoring visits, aimed at strengthening the political dimension of the visits and the role of the Congress delegations that steer the monitoring work and the follow-up.

To ensure a fair process, the Congress has set clear criteria for the appointment of monitoring rapporteurs, who cannot come from a neighbouring country and whose mandate may not exceed five years, as well as for the scope of their action, parties that they will be meeting in the preparation of reports, and procedures for the adoption of recommendations and resolutions. It was decided that, once validated by the co-rapporteurs, the draft report shall be sent to the authorities of the country concerned who were met by the delegation, so that they may respond and send back their comments which may be published with the report. Draft reports, recommendations and, where applicable, resolutions shall be submitted for adoption to the Institutional Committee, and then for adoption by the Congress, and for a political dialogue to the Committee of Ministers and national governments.

The next step will be to enlarge the post-monitoring follow-up process and engage the authorities of member States in a dialogue and co-operation in post-monitoring assistance, including through systematic exchanges of views with Ministers from the countries concerned during Congress sessions.

A.I.6 Election observation beyond the polling day

Observation of local and regional elections is complementary to the political process of monitoring the European Charter of Local Self-Government, and should not be limited only to certain countries. Nor can election observation be limited to the polling day alone, as it is impossible to make an accurate assessment of the situation and the conduct of the election by only observing voting on election day.

To improve the quality of ite election observation and increase its impact, the Congress decided to adopt a policy covering the whole electoral process as well as conditions which are key for the functioning of democracy and for genuinely democratic elections, which include in particular the political system of the country, the legal conditions, the role of the media, the election campaign and the post-election situation.

The strategy and rules on the observation of local and regional elections, adopted by the Standing Committee on 18 June 2010, contain guidelines for organising election observation missions and drafting the ensuing reports, resolutions and recommendations, as well as a code of conduct to create a clear framework for the mode of action of Congress observers.

To include as much as possible the whole electoral process in the country in its election observation exercise, the Congress decided in particular that all missions to observe local and regional elections shall be preceded by pre-electoral visits.

To ensure a better follow-up to the recommendations and resolutions that arise from the observation of local and regional elections, the Congress decided to put in place a post-observation assistance procedure with the focus on:

- mandating relevant Congress bodies, notably the Institutional Committee, with the supervision of the implementation of recommendations and resolutions arising from observation reports; during the post-election supervision process, concrete action should be taken by the country concerned in accordance with the recommendations within a specified time period of no longer than two years;

- organising specific co-operation programmes to address the major issues that have been raised during the election observation mission; such programmes should involve local and regional representatives and governmental bodies from countries concerned as well as other European countries willing to share their acquis and expertise on local and regional democracy.

Congress members who take part in election observation missions will benefit from specialised training sessions. The Congress will continue its partnership with the EU Committee of the Regions whose members will be joining the Congress delegation on its election observation missions.

A.II MONITORING OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL DEMOCRACY

As part of the reform process launched in 2009, the Congress is seeking to put monitoring on a regular basis, which means establishing a pace of some 12 monitoring reports per year. The Congress has therefore allocated a larger part of its 2010 budget to monitoring. In 2009, it carried out five monitoring missions; for 2010, 15 missions have been scheduled. In addition, to follow up its recommendations and make its action more concrete, the Congress is looking to implement targeted assistance programmes. This would involve working with the governments and territorial authorities concerned to reinforce local democracy and address situations which are highlighted in the country reports and Congress recommendations.

In 2010, the Congress carried out monitoring missions to Austria, Belgium, Estonia, Malta, Montenegro, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia and Turkey, with missions to Bulgaria, Finland, France, Latvia and Slovenia scheduled before the end of the year. In addition, at its 18^th Session in March 2010 the Congress debated reports and adopted recommendations on the situation of local democracy in Iceland and regional democracy in Switzerland.

The legal basis for the Congress monitoring was expanded in 2009, with the adoption of the Additional Protocol to the European Charter of Local Self-Government, providing a legal guarantee to the right of citizens to participate in the affairs of a local authority, and of the Reference Framework on Regional Democracy.

In June 2010, the Standing Committee adopted the rules of procedure for the Congress’ monitoring activities, as part of the Congress reform.

Austria

The Congress carried out a monitoring mission to assess the state of local and regional democracy in Austria from 24 to 26 March 2010. This was the first general monitoring visit to this country since it ratified the European Charter of Local Self-Government in 1987.

Congress Rapporteurs Marc COOLS (Belgium, ILDG) and Irene LOIZIDOU (Cyprus, EPP/CD) met Michael HÄUPL, Mayor and Governor of Vienna; Barbara PRAMMER, Speaker of the Nationalrat (lower chamber of the Parliament); Jan Kai KAINER, Deputy Chairman of the Financial Committee and Peter WITTMANN, Chairman of the Constitutional Committee of the Nationalrat; and Franza Eduard KÜHNEL, Chairman of the Committee of Internal Affairs of the Bundesrat (upper chamber of the Parliament).

Meetings were also held with Mayor of Traisen Herbert THUMPSER, as well as Johann PENZ, President of the Regional Parliament (Landtag) and Johanna MIKL-LEITNER, member of the Regional Government of Lower Austria; government officials from the Federal Chancellery, the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Finance; representatives of the Constitutional Court and the Court of Auditors; and members of associations of local authorities and the Austrian delegation to the Congress.

Belgium

From 16 to 18 December 2009, the Congress carried out a monitoring mission to assess the state of local and regional democracy in Belgium. This was the first general monitoring visit to this country since it ratified the European Charter of Local Self-Government in 2004.

Congress Rapporteurs Michel GUEGAN (France, L, NR) and Dobrica MILOVANOVIC (Serbia, R, NR) met Rudy DEMOTTE, Minister-President of Wallonia, and representatives of Walloon Local Authorities Minister Paul FURLAN; Charles PICQUÉ, Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region; Geert BOURGEOIS, Vice Minister-President and Interior Minister of Flanders; as well as Karl-Heinz LAMBERTZ, Minister-President of the German-Speaking Community. They also met the Presidents and the Secretaries General of national associations of local and regional authorities representing the Brussels-Capital Region, Flanders and Wallonia.

Previously, the Congress adopted two recommendations on the situation of local and regional democracy in Belgium, in May 2003 and in December 2008.

Estonia

The Congress carried out a general monitoring mission to Tallinn, Haapsalu and Tartu on 25 and 26 April 2010, to assess the state of local democracy in Estonia. Congress Rapporteur Jos WIENEN (Netherlands, EPP/CD) looked in particular into the question of local finances and to what extent the allocation of financial resources corresponds to the competences and responsibilities of local authorities.

The delegation met Minister for Regional Affairs Siim Valmar KIISLER, Minister of Finance Jürgen LIGI, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Märt RASK and Mayor of Tallinn Edgar SAVISAAR. In the Estonian Parliament, meetings were held with Väino LINDE, Head of the Constitutional Committee; Taavi ROIVAS, Head of the Finance Committee; and Kalev KOTKAS, Head of the Rural Affairs Committee. Meetings were also held with Jüri VÖIGEMAST, Executive Director of the Association of Estonian Cities and Ott KASURI, Executive Director of the Association of Rural Municipalities, as well as representatives of local government and members of the Estonian delegation to the Congress.

The discussions focused on the long-standing disagreement between the Estonian government and associations of local authorities about the sufficiency of funding for meeting local obligations. This disagreement was further aggravated by the budgetary cuts envisaged by the government in response to the financial crisis, prompting the city of Tallinn to lodge a petition before the Estonian Supreme Court.

The Court’s decision of 16 March 2010, which refers explicitly to the European Charter of Local Self‑Government, provided the criteria according to which the Estonian Parliament has to enable better regulations, on the one hand defining clearly government functions and local authorities tasks, and on the other hand establishing a strong link between the mandatory tasks and competences of local authorities and their funding.

The Congress’ Institutional Committee discussed the report and approved a draft recommendation on the situation of local democracy in Estonia at its meeting in Kragujevac (Serbia) on 2 July 2010. The report will be debated at the 19^th Session of the Congress in October 2010.

Iceland

At its 18th Session in March 2010, the Congress debated a report and adopted a recommendation on the situation of local democracy in Iceland. The report highlighted the high quality of local governance at a time of economic crisis. Rapporteur Esther MAURER (Switzerland, SOC) said that the crisis, rather than undermining the important role played by local authorities in Iceland, has reinforced social solidarity among the country’s various administrative bodies. The reform process of local democracy in Iceland was a matter for discussion and attention was drawn to the quality of local authorities, in terms of both structure and legislation, as well as the willingness of the Icelandic government to develop their role during the financial crisis.

Malta

A general monitoring mission to assess the state of local democracy in Malta was carried out from 21 to 23 June 2010.

Congress Rapporteur Emil CALOTA (Romania, SOC) met Chris SAID, Parliamentary Secretary for Consumers, Fair Competition, Local Councils and Public Dialogue; Stefan BUONTEMPO, Shadow Minister for Local Government; Vincent GAETANO, Constitutional Court Chief Justice; Silvio CAMILLIERI, Attorney General; Anthony MIFSUD, Auditor General and Martin BUGELLI, Director General for Information, Local Government and Public Consultation. Meetings were also held with Alexiei DINGLI, Mayor of Valletta, the Maltese delegation to the Congress and mayors and local councillors from the islands of Malta and Gozo, as well as with representatives of the Local Councils’ Association and the Local Councils’ Executive Secretaries Association.

The Rapporteur welcomed the reform efforts undertaken by the Maltese authorities and their determination to review the country’s commitments with regard to the European Charter of Local Self-Government by ratifying the remaining articles before the end of 2010. He pointed out, however, that after 17 years of local self-government, local councils should be given greater responsibilities as well as the necessary resources and training for their capacity-building. The Rapporteur also called on the national government to consider adopting a special status for the capital city of Valletta, in line with its distinct and important role among the 68 local councils in Malta.

Montenegro

A Congress delegation led by Nigel MERMAGEN (United Kingdom, ILDG) carried out a monitoring mission from 22 to 24 March 2010 to assess the state of local democracy in Montenegro. This was the first general monitoring visit to the country since it ratified the European Charter of Local Self-Government in 2008. The delegation met Deputy Minister for Local Authorities Dragan PEJANOVIC, Deputy Minister for Finance Biljana SCEKIC, Vice-President of the Parliament Zeljko STURANOVIC and Mayor of Podgorica Miomir MUGOSA. Meetings were also held with local authorities of Kotor, the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro, members of the delegation to the Congress, EU and OSCE representatives, as well as experts and NGOs.

The Congress’ Institutional Committee discussed the report and approved a draft recommendation on the situation of local democracy in Montenegro at its meeting in Kragujevac (Serbia) on 2 July 2010. The report will be debated at the 19^th Session of the Congress in October 2010.

Romania

The Congress carried out a general monitoring mission to Bucharest and Prahova from 24 to 26 May 2010, to assess the state of local and regional democracy in Romania.

Congress Rapporteurs Jean-Claude FRECON (France, SOC) and Mariacristina SPINOSA (Italy, SOC) met Deputy Speaker of the Deputies’ Chamber Ioan OLTEAN, President of the Constitutional Court Ioan VIDA, Prefect of Bucharest Mihai-Cristian ATĂNĂSOAEI and Mayor of Bucharest Sorin Mircea OPRESCU. Meetings were also held with Deputy Ombudsman Alexander BALANESCU, Secretary of State for the Public Administration Reform Marius Tiberiu MARTINESCU, Secretary of State for Local Communities Gheorghe EMACU, and Secretary of State for Public Finance Gheorghe GHERGHINA.

In the Parliament, the delegation had meetings with members of the committees on public administration of both chambers, and parliamentary groups of the majority party and of national minorities. The Rapporteurs also met Presidents of several County Councils, mayors and municipal councillors, members of the National Union of County Councils of Romania, the Association of Romanian Municipalities, the Association of Romanian Towns, the Romanian Association of Communities and the Romanian Federation of Local Authorities, as well as members of the Romanian delegation to the Congress.

In a statement at the end of the visit, the Rapporteurs welcomed the progress made towards greater decentralisation and local self-government in Romania, but said that improvements were necessary. They therefore called on the national authorities to ensure that local and regional authorities were granted increased competences and adequate financial resources. The Rapporteurs also noted that the issue of how to establish genuine regions in the country had not been resolved, and encouraged Romanian authorities to reach a firm decision on this subject as soon as possible.

Russian Federation

Monitoring missions to assess the state of local and regional democracy in the Russian Federation were carried out on 16 and 17 December 2009 and on 14 and 15 April 2010.

Congress Rapporteurs Christopher NEWBURY (United Kingdom, L, EPP/CD) and Knud ANDERSEN (Denmark, R, ILDG) examined the situation of local and regional self-government, in particular in the light of the new law on the dismissal of mayors by municipal councils, enacted in May 2009.

In December 2009, they met Yuri OSINTSEV, Deputy Minister of Regional Development; Stepan KIRICHUK, President of the Committee on Local Self-Government of the Federation Council (upper Chamber of the Parliament) and President of the Russian National Congress of Municipalities (RNCM); Valery KADOKHOV, First Vice-President of the Federation Council’s Committee on Federation Affairs and Regional Policy and Congress member, as well as other members of the Russian delegation to the Congress.

Meetings were also held with Viktor USACHEV, President of the State Duma’s Committee on Federation Affairs and Regional Policy; Vyacheslav TIMCHENKO, President of the State Duma’s Committee on Local Self-Government; Viktor PANKRASCHENKO, RNCM Executive Director and member of the Civic Chamber’s Committee on Local Self-Government and Housing Policy; and Svetlana RAZVOROTNEVA, Chair of the Executive Committee of the All-Russia Council on Local Self-Government.

In April 2010, the monitoring mission visited Moscow and Chelyabinsk.

In Moscow, Congress Rapporteurs Christopher NEWBURY (United Kingdom, EPP/CD) and Knud ANDERSEN (Denmark, ILDG) met experts on local self-government, members of the opposition and representatives of the media and civil society. In Chelyabinsk, meetings were held with Governor of the Chelyabinsk Region Mikhail YUREVICH, Head of the City Administration Sergei DAVYDOV, Chair of the City Council Boris VIDGOF and Chair of the Council’s Committee on Local Self-Government Alexei SEVASTYANOV. The delegation also met members of the opposition and representatives of the media and civil society, and took part in a Round Table on “Respect for human rights and the problems and prospects for local self-government in settlements in the Chelyabinsk region”.

The Congress’ Institutional Committee discussed the report and approved a draft recommendation on the situation of local and regional democracy in the Russian Federation at its meeting in Kragujevac (Serbia) on 2 July 2010. The report will be debated at the 19^th Session of the Congress in October 2010.

The Congress’ latest recommendation on the situation of local and regional democracy in Russia was adopted in May 2004. In November 2007, the Congress held an exchange of view with Russian Vice-Minister of Regional Development Vitaly SHIPOV on the recommendation’s implementation.

Serbia

The first monitoring mission to assess the state of local and regional democracy in Serbia took place from 29 June to 1 July 2010.

Congress Rapporteurs Odd KVALÖY (Norway, NR) and Christopher NEWBURY (United Kingdom, EPP/CD) visited Belgrade, Novi Sad and Novi Pazar. They met Slavica DJUKIC DEJANOVIC, Speaker of the Serbian Parliament; Dragoljub MICUNOVIC, Head of the Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Caucus and Jovan PALALIC, Head of the Local Self Government Caucus; Bosa NENADIC, President of the Constitutional Court; Diana DRAGUTINOVIC, Minister of Finance; and Natasa CORBIC, Director of the National Council of Decentralization.

In Belgrade, meetings were held with: Aleksandar ANTIC, President of the City Assembly of Belgrade and its members; Djordje STANICIC, Secretary General of the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities, and Conference Vice-President Nenad MILENKOVIC; as well as representatives of the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self Government.

In Novi Sad, the Congress delegation met Sandor EGERESI and Maja SEDLAREVIC, respectively Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Assembly of Vojvodina; Boris BARJAKTAROVIC, Vice President of the Vojvodina Executive Council and Provincial Secretary for Regional and International Cooperation; Dejan AVDALOVIC, Advisor to the President of Vojvodina;Aleksandar POPOV, Director of the Center for Regionalism; and Stanka PARAC-DAMJANOVIC, Director of the Local Democracy Agency in Subotica.

In Novi Pazar, the delegation met Mayor of Novi Pazar Meho MAHMUTOVIC and his Cabinet Chief, Mirsad JUSUFOVIC; the Mayors of Sjenica and Tutin; and representatives from the Novi Pazar Civil Society.

Switzerland

The situation of regional democracy in Switzerland was the topic for debate at the 18^th Session of the Congress in March 2010. The report presented by Marjan HAAK-GRIFFIOEN (Netherlands, NR) was based on the results of the Congress’ monitoring mission in May 2009 and concerned the structure and functioning of regional (cantonal) self-government in Switzerland, as well as recent reforms and the conformity of cantons with European standards. The Rapporteur drew attention to the process of financial transfers which has allowed for a fairer and more manageable system so that Swiss cantons can “enjoy broad fiscal autonomy”.

Recommendations were brought forward as regards structural reform at local level such as establishing a model for municipal structures, in addition to undertaking a review of intercantonal agreements. However, “regional democracy in Switzerland is dynamic and progressive based on a highly developed and efficient system, which allows this ‘country of differences’ to live in harmony,” concluded the Rapporteur.

Turkey

A general monitoring mission to assess the state of local and regional democracy in Turkey was carried out on 10 and 11 May 2010. This visit followed the first one in January 2009.

Congress Rapporteurs Herwig VAN STAA (Austria, EPP/CD) and Anders KNAPE (Sweden, EPP/CD) met Governor of Ankara Kemal ONAL, Mayor of Diyarbakir Osman BAYDEMIR, Governor-Director General for Local Authorities Ercan TOPACA (Ministry of Interior), Director General for Prisons and Detention Houses Hizamettin KALAMAN (Ministry of Justice), as well as Hayrettin GÜNGOR, Secretary General of the Union of Turkish Municipalities, and Öztürk TÜRKDOGAN, President of the Human Rights Association. Meetings were also held with members of the Turkish delegation to the Congress as well as representatives of the Turkish political parties and of foreign missions to Ankara.

A.III OBSERVATION OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL ELECTIONS

Since the 17^th Session in October 2009, the Congress observed municipal elections in Azerbaijan on 23 December 2009 and in Georgia on 30 May 2010, and carried out a pre-electoral mission to Ukraine for the upcoming local elections which are scheduled for 31 October 2010. In June, the Standing Committee adopted the strategy and rules of procedure for observation of local and regional elections, as part of the Congress reform.

The Congress also took part in the training seminar on the observation of local and regional elections, organised by the EU Committee of the Regions in Brussels on 15 April 2010. In June 2010, Keith WHITMORE (United Kingdom, ILDG), President of the Congress’ Institutional Committee, addressed the 7^th European Conference of Electoral Management Bodies, organised by the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission and the UK Electoral Commission (London, 22-23 June). The conference focused on the pan-European problem of low voter turnout, with workshops on new technologies for voting, alternative voting methods, voter registration, and public confidence in elections.

Municipal elections in Azerbaijan (23 December 2009)

As part of its observation of municipal elections in Azerbaijan on 23 December 2009, the Congress carried out a pre-electoral mission on 7 and 8 December and an observation mission from 20 to 24 December.

During the pre-electoral mission, the Congress delegation met Head of the Presidential Administration Ramiz MEHDIYEV, Head of the Central Election Commission Mozahir PANAHOV, Justice Minister Fikret MAMEDOV, Head of the Parliamentary Committee on Regional Policies Arif RAHIMZADE, as well as representatives of the diplomatic community of Baku, associations of local authorities, NGOs and media. The mission also discussed the electoral process and the situation of local democracy with representatives of municipalities of Novghani and Sumgait outside Baku.

On 23 December, an 11-strong Congress delegation monitored the vote in about 100 polling stations. Head of the delegation Gaye DOGANOGLU (Turkey, EPP/CD) stressed that the elections took place in a calm atmosphere and were well prepared as far as practical arrangements were concerned, though concrete improvement was still necessary. Francis LEC (France, SOC), Rapporteur on these elections, pointed to the importance of independent media and freedom of expression for a genuine democratic climate. Jean-Claude FRÉCON (France, SOC), Rapporteur on Azerbaijan, underlined that competition between parties was missing in the run-up to the elections due to the lack of a truly pluralistic party landscape. The delegation considered the elections as being symptomatic of the still unsatisfactory situation of local democracy as well as of the weakness of local governments in Azerbaijan, and called for reactivation of pluralistic democracy in the country.

The report was debated during the 18^th Session in March 2010.

Local elections in Georgia (30 May 2010)

The Congress carried out a pre-electoral mission to Georgia on 3 and 4 May 2010, as well as a mission from 27 to 31 May to observe local elections in this country on 30 May 2010.

A delegation of the Congress, headed by Vice-President Günther KRUG (Germany, SOC), carried out a pre‑electoral mission to Georgia on 3 and 4 May 2010, in view of the local elections scheduled for 30 May 2010, which included, for the first time in the history of the country, a direct election of the mayor of the capital city, Tbilisi.

The delegation met with representatives of government, opposition and electoral bodies, as well as with the Georgian delegation to the Congress. Views were exchanged with members of the OSCE/ODIHR delegation and with members of the diplomatic community, as well as with media representatives.

Vice-President KRUG headed a larger Congress delegation, including also four members of the EU Committee of the Regions, which returned to Georgia from 27 to 31 May 2010 to observe the local vote on 30 May. On 27 and 28 May the delegation met representatives of government and electoral bodies, amongst them the Chairman of the Parliament, Davit BAKRADZE and the Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure, Davit TKESHELASHVILI.

Following the elections, the Congress delegation issued a joint statement with OSCE/ODIHR, stressing that the elections marked evident progress towards meeting international standards, but significant shortcomings remained to be addressed. The election administration organised the elections in a transparent, inclusive and professional manner, but systemic irregularities were observed on election day in some regions, including several cases of ballot box stuffing and procedural violations during the vote count. The observers also noted deficiencies in the legal framework and its implementation, and characterized the campaign environment as an uneven playing field favouring contestants from the incumbent party. The Georgian public broadcaster provided overall balanced coverage.

The authorities made efforts to pro-actively address problems, including improving the quality of the voter lists. Nevertheless, the low level of public confidence in the election process persisted. The observers said further efforts in resolutely tackling recurring misconduct are required in order to consolidate the progress achieved and enhance public trust before the next national elections.

The report will be debated during the 19^th Session of the Congress in October 2010.

Local elections in Ukraine (31 October 2010): pre-electoral mission

From 28 October to 1 November 2010, the Congress will deploy an election observation delegation of 25 members, including members of the EU Committee of the Regions, in Ukraine to observe local elections scheduled for 31 October.

On 11 and 12 October, a Congress delegation, headed by Gudrun MOSLER-TÖRNSTRÖM (Austria, SOC), carried out a pre-electoral mission to Kyiv. On 11 October, the delegation met with senior officials including Vice-Prime Minister Viktor TYKHONOV, Minister for Foreign Affairs Kostyantynn GRYSHCHENKO, as well as Deputy Head of the Central Election Commission Andrij MAGERA and other members of the Commission. In addition, the delegation held meetings with Yuriy KLUCHKOVSKIY, Member of the Parliament and Deputy Head of the Committee on State Building and Local Self-Government, with OSCE Ambassador in Ukraine Lubomir KOBAJ and with representatives from different Ukrainian self-government associations. The preparations of the forthcoming elections and, in particular, the situation in respect of the new law on local elections adopted by the Parliament last summer, were at the center of the discussions.

On 12 October, the delegation had an exchange of views with representatives of NGOs who will be domestic observers for these elections (Opora and Committee of Voters of Ukraine), representatives of the opposition parties and the media as well as of the international community, including NDI and IRI. In addition, a meeting was held with the head of the leader of the opposition, Yuliya TYMOSHENKO.

A.IV LOCAL AND REGIONAL DIMENSION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

During its 18^th Session in March 2010, the Congress debated a report by Lars O. MOLIN (Sweden, L, EPP/CD) on the role of local and regional authorities in the implementation of human rights. Dieter Von BLARER, Ombudsman for the Basel-city Canton (Switzerland) and Stefan WOLF, Lord Mayor of Weimar (Germany) took part in the debate.

The Congress adopted a resolution and a recommendation stressing that promoting and protecting human rights is a responsibility shared by all the tiers of governance, but it is in regions and cities that human rights need to be nurtured, and local and regional authorities have a key role to play in their day-to-day application. They must therefore set up structures and procedures to monitor and improve human rights situations, in particular in providing public services.

Congress members pointed out that the structure of the Council of Europe provides scope for a multi-tiered approach to human rights, and that the Congress can make an invaluable contribution to the pooling of information and experience, recording of good practices and raising awareness about human rights issues. The Congress called on local and regional authorities to implement a number of measures, dealing with the elaboration of indicators to gauge the fulfilment of human rights, as well as action plans, and budgeting of human rights action; setting up of independent complaints mechanisms at local level; human rights training for elected representatives and their staff; guarantees of equal access to public services, and a system of their quality control.

In an accompanying recommendation, Congress members asked governments to encourage and support local and regional action on human rights, in particular their monitoring and systematic implementation.

It has been decided to include the human rights implementation at local and regional level as part of the Congress monitoring. The local and regional dimension of human rights has also been identified as one of the Congress’ priorities for 2011-2012.

On 1 June 2010, Lars O. MOLIN presented his report at the first stakeholders’ meeting on a joined-up governance approach to human rights implementation, organised by the EU Fundamental Rights Agency in Vienna. He pointed out that ''by delivering social services and services of general interest, local and regional authorities implement on a daily basis much of human rights principles and standards set out in international treaties”, and stressed that the human rights implementation will now be part of the Congress’ monitoring of local and regional democracy in Europe.

A.V MEETING THE CHALLENGES FACED BY COMMUNITIES

Sustainable development and climate change

Local and regional authorities are indispensable stakeholders in any climate agreement – this was the position of the Congress at the 15^th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Climate Change, in Copenhagen (Denmark) in December 2009. On 14 October 2009, the Congress had adopted a resolution and a recommendation calling for the recognition of the role local and regional authorities as fully-fledged partners in this complex issue, and asking for inclusion of the human rights dimension in the new agreement, to ensure a healthy environment as a sustainable response to the challenge.

A Congress delegation led by Vice-President Dubravka SUICA (Croatia, EPP/CD) participated in the Conference from 14 to 18 December. The delegation attended the meetings of the United Nations, met with representatives of the Local Government Climate Roadmap action group and participated in the Climate Summit for Mayors, to speak with one voice and deliver a strong message to governments at the High-Level segment of the Conference.

At its 18^th Session in March 2010, the Congress held a debate on the implications at local and regional level of the results of the Copenhagen Conference, based on a report by Vice-President SUICA entitled “After Copenhagen, cities and regions take up the challenge”. Deputy Mayor of Copenhagen Klaus BONDAM took part in the debate.

In the adopted resolution, Congress members stressed that cities and regions were taking a lead in adaptation strategies and in the fight against global warming, and that their action was all the more vital as national governments did not take any binding decisions in Copenhagen. They called on cities and regions, which can implement 50 to 80 per cent of the measures needed to reduce climate change effects, to take up the challenge and influence their governments to make a new deal at the conference in Mexico in December 2010. In the recommendation to governments, the Congress called for the formal recognition of the role of local and regional authorities, their inclusion in the negotiating process and support for their action on climate.

At its 19^th Session in October 2010, the Congress will debate a report on coastal towns tackling threats from the sea, its most recent text dealing with climate change.

On 8-10 September 2010, the Congress participated in an international conference on sustainable development of the Carpathians and other European mountain regions, in Uzhgorod (Ukraine). Gaye DOGANOGLU (Turkey, EPP/CD) and Valery KADOKHOV (Russian Federation, SOC), respectively President and Vice-President of the Committee on Sustainable Development, called for an integrated European policy and legal framework to reduce the disadvantages of mountain regions and enhance their balanced development, and for a greater involvement of local and regional authorities in addressing the regions’ problems. They also stressed that mountain ranges, which often spread across national boundaries, must be treated as macro-regions, which required increased transfrontier co-operation.

A report on sustainable development of mountain regions will also be debated at the 19^th Session of the Congress.

Fighting corruption at local and regional level

On 7 May 2010, the Congress, the EU Committee of the Regions, the Municipality of Messina, and the Sicily Region of Italy organised an international conference in Messina on fighting corruption at local and regional level. The conference examined the role that local and regional elected representatives, civil servants, media and civil society play in the fight against corruption, and provided participants with good practices on how to address the problem in territorial administrations.

The participants highlighted initiatives to eliminate the conditions which make corruption grow and successful practices such as the revision of local procurement procedures, the introduction of new practices for monitoring decision making processes, the introduction of “integrity pacts”, applicable to local communities and the creation of anti-corruption agencies at local level. The conference underlined the interest of developing a new code to inform local and regional politicians about a conduct to be adopted in their day‑to‑day performances. At the same time, citizens should be aware of the behaviour they are entitled to expect from their elected representatives.

The conference served as a basis for the preparation of the report on rights and responsibilities of local and regional elected representatives and the risks of corruption, to be debated at the 19^th Session in October 2010. The report underlines that prevention, good governance, public participation and the sharing of ethical values are key factors in ensuring a fair management of public funds by territorial administrations and in counteracting any form of favouritism and corruption. The report calls for a new culture of transparency and respect of ethical values and legality, and for developing guidelines of an ethical behaviour for local and regional politicians.

Citizen participation

The Congress pursued its activities to increase democratic participation of citizens at local and regional level, driven by its conviction that their active involvement in power-sharing and decision-making is a requirement of modern democracy and good governance. Citizens’ participation is crucial for improving local governance and ensuring transparency, efficiency and high ethical standards in local government action. Involving local residents in decision-making is also a sure way of tapping into their great potential for innovation.

New Protocol to the Local Self-Government Charter

An Additional Protocol to the European Charter of Local Self-Government, providing a legal guarantee of the right to participate in the affairs of a local authority, was opened for signature in November 2009. The Protocol defines such participation as the right to seek to determine or to influence the exercise of a local authority's powers and responsibilities: This participation is decisive because it helps to reinforce the legitimacy of decisions, and because it enables public authorities to listen to citizens' views and to learn from them in order to improve the policies pursued and the services provided. Finally, participation gives a feeling of belonging and makes local communities places where people wish to live and work, both now and in the future.

Involving citizens to preserve historic sites

On 1 and 2 October 2010, the Congress, in co-operation with the Turkish national authorities, the Kayseri Municipality, the European Association of Historic Towns and Regions (EAHTR) and the Turkish Union of Historic Towns (TUHT), organised an International Symposium on integrated management plans in historic towns – involving the citizen, in Kayseri, Turkey.

The Symposium focused on citizens’ participation in various schemes for managing historic sites, including local innovative approaches and consultations with local residents. Examples from Istanbul, Edirne and Alanya in Turkey, as well as case studies of Valetta (Malta), Poitiers (France) and Lublin (Poland) were presented.

Integration and participation of foreign residents at local level

On 15 and 16 October 2010, the Congress and the City of Strasbourg organised an international conference on “Integrating foreign residents into local public life: challenges and prospects”, in the framework of the European Local Democracy Week. The conference brought together municipalities that have already established foreign residents’ councils, that are actively pursuing local integration and intercultural relations’ policies, and that are willing to join these efforts. It provided a forum to discuss different forms of citizens’ participation, compare the functioning of foreign residents’ councils and identify common problems and solutions.

The first day of the conference was devoted to the European legal framework for foreign residents’ participation, experience-sharing as well as testimonies of municipalities participating in the European network of the Cities for Local Integration Policy (CLIP) and the “Intercultural Cities” project of the Council of Europe and the European Commission. The Strasbourg Club also presented its work on Roma integration. The day of 16 October focused on the launching of the first-ever network of foreign residents’ consultative councils of French cities.

In a Declaration adopted on 15 October, the conference participants called on Council of Europe member states to ratify and put into practice the European Convention on the Participation of Foreigners in Public Life at Local Level, aimed at allowing all citizens, whether they be from the European Union or not, to fully participate in their local community. They urged the European institutions and public authorities of all levels not only to grant foreign residents the right to vote and stand for election at local level but also to develop policies to ensure that all residents have the same opportunities to act and participate, at local level, as fully-fledged participants in local life.

The Declaration called on states, regions and local authorities to facilitate the establishment of consultative bodies representing foreign residents and to provide the administrative and financial resources required for their operation. The participants also encouraged other measures involving the integration of foreign residents, migrants and Roma communities and the strengthening of intercultural dialogue and intercultural relations for the benefit of the cultural diversity of towns and cities.

European Local Democracy Week

The European Local Democracy Week (ELDW), launched in 2007, is an annual event to increase the knowledge of local democratic institutions and processes amongst citizens and to strengthen links between community residents and their local representatives. It is the moment to learn more about grassroots politics in Europe. The week around 15 October has been chosen for holding this event as a tribute to the European Charter of Local Self-Government, opened for signature on that date in 1985.

The ELDW aims to have local populations meet their elected representatives, to raise citizens’ awareness of how local authorities operate, to inform them of the opportunities available for taking part in decision-making at local level and, as a result, draw their attention to how crucial their participation in local affairs is for maintaining the vitality of local democracy.

On 2 March 2010, a meeting of ELDW coordinators, organised by the Congress in Strasbourg, chose as the leading theme for 2010 “the impact of sustainable communities in the fight against climate change”. Welcoming this choice, Keith WHITMORE (United Kingdom, ILDG), Political Co-ordinator of the ELDW and President of the Congress’ Institutional Committee, stressed that climate change involved many other aspects of local policies. “The Week will be an opportunity to demonstrate how towns and cities can succeed in solving environmental problems and gradually transform into sustainable communities,” he said.

In 2010, new impetus was given to the ELDW with the “12 Star City” concept. Fifteen cities were registered under this “12 Star”-label, thus committing themselves specifically to the ELDW by dedicating resources to the event (staff, budget, PR-initiatives, European event, youth involvement).

Municipalities from the following countries took part in the ELDW 2010 and sent information about their activities and programs: Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Slovak Republic, Switzerland, Netherlands, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, the “former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”.

Among activities co-organised by the Congress during the Week were a conference on integrating foreign residents into local public life and a meeting of young European and elected representatives on “Youth, climate change and water: the stakes of territorial development and the impact on the most disadvantaged”, organised in co-operation with the Municipality of Schiltigheim and Solidarité Eau Europe, both in Strasbourg on 15 and 16 October 2010. During the youth meeting on 16 October, local politicians and members of youth councils from Croatia, Latvia, Moldova and Russia exchanged views and shared experience with their associates from France, their local authorities and some of the Congress’ members and experts.

A.VI FOSTERING PARTNERSHIPS

While strengthening local and regional democracy and monitoring its situation in Europe is the core mission of the Congress, fostering partnerships and extending co-operation networks is a crucial means of achieving this objective. Through partnerships, the Congress ensures a coordinated approach to the issues of common concern and the maximum impact of joint action.

In the period since the 17^th Session, the Congress signed a revised co-operation agreement with the EU Committee of the Regions, in November 2009, and new co-operation agreements with the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR), in March 2010, and the Conference of European Regional Legislative Assemblies (CALRE), in September 2010.

The Congress’ privileged partners in the national setting are national associations of local and regional authorities, which relay its action in territorial communities and act as an “early-warning” system in reporting alleged violations or non-respect of the principles of local self-government. In 2006, the Congress put in place a mechanism of regular consultations with associations and has held three General Meetings of their representatives since then. The 3^rd General Meeting on 16 September 2010 provided input into the Congress’ reform and priorities for 2011-2012.

Within the Council of Europe, President a.i. Ian MICALLEF held an exchange of views with the Committee of Ministers on 24 February 2010, to present the reform process in the Congress. He stressed that the Congress embarked on its own review of activities and structures, aimed in particular at increasing the rhythm, pace and extent of its monitoring missions. ''Monitoring has to be regular if it is to be effective, and should be more concrete, involving on-the-spot activities and deeper cooperation with governments in addressing the situations highlighted in country reports,'' he said.

On 11 May, he addressed the 120th Session of the Committee of Ministers, in Strasbourg. “There is a strong political will in the Congress to be an active element of the Council of Europe reform. In the coming months, we intend to move forward a programme of changes to ensure that the Congress will continue to bring an added value to this Organisation. The Congress will go as far as possible with the reform within the remit of its own competences, but will need the green light from the Committee of Ministers to revise its Charter. We count on your support to maintain the momentum of change,” he stated in his speech.

From 19 to 21 October 2010, a large Congress delegation led by President a.i. MICALLEF participated in the Council of Europe Forum for the future of democracy, held in Yerevan (Armenia). The Forum, which had as its theme “Democracy in Europe – Principles and challenges”, sought to identify strategic approaches to strengthening good democratic governance in the European space in the face of regional and global challenges, and to formulate proposals for the next phase of the Forum process.

A.VI.1 Utrecht Conference

President a.i. Ian MICALLEF headed a Congress delegation at the 16^th Conference of European Ministers responsible for Local and Regional Government, in Utrecht (Netherlands) on 16-17 November 2009. The Congress contributed its positions on the Kiviniemi report and on the Reference Framework for Regional Democracy, discussed at the conference, as well as its opinions on the 3^rd Additional Protocol to the Madrid Convention on Transfrontier Cooperation and on the Additional Protocol to the European Charter of Local Self-Government on democratic participation at local level, which were opened for signature.

Addressing the conference, President a.i. MICALLEF stressed the need for constant dialogue between governments and local and regional authorities, at both national and Council of Europe level. He also stressed the fact that governments had to be more active in implementing the Congress’s recommendations and that any action to ensure good governance had to involve the local and regional authorities themselves. “Monitoring the quality of local and regional democracy is the sole responsibility of the Congress which is accountable to territorial authorities”, he said.

His words were followed up by Congress Vice-President Jean-Claude FRÉCON and President of the Institutional CommitteeKeith WHITMORE, who underlined the Congress’s leading role in monitoring the quality of local and regional democracy in Europe while at the same time pointing out ministers’ responsibility to ensure that its proposals were acted upon.

The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to reducing and ultimately removing the practical and legal obstacles limiting co-operation between local and regional authorities across national borders. Additional Protocol No. 3 to the European Outline Convention on Transfrontier Co-operation (the 1980 Madrid Convention), which is supported by the Congress and was opened for signature by the member states at the conference, is an innovative legal instrument that should help bring about stronger inter-territorial co-operation.

The Ministers then opened for signature by the member states the Additional Protocol to the European Charter of Local Self-Government on citizen participation. This instrument, which has also been given a favourable opinion by the Congress, guarantees every citizen the right to participate in the affairs of their local authority, first by electing it and then by becoming involved in any consultations, petitions or referendums that it organises. For their part, local authorities are called upon to encourage the exercise of this right, including by installing the necessary technologies and providing information making it possible to ensure that this right is upheld more effectively.

The conference concluded with the adoption of the Utrecht Declaration, which highlights the leading role to be played by local and regional authorities in order to find a way out the economic and financial crisis. In this connection, the ministers drew particular attention to the respective roles of local authorities and central governments, stressing the responsibility of the latter for guaranteeing the resources of local authorities.

The Ministers also adopted the Utrecht Agenda on the establishment of good local and regional governance for 2010-2013. The Agenda identifies specific challenges of particular significance to all, especially the management of the economic and financial crisis, the low level of democratic participation in public life at local and regional level and the need to increase the organisational effectiveness of local and regional authority governance. The Utrecht Declaration and Utrecht Agenda represent a renewed basis for action and co-operation in future years between governments and the Congress as partners in the implementation of the measures advocated by these texts.

At its 18^th Session in March 2010, the Congress held a debate on the results of the Utrecht Conference and their implications for Congress activities, based on a report by Knud ANDERSEN (Denmark, R, ILDG). The Congress adopted a recommendation on the Kiviniemi report which, according to the Rapporteur, would “enhance the work of the Council of Europe in dealing with the challenges facing local and regional authorities”. It also adopted a resolution on the Reference Framework for Regional Democracy, which was referred to as an important step towards a legally binding instrument on regional government.

A.VI.2 Relations with the EU Committee of the Regions

The Congress and the Committee of the Regions (CoR) of the European Union continued their co-operation on subjects of common interest, working in synergy to promote local and regional democracy, develop good governance practices and guarantee that responsibilities devolved to territorial authorities are respected and supported at national and European level.

On 12 November 2009 in Brussels, the Presidents of the CoR and the Congress, assisted by the Secretaries General, held their annual bipartite meeting. They signed a revised co-operation agreement between the two institutions, first concluded in April 2005. The new agreement formalised methods of cooperation, taking into account the Memorandum of Understanding between the European Union and the Council of Europe, signed on 23 May 2007.

The agreement conferred the leading role in giving policy orientation and defining thematic priorities for cooperation on the Presidents of the Congress and the Committee of the Regions. The Contact Group “Congress/Committee of the Regions”, meeting twice a year, was charged with establishing, based on these priorities, a work programme which is then implemented by respective committees, commissions and working groups. The Contact Group can add more specific activities to meet new needs.

In addition, the revised agreement reaffirms the principle of complementarity between the Congress and the Committee of the Regions and respect for each other’s competences and nature. It stipulates that any decision on the lead role within joint projects will be taken on the basis of the specific remits and experiences of both parties.

At the meeting in November 2009, five thematic priorities for cooperation were identified: multilevel governance; promotion and defence of fundamental rights; election monitoring; the fight against corruption at local and regional level and transfrontier and territorial cooperation.

The “Contact Group Congress/Committee of the Regions” held its first annual meeting on 6 May 2010 in Messina, Italy. The Contact Group laid foundations for the organisation of a joint Congress/CoR event in the framework of the European Local Democracy Week (ELDW) and for the participation of the Congress in the Committee of the Regions “Open Days”. The Group discussed the Congress’ Opinion on the CoR White Paper on multilevel governance and contributed to the CoR Workshops on Multilevel Governance, held in Brussels on 22 June 2010, with the participation of Andreas KIEFER, Secretary General of the Congress.

On 3 September 2010, the rapporteurs of the Congress and of the Committee of the Regions on local and regional democracy in Eastern Partnership member states (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) held their first joint meeting in Brussels, taking co-operation between the two institutions a step further. The rapporteurs exchanged views on the opinions prepared by the Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs (CIVEX) of the Committee of the Regions, as well as on the Congress’ work with regard to these countries.

CoR members also took part in Congress’ missions to observe local and regional elections. These activities allowed the two bodies to work in synergy for assessing the situation of territorial democracy in the field, in particular in non-EU member states, and coordinate their respective positions.

The new President of the Committee of the Regions, Mercedes BRESSO, elected in February 2010, will address the 19^th Session of the Congress in October 2010.

A.VI.3 Euro-Mediterranean cooperation and Euro-Arab dialogue

The Euro-Arab dialogue and Euro-Mediterranean co-operation will remain an important axis of Congress activities, not least through its participation as observer in the Regional and Local Assembly for the Euro-Mediterranean (ARLEM), launched on 21 January 2010 in Barcelona (Spain). President a.i. Ian MICALLEF addressed the ARLEM Inaugural Meeting, stressing that this Assembly reflects the need to involve all levels of governance in the Euro-Mediterranean cooperation process. ''With its pan-European dimension, the Congress has much to contribute to the work of ARLEM,” he said.

At its 18^th Session in March 2010, the Congress discussed its role in ARLEM as part of the debate on North-South cooperation, which also featured statements by Rachid SASSI, Vice-President of the Municipality of Rabat (Morocco) and Eberhard KOELSCH, Vice-Chair of the European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity (North-South Centre). The participants stressed that political dialogue between Europe and the countries of the southern Mediterranean is a vital requirement for increasing political stability and reviving socio-economic development in the Mediterranean basin. In a resolution adopted at the close of the debate, the Congress undertook fully to support the activities of ARLEM, and called on European local authorities and their associations to forge bilateral relations with authorities in the countries of the southern and eastern Mediterranean basin.

On 22-23 February 2010, President a.i. Ian MICALLEF participated in a seminar on the prospects of co-operation between Morocco and the Council of Europe, in Rabat. He called for greater involvement of Moroccan local authorities in the activities initiated or supported by the Congress, and encouraged an active participation of Moroccan municipalities in the process of fostering Euro-Arab cities’ dialogue.

Preparations were also launched for organising the next Euro-Arab Cities Forum, which will take place in Malaga, Spain, on 25-26 February 2011. The aim of the Forum is to pursue the dialogue for democracy and development through stronger local self-government and to improve partnership relations among European and Arab cities. Following the Euro-Arab Cities Forum in Dubai (United Arab Emirates) in 2008, a Steering Committee was set up at the Congress initiative, with the participation of the Congress, COPPEM, CEMR, the Arab Towns Organisation, the Municipality of Dubai, and the City of Malaga. The Steering Committee met on 15 April in Malaga and on 11 June 2010 in Casablanca (Morocco) to advance the preparations for the 2011 Forum.

On 2-3 May 2010, the Congress took part in the 2nd Forum of Local and Regional Authorities of the Mediterranean, held in Barcelona. The Forum focused on the prospects for the Union for the Mediterranean and the development of a Euro-Mediterranean local and regional agenda.

A.VI.4 Support programmes

Association of Local Democracy Agencies (ALDA)

The Congress continues to follow very closely the evolution of ALDA and is regularly represented within both its main meetings and its decision-making bodies. During the meeting of its Governing Board and its General Assembly on 27-28 May 2010 in Skopje (the “former Republic of Macedonia”), ALDA identified possibilities to strengthen cooperation with the Congress, and presented an overview of ongoing projects and the future work programme. Two main geographical areas have been identified: South-East Europe and South Caucasus.

On 29 and 30 October 2009, ALDA organised a meeting in Kutaisi, Georgia, to launch a process of dialogue between representatives of the three national communities associations of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. This event could serve as a starting point to overcome still existing mistrust and reluctance in South Caucasus with the aim to enter into a more constructive phase of relationship to be consolidated among all parties concerned.

ALDA intends to pursue the efforts already made in the region, going beyond the strengthening of the role of the LDA located in Kutaisi, Georgia, by creating new agencies devoted to stabilizing the ongoing democratization process in the area. The opening of a new LDA in Armenia is envisaged and might still be finalised by the end of 2010.

In South-East Europe, a new Local Democracy Agency (LDA) Kosovo was opened on 2 August 2010 in Pec/Peja. Vice-President Günther KRUG represented the Congress at the opening ceremony.

Network of Local Authority Associations in South-East Europe (NALAS)

On 29 January 2010, a meeting of the Network of Associations of Local Authorities of South-East-Europe (NALAS) and its Committee of Liaison Officers (CLO) was organized in Zagreb, Croatia. The members elected a new Executive Board and decided to hold the next General Assembly of NALAS in March 2011 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. This General Assembly will be combined with the global conference organised by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation’s (SDC), and with a South-East Europe Municipal Exhibition (as a fundraising activity for NALAS). Furthermore, an agreement was reached on new criteria for future applications to join NALAS. On 15 June 2010, NALAS adopted the Sofia Declaration critical of politicised influences in local government associations.

The Bureau of the Congress offered its input and suggestions in order to help NALAS to articulate, in a constructive manner, policy recommendations to be formulated and adopted in order to contribute to an increased co-operation among the growing number of associations of local authorities in South-East Europe under the umbrella of NALAS.

Possible joint-ventures and targeted training activities are in the process of being developed and agreed between ALDA and NALAS in order to offer focused training programmes to local administrations and to step up constructive dialogue with civil society in South Caucasus, where ALDA is planning to establish new LDAs as focal points for democratic stability in Armenia and Azerbaijan.

European Network of Training Organisations for local and regional authorities (ENTO)

An ENTO Bureau meeting took place on 25 June 2010, by means of a video-conference, clarifying remaining financial questions, notably about membership fees and outstanding reimbursement questions, but the Bureau members also tried to identify ways and means to increase the visibility of ENTO projects, activities and initiatives through an interactive website, to be regularly up-dated by ENTO members. For the moment the site is still under construction.

The main subject matter to be discussed was the preparation of the General Assembly and the Annual ENTO Conference which will be organised in close co-operation with “Instituto Andaluz de Administración Publica” in Sevillia, Spain on 4 and 5 November 2010. The Annual Conference will be dedicated to “Macro-regions – a new concept for interregional co-operation?” and the role of training organisations to provide proper input for capacity building, enabling local and regional representatives to get acquainted with these new concepts and working methods in the wider European context.

Closer interaction with the Adriatic and Black Sea Euroregions, created by the Congress, should be developed when establishing links with “new” macro-regions, such as the Danube Region, which will be promoted notably during the Hungarian Chairmanship of the EU in the first half of 2011.

B. INSTITUTIONAL ACTIVITIES

B.I 17^th SESSION

The 17^th Plenary Session took place in Strasbourg from 13 to 15 October 2009. The Congress Bureau, the Bureaux of its Chambers as well as the Institutional Committee and the Committee on Social Cohesion met on 12 October, on the eve of the session.

Plenary sittings

The session began with a debate on the state of transfrontier cooperation in Europe, based on the report by Karl-Heinz LAMBERTZ. Michel DELEBARRE, 1^st Vice-President of the EU Committee of the Regions and President of the Mission Opérationnelle Transfrontalière (MOT) took part in the debate, which was followed by a statement from Veroljub STEVANOVIC, Mayor of Kragujevac (Serbia).

Thorbjǿrn JAGLAND, the newly elected Secretary General of the Council of Europe, addressed the session, which was his first institutional speech in this function. He underlined the importance of the role of local representatives as those politicians who are most directly confronted with the needs, wishes and complaints of their electorate. “Politicians are always under pressure to deliver results, but it is at the local level that this pressure is perhaps most concrete, constant and direct,” he said.

His speech was followed by a sitting devoted to the celebration of the 60^th anniversary of the Council of Europe. It began with statements by Zlata PLOSTAJNER, Slovenian Minister of Local Self-Government and Regional Development; Peter ALTMAIER, Parliamentary State Secretary of the German Interior Ministry; and Alan MEALE, President of the Parliamentary Assembly’s Committee on Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs.The session adopted the Congress Declaration on the 60th anniversary of the Council of Europe, presented by Vice-President Dubravka SUICA (Croatia, L, EPP/CD).

The Congress then proceeded to a debate on the European Local Democracy Week, introduced by Anders KNAPE (Sweden, L, EPP/CD), with the participation of Stepan KIRICHUK, President of the Russian National Congress of Municipalities, and Robert HERRMANN, First Deputy Mayor of Strasbourg in charge of local democracy. During a second debate, on youth participation in democracy, Congress members heard presentations from Raphaël NISAND, Mayor of Schiltigheim (France), Ambrine BAADER, member of Schiltigheim’s children’s council which is celebrating its 30^th anniversary this year, and Eloïse JACOB of the youth municipal council of Strasbourg. In addition, Mayor of Stuttgart and Congress member Wolfgang SCHUSTER (Germany, L, EPP/CD) presented activities of the Cities for Children network and proposed drafting a European Charter for the well-being of children in towns.

The commemorative sitting continued with a debate on challenges for local democracy in the world, during which Mayor of Caracas (Venezuela) Antonio LEDEZMA and Mayor of Yonago (Japan) Yasuo NAZAKA shared their experience of local self-government in their parts of the globe. It was concluded by a statement on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, presented by Congress Vice-President Günther KRUG (Germany, R, SOC).

On Wednesday 14 October, the Congress debated reports on local responses to the global challenge of climate change, by Jens Jorgen NYGAARD (Denmark, L, NR); on domestic violence against women, by Sandra BARNES (United Kingdom, L, EPP/CD); and on preventing violence against children, by Pia BOSCH I CODOLA (Spain, R, SOC). The resolution and recommendation on climate change represent the Congress position for the UN Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen in December 2009.

Outgoing Secretary General of the Congress Ulrich BOHNER made a statement in which he took stock of his 37-year career at the Council of Europe, mainly in the Congress, and shared with members his vision of the Congress’ role and mission. The Congress was born out of ''a deep-seated trend of our European societies towards recognition of the principle of subsidiarity and of the need to counterbalance the tendencies towards greater concentration of powers at the European level by stronger development of the grassroots regional and local dimension'', he said.

On Thursday 15 October, the Congress heard a statement by Roland RIES, Mayor of Strasbourg, who emphasised the Congress’ role as a mouthpiece for local and regional authorities. “Without you, it would be possible for our regions, our municipalities, to make their voices heard only through non-institutionalised lobbying, in a European community still largely dominated by diplomacy involving States”, he said. Mayor RIES gave a description of the Strasbourg-Ortenau Eurodistrict and the Upper Rhine Region, where “the concept of transfrontier co-operation is now fully integrated into our local governance”. “Soon the Eurodistrict will move even further along the path of integration, going beyond the simple concept of co-operation and drawing closer to that of joint decision-making’', he added.

The Congress continued with a debate on cooperation in the Baltic Sea region, with the participation of Mikko LOHIKOSKI on behalf of Per BØDKER ANDERSEN, President of the Union of the Baltic Cities; Silvia GUROVA, Head of the International Relations Department of the Kaliningrad Regional Government (Russian Federation); and Ambassador Neris GERMANAS, representing the Lithuanian Chairmanship of the Baltic Sea Council.

The session was concluded by a debate on equal access to local and regional elections, based on the report by Cees BIJL (Netherlands, L, SOC).

Chamber of Local Authorities

Meeting on Wednesday 14 October, the Chamber of Local Authorities debated the situation of local authorities in Southeast Anatolia (Turkey), with the participation of representatives of the Turkish local authorities and civil society. The Chamber also discussed the report by Etienne VAN VAERENBERGH (Belgium, ILDG) and Alison COOK (United Kingdom, EPP/CD) on e-democracy: opportunities and risks for local authorities.

On Thursday 15 October, the Chamber held a debate on creative cities – managing the cultural activity of cities, based on the report by Konstanty DOMBROWICZ (Poland, ILDG), during which Congress members heard a statement by Malcolm WOOD (United Kingdom), Chair of EUROCITIES working group on creative industries. Another report, by Paolo RONDELLI (San Marino, SOC), dealt with improving indoor air quality as a new challenge for local authorities, while Nigel MERMAGEN (United Kingdom, ILDG) presented the report on the observation of the first-ever elections of the Mayor of Yerevan (Armenia) on 31 May 2009, urging Armenia to achieve a higher standard of electoral ethics.

Chamber of Regions

The Chamber of Regions met on Wednesday 14 October to discuss ways for regions to help families with excessive debt, based on the report on over-indebtedness of households: the responsibility of regions, by Carmen Patrizia MURATORE (Italy, ILDG); as well as a report by Bernd PETRISCH (Austria, EPP/CD) on regions with legislative powers: towards multilevel governance.

Meeting again on Thursday 15 October, the Chamber heard a statement by Governor of Fukui Prefecture (Japan) Issei NISHIKAWA on the development of regionalisation in his country, and held a round table on cooperation between European regions: objectives, structures and networks. Among the participants were Jean-Paul HEIDER, First Vice-President of the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR); Urs WÜTHRICH-PELLOLI, Vice-President of the Assembly of European Regions (AER); Herwig VAN STAA, President of the Conference of European Regional Legislative Assemblies (CALRE); François SAINT-OUEN, Executive Secretary of the European Foundation for the Sustainable Development of the Regions (FEDRE) and Bernd PETRISCH, Advisory Board Member of the Institute of the Regions of Europe (IRE).

B.II 18^th SESSION

The 18^th Session of the Congress took place in Strasbourg from 17 to 19 March 2010.

Its highlights included the election of the Congress Secretary General and debates on the role of local and regional authorities in implementing human rights, implications of the Copenhagen Summit on climate change for territorial authorities, creation of a regional and local assembly for the Euro-Mediterranean (ARLEM), as well as the importance of gender equality in political life at local and regional level.

The Congress discussed the situation of territorial democracy in Albania, Iceland, Portugal and Switzerland, as well as a report on the observation of municipal elections in Azerbaijan on 23 December 2009. The agenda also featured the discussion of the Utrecht Declaration on good local and regional governance, as well as reports on minority languages and intra-regional transport.

The Congress Bureau, the Bureaux of its Chambers as well as its Committees on Culture and Education, Social Cohesion, and Sustainable Development met on 16 March, on the eve of the session.

Plenary sittings

On 17 March 2010, Andreas KIEFER was elected Secretary General of the Congress, from the shortlist of three candidates. He took up his duties on 1 April 2010.

The Congress then held a current affairs debate on the financial crisis and its effect at local and regional level, featuring statements by Congress Vice-President Svetlana ORLOVA (Russian Federation, R, EPP/CD) and Olivier TOUCHET, Regional Director of the DEXIA Bank (France).

The session proceeded with debates on territorial democracy and human rights and on North-South cooperation.

The Congress examined the report by Lars O. MOLIN (Sweden, L, EPP/CD) on the role of local and regional authorities in the implementation of human rights, and heard statements by Dieter Von BLARER, Ombudsman for the Basel-city Canton (Switzerland) and Stefan WOLF, Lord Mayor of Weimar (Germany).

President a.i. Ian MICALLEF (Malta, EPP/CD) and Ludmila SFIRLOAGA (Romania, SOC), President of the Chamber of Regions, presented a report on the launch of the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM) and the role of the Congress as part of the debate on North-South cooperation, which also featured statements by Rachid SASSI, Vice-President of the Municipality of Rabat (Morocco) and Eberhard KOELSCH, Vice-Chair of the European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity (North-South Centre).

Thorbjørn JAGLAND, Secretary General of the Council of Europe,addressed the session and answered questions from Congress members during the afternoon sitting. He stressed the importance of the Congress’ contribution to the Council of Europe’s work on democracy, human rights and the rule of law, as it is on the local level that a great majority of people come into contact with these Council of Europe values. The reform initiated by the Congress, and the overall reform of the Council of Europe, were aimed at using fully the Organisation’s added value to help provide solutions for major developments in Europe, and the Congress had a major role to play in this respect, he said.

On Thursday 18 March, Kathrin HILBER, State Councillor for the St Gallen Canton, addressed the session on behalf of the Swiss Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers, and answered questions from Congress members.

The Congress then debated the implications, at territorial level, of the results of the Copenhagen Conference on climate change, as well as the follow-up to the Ministerial Conference in Utrecht. Dubravka SUICA (Croatia, L, EPP/CD) presented a report entitled “After Copenhagen, cities and regions take up the challenge”, followed by a debate with the participation of Deputy Mayor of Copenhagen Klaus BONDAM.

Knud ANDERSEN (Denmark, R, ILDG) reported on the results of the Conference of Ministers responsible for Local and Regional Government, held in Utrecht in November 2009, and their implications for Congress activities, in particular the Utrecht Declaration on good local and regional governance and the reference framework for regional democracy.

The sitting concluded with an exchange of views with Ferdinand PONI, Deputy Minister of the Interior of Albania, concerning the implementation of the 2006 recommendation on the situation of local and regional democracy in that country.

The sitting on Friday 19 March was devoted to a debate on achieving sustainable gender equality in local and regional political life, based on the report by Britt-Marie LÖVGREN (Sweden, L, ILDG). Guest speakers for this debate were Ana BARCELÓ CHICO, Mayor of Sax (Spain) and President of the Women’s Committee of the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP); Fabienne KELLER, Senator for the Bas-Rhin and former Mayor of Strasbourg; as well as Lydie ERR, member of the Luxembourg Parliament and of the Parliamentary Assembly’s Sub-Committee on equal participation of women and men in decision-making.

Chamber of Local Authorities

Meeting on Thursday 18 March in the morning, the Chamber of Local Authorities discussed a report on the observation of municipal elections in Azerbaijan on 23 December 2009, by Francis LEC (France, SOC), and a monitoring report on local democracy in Portugal, by Davor ZMEGAC (Croatia, ILDG).

The Chamber also held a debate on the status of capital cities in the South Caucasus, featuring a statement by Gagik BEGLARYAN, Mayor of Yerevan (Armenia) elected in May 2009 in the first-ever election of the mayor of this capital city. (The elections were observed by the Congress and were the subject of a recommendation in October 2009).

The discussion of the monitoring report on local democracy in Iceland, by Esther MAURER (Switzerland, SOC), was postponed and held on Friday 19 March in plenary.

Chamber of Regions

The Chamber of Regions also met on the morning of Thursday 18 March to discuss reports on:

- regional democracy in Switzerland, by Marjan HAAK-GRIFFIOEN (Netherlands, NR);

- minority languages: an asset for regional development, by Karl-Heinz LAMBERTZ (Belgium, SOC) and Farid MUKHAMETSHIN (Russian Federation, ILDG);

- intra-regional transport: a challenge for sustainable development and regional cohesion, by Adam BANASZAK (Poland, NR).

The Chamber heard statements by:

- Ivan JAKOVČIČ, President of the Istrian Region (Croatia), and Sigve GRAMSTAD (Norway), Vice-Chair of the Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages of the Council of Europe, during the debate on minority languages; and

- Valerio PRIGNACHI, President of Brescia Mobilità SpA (Italy), and Stepan KIRICHUK, President of the Russian National Congress of Municipalities (Russian Federation), during the debate on intra-regional transport.

After the sitting, a cooperation agreement between the Congress and the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR) was signed in the Lobby of the Hemicycle, by President a.i. Ian MICALLEF and AEBR President Karl-Heinz LAMBERTZ.

B.III MEETING OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE

The Standing Committee met on 18 June 2010 in Strasbourg, to examine in depth the proposals put forward by the Congress Bureau as part of the ongoing reform process.

The Committee debated reports on the Congress’ priorities for 2011-2012, by acting President Ian MICALLEF, and on the reform of the Congress structures, activities and working methods, by Past President Halvdan SKARD (Norway, SOC) and Vice-President Günther KRUG (Germany, SOC).

The discussed proposals were aimed at refocusing the Congress’ priorities to improve the effectiveness of monitoring activities, widen the scope of election observation, introduce the local dimension of human rights as a new priority, implement targeted assistance programmes and streamline thematic activities. Revised reports and draft recommendations will be submitted to the Congress at the 19^th Session (26-28 October 2010).

The Committee also adopted a recommendation on the Congress’ resources and budget, based on a report by Vice-President Jean-Claude FRECON (France, SOC), as well as the strategy and rules on observation of local and regional elections, and the rules of procedure for monitoring the European Charter of Local Self-Government, based on reports by acting President Ian MICALLEF.

The adopted rules of procedure for monitoring the situation of local and regional democracy clarified each step of the monitoring process and provided that each signatory state to the European Charter of Local Self-Government will be monitored at least every five years. The election observation strategy established a set of rules for the organisation of observation missions as well as a code of conduct for the mode of action of international observers.

The Committee heard an oral report by Vice-President KRUG on the observation of local elections in Georgia on 30 May, and held an exchange of views with Sharon TAYLOR (United Kingdom, PES), speaking for the members of the EU Committee of the Regions who participated in the Congress’ election observation mission.

In addition, the Standing Committee adopted an opinion on the Parliamentary Assembly recommendation concerning the future of the European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity (the North-South Centre).

B.IV ACTIVITIES OF THE CONGRESS BUREAU

Meeting on 15 January 2010 in Lugano, at the invitation of the Swiss authorities, the Bureau discussed Congress priorities for 2011-2012, the question of the follow-up to Congress resolutions and recommendations, and the preparation of the 18th Plenary Session. Other items included the launching of the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM) and North-South cooperation. The Bureau also approved the shortlist of three candidates for the election of the Congress Secretary General.

The meeting in Paris on 5 February 2010 was devoted to the preparation of the 18th Plenary Session. Bureau members discussed, in particular, draft texts concerning the climate change after the Copenhagen Summit, the final Declaration of Utrecht and the launching of the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM). They also examined the draft report following the observation mission of local elections carried out by a Congress Delegation, in Azerbaijan, on 23 December 2009.

The Bureau then met in Paris on 12 April, and in Strasbourg on 21 May, 17 June and 17 September 2010.

On 21 May 2010, acting President Ian MICALLEF informed the Bureau that the Council of Europe had adopted a position of “cautious involvement” in relation to Belarus, following the death sentences carried out by the authorities of this country in March. He referred to his statement of 25 March 2010, in which he joined the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in condemning the execution of Andrei ZHUK and Vasily YUZEPCHUK in Belarus, reported by human rights organisations. “A moratorium on the death penalty in Belarus constitutes an essential condition for continuing our dialogue with this country’s authorities. By proceeding with the execution, they demonstrated a blatant disregard for the opinion of European democracies and a lack of willingness to belong to the European democratic family,” the statement said.

After discussion, and in conformity with the position of the Council of Europe, the Bureau decided to postpone to a later date the Round Table on the European Charter of Local Self-Government (ECLSG) originally scheduled for the beginning of June 2010, but nevertheless to invite to the Standing Committee of 18 June 2010 the two observer organisations from Belarus to the Congress.

The Bureau also adopted a declaration welcoming the release from prison, on medical grounds, of Abdullah DEMIRBAS, Mayor of Sur (Turkey). The Bureau criticised the continued detention of two Congress members (Leyla GÜVEN and Seyhmus BAYHAN) and six other mayors, as well as all those incarcerated without charge. Rapporteur on Turkey Herwig VAN STAA (Austria, EPP/CD) pointed out that the situation of mayors in prisons was discussed during the Congress’ mission to the country on 10 and 11 May 2010, and will be addressed in the forthcoming monitoring report, stressing that the release of Abdullah DEMIRBAS underlined the importance of the Congress’ stance and action.

On 17 June 2010, the Bureau was informed of the meeting of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas HAMMARBERG, with Leyla GÜVEN, imprisoned member of the Turkish delegation to the Congress.

Meeting in Strasbourg on 17 September, the Bureau finalised the Congress’ reform proposals in the light of contributions from Congress members and national associations of local and regional authorities, and following discussions with associations’ representatives at their meeting on 16 September. The proposals concern the Congress’ priorities for 2011-2012, as well as its structures and working methods. The Bureau also approved reports on the observation of local elections in Georgia (30 May 2010) and on the rights and responsibilities of local and regional elected representatives: the risks of corruption. Finllay, it gave a positive reply to the request filed by the China International Friendship Association (CIFCA) for observer status to the Congress.

On the occasion of the meeting, Ian MICALLEF, acting President of the Congress, and Giovanni KESSLER, President of the Conference of European Regional Legislative Assemblies (CALRE), signed a co-operation agreement between the two institutions.

B.V ACTIVITIES OF THE STATUTORY COMMITTEES

B.V.1 Institutional Committee

The Institutional Committee met on 12 October 2009 in Strasbourg, on 15 February 2010 in Utrecht (Netherlands), and on 2 July 2010 in Kragujevac (Serbia).

In October 2009, the Committee approved a report on local democracy in Portugal, by Davor ZMEGAC (Croatia, L, ILDG), and a report on institutional relations between the executive body and the administrative body in local government, by Emil CALOTA (Romania, L, SOC). It also examined complaints with regard to the situation of local democracy in Azerbaijan, Estonia, Malta, Moldova, Romania and the Russian Federation.

Rapporteur Lars O. MOLIN (Sweden, L, EPP/CD) presented the state of preparation of his report on the role of local and regional authorities in the implementation of human rights. This report intends to focus on realistic ways to implement good practices and will make some concrete proposals in this respect.

In February 2010, the Committee examined reports on the role of local and regional authorities in the human rights implementation, on regional democracy in Switzerland and on local democracy in Iceland. A discussion was held on local and regional participation in Europe, with contributions from Auke van der GOOT, of the Dutch Ministry of Interior and Kingdom Relations; Herman SIETSMA, Secretary of the Province of Utrecht; and Marjan HAAK-GRIFFIOEN, member of the Executive Board of the Province of Utrecht. The Committee also discussed developments concerning the situation of territorial democracy in Azerbaijan, Estonia, Latvia, Malta and Moldova.

In July 2010, the Committee discussed monitoring reports and approve draft recommendations on the situation of local democracy in Montenegro and Estonia, as well as local and regional democracy the Russian Federation and Turkey. It also heard information on monitoring visits to Austria, Romania, Malta and Serbia, as well as on territorial reform in Greece and in Latvia.

Other items on the agenda included the citizen’s participation at local and regional level in Europe, and the follow-up to Congress decisions on the role of local and regional authorities in the human rights implementation and on the rules of procedure for monitoring.

B.V.2 Committee on Culture and Education

The Committee on Culture and Education held its meetings on 16 March 2010 in Strasbourg and on 1 October 2010 in Kayseri (Turkey).

In March, the Committee approved draft resolutions and recommendations on minority languages as an asset for regional development, and on the cultural integration of Muslim women in European cities. The former report focused on the role played by minority languages in forging regional identity, being an integral part of European cultural diversity. The latter took stock of the specific problems faced by Muslim women in Europe, suggesting approaches for their greater involvement in integration efforts.

A hearing was organised on integration of young people in disadvantaged areas, with the participation of Karine DANIEL, Deputy Mayor from Nantes (France), and youth project coordinators from Cornwall (United Kingdom). The objective was to identify ways of bridging the social and economic divide between young people from these areas and the rest of society, with examples of how to empower them and to back, at local level, their commitment to the community.

Other topics on the agenda were devoted to education as a tool for democratic citizenship, and the role played by the media in promoting diversity within democracy, in particular by providing targeted information to citizens about the functioning of democratic institutions. The objective is to develop new strategies and tools in order to make sure that citizen contributions are taken into account by local politicians in decision-making.

The Committee met on 1 October 2010 in Kayseri (Turkey) to discuss reports on the integration of young people in disadvantaged areas, and cultural integration of muslim women in European cities. Among items on the agenda were also the education for democratic citizenship – tools for cities, the guidelines for sustainable cultural tourism in historic towns and cities, as well as the Congress reform and priorities. The meeting was opened by Ian MICALLEF, acting President of the Congres, Farid MUKHAMESTSHIN, Vice-President of the Committee (Russia, ILDG), and Mehmet ÖZHASEKI, Mayor of Kayseri.

B.V.3 Committee on Social Cohesion

Meeting in Strasbourg on 12 October 2009, the Committee on Social Cohesion focused its discussions on ways of achieving sustainable gender equality in local and regional political life, building and increasing the capacity of local administrations to deliver gender-sensitive policies and services, and reasons for which women remain under-represented. Rapporteur Britt-Marie LÖVGREN (Sweden, L, ILDG) led the debate, with the participation of Diane BUNYAN, Director of GEM Consult, a UK-based partnership of consultants, and presented texts for adoption by the Congress during the 18^th Plenary Session in 2010.

The Committee then explored three major topics which will be covered in future reports:

- Intergroup relations in European cities – Congress Thematic Rapporteur on Migration Esther MAURER (Switzerland, L, SOC) presented this continuation of the Committee’s work with the CLIP (Cities for Local Integration Policies) network,

- Temporal policies – a discussion on how public services, social and economic activities and the general organisation of urban life and use of collective areas needs to be re-thought so that everyone is able to manage their time in the way they wish. Clotilde TASCON-MENNETRIER (France, L, SOC) led the debate, with the participation of Ulrich MÜCKENBERGER, Director of the Time-Lab, University of Hamburg, Germany which conducts time-policy research.

In addition, an urgent debate was held on the situation of Roma and travellers in Europe today, led by John WARMISHAM (United Kingdom, L, SOC), Thematic Rapporteur on Roma and Congress representative to the Committee of Experts on Roma and Travellers, in order to discuss what the Committee can propose in light of the escalating violence against Roma across Europe

At its meeting on 16 March 2010 in Strasbourg, the Committee elected its new Chair, Sandra BARNES (United Kingdom, NR) and approved resolutions and recommendations on inter-community relations, by Esther MAURER (Switzerland, SOC), and on temporal policies, by Clotilde TASCON-MENNETRIER (France, SOC). It started to discuss its priorities for 2011-2012 and decided to intensify its cooperation with the EU Committee of the Regions, following the presentation by Arnoldas ABRAMAVICIUS, Chair of the Committee for Economic and Social Policy (ECOS), of his commission’s activities, as well as proposals for co-operation with the Committee on Social Cohesion.

B.V.4 Committee on Sustainable Development

The Committee on Sustainable Development met in Strasbourg on 1 December 2009 and on 16 March 2010, and in Antalya (Turkey) on 27 September 2010.

On 1 December 2009, the Committee approved the report on intra-regional transport as a factor for regional cohesion, and held an exchange of views on local and regional authorities’ role in implementing human rights, in particular the right to sustainable development.

Another exchange of views focused on the way in which coastal towns are adapting to the effects of climate change, in the preparation of the report by Iñigo DE LA SERNA HERNAIZ (Spain, L, EPP/CD), Mayor of Santander. Iñigo LOSADA, Director of the Environmental Hydraulics Institute at Cantabria University (Spain) and Olaf MÜLLER, Head of the Water and Protection against Highwater Division of the Agency of Roads, Bridges and Water (Hamburg, Germany) took part in the discussion.

To prepare the Congress’ participation in the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, a debate was organised on recognising local and regional authorities’ role in combating climate change. Among the participants were Henning JENSEN, Vice-Chair of the Commission for Sustainable Development of the EU Committee of the Regions, Gino VAN BEGIN, Regional Director for Europe of ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, and Claude HAEGI, President of the European Foundation for the Sustainable Development of the Regions (FEDRE).

Meeting on 16 March 2010, the Committee examined the preparation of the report on coastal towns and cities facing rising sea levels. Rapporteur Iñigo DE LA SERNA HERNAIZ presented concrete action to be taken to address this challenge, which the tragic events on the French Atlantic coast are a sad illustration.

The Committee also discussed the report on landscape as a new dimension of territorial public action, presented by Ms Inger LINGE (Sweden R, EPP/CD) and heard a presentation by Maria José FESTAS, Vice- President of the Council of Europe Conference on the European Landscape Convention, concerning the Convention’s impact in the Council of Europe member States. This work represents the Congress' contribution to the celebrations of the 10th anniversary of the Convention’s opening for signature.

An exchange of views was held on the draft report on the sustainable development of mountain regions and in particular of the Carpathians, presented by the Rapporteur Mykhaylo KICHKOVSKYY (Ukraine, R, EPP/CD).

To mark the International Year of Biodiversity, the Committee organised a hearing on biodiversity as an issue to be tackled at local level, with the participation of representatives from the International Union for Conservation of Nature, ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, the European Centre for Nature Conservation, as well as a Deputy Mayor and a Councillor from the cities of Strasbourg and Amsterdam. The Committee subsequently amended and approved a draft Declaration on "Working together for biodiversity" which will be signed by the Congress, the Parliamentary Assembly and the Conference of INGOs on the occasion of the European Day for Biodiversity, to be marked in Strasbourg on 28 April 2010.

At the invitation of Turkish authorities, the Committee met in Antalya on 27 September 2010. It examined reports on coastal towns and cities tackling threats from the sea, sustainable development of mountain regions and landscape as a new dimension of public territorial action. Discussions were also held on the Congress’ reform and priorities, and on human rights and sustainable development. The meeting was opened by acting President of the Congress Ian MICALLEF, Parliamentary Assembly President Mevlüt ÇAVUSOGLU, Governor of Antalya Ahmet ALTIPARMAK, Mayor of the Greater Antalya Municipality Mustafa AKAYDIN, and Muhittin BOCEK, President of the Union of the Turkish Municipalities, among others.

B.VI ACTIVITIES OF THE WORKING GROUPS

B.VI.1 Working Group on Inter-regional Co-operation

The Working Group on Interregional Co-operation (GT/CIR) met in Strasbourg on 17 February and 13 September 2010.

In February, its discussions focused on the situation of minorities in border areas, as social and economic participants in the regional development. The members also decided that the Working Group should undertake an analysis and assessment of transfrontier co-operation in Europe, as a follow-up of the report on the subject debated by the Congress in October 2009. In this regard, it decided participate in a colloquy on 18 and 19 October 2010, organised by the University of Strasbourg to compare the political and academic approaches to transfrontier co-operation.

During its meeting on 13 September 2010, the Group discussed a report on “Co-operation between the Congress and organisations representing regions in Europe”. Rapporteur Herwig van STAA (Austria, EPP/CD) stressed that the report constituted a good basis for taking stock of the existing working relations between the Congress and such organisations, and that two main targets should be pursued in the field of institutional co-operation: stepping up co-operation and interaction with the EU Committee of Regions, and improving working relations with organisations having an observer status with the Congress. The Working Group also supported the proposal to develop a new field of common activities around the concept of macro-regions.

The Group expressed its interest in developing further co-operation with the intergovernmental sector of the Council of Europe, especially in the field of transborder co-operation. It was decided to designate a member of the Group to take part in the evaluation process scheduled to take place in November 2010, in order to help identify obstacles to cross-border co-operation from the viewpoint of local and regional authorities.

The Working Group also decided to pursue its involvement in the research programme conducted by the Euroinstitute in Kehl, Germany and the Institute of European Studies, University of Strasbourg, France, aimed at mapping working methods in the field of transborder co-operation across Europe. It was decided to disseminate those experiences identified as best practices to Congress members and national associations of local and regional authorities, and to obtain a more detailed overview of existing tools and working methods in this field. Finally, the Group decided to organise a hearing with representatives of the Adriatic and Black Sea Euroregions, with a view to increasing the scope for possible co-operation.

The Working Group expressed the view that the topic of inter-regional and cross-border co-operation should remain high on the political agenda of the Congress, and should be part of its priorities.

B.VI.2 Working Group “regions with legislative powers”

The Congress Working Group “Regions with Legislative Powers” (REGLEG) met in Turin (Italy) on 6 November 2009, on the occasion of the 10^th Conference of Presidents of Regions with Legislative Powers (5-6 November). The Group discussed further steps to be taken in the light of the reference framework on regional democracy, which was subsequently included in the Final Declaration of the Ministerial Conference in Utrecht (Netherlands) on 16-17 November. It also discussed the REGLEG programme and ways of improving cooperation between the Congress and this network, and examined recent developments in regionalisation in member and observer states. Finally, the Group continued its work on the representation of regions in second chambers in Europe and discussed preparations for a conference on this subject.

C. OTHER ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS

Conference of Presidents of Regions with Legislative Powers (5-6 November 2009, Turin, Italy)

Ludmila SFIRLOAGA, President of the Congress’ Chamber of Regions, addressed the Conference, which focused on regions and multilevel governance, future economic challenges for European regions, and a policy for the euro after the crisis.

Official visit of the President a.i. (9 February 2010, Andorra)

Ian MICALLEF paid the first in a series of visits to the three Council of Europe member states that have not yet ratified the European Charter of Local Self-Government (Andorra, Monaco and San Marino). The acting President met Foreign Minister Xavier ESPOT MIRÓ to discuss possible solutions to the obstacles preventing Andorra from ratifying the Charter.

Conference on regions of the Black Sea (15-16 February, Paris)

Ludmila SFIRLOAGA, President of the Congress’ Chamber of Regions, presented the Black Sea Euroregion, stressing that ''the high economic, environmental and geo-strategic stakes represented by the Black Sea basin make it an imperative to build much closer co operation between cities and regions in this area''.

European Summit of Local Governments (22-24 February, Barcelona, Spain)

Congress Vice-President Günther KRUG intervened during the session focusing on innovation and local governance. He stressed that innovation was key to to better local governance and that a sound democratic legal framework, citizen participation, and cooperation with national and regional governments as well as with other local communities were crucial for fostering innovation.

Forum on Europe’s Macro-Regions (13 April, Brussels)

Congress Secretary General Andreas KIEFER addressed this Forum organised by the EU Committee of the Regions and devoted to integration through territorial co-operation. He highlighted the contribution of the Adriatic Euroregion and the Black Sea Euroregion to promoting social and economic development, territorial cohesion and cultural dialogue. Johannes HAHN, EU-Commissioner for Regional Policy, accepted the Secretary General´s offer of the Congress´ expertise to build the bridge between EU and non-EU regions, focusing on all questions of local and regional democracy. “This is a concrete example of benefit from synergies between the Congress and our natural partners within the European Union”, said Andreas KIEFER.

Conference on ''Biodiversity, the Key Challenge for the Future'' (28 April, Strasbourg)

Gaye DOGANOGLU (Turkey, EPP/CD), President of the Congress’ Committee on Sustainable Development, addressed this Conference, held on the occasion of European Biodiversity Day. A Joint Declaration ''Working together for Biodiversity'' was signed by the Presidents of the Congress, the Parliamentary Assembly and the Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe. The event was organised by the INGO Conference, in partnership with the Congress and the Parliamentary Assembly, in the context of the International Year of Biodiversity.

Conference on Democracy and Decentralisation (3-4 May, St Gallen, Switzerland)

A Congress delegation led by acting President Ian MICALLEF took part in this Conference, organised by the Swiss Presidency of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, in cooperation with the Council of Europe Venice Commission and the University of St. Gallen. The Conference brought together government officials, parliamentarians, regional and local politicians, academics, representatives of civil society and students. The participants examined the different aspects of representative and direct democracy, democratic activities at all levels of government and their implications in the daily life of citizens. Subsidiarity, decentralisation in multi-ethnic states, budget autonomy and decision-making at regional and local level were in the centre of discussions.

Annual conference of the “Covenant of Mayors” (4 May, Brussels)

During this conference, which discussed ways to enhance the use of renewable energies, energy saving and reducing CO2 emissions at local level, the Congress presented its European Local Democracy Week (ELDW), having chosen ''The impact of sustainable communities in fighting climate change'' as leading theme for the ELDW 2010. Earlier, the EU Committee of the Regions had decided to join the Congress’ efforts to fight climate change at local level and to support ELDW.

Conference of Ministers on gender equality (24-25 May, Baku, Azerbaijan)

Acting President of the Congress, Ian MICALLEF, addressed the opening session of the 7^th Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for Equality between women and men. The main theme of this Conference, organised by the Council of Europe and the Azerbaijan government, was 'Gender equality: bridging the gap between de jure and de facto equality'. The Ministers adopted a resolution and an action plan that maps out the future work of the Council of Europe in this field.

Conference of Ministers on education for sustainable democratic societies

(4-5 June, Ljubljana, Slovenia)

Congress Vice-President Günther KRUG (Germany, SOC) addressed the Council of Europe Standing Conference of Education Ministers, which focused on enhancing social recognition for teachers in today’s Europe, on new competences for educators in inter-cultural diverse societies, and on the role of school partnerships and networking programmes to respond efficiently to society’s needs.

Atelier on the elaboration of a European Charter on Multilevel Governance

(22-23 June, Brussels)

Speaking at this Atelier, organised by the EU Committee of the Regions, Congress Secretary General Andreas KIEFER stressed that ''any new concepts and principles to be included in this future Charter, proposed by the EU Committee of the Regions, must be in addition to those already established by the acquis of the Council of Europe and its Congress''. ''The principles set out in the European Charter of Local Self-Government, in particular, ensure a legal basis for multilevel governance within a member State. The new Charter’s objective is to apply them to relations between the EU, the member State and the local and regional level,'' he said.

International colloquy on “The citizen at the heart of innovation at local level”

(24-25 June, Bordeaux, France)

Congress Secretary General Andreas KIEFER addressed this colloquy, organised by the Directorate of Democratic Institutions of the Council of Europe, the City of Bordeaux and “Pau et des Pays de l’Adour” University. Speaking on behalf of the Council of Europe, he stressed that innovation should not be confined to management techniques but must focus on creating tools for citizens’ involvement, and underlined the importance of a proper legal framework, public participation, as well as interregional and inter-municipal partnerships and co-operation for innovationan. The aim of the Congress’ contribution was to develop institutional dialogue between local and central authorities, taking into consideration the European conventions in force, particularly the European Charter of Local Self-Government and its additional Protocol on citizen participation. The launch of the Council of Europe's European Label on Innovation and Good Governance at local level was also prominent on the colloquy’s agenda.

Conference on local and regional development in Europe (8 July, Batumi, Georgia)

''We strongly hope that a national strategy on decentralisation, which is currently under discussion in Georgia, will provide the necessary framework for an effective decentralisation system in this country,'' acting President Ian MICALLEF stressed at the conference. He said the local elections on 30 May, including the first direct elections of the Mayor of Tbilisi, were proof of continued decentralisation efforts. ''For its part, the Congress is ready to give its support and advice within the scope of its competencies during the elaboration of the national strategy,'' he said.

South-East Europe Youth Gathering

(10 September, Ohrid, the “former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”)

''Effective participation of young people can only be achieved if elected representatives are committed to developing a permanent dialogue with them. This is why we welcome the commitment of 'the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia' to strengthening youth participation in South-East Europe, in particular at local and regional levels,'' Eunice CAMPBELL-CLARK (United Kingdom, SOC), member of the Congress’ Committee on Culture and Education, stated at the Youth Gathering. She presented the European Charter on youth participation in local and regional life, and welcomed the initiative to create a regional youth council for South-East Europe as an excellent means of involving young people in decision-making.

Council of Europe 2010 Exchange on “The religious dimension of intercultural dialogue”

(13 September, Ohrid, the “former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”)

Speaking at this meeting, Congress Vice-President Dubravka SUICA underlined the role of local and regional governments in fostering dialogue between religious communities. “The smooth interaction between the various ethnic and religious groups, which is a crucial contributing factor for democratic stability and development and which demands intercultural dialogue at local level, has become a requirement of modern society,” she said. She further highlighted the influence and responsibility that the media has in fostering tolerance and dialogue between religious communities.

Conference on inter-municipal co-operation(23 September, Dubrovnik, Croatia)

''Co-operation and networking between European municipalities is a means of both promoting partnerships for innovation, and reducing development gaps between communities through joint economic management,'' Congress Vice-President Dubravka SUICA stated at this conference. She pointed to a growing number of municipal networks devoted to specific aspects of community development, new co-management models between municipalities across national borders (Eurodistricts), and the use of economies of scale at local level in the joint provision of public services. ''Inter-municipal co-operation must be based on equal partnership for all the communities involved as an alternative to creating urban agglomerations and municipal mergers,'' she said.

Ministerial Session of the EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement

(28 September, St Petersburg, Russia)

''Both the resilience of communities in the face of natural disasters and the human rights implementation are conditioned by the same common denominator, which is good governance at national, regional and local level. Disaster response capacity is clearly linked to the quality of governance,'' Line VENNESLAND (Norway, EPP/CD), member of the Congress’ Committee on Sustainable Development, stressed at this Ministerial Session. She pointed to the importance of the national/local partnership in disaster prevention and reduction, and the need for territorial authorities’ involvement in elaborating preventive measures.

Conference on landscape, city planning and tourism (1 October, Ploiesti, Romania)

''The activities carried out to implement the European Landscape Convention over the past ten years – policies and programmes, exchanges, training and research – have helped to create a pan-European vision of landscape custodianship and governance,'' Ludmila SFIRLOAGA, President of the Congress’ Chamber of Regions, pointed out at this conference. “Territorial authorities play a crucial role in landscape protection and management, and are increasingly using the Convention’s integrated approach in their joint cross-border activities,'' she said.

International conference “Local Government: Responses to Recession across Europe”

(11 October, Strasbourg)

“The central authorities must recognise the local governments’ role as indispensable partners in building the way out of the crisis, not as mere beneficiaries of government largesse and executors of national policies and measures,” Congress Secretary General Andreas KIEFER stated at this conference organised by the European Committee on Local and Regional Democracy (CDLR) and the Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative of the Open Society Institute. “Our response to the crisis must be based on cooperation of all levels of government, an increase of inter-municipal cooperation also across borders, innovative action by local and regional authorities. It is essential to fight the economic and financial crisis with a view to maintaining social cohesion in our societies,” he said.

D. APPENDICES

D.I TEXTS ADOPTED BY THE CONGRESS SINCE THE 17TH SESSION

17th PLENARY SESSION

Strasbourg, 13-15 October 2009

Recommendations

Recommendation 270 Transfrontier co-operation in Europe

Recommendation 271 The global challenge of climate change: local responses

Recommendation 272 Preventing violence against children

Recommendation 273 Equal access to local and regional elections

Recommendation 274 E-democracy: opportunities and risks for local authorities

Recommendation 275 Creative cities – managing the cultural activity of cities

Recommendation 276 Improving indoor air quality: a new challenge for local authorities

Recommendation 277 First Municipal Elections of Yerevan

Recommendation 278 Regions with legislative powers: towards multi-level governance

Recommendation 279 Overindebtedness of households: the responsibility of regions

Resolutions

Resolution 286 Transfrontier co-operation in Europe

Resolution 287 Declaration on the 60th Anniversary of the

Council of Europe

Resolution 288 The global challenge of climate change: local responses

Resolution 289 Preventing violence against children

Resolution 290 E-democracy: opportunities and risks for local authorities

Resolution 291 Creative cities – managing the cultural activity of cities

Resolution 292 Improving indoor air quality: a new challenge for local authorities

Resolution 293 Regions with legislative powers: towards multi-level governance

Resolution 294 Overindebtedness of households: the responsibility of regions

18th PLENARY SESSION

Strasbourg, 17-19 March 2009

Recommendations

Recommendation 280 The role of local and regional authorities in the implementation of human rights

Recommendation 281 After Copenhagen, cities and regions take up the challenge

Recommendation 282 Follow-up by the Congress of the Conference of Ministers responsible for Local and Regional Government (Utrecht, Netherlands, 16-17 November 2009)

Recommendation 283 Local democracy in Iceland

Recommendation 284 Municipal Elections in Azerbaijan (23 December 2009)

Recommendation 285 Regional democracy in Switzerland

Recommendation 286 Minority languages – an asset for regional development

Recommendation 287 Intra-regional transport: a challenge for sustainable development and territorial cohesion

Recommendation 288 Achieving sustainable gender equality in local and regional political life

Resolutions

Resolution 295 Verification of new members’ credentials and new appointment procedures

Resolution 296 The role of local and regional authorities in the implementation of human rights

Resolution 297 Launch of the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM) and the role of the Congress

Resolution 298 After Copenhagen, cities and regions take up the challenge

Resolution 299 Follow-up by the Congress of the Conference of Ministers responsible for Local and Regional Government (Utrecht, Netherlands, 16-17 November 2009)

Resolution 300 Municipal Elections in Azerbaijan (23 December 2009)

Resolution 301 Minority languages – an asset for regional development

Resolution 302 Intra-regional transport: a challenge for sustainable development and territorial cohesion

Resolution 303 Achieving sustainable gender equality in local and regional political life

18th SESSION

STANDING COMMITTEE

Strasbourg, France,18 June 2010

Recommendations

Recommendation 289 The resources of the Congress and its 2011 budget

Resolutions

Resolution 304 Priorities of the Congress for 2011-2012

Resolution 305 The reform of the Congress

Resolution 306 Observation of local and regional elections – strategy and rules of the Congress

Resolution 307 Procedures for monitoring the obligations and commitments entered into by the Council of Europe member States in respect of their ratification of the European Charter of Local Self-Government (CETS No. 122)

Opinions

Opinion 32 on the Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1893 (2009) on the future of the European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity

D.II TIMETABLE OF SESSIONS, MEETINGS OF THE STATUTORY COMMITTEES AND WORKING GROUPS SINCE THE 17TH PLENARY SESSION

2009

Committee on Sustainable Development
1 December

Working Group “regions with legislative powers”

6 November

2010

Bureau of The Congress and its Chambers
15 January, 5 February, 16 March, 12 April, 21 May, 17 June, 17 September, 25 October

Session of the Congress
17-19 March

Standing Committee
18 June

Institutional Committee
15 February, 2 July

Committee on Culture and Education
16 March,

Committee on Sustainable Development
16 March, 27 September

Committee on Social Cohesion
16 March

Contact Group Committee of the Regions/Congress
6 May

Working Group on Inter-regional Co-operation
17 February, 13 September

ENTO Bureau
29 January

D.III OBSERVATION OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL ELECTIONS SINCE THE 17TH PLENARY SESSION

2009

AZERBAIJAN, 23 December 2009

Municipal elections

2010

GEORGIA, 31 May 2010
Local elections

UKRAINE, 31 October 2010
Local elections

D.IV DECLARATION OF THE CONFERENCE ON INTEGRATING FOREIGN RESIDENTS INTO LOCAL PUBLIC LIFE

The participants in the Strasbourg Conference on 15 October 2010, meeting in the framework of the European Local Democracy Week on the joint initiative of the City of Strasbourg, its Council of Foreign Residents as well as the Strasbourg Club on the one hand and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe on the other, thank the organisers for holding this meeting of local and regional authority representatives from Council of Europe member countries, foreign residents’ councils, European experts and representatives of various municipal networks and foreign residents’ associations, and declare the following:

1. We note that our towns and cities, where citizens of all backgrounds and origins live side by side, are often affected by tensions between neighbourhoods, population groups, communities and individuals and that it is vital that we cultivate consideration for and understanding and acceptance of other groups, as key factors in establishing a sense of belonging through residence-based citizenship;

2. We believe that in towns and cities which are home to people of the widest range of cultures, foreign residents must be able to be fully-fledged participants in the life of their communities and accordingly have a say in local affairs and that the issue of the participation of foreigners in local life is therefore more vital than ever;

3. We also believe that granting voting rights at local level to all foreign residents regardless of their background is now absolutely vital on the basis of the principles of the European Convention on Human Rights;

4. We accordingly regard citizenship restricted solely to European Union nationals as discriminatory;

5. Referring in this respect to the Final Declaration of the Conference on the Participation of Foreign Residents in Public Life at Local Level held in Strasbourg in November 1999 (Strasbourg Declaration), we make an urgent appeal to the European institutions, Council of Europe member states and their local authorities as well as political parties to enable foreign residents of all nationalities to obtain the right to vote and stand for election at local level;

6. We underline the topical and political relevance of the Convention on the Participation of Foreigners in Public Life at Local Level, which was adopted by the Council of Europe member states on 5 November 1992 but has only been ratified by eight member states and signed by five others to date;

7. We call on Council of Europe member states which have not yet done so to sign and ratify the convention and put it into practice;

8. We therefore urge the European institutions and public authorities of all levels in the member states not only to grant foreign residents the right to vote and stand for election but also to develop policies to ensure that all residents have the same opportunities to act and participate, at local level, as fully-fledged participants in local life. This requires equal treatment and access in terms of the law, the labour market, housing, education, culture, worship, public health services, social security, welfare services and all other public services;

9. We also note the great range and diversity of the forms of participatory democracy in Europe’s municipalities and regions, including foreign residents’ consultative councils, and refer in this connection to Resolution 92 (2000) and Recommendation 76 (2000) of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe on the participation of foreign residents in local public life and Congress Resolution 141 (2002) and Recommendation 115 (2002) on foreign residents’ consultative bodies;

10. We welcome the decision by local authorities to set up foreign residents’ councils, like the French municipalities represented at this conference, and call on other European towns and cities to follow this example;

11. We call on states, regions and local authorities to expand measures of this kind, to facilitate the establishment of consultative bodies representing foreign residents modelled on examples already in existence in many towns, cities and regions throughout Europe and to provide the administrative and financial resources required for their operation;

12. We also encourage other measures involving the integration of foreign residents, migrants and Roma communities and the strengthening of intercultural dialogue and intercultural relations for the benefit of the cultural diversity of our towns and cities and welcome in this context the activities of the Cities for Local Integration Policy Network (CLIP), the Intercultural Cities Network and the Strasbourg Club, the latter having adopted a declaration in favour of the integration of Roma in European cities and towns on 14 October 2010, on the occasion of its 8th meeting;

13. In this connection, we draw attention to the Final Declaration of the Conference on Foreigners’ integration and participation in European cities held in Stuttgart in September 2003 (Stuttgart Declaration) and the work done in this area by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, in particular its Resolution 181 (2004) and Recommendation 153 (2004) on a pact for the integration and participation of people of immigrant origin in Europe’s towns, cities and regions; Resolution 280 (2009) and Recommendation 261 (2009) on Intercultural Cities, calling for the development of an intercultural urban policy; Resolution 281 (2009) and Recommendation 262 (2009) on equality and diversity in local authority employment and service provision; and the Dosta!-Congress Prize for Municipalities for innovative municipal projects involving the integration of Roma;

14. We call on European local authorities to develop relevant measures, to join existing networks of towns and cities and take an active part in them and also on central governments and regions to facilitate their implementation;

15. We call on the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, in partnership with local authorities, to deepen mutual understanding of the different models of participation for the benefit of all inhabitants;

16. We firmly believe that democracy, freedom and prosperity in Europe require the commitment of all residents to take part as full citizens in building a democratic Europe for all.

D V PRESS RELEASES SINCE THE 17TH PLENARY SESSION

Press release - 767(2010) / 19 October 2010

19th Session: Congress to elect new leadership, approve reform and mark the 25th anniversary of the European Charter of Local Self-Government

Press release - 759(2010) / 15 October 2010

Strasbourg Conference calls for voting rights at local level for foreign residents

Press release - 758(2010) / 15 October 2010

25th anniversary of the European Charter of Local Self-Government: “The Charter has become the benchmark treaty for local democracy in Europe” says Ian Micallef

Press release - 750(2010) / 13 October 2010

Young Europeans meet to discuss climate change and water-related issues

Press release - 748(2010) / 12 October 2010

Residence-based citizenship: Conference on integrating foreign residents into local public life

Press release - 740(2010) / 11 October 2010

ELDW 2010: Launch of activities in over 100 European towns and cities

Media advisory - 107(2010) / 07 October 2010

Local elections in Ukraine: Congress pre-election delegation heads for Kiev

Media advisory - 100(2010) / 29 September 2010

Involving citizens to preserve historic sites: A Congress symposium to discuss management plans of historic towns

Media advisory - 089(2010) / 14 September 2010

Building a bridge to territorial communities: Meeting of local and regional authorities' associations

Media advisory - 085(2010) / 31 August 2010

Council of Europe Congress and EU Committee of the Regions co-operation takes a step further

Media advisory - 073(2010) / 25 June 2010

Monitoring of local and regional democracy in Serbia

Press release - 509(2010) / 23 June 2010

Monitoring of Malta: Congress Rapporteur welcomes the commitment to ratify remaining articles of the Local Self-Government Charter

Press release - 496(2010) / 18 June 2010

Reform of the Congress: Standing Committee adopts monitoring rules and election observation strategy

Media advisory - 068(2010) / 18 June 2010

Monitoring of local democracy in Malta

Press release - 493(2010) / 17 June 2010

Call for extension of the Covenant of Mayors to Western Balkans

Press release - 435(2010) / 31 May 2010

Georgian local elections mark evident progress, but significant shortcomings remain to be addressed

Press release - 434((2010) / 31 May 2010

International election observers to present findings at press conference in Tbilisi on Monday

Press release - 429(2010) / 27 May 2010

Congress delegation calls for greater competences and resources for Romanian local and regional authorities

Media advisory - 057(2010) / 21 May 2010

Council of Europe Congress to observe local elections in Georgia

Media advisory - 056(2010) / 21 May 2010

Monitoring of local and regional democracy in Romania

Press release - 374(2010) / 07 May 2010

Messina conference endorses innovative methods to combat corruption at grassroots level

Media advisory - 048(2010) / 07 May 2010

Congress delegation on a monitoring visit to Turkey

Media advisory - 044(2010) / 03 May 2010

Congress organises Conference on fighting corruption at local and regional level

Press release - 352(2010) / 28 April 2010

Congress' monitoring visit to Estonia: Supreme Court's decision will help to improve local self-government financing

Media advisory - 041(2010) / 28 April 2010

Local elections in Georgia: Congress pre-election delegation heads for Tbilisi

Media advisory - 040(2010) / 26 April 2010

''Biodiversity, the Key Challenge for the Future'' European Biodiversity Day: Joint Action for the Future

Media advisory - 038(2010) / 23 April 2010

Monitoring of local democracy in Estonia

Press release - 315(2010) / 16 April 2010

Congress delegation satisfied with the conduct of its monitoring visit to Russia

Press release - 310(2010) / 14 April 2010

Congress Secretary General presents Euro-regional activities at Committee of the Regions Forum

Media advisory - 033(2010) / 14 April 2010

Congress delegation on a second monitoring visit to Russia

Media advisory - 024(2010) / 23 March 2010

Monitoring of local and regional democracy in Austria

Press release - 230(2010) / 19 March 2010

The Congress adopts a report on the observation of the municipal elections in Azerbaijan

Press release - 229(2010) / 18 March 2010

After Copenhagen, cities and regions must take up the challenge of climate change

Press release - 228(2010) / 18 March 2010

Council of Europe Congress: Regional democracy in Switzerland “dynamic, progressive and efficient”, but structured municipal reform needed

Press release - 223(2010) / 17 March 2010

Council of Europe Congress calls for effective monitoring of human rights at local and regional level

Press release - 222(2010) / 17 March 2010

Andreas Kiefer elected Secretary General of the Council of Europe Congress

Press release - 193(2010) / 08 March 2010

18th Congress Session: Human rights at local level, climate change and Euro-Mediterranean dialogue among highlights

Press release - 183(2010) / 05 March 2010

Focus on “climate change and sustainable communities” for this year's European Local Democracy Week

Media advisory - 007(2010) / 05 February 2010

Council of Europe Congress: Ian Micallef on official visit to Andorra

Press release - 998(2009) / 24 December 2009

Congress delegation calls for reactivation of pluralistic democracy in Azerbaijan

Presss release - 985(2009) / 21 December 2009

Congress delegation hopes to meet with Azerbaijani opposition leaders before municipal elections on 23 December

Press release - 984(2009) / 21 December 2009

Ian Micallef: “Copenhagen was a missed opportunity but local and regional authorities will pursue their action”

Media advisory - 161(2009) / 17 December 2009

Council of Europe Congress to observe local elections in Azerbaijan

Media advisory - 158(2009) / 15 December 2009

Monitoring of local and regional democracy in Russia

Media advisory - 156(2009) / 10 December 2009

Copenhagen: Congress participates in the Conference on climate change

Media advisory - 154(2009) / 09 December 2009

Monitoring of local and regional democracy in Belgium

Media Advisory - 148(2009) / 30 November 2009

Delegation of the Council of Europe Congress makes pre-electoral visit to Azerbaijan

Press release - 883(2009) / 24 November 2009

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women Sandra Barnes: ''I urge all territorial authorities to commit themselves to fighting violence against women”

Press Release - 849(2009) / 17 November 2009

Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for Local and Regional Government adopts the Utrecht Declaration

Press Release - 850(2009) / 17 November 2009

Ian Micallef: Congress welcomes the plan to improve Kurdish rights in Turkey

Media advisory - 137(2009) / 13 November 2009

Congress to contribute to key issues of Council of Europe Ministerial Conference in Utrecht

Media Advisory - 136(2009) / 10 November 2009

Council of Europe Ministers responsible for Local and Regional Government meet in the Netherlands “Good local and regional governance in turbulent times: the challenge of change”

Media advisory - 135(2009) / 10 November 2009

Congress and Committee of the Regions to sign new cooperation agreement

Media Advisory - 132(2009) / 30 October 2009

Council of Europe Congress: Ian Micallef to visit Albania

Press Release - 786(2009) / 21 October 2009

Ludmila Sfirloaga : « Je regrette que le Congrès des pouvoirs locaux et régionaux n'ait pas eu la possibilité d'observer les élections régionales en Russie »

Press Release - 763(2009) / 15 October 2009

The Congress calls on the Copenhagen Summit to integrate local and regional dimension in the future agreement on climate change

A. PURSUING THE CONGRESS MISSION

A.VI.1 Utrecht Conference

B.I 17th SESSION

B.II 18th SESSION

B.V.2 Committee on Culture and Education

B.V.4 Committee on Sustainable Development

Working Group “regions with legislative powers”

D V PRESS RELEASES SINCE THE 17TH PLENARY SESSION

B.I 17^th SESSION

B.II 18^th SESSION