Chamber of Regions

19^th SESSION

CPR (19)1

19 October 2010

Chamber of Regions activity report (October 2009-October 2010)

presented by: Mrs Ludmila SFIRLOAGA, Romania (SOC[1]), outgoing President of the Chamber

The role of the Chamber of Regions in promoting regional democracy

1.         The Reference framework on Regional Democracy

Regionalisation has been high on the Chamber of Region's political agenda, reflecting the growing power and importance of regions in many Council of Europe member states

The Chamber of Regions, has been actively involved in encouraging regionalisation in Council of Europe member states, and particularly in the preparation of the Reference Framework on Regional Democracy, approved by the Ministers last November as a first step towards a binding legal instrument on regional governance in Europe.

Briefly, I would like to recall the history of our efforts, especially those of the Chamber of Regions, to put "regional democracy" on the same legal footing as local democracy through the European Charter of Local Self-Government.

In 1997, the Congress adopted the draft European Charter of Regional Self-Government, (Recommendation 34 (1997) which received full support of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly. However, this first project was not accepted by national governments as a binding instrument but the Ministers responsible for Local and Regional Government adopted at their Conference in Helsinki in 2002 the so-called "Helsinki principles" of regional self-government.

At the same time, the Congress continued the work started in 1997, and after eleven years of elaboration and consultations, taking into account the various positions taken by national authorities on this issue, the Congress adopted, in 2008, a draft European Charter of Regional Democracy. (Recommendation 240 (2008) which followed Resolution 244 (2007).

This new version was the first text laying down the tenets of "regional democracy". It reaffirmed respect for territorial integrity as one of its main principles, and offered a variety of models for regional autonomy. However, the new Charter did not receive support of national governments, either.

Instead, drawing on the text of the 2008 draft Charter and the Helsinki principles, a "Reference framework on regional democracy" was prepared and adopted by the Conference of European Ministers responsible for Local and Regional Government in Utrecht on 16 November 2009.

Members of the Chamber of regions took an active part in the preparation of this document, in particular Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe and our colleague in the Bureau, Knud Andersen whom I wish to thank for their personal involvement in this work.

Although not of a binding character, this reference framework represents an encouraging compromise and a new departure in Congress efforts.

Certainly, we can now work on the protection and improvement of regional governance, using this text as the basis. On the other hand, the Chamber of Regions remains convinced that the reference framework represents the beginning of the process of elaborating, a normative text in the form of an international legal instrument in the future.

For the time being, the reference framework serves as a reference point for any government wishing to begin a process of regionalisation or reform of its local and regional structures.

Regional authorities, whatever their nature or particular institutional character, will now possess references and principles with regards to their democratic structure, their organisation, devolved powers and own resources, their place within the state, their relations with other authorities, and their relations with citizens.

The combination of all these principles and "rules for living" constitutes the essence of the principles of democracy.

Through its flexibility, its choice of alternatives and the scale of regional options it offers, the text may also be of use to federal, regionalised or merely decentralised states.

The wish of the Congress is that this text, may inspire those who have the task of leading and managing regional authorities in the 21^st century, which demands much in terms of democracy and the quality of governance.

Although lacking the binding force of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, the reference framework nonetheless has a major symbolic value, because the standards it embodies have the general approval of the Congress and the Parliamentary Assembly, as well as the support of the Committee of Regions and, more broadly, the regional community and its main associations.

As a result of the current reform, Congress monitoring activities will be expanded, and along with it, the regional dimension of our monitoring.

The Chamber of Regions now intends to develop a specific communication (by publishing a explanatory brochure on the "Reference framework", for example) with a view to make better known the principles set up in this text, for the intention of all regions and associations representing Regions in Europe

2.         Development of transborder and interregional cooperation

The Chamber also intensified its action to promote co-operation between regions, through the activities of:

• the Working Group on Interregional Co-operation (GT-CIR) (created at the end of 2007 and chaired by K.H. Lambertz),
• the Adriatic Euroregion (created in 2006) and the Black Sea Euroregion (created in 2008). These Euroregions provide co-operation platforms for local and regional authorities from both EU and non-EU countries.

Transfrontier cooperation was one of the major actions promoted by the Chamber since October 2009. The main event in this field was the adoption last November by the Conference of Ministers of Local and Regional Government in Utrecht of the 3^rd Protocol to the Madrid Convention on transfrontier co-operation, which enables the creation of Euro-regional groupings (GEC) between EU and non-EU countries, and which is now signed by 9 member states but has not yet entered into force (4 ratifications are needed)

3.         Contribution to the reform process of the Congress

I would like to stress that an important part of the activities of the Chamber of regions and its Bureau has been devoted to the discussion of the reform process of the Congress. Each member of the Bureau of the chamber, in particular our colleague Gunter KRUG (Co-Rapporteur with H. SKARD) has been very much involved in our discussion and as you know, after hard but fruitful exchanges of views, the tworapporteurs decided to maintain the twoChambers.

The Bureau of the Chamber held an exchange of views on this subject with Mr Halvdan Skard on the occasion of a special meeting of our Bureau during the 18^thSession (17-19 March 2010).

4.         Sessions of the Chamber of Regions

With our biannual system, which began last year, I think we had two intensive sessions in October 2009 and March 2010 with important and fruitful debates. I expect the same involvement of our new members at the 2010 October session

4.1.       17^th Session of the Chamber of Regions: 14-15 October 2009

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) (Resolution 294 and Recommendation 279 (2009).

Another important report by Bernard PETRISCH (Austria, EPP/CD) on "Regions with legislative powers: towards multilevel governance" prepared by the Working group on regions with legislative powers, was of particular interest to the Chamber (see § 5.2. on this question) (Resolution 293 and Recommendation 278 (2009).

At the meeting on Thursday 15 October, the Chamber heard a statement by the Governor of Fukui Prefecture (Japan) Issei NISHIKAWA on the development of regionalisation in Japan, followed by an exchange of views with the members of the Chamber.

A second part was devoted to a "Round Table on cooperation between European regions: objectives, structures and networks." Representatives of major European associations of regions took the floor: 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). Honorary members (Gianfranco MARTINI and Josef HOFMANN as well as a representative of COEUR) also took the floor and the conclusions were drawn by Karl-Heinz LAMBERTZ.

This lively debate lead the Bureau of the Chamber to decide upon the preparation of a report on this question at our 2010 October session

4.2.       18^th Session of the Chamber of Regions: 18 March 2010

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

• regional democracy in Switzerland, by Marjan HAAK-GRIFFIOEN (Netherlands, NR); (Recommendation 285 (2010)

·         minority languages: an asset for regional development, by Karl-Heinz LAMBERTZ (Belgium, SOC) and Farid MUKHAMETSHIN (Russian Federation, ILDG); (Resolution 301 and Recommendation 286 (2010)

·         intra-regional transport: a challenge for sustainable development and regional cohesion, by Adam BANASZAK (Poland, NR) (Resolution 302 and Recommendation 287 (2010).

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.

In the same spirit, a co-operation agreement between the Congress and the Conference of European Regional Legislative Assemblies (CALRE) was signed by the President a.i. Ian MICALLEF and CALRE President Mr Giovanni KESSLER, at the Bureau meeting on 17 September 2010.

4.3.       19^th Session of the Chamber of Regions: 26 October 2010

A lot of work has been done to convene the Round Table of the major European associations representing regions. The presidents or vice-presidents of the following associations confirmed their participation:

• Conference of European Regions with Legislative Power (REGLEG)
• Assembly of European Regions (AER)
• Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR)
• Association of European Border Regions (AEBR)
• Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe (CPMR)
• Conference of European Regional Legislative Assemblies (CALRE)

After the Round Table, a report on the Co-operation between the Congress and associations representing regions in Europe (Rapporteurs: Ludmila SFIRLOAGA and Herwig VAN STAA) and the Chamber will vote on a draft resolution.

Finally, a report on the "Sustainable development of mountain regions and the experience of the Carpathian Mountains" will be presented by the rapporteur, Mykhaylo KICHKOVSKYY, Ukraine (EPP/CD) and the Chamber will vote on a draft resolution and a draft recommendation.

5.         Working Groups

5.1.       Working Group on Inter-regional Co-operation (GT/CIR)

The Working Group on Interregional Co-operation (GT/CIR) met in Strasbourg on 17 February 2010. 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 participated 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 GT/CIR and its Chairman, Karl-Heinz Lambertz, 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), aimed at mapping working methods in the field of transborder co-operation across Europe and to share those experiences identified as best practices, with the members of the Congress and the National Associations of Local and Regional Authorities. Furthermore the GT/CIR stands ready to develop working relations, with various institutional and academic partners.

The GT/CIR is also promoting development of cooperation between the Adriatic and Black Sea Euroregions.

The GT/CIR held an exchange of views with the Rapporteur Herwig van STAA on the report on "Co-operation between the Congress and organisations representing regions in Europe" (see § 4.3).

The GT/CIR expressed its interest of further developing the co-operation with the intergovernmental sector of the Council of Europe, especially in the field of transborder co-operation and proposed that the topic of inter-regional and cross-border co-operation should remain high on the political agenda of the Congress. The future framework to discuss these questions has still to be determined in the light of the on-going reform process.

5.2.       Working Group on Regions with Legislative Powers (GT/LEG)

The Congress Working Group on 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", included in the Final Declaration of the Ministerial Conference in Utrecht, 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 possible conference on this subject, to be organised in 2011.

Taking into account the process of reform of the Congress, the working group did not meet in 2010. However, the important question of Regions with Legislative Powers should find a relevant place in the new structure of the Congress.

6.         Euroregions

6.1.       Adriatic and Black Sea Euroregions

The Adriatic Euroregion has now 26 members (belonging to: Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania and Greece). The last General Assembly of the Euroregion was held in Split (Croatia) on 22 October 2009. During the Assembly, Mr Ivan JAKOVCIC, President of the Istrian Region (Croatia), was re-elected President of the Euroregion for a two-year term. At the end of 2009 the Euroregion presented five projects to be co-financed by the European Union. The projects cover different areas such as: the integrated management of coastlines (transport, fishing, culture and tourism); the networking of protected cultural heritage sites; the Adriatic broadcasting and audiovisual networks and the human capital in business. The Euroregion has foreseen to change its legal status into a European Grouping of Territorial Co-operation (EGTC). We would like to express the wish that local authorities from Slovenia become partners of the Euroregion too.

6.2.       The Black Sea Euroregion

The Black Sea Euroregion, established in September 2008 has 14 members (local and regional authorities belonging to Armenia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova and Romania). The Euroregion held its second General Assembly in Varna (Bulgaria) in March 2009. Mr Daniel CONSTANTINESCU, President of the Constanta region, is chairing this Euroregional structure. In November 2009, the Euroregion presented four projects in the framework of the Black Sea Basin's Co-operation and Joint Operational Programme. These projects are centred on: environmental protection; port networks; sustainable tourism and exchanges of culture and traditions. We can express the wish that local and regional authorities belonging to Turkey, Ukraine and Russia will become partners of this Euroregion.

7.         Contribution of the Chamber of Regions to the work of the organisations representing regions in Europe

The Congress was represented at the following General Assemblies or conferences (please find the name of the Congress member between brackets after each event):

·         37^th General Assembly of the CPMR (Goteborg, Sweden) 1-2 October 2009 (G. Krug)

·         CALRE Plenary Assembly (Innsbruck, Austria) 18-20 October 2009 (G. Krug)

·         AEBR General Assembly (Ghent, Belgium) 5-7 November 2009 (K.H. Lambertz)

• REGLEG Conference (Turin, Italy) 5-6 November 2009 (L. Sfirloaga)

·         AER General Assembly (Belfort, France) 25 – 27 November 2009 (L. Sfirloaga)

·         Conference on Regions of the Black Sea (Paris, France) (organised by the Assembly of European Regions) 15 – 16 February 2010 (L. Sfirloaga)

·         Forum on Integration through territorial co-operation (Brussels, Belgium) 13 April 2010 (A. Kiefer, Secretary General of Congress)

• 25^th Anniversary of AER: From Subsidiarity to Success: Strong Regions for a Strong Europe (Brussels, Belgium) 14 June 2010 (K. Andersen)
• 38^th General Assembly of the CPMR (Aberdeen, Scotland) 29 September – 1 October 2010 (J. Jardim)

·         Conference: "Landscape, City Planning, Tourism" Role and Responsibilities of Local and Regional Authorities for the Implementation of the European Landscape Convention (Ploiesti, Romania) 1 October 2010 (L. Sfirloaga)

• CALRE Plenary Assembly (Trento, Italy) 4-5 October 2010 (L. Sfirloaga)
• Building bridges: towards territorial cohesion in Europe? (Strasbourg, France) 18-19 October 2010 – organised in cooperation with Strasbourg University (K.H. Lambertz)
• AEBR General Assembly (Dundalk, Ireland) 21-23 October 2010 (G. Krug)

8.         Dates of Bureau meetings of the Chamber of Regions (October 2009 – October 2010)

• 12 – 14 October 2009 (Strasbourg, France)
• 15 January 2010 (Lugano, Switzerland)
• 5 February 2010 (Paris, France)
• 16 – 18 March 2010 (Strasbourg, France)
• 21 May 2010 (Strasbourg, France)
• 17 June 2010 (Strasbourg, France)
• 17 September 2010 (Strasbourg, France)