Chamber of Regions

21^st SESSION

CPR (21)1

15 October 2011

Chamber of Regions activity report (April 2011-October 2011)

presented by: Mr Herwig van Staa, Austria (EPP/CD[1]), President of the Chamber

The role of the Chamber of Regions in promoting regional democracy

Regionalisation is very 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 has dealt with this major item during the 20^th Session in March and all along in its activities since then. The activities of the Chamber were also guided this year by the implementation of Resolution 314 (2010) on the co-operation between the Congress and associations representing regions in Europe.

1.         20^th Session of the Chamber of Regions

The 20^th Session devoted a first round table on the challenges for regions in Europe. The Assembly of European Regions (AER) which represents regions all over Europe was invited. Mrs Hande Özsan Bozatli (R, EPP/CD, Turkey) presented the views of the AER.

In the debate on the cooperation between the Congress and the associations representing regions in Europe, Mr Jean-Luc Vanraes, President of the Conference of European Regions with Legislative Power (REGLEG) and Minister of the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region, proposed to develop the co-operation with the Congress by the signature of a formal agreement.

           

In this debate, the Chamber also welcomed Mr Nazario Pagano, President of the Conference of European Regional Legislative Assemblies (CALRE). The Congress signed a cooperation agreement with CALRE in September 2010.

As far as European regions with special status are concerned, Mr Alberto João Jardim (R, EPP/CD, Portugal), President of the Regional Government of Madeira presented the conclusions of the Conference organised on this question on 15 November 2010 in Madeira. Mr Vladimir Konstantinov (R, ILDG, Ukraine), Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea made a statement on the special status of Crimea in Ukraine. This debate showed that the Congress should continue to study this question of the competences of regions with special status. The Governance Committee intends to prepare a report on this question in a near future.

We also held a round table on the role of regional ombudsmen in Europe with the participation of Mr Tom Frawley, Ombudsman of Northern Ireland (United Kingdom) and Ms Burgi Volgger, Ombudswoman of South Tyrol (Italy) and President of the European Ombudsman Institute. Ombudspersons contribute granting the respect of the rule of law, human rights and good governance. The Council of Europe is very keen in promoting their role. Our debate contributed to the preparation of the report which will be discussed at the present session.

We finally held a debate on energy supply and energy efficiency at regional level. After the earthquake in Japan, the debate on nuclear energy security is becoming more and more tense. In the debate we welcomed the statement by Mrs Svletana Orlova (R, EPP/CD, Russian Federation), Vice-President of Congress. During the present Session, a report on this item, prepared by Mrs Orlova will be discussed on Thursday 20 October.

2.         Cooperation with European associations of regions

2.1.       Conference of European Regional Legislative Assemblies (CALRE)

After the participation of its President to the Congress session, CALRE launched two activities: a self-assessment toolkit for regional legislative assemblies and an initiative aimed at fostering an exchange of experiences between European regions with a legislative assembly and those with a different organisation.

As a follow-up to the cooperation agreement signed in 2010, CALRE invited the Chamber to take part in the workshop on "The Dynamics of European Regionalism", held in Pescara Italy on 21-23 July 2011. Vice- President Ignacio Sanchez Amor made a statement on the cooperation among European regional bodies, and Secretary General Andreas Kiefer contributed to the workshop. This was a first concrete contribution of the Congress to CALRE activities after the signature of the cooperation agreement.

2.2.       Assembly of European Regions (AER)

On 29 September 2011, Secretary General Andreas Kiefer took part in the AER Bureau and Standing Committee on Institutional Affairs held in Brussels and informed about the state of cooperation with AER. The Congress President will take part in the AER General Assembly to be held in Ponta Delgada (Azores, Portugal) on 24 and 25 November 2011.

2.3.       Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe (CPMR)

Mr Knud Andersen (R, SOC, Denmark) represented the Chamber at the CPMR General Assembly held in Aarhus, Denmark, on 29 and 30 September 2011.

2.4.       Conference of European Regions with Legislative Power (REGLEG)

With a view to improving our relationship with this European Organisation as proposed by its President at the March Session, the Bureau of the Chamber prepared a draft agreement which was agreed at its last meeting and which will be signed on 18 October during the present Session. The Congress will be represented at the next General Assembly to be held in Brussels on 29 and 30 November 2011.

2.5.       Association of European Border Regions (AEBR)

Mrs Nataliya Romanova (R, ILDG, Ukraine) represented the Congress at the Annual Conference held in Kursk (Russian Federation) devoted to "Pan-European Cross-Border Cooperation: The European Union, the Russian Federation and the Neighbourhood and Pre-Accession Countries".

3.         Other regional initiatives

3.1.       The Congress was represented by Mrs Dubravka Suica (L, EPP/CD, Croatia), Vice-President, to the Conference "Regional Development Days" held on 23 May in Sibenik (Croatia) organised by the Ministry of Regional Development of Croatia.

3.2.       At the Adriatic Euroregion Assembly held in Campobasso on 29 June 2011, the Congress was represented by Mr Emilio Verrengia (L, EPP/CD, Italy), Head of the Italian delegation to the Congress.

3.3.       On 7 September 2011, Mr Günther Krug (R, SOC, Germany) represented the Chamber at the 21^st Economic Forum held in Krynica (Poland) on "European dilemmas – partnership or rivalry?"

4.         Transfrontier cooperation

The Chamber was represented in the meeting on "Removing Obstacles on Cross-border cooperation" (Strasbourg, 12 September 2011) organized by a Committee of experts of the Council of Europe. The objective was to finalise a contribution on this issue for the next Conference of Ministers (Kyiv, 3‑4 November 2011), Mr Jean-Marie Belliard (R, SOC, France) brought the Chamber's contribution to the meeting.

5.         Cooperation with the Committee of the Regions (CoR)

The Conference of Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP) set up by the EU Committee of the Regions was inaugurated in Poznan on 8 September 2011. Mrs Nataliya Romanova (R, ILDG, Ukraine) and myself represented the Congress in the Conference. I addressed the conference underlining the importance of close and successful co-operation between the CoR and the Congress in contributing to strengthen local and regional democracy in the Eastern Partnership countries. CORLEAP aims to give the EU Eastern Partnership initiative a territorial dimension and provide representation for local and regional authorities within it. The debates of the conference were focused on multilevel governance, local and regional democracy and the specific needs of local and regional actors with regards to EU funding for the Eastern Partnership. Recommendations of the CORLEAP members were forwarded to the Heads of State and Government of the Eastern Partnership who met in Warsaw. They adopted a Declaration in which they called upon the Committee of the Regions to work with the local and regional authorities from Eastern partners to establish a permanent institutional framework of cooperation. CORLEAP is for the Chamber of Regions an important initiative which allowed us to promote the importance of regional democracy in Europe.

6.         Future activities

6.1.       Concerning regions with legislative power, I proposed to hold in Innsbruck next year an international conference devoted to "The Role of Regions with Legislative Powers within the European Union and the Council of Europe". This conference will be a direct follow-up of the cooperation agreement which will be signed with the President of REGLEG at the present Session and will be perfectly in line with the cooperation agreement signed with the CALRE and with all the activities of the Congress to strengthen the role and the position of regions in Europe.

6.2.       The project to organise a Conference in 2012/2013 on the representation of regions in Second Chambers in Europe is still discussed within the Bureau of the Chamber.

6.3.       In the following months, the Chamber of Regions will ensure a follow-up to the 3 debates organised during the 21^st Session on the following questions:

-       the development of regionalisation in Europe, in particular in countries where new legislations on regions will be adopted;

-       the multilevel governance, in close cooperation with the Committee of the Regions. We expect very much of this debate and renew our readiness to closely follow and contribute to these initiatives;

-       the development of macro-regional strategies, with a particular attention to the project of the Alpine Macro-Region.

6.4.       The Chamber is also directly involved in the activities of the Congress in cooperation with the Committee of the Regions on the question of "public ethics / counteract corruption at local and regional level". I took part with Mrs Jana Fischerova (R, EPP/CD, Czech Republic) in the Conference of the Council of Europe organised on this question in Kyiv on 15 September 2011 and addressed the conference.

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The Chamber of Regions which contributed actively to the debate on the reform of the Congress is following very closely the new developments with the Council of Europe and adapts its activities to the priorities of the Congress and of the Council of Europe. It reiterates in particular its readiness to participate to new initiatives which will be launched in the framework of the neighbourhood policy of the Council of Europe, with a view to developing "Regional democracy" in South Mediterranean countries. The expertise recently given by a member of the Chamber on the development of regionalisation in Morocco, could be a first step which could be extended when appropriate in other countries. The "Reference Framework on Regional Democracy", already used in the monitoring missions of the Congress can "serve as a reference point for any government wishing to begin a process of regionalisation or reform of its local and regional structures" as recently endorsed by the Committee of Ministers on 19 April 2011.

The wish of the Congress is that this Reference Framework 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, decentralisation and quality of governance.