Strasbourg, le 17 juin 2010 LR-FS(2010)5
COMITE EUROPEEN SUR LA DEMOCRATIE LOCALE ET REGIONALE
(CDLR)
COMITE D'EXPERTS SUR LES FINANCES AUX NIVEAUX LOCAL ET REGIONAL ET LES SERVICES PUBLICS
(LR-FS)
CONFERENCE SUR L’IMPACT DU RALENTISSEMENT ECONOMIQUE SUR LES COLLECTIVITES LOCALES EN EUROPE
ET REPONSES A CELUI-CI
(11-12 octobre 2010)
Note du Secrétariat
établie par la Direction générale de la
démocratie et des affaires politiques
Direction des institutions démocratiques
 |
Introduction
La Déclaration d’Utrecht (I (A), 15-19) a préconisé :
• de continuer le monitorage de la situation financière,
• une conférence de suivi au cours de la seconde moitié de 2010, et
• un examen des impacts globaux et les réponses au cours de la prochaine conférence ministérielle en Ukraine en 2011.
La Conférence « Impact du ralentissement économique sur les collectivités locales en Europe et réponses à celui-ci » co-organisée par le CDLR et la LGI (Initiative de réforme des autorités et des services publics locaux de l’Institut Open Society) se tiendra à Strasbourg les 11 et 12 octobre (matin) immédiatement suivie par la 46e réunion du CDLR.
Les objectifs de la Conférence seront :
• mettre à jour l’analyse des impacts financiers de la crise sur les collectivités locales;
• analyser les réponses politiques de la crise par les Etats membres dans le contexte des lignes directrices identifiées dans la Déclaration d’Utrecht ;
• identifier les thèmes possibles pour délibération par les ministres en 2011.
En plus des membres du CDLR, des représentants des ministères des finances, des associations de collectivités locales, d’autres organisations internationales et des spécialistes techniques contribuant aux ateliers de travail, ainsi que le Congrès et l’Assemblée parlementaire participeront à la Conférence. L’OCDE, la Banque Mondiale, le CCRE et l’Assemblée des Régions d’Europe ont été identifiés comme partenaires ou contributeurs pour les activités prévues pour relever le défi que constituent le monitorage de la crise financière et les réponses à y apporter.
Les conclusions de la conférence seront présentées au CDLR pour examen dans la planification de la prochaine Conférence ministérielle en 2011.
Le projet de programme (en anglais uniquement) présenté ci-après est provisoire et sera finalisé par le Bureau du CDLR. Lors de la réunion du LR-FS, le Prof. Ken Davey (LGI) informera le Comité sur l’état de préparation de la Conférence. Le LR-FS aura l’occasion de faire toutes les suggestions qui lui semble opportunes concernant la conférence, sa préparation et le projet de programme.
Action requise
Le Comité est invité à prendre note de ce qui précède et à faire toutes les suggestions qui lui semble opportunes concernant la préparation de la Conférence.
(Version provisoire en langue anglaise)
Conference organised by the CDLR and the LGI (Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative of the Open Society Institute)
“The Impact ofthe Economic Downturn on Local Government across Europe
and the Responses to”
Strasbourg, 11-12 October 2010
Draft programme
10 October 2010
|
Participants’ arrival |
|
|
19.00 – 22.00 |
Alsacian wine tasting, Dinner |
11 October 2010
|
9.00 – 9.30 |
Registration and coffee |
|
9.30 – 10.00 |
Introduction |
|
10.00 – 11.00 |
Plenary session: Overview and updated analysis of the financial situation of local government in Council of Europe member States
|
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11.00 – 11.30 |
Coffee Break |
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11.30 – 12.30 |
Ministerial Conference from Utrecht to Kiev, the road ahead. Introduction to workshop topics |
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12.45 – 14.15 |
Lunch |
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14.30 – 16.00 |
Workshops on policy responses. Round 1 |
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16.00 – 16.30 |
Coffee Break |
|
16.30 – 18.00 |
Workshops on policy responses. Round 1 continued |
|
18.15 – 19.30 |
Cocktail in the Blue Restaurant of the Council of Europe |
12 October 2010
|
9.00 – 11.00 |
Workshops on policy responses. Round 2 |
|
11.00 – 11.30 |
Coffee Break |
|
11.30 – 12.30 |
Workshops on policy responses. Round 2 continued |
|
12.30 – 13.30 |
Summary of workshops and Conclusions |
|
13.45 – 14.30 |
Lunch |
Workshops on policy responses: themes (provisional)
A: Inter-governmental Finance
The Utrecht Declaration detected a general contraction in local government revenues frequently with simultaneous growing demand for expenditure, particularly on social assistance and debt service. It predicted that this squeeze would continue in the short term due to cutbacks in national government support, time lags in revenue decline and increasing demand to support economic recovery and to address demographic change. It also noted that the assignment of more volatile tax bases, such as corporate profits and value added, to local governments with a high degree of regular operational commitments deserved reconsideration. It nonetheless cost doubt on the capacity of national budgets to offer local government increased budget support, except for short term fiscal stimulus, as they tended to be under even greater strain.
The workshop will discuss how far changes are being made or considered in:
· the assignment of revenue sources to local government
· the scope or scale of local expenditure responsibilities
· the volume and distribution of inter-governmental transfers and shared revenues
· the freedom of local authorities to vary the incidence and rates of their taxes and charges
· access to credit.
It will also appraise the quality of dialogue and negotiation between national and local government over these issues.
B: Doing more with less: promoting efficiency
The Ministerial Conference concluded that the squeeze on local budgets was likely to continue for the foreseeable future and that local governments would be challenged to find long-term ways of making resources go further in the delivery of public services.
A number of contemporary approaches to increasing efficiency were identified at Utrecht and experience in their application will be discussed by the Workshop. These include
- Benchmarking, performance audit, value-for-money review, performance budgeting etc. How widely are such processes used? How sensitive are they to exogenous differences in needs and costs? How and to what extent do they succeed in attracting local officials?
- Outsourcing: Is the crisis leading to an increase in contracting private sector provision of public services? Have cost savings been achieved, and if so, through competition or economies of scale? How can transparency be ensured? Can the advantages of competition for the initial award of contracts be safeguarded against subsequent erosion when service specifications require amendment?
- Territorial reorganisation. Has there been any acceleration of territorial amalgamation or inter-municipal co-operation?
- Are there significant differences between types of local government in the adoption of contemporary approaches? What types act as leaders of change?
C: Local government contributions
to economic recovery and sustainable development
After recessions in the 1990s many local governments developed an active role in promoting local economic activity and employment. How relevant do they remain in the current economic circumstances and to what extent are they being diversified or reinforced?
- Did improvements in local physical infrastructure benefit both from domestic and European Union stimulus and investments programmes? How has the crisis affected the appetite and capacity of private enterprises to engage in joint public sector investments? In which sectors do the benefits of its management expertise and scale economy outweigh the costs of fragmented management and more expensive capital? Were there any changes in the general public attitude and the technical approach towards private sector involvement in municipal service provision?
- Which indirect tools and interventions, such as supportive physical planning regulations and processes, more attractive physical and cultural environments, active municipal land policies and human skills development, were used for supporting local economic development?
- In several countries fiscal stimulus programmes are being specifically directed to projects designed to counter climate change. Examples include improvements in energy efficiency through insulation of public buildings and social housing, changes in local planning regulations, renewal of street lighting, urban transportation, etc. What is the practical experience of such efforts and which are the most efficient ways of intervention?
D: Coping with the social impacts of recession and
demographic change
The burden and cost of social provision have increased markedly in the short term as a consequence of the recession, but will also continue to rise in the long term because of demographic trends in Europe. The fiscal aftermath of the financial crisis will limit the ability of the State (central or local) to shoulder extra burdens and increasing co-operation with other actors will be imperative.
The division of responsibility between national and local government for social assistance and care varies enormously between European countries. What is the value added of local government participation? Do local knowledge and preferences enhance effectiveness and resources or distort equity? Do divisions of responsibility (including those between tiers of local government) bias towards more expensive solutions for individual needs?
Both commercial and social enterprises are expanding rapidly their social sector roles. Are their activities sufficiently incorporated into an overall regulatory and financial framework? Family care remains the bedrock in most communities; how far and how well does local government support rather than supplant it?
Overall, how can this mixed economy of social provision be made to work more efficiently and equitably?