Strasbourg, 19 April 2010                                                                     LR-GG(2010)1

                                                                                                                         

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL DEMOCRACY

(CDLR)

COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON GOOD DEMOCRATIC

GOVERNANCE AT LOCAL AND REGIONAL LEVEL

(LR-GG)

PROGRAMME OF ACTIVITIES OF THE LR-GG FOR 2010-2013:

Draft list of activities

Secretariat Memorandum

prepared by the Directorate General of

Democracy and Political Affairs

Directorate of Democratic Institutions

This document is public. It will not be distributed at the meeting. Please bring this copy.

Ce document est public. Il ne sera pas distribué en réunion. Prière de vous munir de cet exemplaire.

Introduction

At the 16^th session of their conference in Utrecht, the European  Ministers responsible for local and regional government instructed their representatives in the European Committee on Local and Regional Democracy (CDLR) “to draw up at the Committee’s meeting in March 2010 a concrete programme of activities for the years 2010-2013 that reflects the priority the Ministers had given to the challenges, takes account of the priority given to actions at national and regional level and determines outputs that meet the highest possible level of support.”

At its meeting in January, the Bureau examined first elements prepared by the Secretariat on the basis of the Utrecht Declaration, notably Declaration I (A) on the impact of financial/economic crisis on local and regional government and Declaration I (B) on government action to overcome obstacles to transfrontier co-operation, including Protocol No 3 to the Madrid Outline Convention, and the replies that had by then been received to the questionnaire launched in December on the activities to meet the challenges identified in the Utrecht Agenda. The Bureau instructed the Secretariat to prepare a preliminary draft programme of activities for consideration and adoption by the CDLR at it meeting in March on the basis of its discussion and suggestions made.

At its meeting in March 2010 the CDLR adopted its (initial) programme of activities 2010-2013, as instructed by Ministers in Utrecht. In doing so, it took care to reflect the priority that Ministers had, through their voting at Utrecht, given to the challenges and to identify outputs that meet the highest level of support.

The current document contains the preliminary draft programme of activities of the LR-GG for 2010-2013 in the form of a table. It includes the activities stemming directly from the Utrecht Declaration, activities proposed in the replies to the questionnaire,and supplemented with proposals by the Bureau.

The list of outputs in the table is thus a proposal which is to be reviewed in-depth by the LR-GG before being adopted. Members are invited to make additional proposals for outputs/activities and/or to propose removing outputs/activities from the list, bearing in mind the instruction by ministers quoted above.

It is suggested that the LR-GG may at this stage wish not to determine all activities and outputs for the full period of 2010-2013. Rather it may wish already now to identify those which already clearly meet the requirements and keep open the possibility of identifying further outputs and activities at a later stage.

Concerning the table, the following further explanations can be given:

Outputs that are closely linked are grouped together under one activity.

Outputs listed (1^st column) are in a different stages; some are ongoing and others are in a preliminary stage. Therefore, it is suggested that the LR-GG members give input and consideration to each output separately. For those outputs which are underway (Public Ethics Handbook) there is separate item on the LR-GG agenda (Item 5), and members are invited to contribute with the advice and recommendations for the next steps under those points. Outputs which are new have to examined in detail, and all the aspects in the implementations cycle need to be considered. LR-GG members are expected to provide constructive efforts in defining the methods in the outputs’ implementation, as well as the communications plans of action.

An objective (column 2^nd) is defined for each output, and LR-GG members are invited to examine and propose any other outputs that meet the objective.

The 3^rd column identifies the impact that is expected from the implementation of each output. LR-GG members are welcome to propose modifications and/or new formulations.

The timing suggested for outputs (4^th and 5^th column) is provisional and all suggestions from the LR-GG members are welcome.

LR-GG members are also invited to make proposals for outputs which could be implemented in co-operation with other sub-committees (6^th column).

As part of measures set out in the Utrecht Declaration to achieve strong ownership by member states, CDLR members were encouraged to take on the function of rapporteur (adviser) for activities (7^th column). Some members already volunteered to take on the function, while some positions are still open. LR-GG members are thus encouraged to propose themselves as a rapporteur for activities in which their country has a particular interest and they themselves have know-how and experience.

In addition to those specifically mentioned as partners in the implementation of the outputs (8^th column), all those identified in the terms of reference of the CDLR as participants, other participants and observers are invited to contribute/take part: Parliamentary Assembly, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Conference of INGOs, European Union, states with observer status (Canada, Holy See, Japan, Mexico and United States of America), intergovernmental organisations such as United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR-OSCE); and the following non-governmental organisations: United Cities and Local Government (UCLG), Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), Assembly of European Regions (AER), and the International Federation for Housing and Planning (IFHP).

The 9^th column identifies by its number the challenge in the Utrecht Agenda to which the outputs are related. The outputs currently on the list address several of the seven priority challenges identified by the Ministers at Utrecht.

The column of communication action plans of (10^th column) has been deliberately left open.  Because it is of great importance for the communication plans to be determined all members are invited make proposals in this respect.

Action required

The LG-GG is invited to review in-depth the preliminary draft programme of activities 2010-2013 and particularly:

-      to decide the activities, outputs, objective, impacts, time frame, rapporteurs, and communication action plans of to be included in the programme;

-    to adopt the resulting programme of activities and to give the Secretariat the necessary instructions for taking the work forward;

-      to make proposals for further outputs/activities that could be included in the programme at a later stage.

DRAFT LIST OF ACTIVITIES OF THE LR-GG FOR 2010-2013

	Output (1)	Objective (2)	Expected impact (3)	Start date (4)	End-date (5)	Sub-Com. (6)	Rapport. (7)		Partners[1] (8)	Challenges addressed[2] (9)	Communication plans of action (10)
Activity 1: Promoting the Additional Protocol
	Workshops to promote the Additional Protocol	To increase awareness of the national stakeholders on the Additional Protocol, and its policy implications.	Additional Protocol signed, ratified and implemented by the Council of Europe member states.	2010/I	2013/II	GG		Hosting by Govern.		2, 4, 6
	Report on the implementation of the Additional Protocol to the European Charter of Local Self-Government on the right to participate in the affairs of a local authority	To have up-to-date information on signature and ratification of the Additional Protocol, and national experiences of its implementation	Ministers have accurate information and sound basis for further decision making.	2012/I	2013/II	GG				2, 4, 6
Activity 2: Analysing participation trends
	Report analysing the low democratic participation by certain groups in society, and taking stock of the Member States’ policies	To have insight into the low democratic participation by certain groups in society, and Member States’ policies in the areas.	Member States have enhanced knowledge enabling them to address problems.	2010/I	2010/II	GG				2, 3,  4, 6
	Report on participatory budgeting	To have insight into the legislation and practices on participatory budgeting in the Member States.	Member States have better understanding on this instrument and basis for possible further work.	2010/I	2010/II	GG				1, 2, 3,  4, 6
Activity 3: Strengthening Good Democratic Governance
	Report on the feasibility of Recommendation on good democratic governance	To explore the feasibility of the Recommendation on good democratic governance and to provide findings and  recommendations.	Member States have sound basis for decision making about possible recommendation.	2010/I	2011/II	GG	Mrs. Greta Billing (Norway)			1, 2, 3,  4, 6
	Updated Handbook on Public Ethics	To update the Handbook on Public Ethics.	Member States have a tool for strengthening the public ethics as a part of the Good Democratic Governance.	2010/I	2010/II	GG	Mr. Paul-Henri Philips (Belgium)			2, 3,  4, 6, 7
	Workshop to exchange good practices on the implementation of the Strategy for Innovation and Good Governance in pilot countries	To enable pilot countries to exchange good practices on the implementation of the Strategy for Innovation and Good Governance.	Pilot countries have accurate information enabling them to implement the Strategy for Innovation and Good Governance more effectively.	2010/I	2013/II	GG	Mrs. Greta Billing (Norway	Hosting by Govern.		2, 3,  4, 6, 7

Activity 4: Exploring new challenges
	Exploratory report on the impact of demographic/migration trends	To have insight into the impact of demographic/migration trends on local and regional government, and to assess the scope for CDLR contribution.	Member States have sound basis in decision making on possible CDLR contribution on demographic/migration trends in European countries.	2010/I	2010/II	GG			5
	Exploratory report on improving access to public services delivered at local and regional level	To explore the possibilities for improving the access to public services delivered at local and regional level.	Member States have accurate information on the possibilities for improving the access to public services delivered at local and regional level and CDLR contribution.	2010/I	2010/II	GG			2, 3,  4, 6, 7

Challenges

1: Managing the impact of the current financial/economic crisis

2: Addressing the low level of democratic participation in public life at local and            

    regional level

3: Reducing the complexity and cost of the current system of local and regional

    government and enhancing its efficiency

4: Enhancing the capacity for and quality of governance in local and regional

    communities or authorities

5: Addressing the impact of demographic/migration trends

6: Improving access to public services delivered at local and regional level

7: Making it easier for local and regional authorities to co-operate across frontiers