Strasbourg, 28 June 2011 LR-GG(2011)10
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL DEMOCRACY
(CDLR)
COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON GOOD DEMOCRATIC
GOVERNANCE AT LOCAL AND REGIONAL LEVEL
(LR-GG)
MEETING REPORT
9-10 May 2011
1. Opening of the meeting
The LR-GG Committee met in Strasbourg on 9-10 May 2011. The list of participants appears at Appendix 1.
2. Election of the Chair and Vice-Chair
Mr Paul-Henri Philips (Belgium) was elected to the Chair and Mrs Neza Vodusek (Slovenia) Vice-Chair, both by acclamation.
3. Adoption of the agenda
The Agenda as adopted appears at Appendix 2.
4. Preparation of the 17th Session of the Ministerial Conference in Kyiv
The Committee was informed of the state of preparation of the 17th Session of the Ministerial Conference which is to be held in Kyiv on 3-4 November 2011. Mr Andriy Guk (Ukraine) informed that Ukrainian government will send the letters of invitations for the Ministerial Conference this month. He also added that within the framework of its Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Ukraine will, as one of its priorities, focus on strengthening and developing local democracy.
The Committee took note of the draft programme, the draft agenda and the list of documents to be prepared.
5. Report analysing the low democratic participation by certain groups in society and taking stock of member States' policies
The Report on the low democratic participation by certain groups in society and taking stock of the member States’ policies was presented to the Committee by the Rapporteur, Mr Edwin Lefebre. The Report, already reviewed by the CDLR, is based on and draws together the data obtained from the replies to the questionnaire sent to the member States. It also highlights cases and initiatives to increase electoral participation.
The Committee agreed that the issue of low democratic participation by certain groups in society should be given additional consideration and it explored follow up activities such as a workshop to share practices highlighted in the Report and the development of a manual of good practices.
The Committee agreed that such a workshop could be organized after the Ministerial Conference in Kyiv, that is: in early December 2011, and should have a clear focus on concrete experience successful and not-so-successful, of member States. The Committee entrusted the Rapporteur, Mr Edwin Lefebre, with support from the Secretariat, to prepare a draft proposal on the workshop for the CDLR meeting in September 2011.
6. Human Rights at local level
The Committee reviewed document LR-GG(2011)3 as regards the human rights dimension at local and regional level. The Secretariat presented the first results from the questionnaire and information gathered from the replies from 14 members States. It agreed to extend the deadline for the questionnaire till 18 May since the information thus gathered will be the basis for a report to the Ministerial Conference in Kyiv.
Mr Lauri Sivonen from the office of the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe informed the Committee that Mr Hammarberg strongly supports attention for the role of local and regional authorities in ensuring the respect for and realization of human rights.
The Committee appointed Mr Auke van der Goot (the Netherlands) and Mr Paul-Henri Philips (Belgium) as Rapporteurs for this activity. The Committee entrusted the Secretariat to incorporate the additional replies and complementary comments from the member States and to send the updated document to the Congress for its comments and observations. The Committee agreed that activities on the human rights dimension at local and regional level should be taken forward as much as possible jointly with the Congress and agreed that the possibility of preparing a joint declaration by the Ministers and the Congress at Kyiv should be explored.
7. Updated version of Handbook on Public Ethics
The LR-GG Committee discussed and approved the approach to be followed with a view to completing the updating of the “Model Initiatives Package on Public Ethics at Local Level” (adopted in 2004).
The deadline for member States comments on the comparative synthesis of the replies given to the questionnaire was extended by 31 May 2011.
Once the draft text is completed it will be sent to CDLR/LR-GG members for approval by written procedure. In case any objections are raised, the decision on its adoption will be referred to the plenary CDLR meeting in September 2011.
8. Workshop on participatory budgeting
The Workshop on Participatory Budgeting organised in co-operation with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities was held all day on 10 May 2011 during the second day of the LR-GG meeting, as a combined event with the LR-FS Committee.
The objective of the workshop was to enable countries to exchange good practices on participatory budgeting and to enable member States to get a better understanding of this instrument. The workshop also provided the orientation for a report on this topic.
The issue of participatory budgeting was reviewed from different perspectives. Professor Jochen Franzke (University of Potsdam) gave an overview of the models of participatory budgeting in Europe and the use of it as a new instrument of local democracy. Cases from Cologne (Germany), Liege (Belgium), Shumen (Bulgaria) and Haninge (Sweden) were presented within the session devoted to the participatory budgeting at local level. The role of the local government associations in participatory budgeting was elaborated through experiences from the Swedish Association (SALAR) and the Network of associations of local governments in South-Eastern Europe (NALAS). The final session, dedicated to the role of the central/regional government in participatory budgeting, was examined through the case from Ukraine and the report by Mrs Neza Vodusek (Slovenia) who presented results from the CDLR survey on the legal framework and the current practice in member States. The general conclusion from the workshop was that this is still a relatively new instrument, which exists in a variety of forms and is not yet widely used by local authorities in member States. However, in most cases its introduction does not require special legislation to be adopted at central level, so that the further spreading of the use of this instrument will depend mainly on concrete initiatives by individual local authorities. Given its potential as an instrument for enhancing citizens’ participation, central governments and associations of local authorities may wish to consider playing a stimulating role.
The Committee agreed that further attention should be given to the instrument of participatory budgeting and instructed the two rapporteurs, Mrs Annie Biefnot (Belgium) and Mrs Neza Vodusek (Slovenia), to incorporate all contributions into the report which will be submitted to the CDLR in September.
9. Additional Protocol to the ECLSG (signature, ratification and promotion)
The Committee held a tour de table on the prospects for signature and ratification of the Additional Protocol to the European Charter of Local Self-Government. Slovenia reported that the Protocol was ratified by the Parliament on 8 March 2011, while in the Slovak Republic ratification is expected by the end of the 2011.
10. Strategy for Innovation and Good Governance at local level
The Committee took note of the ongoing implementation of the Strategy contained in document LR-GG(2011)7. LR-GG members provided updated information on measures taken in their respective countries with a view to acceding to the Strategy and/or establishing national (regional) platforms.
11. European Local Democracy Week
The Committee took up this item on the basis of document LR-GG(2010)8 and the Secretariat provided additional information on recent developments.
12. Forum for the Future of Democracy
The Committee took note of the Mission Statement and the Revised Guidelines of the Forum for the Future of Democracy, the conclusions of Yerevan (19-21 October 2010) and the preliminary proposals for the 2011 Forum event in Cyprus, contained at the document LR-GG(2011)9.
13. Programme of activities 2012-2013
Mr Alfonso Zardi (Head of the Department of Local and Regional Democracy and Good Governance) presented to the Committee the new intergovernmental set-up which the Secretary General has proposed as from 2012. He informed that all Steering Committees will receive new terms of reference from the Committee of Ministers as from 1 January 2012. The role of these bodies will be based on the strategic priority axes and will be linked to the two year programming cycle so as to allow the Committee of Ministers to create/discontinue or adapt their terms of reference to priorities/new challenges on a regular basis.
Under the proposal, the Steering Committee on Local and Regional Democracy (CDLR) will continue to exist and its main challenge in 2012-2013 will be to take forward the Chaves review of the Council of Europe’s activities in the field of local and regional democracy in close co-operation with the Congress, the Parliamentary Assembly and relevant non governmental organisations.
The SG’s proposal does not envisage giving new terms of reference to the LR-GG, LR-IC and LR-FS committees. However, ad-hoc single purpose working groups may be proposed to the Ministers’ Deputies.
As concerns the budget, the SG’s proposal foresees a 34% cut in the overall resources of the intergovernmental sector on local and regional democracy. The Ministers’ Deputies are expected to decide on budget matters in principle by the end of June 2011.
14. Other business
Mr Olivier Terrien of the Centre of Expertise on Local Government Reform and Ms Siobhan Montgomery, responsible for communication, informed the Committee on the upcoming colloquy on Public Ethics which will be held in Strasbourg on 30 June.
15. Date of the next meeting
None.
Appendix 1
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
MEMBERS / MEMBRES
AZERBAIJAN / AZERBAÏDJAN
Mr Panah JAHANGIROV, Senior adviser, Section for Work with Municipalities, Department of Regional Governance and Local Self-Government Authorities of the Administration of the President, BAKU
Tel: +994124371905; E-mail: [email protected]
BELGIUM / BELGIQUE
M. Paul-Henri PHILIPS, Adjoint du Directeur Général, Administration des pouvoirs locaux, Ministère de la Région de Bruxelles-Capitale, Boulevard du Jardin Botanique, 20, B – 1035 BRUXELLES
Tél : (32) 2 800 32 77 ; Fax : (32) 2800 38 00; E-mail: [email protected]
Mr Edwin LEFEBRE, Deputy Director, Ministry of the Flemish Community, Agency for Home Affairs, Boudewijnlaan 30, B - 1000 BRUSSELS
Tel : (32) 2 553 40 16; Fax :(32) 2 553 39 52; E-mail: [email protected]
Mme Annie BIEFNOT-VANBOTERDAL, Directrice générale, Chargée de mission auprès du Gouvernement Wallon, 18/19, rue de la Seuwe, B - 7000 MONS
Tél: +(32) (0) 65 22 06 84; +(32) (0) 475 46 79 38; Fax:+(32) (0) 65 22 06 99;
E-mail:[email protected]
M. Xavier KALBUSCH, Ministerium der Deutschsprachigen Gemeinschaft, Gospert 1, 4700 EUPEN
Tél : (32) (0)87 59 63 00 ; Fax : (32) (0)87 55 28 91 ; E-mail : [email protected]; [email protected]
BULGARIA / BULGARIE
Mme Zornitsa HADZHIDIMITROVA-GEORGIEVA, Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, 17-19 St. Kiril I Metodii Str., 1202 SOFIA;
Tel : (359) 2 9405 223 1224 ; E-mail: [email protected]
CZECH REPUBLIC/ REPUBLIQUE TCHEQUE
Mr Rudolf RYS, Administrative Advisor, Department for Public Administration, Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic, Nám. Hrdinů 3, 140 21 Praha 4
Tel: +420 974 816 640; fax: +420 974 816 832; E-mail: [email protected]
DENMARK / DANEMARK
Mr Jesper LORENZ GRADERT, Head of Section, Legal Division, Ministry of the Interior and Health, Slotsholmen 10, 1216 COPENHAGEN K
Tel: (45) 7228 2524; E-mail: [email protected]
FINLAND / FINLANDE
Mr. Markku MÖLLÄRI, Senior Adviser, Department for Municipal Affairs, Ministry of Finance, PL 28 / Box 28, Helsinki, FI-00023 GOVERNMENT, FINLAND
Tel: (358).9 160 32210; Fax: (358) 9 160 32230; E-mail: [email protected]
FRANCE
Mme Séverine REYMUND, Bureau des structures territoriales, Direction Générale des Collectivités locales, Ministère de l'Intérieur, 1 bis, place des Saussaies, F - 75800 PARIS
Fax: (33) 01 49 27 49 79; E-mail: [email protected]
GREECE / GRECE
Mr Georgios CHRYSAFIS, Expert, Directorate of Organisation and Functioning of Local Authorities, Ministry of the Interior, Decentralisation and E-Government, 27 Stadiou Str., GR - 10183 ATHENS
Tel: (30) 2131364740; E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: (30) 2131364395; Fax: (30) 2131364389; E-mail: [email protected]
ICELAND / ISLANDE
Mr Johannes Finnur HALLDORSSON, Office for Human Rights and Local Government, Ministry of the Interior, Söluhölsgötu 7, 150 REYKJAVIK
Tel: (354) 545 8232; E-mail: johannes.finnur.halldorsson@irr.is
IRELAND / IRLANDE
Mr Tom SHERIDAN, Local Government Policy Section, Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Custom House, DUBLIN 1
Tel: (353) 1 888 2361; Fax: (353) 1 888 2643; E-mail: [email protected]
ITALY / ITALIE
Apologised for absence / excusé
LATVIA / LETTONIE
Ms Anda VECTEVA, Deputy Director, Local government monitoring department, Ministry of Environment protection and Regional development, Peldu str. 25, LV – 1494 RIGA
Tel : (371) 6777 0382; Fax: (371) 6777 0479; E-mail: [email protected]
LUXEMBOURG / LUXEMBOURG
Mme Christiane LOUTSCH-JEMMING, Conseiller de Gouvernement 1ère classe, Ministère de l'Intérieur et à la Grande Région, 19, rue Beaumont, L – 1219 LUXEMBOURG
Tél. + 352 247 84615; Fax: + 352 26 20 26 93; e-mail: [email protected]
MALTA / MALTE
Mr Carmel ABELA, Director, Local Government, Department for Local Government, Office of the Prime Minister, 26 Archbishop Street, Valletta VLT1443
Tel: (356) 2200 2300; Fax; (356) 2200 2390; E-mail: [email protected]
NETHERLANDS / PAYS-BAS
Mr Auke van der GOOT, Senior Adviser, Europe and Local and Regional Governance Unit, Directorate General for Governance and Kingdom Relations, Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, P.O Box 20011, NL - 2500 EA THE HAGUE
Tel: (31) 70 426 7386; Fax: (31) 70 426 7655; E-mail: [email protected]
NORWAY / NORVEGE
Mrs Greta Ulland BILLING, Deputy Director General, Department of Local Government, The Royal Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Postbox 8112 DEP, N - 0032 OSLO
Tel: (47) 22 24 72 25; Mobile: (47) 92 61 37 27; Fax: (47) 22 24 27 35;
E-mail: [email protected]
Mr Dag VESTRHEIM, Senior Adviser, Department of Local Government, The Royal Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Postbox 8112 DEP, N – 0032
OSLO
Tel: (47) 22 24 72 23; Fax: (47) 22 24 27 35; E-mail:[email protected]
SLOVAK REPUBLIC / REPUBLIQUE SLOVAQUE
Ms Zuzana BARBORÍKOVÁ, Head of Unit, Department for co-ordination and modernisation of Public administration, Public administration section, Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic, Drieňová 22, 826 86 BRATISLAVA
Tél : (421) 2 4859 2217 ; Fax: (421) 2 43 33 46 74;
E-mail: [email protected]
SLOVENIA / SLOVENIE
Mrs Neza VODUSEK, Senior Advisor, Government Office for Local Self-Government and Regional Policy, Dunajska cesta 58, 1000 LJUBLJANA, Slovenia
Tel: + 386 1 3201 631; Fax: + 386 1 3201 633; e-mail: [email protected]
SWITZERLAND / SUISSE
Apologised for absence / excusé
TURKEY / TURQUIE
Mr Ilker HAKTANKACMAZ, Head of the International Funding Unit, Directorate General of Local Authorities, Ministry of the interior, Devlet Mahallesi Inönü Bulvari No. 4 Bakanliklar – 06644 ANKARA
Tel: +90 312 419 07 81; Fax: +90 312 425 17 91;
E-mail: [email protected]
UKRAINE
Mr Andriy GUK, Chair of the International Department of the State Foundation for Local Self-Government of Ukraine, Office of the President of Ukraine, Chair of the CDLR, L.Ukrainka bld. 26, office 230, KYIV 01133, UKRAINE
Tel: + 380 44 223 68 10; Fax: + 380 44 286 48 63; E-mail: [email protected]
UNITED KINGDOM / ROYAUME-UNI
Mr Paul ROWSELL, Deputy Director, Democracy, Department for Communities and Local Government, 3/J1, Eland House, Bressenden Place, LONDON SW1E 5DU, GB
Tel: (44) 303 44 42568; E-mail: [email protected]
PARTICIPANTS
CONGRESS OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL AUTHORITIES OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE / CONGRES DES POUVOIRS LOCAUX ET REGIONAUX DU CONSEIL DE L’EUROPE
M. Jean-Paul CHAUVET, Head of the Service II – Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Regions / Chef du Service II – Secrétaire exécutif de la Chambre des régions
Tel: (33) 3.88.41.20.64; Fax: (33) 3.88.41.27.51; E-mail: [email protected]
Mrs Nichola HOWSON, co-secretary to the Governance Committee / co-secrétaire de la Commission de la gouvernance
Tel: (33) 3.88.41.22.39; Fax: (33) 3.88.41.27.51; E-mail: [email protected]
Mr Tim LISNEY, Deputy Secretary of the Chamber of Local Authorities / Secrétaire adjoint de la Chambre des pouvoirs locaux – Secretary of the Governance Committee / Secrétaire de la Commission de la gouvernance
Tel: (33) 3.88.41.35.73; Fax: (33) 3.88.41.27.51; E-mail: [email protected]
CONFERENCE OF INGOS OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE / CONFERENCE DES OING DU CONSEIL DE L’EUROPE
Mme Anne-Marie CHAVANON, Présidente de la Commission du développement territorial durable, 15, rue Falguière, 75015 PARIS
Tél. 01 53 85 76 80; E-mail: [email protected]
OTHER PARTICIPANTS / AUTRES PARTICIPANTS
HOLY-SEE / SAINT-SIEGE
Apologised for absence / excusé
OBSERVERS / OBSERVATEURS
ASSEMBLY OF EUROPEAN REGIONS (AER) / ASSEMBLEE DES REGIONS D'EUROPE (ARE)
M. le Professeur Charles RICQ, Directeur du Centre d'Observation Européen des Régions (COEUR), Professeur à l’Université de Genève, Chemin de la Renardière, CH - 1272 GENOLIER (Genève)
Tel: (41) 22 366 40 66; Fax: (41) 22 366 40 65; E-mail: [email protected]
COUNCIL OF EUROPEAN MUNICIPALITIES AND REGIONS (CEMR) / CONSEIL DES COMMUNES ET REGIONS D’EUROPE (CCRE)
Mr Boris TONHAUSER, Policy Officer, Council of European Municipalities and Regions, Square de Meeûs, 1, B – 1000 BRUXELLES
Tel: (32) 2 500 05 39 ; Fax: (32) 2 511 09 49; E-mail : [email protected]
SECRETARIAT
M. Alfonso ZARDI, Head of Department of Local and Regional Democracy and Good Governance / Chef du Service de la démocratie locale et régionale et de la bonne gouvernance - Directorate of Democratic Institutions / Direction des institutions démocratiques - Directorate General of Democracy and Political Affairs / Direction Générale de la démocratie et des affaires politiques
Tel : (33) 3 88 41 39 06; Fax : (33) 3 88 41 27 84; E-mail : [email protected]
Mr Frank STEKETEE, Administrator / Administrateur – Directorate of Democratic Institutions/ Direction des institutions démocratiques, Directorate General of Democracy and Political Affairs / Direction générale de la démocratie et des affaires politiques
Tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 39 61; Fax: +33 (0)3 88 41 27 84; E-mail: [email protected]
Mrs Vesna ATANASOVA, Administrator / Administratrice – Directorate of Democratic Institutions / Direction des institutions démocratiques, Directorate General of Democracy and Political Affairs / Direction générale de la démocratie et des affaires politiques
Tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 31 68; Fax: +33 (0)3 88 41 27 84;
E-mail: [email protected]
M. Olivier TERRIEN, Administrateur / Administrator - Centre d’Expertise pour la Réforme de l’Administration Locale / Centre of Expertise on Local Government Reform - Directorate of Democratic Institutions/ Direction des institutions démocratiques, Directorate General of Democracy and Political Affairs / Direction générale de la démocratie et des affaires politiques
Tel: (33) 03 88 41 22 47; Fax: (33) 03 88 41 27 84; E-mail: [email protected]
Ms Siobhán MONTGOMERY, Communication, Directorate of Democratic Institutions, Directorate General of Democracy and Political Affairs
Tel: (33) 3 88 41 24 14; Fax: (33) 3 88 41 27 84; E-mail: [email protected]
Mme Yvonne MANGOLD, Secrétariat, Direction des institutions démocratiques / Directorate of Democratic Institutions
Tel : (33) 3 90 21 41 16; Fax : (33) 3 88 41 27 84; E-mail : [email protected]
Appendix 2
AGENDA
9-10 May 2011
Strasbourg, Palais de l'Europe
Room 2
|
1. |
Opening of the meeting |
|||||||||
|
2. 3. |
Election of the Chair and Vice-Chair Adoption of the agenda |
[LR-GG(2011)OJ1rev] |
||||||||
|
4. |
Preparation of the 17th Session of the Ministerial Conference in Kyiv |
[LR-GG(2011)1] |
||||||||
|
5. |
Report analysing the low democratic participation by certain groups in society and taking stock of member States’ policies |
[LR-GG(2011)2] |
||||||||
|
6. |
Human rights at local level |
[LR-GG(2011)3] |
||||||||
|
7. |
Updated version of Handbook on Public Ethics |
[LR-GG(2011)4 Bil.] |
||||||||
|
8* |
Workshop on participatory budgeting |
[LR-GG(2011)5] |
||||||||
|
9. |
Additional Protocol to the ECLSG |
[LR-GG(2011)6] |
||||||||
|
(signature, ratification and promotion) |
||||||||||
|
10. |
Strategy for Innovation and Good Governance at local level |
[LR-GG(2011)7] |
||||||||
|
11. |
European Local Democracy Week |
[LR-GG(2011)8] |
||||||||
|
12. |
Forum for the Future of Democracy |
[LR-GG(2011)9] |
||||||||
|
13. |
Programme of activities 2012-2013 |
|||||||||
|
14. |
Other business |
|||||||||
|
15. |
Date of the next meeting |
|||||||||
* The Workshop on Participatory Budgeting will be held all day on 10 May 2011