Draft list of activities

Strasbourg, 10 May 2010 LR-IC(2010)1

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL DEMOCRACY

(CDLR)

COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS AND CO-OPERATION

(LR-IC)

PROGRAMME OF ACTIVITIES OF THE LR-IC 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 2010, 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 Marchon 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-IC for 2010-2013 in the form of a table (see Appendix I). 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-IC 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-IC 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-IC members give input and consideration to each output separately. For those outputs which are underway (Analytical tool for assessing the degree of autonomy of first-tier local authorities) there is separate item on the LR-IC agenda (Item 6), 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-IC 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-IC 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-IC 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-IC members are welcome.

LR-IC 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-IC 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. For a description of the tasks to be performed by the rapporteurs, see Appendix II.

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 LR-IC 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 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.

APPENDIX I

DRAFT LIST OF ACTIVITIES OF THE LR-IC 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: Reducing the complexity and costs of the current system of local and regional government and enhancing its efficiency
1.	Report on indicators for complexity and costs of the current system of local and regional government and enhancing its efficiency	To have basis to develop guidelines on reducing the complexity and costs of the current system of local and regional government and enhancing its efficiency.	Member States have basis to develop guidelines on reducing the complexity and costs of the current system of local and regional government and enhancing its efficiency.	2010/I	2011/I	IC				1, 3, 4, 6, 7
2.	Guidelines on reducing the complexity and costs of the current system of local and regional government and enhancing its efficiency	To offer guidelines to the member state on reducing the complexity and costs of the current system of local and regional government and enhancing its efficiency.	Member States have guidelines on how to reduce complexity and costs and to enhance efficiency in the current systems.	2011/I	2011/II	IC				3, 4, 6, 7
Activity 2: Strengthening the transfrontier co-operation
1.	Appendices to Protocol 3 (2011-12)	To develop domestic legislation that enables full implementation of Protocol 3.	Members states have drafts that could facilitate the adoption of the relevant domestic legislation.	2010/I	2011/II	IC				7
2.	Review Conference	To exchange information on how to reduce/remove obstacles to crossborder co-operation.	Members states have increased capacity to strengthen transfrontier co-operation.	2010/I	2010/II	IC		Netherlands		7
3.	Report on the opportunities for funding the transfrontier co-operation EU/non EU funds	To research and identify the opportunities for funding the transfrontier co-operation EU/non EU funds.	Members states have further insight as to which sources of funding transfrontier co-operation exist for them and local/regional authorities to use	2011/I	2011/II	IC				7
4.	Updating the report on the current state of administrative and legal framework of transfrontier co-operation in member states	To have an updated version of the report on the current state of administrative and legal framework of transfrontier co-operation in member states.	Member States have clearer picture of the current state of administrative and legal framework of transfrontier co-operation.	2010/II	2011/I	IC				7
5.	Report on cross border e-services	To have an oversight of cross border e-services across Europe.	Members states’ information base is enhanced so that they can take appropriate action in order to develop cross border e-services.	2011/I	2011/II	IC				3,4,6,7
6.	Workshops to promote Protocol 3	To increase awareness of the national stakeholders on the Protocol 3.	Protocol 3 signed, ratified and implemented by the Council of Europe member states.	2011/I	2013/II	IC		Hosting by Govern.		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

APPENDIX II

Rapporteurs' duties
for the intergovernmental programme of activities 2010 – 2013

In order to secure member states' "strong ownership" of the Council of Europe Agenda in the field of local and regional democracy, as called for in Utrecht by the ministers responsible for local and regional government, and bearing in mind the measures recommended by Mrs Mari Kiviniemi concerned with strengthening member states' involvement, the appointment of rapporteurs for multilateral activities is strongly encouraged.

In their replies to the questionnaire sent out in December 2009, member states called for reports to be prepared on topical subjects relating to the challenges identified in the Utrecht Agenda. The intergovernmental programme of activities has been prepared on the basis of these replies and was approved by the CDLR at its 45^th meeting (1-2 March 2010).

The member states have been invited to volunteer to fill the role of rapporteur on one of the themes of the activities programme.

Rapporteurs have the following duties :

They oversee the entire activity concerned and ensure that it is conducted in accordance with the agreed timetable and achieves the expected results.

They will also carry out as many of the following tasks as possible:

preparing, in collaboration with the secretariat and with a view to their adoption by the relevant committee, draft questionnaires to member states on the theme of the report;
ensuring that they are regularly informed of the replies received by the secretariat, which will also be responsible, where necessary, for requesting clarification or additional information;
proposing to the secretariat and to the competent committee a structure/working plan for the report;
helping to draft the report: analysing and summarising the replies received, making proposals for action, preparing conclusions;
presenting the report and facilitating discussions, with a view to securing agreement on appropriate follow up by the competent committee and the CDLR;
making any modifications requested to the report and producing the final version, with the assistance of the secretariat.

Turning to the required skills and competences, rapporteurs should have a good knowledge of and be interested in the relevant field. The purpose and value of their involvement is to share their experience in that field, for the benefit of member states.

Rapporteurs operate on a voluntary basis and, in principle, receive no remuneration.

[1] In all cases those identified in the terms of reference of the CDLR as participants, other participants and observers are invited to contribute.

[2] At Utrecht Ministers voted to establish the priority to be given to the challenges the CDLR had identified in the field of local and regional democracy. Challenges are listed at the last page of this document.