Strasbourg, 23 November 2010 LR-IC(2010)16
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL DEMOCRACY
(CDLR)
COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS AND COOPERATION
(LR-IC)
FOLLOW-UP TO SWOT REPORTS
ON TRANSFRONTIER COOPERATION
Secretariat Memorandum
prepared by the Directorate General of
Democracy and Political Affairs
Directorate of Democratic Institutions
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Introduction
From 2001 onwards the Department of Local and Regional Democracy and Good Governance produced three SWOT analyses of transfrontier co-operation among member states belonging to geographically defined regions. These reports were drawn up by the Istituto di Sociologia Internazionale di Gorizia (ISIG), an independent research institution based in Gorizia, Italy.
The SWOT method consists in making a list of the four “givens” (S: strengths and W: weaknesses, O: opportunities and T: threats) encountered along a given frontier, and to ascertain their impact by assigning values according to a mathematical method. The outcome is a weighting of the four “givens” which is converted into a suitable “strategy” for the frontier in question, be it a matter of emphasising the “strengths” to minimise the “weaknesses” or of building on “opportunities” to counter the “threats”.
Each of the three reports contains a presentation of the SWOT methodology, its application to the frontiers considered (described in detail) and proposal of the strategy best suited to each frontier. In each case, the most appropriate ”Euroregion” type as elaborated by the ISIG is also suggested.
The first report on South-East Europe (Balkan-Danube region) was produced in 2004 as a Council of Europe contribution to the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, thanks to a voluntary contribution from Belgium. It was circulated in a printed version (English) and on a CD-ROM (in English and in eight languages of the region). It was the subject of a regional conference held in Sofia in September 2005. The conference recommended the updating of the report. In July 2010 the revised version, produced by the ISIG, was circulated to the delegations (on the CDLR and the LR-IC) of the member states concerned for any comments and corrections, due by 15 September. On the basis and taking account of the observations made, the final version was drafted and should be published in time for the LR-IC meeting. Since it is the last in chronological order to be produced, it will be published with the reference SWOT 3.
The second report concerned the states of Central Europe and was produced in 2006-2007 as a follow-up to the Warsaw Conference in April 2005 on the 25th anniversary of the Madrid Outline Convention, organised in the context of the Polish Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. After revision and updating by consultation of the member states concerned (CDLR and LR-IC delegations), it was published in April 2010 with the reference SWOT 1.
The third report on Northern Europe was drawn up in 2007-2008 and had the benefit of a voluntary contribution from Lithuania. As with the two previous reports, it was produced by the ISIG, verified by the member states concerned, and finally published in April 2010 with the reference SWOT 2.
The LR-IC, which was informed of the above developments, requested that an item appear on the current meeting’s agenda to discuss a possible activity for the promotion of the three documents in order to foster their use by member states, their local authorities, associations, “euroregions”, etc.
It also seemed expedient to gather together in a separate volume two methodological documents (SWOT analysis and the various concepts of ”Euroregions” developed by the ISIG) together with a general presentation of the state of transfrontier co-operation in the geographical areas covered by the three SWOT reports. The Local Government and Public Administration Reform (LGI) programme of the Open Society Institute has stated its readiness to finance this report, which would be entrusted to the ISIG and could be published by the end of the year (with the reference SWOT 0) as well as the promotional event, if held (in conjunction with the Council of Europe).
Action required
The Committee members are invited to take note of the information on the SWOT reports, particularly SWOT 3 and SWOT 0, and to decide on the expediency and conditions of a possible event to promote the various SWOT reports.