Strasbourg, 24 June 2010                                                                       SIGG/Platform(2010)1

STAKEHOLDERS’ PLATFORM ON THE

STRATEGY FOR INNOVATION AND GOOD GOVERNANCE

AT LOCAL LEVEL

STATE OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY

Secretariat Memorandum

Prepared by the Directorate of Democratic Institutions

Directorate General of Democracy and Political Affairs

The implementation of the Strategy, and in particular of the label of good governance at local level, has crossed a significant stage since the 3^rd meeting of the Platform in June 2009. The following progress has been made.

1/ The roadtesting and completion of the tools for the label.

There are three tools, produced during several meetings of the specialised working group in 2009:

-      the self-assessment benchmark of the candidate municipality’s governance,

-      the two questionnaires for an opinion survey on the candidate municipality’s governance, among elected members of bodies on the one hand, among citizens on the other hand.

A roadtesting of the tools has been launched between December 15, 2009 and March 1^st, 2010, in a sample of municipalities in the 7 pilot countries selected for the first implementation phase of the label.

The list of countries and municipalities having completed the roadtesting is annexed to the present memo. On 47 correspondants in total in the 7 pilot countries, from which 43 municipalities, 1 region (in Ukraine) and 3 ministries (Region of Wallonia and Brussels-Capital in Belgium, and the Netherlands), 30 have completed the test (63,8%). In some countries (Bulgaria, Italy), a global reaction has been provided, grouping all comments and suggestions of amendments made by municipalities involved in the test. Two pilot countries have not responded to the test (the Netherlands and Ukraine), but they remain in the list of pilot countries, and will continue to experiment the label in 2010.

The Netherlands conducted a study to see how the Council of Europe Strategy and Benchmark could be combined with already existing benchmarks and other ongoing activities such as the development of a Dutch Code of Good Governance aimed at all levels  of government.

This good rate of respons has lead us to revise the three tools by integrating the whole comments and proposals of amendments made. A new version of the tools was presented to the pilot countries’ project leaders, invited to Strasbourg on 27 and 28 April 2010. A final series of amendments were made, taking account of the conclusions of this meeting.

The final versions of the three tools are presented in the document SIGG/Platform(2010)2.

2/ Structures and procedures for awarding the label.

Based on a first draft project prepared in summer of 2009, thoughts have been carried along the end of 2009 and beginning of 2010 on rules of procedure leading to the awarding of the label of good governance, and on structures to be created in the countries in order to allow a decentralised implementation of these procedures. The link to be maintained between national structures and the Council of Europe has been foreseen, so that the label will keep  its European nature. An accreditation will be given by the Council of Europe’s Stakeholders’ Platform to any country presenting a national (or regional, as the case may be) stakeholders’ platform, and the rules fixed in the country, based on the European rules agreed by the Council of Europe’s Stakeholders’ Platform.

These rules are presented in the document SIGG/Platform(2010)3.

3/ Summary of the state of implementation of the Strategy in various countries.

The following information concern countries in which contacts have been made and/or developed during 2009-2010. The priority beeing in the development and verification of the tools, some contacts were less followed with action than others. They will be taken up again during the second half of 2010.

Austria

The Austrian Association of Cities and Towns confirmed last year its availability to join the Strategy. Contacts will be taken up with this country.

Slovakia

Both the central government and the association of local authorities have confirmed their willingness to join the Strategy. They expressed an interest in co-operating with other countries, and in particular Austria in its implementation. Contacts will be taken up with this country.

Romania

The government and the four associations of local and regional authorities (villages, towns, municipalities, counties) showed interest in the Strategy. Contacts will be taken up with this country.

Belgium - BrusselsRegion

Following the decision by the president to join the Strategy, a Work plan was drawn up. It will include both the implementation of the Strategy and the European Local Democracy Week. The work is done in close concentration with the local authorities and the neighbouring Region of Wallonia. The roadtesting of the tools was conducted in two municipalities and by the ministry of the Brussels-Capital Region.

Belgium - Flanders

The regional government, the association and two cities (Zoersel and Genk) took a decision to start working on the Strategy. Further information is to be provided. Contacts will be taken up with this region.

Belgium - Wallonia

The region took a decision to adopt the Strategy.  The Association of Local Authorities, as well as several cities, expressed their interest in implementing selected principles of the Strategy. The roadtesting of the tools was conducted in two municipalities and by the ministry of the Region of Wallonia.

France

Several municipalities, including Strasbourg, have expressed their interest in the Strategy. Some of these municipalities made the test of the Label. Contacts are currently made with the ministry of interior, of internal security and local government, and with the French Association of Mayors, on the implementation of a national stakeholders’ platform for awarding the label in 2010.

The Netherlands

A study is conducted to see how the Council of Europe Strategy and Benchmark could be combined with already existing Dutch benchmark.

Italy

Association of the Italian Municipalities (ANCI) has prepared needs analysis. The Molise region and several municipalities have adopted the Principles and will probably participate in the testing of the Label.

Ukraine

Ukraine has decided to join the initiative and organised a conference with the participation of the Council of Europe, Bulgarian, and Norwegian delegations in January 2009. A Task Force on the implementation of the European Strategy for Innovation and Good Governance at Local Level was created in February. The Minister of Regional Development and Construction approved an Action Plan on the implementation of the Strategy in Ukraine in 2009. Thirty-nine cities expressed a desire to pilot the implementation of the Strategy. The roadtesting of tools has not been conducted to its end. Ukraine remains nevertheless a pilot country for the label. 

Bulgaria

The government made a decision to join the Strategy in 2008. The Ministry of Regional Development has prepared the document on the needs analysis and the application of the principles of the Strategy. The roadtesting of the tools was successfully conducted in more than 10 municipalities, conclusions and recommendations were summarized in a single document sent to the Council of Europe.

Norway

KS (Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities) decided to participate as a pilot country in the implementation of the Strategy in 2007. A good dialogue between KS and the Ministry for Local and Regional Affairs has been established. There is an agreement that KS will implement the Strategy through a common Steering Committee, with activities partly financed by the Ministry. The roadtesting of the tools was successfully conducted in four municipalities.

Decisions required

SHP members are invited to:

1.      examine and adopt the benchmark for self assessment of the governance and the questionnaires for an opinion survey among elected members of bodies and citizens, document SIGG/Platform(2010)2,

2             examine and adopt the rules of procedure for accreditation of national stakeholders’ platforms and for awarding the label of innovation and good governance, document SIGG/Platform(2010)3,

3             take note of information on the implementation of the Strategy in the member States and give all useful orientation to the Secretariat.