Strasbourg, 7 December 2010                                                                SIGG/Platform(2010)5

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


With regard to state of implementation of the Strategy for Innovation and Good Governance at Local Level the following progress can be reported since the last stakeholders’ platform meeting.

Austria

The city of Innsbruck has officially confirmed their willingness to cooperate with the Management Center of Innsbruck on a real life simulation of applying for the Label of Democratic Governance. The new mayor of Innsbruck, Christine Oppitz-Plörer and several civil servants, have agreed to support the students of MCI in their attempt to fictively apply as the city of Innsbruck for the Label. The students will use the actual version of the self assessment tool and apply them to the situation of Innsbruck. This will assist the city of Innsbruck to learn more about the label, where they currently stand and thus what they would need to improve in order to apply officially for the label.

Belgium- Brussels Region

The Brussels-Capital Region officially accepted the Strategy in November 2007. Since then work on the implementation of the Strategy and Label of Good Governance has progressed, also in co-operation with Wallonia. Request for accreditation for the set up of a regional stakeholders’ platform is foreseen for early 2011 so that the first Labels can be awarded in the second half of 2011.

Belgium- Flanders

Much work with regard to the Strategy has already been done, of which work on two principles - principle 3 (efficiency and effectiveness) and principle 10 (sound financial management) - stand out. However, with regard to the Label, it is not expected that Flanders will apply for accreditation for a regional stakeholders’ platform in the near future. Contacts with Flanders will be continued.

Belgium- Wallonia

In November 2010 a meeting was organized with regional stakeholders to discuss how to move forward with the implementation of the Strategy combined with the European Local Democracy Week. The agreed approach was to engage in a good dialogue with all stakeholders first before applying for accreditation. As a consequence, a workshop for local authorities on good governance will be organised in February 2011. The accreditation request for the set up of a regional stakeholders’ platform is foreseen for early 2011.

Bulgaria

Bulgariais the first country applying for accreditation of their national stakeholders’ platform. This item will de dealt with separately during the meeting of the European stakeholders’ platform 7 December 2010.

 

France

Early November another meeting of pilot municipalities[1] was held to discuss how to move forward from experimental to actual implementation of the Strategy. There was agreement that in order to be sustainable the implementation of the Strategy, including the Label should be co-financed by both central government and local authorities. Some adjustments would also need to be made to the benchmark and the questionnaires. At the end of 2010 discussions will continue with the central government and the French Associations of Majors, to be followed by a meeting in January 2011 open to all possible members of a national stakeholders platform aimed at agreeing on the modalities and launching the process for request for accreditation.

Italy

In 2009, Regione Molise adopted a policy statement on the Strategy and formally encouraged the municipalities in its territory to accept the twelve principles. A regional conference to publicly launch the Strategy was held in November 2010 in Campobasso. The Region will undertake to start the process leading to the establishment of a regional stakeholders’ platform and launching the Label. Contacts with the national association of Italian municipalities (ANCI) will be further pursued.

The Netherlands

The Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations has delegated implementation of the Strategy on Innovation and Good Governance at Local Level and the Dutch Code for Good Governance to KING (Kwaliteitsinstituut Nederlandse Gemeenten or Quality Institute for Dutch Local Authorities). The Ministry and KING are currently in the process of composing the accreditation dossier and a request for accreditation is foreseen for early 2011.

Norway

KS (Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities) is responsible for implementation of the Strategy. Several meetings have taken place between the Ministry for Local and Regional Affairs and KS as well as a KS board meeting. During these meetings it was agreed that the implementation of the Strategy will start with a few municipalities and should slowly but surely spread out through the whole country.  The accreditation request for the set up of a national stakeholders’ platform is foreseen for 2011.

Romania

At the beginning of November a meeting took place in Romania with State Secretary Szakal, Head of the National Agency of Civil Servants of Romania. At this meeting he agreed to propose to the Minister of the Interior and Administration a formal decision that Romania aim to join the Strategy on the basis of a prior agreement with the Federation of Local Authorities to do so. The representative of the Romanian Association of Municipalities, present at the meeting agreed to follow this matter up at the level of the Federation of Local Authorities.  

Slovakia

Contacts had been made with this country; however no official decision to implement the Strategy could be taken due to their elections in June 2010. Therefore new contacts need to be established within the Ministry and their organisation for local authorities. 

Slovenia

First contacts with the Government Office for Local Self-Government and Regional Policy have been established. They expressed their interest in the Strategy and talks will continue.

Spain

In Spain a meeting with pilot municipalities was held[2]. During this meeting the municipalities reconfirmed their commitment to the Strategy on Innovation and Good Governance at Local Level. A follow-up meeting will be organised in San Sebastian in March 2011. The mayor of San Sebastian is the President of the Commission of civil participation of the Federation of Spanish municipalities and he is very committed to the Strategy.

Ukraine

The implementation of the Strategy is coordinated by the State Foundation for Local Self-Government. The implementation of the Strategy in the Ukraine continues. The accreditation request is to be expected in the first half of 2011 in order to award the first Labels later that year. Also a new capacity-building programme, supported with a voluntary contribution form Denmark, is currently being set up which will include assistance to implementation of the Strategy in Ukraine for 2011.

Action required

SHP members are invited to take note of information on the implementation of the Strategy in the member States and give all useful orientation to the Secretariat.



[1] Suresnes, Nevers, Havre, Bondy, Bricquebec, Strasbourg.

[2] Girona, Lloret de Mar, Olot, Santa Cristina d’Aro, Consell Comarcal (CC) de l’Alt Empordà, CC del Baix Empordà, CC de la Selva), Direcció General de Participació Ciutadana de la Generalitat de Catalunya, Getafe, Màlaga, las Palmas de Gran Canaria i Sant Sebastià