Ank Bijleveld-Schouten : "The European Local Democracy Week calls for innovative methods to increase citizen participation"

Ank Bijleveld-Schouten, State Secretary for the Interior and Kingdom Relations in the Dutch Ministry for the Interior and Kingdom Relations, participated in the Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for Local and Regional Government, in Utrecht, Netherlands, on 16 and 17 November 2009. In an interview, she speaks of the importance of citizens’ participation and co-operation between governments and territorial structures.

16 November 2009 - Utrecht, Netherlands

Question: The European Local Democracy Week (ELDW) was created by the Council of Europe in 2007 to involve citizens at the level of grassroots policies. You said during your introductory speech at the Utrecht Ministerial Conference that citizen participation was very dear to you personally. How can this event, in real terms, contribute to the political mobilisation of citzens in Europe?

Ank Bijleveld-Schouten: The ELDW is a way to raise attention about grassroots democracy, whereas elections are the moment for mobilisation of citizens. One event per year cannot do everything to improve citizen participation, that's clear. We have to work continuously to achieve progress in this respect. I see the ELDW also as an invitation to the political actors in the 47 Council of Europe member states to think about innovative methods, such as internet participation and e-governance. In the Netherlands this works already quite well in serveral cities.

Question: Within the framework of multi-level governance the role of regions in Europe is broadly recognised. While the Congress intends to proceed working on a legally binding political instrument, the governments prefer to interpret the new reference framework on regional democracy in a technical sense. Do you see this as a conflictual situation which could hinder perspectives for the further strengthening of regional democracy in Europe?

Ank Bijleveld-Schouten: Regarding regionalisation in Europe, we do not want to oblige member states to implement certain principles. This has to be seen from a grassroots perspective and, as a consequence, from a bottom-up, rather than from a top-down position. What we have to do, is to increase  endeavours to foster transfrontier co-operation between regions in Europe. I do not see any contradiction or conflict between governments and territorial bodies in this respect. It is our common duty to improve co-operation in the interest of the strengthening of local and regional structures.

Question: More generally speaking, how do you see the specific roles of governments and the Congress in respect of the overall message of the report of the Finnish Minister Mari Kiviniemi, to achieve greater synergies and a more efficient inter-institutional exchange at the Council of Europe?

Ank Bijleveld-Schouten:The Kiviniemi report is a big step forward to come to a more co-operative approach in the Council of Europe with regard to local and regional policies. Now it is up to countries, regions and cities to become active and to engage in such a process. The Kivinievi report outlines the structure, now concrete action is required.