Conference of European Regional Legislative Assemblies (CALRE)

General Assembly

4 October 2010, Trento, Italy

Speech of Ludmila SFÎRLOAGĂ, President of the Chamber of Regions -

Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe

President Kessler,

Presidents,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I should like to thank you for having invited the Congress of Local and Regional authorities of the Council of Europe, as it is a good tradition, to your General Assembly.

You know that the Conference of Regional Legislative Assemblies is a long standing partner of the Congress. And this partnership was recently reinforced by an official co-operation agreement. Two weeks ago, in fact, we had the pleasure of welcoming President Kessler to Strasbourg for the signature of this agreement. Our common wish is to consolidate our partnership to support regional democracy and increase the participation of citizens in political life at regional level.

I am sure that we shall have, in the near future, new ideas and concrete actions to be put forward together. Within the frame of this agreement we shall be able to make the most of our respective potential and create synergies in the pursuit of our aims.

The Congress followed CALRE since its birth; I have to say that CALRE has succeeded in establishing a successful network among European regional assemblies and has been able to improve the dialogue between these regions and the European institutions.

In this arena here today, I do not need to spell out the virtues of regional democracy across Europe. As presidents of regional legislative assemblies, which are a cornerstone for representative democracy, you are fully aware of the added value regionalisation brings to our societies. We all know that regional political assemblies are essential, if we want to give real meaning to the principles of subsidiarity, proportionality and proximity. We all know that introducing a regional level of government increases the opportunities for citizens to participate in decision-making processes and in public affairs. Regional governance ensures that policies reflect regional cultural identities, with which citizens can identify.

We also know that the devolution of powers to regions has the potential to prevent or even solve conflicts linked to demands for secession, by giving democratic recognition to the rights of minorities.

At present, regional economies are also making considerable efforts to overcome the economic crisis, while trying to keep a sufficient level of social services and welfare for the citizens.

It’s an additional challenge that the European regions should be ready to accept....

and they should be given the means of tackling it!

Still, regional Assemblies need to be given greater legitimacy and a bigger say in decision-making.

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, from its side, continues its work in supporting regional assemblies and its engagement in favour of regionalism.

We recently made an in depth analysis of regions with legislative powers and multilevel governance.  Of course, we do not wish to impose any one form of regionalisation. We do, indeed, respect the rich diversity of Europe’s regions based on different models; however regions composed of elected legislative assemblies and that dispose of legislative powers can be considered as an example to be followed. These regions should have their adequate place within a multilevel governance system.

This system should be guided by mutual co-operation and interaction between European, national, regional and local authorities - with due regard to the respective roles, functions, activities and duties.

Legislative assemblies, in fact, should have a say in policy shaping and political decision-making, both at national and international levels: at national level - in second chambers, where they should have a political representation - and at international level in national delegations to international institutions, as is the case in the Congress.

And in this respect, we are planning to deepen our reflection, next year, via an international conference on the role of second Chambers in Europe.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Allow me now to briefly set out the Congress’ priorities for the years to come, with regards to the creation of possible synergies between you and the Congress.

 

During the next years, we shall try to bring a new dynamic to our monitoring activities, whose cornerstone are the standards for local and regional democracy in the Council of Europe States (as set out in the European Charter of Local Self-Government).

We shall also widen the scope of election observation missions, (systematizing the practice of pre-electoral missions).  The citizens' right to exercise their democratic choice in free and fair local elections is for us a sine qua non of democracy!.

The Congress will also work to make local and regional authorities aware of their responsibilities for the implementation of human rights; as we need to ensure that our communities are providing the same protection to all persons living in their territories.

We shall also deal with other thematic activities, including the promotion of good governance, interregional and cross-border cooperation, social cohesion, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue.

Last but not least, the Congress will widen and deepen the scope of its monitoring activities, taking into account the Council of Europe “Reference Framework for Regional Democracy”. This is now our basic text on regional democracy.

Last November in Utrecht, in fact, the European Ministers responsible for Local and Regional Government approved the “Reference Framework”, which was drafted in cooperation with the Congress.

This text, which will guide member states’ future regional reforms, embodies the main principles of regional democracy that the Congress feels must be respected:

•        a democratic functioning based on citizen participation;

•        respect for regions’ autonomy in the law and constitutions;

•        the principle of subsidiarity;

•        the responsibilities of regions with regard to states;

•        and the principle of loyalty and mutual respect between the different levels of governance.

For the Congress, the “Reference framework” remains an intermediate text on the road to the approval of a binding legal instrument: the Congress is convinced of the importance of regional democracy and still hopes to see a European Convention on this issue, signed and ratified by the Council of Europe member states.

In our future common work, the Congress would very much appreciate relying on CALRE’s support to ensure the best possible implementation of this “Reference framework” which constitutes a “veritable code of rights and duties of regional entities”, which may be of use to federal, regionalised or merely decentralised states.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I thank you for your attention and I wish you all success for your General Assembly.

The Congress is of course ready to give its contribution to your work and thoughts.