XII Annual Conference of European Regions with Legislative Power (REGLEG) Brussels 29-30th November 2011.

Statement by Keith Withmore, President of the Congress

President Vanraes, Members of REGLEG,

I am pleased to be here today for this 12th  annual conference of European Regions with Legislative Power and to address you on behalf of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.

The Congress has always followed the successful ascension of REGLEG and welcomed its efforts to ensure that the role of regions with legislative powers is acknowledged at European level.

As Presidents and ministers of regions, you are fully aware of the added value regionalisation brings to European integration, to democracy and to the citizens. The regional government level increases the opportunities for citizens to participate in decision-making processes and in public affairs and ensures that policies reflect regional cultural identities - with which citizens identify themselves -.  The devolution of powers to regions has also the potential to prevent and solve conflicts (linked to demands for secession), by giving democratic recognition to the rights of minorities.

Mr President,

we - the Congress and REGLEG - have many objectives in common: the reinforcement of regional democracy, the strengthening of the role of the regions within national and European institutions and the defence of democracy and of the rule of law. I was very pleased when, last October, during our Plenary session,  the Congress signed a cooperation agreement with REGLEG.

I am convinced that this agreement will be a real platform to the benefit of European regions. We shall regularly conceive action plans for possible common activities.  We have already foreseen a joint project for 2012: an International Conference on  “The Role of Regions with Legislative Powers within the European Union and the Council of Europe”. I am pleased to announce you that Dr Van Staa, President of the Chamber of Regions of the Congress,  formally invited us to hold this conference in Innsbruck in Spring 2012. With this conference, we want to reinforce our action to the benefit of all European regions: those who already dispose of legislative powers and those who may wish to evolve (in the framework of their respective national constitutional architecture) into a system of regional legislative competencies. This important joint event will contribute to raising awareness on the importance of legislative responsibilities of the European regions, of accountability and will further develop their inclusion in European institutions in all spheres of their responsibilities.

The Congress 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 regions in Europe, based on different models;  however regions that dispose of legislative powers can be considered as an example to be followed. These regions already do have their adequate place within a multilevel governance system. Such a  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 and duties. 

I believe that regions with legislative powers should increase their role both at national and international levels: at national level - in second chambers, where they should have a political representation , and by schemes of interaction of the regional governments with the federal/national government -  and at international level in national delegations to international institutions.

As far as the Congress is concerned, we in fact promoted the idea that regions with legislative powers should be better represented in the delegations of the bodies of the Council of Europe. The activities of the European Committee on Local and Regional Democracy (CDLR) of the Council of Europe, for instance, have great relevance for regional governments too. A participation of more representatives of regions with legislative powers to this committee would be of great importance. In this respect, the practice of the European Union - where the Council welcomes the participation of regions from Germany, Belgium, Austria, Italy, Spain, and Finland - could be extended to several bodies of the Council of Europe (where for the moment only Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium include regional representatives and they – with the exception of Germany – represented their member state in the recent Conference of Ministers responsible for local and regional government in Kyiv, early November). All the Steering Committees of the Council of Europe, so to speak our “comitology” will be newly set up as of 1 January 2012. So let us look into this together in the joint conference in May 2012 and actually make use of existing possibilities for institutional participation of regions!

The Congress is very keen to make the role of European regions and regional democracy advance. Allow me to remind you that we actually dispose of a basic text for the institutional development of the European regions: the “Reference Framework on Regional Democracy”, adopted by the European Ministers responsible for Local and Regional Government of the Council of Europe’s member states and recently endorsed by the CoE’s Committee of Ministers. This text, which will guide member states’ future regional reforms, embodies the main principles of regional democracy, that the Congress feels must be respected: the respect for regions’ autonomy in constitutions and in the law;  the principle of subsidiarity;  the mutual respect between the different levels of governance and a democratic functioning based on citizen participation.

Hence, regional authorities, could refer to the “Reference Framework” principles with regards to their democratic structure, organisation, powers, relations with other authorities and their relations with the citizens.

Although not of a binding character, the “Reference Framework”, for the time being, can inspire those who have the task of leading and managing regional authorities. In a future it may become a binding convention of the Council of Europe.

The Congress also concentrates on monitoring local and regional democracy and regionalisation in its 47 member states. During the recent years, we brought a new impulse to our monitoring activities. We carried out missions for ensuring that self-government, in each Council of Europe member state, is implemented and respected. This helps us to identify common challenges and trends and put us in a position to make concrete proposals for assistance programmes and exchange of experiences. The Congress is more than just a consultative structure of the Council of Europe; it is an acknowledged monitoring body and its recommendations are being discussed with the intergovernmental sector and implemented in cooperation with the member states concerned. For the next year we plan to monitor local and regional democracy in the following member states that dispose of regions with legislative powers: Italy, Spain, United Kingdom and Ukraine  . Our monitoring teams will, of course also meet with the regional and local representatives!

A lot is also done to ensure that fair local and regional elections take place; as we consider local and regional elections are a fundamental component of democracy. For this reason we regularly send our delegates on election observation missions and we invite the Committee of the Regions to join us.

Recently, the Congress also took the initiative of contributing to improve governance within territorial administrations. We in fact launched an initiative for promoting transparency and counteract corruption at local and regional level. Nowadays regions are more and more involved in the co-financing and management of European funds and are directly exposed both to bad administration and corruption and risks. Our aim is to ensure the respect of the rule of law in upright and efficient sub-national administrations. A large amount of financial resources is lost because of bad administration, or unethical behaviour of both the public and the private sector. In the current economic storm, it is important to start recovering this large amount of lost resources. Good governance and the fight against corruption at local and regional level are a part of our past and future know-how. Regions with legislative powers do have responsibilities in this respect and they may wish to share their experiences between them and with the Congress. We can implement in the near future concrete projects in these fields.

At the beginning of this month, I was in Kiev for the 17th Session of the Conference of Ministers responsible for Local and Regional Government. The current economic situation was of course on the agenda of the Ministerial Conference. At present the Euro, and Europe itself,  are experiencing serious difficulties and I was very please to follow yesterdays’s debate about “Challenges and opportunities in the framework of the European Economic Governance – especially the role of regions with legislative power”.

My personal feeling is that regions take on more and more responsibilities,  but do they dispose of the necessary means (in terms of structures, human resources and know-how) for fulfilling their tasks.  Regions are compelled to keep their expenditure under control and respect the internal stability pacts (in this respect I believe that the arbitration of public finances should not be at the expense of local and regional governments, which would, ultimately be to the detriment of our citizens). Regions, in fact, still have to  provide the citizens with an adequate level of social and public services. It is not an easy task.

 

Regions cannot act via macroeconomic measures (and the even  macroeconomic measures,  taken by national authorities have proved to be ineffective for counteracting the recurrent economic crisis).  Yet, the European regions can give a contribution to overcome the  crisis:

I am persuaded that regions can successfully implement medium and long term measures. They can, first of all,  establish high-quality governance which will be economically beneficial. In other words, regions can - and are somehow compelled now - to optimize the resources they have. 

In this framework, and I come to what could be done from the Council of Europe perspective, I think it is necessary to focus our efforts on making regional regulations based on steady budgetary engagements (vis-à-vis to  citizens and vis-à-vis to central states) and on making regional administrations as transparent and efficient as possible and to cut red tape. These could be priorities of the coming years, both for Eastern and Western European countries. I firmly believe that regions - and regions with legislative powers in particular can (and have to) successfully act in these fields.

Mr President,

 “Ten years after Laken” is the theme of this session, allow me to refer then to the challenges that concern to-day the European countries, the European regions and the European citizens.

The Congress stands ready to contribute the reflection and about major societal questions to be addressed by the European countries and European institutions. Democratic sustainability is one of these major challenges especially in the framework of the current economical crisis, which is currently becoming more and more a political crisis, questioning the European model, social and territorial cohesion and solidarity among European countries.

Populism and extremist parties are gaining ground singling out specific vulnerable groups like Roma or other minorities, dressing different groups within our multicultural societies one against each other. Diversity can only be secured and developed through increased citizen participation. Local and regional authorities are best placed when applying the principle of subsidiarity in order to allow for increased citizens involvement within the political decision making process.

Fighting growing mistrust of citizens through increased accountability and transparency is what regions with legislative powers could help to overcome when assuming more direct responsibility.  Accountability is a two ways street where a clear perception of the needs of the citizens must match with the political competences and adequate resources to be allocated to the regions,  in order to allow them to fully assume their legitimate political role.

I believe that in the present context, good governance, I say it again, could be our priority. A lot can also be done with the direct support of the regions that you represent;

as we have the duty to leave to the coming generations a more equilibrated, stable and viable Europe.

One last word about next year: In October 2012 the members of the Congress will be appointed for the first time for a mandate of four year. Appointment procedures in the member states will be launched as of May 2012. I would very much welcome to have a strong representation of presidents and members of regional governments in the Chamber of Regions in the next year! There is room for improvement on your side!

Last but not least I would like to congratulate Jean-Luc Vanraes for a very active and successful presidency and I wish my good friend Michael Häupl and his team all the best for their chairmanship in 2012!