21.03.2017

REQUEST FOR PARTNERSHIP STATUS WITH THE CONGRESS OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL AUTHORITIES

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities has replaced its former observer status by four new types of partnership status in order to have a more targeted approach to the different categories of partner (such as national and European associations) and more detailed rules on their  participation.

These new statuses are: Statutory Partner; Institutional Partner; Observer Partner and Guest Observer.

Please either submit the online form or fill in the word version and return it to the Secretary General of the Congress ([email protected]) for it to be examined by the Bureau of the Congress.


CONGRESS PARTNERSHIP REQUEST FORM

Name of the organisation/association

Which of your organisation’s activities are in line with the defence and promotion of the values of the Council of Europe, such as local and regional democracy, the rule of law and human rights?

Which of the categories opposite do the members of your organisation fall into?

Private individuals:                     £

Local authorities:                       £

Regional authorities:                   £

Private companies:                     £

Associations:                             £

Other: _________________________________________

If your organisation comprises local and/or regional authorities or their associations, please indicate how many and the member states to which they belong

What is the executive body of your organisation?

Please list the members of that body

What is your organisation’s annual budget?

How many employees work for your organisation (if applicable)?

What contribution would your organisation like to make to the Congress’ activities and events?

Please give your organisation’s address and website (if applicable) as well as the details of a contact person.


Partnership status is requested with:

Congress:                                                          £ OR

only the Chamber of Local Authorities:                 £ OR

only the Chamber of Regions:                             £

WHICH PARTNER STATUS DO YOU WISH TO APPLY FOR?

£     STATUTORY PARTNER (Rule 68 of the Rules and Procedures)

1. A Statutory Partner must meet the requirements set out in Rule 65 (see overleaf) and also:

a .carry out activities of a pan-European dimension;

b. be widely recognised as representing a significant number of local and/or regional authorities across Europe.

2. In addition to the terms and conditions of participation set out in Rule 67, Statutory Partners may also:

a. send members or high-level representatives to attend meetings of the Congress Bureau and the chamber bureaux, except when items on the agenda are deemed confidential, with a right to speak subject to the President’s consent, on condition that they offer the Congress the same status in their executive bodies;

b. attend committee meetings without the right to vote, speak subject to the consent of the chair of the committee and make proposals concerning the agenda.

£         INSTITUTIONAL PARTNER (Rule 69 of the Rules and Procedures)

1. An Institutional Partner must meet the requirements set out in Rule 65 (see overleaf) and also:

a. carry out activities in favour of local and/or regional authorities, even if these are limited to a particular sphere of competence;

b. represent local and/or regional authorities from, or based in, at least 5 member states.

2. In addition to the terms and conditions of participation set out in Rule 67, Institutional Partners may also attend committee meetings without the right to vote, speak subject to the consent of the chair of the committee and make proposals concerning the agenda.

£     OBSERVER PARTNER (Rule 70 of the Rules and Procedures)

An Observer Partner need only meet the requirements set out in Rule 65 (see overleaf).

                                                                                                                 

£     GUEST OBSERVER (Rule 71 of the Rules and Procedures)

1. The Bureau of the Congress may, on an ad hoc basis, take a decision to grant “guest observer” status, for a renewable period of two years, to associations representing local and/or regional authorities from territories without a national delegation to the Congress, or who are non-European, and which do not fulfil the criteria set out in Rules 68-70.

2. The conditions for granting, renewing, suspending or withdrawing this “guest observer” status as well as their terms of participation shall be determined by the Bureau.

Please add any relevant documents (statutes etc):

Rules setting out the admissibility criteria for the granting, renewing, suspending or withdrawal of partnership status [extract of the Congress’ Rules and Procedures]

Rule 65 – Admissibility of requests for partnership status

1.             Any organisation requesting one of the partnership status described in this chapter must:

a.             adhere to the values, principles and objectives of the Council of Europe;

b.             have expertise in the areas of local and/or regional authorities;

c.             be composed of elected members of European local and regional authorities.

2.             Such an organisation must commit itself to:

a.             promoting the values of the Congress and the Council of Europe;

b.             participating in Congress activities and events.

Rule 66 – Granting, renewing, suspending or withdrawing partnership status

1.             International associations of local and regional authorities that meet the criteria of Article 65 may ask to become a Statutory Partner, Institutional Partner or Observer Partner to the Congress or to one of its chambers.

2.             A partnership status is granted for a renewable period of five years.

3.             The request for partnership status should be addressed to the Secretary General of the Congress who, if he judges the application to                  be admissible, shall forward it to the appropriate bureau.

4.             The Bureau of the Congress or the bureau of the relevant chamber shall decide on the application on the basis of the conditions set        out in Rule 65 and specific criteria detailed in the rules governing the different types of partnership status.

5.             The status takes effect on the date of the decision of the bureau concerned.

6.             The decision to renew, suspend or withdraw partnership status shall be taken by the bureau concerned.

Rule 67 – Terms and conditions of participation

1.             Each partner is represented by two elected representatives who may sit in sessions of Congress or of its chambers, including the          meetings of the Statutory Forum, without the right to vote. Each representative may be accompanied by one adviser. Representatives      may speak subject to the consent of the President. They may, at their own expense, submit documents concerning the various points          of the Congress’ agenda.

2.             The costs of travel and subsistence related to the participation of the delegation are not covered by the Council of Europe.