CONGRESS MONITORING VISIT TO THE NETHERLANDS

The Hague, Amsterdam, Gouda and Zoeterwoude (14 - 16 May 2013)

PROGRAMME

Congress delegation:

Rapporteurs:

Mr Artur TORRES PEREIRA                         Rapporteur on local democracy

Chamber of Local Authorities, EPP/CCE[1]

Member of the Monitoring Committee of the Congress,

President of the Municipal Assembly of Sousel (Portugal)

Mr Jean-Pierre LIOUVILLE                            Rapporteur on regional democracy

Chamber of Regions, SOC¹

Member of the Monitoring Committee of the Congress,

Vice-president of the Regional Council of Lorraine (France)

Expert:

Prof. Dr. Angel Manuel MORENO MOLINA    Consultant, Member of the Group of Independent Experts on the European Charter of Local Self-Government of the Congress (Spain)

Congress Secretariat:

Ms Stéphanie POIREL                                 Secretary to the monitoring committee of the Congress

The working languages, for which interpretation is provided during the visit, will be Dutch and French.


[email protected]

Tuesday, 14 May 2013

Amsterdam and The Hague

                               Meeting with the Deputy Mayor of Amsterdam:

-     Ms Andree VAN ES, Deputy Mayor

-     Mr Hugo Fernandes MENDES, Director of the City Policy Advice Department

-     Drs. Wouter VAN DER HEIJDE, Senior European Policy Advisor

                              Meeting with the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG):

-      Mr Jan Willem WECK, Member of the Board of Directors of VNG

-      Dhr. VAN DER TAK, Chair of the Committee on Administration and Safety and

Mayor of Westland

-      Dhr. BUDDENBERG, Chair of the Committee on Budgetary and Financial Affairs and

Mayor of Pijnacker-Nootdorp

                              Meeting with the Dutch Delegation to the Congress:

-      Ms Amy KOOPMANSCHAP,

President of the Dutch Delegation to the Congress and Mayor of Diemen

-      Mr Leen VERBEEK, Commissioner of the Queen of the Province Flevoland

-      Mr Jos WIENEN, Mayor of Katwijk

-      Ms Jon HERMANS-VLOEDBELD, Mayor of Almelo

-      Ms Luzette WAGENAAR-KROON, Mayor of Waterland

-      Mr Johan VAN DEN HOUT, Deputy of the province de Noord-Brabant

-      Ms Renske STEENBERGEN, Secretary of the Dutch delegation to the Congress

-      Ms Gonnie VERBRUGGEN, Secretary of the Dutch delegation to the Congress

-      Ms Jantine KRIENS, Chairman of the Board of Directors of VNG

                              Meeting with the Netherlands Association of Provinces (IPO):

-     Ms Kitty ROOZEMOND, Director European Affairs

Wednesday, 15 May 2013

The Hague, Gouda and Zoeterwoude

                               Joint meeting with the National Ombudsman of The Netherlands, the Ombudsman

                               for Children and the Municipal Ombudsman of The Hague:

-      Dr. Alex BRENNINKMEIJER, National Ombudsman of The Netherlands

-      Mr Jan PRINS, Senior Investigator

-      Mr Marc DULLAERT, the Ombudsman for Children,

Deputy Ombudsman of the National Ombudsman of the Netherlands

-      Mr Peter HESKES, the Municipal Ombudsman of The Hague

                               Meeting with the Ministry of Finance:

-     Mr Frans WEEKERS, State Secretary for Finance

                              Meeting with representatives of the Municipality of Gouda:

-     Mr Milo SCHOENMAKER, Mayor of Gouda

-     Ms Loes BAKKER, Municipal Secretary

-     Mr Harry BOVENE, Advisor Strategic Policy

                              Meeting with representatives of the Municipality of Zoeterwoude:

-     Ms. Liesbeth BLOEMEN, Mayor of Zoeterwoude

-     Mr C. den Ouden, Alderman (Vice Mayor)

-     Mr T. de gans, Council member, Chairman of the Christian Democratic Party

in the City Council

-     Mr J. Hage, Council member, Chairman of the Liberal Party in the City Council

-     Mr R. Schouten, Council member, member of the local Progressive Party

in the City Council

-     Ms M. van Dijk, Public servant

Thursday, 16 May 2013

The Hague

                               Meeting with members of the Council of State of the Netherlands:

-     Mr J.P.H. DONNER, Vice President

-     Mr Wim DEETMAN, State Councilor and former Mayor of The Hague

-     Mr Heine BULTEMA, Legal Advisor of the Legislation Department

-     Ms Anna LOOF-DONKER, Legal Advisor of the Legislation Department

                               Joint Meeting with Members of the Parliament:

-     Mr Hans FRANKEN, President of the Dutch delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly

of the Council of Europe, Member of the Senate

                                    House of Delegates:

-     M.A. BERNDSEN-JANSEN, Chair of the Commission on Internal Affairs

-     C. Nieuwenhuizen-Wijbenga, Chair of the Commission on Financial Affairs

-     B.I. VAN DER BURG, Chair of the Commission on Social affairs

Senate:

-     J.W.M. ENGELS, Chair of the Commission on Internal affairs

-     Dr. P.H.J. ESSERS, Chair of the Commission on Financial affairs

-     Dr. J.J. SYLVESTER, Chair of the Commission on Social affairs

-     Mr Bas NIEUWENHUIZEN, Clerk, Inter-Parliamentary Relations of the States General

                               Meeting with the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations:

-     Mr. Gert-Jan BUITENDIJK, Director-General for Governance and Kingdom Relations

                               Meeting with Audit offices:

-     Mr Watze DE BOER, Chair of the Utrecht Audit Office

-     Ms SWARTE, Secretary General of The Hague Audit Office



[1] EPP/CCE: European People’s party Group in the Congress

  SOC: Socialist Group of the Congress