Andreas Kiefer welcomes new legal basis for inter-municipal cooperation in Austria

01.06.2011 - “The enhancement of inter-municipal cooperation is a concrete result of the monitoring activities of the Congress and will be a big step forward to more proximity and serving citizens` needs”, said Andreas Kiefer, Secretary General of the Congress. Following a monitoring visit in Austria in 2010, the Congress had proposed that Austria facilitates inter-municipal cooperation across district and Land borders. Today, 1 June 2011, Austria’s Federal Council  proposed an amendment to the Federal Constitution to facilitate cooperation between municipalities not only when delivering services but also when acting as public authorities implementing regulations. The Länder, responsible for most of the supervision of municipalities, will be able to conclude agreements stipulating details of this enhanced cooperation. The initiative of the Federal Council, the chamber composed of representatives of the Land parliaments, will be discussed in the National Council and may enter into force in October 2011.

Addressing the General Assembly of the EuRegio Salzburg – Berchtesgadener Land – Traunstein on 27 May 2011 in Kuchl, Austria, Andrea Kiefer informed the mayors of appr. 100 municipalities from Salzburg and Bavaria about the results of the monitoring visit in Austria in 2010 and the upcoming monitoring visit to Germany in 2011. 

The Congress welcomed the existing involvement of the municipal umbrella organizations in the political dialogue with the federal and the Land governments and the consultation mechanism aiming at avoiding unfunded mandates. In its recommendation the Congress, however, proposed, among other, a clearer delimitation of responsibilities between the different levels of government, the reform of the Federal Council towards a real chamber of the Länder and  facilitating of inter-municipal cooperation across Land borders. The latter has been addresses by an initiative of the Federal Council on 1 June 2011, Andreas Kiefer stated with satisfaction.

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Press release of the Federal Council (German):

Andreas Kiefer, Secretary General of the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, addressing the EuRegio Council on 27 May 2011 in Kuchl, Austria	Johannes Hahn, EU-Commissioner for Regional Policy, addressing the EuRegio Council on 27 May 2011 in Kuchl, Austria
Georg Grabner, President of the EuRegio Salzburg – Berchtesgadener Land – Traunstein, Johannes Hahn, EU-Commissioner for Regional Policy, and Andreas Kiefer, Congresss Secretary General.	EuRegio representatives and the European guests Johannes Hahn and Andreas Kiefer. In detail from left to right: Hermann Steinmassl, EuRegio Bureau member, Georg Grabner, EuRegio President, Commissioner Johannes Hahn, Emmerich Riesner, EuRegio Vice-President, Andreas Wimmer, Mayor of Kuchl, Carmen Kiefer, Deputy Mayor of Kuchl, Andreas Kiefer, Council of Europe Congress Secretary General.