Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe
| Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe | |
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 Organization logo |
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.svg) Member States |
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| English name | Congress of Local and Regional Authorities |
| French name | Congrès des pouvoirs locaux et régionaux |
| Organization type | Intergovernmental Organization |
| Seat of the organs |
 Strasbourg , France
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| Chair |
 Knape is different
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| Secretary General |
 Andreas Kiefer
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| Member States | 47 |
| founding |
January 12, 1957 |
| Upper organization | |
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The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe is the institutional representation of over 150,000 regional and local authorities in the 47 member states of the Council of Europe . The Congress consists of two chambers, the Chamber of Local Authorities and the Chamber of Regions . The plenary sessions of Congress are in euro Palais (Palais de l'Europe) in Strasbourg held, where the Congress Secretariat is located. Since November 6, 2018, the elected president of this political body has been the Swede Anders Knape.
Brief summary
The Congress is made up of the representatives of the member states who have been elected to a local or regional office and who have a mandate . Its 324 members and 324 representations are divided into national and political delegations.
The objective of the congress is to ensure that local and regional authorities take part in European integration and participate in the work of the Council of Europe for democracy, human rights and the rule of law . It is also a place of exchange where members can meet to discuss problems within the communities , share their experiences or seek dialogue with national governments.
Thematically, the congress covers a wide area with its activities, among other things it strengthens the cooperation among the communities and on an international level and stands up for Roma and civil rights. The Congress also initiated various resolutions or charters , including the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages , the Convention on the Participation of Foreigners in Public Life, and the European Urban Charter .
History of origin
The history of the congress reflects the development of local and regional democracy in Europe over 50 years . The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities was founded in its current form on January 14, 1994 with the Statutory Resolution 94 (3) of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe as the successor to the Permanent Conference of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe.
In 1953, the advisory assembly of the Council of Europe requested that a European Conference of Local Authorities be convened. It was based on the adoption of the European Charter of Local Freedoms by the Council of Local Authorities in Europe , an organization founded in 1951 in Versailles under French law .
The convening of the conference was approved by the Committee of Ministers in 1956, and in 1957 the first conference of municipalities was brought into being. The first meeting took place on January 12, 1957 in Strasbourg under the chairmanship of the French politician Jacques Chaban-Delmas, who was President of the conference from January 1957 to January 1960.
During the annual conference in 1960, the conference decided to institutionalize its statutes in the form of a project charter, and it was recognized by the Committee of Ministers on September 13, 1961.
On February 19, 1975, the Committee of Ministers expanded the Project Charter, recognized in 1961, to include official representatives of the regions in the conference. The Conference of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe, renamed as part of the changes, changed its name again in 1979 to the Permanent Conference of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe.
On October 15, 1985, the Standing Conference released the European Charter of Local Self-Government for signature, with which the essential importance of local self-government for democracy was taken into account. This charter has since been ratified by almost all member states of the Council of Europe.
During the first summit of the Council of Europe in Vienna on October 9, 1993, it was decided to create an advisory body to represent the municipalities and regions of Europe. In 1994, the Standing Conference applied to the Committee of Ministers to strengthen its status and was then transformed into the current Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. In 1998 the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages came into force.
At the summit of the Council of Europe in 2005 in Warsaw , the heads of state and government of the member states of the Council of Europe emphasized the importance of local and regional democracy for Europe and emphasized the importance of the congress and its mandate by continuing to promise its support for the mandate. In the same year a cooperation agreement was concluded with the Committee of the Regions of the European Union.
On May 2, 2007, the Committee of Ministers adopted a new statutory resolution and a new charter for the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. The changes are due to the new requirements of the Congress. In addition to its advisory work, observation of regional and local elections and close cooperation with the national associations of local authorities and other European partners (especially the Committee of the Regions) are identified as further tasks of the Congress.
structure
Plenary sessions of the Congress
The Congress is made up of the representatives of the member states who have been elected to a local or regional office and who have a mandate . They are appointed for two meetings each (two years) and are divided into national and political delegations. The Congress currently consists of 324 members and their 324 representatives.
The members are divided into national and political camps, with each national delegation reflecting the distribution of political power in its own country.
- EPP / CCE - Group of the European People's Party
- SOC / G / PD - Group of the Socialists, the Greens and the Progressive Democrats
- ILDG - Group of Independents and Liberal Democrats
- ECR - European Conservatives and Reformers
The Congress meets twice a year for plenary sessions in Strasbourg in May and October or receives delegations from European organizations. The meetings of the two chambers take place during the plenary sessions. Every two years the Congress elects its President from among the representatives.
Congress office
The Congress Bureau, made up of the members of the regional and local chambers' offices, chaired by the President of the Congress, is responsible for preparing the plenary sessions, coordinating the work of the two chambers and the statutory committees, and the budget. In this way, the office ensures the continuity of work between the plenary sessions.
Chambers
Chamber of Municipalities
The main task of the Chamber of Local Authorities is to monitor the situation of local democracy and local elections based on the European Charter of Local Freedoms . It not only enables a dialogue between the communities, but also gives the communities a common voice. The chamber of municipalities also deals with social issues and supports associations of European cities, for example intercultural dialogue , e-democracy or multiculturalism .
On the basis of the meetings that take place twice a year during the plenary sessions, the Chamber of Municipalities can adopt recommendations, resolutions or notices. The office of the Chamber of Municipalities can - if necessary - oblige a member to write a report on a relevant question of his competence. The Chamber of Municipalities has the task of examining relevant questions that fall within its area of responsibility and, if necessary, asking questions for a discussion in Congress.
Chamber of Regions
The Chamber of Regions consists of representatives who act between local and central government. In order to qualify for the Chamber of Regions, the region must either administer itself or have legislative or state-like competences. In addition, the local authorities in those countries in which they cover extensive territory have the right to join the Chamber of Regions. The Chamber of Regions deals with the role of the regions in the member states of the Congress, regional democracy, interregional cooperation or regional economies.
Statutory forum
With the adoption of the revised Congress Charter on January 19, 2011, the former Standing Committee was replaced by the Statutory Forum, which consists of the Presidents of all national delegations and the members of the Congress Bureau. The forum acts on behalf of Congress between plenary sessions and may be convened at any time by the President of the Congress Bureau.
Statutory committees
Simultaneously with the formulation of the priorities for the period 2011–2012 in October 2010, the Congress also created three new committees:
- the monitoring committee
- the Governance Committee
- the Current Affairs Committee
Monitoring committee
The Committee for Honoring the Commitment and Commitments of the Member States of the European Charter of Local Self-Government , or Monitoring Committee for short, is responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Charter as well as institutional changes in Europe and reports on the situation of local and regional democracy compose.
Governance Committee
The Governance Committee is responsible for issues relating to the statutory mandate of the Congress, including governance , public funding of projects, cross-border and interregional cooperation, e-democracy and cooperation with international institutes.
Current Affairs Committee
The task of the Current Affairs Committee is to identify the role of regional and local governments in the face of the great challenges facing modern society. Among other things, he deals with social cohesion, education and sustainable growth, taking into account the core values of the Council of Europe .
The committees are obliged to monitor compliance with the texts adopted by the Congress on the basis of their reports. They oversee both the international activities of the Council of Europe and the committees of the Parliamentary Assembly.
In addition, the committees monitor all issues that fall within their remit, but may also take up other issues if they deem them relevant. This does not necessarily have to result in a report or a conference.
office
The Congress Secretariat is headed by the Secretary General, who is elected for five years by the Plenary Assembly of the Congress. The secretariat of the congress is currently headed by General Secretary Andreas Kiefer (since March 2010), who is supported in his functions by the congress director.
The secretariat of the two chambers of congress is staffed by two executive secretaries each, who are appointed by the general secretary in consultation with the congress office.
Independent expert groups on the European Charter of Local Self-Government
The independent expert group (UEG) assists the congress in fulfilling its responsibilities in the area of local and regional democracy. The experts are recruited from universities or other scientific centers on the basis of their professional competence in law, economics or political sciences and have a renewable mandate for four years. The UEG is instructed to assist the Congress in the following:
- Preparation of reports on the state of local and regional democracy in the member states (monitoring contract)
- Preparation of reports on a specific aspect of the Charter in a country or a group of countries (specific monitoring mandate)
- Preparation of reports in response to a control request on a certain point that conflicts with the Charter (investigation mandate)
- All activities related to the promotion of local and regional democracy and aimed at an evolution of local and regional autonomy on the basis of the Charter.
activities
Monitoring of local and regional democracy
The Congress monitors compliance with the European Charter of Local Self-Government through regular inspections (every five years) by the member states. The control is carried out by a delegation sent to the state, which then draws up a report on the current situation. For the Congress, monitoring represents the basis for further activities and a constructive dialogue with the member states. It also allows the Congress to get to know the structures and legal instruments for the governments and parliaments and the MPs better and thus to get a complete picture .
The Congress also prepares general or thematic reports, which provide a cross-cutting analysis of the application of the Charter. The reports are then discussed in the plenary sessions and can result in a recommendation by the Congress. As part of its controls in the member states, the Congress also has the task of raising MEPs' awareness of human rights and, in particular, of their application at local and regional level.
Election observation of local and regional elections
Monitoring local and regional elections is another aspect of the work of Congress to strengthen local and regional democracy. In addition to the work of election observers, who are headed by members of the Congress on election day, extensive preparations are necessary, such as the examination of the political and legal system, the media and election preparations. A report is then drawn up which can lead to a recommendation by Congress on measures to be taken.
Cooperation programs
The Congress actively participates and supports projects aimed at strengthening local democracy and cross-border cooperation. For this reason, the congress helped to establish several international associations and continued to support them, in particular through its knowledge in the field of training. The following programs are officially supported:
- Association of Agencies for Local Democracy (ALDA)
- Network of Associations of Local Authorities of South-East Europe (NALAS)
- European Network of Training Organizations (ENTO)
- National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALAG)
Within the framework of the projects, the congress works in close cooperation with the various parts of the Council of Europe. These programs are currently being drafted in particular for certain member states, such as the Ukraine , the Caucasian states and the Balkans, but also for North African states such as Tunisia and Morocco . Within these projects, the Congress is primarily involved in quality assurance , consolidation of reforms and improving the capacities of MPs, so that a constructive dialogue between central governments and citizens can develop.
Partner of the congress
National organizations of the municipalities and regions
The Congress maintains contacts and exchanges with various representative organizations from all member states of the Congress. In France, for example, the Congress cooperates with the Association of French Mayors, the Association of Regions of France and the Association of French Departments.
International organizations of the municipalities and regions
The congress regularly works with international organizations, including Eurocities , United Cities and Local Governments and the Council of European Municipalities and Regions .
Committee of the Regions of the European Union
Cooperation between the Congress and the Committee of the Regions was agreed in 2005 through an agreement. The aim of the cooperation is to design and carry out joint activities and to exchange ideas on a regular basis. It is based on the will to work in a complementary way, taking into account the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality.
Since 2007, Congress has drawn members of the Committee of the Regions into its election observation.
observer
All those international organizations that enjoy advisory status with the Council of Europe are automatically observers in Congress. In addition, other organizations can receive observer status. This gives them the right to participate in the meetings and work of the Congress and to express their views, but without being able to actively participate in votes. One or more representatives of an organization with observer status may be invited to the meetings of the Statutory Committees, the Statutory Forum and the Congress Bureau.
Members of Congress
The following states are members of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe:
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President of Congress
See also
- Council of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe
- Committee of the Regions
- Assembly of the Regions of Europe
- European Charter of Local Self-Government
- European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages
- European Landscape Convention
- European Agreement on the Participation of Foreigners in Local Public Life
- Europe of the Regions
- European Regional Development Fund
- Interregionalism
- Assembly of the Regions of Europe
- Four engines for Europe
Web links
- Homepage of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
- Charter of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (English)
- Statutory Resolution 94 (3) of Ministers (English)
- Statutory resolution (2000) 1 of the Committee of Ministers (English)
- European Charter of Local Self-Government
Individual evidence
- ^ Congress of the municipalities and regions - BMEIA, Foreign Ministry Austria. Retrieved February 6, 2020 .
- ↑ Monitoring Committee. Retrieved February 6, 2020 (UK English).
- ^ Governance Committee. Retrieved February 6, 2020 (UK English).
- ^ Current Affairs Committee. Retrieved February 6, 2020 (UK English).
- ^ Monitoring of the European Charter of Local Self-Government. Retrieved February 6, 2020 (UK English).
- ^ Observation of local and regional elections. Retrieved February 6, 2020 (UK English).