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26 April 1995
Doc. 7291
REPORT on a "comprehensive European regional planning strategy" (10th session of the CEMAT1)
(Rapporteur: Mr RUFFY, Switzerland, Socialist Group)
Summary
Since the "European regional planning strategy" published after the 9th session of the CEMAT in 1991, does not take into account more recent elements such as the new European geography or the concept of sustainable development, the Committee on the Environment, Regional Planning and Local Authorities has made concrete proposals which were presented at the last CEMAT (Oslo, September 1994).
These proposals relate in particular to a "European regionalised development strategy" aimed at strengthening the role and powers of local and regional authorities in the field of regional planning. Another proposal concerns co-operation between the European Union and the Council of Europe, the latter must maintain an important role in this field.
I. Draft recommendation
1. Since 1961 the Parliamentary Assembly has carried out numerous studies on regional planning, and it was at the Assembly's instigation that the first ministerial conference in this field (European Conference of Ministers responsible for Regional Planning — CEMAT) took place in Bonn in 1970.
2. The conference was the first tangible result of the interest and commitment in this respect shown by the Parliamentary Assembly and the Standing Conference of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE), which thus pioneered the theory of regional planning according to democratic, comprehensive, functional and forward-based concepts.
3. Mindful of local government's growing preponderance in the regional planning field, the 7th CEMAT convened at The Hague in 1985 stressed the importance of the increasing role of local and regional authorities in the preparation and implementation of regional planning policies.
4. The work outlined above led, for instance, to the European Regional/Spatial Planning Charter approved in Torremolinos in 1983 and the European regional planning strategy, a first draft of which was presented at the 8th CEMAT session in Lausanne in October 1988 and which was later published after the 9th CEMAT session held in Ankara in 1991.
5. The Assembly, having regard to the geo-political upheavals affecting central and eastern Europe since 1989, has begun looking into the question of updating the European strategy presented in Lausanne so as to reflect Europe's new geographical range and provide for the necessary linkage of environmental protection with the introduction of a regional planning policy framed in a spirit of sustainable development.
6. At a time when the countries of western Europe are emerging from a period of serious economic difficulties while the countries undergoing transition aspire to rapid and satisfactory development, it is crucial to provide a comprehensive and coherent framework, together with clear objectives, for the management of the new European space.
7. Such a framework should naturally make provision for strengthening the role of the regional and local authorities whose duty is to foster the development of their region's specific potentialities with due regard to the principles of participation and subsidiarity and the coherence of the comprehensive approach.
8. The Assembly is therefore convinced that the knowledge and experience accruing from almost thirty years of activities in this sector warrant assigning the Council of Europe, of a new Europe-wide regional planning policy.
9. The Assembly presented a contribution in this sense to the last session of the European Conference of Ministers responsible for Regional Planning (Oslo, 6-7 September 1994) and regrets that the ministers, despite their call for more intensive co-operation between the Council of Europe and the European Union, gave this contribution a low-key reception, whereas it was fully in line with the conclusions of the Union's Council of Ministers responsible for Regional Planning meeting in Leipzig (21-22 September 1994), which it welcomes.
10. The Assembly notes with satisfaction that the Commission of the European Communities, with the report "Europe 2000+ — co-operation for European regional and local planning", has made a constructive contribution to the finalisation of a European regional planning strategy devised on the same principles as the strategy proposed by the CEMAT in Lausanne and the European Regional/Spatial Planning Charter adopted in 1983 at the 6th CEMAT session.
11. However, while appreciating the importance of the European Union's role in this area at the level of its member countries and of the countries bordering on the Union, the Assembly remains convinced that the Council of Europe forms the proper framework for a comprehensive Europe-wide approach and more specifically as regards the central and east European countries not belonging to, nor adjacent to the Union.
12. It is therefore important that the Council of Europe should be able to play its due part in this sector of activity, one which is vital to the future and the sustainable development of a wider, changing Europe.
13. The Assembly therefore recommends that the Committee of Ministers:
i. give priority to the formulation of a comprehensive Europe-wide regional planning strategy based on Council of Europe achievements and taking into account the proposals made by the Parliamentary Assembly and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE);
ii. issue instructions for that purpose to the Committee of Senior Officials responsible for preparing the European Conferences of Ministers responsible for Regional Planning, asking them:
a. to develop a genuine partnership with the Commission of the European Communities taking into account the specialities of the two organisations;
b. to make co-operation arrangements with the European Union in which the Parliamentary Assembly, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe and the European Parliament would be associated;
c. to extend their work to the relevant Council of Europe intergovernmental committees, such as the Steering Committee on Local and Regional Authorities (CDLR) and the Steering Committee for the Conservation and Management of the Environment and Natural Habitats (CDPE);
d. to examine the possibility of acting upon the proposal put forward not only by the Parliamentary Assembly but also by the Ministers of the European Union, and to organise existing European planning research institutes into a network ensuring their co-operation with government institutions.
II. Draft order
1. The Assembly refers to its Recommendation ... (1995) on a "Comprehensive European regional planning strategy" (10th session of the European Conference of Ministers responsible for Regional Planning).
2. It recalls the importance it attaches to the role of the Council of Europe for setting up a Europe-wide regional planning policy.
3. It instructs its Committee on the Environment, Regional Planning and Local Authorities to continue its reflection in this field and:
i. to organise meetings and hearings with experts on this subject;
ii. to develop co-operation with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe and the relevant intergovernmental committees of the Council of Europe, as well as with the relevant committee of the European Parliament.
III. Explanatory memorandum
by Mr RUFFY
Contents
Page
Foreword 6
1. Collaboration between the group of experts and
the Sub-Committee on Regional Planning 6
2. Presenting these ideas to the Committee on the Environment,
Regional Planning and Local Authorities 7
3. Presentation of the committee's contribution at the
10th European Conference of Ministers responsible for
Regional Planning, Oslo, 7 September 1994 8
4. In conclusion: some questions and opinions 9
For a comprehensive European regional
planning strategy 10
Introduction 10
What kind of a new European space? 11
The concept of "a European regionalised development strategy" 12
Proposals 13
Appendix 1 15
Appendix 2 18
Appendix 3 20
Foreword
The Council of Europe first expressed an interest in devising a European regional planning strategy, to focus on Europe-wide regional planning problems, in 1983. It was at the 6th CEMAT session, the Torremolinos Conference, that ministers responsible for regional planning first came out in its favour.
The strategy itself was discussed at the 8th session of the CEMAT, in Lausanne in 1988, and eventually published just after the following session held in Ankara in 1991.
Although it was clearly designed to represent a comprehensive approach to regional planning, the European strategy did not cover central and eastern Europe, nor did it establish any link between environmental protection and regional planning in a spirit of sustainable development.
The strategy was not without merit, and its qualities should not be depreciated, but it became obvious that it had to be updated in the light of recent events in Europe and the new concept of development. These concerns were indeed made explicit at the first inter-session colloquy of the CEMAT, held in Roubaix on 22 and 23 October 1992, on the subject of "The outlook for sustainable development and its implications for regional/spatial development".
After this meeting, with encouragement from very many of the participants and a promise of support from the Vice-Chairman of the Committee on the Environment, Regional Planning and Local Authorities of the Parliamentary Assembly, a group of European experts decided to devote further thought to this subject with a view to updating the strategy and adapting it to the new concerns referred to.
1. Collaboration between the group of experts and the Sub-Committee on Regional Planning
The Sub-Committee on Regional Planning accordingly directed its attention to the subject, enriched by exchanges and regular dialogue with the group of experts. These are the main meetings held so far:
—me eting of the sub-committee in Strasbourg on 5 February 1993: agreement to begin work on creating a strategy on the basis of earlier work;—
—me eting of the sub-committee in Strasbourg on 28 June 1993: details finalised for a work programme and strategy plan;—
—jo int colloquy organised by the CEMAT and the European Union (Dresden, 15-16 November 1993). At this colloquy, the sub-committee's work was described;—
—wo rking session by the group of experts in which the Vice-Chairman of the committee took part (Kostençu (Warsaw), 2-4 February 1994). Discussion of various chapters of the report drafted by the group on a new strategy.Af
After these two days of deliberation, it was possible to pick out the main uses for the strategy as a development tool, namely:
a. strengthening dialogue between East and West and between eastern and central European countries (EEEC)2 through the need to make regional planning policy choices;
b. helping to channel and target multi- and bilateral aid by identifying spatial planning priorities as basic elements of development;
c. boosting democratic practices, since implementing regional planning entails compliance with the principles of information, participation and subsidiarity.
2. Presenting these ideas to the Committee on the Environment, Regional Planning and Local Authorities
At the very next meeting, in February 1993, committee members were informed, either through exchanges of views or in documentary form, of the various stages of the process which was ultimately intended to lead to the production of a document with which the Parliamentary Assembly would inform the CEMAT of its standpoint and make some relevant proposals. When the matter was discussed at the committee meeting of 5 September 1994, before the contribution was submitted at the colloquy of the 10th CEMAT session, certain members of the committee expressed doubts about some of the proposals in the appendices "Regional scenarios for Europe" and "Map of European cities, communications routes and regions requiring special European action", despite the fact that these documents were merely illustrations of one option among several and intended as stimuli for a debate on the idea of a "European regional planning strategy". The experts who had written the documents probably had sound arguments to back their proposals but it was felt that they could not be accepted as they stood.
It should be pointed out that nobody actually questioned the approach or content of the proposals made in the document.3
The proposals refer to: the creation of an intergovernmental working party in which the European Union and the Council of Europe could work jointly to define a general framework for a Europe-wide regional planning policy; a plan to network independent experts and institutes conducting related work in the member countries, so that they may provide governments with information enabling them to come up with the most appropriate proposals; participation by the Chamber of Regions of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE) in the definition and application of the European regional development strategy, if adopted; involvement by the Council of Europe's intergovernmental committees, namely the Steering Committee on Local and Regional Authorities (CDLR) and the Steering Committee for the Conservation and Management of the Environment and Natural Habitats (CDPE) in the definition of a new strategy.
It should be stressed that the committee and Sub-Committee on Regional Planning have always worked together with representatives of the CLRAE and that, following the first stage of the process, their conclusions and proposals fully coincided. This is demonstrated by Recommendation No. 7 (1994) of the CLRAE (see Appendix 3) on regional/spatial planning prospects in the new Europe, passed by the Congress at its first session (31 May-3 June 1994) on the basis of a report presented by Mr Ramos.
3. Presentation of the committee's contribution at the 10th European Conference of Ministers responsible for Regional Planning, Oslo, 7 September 1994
At every European Conference of Ministers responsible for Regional Planning, a colloquy is held during which representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly and CLRAE can exchange views with the ministers and even put forward proposals of their own. It was at the most recent such colloquy that the committee's contribution was submitted.
Two amendments reflecting the proposals made in this contribution4 were tabled by the Assembly representatives. The amendments were not adopted but, so that they could be partly taken into account, albeit unsatisfactorily, the following two additional paragraphs were added to Resolution No. 2 (see Appendix 1):
The Ministers .... instruct the Committee of Senior Officials:
(...)
—to analyse and report on the proposal of the Parliamentary Assembly concerning a comprehensive European regional planning strategy;—
—to improve within their competencies their dialogue with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe and the Parliamentary Assembly.Al
Although my presentation was given a polite though cold hearing, the few people who responded to it offered little more than some brief criticism. Furthermore, the European Union representatives contradicted each other: one stressed the need for a strategy devised according to the European Union approach while another criticised the technocratic nature of the Parliamentary Assembly's approach. We received a similar criticism from the Swedish Environment Minister.
On the other hand, the representatives of the Czech and Slovak Republics emphasised their interest in networking national institutions dealing with regional planning, pooling experiences and creating a forum that focused on greater European co-ordination. These two expressions of support were the only ones. I fail to understand why such a burning issue can have attracted so little support! In the end I had to use a great deal of persuasion before it was agreed to include a reference to the Parliamentary Assembly proposals in Resolution No. 2.
Although one cannot say in advance what the Committee of Senior Officials' reaction to these proposals will be, I think I am entitled to ask certain questions in the light of the events mentioned above.
4. In conclusion: some questions and opinions
We are justified in asking first of all why the eagerness shown at the Roubaix meeting by government representatives and some of the senior officials, and their support for the project, have not subsequently given rise to the desired backing. We were clear enough about our intentions, and our wish to carry on in the direction outlined at the Roubaix meeting has been acted upon, with concrete proposals as the result. It is therefore important for the Committee of Senior Officials to take a serious look at the document which has been drafted — it represents the supportive contribution of the parliamentary organ of the Council of Europe to the initiative that this organisation has a duty to take in the regional planning field.
Is it necessary to point out that the Committee of Senior Officials represents the thirty-four member states of the Council of Europe and is now duty bound to co-ordinate Europe-wide regional planning policies. This cannot be over-emphasised especially given the risks of overlap — for want of co-ordination — with the European Union in the light of its approach as defined in Leipzig — at the informal Council of European Union regional planning Ministers, held on 21 and 22 September 1994, a fortnight after the Oslo Conference (see Appendix 2).
Information released after that Council, outlining the outcome of the European Union Council meeting, indicated that all the delegations present had felt the need for a European regional planning strategy in keeping with sustainable development and devised in close co-operation between member states, and between them and the Commission. They considered it to be the only way to ensure that every region and every town and city could benefit from the European single market.
This makes it all the more necessary to take a careful look at the ways in which the bodies of the European Union and the Council of Europe can achieve genuine co-operation.
For a comprehensive European regional planning strategy
Contribution by the committee to the colloquy with the European Ministers responsible for Regional Planning (10th session of the CEMAT — Oslo, 6-8 September 1994).
Introduction
In the framework of the work programme adopted at the 9th session of the European Conference of Ministers responsible for Regional Planning (CEMAT), held in Ankara in 1991, a colloquy on "The outlook for sustainable development and its implications for regional/spatial development" took place at Roubaix on 22 and 23 October 1992. This colloquy, at which the Committee on the Environment, Regional Planning and Local Authorities was represented by one of its vice-chairmen, Mr V. Ruffy, was organised by the Council of Europe in association with the French Ministry of Regional Planning. It dealt with the following three main themes:
—th e likely repercussions of the realities and constraints of the international political and economic context on regional planning in a greater Europe;—
—re gional planning priorities seen in terms of common economic development issues and their territorial impact;—
—di stribution of regional planning powers and responsibilities between different decision-making levels, while safeguarding the balance between decentralisation and consistency of decisions.Th
The colloquy was also attended by representatives of the German Akademie fur Raumforschung und Landesplannung (A.R.L.) and the French Délégation à l'Aménagement du territoire et à l'Action régionale (DATAR) which had formed a Franco-German working group in 1989 with the task of "carrying out a joint appraisal of the problems and patterns of regional development in Europe".
In order to broaden the scope of the study and to prepare a framework for European and cross-border co-operation, the group opened its membership to experts from other countries. This enlarged group produced an initial report on "The outlook for regional planning in Europe" in 1992.
At the Roubaix meeting some representatives, including members of the Assembly's committee, expressed the view that it was necessary to officialese a new approach to regional planning which would, of course, take the new geographical area and the new European space into account, but — and perhaps above all — would also incorporate new problem sectors, such as the environment, economic development, transport or energy policies in order to translate into reality the concept of sustainable development.
Consequently, the afore-mentioned group of European experts decided to carry out further thinking on this subject, and the Assembly's Committee on Environment, Regional Planning and Local Authorities also decided to concentrate — through its Sub-Committee on Regional Planning — on an examination of the existing European on regional planning strategy (proposed at the 8th session of the CEMAT, held in Lausanne in 1988) in order to put forward proposals for adapting it to the current situation and to the latest needs.
For this purpose, some meetings were held by the Sub-Committee on Regional Planning with representatives of the group of European experts (for details of the group's composition).
What kind of a new European space?
The economic recession currently being experienced in Europe, together with the need to base any policy on the concept of sustainable development, necessitates the definition of clear objectives as well as the preparation of a comprehensive and coherent framework enabling optimum use to be made of all resources.
This appears unavoidable in a Europe whose developed countries are undergoing a period of economic recession and whose countries in transition aspire to rapid and satisfactory economic development.
Consequently, it is important to establish forthwith a framework for a comprehensive approach where certain priorities are straight away set out.
For Europe there seems to be two priorities. It must:
—as sert its competitiveness vis-à-vis other continents. Accordingly, national governments as well as European institutions must exercise their responsibilities by creating, maintaining or developing the conditions necessary to attain this goal.—
—mo dify its internal structures so that they can contribute to lasting stability in the long term.An
An overview of the development zones of "Greater Europe" shows that it is important to work out, implement and amplify a regional approach to development that takes account of existing diversities and imbalances.
Such a policy would, in fact, involve choosing what the above-mentioned group of experts defined as a "European Regionalised Development Strategy", which would need to be set beforehand with an overall framework of spatial development for the continent.
The definition of such a framework would not only serve a structural purpose as an instrument facilitating decision-making regarding investment, for example, but would also have the advantage of helping to consolidate the image and role of a new Europe within which an essential policy of solidarity would enable the current disparities to be transcended.
In this connection, the committee cannot but agree with the Assembly's group of experts that the necessary transfers of development resources from the richest to the poorest areas in Europe — for a lengthy period of transition and restructuring — are not possible, acceptable and hence politically feasible unless the citizens involved can perceive their objectives and mutual advantages in terms of stability and democracy.
The concept of "a European regionalised development strategy"
It is important to specify that the development referred to in the concept of a new European regionalised development strategy does not imply economic growth alone, but should reflect as broad a view as possible of the need to improve the productive capacity as well as the general living conditions of all European regions which have not yet achieved what are considered minimum standards.
This approach also implies the need to strengthen the role of regional and local authorities so that they can help to develop the specific potentialities of each region, while preserving their harmonious integration into the overall development policy.
This brings us to the crux of a topical issue which has already received considerable attention from the Assembly, namely recognition of regional and local authorities' responsibilities in the implementation of European policies and, in fact, the application of the principle of subsidiarity.
Although this principle is often mentioned, its meaning and scope are not yet obvious. Nevertheless, it is certain that, even if clearly defined, the principle can not be successfully applied unless the general objectives are clear and the powers of the different levels of administration have been established so as to meet the various specific needs while contributing to the achievement of those objectives.
The thinking of the group of international experts and of the Assembly's committee led to the conclusion that a comprehensive regional planning strategy involved the networking of urban centres which would have two important functions:
—th ey would form a decentralised system of poles of inter-regional and international exchanges, and—
—th ey would be the backbone of development in the framework of regional planning at national level.On
On this basis the group of experts drew up a map constituting a proposal for a European network of urban centres, divided into three categories:
—in ternational urban centres,—
—Eu ropean urban centres, and—
—na tional urban centres.Th
The links between the different centres, divided into two categories, are also shown on the map:
—ma in communication routes,—
—se condary communication routes.It
It is important to explain that the map represents the network which should be set up in the next ten years in order to ensure the requisite balanced development.
This approach is interesting because the experts wished to emphasise two aspects: first of all, the division of urban centres and of communication routes into three and two categories respectively, which enables each one to be given specific importance for future development. It is therefore essential to stress that the success of the development process depends entirely on the mutual complementarity of the various categories. The second aspect is based on the assumption that specific efforts for the less developed centres should be made at all levels — local, regional, national and European — while the sufficiently developed centres should tackle their problems on their own with a certain amount of support from their national governments but without any European assistance.
Proposals
1. In the course of its work the group of experts developed the concept of a European regionalised development strategy in detail and reached the conclusion that if a consensus could be reached on the proposed network, it would be useful for the Council of Europe and the European Union to confer together on this matter and jointly establish an intergovernmental working group whose task would be to define the general framework as well as the network of urban centres and priority links.
2. Such a strategy for regional planning would also require the adaptation of the existing institutional framework in order to clarify and simplify the mechanisms for vertical co-ordination between national development schemes and the European institutions concerned, as well as the mechanisms for horizontal cross-border co-operation.
3. In both cases, it is vital to secure the most reliable and comprehensive information possible so that the most fitting proposals can be formulated. This could be done, for example, through the networking of independent experts and institutes carrying out research in this field.
Following its own thinking and in the light of the work done by the group of independent experts, the Parliamentary Assembly's Committee on the Environment, Regional Planning and Local Authorities is convinced that the Council of Europe has a specific role to play in drawing up a new regional planning policy of this kind.
It approves, in particular, the group's proposals with regard to intergovernmental co-operation and the networking of experts and institutes. Furthermore, having regard to the structures and mechanisms of the Council of Europe, it makes the following proposals:
a. that the CEMAT should instruct the network, as envisaged, to carry out forward-looking research on the lines described above and, for that purpose, provide it with the assistance of governmental institutions active in this area;
b. that, if the concept of a European regionalised development strategy is adopted, the Chamber of Regions of the Congress of European Local and Regional Authorities should play a specific role in the definition and application of the concept;
c. that the Council of Europe intergovernmental committees affected by such action, that is, the Steering Committee on Local and Regional Authorities and the Steering Committee for the Conservation and Management of the Environment, should also be involved in drawing up this new blueprint for comprehensive European regional planning.
APPENDIX 1
Resolution No. 2
of the 10th Session of the CEMAT
The Ministers attending the 10th session of the European Conference of Ministers responsible for Regional Planning (CEMAT), held in Oslo on 6 and 7 September 1994,
Having taken note of the reports submitted by the Cypriot Minister and the Norwegian Minister for theme 1,
Consider that:
—Eu rope continues to be faced with rapid and far-reaching changes that necessitate a co-ordinated overall approach at European level;—
—th e concept of sustainable development, although difficult to define, implies that present generations should not make future generations pay too heavy a price for development and their current lifestyle; sustainable development is gradual development geared to human needs;—
—a degree of economic development is necessary to cater for the needs of a world population that is increasing in number and in terms of life expectancy; this development should not, however, result in natural resources being consumed faster than nature can replace them;—
—pr eventive action to avoid the deterioration of the natural environment, even in the absence of established scientific truths, is better and often less costly in the medium and long term than trying to correct the damage once it is done; it is also a more equitable way of sharing the cost of current economic developmentbe
between the generations;
—wo men should participate more than in the past in the various stages of reflection and decision-making regarding the future development of Europe, so that their views on regional/spatial and urban planning can be taken more fully into account;—
—yo ung people should take part in the development of strategies for the future and understand the impact of these strategies on their way of life;—
—de mocracy, social peace and understanding between different peoples increasingly required to live together can be lastingly achieved only in a context of tolerance and social justice directly linked to development that is evenly spread throughout the territory;Re
Reaffirm that:
—th e promotion of economic and social cohesion in the building of Europe calls more than ever for the establishment, on as broad a base as possible, of a framework of long-term objectives taking into account the imperatives of economic development, social issues, the need to conserve natural resources, world population growth and the rights of future generations;—
—co nsultation and co-ordination in regional/spatial planning are essential at European level both to prepare Europe for the next millennium and gradually to effect the structural transformations required by changing world economy;—
—wh ile the setting of general regional/spatial planning objectives at European level is the responsibility of states, it is obvious that no country can act alone; international co-operation is essential to develop fair, lasting, well-co-ordinated solutions for the whole of Europe;—
—an y growth should respect the right of future generations to a good-quality environment; current well-being must not be achieved to the detriment of our future living conditions and those of generations to come;—
—na tural resources should not be considered as free commodities in unlimited supply; the cost of the natural resource capital should be taken into account in all decisions on major investment projects and in all spatial planning and management decisions; —
—pe ople should enjoy similar living and working conditions all over Europe, to enable those who so wish to live in dignity in their region of origin;—
—tr ansfrontier co-operation as an initial step towards the co-ordination and harmonisation of national regional/spatial planning policies should be intensified;—
—th e citizens of Europe should be made aware of the imperatives of long-term planning, to encourage genuine participation in the decision-making process;—
—th e Council of Europe is an appropriate forum, both politically and geographically, to consider the problems of regional/spatial planning in the widest possible European framework and propose fair and lasting solutions;Ap
Approve
—th e principles set out in the 1994-97 work programme contained in document CEMAT (94) 6, whose implementation should contribute to the preparation of the next Conference;In
Instruct the Committee of Senior Officials
—to analyse different models of co-ordination and conciliation at European level with a view to defining the general objectives of European spatial/regional planning;—
—to continue the forecasting work already undertaken in order to define for the future, in co-operation with the other international organisations, the European sustainable and rational development strategies that will enable Greater Europe to meet the major challenges facing it at the dawn of the second millennium;—
—to study ways of sharing responsibilities between the different decision-making levels in such a way that European regional/spatial planning strategies are developed and implemented in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, and at the same time co-ordinated at a higher level;Re
Recommend that the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
—gr ant increased resources so that the programme for which the Committee of Senior Officials is responsible can be properly implemented.AP
APPENDIX 2
Conclusions of the German Presidency drawn from
the informal Council of Ministers responsible for Regional Planning
(Leipzig, 21 and 22 September 1994)
1. At the informal Council of Ministers responsible for Regional Planning, in Leipzig, the ministers from the member states of the European Union and four future members (Austria, Finland, Sweden and Norway), and the European Commissioner for regional policy, reaffirmed the importance of regional planning for sustainable development and economic and social cohesion in the Union. The development gap is widening, more in terms of different regions or territories than between states. All delegations expressed the need to develop a European regional planning strategy in keeping with sustainable development and in the framework of close co-operation between member states, and between them and the Commission. This is the only way in which all regions and towns and cities can be sure of benefiting from the European single market.
2. The ministers asked the Spatial Development Committee to transform the document on the principles for a European regional and local development policy, submitted to the Council of Ministers, into a European regional planning strategy. In 1995, the committee should present them with a first draft to be prepared in close co-operation between the member states and the Commission. Initially, particular stress should be laid on the reinforcement of European towns and cities in a multi-centre urban network, to act as a driving force behind regional development, so that every area in the territory may benefit from the resulting substantial boost to development.
3. The ministers welcomed the report "Europe 2000+ — co-operation for European regional and local planning", presented by the European Commission. They stressed that the development analyses and forecasts and the political options contained in the document would prove extremely valuable for work on completing the European regional planning strategy. They also asked the Commission to begin extensive research and to launch pilot schemes, in close co-operation with the Spatial Development Committee.
4. It was felt that co-operation between member states in matters of regional planning policy also called for closer collaboration between European research institutes dealing with regional planning and acting as think-tanks for policy decisions. Taking their inspiration from a German Presidency report, the ministers recommended that the European research establishments concerned be networked to form a European observatory. They also proposed that the Spatial Development Committee, on the basis of a Commission proposal, should devise a concrete project accompanied by an appropriate finance plan, for presentation at the next informal Council of Ministers.
5. With a view to the reinforcement of housing structures in the countries of central and eastern Europe undergoing reform, the delegations welcomed the proposal by the German Presidency to help implement and complement the European regional and local planning agreements signed with Poland, Hungary, the Czech and Slovak Republics, Bulgaria and Romania. In this context, delegations backed the proposal to invite those states embarked upon reform to take part once a year in a meeting of the Spatial Development Committee. On this score, delegations applauded the plans for a joint Commission/Council of Europe seminar on European regional/spacial planning policy, as a follow-up to the Dresden Seminar held in November 1993, due to be held in Prague in autumn 1995.
Moreover, special attention would be paid to Mediterranean and Baltic states in respect of co-operation on regional and local planning policy.
6. The delegations made an undertaking to inform their national parliaments and governments, in an appropriate form, of the findings of the informal Council of Ministers so as to ensure that the imperatives of European regional/spacial planning could be better taken into consideration when national policy was adopted or implemented. The delegations also called on the German Presidency to inform the other European institutions (including the Council of Europe) of the outcome of this informal Council of Ministers.
7. The ministers concluded the informal Council by thanking the head of the French delegation for his invitation to the next informal Council, in Strasbourg, in March 1995. They took note of it and also welcomed his government's intention of pursuing wholeheartedly, during the French Presidency, the task in hand, building on the results of the Leipzig Summit.
APPENDIX 3
Recommendation No. 7 (1994) of the CLRAE
on regional/spatial planning prospects in the new Europe
Reporting committee: Committee on the Environment, Regional Planning and Local Authorities.
Budgetary implications for the Assembly: none.
Reference to committee: standing mandate.
Draft recommendation and order adopted by the committee on 7 April 1995.
Members of the committee: Mr Parisi (Chairman), Mr Ruffy, Lord Newall (Vice-Chairmen), MM. Andreoli, Arata, Ateş, Bachna, Beis, Ms Birzniece, Mr Gudmundur Bjarnason, Mrs Blunck, MM. Bonrepaux, Brennan, Briane, Büchel, Carcarino, Mrs Ciemniak, Mr Demiralp, Mrs Dromberg (Alternate: Mr Tiuri), MM. Eversdijk, Feldmann, Frunda, Grau, Guia (Alternate: Bolinaga), Hardy, Johansson, Jung, Korakas, Kukk, Lanner, Lie, Magnusson, Monfils, Motiu, Mozetič, Mrs Naoumova, MM. Pinto, Požéla, Prokeš (Alternate: Fico), Redmond, Reis Leite (Alternate: Curto), Mrs Robert, MM. Rott, Sarens, Mrs Severinsen, Mr Špaček, Mrs Stoisits, MM. Szabó, Szymański, Theis, Toshev, Vella, Mrs Verspaget, Mr Zierer.
N.B. The names of those members who took part in the meeting are printed in italics.
Secretaries to the committee: Mrs Cagnolati-Staveris and Mr Sixto.
1 1 1. European Conference of Ministers responsible for Regional Planning.
2 1 1. Central and eastern European countries.
3 2In order to avoid similar misunderstandings at the meeting of CEMAT Senior Officials, scheduled for 25 November 1994 in Strasbourg, it has been decided to prepare a new version without the appendices.
4 1"The Ministers ....
Support ....
. the proposals of the Parliamentary Assembly concerning the drafting of a European regional/spacial planning strategy, the reinforcement of the powers of regional and local authorities in this field and the creation of a network of independent experts to conduct the necessary research.
Instruct the Committee of Senior Officials ....
. to update the Charter and the European regional/spacial planning strategy according to the proposals of the Assembly and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe, in co-operation with them and the intergovernmental committees of the Council of Europe directly involved".