Reply to Recommendation 1256 (1995) on regions within the Council of Europe and the establishment of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe

19 September 1995

Doc. 7390

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS

Reply to Recommendation 1256 (1995)

on regions within the Council of Europe

and the establishment of the

Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe

(adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 11 September 1995

at the 543rd meeting of the Ministers' Deputies)

The Committee of Ministers has examined Recommendation 1256 (1995) on regions within the Council of Europe and the establishment of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe and wishes to inform the Parliamentary Assembly of its decision to communicate the said Recommendation to the governments of the member states and to the CLRAE.

With regard to the participation of regions in intergovernmental co-operation as carried out within the Council of Europe (paragraph 8.i.b.), the Committee of Ministers wishes to inform the Assembly that the CLRAE is at present free to send representatives to sit on 26 Council of Europe steering committees, ad hoc committees and committees of experts. The Committee of Ministers does not doubt that the CLRAE avails itself fully of the possibilities afforded to it by this right of representation, in order to bring to these committees the experience of the regions and contribute its own knowledge to the subjects under discussion.

The Committee of Ministers has also noted that the member states which have federal or regional structures have the option, if they so wish, of including in their national delegations on steering committees and ministerial conferences, representatives of federal entities or regions, provided the latter have the requisite powers in domestic law (paragraph 8.i.a.). It appears that certain states avail themselves of this possibility.

The Committee of Ministers is aware of the political importance to many European states today of the question of regionalisation (paragraph 8.iii). It is in order to make a contribution to the better understanding of the problems inherent in the regional structure of states that the Steering Committee on Local and Regional Authorities (CDLR), on which the CLRAE is represented, is carrying out a study on different regionalisation models in Europe and their consequences for local autonomy. However, the political decision is a matter for the member states, which have to decide, in accordance with their traditions, geographical size and constitutional model, whether they wish to set up regions and what powers and competences they will enjoy.

Finally, the Committee wishes to assure the Assembly that the draft Convention on Interterritorial Co-operation proposed by the CLRAE is being examined by a select committee of experts, prior to its consideration by the CDLR, and that it will not fail to study it with the closest attention once it receives the draft Convention from the latter (paragraph 8.ii).

As for the resources available to the Congress (paragraph 8.iv), the Committee of Ministers fully understands that the bicameral structure entails an increased workload and that careful consideration needs to be given to the most appropriate way of coping with it. Although the economic context in which the Organisation's 1996 budget will be examined is likely to be difficult, the Committee will bear in mind the need to provide the Congress with resources in keeping with its new status.