Increased regional representation in the Standing Conference of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe

Recommendation 1021 (1985)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debate on 3 October 1985 (20th Sitting) (see Doc. 5464, report of the Committee on Regional Planning and Local Authorities). Text adopted by the Assembly on 3 October 1985 (20th Sitting).

Thesaurus

The Assembly,

1. Aware of the growth of regionalisation in recent years in some member states of the Council of Europe ;

2. Recalling the studies it had put in hand as far back as 1978 on the contribution of the regions to the construction of Europe, on the occasion of the Bordeaux Convention organised jointly with the Standing Conference of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe ;

3. Having taken note with interest of the resolution adopted in April 1984 by the European Parliament "on the role of the regions in the construction of a democratic Europe and the outcome of the Conference of the Regions of the European Community and the applicant countries, Spain and Portugal" ;

4. Pleased to have made an active contribution to the establishment within the Council of Europe of the Standing Conference of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe, the only European institutional body representing local and regional authorities ;

5. Considering that the proliferation of non-governmental organisations concerned with interregional co-operation cannot fully resolve the problem of effective regional representation at European level ;

6. Inviting the European regions rather to join together within existing institutional frameworks, such as the one provided by the CLRAE ;

7. Considering nevertheless that the role that the CLRAE can play on behalf of the regional authorities within the European institutions depends to a large extent on its representativeness ;

8. Recalling that on several occasions it has declared itself in favour of more representative national delegations to the CLRAE, particularly as regards regional elected officials ;

9. Noting that the level of representation of the latter in the CLRAE at the present time is far from adequate ;

10. Reaffirming the importance of ensuring equitable representation of regional and local authorities within the CLRAE ;

11. Considering that, with a view to ensuring that each state's delegation is effectively representative of the regions through the inclusion of elected representatives, it is necessary to clarify the principles contained in the Charter of the CLRAE by adding the following provisions to Article 2 :

11.1 that the number of representatives of regional authorities in each delegation should be at least equal to the number of representatives of local authorities ;

11.2 that, in accordance with the appointment procedure laid down by each state, it is the task of each region to commission its representative ;

11.3 that in order to guarantee the adequate representation of regions, substitutes' places should preferably be allotted to regions which are not represented by delegates and, if necessary, several regions should be able to commission the same delegate or substitute to represent them, by mutual agreement ;

12. Considering that it is necessary to avoid any risk of splitting the conference, but that it is nevertheless desirable for the regional representatives to be able to debate their specific problems and that this would be made possible by providing for the establishment of a "general regional affairs committee" in Article 4 of the Charter,

13. Recommends that the Committee of Ministers, in consultation with the CLRAE, undertake a revision of the Charter of the conference on the basis of the points made in the preceding paragraphs, with a view to :

13.1 guaranteeing that each member state's delegation to the CLRAE includes elected representatives of regional authorities at least equal in number to representatives of local authorities ;

13.2 enabling the regions to participate in the appointment of their representatives and give them their official mandate ;

13.3 establishing a general regional affairs committee separate from the Standing Committee and the four existing specialised committees