Texts adopted at the 15th Session of the Conference of Local and Regional Authorities in Europe (Strasbourg, 10-12 June 1980)
Opinion 104
(1981)
Author(s):
Parliamentary Assembly
Origin
See Doc. 4693, report of the Committee on Regional Planning and Local Authorities. Text adopted by the Standing Committee, acting on behalf of the Assembly, on 26 March 1981.
Thesaurus
The Assembly,
1. Having seen the texts adopted by the Conference of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe at its 15th session (Doc. 4577 and appendices) and the report by its Committee on Regional Planning and Local Authorities (Doc. 4693) ;
2. Noting the Conference's unceasing efforts to improve both its working methods and its effectiveness ;
3. Noting the Conference's concern for greater fulfilment of its purpose, which is to "ensure the participation of local and regional authorities in the achievement of the aims of the Council of Europe" ;
4. Recalling in this connection the Conference's twofold mandate, which is :
a that of a technical or advisory body called on to inform the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly of its views on measures which are likely to have repercussions on local and regional authorities, and
b to keep local and regional authorities informed about the progress of European integration and seek their support for the ideal of European unity ;
5. Trusting that the Conference will be able to take its examination of the ways and means by which its twofold purpose may be enhanced and better defined a stage further,
6. Assures the Conference that its Committee on Regional Planning and Local Authorities will use the Conference's consultative procedure in specific cases ;
7. Expresses its opinion concerning the various texts adopted in the course of the 15th session of the Conference as follows :
7.1.1 adopts the proposals made under paragraph 17 for the Council of Europe to continue and intensify the North-South dialogue, in particular by strengthening the Resettlement Fund and establishing a programme of technical cooperation ;
7.1.2 with reference to its own Recommendation 905 (1980), on co-operation between countries of northern and southern Europe, reiterates its hope that the Committee of Ministers will take practical measures and institute a dialogue for this purpose with the Assembly, admitting representatives of the Conference when issues within its sphere of competence are to be discussed ;
b With regard to Resolution 114 (1980), on amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Conference :
7.2.1 welcomes the amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Conference, bringing them more into line with the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly ;
7.2.2 believes that present practice to admit permanent observers and advisers attending meetings of the Conference steering bodies or committees risks being incompatible with the representative nature of these bodies and the confidential aspects of some proceedings, and that the Conference Rules of Procedure should limit as much as possible such a practice ;
7.2.3 considers that the Rules of Procedure of the Conference should state precisely that the Conference may adopt resolutions and draw up opinions on all matters mentioned in Article 1 of its Charter, but that such resolutions and opinions shall be submitted to the Assembly for an opinion and to the Committee of Ministers for action ;
c With regard to Resolution 115 (1980), on proposals for the revision of the Charter of the Conference : takes note of the Conference's decision to set proceedings for the revision of its Charter in motion, stating its intention of paying particular attention to the proposals made, and hoping that such proposals may permit a better definition of the Conference's role under Article 17 of the Statute of the Council of Europe ;
d With regard to Resolution 116 (1980), on the action to be taken by local and regional authorities concerning the protection of the environment in relation to the development of nuclear power :
7.4.2 shares the Conference's certainty as to the need for environmental impact studies, wider information and democratic consultation of the populations concerned by the siting of nuclear plants ;
7.4.3 considers the European Outline Convention on Transfrontier Co-operation between Territorial Communities or Authorities to be the most suitable instrument for the implementation of the Conference's proposals in the above-mentioned Resolution 116 (1980).
supports the proposal made by the Conference that countries not having regional or local government units should pursue a "regionalisation" policy in accordance with the principles set out in the Bordeaux Declaration
7.6.1 recalls the requests expressed in Opinion No. 96 (1979), on the draft European Outline Convention on Transfrontier Co-operation between Territorial Communities or Authorities ;
7.6.2 supports the Conference's suggestions for ways of ensuring that the text of the outline Convention is widely distributed ;
7.6.3 recalls its Order No. 382 (1979), on ratification of Council of Europe conventions and agreements, in which it instructed the Committee on Parliamentary and Public Relations to take necessary steps to speed up ratifications of Council of Europe conventions by the member states.
