807th meeting – 11 September 2002
Item 12.1
9th plenary Session of the CLRAE (Strasbourg, 4-6 June 2002)
Recommendations 115 and 117 (2002)
(Compendium of texts adopted, CM/Notes/806/12.1, CM/Del/Dec(2002)806/12.1)
Decisions
The Deputies adopted the following decisions:
Concerning Recommendation 115 (2002) on the participation of foreign residents in local public life: consultative bodies
1. took note of Recommendation 115 (2002);
2. agreed to forward it to governments of member states;
3. agreed to forward it to the Council of the European Union and the European Commission, drawing attention to paragraph 20;
4. agreed to transmit it to the Steering Committee on Local and Regional Democracy (CDLR) for information;
5. adopted the following reply to the recommendation:
“The Committee of Ministers took note of Recommendation 115 (2002) of the Congress. It transmitted it to the governments of member states, to the European Union and the European Commission (drawing in particular their attention to paragraph 20) and to the CDLR, for information. It considers that in light of the work already being undertaken by the CDLR on assessing the implementation of the Convention on the Participation of Foreigners in Public Life at Local Level (ETS No. 144) by the Contracting Parties and on the obstacles that prevent other member states from signing it, as well as of other surveys being carried out on this very issue, it would not be useful for the CDLR to engage at this stage in an additional survey. The CDLR is expected to have an exchange of views on the preliminary findings of its enquiry already in November 2002. In the light of the outcome of this debate, further action could be envisaged. The appropriate synergies with the Congress’s own action should be further developed, taking account of the participation of the Congress’s representatives in the CDLR and in the context of the integrated project on “Making Democratic Institutions Work”, where co-operation is already taking place. Furthermore, the Committee of Ministers encourages first and foremost the Congress to make the enquiry as proposed in Articles 17 a. and b. and 18 of this recommendation”;
Concerning Recommendation 117 (2002) on “Promoting transfrontier co-operation: an important factor of democratic stability in Europe”:
6. took note of Recommendation 117 (2002);
7. agreed to forward it to governments of member states;
8. agreed to forward it to the Council of the European Union and the Committee of the Regions, drawing their attention to paragraph 13;
9. agreed to forward it to the GR-EDS for it to ascertain the degree of support for a political declaration in favour of a multi-lateral agreement on cross-border co-operation in South-East Europe;
10. invited the Steering Group on the Confidence-Building Measures Programme to continue supporting cross-border initiatives that promoted dialogue between majorities and minorities;
11. adopted the following reply to the recommendation:
“The Committee of Ministers took note of Recommendation 117 (2002). It agreed to transmit it to the member governments and to the European Union (drawing in particular its attention to paragraph 13). The Committee of Ministers cannot but agree with the Congress that developing cross-border co-operation in Europe is one of the essential conditions for achieving and maintaining stability and social cohesion in Greater Europe and recognises that local authorities play a very important part in this process.
The Committee of Ministers agreed to initiate exchanges of views among its members with the aim of establishing what support the elaboration of a political declaration in favour of a multilateral agreement on cross-border co-operation in South-East Europe would gather. As regards the specific problems of cities divided by international borders, it wishes to recall that this issue is already under consideration as a result of Recommendation 85 (2000) of the Congress and that it should be in a position to provide a response to the Congress in early 2003. This particular work, carried out by the CDLR, concerns a report under preparation on the specific situation of cities and towns separated by a frontier which will include case studies on towns whose public services are highly integrated with another town in a neighbouring country in Europe.”