Statutory reinforcement and revision of the Congress Charter CLRAE Recommendation 56(1999) and Possible modifications to an updating of the Congress Charter Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1409(1999).- Council of Europe.- Committee of Ministers', Ministers' Deputies.- Décisions 702/12.2 (15 March 2000)

702^nd meeting – 15 March 2000

Item 12.2

Statutory reinforcement and revision of the Congress Charter

CLRAE Recommendation 56(1999) and

Possible modifications to an updating of the Congress Charter

Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1409(1999)

(Rap-LA (2000) 1, 2, 3, 4 and Addendum, 5, 6, 7 and 8,

CLRAE Recommendation 56 (1999), PA Recommendation 1409 (1999), CM/Del/Dec(2000)698/12.1, 699/12.1)

Decisions

The Deputies

1. adopted Statutory Resolution (2000) 1 on the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe as set forth in Appendix 7 to this volume of Decisions;

2. adopted the revised Charter of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe as set forth in Appendix 7 to this volume of Decisions;

3. agreed to add a new paragraph 2 to Article 26 (Special Appointments Procedures) of the Regulations on Appointments, worded as follows:

"- The Chief Executive of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE) shall be elected by the Congress after the President has obtained the opinion of the Secretary General; the Secretary General shall make the appointment accordingly.

- The Secretary General shall also appoint a Deputy Chief Executive after consultation of the Bureau of the CLRAE.";

4. noted that the financial implications of the structural reform of the CLRAE for 2000 would be covered by the budget allocated to the Congress, and that the extra cost for the 2001 budget, estimated at FF 411,000, would if necessary be covered without any increase in the budget ceiling for this purpose;

5. agreed to bear in mind the questions relating to the Secretariat of the CLRAE in the framework of their budget discussion for 2001;

6. invited the Steering Committees, by virtue of Article 2 paragraph 2 of the Statutory Resolution, to consult the Congress on any draft text likely to "affect the responsibilities and essential interests of the local and/or regional authorities" before submitting it to the Committee of Ministers and, if necessary, to follow the same procedure as that currently implemented by the Steering Committee on Local and Regional Democracy;

7. urged the Steering Committees to invite the CLRAE to be represented at their meetings whenever CLRAE texts are examined;

8. adopted the following reply to CLRAE Recommendation 56 (1999) on the Statutory reinforcement of the Congress Charter:

"The Committee of Ministers has paid particular attention to CLRAE Recommendation 56 (1999) on the Statutory reinforcement of the Congress Charter. The Committee of Ministers is committed to promoting local democracy and acknowledges that local democracy has an important role to play in involving European citizens more closely in European construction.

The Committee of Ministers observes with satisfaction the growing momentum of activities conducted by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe. This is due to the more prominent role played by local and regional authorities not only internally, but also in international co-operation at multilateral level.

The Congress was set up after the first Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe. Following the Second Summit, recognition of the Congress has been steadily increasing and time has now come for the reform. The Committee of Ministers has adopted, at its 702^nd meeting on 15 March 2000, a revised Statutory Resolution and a revised Charter which will enable the Congress to pursue its goals within a framework better adapted to its new needs.";

9. adopted the following reply to Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1409 (1999) on Possible modifications to an updating of the Congress Charter:

"The Committee of Ministers shares the opinion of the Parliamentary Assembly that the CLRAE has played and continues to play an important and indispensable role in the activities of the Organisation. The Committee of Ministers welcomes the fact that the Parliamentary Assembly has always supported the presence of local and regional authorities in the Council of Europe. It accordingly has paid particular attention to Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1409 (1999) on Possible modifications to an updating of the Congress Charter. It has also taken account of the Assembly's observations, contained in Assembly Resolution 1188 (1999), as fully as possible when considering proposals by the Congress concerning the revision of its structures and operation. In this context, the Committee of Ministers wishes to recall that it replied to some of the Assembly's suggestions in its reply to Assembly Recommendation 1363 on "Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe: Recent Activities and Proposals for Reform".

The Committee of Ministers adopted, at its 702^nd meeting on 15 March 2000, a revised Statutory Resolution and a revised Charter which will enable the Congress to pursue its goals within a framework better adapted to its new needs."