20^th SESSION

CG(20)16

25 May 2011

The budget and resources of the Congress in 2012-2013

Bureau of the Congress

Rapporteurs: Jean-Claude Frécon, France (L, SOC)

                    Svetlana Orlova, Russian Federation(R, EPP/CD)^[1]

For vote:

A. Draft recommendation....................................................................................................... ......... 2

For information:

Explanatory memorandum............................................................................................................... 3

          I      The new Congress budgetary policy in the framework of its reform.......................... ......... 3

          II     2010 and 2011 budgets.......................................................................................... ......... 4

          III    2012-2013 budgetary perspectives ......................................................................... ......... 5

Summary

Preliminary draft recommendation

1.  Considering:

a.  the review by the Congress of its mission, priorities, activities and working methods carried out since 2008, and the subsequent changes to its structures, carried out in the framework of the reform of the Council of Europe, focussing on the core values of the Organisation;

b. the resulting amendments to the Congress Charter and Statutory Resolution, approved by the Committee of Ministers on 19 January 2011;

2.  Bearing in mind the request of the Secretary General that Council of Europe bodies draw-up a 2012‑2013 budget lower than the current year and that the Congress has been asked to prepare a budget with an overall reduction of 0.75%;

3. Convinced that the budget proposal presented by the Secretary General constitutes an indispensible tool to implement the objectives of the reform and priorities of the Council of Europe and the Congress, as the basis for implementing the policy choices and for achieving these objectives at local and regional level;

4. The Congress therefore asks the Committee of Ministers to:

a. acknowledge the savings achieved in the past years;

b. adopt the 2012-2013 budget of the Congress as proposed by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe;

c. encourage Member States to consider funding, by means of voluntary contributions,  post-monitoring activities with regard to the monitoring by the Congress of the implementation of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, and of local and regional elections;

d. ensure, through its dialogue with the Congress, consistency between the priorities adopted by the Congress and its budgetary allocations in order to achieve critical mass and impact;

e. take note of the reaffirmed willingness of the Congress to co-operate in ensuring the successful reform of the Council of Europe and of the Congress itself;

f. continue to involve the Congress fully in the discussions concerning the future of the Organisation and grant it its rightful place in this context.

Explanatory memorandum

1.     Since 2008, the Congress has been holding an annual debate on its budgetary resources, its development prospects, the resources needed and the choices to be made to achieve the objectives identified in its priorities.

I           The new Congress budgetary policy in the framework of its reform

2.     The Congress has already begun, through a thorough review of its structures and working methods, to enhance the effectiveness of its action and its relevance and focus on the Council of Europe’s core values.

3.     The Committee of Ministers has been informed about this Congress reform process during its exchanges of views with the President and Secretary General of the Congress as well as by Congress Recommendation 290 (2010) and Recommendation 299 (2011).

4.     Whereas the global Congress budget is allocated by the Committee of Ministers, allocation of the budget envelope to individual planned expenditure items in each financial year is the task of the Congress Secretary General, who is responsible for ensuring the provision of expenditure necessary to the functioning of the Congress's statutory organs and two Chambers. Resources are also devoted to activities determined by its priorities, or by current events.

5.   In the framework of its reform, the Congress has reallocated financial resources to statutory activities, notably a second session, the monitoring of the European Charter of Local Self-Government (ECLSG) and the observation of local and regional elections. The second session is indispensable for discussion and on-time adoption of the reports and recommendations following monitoring visits and observation of elections and to react to current developments according to the political calendar. This holds true also for the political dialogue with other Council of Europe partners such as the Committee of Ministers, the Parliamentary Assembly, the Secretary General and the Human Rights Commissioner.

6.   Funds have been earmarked to ensure the work of the new Current Affairs Committee, resulting from the merger of its three thematic committees, and the Monitoring Committee and the Governance Committee (which replace the Institutional Committee). An effort has also been made to develop the activities linked to the European Local Democracy Week.

7.   The ordinary budget allows the Congress to perform its specific role by implementing its statutory activities. However, the Congress has the potential to do more, should the necessary financial resources be made available.

8.   In a difficult budgetary context, new financial resources could cover other important activities of the Congress. As is the case in the intergovernmental sector of the Council of Europe, extra budgetary resources could be usefully employed to implement activities, to build upon and develop the work of the Congress in the fields of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

9.   To achieve the highest impact this could be carried out in the framework of action plans set up by different parts of the Organisation to enable the Congress to contribute its specific experience from political local and regional representatives. The Congress commits itself to a transversal approach in these operational activities which would complement its statutory and consultative tasks.

10.  The Congress intends to assist member states in implementing the recommendations of its monitoring activities of the ECLSG and its election observation reports, by identifying projects aiming to raise democratic standards at local and regional level in Europe.

11.  In particular, the Congress could help local and regional elected officials, both in Europe and in countries covered by the Council of Europe neighbourhood policy, to develop solid and productive relationships with their citizens and national governments, as well as do thematic work in areas such as public ethics, intercultural dialogue, integration of Roma and awareness raising about the Urban Charter and human rights at local and regional level.

II    2010 and 2011 budgets

12.  In 2010, at its 19^th Session, in the framework of its reform, the Congress approved changes to its structures and working methods and amendments to the Congress’ Charter, which were approved by the Committee of Ministers on 19 January 2011.

13.  Strict control of expenditure enabled a second session of the Congress to be held and additional efforts to be made for priority activities, through the reallocation of available resources. This was achieved by a significant reduction in the financial support to Congress’ external partners.

14.  Among these priority activities, particular efforts were focused on monitoring the ECLSG and the observation of local and regional elections. The funds allocated for monitoring the Charter rose from 80,000 € in 2009 to 180,000 € in 2010 and 245,000 € in 2011. Likewise the funds allocated to election observation rose from 140,000 € in 2009 to 150,000 € in 2010 and 170,000 € in 2011. 2010 also saw a further expansion of European Local Democracy Week activities.

15.  At the end of 2010 the budgetary implementation of the Congress resulted in an unspent balance of
180,000 €, the combined result of the Directorate of Finance's request, in September 2010, to leave a year-end balance of 0.4% of the budget, the disruption to some of its meetings due to volcanic ash and extreme weather conditions and uncertainties relating to budgetary allocations for staff on long-term sick leave.

16.  The 2011 budget takes account of the 2% reduction of the overall budget requested by the Secretary General. Part of the savings were made by the suppression of an A5 post.

17.  Continuing the effort to prioritise its role as a monitoring mechanism of the ECLSG, by making its monitoring activities more frequent, regular, systematic and open to political dialogue, the Congress decided to carry out monitoring in 12 countries in 2011. Priority is also being given to election observation missions, the scope of which is being widened to systematically include pre-electoral missions, to ensure a proper understanding of the context and process of elections.

18.  Monitoring and election observation reports will be used as road-maps for cooperation and assistance activities to enhance local and regional democracy in Council of Europe member states, aiming at better impact of its recommendations and better comparability of its findings and identifying common challenges and threats for local and regional authorities, as well as identifying innovative solutions in order to propose responses to the problems encountered.

19.  Another priority field for the Congress’ work in 2011 is promoting human rights at local level. The Congress will develop its work to make local and regional authorities aware of their responsibilities for the implementation of human rights, in particular by promoting good practices and mechanisms of mediation.

20.  Efforts are continuing to streamline thematic activities within its committees in accordance with the core values and the priorities adopted by the Committee of Ministers and the Congress priorities.

III      2012-2013 budgetary perspectives

21.     In the context of the Council of Europe's new biennial programme and budget, and in accordance with the priorities adopted by the Committee of Ministers, the Congress will pursue its work of:

            - bringing together elected representatives from across the continent to address key issues of concern for people in Europe and beyond;

            - monitoring the ECLSG;

            - observing local and regional elections;

            - promoting good governance at national, local and regional level through greater synergies with other             Council of Europe bodies;

            - promoting the Reference Framework for Regional Democracy;

            - developing co-operation and assistance activities.

22.     The Congress budget for 2012-2013 will therefore take account of the following major factors:

- the Congress’ priorities for 2011-2012;

- the implementation of the Congress reform;

- implementing the common agenda to be presented at the Kyiv Ministerial Conference;

- the reform of the Council of Europe and of its programme of activities and budget and, in particular, the priorities proposed by Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland for the Council of Europe’s activities in 2012-2013 (CM(2011)48 rev).

            - the priorities and work programmes of the chairmanships of the Committee of Ministers.

23.     The Congress has been asked to contribute to the Organisation’s efforts in the framework of the 2012-2013 budget by reducing its appropriations by 0.75%, with a minimum 0.5% reduction to be identified for 2012. All proposed reductions concern staff expenditure.

24.     The Congress underlines that extra budgetary resources could be usefully employed to implement postmonitoring assistance activities, to build upon and develop its work in its priority fields. An increase in extra budgetary resources would enable the Congress to achieve the critical mass needed for it to more effectively perform its role within the Organisation and beyond, and to expand its activities in the area of local and regional democracy, in particular by implementing assistance programmes following monitoring reports on the European Charter of Local Self-Government and reports on observation of local and regional elections, bycontributing to the Council of Europe neighbourhood policy and the Roma campaign.

25.     The Congress will continue to pursue constant improvement of its structures, priorities and working methods.  It is also willing to play a full part and support the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in the reform of the Organisation, believing that these processes can bring the Council of Europe and its organs fresh impetus and a stronger and higher-profile political role.

26.     The Congress believes that, while the existing financial resources cover its basic activities, they do not allow it to realize its full potential. Extra budgetary resources could open the way to implement operational activities in addition to its consultative and statutory work.

27.     At the end of the first biennial budgetary period, the Congress will evaluate its new work orientations with regard to the allocated budget in order to assess whether its resources are commensurate with its mission.