Executive Bureau
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COUNCIL OF EUROPEAN MUNICIPALITIES AND REGIONS EUROPEAN SECTION OF UNITED CITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Executive Bureau Barcelona, 23 February 2010 MEETING PAPERS 1 COUNCIL OF EUROPEAN MUNICIPALITIES AND REGIONS EUROPEAN SECTION OF UNITED CITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS MODIFIED EXECUTIVE BUREAU BARCELONA, 23 FEBRUARY 2010 Barcelona City Hall, Saló de Cròniques Sant Jaume Square 2 9 for decision for information DRAFT AGENDA Documents No 16 h 00 Opening of the meeting • Welcome by Jordi Hereu i Boher, Mayor of Barcelona 1. Adoption of the draft agenda ......................................................................................1 2. Approval of the draft list of decisions from the Vienna meeting of the Executive Bureau (5 November 2009) .....................................................................................2.1 y For information, draft list of decisions of the Berlin Policy Committee meeting, 30 November – 1st December ..............................................................2.2 3. The involvement of local and regional authorities during the Spanish Presidency of the EU:....................................................................................................................3 y Presentation by Pedro Castro Vázquez, Mayor of Getafe, President of the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP), including on the 2nd Local Government Forum European Union, Latin America and Caribbean, 5- 7 May, Vitoria (Spain) y Report on the Barcelona European Summit of Local Governments by the President of Diputación de Barcelona, Antoni Fogué Moya, accompanied by the Spanish Secretary of State for European Affairs, Diego López Garrido, and the President of FEMP 4. European Affairs.........................................................................................................4 y Presentation by Dr Wolfgang Schuster, member of the “Reflection Group on the Future of Europe in 2020-2030 Time Horizon”, Mayor of Stuttgart, Vice-President of CEMR y CEMR response to the consultation on the future “EU 2020” Strategy y CEMR policy paper on Public Procurement 5. The reflection process on the future of CEMR............................................................5 6. Climate change – after Copenhagen, what perspectives? .........................................6 7. United Cities and Local Governments affairs .............................................................7 y Presentation on the 2010 work programme, by Elisabeth Gateau, Secretary General of UCLG 1 8. Other international affairs ...........................................................................................8 y Report on the launch of the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM), 21 January, Barcelona y Report on the UNACLA preparatory meeting for the World Urban Forum (Rio de Janeiro), 11-12 February, Brussels y Exchange of ideas on a possible CEMR action following the catastrophe in Haiti 9. Calendar of meetings and main events ............................................................9.1, 9.2 10. Other urgent matters y Presentation of a youth programme by Josep Fèlix Ballesteros, Mayor of Tarragona 20 h 00 Closing of the meeting of the Executive Bureau Evening Dinner, at the invitation of the City of Barcelona (Palauet Albéniz - transfer ensured by bus) 2 2.1 COUNCIL OF EUROPEAN MUNICIPALITIES AND REGIONS EUROPEAN SECTION OF UNITED CITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS EXECUTIVE BUREAU VIENNA, 5 NOVEMBER 2009 DRAFT LIST OF DECISIONS The President opened the meeting, welcoming the Executive Bureau to his city. 1. Adoption of the draft agenda The Executive Bureau adopted the draft agenda. 2.1 Approval, draft list of decisions from the Athens meeting of the Executive Bureau The Executive Bureau approved the draft decisions from the Athens meeting, 23 March 2009. 2.2 Draft list of decisions of the Malmö Policy Committee meeting The Executive Bureau noted the draft decisions made by the Policy Committee at their meeting in Malmö, 22 April. They took note of the two proposed minor amendments to the CEMR Charter on Services of General Interest, which had earlier been presented to the Secretaries General and Directors, and to the experts of CEMR’s working group on public services and procurement. As there had been no objections to these, the amendments were approved. 2.3 Draft list of decisions of the Madrid meeting of the Secretaries General and Directors, The Executive Bureau took note of the draft decisions made by the Secretaries General and Directors at their meeting in Madrid on 1-2 October. 3. Recruitment of the next Secretary General As a first matter, the Executive Bureau agreed to extend the mandate of the current Secretary General from the end of October to the end of 2009. The President recalled that the political-level interview Panel had held its meeting and interviews for the next Secretary General during the afternoon of 4th November. A majority of the members of the Panel (as set up by the Policy Committee at their Paris meeting in December 2008) participated in the meeting, but Ms Bresso (President of AICCRE) and Mr Kaklamanis, (President of KEDKE) were not able to be present. Four candidates were interviewed. After discussion, the Panel had agreed that further consideration should be given to two of these candidates. The President underlined the importance of reaching a consensus, if at all possible, on a single candidate to recommend to the Policy Committee for election, at its meeting on 30 November in Berlin. He indicated that further consultation of the political level Panel would need to continue and the Panel might, if necessary, need to meet again before the Policy Committee. 3 During the discussion, Mr Le Pensec underlined the high importance of having a broad consensus on the candidate to be recommended for election to the Policy Committee. He also suggested that the recruitment process could be deferred to coincide with CEMR’s political elections in 2010, with an interim management solution. After discussion, the other members of the Bureau did not accept this approach, and felt that it was necessary to proceed now with the election as foreseen. The Bureau noted that the Panel would continue its work on the above basis with a view to nominating, if possible, one candidate for election in Berlin. Cllr Keymer raised the issue of the length of the term of the new Secretary General. This issue had been raised in a letter from the Chief Executives of three national associations. Following discussion, it was agreed that CEMR’s statutes could not be changed at this stage, but that an appropriate mid-term review clause should be included in the contract of employment. 4. Report on financial issues Mr Skard, Chair of the CEMR Financial Management Committee, presented information on the Committee’s last meeting. He underlined in particular some points of concern relating to members in arrears with membership fees, and unpaid rent in the common House in Brussels. Cllr Keymer, Vice Chair of the Committee, underlined that the financial situation could be rather difficult over the coming year, and that close monitoring of CEMR’s finances would be essential. He proposed that the Financial Management Committee have an additional meeting in the first half of 2010. In response, the Secretary General suggested that a meeting of CEMR’s Honorary Auditors could be held together with the Chair and/or Vice-Chair of the Financial Management Committee, as a full additional Committee meeting would require considerable extra time and resources of the secretariat. The Director of Finance would be consulted on these matters. The two budget options being put forward for 2010 were presented: • “option 1” - with increases only for those paying in 2009 less than the calculated figure due to the operation of “ceilings” to limit increases; • “option 2” involving a total freeze on all membership fees at 2009 levels, so that amounts called in 2010 would be identical to those called in 2009. Mr Skard underlined that under option 1, under our system of “ceilings”, the highest possible level of increase for any association would be 5000€. He pointed out that option 2 would require a significant reduction. Responding to the recommendation from Cllr Keymer to seek to avoid reductions in staff, the Secretary General underlined that the secretariat would carefully study different possibilities for reducing expenses, as necessary, in particular in the context of setting future priorities for CEMR. The timing of coming into office of the next Secretary General is also relevant in this context. Given the particular difficulties that many associations were likely to face in 2010, the Secretary General suggested that it might be better to adopt option 2. Mr Le Pensec, Ms Jorritsma and Cllr Keymer agreed, indicating that their associations would be likely to vote for option 2. 4 5. Launching a reflection process on the future of CEMR The President underlined that 2010 will be a year of many changes, within Europe and for CEMR itself, particularly given the implications of the Treaty of Lisbon’s entry into force. The Executive Bureau noted the draft outline of the 2010 CEMR work programme. Mr Le Pensec recalled the proposal, put forward by the French section, to organise a series of meetings with associations in Strasbourg when the European Parliament is sitting there. Mr Vlasák further underlined the importance of enhancing cooperation with Members of the European Parliament and the Urban Intergroup, to strengthen CEMR’s visibility and