Reference Framework on Regional Democracy
The Draft European Charter of Regional Democracy not having been accepted by the Congress in the form of a convention, the so-called Refernece Framework on Regional Democracy was elaborated instead. This Reference Framework was adopted by the european Ministers responsible for Local and Regional Governemnt in November 2009 in Utrecht (Netherlands).
The Reference Framework has two principal functions: to serve as a source of inspiration when countries decide to establish or reform their regional authorities; and to act as a body of principles on which the Congress can rely in monitoring regional democracy in the Council of Europe member states.
The Reference Framework on Regional Democracy was presented and discussed at the AER 25th Anniversary Conference.
Please find more information about the Reference Framework on the website of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities or consult the full text of the Reference Framework HERE .
The Draft European Charter on Regional Democracy was initiated by the Council of Europe's Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in Europe (CLRAE) in 1997. The original idea behind the Charter was to set out the key principles that should underlie effective regional democracy in Europe, covering areas such as financial autonomy and legislative powers. However, the Charter failed to attract the support of a sufficient majority of Member States at the Ministerial Conferences in Helsinki in 2002 and Budapest in 2005, with disagreements emerging over whether the instrument should be legally binding. In order to restart the debate on the Charter, the Congress has developed a new text, which responds to the objections raised by the Member States and also takes into account developments in the field of regional democracy over the past ten years. The AER supported this initiative as was wishing to see a binding regional charter enter into force.
The AER Bureau and the Standing Committe of Institutional Affairs support the new Charter
The AER Bureau and the Standing Committe of Institutional Affairs are supporting the new draft of the European Charter for Regional Democracy of the Council of Europe. At their Spring Meeting on May 8, 2007 in Hamar, Hedmark (N) AER members decided that the European Charter as a legally-binding instrument would be a big step forward a Europe of the Regions, and said that it would act to act as promoter in order to give the Charter its full support.
The AER especially welcomed the fact that the Charter had included the follogwing points:
- a precised definition of the term "region" , in keeping with article 1.1. of the AER Declaration on Regionalism
- the principle that members of a representative assembly of a region should be directly elected by free and secret ballot on the basis of equal and universal suffrage
- that regional authorities should have adequate financial resources
The full text of the AER position paper adopted by the AER can be downloaded below.
AER Position Charter 2007
AER Position 2004
The AER firmly supports the adoption of a legally binding instrument on regional self-government by the Council of Europe. It requests the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers to adopt it as a Convention.
AER Position 2003
This document presents the content and progress of Council of Europe discussion. Also, it enhances the principal elements covered by this draft, as organisational competences, etc.
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