Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on 'Eurotraining for Local and Regional Authorities in Europe'
Date: 1999-03-11
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: EU law, local government, regional government

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Official Journal of the European Communities

14.7.1999

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on ‘Eurotraining for Local and Regional Authorities in
Europe’

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

(1999/C 198/13)

having regard to the decision of its Bureau of 15 July 1998, under the fourth paragraph of Article 198c
of the Treaty establishing the European Community, to draw up an Opinion on ‘Eurotraining for local
and regional authorities in Europe’ and to direct Commission 7 — Education, Vocational Training,
Culture, Youth, Sport and Citizens’ Rights to draw up an Opinion on this subject;

having regard to the conclusions of the conference on ‘Eurotraining for local and regional authorities in
the EU’ which took place in Barcelona on 5-6 June 1998 organized by the COR, the European Centre for
the Regions, the European Institute of Public Administration, the College of Europe and the European
Commission;

having regard to the Draft Opinion (CdR 404/98 rev. 1) adopted by Commission 7 on 4 December 1998
(Rapporteurs: Ms Lund and Mr Pujol I Soley),

adopted the following opinion at its 28th plenary session of 10 and 11 March 1999 (meeting of
11 March).

1.

Introduction

1.4.
Based on the results of the Conference, the COR
proposes that action is taken to improve the professionalism
of the human resources of subnational administrations with
respect to Community issues.

1.1.
The development of the Interregional Conference on
Eurotraining for local and Regional Authorities in the European
Union, which took place in Barcelona on 5 and 6 June 1998
— organised by the European Centre for the Regions (ECR),
Barcelona, in cooperation with the European Institute of Public
Administration (EIPA), Maastricht, and the College of Europe
(COE), Bruges, supported by the European Commission, the
Committee of the Regions and the Government of Catalonia
— was a milestone for regions and municipalities in Europe
since it was an opportunity to have in-depth discussions about
the training needs related to European issues affecting these
authorities.

1.2.
On the basis of a questionnaire sent to practically all
the regions and most cities in the EU and the candidate
countries for accession to the EU the Conference identified the
needs for European training in certain priority areas and
the administrative structures
provided information about
dealing with European affairs, the human resources component
and information concerning the elected representatives and
civil servants of local and regional authorities involved in these
issues.

The conclusions of the conference focused on the
1.3.
need for administrations at local and regional level, and of
associations of local and regional authorities to prioritise
attention on strengthening the capacity of
their human
resources to be informed on the topics that are of Community
interest and to develop activities which are imperative in the
field of Eurotraining. The conference also identified training
needs in certain priority areas.

2. General comments

2.1. The purpose of Eurotraining

2.1.1.
The COR proposes to launch a programme on
Eurotraining as a necessary instrument for strengthening the
European integration process and improving the functioning
of local and regional authorities in Europe.

2.1.2.
elected representatives and officials of
authorities in Europe must have on Community issues.

The project aims to improve the knowledge which
local and regional

2.1.3.
The COR aims to create awareness, within the EU
institutions, of its firm belief in the importance of Eurotraining
for strengthening the European integration process and pro-
moting the involvement of the citizens in this process. It also
intends to transmit this belief to the citizens.

The COR calls upon the public authorities — at
2.1.4.
level — and the
Community, national,
associations of local and regional authorities to pay priority
attention to the acquisition of adequate Eurotraining.

local and regional

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2.2. Local and regional authorities in the European Integration

Process

2.2.1.
The European integration process requires the contri-
bution and involvement of all public authorities as well as all
EU citizens. One of the tasks that public administrations can
perform in this context is to make public opinion and citizens
aware of the different implications of European integration
and promote awareness of the EU locally.

2.2.2.
From the beginning of the European integration
process, there have always been many diverse internal terri-
torial realities in the Member States, resulting from historical
evolution, culture and traditions. Local and regional authorities
being concerned about the democratic respect of this diversity,
which is actually an enriching factor, have participated to
various degrees in the European integration process.

2.2.3.
However, as a result of the Single European Act,
adopted in 1985 — introducing the internal market and
economic and social cohesion — the involvement of local and
regional governments in European integration has gained in
importance.

2.2.4.
The Treaty on European Union (TEU) of 1992
provides local and regional authorities, through the creation
of the Committee of the Regions, with an important forum for
institutional participation in the EU integration process. Local
and regional authorities are no longer only responsible for
putting the decisions affecting them into practice, but can now
also make themselves heard in the Council and the European
Commission, in the decision-making process, in the formu-
lation of Community law, in policy-making and in European
issues which they believe concern the local and regional
authorities of Europe.

2.2.5.
The subsidiarity principle should be effectively
applied in the Eurotraining programme in the relations
between the different government structures of the Member
States (central, local and regional) and in accordance with the
national constitutional system in force. These administrations
will have to ensure that their human resources are properly
trained in these fields.

2.2.6.
The development of the decentralisation processes in
EU Member States, which has led to an increase in competences
for these authorities, implies a larger involvement of local and
regional authorities in Community affairs.

In this context,

2.2.7.
local and regional authorities are
mainly involved in three different areas: i) the implementation
process: given that the majority of EU legislation is actually
implemented at local and regional
in many Member
States (this includes activities concerning structural policies,
public procurement, transposition of rules, participation in
ii) the EU decision-making process in
programmes, etc.),

level

particular through the role of the COR (in the development of
the acquis communautaire, Community standards, European
policies, etc.), and iii) the communication of their respective
views with regard to issues that concern citizens in order to
involve them more closely in the EU’s development process as
well as relaying citizens’ views back to the EU.

2.2.8.
All these technical efforts to reinforce the local and
regional presence in the Community decision making process
and raise awareness among European citizens of EU issues
require adequate and continuing training at the level of local
and regional authorities.

2.2.9.
It is obvious that the increasing responsibility of local
and regional authorities is proceeding along the lines of
i) strengthening economic and social cohesion, ii) developing
cooperation and exchanges between the local and regional
authorities and, consequently iii) deepening the European
integration process. The ultimate objective being to bring the
potential benefit of the EU for the citizens closer to them and
to improve their quality of life.

3. Specific comments

Strategic Programme on Eurotraining Activities for local and
regional authorities in Europe (2000-2002):

3.1. Content

The Strategic Programme on Eurotraining involves a
3.1.1.
range of activities in the field of training, transfer of knowledge,
consultancy and applied research on European affairs and on
issues with a Community dimension which are of interest to
elected representatives, public officials, technicians and experts
from local and regional authorities in the EU and the candidate
countries for accession.

3.2. Objectives and Needs

The Project on Eurotraining will benefit local and
3.2.1.
regional authorities in the 15 Member States of the EU and the
candidate countries for accession to the Union as well as
representatives of the European institutions in their under-
standing of the EU’s contribution in meeting citizens’ concerns
and needs. The following two objectives, for the benefit of the
citizens of the EU, should be attained:

To contribute to improving public administration
3.2.2.
and its service towards the citizen in local and regional
authorities and guarantee its creative and effective functioning;

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3.2.3.
pean integration and interregional cooperation.

To contribute to promoting regional cohesion, Euro-

3.2.4.
In order to achieve these objectives, the following
training needs of local and regional public administrations
with respect to Community issues have to be met:

The need for more professionalism at all human
3.2.5.
resources levels of administrations of
local and regional
authorities in the EU with respect to information on European
issues including reference to access to Community pro-
grammes and their operational procedures;

3.2.6.

The need for more effectiveness and efficiency;

3.2.7.

The need to improve performance.

3.2.8.
Public representatives, elected representatives and
public servants should therefore be knowledgeable in these
matters and have the opportunity to follow training on
Community issues, that is an adequate and continuous Euro-
training.

3.2.9.
Vocational training of human resources of local and
regional administrations must be considered as a key factor in
local and regional development and should therefore be given
priority attention, both from the viewpoint of economic
resources allocated to this field and from the angle of the
support which public authorities should lend to training
activities for public servants.

3.3. Characteristic Features of the Programme

The COR proposes the following framework for a such a
programme:

3.3.1.
It will last at least three years (2000-2002), to be
renewable on a mutli-annual basis with appropriate modifi-
cations.

3.3.2.
It is pan-European, considering that these activities
will aim at the local and regional authorities of the 15 EU
Member States and the CEEC.

3.3.3.
It is strategic, as it indicates the path to be followed
by training actions on Community issues in order to improve
efficiency in the administrations concerned, to deepen the
integration process and enable citizens to fully benefit from
this.

The content and methodologies of training should
3.3.6.
be reviewed and updated every year to ensure that
the
programme is responsive to the diverse requirements of
local and regional authorities, their particular political and
administrative capacities and their socio-economic context.

Its activities are promoted in partnership and in
3.3.7.
cooperation between institutions responsible for training and
representative associations of local and regional government.

3.3.8.
It is open to all elected representatives of govern-
ments and officials from local and regional authorities, as well
as to professionals, experts, trainers and institutions involved
in training in this field.

3.4. Actions

3.4.1.
This Strategic Programme involves
actions, the following which are to be developed:

four

initial

— training and transfer of knowledge in the priority areas
described below, which will guarantee that local and
regional authorities can acquire adequate skills in dealing
with European issues in order to i) improve the efficiency
of their administrations by means of having better know-
ledge of EU rules, policies and procedures, ii) ensure their
involvement in the process of change taking place across
Europe, and iii) promote greater economic and social
cohesion;

— carrying out consultancy tasks relating to European issues,
for local and regional governments and administrations in
the Member States and the CEEC where a defined gap in
existing knowledge or in training facilities has been firmly
established;

— carrying out studies and applied research for local and

regional authorities;

— carrying out activities relating to institutional development
through the promotion of an informal forum for exchange
of ideas and experiences between various local and regional
governments and administrations and training centres in
Europe.

3.3.4.
It is integral as a whole, but has a differentiated
modular structure (see 3.4.1) in each of the six priority areas
of Eurotraining (see 3.5).

3.5. Priority Areas

3.3.5.
projects could be incorporated.

It has an open character in that other complementary

The COR identifies the following as priority areas regarding
training for local and regional authorities in Europe:

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3.5.1. T h e i n s t i t u t i o n a l a n d l e g a l f i e l d o f t h e
E U / C o m m u n i t y p o l i c i e s / C o m p a r a -
t i v e d a t a o f t h e M e m b e r S t a t e s

3.5.1.1.
Examining the present situation, analysing adap-
tations that will have to be implemented by the Community
institutions, their structures, relations between various levels
of administration as well as the way in which subnational
levels are involved with the national level over their respective
policy positions and decision-making on European issues;
the acquis
the examination of administrative procedures,
communautaire, Community rules. Training in these areas will
enable governments and administrations concerned to develop
a sound way of managing their human resources.

3.5.2. E c o n o m i c

a n d

s o c i a l

c o h e s i o n

a n d

c o o p e r a t i o n

For the local and regional authorities in the EU —
3.5.2.1.
but also for the candidate countries — the orientation and
new package of financial measures for 2000-2006 presented
by the European Commission in Agenda 2000, the new
guidelines of the Structural Funds, the new regulations, the
improvement and simplification of their management, the
drafting of local and regional programmes, general EU policy
initiatives and proposals, comparative studies on the politico-
administrative structures of the Member States and the candi-
date countries, etc.; these pose a challenge with respect to the
adaptation to new procedures and eligibility and programming
criteria. These factors will also determine the capacity of
subnational governments to make effective use of the Structur-
al Funds as well as other EU programmes and initiatives.
For these governments, well- tailored training and practical
training in these fields are essential.

3.5.3. E x c h a n g e s , p a r t n e r s h i p s a n d t w i n n i n g

3.5.3.1.
Local and regional authorities and their national
and international associations also contribute actively and in a
practical way to the European integration process through
exchange of experiences which depending on the case have
positive as well as negative results. Knowing and analysing the
strong and weak points of these experiences will be very useful
in defining the best approach to be followed in the coming
years. Special focus should be given to the preparatory phase
which can determine the success of a cooperation project.
Local and regional authorities have to play a very important
role in this framework, considering their proximity to and
their knowledge of the actual grassroots situation and consider-
ing their flexibility in implementing actions. Cooperation and
exchanges at European level between different subnational
administrations and their national and international associ-
ations can bring considerable added value, particularly in

the case of administrations that have similar needs. Their
contribution to creating and developing a partnership frame-
work between different training centres could therefore prove
important. Special attention should be paid to the effectiveness
of twinning as a way of developing and strengthening public
administrations. Twinning can indeed serve as a useful means
of comparing the different ways in which all the various
services to citizens are organized, enabling the most efficient
to be singled out and put into use.

3.5.4. E c o n o m i c a n d f i n a n c i a l f i e l d s

The economic and financial

3.5.4.1.
fields will be of
paramount importance in the period 2000-2006. This explains
why programmes with an economic content and measures
aimed at financing policies and programmes for this period
need to be analysed in depth. Knowing how regions and cities
— being centres of investment, innovation and research —
can use the new opportunities for growth and employment,
how they can manage scarce resources, improve their output
and better apply Community policies, in the European frame-
work of Economic and Monetary Union and globalisation, will
contribute towards promoting local and regional development.

3.5.5. C a n d i d a t e c o u n t r i e s f o r a c c e s s i o n t o

t h e E U

3.5.5.1.
The recently launched actions that will have to be
developed in the coming years with the candidate countries
during the pre-accession and accession periods are really
necessary if the next stages in the development of the EU are
to be successful. These should be undertaken in full recognition
of the diverse specificities in training needs that exist across
the candidate countries. Knowledge in these countries of the
political and administrative structures of
the various EU
Member States and comparative experiences, at national as
well as at local or regional
in the
development of their own management structures and in
managing and coordinating matters related to the EU. A better
management as well as increased awareness of EU programmes
and initiatives, a strengthening of their capacity to make
effective use of these, the application of the acquis communau-
taire in local and regional matters and the inclusion of these
countries in a network formed by the Member States are all
aspects that have taken on great importance.

level, may be useful

3.5.6. M a n a g e m e n t

s k i l l s

a n d

p r a c t i c a l

k n o w l e d g e

3.5.6.1.
This is a horizontal field that concerns the skills,
communications and inter-cultural skills, required to manage
European dossiers and the methodology for acquiring skills
which are indispensable in this framework. Organisational
capacity, management skills, the ability to promote project
development and negotiation skills are the key issues in this
field which are mainly of a practical nature. Account should
also be taken — but not separately — of these practical
aspects of management during the implementation of training
activities in each of the above-mentioned priority areas.

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3.6. Target Group

4. Conclusions

As regards the target group, the project should be
3.6.1.
open everyone and consequently the participants may be
politicians, public servants, academics, experts and trainers
responsible for local and regional authority training pro-
grammes from the EU Member States and from the candidate
countries for accession to the EU.

3.6.2.
Special training actions should be developed for the
younger generations of civil servants and elected representa-
tives, since they will be the future public authority managers
in the local and regional authorities of Europe.

3.7. Countries Involved

3.7.1.
The Eurotraining project is intended for the 15 EU
Member States and the candidate countries for accession;
training centres that wish to partake in the project may be
involved in its organisation and development through the
bodies that are created for that specific purpose.

3.8.

Implementation

3.8.1.
For the implementation of the Eurotraining Pro-
gramme, the European Commission could benefit from the
work that has already been initiated by some European training
institutions and from the networks of public administrations
operating in this field. Courses must take place as close to the
local and regional authorities as possible to facilitate the
participation of administrators and officials from local auth-
orities, the smallest of which in particular possess limited
economic resources.

3.8.2.
Associations of regional and local authorities may
play a special role since they are able to further disseminate
information and since they also generally embody the political
level, which is particularly important to opinion-forming. The
Eurotraining project should take account of existing networks.

Brussels, 11 March 1999.

4.1.
Considering that it is imperative that all public auth-
orities, at all levels, must become involved — in accordance
with the Treaties — in the European integration process so as
to give it greater momentum and to ensure that citizens are
provided with better and more accurate information in order
to bring them closer to the opportunities offered by the
institutions and policies of the EU, the Committee of the
Regions calls on the Council and the European Commission
to take the following conclusions and recommendations into
consideration:

4.2.
The Committee of the Regions maintains that the
Community institutions, the national administrations and the
local and regional authorities and their associations must give
priority attention to the continuous training in European
affairs of local and regional authorities in the EU Member States
and in the CEEC, in order to strengthen their participation in
the future development of the EU and to contribute towards a
greater transparency of the EU and towards greater proximity
of citizens to the EU. The COR believes that this will ensure
the effective inclusion of a European civil society into the new
Europe.

The Committee of

4.3.
the Regions recommends that
economic and human resources matching the required needs
be allocated to this project, particularly by the Community
institutions, in view of the obvious Community interest of this
type of action for subnational administrations.

The Committee of the Regions believes that, moreover,
4.4.
the staff of these administrations and the leaders of local and
regional governments should be encouraged to participate in
these training activities.

The Committee of the Regions considers that, the
4.5.
updating of the knowledge within local and regional authorities
and administrations in Europe will strengthen their Com-
munity identity. This objective can only be achieved if the
role of these administrations, their associations and existing
networks is supported and if a strategic programme of
Eurotraining activities for local and regional authorities in
Europe — as an ongoing and long lasting process — is adopted
and financed.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Manfred DAMMEYER