The European Decentralised Cooperation

The European
DecentraliSed Cooperation

Antonella Valmorbida

Euroclio

Vol. 106

This publication has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the author and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.

This publication has been peer reviewed.

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About the author

Antonella Valmorbida is a senior expert on local governance and participative democracy at the local level. She developed and leads ALDA, the European Association for Local Democracy, since its creation in 1999. She is among the key experts in Europe that promote and implement programmes of participative democracy, local democracy and development. She has been engaged in South Eastern Europe and Eastern Europe since 1996. She manages a team of over 30 people and more, consultants and a network of 14 Local Democracy Agencies.

She is the Secretary General of ALDA, the European Association for Local Democracy, President of EPD (European Partnership for Democracy), coordinator of the Subgroup on Local Government and Public Administration Reform of the Civil Society Forum for the Eastern Partnership. She is also involved in Concord, the European NGO Confederation for Relief and Development.

About the book

The local dimension is not considered any longer the final part of a top down long chain of processes bringing democracy and wealth but rather an essential and founding part of it. This publication gives a significant and unique overview on the processes of decentralised cooperation and the ways in which it impacts and engages communities in the European Union and the rest of the world. The publication is mainly focusing on the neighbouring countries of Europe as well those engaged in process of accession to the EU. Decentralised cooperation is an instrument with an important and evidenced added value to be further strengthened and empowered.

The compelling narrative develops a comprehensive perspective on the processes of Decentralisation and development through cooperation between local authorities and civil society based on thorough research on legislative, extensive work in the field as well as good practices from relevant countries in Europe and its Neighbourhood.

This eBook can be cited

This edition of the eBook can be cited. To enable this we have marked the start and end of a page. In cases where a word straddles a page break, the marker is placed inside the word at exactly the same position as in the physical book. This means that occasionally a word might be bifurcated by this marker.

Author’s Notes

The present book is partly a revised and updated version of the material used during the three-year long course (from 2012) held at the University of Padova (Italy) – Faculty of Political Sciences – for the Master on Public Administration and Governance. The examples presented thereinafter are taken from the professional experience of the author as well as from the essays provided by the students. It does not intend to be exhaustive but it is rather a view of the author on the different topics addressed. It wants to raise the attention and awareness on the broad and often unknown potential of decentralised cooperation, by giving hints and indications for further research, interest and action.←7 | 8→ ←8 | 9→

Chapter 1

The objectives of the book

The present work addresses the subject of decentralised cooperation, through a comparative approach, from different geographical angles and views as well as various types and clusters of stakeholders. A special attention to the subject and the recent developments in the European Union construction and networks will be the essence of the second part. The Annexe is dedicated to the work of the students during the University course Public Administration and Governance, which took place for three Academic years at the University of Padua, Faculty of Political Sciences. The book is addressed for readers that are not necessarily used to the concept and that are approaching this form of cooperation and wants to have a first insight of it.

The comparative experience presented in the following pages is the outcome of twenty years of activities in the context of decentralised cooperation, together with ALDA – The European Association for Local Democracy and the Local Democracy Agencies programme and also experiences of the author¹. A particular emphasis to this work has been provided by the three years programme LADDER, Local Authorities Drivers for Development, co-financed by European Commission. Considering the recent facts and a general upraise of citizens, a special focus will be given to citizens’ participation and citizens’ approach. We will see how Europe is today solicited for including citizens’ into decision-making processes through new forms of participation and non-formal consultations².

Decentralised cooperation is also involved in this societal trend and might contribute to identify some possible solutions. The manner in which the content and methodology of decentralised cooperation can establish a straightforward connection between the initiatives in cooperation for←13 | 14→ development policies and the improvement of EU local policies in public administration and services will be highlighted. The natural conclusion that will follow is that international decentralised cooperation is for the benefit of both sides of the cooperation.

d) Base on the above mentioned targets, to elaborate recommendations to the EU and various relevant stakeholders to support decentralised cooperation as a powerful instrument for economic and social sustainable development.←14 | 15→

1 Any comments or reference are only the point of view of the author.

2 The spring and summer of 2011 are marked by the upraise of citizens present in the squares and the street asking for a change in political life and distribution of resources, like the Indignados in Spain, the youth in the squares of Athens and many other movements in Europe.

Chapter 2

Recommendations to unlock the potential of decentralised cooperation

It is often the case that a very good idea for some reasons cannot unlock its full potential. Probably, Decentralised cooperation in development policies and programs is among these. In particular, its relevance for the Neighbourhood policies of Europe would even be more important for its capacities to link communities and to build bridges among different countries and regions. The relatively weak return or visibility of the cooperation activities promoted by cities and regions – either municipal international cooperation, or city-to-city cooperation – is more due to a lack of convinced investment and true support than because of the low potential of results of the action itself.

Decentralised cooperation has an extremely positive ratio between investment and impact, compared to numbers of enormous investments in development that we often witnessed with very little return (inconsistent consultancies, constructions industries and others big programmes which are not accompanied by an appropriate level of governance, which ends often in … nothing in terms of what is left in the partners countries).

Working with communities in a long-term participative and local approach, decentralised cooperation has a great potential for change and for reaching and impacting on citizens and institutions. The fact that, sometimes, it cannot reach the results expected is not due to the fact that the methods is wrong per se but it is due to the fact that it remains often underfunded and that the real support, including the political one, is not present enough in the medium and long term.

Europe can be a real leader in this perspective since it based its own development in local and regional empowerment. Decentralisation and participative democracy at the local level is an assumption of the EU project for development and growth and it can/should be the channel with which we address problem solving together with the rest of the world. Despite the difficult social and economic time in the EU, positive trends are visible in all communities where citizens are mobilised, educated and oriented towards problem solving. We←15 | 16→ should not be totally blind and look at our reality only through the lenses of fear and catastrophic approach, which is quite trendy these days. Community approach to problems and its added value is a characteristic of the EU members’ state governance and we should be ready to share it with our neighbours and pick up also all the good experiences coming from them. The process of empowerment of citizens and the community approach, especially at the local level, is irreversible1.

Problems and opportunities are often at the borders of Europe, South, East and in the Enlargement countries. Our work with them must be special and needs a particular investment and interest. The global issues of migration and security but also opportunities for future work and exchanges, put our relationship with our closest partners at the top of the agenda. We need harmonisation and a process of mutual benefit and we need to be ready to adapt ourselves basing our actions on respect and reciprocity.

Decentralised cooperation and city-to-city cooperation (or even better community-to-community cooperation) have this potential and it opens new horizons by putting development, sustainable and fair development for all, at the centre of its agenda.

After a long excursus presented here this publication, some recommendations emerge to policy-makers at the EU and national level.