Resolution No. 3 on The status of the conference, work programme and financial implications

The ministers responsible for regional planning,

1. Having taken note of the report submitted by the Working Party on the Status of the Conference (doc. CEMAT (83) 5 + Appendix);

2. Recalling the previous CEMAT resolutions on the matter (La Grande Motte 1973, Bari 1976, Vienna 1978 and London 1980);

Recalling the Council of Europe’s Consultative Assembly’s Recommendation 525 (1968) setting out the aims of CEMAT;

Recalling the introduction in 1976 of the regional planning sector of the Council of Europe’s work programme, the convening in the same year of the Council of Europe’s Steering Committee on regional planning and the architectural heritage, the convening in 1981 of the Council of Europe’s Steering Committee on regional planning and the terms of reference of that committee;

3. Hoping to intensify intergovernmental co-operation in regional planning;

I. On the status of the conference

4. Vis-à-vis the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe:

– reaffirm their determination to maintain and develop the links between CEMAT and the Council of Europe;
– with regard to the work done by the Committee of Ministers since the adoption of Resolution (71) 44, express the hope that the problems raised will in due course lead the Committee of Ministers to devise a new institutional framework for conferences of specialised ministers;
– in order to ensure optimum consideration of the work and resolutions of CEMAT under the Council of Europe’s annual work programme, request the Committee of Ministers to examine whether it would be possible to transmit to the CDAT all the CEMAT resolutions which are brought to its notice by the Secretary General;

5. Undertake to approach their own governments with a view to giving renewed impetus to European co-operation in regional planning;

II. On the future work programme of the CEMAT

6. Agree to pursue their work in the spirit of the charter, develop its principles and encourage its application in Europe;

7. Recalling the activities outlined in the report on the future status of the conference, its work programme and its financial implications (CEMAT (83) 5 + Appendix), underline the particular importance they attach to work on the preparation of a European regional planning strategy, focusing on the following points in the short and medium term:

– completion of research for the final version of the European regional planning strategy;
– drawing-up of a work programme based on Resolution No. 1 on “Achievements and prospects for regional planning” adopted at the London Conference in 1980;
– assessment of the impact of a number of national Europe-wide planning projects on European regional planning;
– reinforcement of co-operation within international bodies, especially the European Conference of Ministers of Transport, with the aim of formulating a regional planning policy basis for a European transport policy;

8. Take the view that the work programme should be implemented on the basis of an ongoing dialogue and exchange of information with the organs of the Council of Europe, the other conferences of specialised ministers and any other international or European organisation, especially the European Community, in so far as their work concerns regional planning;

9. Hope that, with this in mind, consideration will be given to the possible establishment of national and regional planning strategies by countries which do not yet have them;

10. Believe that exchanges of regional planning information and experience must be stepped up, using new channels of expression and communication with national experts, the general public and political circles;

11. Call on the Committee of Senior Officials to make the necessary practical arrangements for the action outlined above;

12. Take note of the fact that the activities and structures of the CEMAT and the CDAT are co-ordinated and complementary, and hope that in the interests of greater efficiency this situation will be consolidated in the future through consultation between the two bodies;

III. On the financing of the CEMAT work programme

13. Recognise the endeavours of the Council of Europe, which in 1976 introduced a regional planning sector into its annual programme of activities and has kept it there since then;

14. Renew their appeal concerning the need for the Council of Europe to provide the conference with sufficient funds and staff to that end;

15. Bearing in mind the current economic difficulties, feel that new financial resources should be found to guarantee the implementation of the CEMAT work programme, particularly by co-operating with other European and international organisations and looking into still unexplored possibilities, such as having studies or projects financed by national institutes or ministries.