Multilevel governance and crossborder co-operation: key challenges for European states

[04.03.2011] European citizens are usually confronted with the level of government closest to them in terms of services provided, policies implemented or taxation. But other tiers of government exist which have an impact on their life as well: infrastructure, higher education, health, economic development, to mention just a few, are functions where regions, state and European institutions develop policies, take decisions and influence citizens’ lives and enterprises’ strategies. And they know no frontiers: territorial cohesion requires harmonisation of approaches and policies across the frontiers.

To discuss multilevel governance and crossborder co-operation the Hungarian Presidency of the European Union convenes a European conference in Gödöllö (22-23 March) with the participation of the Council of Europe. The role of the European Charter of Local self-Government as founding stone of subsidiarity and effective central-local relationship will be highlighted as will that of its new additional protocol on citizen participation. The Strategy for Innovation and Good Governance will be presented as a major tool to help deliver good democratic governance at local level. At crossborder level, the Euroregional co-operation groupings – whose creation is made possible by the recently adopted Protocol No 3 to the Madrid convention – can facilitate co-operation between territorial authorities belonging to both EU and non-EU member states and also play a complementary role to that of the European Groupings on Territorial Co-operation (EGTC).

Participants include representatives of EU and Council of Europe institutions and bodies, member states and local and regional authorities and their umbrella associations, with a strong presence of border regions and crossborder co-operation bodies, such as Euroregions and EGCTs.