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SPRING SESSION

Sustainable Territorial Development Committee
CONF/TER(2011)SYN1

Strasbourg, 17 February 2011

SYNOPSIS OF THE MEETING HELD ON 25 January 2011

FOR THE ATTENTION OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SUSTAINABLE TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

The Sustainable Territorial Development Committee of the Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe, which held its latest meeting in Strasbourg on 25 January 2011 with Ms Anne-Marie CHAVANON in the chair,

1. Agenda

adopted the agenda as it stood

2. Synopsis of the meeting held on 5 October 2010

adopted the synopsis of the previous meeting.

3. Activity report 2010

adopted the activity report for the past year and was satisfied with the wide range of events and the standard of the activities [CONF/TER(2010)RAPACT]

4. A human rights issue: preventive action against major risks

4.1 The Council of Europe commitment: the EUR-OPA Agreement

took note of the commitments entered into by the member countries of the EUR-OPA partial agreement (European and Mediterranean Major Hazards Agreement), and of their expectations with regard to the INGOS, following an exchange of views with Francesc PLA, its Deputy Executive Secretary
The INGOs’ commitment to a shared-risk culture:
discussed the challenges facing a European metropolis (Paris and its suburbs), if confronted with a risk of flooding, with Ludovic FAYTRE, in charge of the major risks centre at the IAU, a recognised public utility foundation, and member of the International Federation for Housing and Planning (IFHP) (link to Ludovic Faytre’s presentation on major hazards – French only)

4.2 The Cancun Summit

held an exchange of views on the problems raised at the Cancun Summit, in particular the connection between climate change and extreme events, with Alan MEALE, former UK Minister of the Environment, Chair of the Sub-Committee on Local and Regional Democracy of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, who had attended the Summit.
took note of the Parliamentary Assembly’s expectations with regard to Conference of INGOs and of the committee members expressed during the discussion,

5. Reform of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe

held an exchange of views with Muriel GRIMMEISSEN, Co-Secretary of the Congress Current Affairs Committee on the committee’s development.

6. Future development of the Committee and work programme for 2011

unanimously agreed that the Conference of INGOs should continue the work carried out by the Sustainable Territorial Development Committee since it was first set up, in particular the activities conducted in partnership with other Council of Europe bodies.