The European Town Twinning Movement: Role and Activities of CEMR

1. THE EUROPEAN TOWN TWINNING MOVEMENT Role and activities of CEMR Manuella Portier Project Officer - Citizenship Brussels, 3 November 2010

2. Introduction • Foundedin 1951 by a group of European mayors • Oldest and broadest association of local and regional authorities • Members: 53 national associations of towns, municipalities and regions from 39 European countries

3. CEMR’s members

4. Activities • Influence European law and policy • Enhancelocal and regionalcontribution to the shaping of the EU • Promoting a united Europe based on local and regional self government and democracy: twinning as a tool • Exchange experience at local and regional level • Cooperate with partners in other parts of the world

5. Political structure President Michael Häupl Policy Committee Executive Bureau Secretariat General

6. CEMR’s President • Is elected by the Policy Committee for a three year term • Represents CEMR and chairs the statutory meetings • In December 2005, the mayor of Vienna, Michael Häupl, was elected president • His predecessor was Valéry Giscard d’Estaing

7. Policy Committee • Over 100 members elected for 3 years • CEMR’s main governing body • Approves the budget and the annual work programme • Decides on the broad policy lines and on the new members’ application

8. Executive Bureau • President + Vice-Presidents + Executive Presidents • Follows up the Policy Committee’s decisions • Is responsible for CEMR’s work and policy • Meets twice a year

9. Secretary General • Elected by the Policy Committee for a six year term • Ensures CEMR’s daily functionning • In 2009, Frédéric Vallier elected Secretary General • Staff of around 20 based in Brussels and Paris

10. Fields of activities • Local and regional government as an employer • North South Cooperation • Local and regional democracy • Equal opportunities • Employment • Energy • Environment • Governance & future of the EU • Twinning • International local government • Regional Policy • Social Affairs • Urban and rural policies • Public services / Procurement • Transport • Information Society

11. Facts and figures • 39 countries • 53 associations • budget : +/- 2,000,000€ • ±20,000twinning linksbetweentowns of all over Europe • 100,000towns and regions

12. www.ccre.org

13. CEMR’s publications

14. The origin of the European town twinning movement • 1st wave of town twinning links in the ’50s in the aftermath of WWII • Upon an initiative of a handful of Mayors convinced that friendship between the citizens was the necessary first step to rebuilding a stable and peaceful Europe • Closely linked to the EU construction process • First twinning agreements were mostly signed between France and Germany • Creation of CEMR in 1951 : to support the birth of the twinning movement and the structuration of associations of local authorities • Local authorities: closest level to citizens; crucial role tobuild up Europe from citizens’ perspective

15. The role of the twinning after the war • Solidarity between citizens to rebuild towns and infrastructures after the war • Reconciliation between citizens from enemy countries after the war • Starting remembrance process after the holocaust • Knowing history not to repeat the mistakes of the past • Taking part in the EU construction process from a local level • Birth of friendship links between towns in Europe • Intercultural dialogue beyond physical, mental and linguistic barriers

16. Evolution of twinning in the 1980s • A new context - 1989: Fall of the Iron Curtain: Europe searches for new unifying values - 1992: Maastricht Treaty (European Citizenship, new fields of activities and principle of subsidiarity) • Role of twinning - Help to prepare for independence (structuration of local authorities) - Help to prepare for future EU enlargement (exchange of practices, intercultural competences) - Help European citizens to share a feeling of belonging to the same community - Help to define common values and experiment differences

17. EU support to town twinning • Action of CEMR advocating for a EU institutional support for European twinning movement • 1989: creation of a EU budgetary line dedicated to town twinning links in Europe (report from Nicole Fontaine, EU Parliament) • Impact: significant growth of the European twinning movement:8 500 twinning links in 1991, 20 000 in 2010 (117 in Cyprus mainly with Greece, then France and Germany) • 2007-2013: « Europe for Citizens » programme; Action 1 : « Active Citizens for Europe » (50% of total budget) • CEMR: referee association to EU institutions for twinning, consulted by European Commission on content of next EU twinning programme

18. Role of CEMR to support town twinning • Coordinates the work of its member national associations in the field of twinning: a working group of “European twinning officers”  Chair of CEMR’s Twinning Group: Mayor of Oswiecim (Auschwitz), Janusz Marszalek • Working group meets regularly to share practices, exchange experiences of the use of action 1 of « Europe for Citizens », set topical priorities for town twinning in Europe (social cohesion, public services, citizenship, etc.) • Is dialogue partner for DG EAC and EACEA on EU twinning programme : consultation meetings • Work with local/regional authorities to bringvoice from the ground to the EC and EP for adequate EU policy to support twinning

19. Informs its member associations about EU twinning programme’s updates and events • Organises twinning-related events (e.g. 9thEuropean Twinning Congress in Rhodos in 2007) • Produces studies and guides including a practical handbook, “Twinning for tomorrow’s world” (with best practices examples) • Has developed a website dedicated to European and International town twinning: information in 23 languages about funding and possibility to search for a twinning partner in Europe and beyond

20. Role of CEMR’s national associations to support twinning • A twinning officer designated for each country where CEMR has member associations • The associations represent their members at national level: towns, provinces, counties or regions • They provide assistance in the area of twinning to their members • They help finding a twinning partner in Europe or beyond (through the website) • Help their members put in place twinning partnerships • They train their members to the management of town twinning project • They produce information supports on town twinning for their members including news on the EU twinning programme (newsletters, websites, etc.)

21. They provide their members with information about funding opportunities for twinning activities and events • They aggregate twinning data at national level (number of twinned towns, type of activities, contact points, etc.) • They are dialogue partner at EU level as members of CEMR for European institutions • They are dialogue partner at national level for their members in the field of European/international cooperation • They promote and communicate on local twinning actions at national level • They support their national government in negotiating accessibility of non EU member states to the programme “Europe for Citizens” (Balkan countries)

22. European twinning Congresses 9th Twinning Congress in 2007 in Rhodos, Greece: "Twinning for Tomorrow’s World” • Over 500 local and regional elected representatives and activists of the twinning movement • Publication of a practical handbook “Twinning for Tomorrow’s World” It gives an overview of town twinning activities in Europe and in the world, features example of good practices on various issues, gives advice for setting up good twinning links and informs on EU funding possibilities • Creation of the twinning website A virtual multilingual meeting place for local government from Europe and beyond which provides information about town twinning (What is town twinning? Why is it relevant and useful? How to fund a twinning link? Tips for successful twinnings...)

23. European twinning Congresses 10th Twinning & Citizenship Congress in 2011 in Rybnik, Poland • During the Polish presidency of the EU • 3 regional seminars to prepare the content of the event - in March 2010 in Tallinn (Estonia) - in June 2010 in Malta - in November 2010 in Cologne (Germany) • Objective of these seminars: - to focus each time on a specific geographical area (North, South and Centre/East of Europe) - to examine, with the local actors, the different approaches to twinning and the expectations of citizens and towns towards twinning links in today’s Europe - to draw an overall assessment of twinning practices in Europe and to continue the reflection on the modernisation of the community programme

24. TWINNING WEBSITE • Launch in November 2008 • Adress: www.twinnings.org • A unique tool (interactiv platform) available in 23 languages (and soon in Albanian and Turkish) • Still under construction (future improvements to come) • 428 ads published in September 2010 (129 in March 2010) • 3 ads from Cyprus municipalities • Objective: to facilitate exchanges of information and the search of partners • A tool to facilitate and reinforce the twinning movement, to emphasize the work of the national associations, to disseminate the twinning movement in the broader Europe • Key role of the national associations by validating the ads

37. FURTHER INFORMATION Council of European Municipalities and Regions CEMR – Paris Office 15 Rue de Richelieu, F-75001 Paris www.ccre.org Sandra Ceciarini, Director of Citizenship and International Cooperation Manuella Portier, Project officer Citizenship manuella.portier@ccre.org