EXPERIENCES OF EGCT APPROVAL AUTHORITIES FRANCE

1. EXPERIENCES OF EGCT APPROVAL AUTHORITIESFRANCE Budapest – 21 February 2013

2. DGCL MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR • DGCL also reports to • Ministre de la réforme de l'Etat, de la décentralisation et de la fonction publique • Ministre déléguée auprès de la ministre de la réforme de l'Etat, de la décentralisation et de la fonction publique, chargée de la décentralisation

3. I. ACTORS

4. EU Legal Framework EGCT Regulation (EC) 1082/2006, article 4.3 : «  the Member State concerned shall, taking into account its constitutional structure, approve the prospective member's participation in the EGTC, unless it considers that such participation is not in conformity with this Regulation or national law, including the prospective member's powers and duties, or that such participation is not justified for reasons of public interest or of public policy of that Member State ».  Approval of the MS required French Legal Framework Principles set up by EU regulation reaffirmed in national law : law n° 2008-352, 16 April 2008  Code général des collectivités (CGCT) territoriales under heading « decentralised cooperation »  Lists possibilities offered to local authorities Law of 16 April 2008 (art. L. 1115-4-2 CGCT) also contains details on the State authorities responsible for approving the creation of an EGCT : EGCT located in France : State representative in the region where the EGCT has its seat EGCT located in another MS : State representative whithin the region Authorisation prior to joining the EGCT Legal Basis for State authorisation

5. French EGCT approval procedure • Local dimension : role of the préfet de région • Interministerial dimension : involves mainly Ministry in charge of local authorities (DGCL) and Ministry of Foreign affairs + other consultations if necessary (ex : Ministry of health for the creation of a cross-border hospital between FR & ES) • Ministry of Interior (DGCL)  characteristics/field of action of the EGCT, convention, statutes • Ministry of Foreign Affairs  coordination with other MS : exchanges until common position

6. II. CREATION OF AN EGCT

7. Local/operational level • Preparation phase : dialogue among future EGCT members + project of convention & statutes • Launching of approval procedure by State authorities : French member submits convention & statutes to the préfet de région • Préfet de région = contact point of EGCT member P R E P A R A T I O N

8. State/intergovernmental level • Préfet de région seizes both MI & MFA • Comments by the ministries (mainly MI)  exchanges with future members via the préfet • Procedure allows for unified state position + context input from local level (préfet) • State authority giving the approval plays a central role in the procedure • Exchange between France & other MS where EGCT come from • MFA as a contact point for other MS • Préfet kept informed throughout the procedure I N S T S R U C T I O N

9. Final phase/Formal approval • EGCT members approve the amended text of convention & statutes • State formal approval : Préfet informed by MI + MFA when MS agreement on convention is reached • For EGCT located in France : Préfet de région • Authorises French members’ adhesion • Signs « arrêté de création » of the EGCT (formal constitution of the structure by the MS in which it is located) => legal personality • For EGCT located in another MS :Préfet de région authorises French members to participate in the GETC (arrêté) C R E A T I ON

10. Scope of State instruction Checks undertaken by the State include: • Prospective members’ capacity to join an EGCT (local authorities & their groupings, public bodies in accordance with directive 2004/18/CE) • Object of the EGCT, including consistency between the mission of the EGCT and competences of its French members • Art 7.2 reg 1082/2006 : tasks of the EGCT shall « all fall within the competence of every member under its national law » • State role as guarantor of coherence of its internal organisation. Same level of competence for each category of local entity as a State preoccupation. • Consistency at national level • Consistency with France’s international commitments (art L. 1115-4-2 CGCT) .

11. III.PRACTICAL ASPECTS

12. Difficulties / Experience from controls • Relevant actors may not always be informed in due time => risk of delays • Not always enough resources within State authorities at local level • EGCT = relatively new tool => difficulties arising during establishment process (staff rules, competences, practical implementation – pb during control of EGCT’s activities) • Sometimes length of the process

13. Advantages of the procedure • Learning of best practices / Avoiding to commit multiple errors • Unified position of the State • Easier to take into account pratical problems during the negociation of modifiying regulation • Overall, the EGCT is a rather sucessful tool in France : 31 EGCT (source : CoR) 11 involving French members / 8 with registered office in France + several others in progress.

14. CONTACT DETAILS • Laurence DEGLAIN Ministère de l’Intérieur Direction générale des collectivités locales (DGCL) Sous-direction de compétences et institutions locales Bureau des structures territoriales laurence.deglain@interieur.gouv.fr • Info on local authorities in France : http://www.dgcl.interieur.gouv.fr/