Your opinion on multilevel governance

By Miriam Eisermann on 14 October 2009

How to best implement multilevel governance in Europe? After having published its white paper on multilevel governance, the Committee of the Regions is currently leading a general consultation to canvas the views of the local and regional authorities, associations and other stakeholders.

Multilevel governance is understood as coordinated action by European, National and local authority levels based on partnership and aimed at drawing up and implementing EU policies. Key recommendations made by the Committee of the Regions in its White Paper are

• the accompaniment of Community strategic reforms by a regional action plan
• the support of participatory local democracy
• the reinforcement of partnership practices in a horizontal as well as vertical manner.

The paper also states that the territorial level is of central importance, and that participatory governance and territorial indicators should developed, just as territorial impact analysis should become standard practice in order to assess the impacts of Community proposals. According to the Committee of the Regions, the Covenant of Mayors allows pioneering experiments to be shared and to increase the awareness of citizens and local socio-economic actors with regard to sustainable energy use. The paper underlines that this initiative "forms a reference model for the active engagement of cities and regions in achieving strategic goals in the European Union and should be extended to other areas such as employment, integration policy or social exclusion".

Do not hesitate to participate in the White Paper Consultation until 30 November 2009 by clicking here.

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