Guide for
the Delegation Secretary
to the Council of Europe Congress of Local and
Regional Authorities
Editing : March 2010
Conception : Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
Printed at Council of Europe premises
Guide for the delegation secretary
GENERAL ROLE OF THE DELEGATION SECRETARY
The delegation secretary:
Along with the Head of the delegation, is the Congress Secretariat’s chief
interlocutor, communicating technical information concerning the delegation, its
members, territorial organisation and the legislative structure governing the
activities of local or regional authorities
plays a key role in information exchange with the Congress Secretariat,
in particular concerning national delegation renewal every two years and following
local and regional elections, as well as any change inter-session
plays a supporting role and acts as a technical guide in helping
delegations to become actively involved in the Congress (sessions, committees,
conferences, working groups, observation of election missions)
helps and advises the elected representatives concerning technical and
organisational questions, regulations and even political questions
country
assists the Congress with the organisation of activities within their own
ensures fuller participation of Representatives (or Substitutes) in the
sessions and of Titular members (or Alternates) in the committees or working
groups
acts as a communication link between Congress activities and their
country and informs all the countries’ elected local and regional representatives
Ideally, is appointed by or within the national associations of local and
regional authorities and works in close co-operation with them
Guide for the delegation secretary
WHEN DELEGATIONS ARE RENEWED
Composition of delegations
As specified in each countries’ official appointment procedure, the accredited
authority sends the Congress their national delegation’s composition in each of the
two Chambers (Chamber of Local Authorities and Chamber of Regions), indicating
the status (Representative or Substitute member) and political party of each
member.
The delegation secretary must inform the Secretariat of the Congress of the
progress of the official transmission. The accredited authority should also supply
the names of the chair and secretary of their delegation.
The secretary of delegation will, in co-operation with the authorities accredited to
compose the national delegation, make sure that the criteria of Article 2 of the
Charter of the Congress are respected, that is to say:
Representatives of local or regional bodies who either hold a general local or
regional authority mandate resulting from direct elections or are politically
accountable to a directly elected assembly, on the condition that they can be
individually dismissed by, or following the decision of the aforementioned
assembly and that dismissal is provided for by law
A balanced geographical distribution of representatives from the member
state’s territory
An equitable representation of the various types of local and regional
authorities in the member state
An equitable representation of the various political forces in the statutory
bodies of local and regional authorities in the member state. The secretary of
delegation will indicate to the Secretariat the percentages obtained by the
different political parties during the last elections as well as the dates of these
elections
An equitable representation of women and men. Since 2008, each delegation
must include representatives of both sexes with a minimum participation of at
least 30% of the under-represented sex.
Guide for the delegation secretary
Allocation of seats on the Committees of the Congress and working
groups
Standing Committee
Delegation secretaries inform the Congress Secretariat, of the names of two
candidates for full membership of the Standing Committee, i.e. one for each
Chamber, and up to two substitutes for each full member. States represented in
only one Chamber have only one seat on the Standing Committee.
Only representatives in the Congress are entitled to stand and be appointed full
members of the Standing Committee. Alternates on the Standing Committee may
be either Representatives or Substitutes in their respective Chambers.
The members of the Bureau, who are elected on the first day of the Session, are
automatically members of the Standing Committee.
Statutory Committee
Delegation secretaries, in concertation with the Head of the delegation should
send the Secretariat the proposed distribution of seats on statutory committees
allocated to members of their delegations. Both Representatives and Substitutes
are eligible for membership of these committees.
The allocation of seats by country within the Committees can be found in
Appendix 2 of the Rules of Procedure of the Congress and its Chambers.
Working groups
Each working group includes a limited number of Titular members and an equal
number of Alternates.
Delegation secretaries, in concertation with the Head of delegation, send the
proposed candidatures for the different working groups to the Congress.
Guide for the delegation secretary
WHEN DELEGATIONS ARE CHANGED AFTER
ELECTIONS
A national delegation’s composition may change when one of its members dies,
resigns or loses his/her seat in a local or regional election or after local or regional
elections in the country.
Delegation secretaries must inform the Congress of the election results in their
country and the changes that will be forwarded by their national authorities, to
ensure that the new delegation or individual change is dispatched in accordance
with their country’s official appointment procedure;
The following information should be sent to the Secretariat: the new member’s
elected status, political affiliation and contact details;
Changes to the statutory committees and working groups should be notified.
In accordance with Article 2.6 of the Charter of the Congress, a Representative or a
Substitute who has lost their mandate may not remain a member of the Congress for longer
than six months after the loss of that mandate.
Guide for the delegation secretary
THE DELEGATION SECRETARY
AND THE PLENARY SESSION
Plenary sessions are the most important Congress meetings. Active participation
by delegations is essential to ensure lively debate and a real exchange within the
Congress. The principal tasks of the secretaries of delegation during sessions are:
Before the session
► Via the Who’s who send the Secretariat the names of the delegation
Representatives who will be present and, when necessary, indicate the names of
Substitutes for Representatives unable to attend the session;
► give the names of the persons accompanying the delegation;
► check that requests to the Secretariat concerning office opening times,
telephone lines, pre-paid tickets, visa applications or meeting room requests are
properly submitted.
During the session
Secretaries may organise coordination meetings concerning:
► Technical aspects of the plenary session. A detailed practical guide is provided
for delegations at sessions;
► questions on the Rules of Procedure of the Congress which cover, notably,
elections, registering for debates, reports presented by the Rapporteurs;
► the possibility of organising meetings between national delegations on
particular questions of common interest;
► support and coordination of the interventions of the members of the delegation
for the questions to personalities (Chair of the Committee of Ministers, Secretary
General, President of the Congress…).
Guide for the delegation secretary
Practical advice for participation in sessions
Notice of intention to speak in debates/List of speakers
Notification forms are available for members wishing to speak during the debates
at Congress sittings. These forms must be deposited at the Presidency. Members
can also speak in the general discussion.
Written questions to the Secretary General and the Chair of the Committee
Ministers
Written questions for oral replies are to be deposited in a written form with the
Table Office. Members should restrict themselves to one question to the Secretary
General, and one to the Chair of the Committee of Ministers. Members’ presence
in the Hemicycle is required for the oral answer.
Written statements (Art. 35 of the Congress Rules of Procedure)
Written statements (200 words maximum) on issues within the competence of the
Congress may be submitted on the condition that they are signed by at least 20
Representatives or Substitutes belonging to four national delegations.
Motion for Resolution (Art. 23 of the Congress Rules of Procedure)
Any Representative or Substitute may table a motion, which must deal with the
substance of the question raised. These motions must be submitted in writing, be
signed by ten Representatives or Substitutes belonging to at least five national
delegations, and concern a matter falling within the competence of the Congress.
Amendments (Art 27 of the Congress Rules of Procedure)
Any Representative may propose amendments and sub-amendments to a draft
Recommendation, Resolution or Opinion.
Guide for the delegation secretary
CONGRESS DOCUMENTS
Reports
The statutory committee draft reports which are submitted for debate during
sessions. The committee report consists of a draft resolution and/or a draft
recommendation and/or opinion and an explanatory memorandum. After the
debate, the draft recommendation, resolution or opinion are put to the vote.
Amendments
Proposed amendments must be tabled in writing and given to the Table Office by
4pm at the latest on the eve of the day on which the debate on the texts to which
they refer is opened.
Minutes
The minutes are drawn up after each Congress session and each Chamber
meeting.
Adopted texts
Recommendations consist of proposals addressed to the Committee of Ministers,
whose application falls within the competence of the governments. Sometimes,
they may also be addressed to other international organisations.
Resolutions reflect the decisions that the Congress is entitled to make or make
recommendations to local and/or regional authorities and to their associations.
Generally, opinions refer to questions that have been submitted to the Congress
by the Committee of Ministers or the Parliamentary Assembly. The Congress is
consulted concerning matters that are likely to call into question the competences
and essential interests of local and regional authorities which are represented by
the Congress.
Official reports of debates
The official reports of debates are published on the Congress website after the
session and are also addressed free of charge to the members of the Congress
upon request.