Multilevel Governance: principles and practice Viktória Zöld-Nagy Department for Territorial Public Administration Development Ministry of Public Administration and Justice

Strengthening the principle of multilevel governance Lisbon Treaty The Committee of the Regions’ White paper on Multilevel Governance EUROPE 2020 Establishment of European networks

Dimensions of multilevel governance Vertical: linkages between higher and lower levels of government, including their institutional, financial, and informational aspects. Instruments: local capacity building, incentives for effectiveness of sub national levels of government, coordination, consultation, participatory democracy, principle of subsidiarity Horizontal: co-operation between regions or between municipalities Instruments: cooperation agreements, associations, international organizations

Relationship – mutual dependance Overlaps and „gaps”: Information gap Capacity gap Funding gap Administrative gap Policy gap co-ordination, capacity building, leadership

Role of local and regional authorities in the EU - Around 95 000 local and regional authorities - Major tasks and competences in key sectors (education, environment protection, economic developemnt, social, healthcare services) - Around 70 % of EU law is implemented by local and regional authorities Local and regional authorities within the EU represent: 16% of GDP; 1/3 of public spending; 56% of public empolyment.

Objectives in Hungary - New Government from May 2010: Government Program of National Cooperation (adopted by Parliament) Concept of Good State: public administration development is underway revision of government levels, including the revision of the tasks and competences of local authorities mutual respect of competence Partnership and cooperation of government actors National Cooperation Forum of Local Authorities

Best practice I. – culture, public services Hódmezővásárhely – development of basic social services and welfare of children - ‘’Public Treasure” round table Kecskemét – Senior Council Szolnok – reorganization of the provision of social services, municipal cooperation - „Providing City”

Best practice II. – crossborder cooperation projects Sopron – open borders project Miskolc - E-citizen - Ermis Hódmezővásárhely - CeRamICa - integrated development of devastated districts

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